European Command News Archive | EUCOM Or USEUCOM Alerts Europe

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July 30, 2022 - In the event China invades Taiwan, the director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs expects Switzerland to adopt any measures that are implemented by the European Union against China. Read more

July 28, 2022 - The Turkish consulate in Mosul, Iraq was targeted by missiles on Wednesday, after the Iraqi government claimed that Turkey had carried out artillery strikes in the Zakho District, in the Duhok Governorate that killed eight people, which Turkey has denied involvement in. Read more

July 28, 2022 - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine. Read more

July 28, 2022 - Yuri Borisov, who is head of the Roskosmos, Russia's state space agency has said that Russia will be withdrawing from the International Space Station (ISS) project after the year 2024. Read more

July 27, 2022 - Russian state owned energy corporation Gazprom had stated that it will reduce gas flows through the Nord Stream to 20% of its normal capacity on July 27th, 2022, taking injection down to 33 mln cubic meters of gas per day. Read more

July 26, 2022 - MOSCOW - Alexander Bastrykin, Russian investigative committee head, has told the government news site Rossiiskaya Gazeta, that over 1,300 criminal investigations have begun, regarding war crimes in Ukraine. Ukraine also said it was examining more than 21,000 war crimes which it alleges were carried out by Russian forces. Read more

July 26, 2022 - SYRIA/IRAQ - IRAQ - An ongoing military operation by the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Iraq, against the Kurdistan Workers' Party ( PKK ) in the Duhok Governorate, is the next phase of many operations utilizing the code word 'claw' aimed at the PKK. Other operations, beginning in 2019, prior to Claw-Lock include the following: Claw-Eagle, Claw-Tiger, Claw-Lightening, & Claw-Thunderbolt. Read more

July 23, 2022 - Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister is setting out on a trip to Egypt where he will meet with officials and solidify their relationship with Russia. Rosatom, a Russian state-owned energy corporation began construction on Egypt's first nuclear power plant. Read more

July 23, 2022 - White House Spokesperson John Kirby has announced $270 million in defense aid to Ukraine, including rocket systems, which will bring the total of US military assistance to Ukraine to $8.2 billion USD. Read more

July 22, 2022 - DOD: $270 Million in Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine. Immediate release from the Department of Defense. Included: 20 Soviet designed Mi-17 helicopters originally purchased by the US military to aid the Afghan military. Read more

July 22, 2022 - U.S. Depeartment of State - Quadrilateral Deal for Safe Passage of Agricultural Goods on the Black Sea. The United Nations, the Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia have committed to a plan for resuming Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea. Read more

July 21, 2022 - Russia restarted its gas supply to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline on Thursday after 10 days of being closed off, according to Nord Stream AG, the pipeline's operator, who said: "gas is flowing". Gas flow is well below full capacity, however, and expected to fall even further. Read more

July 21, 2022 - CIA Director William Burns stated on Wednesday that the United States intelligence community estimates that around 15,000 Russian forces have been killed in Ukraine during the Russian invasion on the country since the war began. Read more

July 20, 2022 - TEHRAN - Today there was a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayhip Erdogan, and the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. The topics of discussion were Ukrainian grain exports as well as peace in Syria. Read more

July 19, 2022 - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members. Read more

July 17, 2022 - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read more

July 17, 2022 - The Russian offensive in Ukraine intensified overnight following instruction from Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu announcing an intensified effort on all fronts in Ukraine to shore up military groups in the south and center. Read more

July 16, 2022 - A British aid worker who was captured by Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Russian separatists in April and accused of being a mercenary has died while in detention. Read more

July 16, 2022 - The security situation throughout Ukraine continues to be violent and unpredictable due to ongoing military attacks by Russia, with active fighting in country and uncertain safety conditions. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens not to enter Ukraine and those in Ukraine to depart immediately. Read more

July 16, 2022 - The Russian state gas giant Gazprom says that it can't guarantee that the Nord Stream pipeline will go back online after the major maintenance that is currently being done on it, according to Dutch daily newspaper Trouw. Read more

July 15, 2022 - The U.S. inflation rate hit 9.1% for the month of June as the cost of purchasing things rise, not just in the United States but in numerous countries across the globe, with 37 of 44 developed nations having at least two times the inflation that they had in the first quarter of 2020. Read more

July 15, 2022 - Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says that they have cut ties with North Korea as a result of North Korea recognizing the "independence" of Ukrainian territories under the occupation of Russia. Read more

July 15, 2022 - The European Commission has released new guidelines that state sanctions against Russia do not apply to rail transit through Lithuania to Kaliningrad, Russia and that rail transit can only be used for essential goods. Read more

July 15, 2022 - The European Commission has today published further guidance to Member States on the transit of goods from Russia. This is part of regular technical exchanges on the practical implementation of EU restrictive measures. Read more

July 12, 2022 - The White House has said that the U.S. has "information" that indicates Iran is preparing, or already has given Russia "hundreds" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and said that Iran plans to train Russian forces on using the drones as early as this month. Read more

July 11, 2022 - The lower tier of the Russian parliament will assemble on July 15 for an unaccustomed meeting, its convention decided on Monday, just days after President Vladimir Putin warned that he had not even started to get serious about the conflict in Ukraine. Read more

July 11, 2022 - Russian gas to Germany from the Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been completely stopped for the next 10 days, and shipments from the pipeline to .Europe are due to stop today. The West fears the gas flow may never come back. Read more

July 10, 2022 - Boris Johnson Resigns His Post Along With Others In The UK - UNITED KINGDOM - Boris Johnson's most well-known achievement was uniting the Conservative Party and Brexit, where the United Kingdom exited the European Union, and he just made a speech at 10 Downing Street, posting his resignation, according to The Washington Post. Read more

July 09, 2022 - The Pentagon is considering sending weapons inspectors to Ukraine in order to monitor the U.S. weaponry being sent to the country, according to Jed Royal, deputy director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Read more

July 09, 2022 - Increased number of young Russian men are looking to avoid nations' obligatory military service since the conflict began in February. Read more

July 08, 2022 - Belarus has given Russia full control of the Zyabrovka air field located about 19 miles from the Belarusian border with Ukraine in the Gomel region, according to Oleksiy Gromov, deputy chief of the Main Operative Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Read more

July 08, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine "has not started anything in earnest," and said that the "war in Ukraine just beginning; hints that peace talks will become more difficult with time." Read more

July 07, 2022 - A British Royal Navy vessel had seized a shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year. British officials also said that the seizure is proof that Iran is supporting Yemen's Houthi rebels. Read more

July 07, 2022 - Ukraine cited an "unacceptable situation" as they summoned the ambassador of Turkey, after Turkish authorities released the Zhibek Zholy, a Russian vessel which Ukraine has accused of smuggling stolen Ukrainian grain. Read more

July 07, 2022 - The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that they arrested several foreigners, including the British deputy ambassador to Iran Giles Whitaker for spying. The UK says that the reports are "completely false". Read more

July 07, 2022 - A newly constructed nuclear facility in Russia, which opened on the 1st of June, 2022, has begun constant nuclear explosion detection, says The 12th Chief Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry as of the 1st of July 2022. Read more

July 05, 2022 - Kaliningrad's Region Governor said that Russia could take out "half of the Lithuanian economy" if Russia implements counter-sanctions on goods coming in and out of the Baltic states. Read more

July 05, 2022 - Russia's oil company, Rosneft has announced that they have discovered a 'huge oil deposit' in the Pechora sea, containing around 82 million tons of oil. Read more

July 04, 2022 - After fully capturing the city of Lysychansk, which was Ukraine's last stronghold, Russia is claiming full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, after intense fighting and resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the Luhansk region has now been "liberated." Read more

July 04, 2022 - The United States and Western allies have been giving Ukraine Soviet-era military equipment due to the fact that Ukraine's military was once part of the Soviet Union and Soviet-era weapons are not interchangeable with those of the West. Western stocks of Soviet-era weapons however are running out. Read more

July 04, 2022 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks of world war 3 which it calls Russia's Second Great Patriotic War and said that countries that decided to play with Westernness neutrality are next, once the special military operation in Ukraine concludes. Read more

July 04, 2022 - Russian state news Gazeta and the Russian Ministry of Defense have put out a statement regarding explosions captured on video from Belgorod saying that three people died and four were injured in the explosions. Read more

July 04, 2022 - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read more

July 03, 2022 - BELARUS - On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that 3 days ago, Ukraine attempted a missile strike on Belarusian military installations, but said that the missiles had been intercepted, through the Belarusian state-run media Belta news. Read more

July 02, 2022 - Although new vehicle sales in the United States have dropped by over 21 percent in the second quarter, versus a year ago, demand is still greater than supply due to a global shortage of semiconductors in spite of rising inflation, fuel prices and interest rates. Read more

July 01, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that sanctions and political pressure on Russia from the West is pushing Russia and Belarus towards "unification". Read more

July 01, 2022 - Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on the Thursday that 'under certain circumstances' such 'hostile measures' as the sanctions placed on the country could be seen as an act of international aggression, or even as a casus belli [a provocation that is a justification for war] and said that Russia has a right to defend itself. Read more

July 01, 2022 - Australian bank, Volt has collapsed in the midst of rising inflation and the bank has urged their customers to pull their funds from their accounts before it closes them on Tuesday. Inflation in Australia and US on the rise. Read more

July 01, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced another $800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which will be including modern air defense systems, HIMARS missile systems and ammunition, and other "offensive weapons". Read more

July 01, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine is going according to plan, and that there is no need to meet any deadlines to end it. Read more

July 01, 2022 - The Japanese defense ministry reported around 10 Russian Chinese navy vessels earlier this month in Waters Near Japan, leaving analysts to believe that the two countries are sending a message to Japan, the United States as well as Taiwan. Read more

July 01, 2022 - Russian state news Izvestia, and TASS have confirmed reports that Russia plans to send Belarus nuclear capable Iskander-M missile systems, capable of carrying "a nuclear warhead" and promised to "retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges". Read more

July 01, 2022 - Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday expressed "serious concern" and "resolute protest" on behalf of the CCP regarding the NATO's new 'Strategic Concept', saying that it ignores facts, distorts the truth and vilifies China's foreign policy. Read more

July 01, 2022 - In an address to the 10th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF), Putin stated that a multi polar world order is "evolving globally", and said that the process is "irreversible". He also said that it should be built upon "international law" and the "UN charter". Read more

July 01, 2022 - NATO leaders have declared that the Russian Federation is the most significant "direct threat" to the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. According to the Lithuanian ministry of defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders at the NATO summit agreed that "Russia is a direct threat to NATO", on "new strategic concept" being adopted, reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank with Forward Presence Brigades, increased support for Ukraine, as well as other "security enhancement" measures. Read more

June 30, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 21st that the BRICS countries, which include Russia, China, Brazil, and South Africa (Iran and Argentina have applied but not yet accepted) are currently working on setting up a global reserve currency to cut their financial reliance on the West. Read more

June 30, 2022 - Member of the Russian state Duma Leonid Slutsky said that while Sweden and Finland's choice to join NATO is their choice, it will have consequences on their relationship with Russia, and on the general security architecture in Europe which is already in deep crisis. Read more

June 30, 2022 - Due to Syria's recognition of independence of the two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that all relations between Ukraine and Syria are now cut off. Read more

June 30, 2022 - Britain, who already has 2,000 soldiers stationed in Estonia has committed to add 1,000 more service members to the country, as well as sending one of its new aircraft carriers to defend NATO's eastern flank. Read more

June 29, 2022 - Washington has shown support toward the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey just one day after Turkey withdrew its objections regarding Sweden and Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more

June 29, 2022 - In an intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense has agreed that the strike on the Kremenchuk shopping center may have been an accident, and that the intended target may have been, as Russia says a nearby infrastructure target. Read more

June 29, 2022 - Metal Shark, an American company that developer and builder of aluminum-hull vessels have put out a statement saying that they are providing six maritime combat vessels to Ukraine. Read more

June 29, 2022 - The Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos has Published Satellite Photos and coordinates of Western decision making centers, all publicly known locations in an apparent statement to the West. Read more

June 28, 2022 - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg has announced that Turkey has agreed to support both Finland and Sweden in joining the NATO alliance. Read more

June 28, 2022 - Iran has applied to become a member of the BRICS, a group of emerging world economies that include: Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil and India. Read more

June 27, 2022 - The United States now has over 100,000 troops stationed in Europe, which has increased from the 70,000 U.S. troops that were stationed in Europe when Russia's invasion on Ukraine began at the end of February. Read more

June 27, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday. Read more

June 27, 2022 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands. Read more

June 27, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin told the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will be providing Belarus nuclear capable Iskander missile systems in the "next few months". Read more

June 27, 2022 - Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has announced the second stage of the gas emergency plan, or alert stage, according to the ministry, putting the gas emergency plan 'on alert'. Read more

June 27, 2022 - Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui told Russian state news TASS that they are ready to supply aircraft components to Russia, noting that there are no restrictions from the Chinese side. Read more

June 26, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met at the Constantine Palace and talked about issues such as the economy, the situation with Poland and Lithuania, and NATO training and nuclear weapons in Europe. Read more

June 26, 2022 - Iran Expanding Nuclear Program While Expanding Cooperation With Russia. Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani stated during a meeting with a top diplomat from the European Union that Iran will continue developing its nuclear program until the West changes what it calls "illegal behavior" according to Iranian state news IRNA. Read more

June 26, 2022 - China says that they "can't leave Taiwan independent" and that they will "retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones" if they can't reunify the island using peaceful methods. They also said that the United States wants two wars, one in Europe and one in Asia. Read more

June 26, 2022 - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that what Russia calls the 'blockade' against Kaliningrad by Lithuania is akin to a declaration of war on Russia. Read more

June 25, 2022 - Russia has fired rockets directly from Belarus into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, and the New York Times who says that over 40 missiles were launched from Belarus into Ukraine. Read more

June 25, 2022 - A Russian state television Channel 1 speakers indicates that conflict in Europe will never end, and that the struggle is against the West, not just Ukraine, saying that there will be other 'special operations' elsewhere, aside from the one in Ukraine. Read more

June 25, 2022 - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia Will Bomb, and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed. Read more

June 25, 2022 - List of travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State from June 1st, 2022 to June 24th, 2022. KEY: Level 1: Normal Precautions | Level 2: Increased Caution | Level 3: Reconsider Travel | Level 4: Do Not Travel. For a clickable list visit the OSLINT Advisories post. Read more

June 25, 2022 - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia will bomb and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed. Read more

June 24, 2022 - Ukraine and Moldova has now formally been recognized as candidates for EU membership, while the EU is ready to grant candidate status to Georgia "once priorities will be addressed". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has compared the EU and NATO to Hitler, and said they are building a coalition to fight Russia. Read more

June 23, 2022 - Release from the Belarus ministry of defense regarding the pre-planned military mobilization exercises in the Gomel region that will last until July 1st, 2022. Read more

June 23, 2022 - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that he "aims" to get both Finland and Sweden into the alliance "soon" regardless of objections by Turkey, but said that he "cannot guarantee" that it will be done swiftly. Read more

June 23, 2022 - Finnish Armed Forces Chief of Defense, General Timo Kivinen says that Finland has been preparing for a Russian attack for decades and says that Finland would be a "tough bite to chew" for Russia if they decided to attack the country. Read more

June 22, 2022 - Russian state news TASS reported that the Kaliningrad Region Governor Anton Alikhanov stated restrictions put in place on freight transit by Lithuania "looked like a mistake at first" but then said, "it's now clear that it's deliberate policy". Read more

June 22, 2022 - The Russian embassy in Washington says that they have received no requests from the United States regarding two "US mercenaries" reported to have been captured in Ukraine. Read more

June 22, 2022 - Denmark's Ministry of Defense says that they have credible information that attributes a cyberattack on satellite equipment operated by the Viasat satellite company to Russia prior to the invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Read more

June 22, 2022 - Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark which are all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance have reported incursions into their airspace by Russian forces who filed no flight plan and turned off their transponder. Read more

June 21, 2022 - Russian scientist, political writer, and analyst Andrey Andreyevich Piontkovsky said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would never dare to give the order for his troops to go to war with Ukraine. Read more

June 21, 2022 - NATO member, Lithuania has banned some goods from traveling to the Kaliningrad, Russia enclave from Lithuania which has angered Russia who said the move was unprecedented and unlawful as well as threatening to respond saying the situation is more than serious. Read more

June 19, 2022 - British MOD intelligence update for June 19th, 2022 reports that entire Russian units are refusing orders and having armed standoffs with their own officers and troops. Read more

June 19, 2022 - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a German newspaper that Russia's war on Ukraine could take years, but that 'we must not let up in supporting Ukraine' he said. Even if the costs are high. The head of the British army also told troops they must prepare to fight in Europe. Read more

June 19, 2022 - On June 15, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced $1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. This includes an authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $350 million, as well as $650 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. This authorization is the twelfth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. Read more

June 19, 2022 - Ukrainian Pravda has claimed that Russia launched three cruise missiles at an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast which wounded 11 people, one of whom is reported to be in "serious condition" with seven others suffering "minor injuries". Read more

June 19, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he believes the United States sees itself as a "messenger of God on Earth", who has "no interests" but "no responsibility". Read more

June 19, 2022 - The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will have to react to Poland's "desire to take Western Ukraine" because it poses a "threat to the security of the republic" on Friday. Read more

June 19, 2022 - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that it is no longer possible for Ukraine to return to its previous borders, and added that "this is obvious". Read more

June 19, 2022 - Two Russian Project 22160 missile frigates were spotted patrolling off of Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near the country's natural gas platforms around 140 km (87 miles) from Romania's coastline. Read more

June 18, 2022 - After reducing energy output to Germany by over half the previous output, Russian energy giant Gazprom was accused of artificially pushing up energy prices by cutting off supplies. Read more

June 18, 2022 - Iranian terror cells have been activated in Turkey and are roaming the streets of Istanbul "looking for Israelis" after having been given an order to carry out attacks against Israelis located in the country, according to an Israeli official who spoke to Ynet on Friday. Read more

June 18, 2022 - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels carrying grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar. Read more

June 18, 2022 - Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base on Wednesday after first notifying the United States of their intentions. The base is located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria. Read more

June 17, 2022 - According to the Dutch intelligence service, a Russian spy tried to infiltrate the International Criminal Court (ICC) that was investigating allegations of war crimes carried out in Ukraine by Russia using fake identification and spent over a decade building up his cover story. Read more

June 17, 2022 - Russian State Television Channel 1 Talks Of NATO Sending Weapons To Ukraine And Nuclear Strike. Read more

June 17, 2022 - A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar. Read more

June 17, 2022 - The Mikolavska District Administration of Ukraine has claimed that on June 15th the Russian military burned down a wheat field and destroyed houses and warehouses in Nikolaev, Ukraine. Read more

June 16, 2022 - Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday that Beijing will keep backing Moscow on "Sovereignty and security", according to Chinese state media. Read more

June 16, 2022 - Two Alabama residents have gone missing within the last few days near Kharkiv, Ukraine which is located near the Russian border, according to their families. U.S. State Department has reported that two Americans have been captured and advised Americans not to travel to Ukraine. Read more

June 16, 2022 - Washington is sending another $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) ammunition and harpoon coastal defense systems. Germany is also sending MLRS systems. Read more

June 14, 2022 - Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as Russia's Prime Minister from 2000 to 2004 stated during an interview with Agence France-Presse that the war in Ukraine could last two years, and if Ukraine falls, the Baltic states will be next. Read more

June 14, 2022 - 50 people were detained in Moscow, including activists, journalists and other citizens due to planned protests over the Ukrainian war on Sunday according to Russian Radio Svoboda. Read more

June 14, 2022 - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets. Read more

June 12, 2022 - Russia and China have finished building and opening up a cross-border bridge that they stated in February will bring the two countries closer together in their "no limits' partnership, before Russian President Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. Read more

June 11, 2022 - After Russia withdrew a large number of troops from Syria in order to re-focus them on its war in Ukraine, Turkey has announced that it will be carrying out a military operation in northern Syria. Read more

June 11, 2022 - U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.6 percent in the month of May according to data given by the U.S. government on Friday. This makes it the 12th month in a row that the inflation percentage has been above 5%. Food and fuel prices are also soaring up, while China, India and other countries benefit from Cheap Russian Oil at discounted prices. Read more

June 11, 2022 - Both India and China have drastically increased their imports of Russian oil at greatly discounted prices, with Indian purchases of Russian oil up by 400%, while countries buying from Russia benefit from discounted prices, the price for oil for the rest of the world is surging. Read more

June 11, 2022 - Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus has said that he believes Belarus may have to fight for "Western Ukraine so that it is not cut off [or pulled away] by the West". Read more

June 10, 2022 - NATO forces conduct live-fire exercises in Poland in order to test their readiness and ability to respond to missile attacks from enemy drones and aircraft. Read more

June 10, 2022 - Russia has begun naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with around 60 warships. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that the exercises are "planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic". Read more

June 9, 2022 - Russian banks, one after the other are beginning to implement service charges and service fees for accounts held in foreign currencies due to what the Russian banks are calling the unreliability of foreign currency partners for Russia. Read more

June 9, 2022 - The Japanese Joint Staff put out a statement saying "Yesterday, JASDF’s fighters scrambled to cope with a suspected intrusion into Japan’s airspace over the East China Sea, the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. JSDF continues to responding to protect our territory and peace for the people of Japan 24/7. (sample image)". Read more

June 9, 2022 - A Russian senator has proposed that Russia carry out missile strikes on U.S. military bases located in Europe in response to the decision by the United States to go ahead and send longer ranged rocket systems to Ukraine. Read more

June 9, 2022 - Russia's Foreign Ministry says that it is suspending a fishing agreement allowing Japan to have fishing rights near the disputed Kuril Islands, which are called the Northern Territories by Japan. Read more

June 8, 2022 - The World Bank put out a statement saying that less developed countries in the world face a major recession as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdowns as the cost of energy and food continue to rise globally. Read more

June 8, 2022 - Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a phone call, and said that Turkey would be responding to actions meant to destabilize northern Syria. Read more

June 7, 2022 - Russia is continuing its efforts to revert back to the 'gold standard' for the first time in over a hundred years, purchasing gold at a fixed price of 5,000 rubles ($59) per gram until June 30th. Read more

June 6, 2022 - Britain is sending Ukraine M270 multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine a week after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending M142 High Mobility Artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) after Kyiv gave assurances that they would not be used to strike Russian territory. Read more

June 4, 2022 - MOSCOW - Former Russian President and current head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has warned that if Ukraine uses any of the missiles given to them by the United States to strike Russian territory, Russia will have 'no choice' but to strike 'decision making centers' which are 'not even located on the territory of Kyiv'. Read more

June 3, 2022 - The United States, on Thursday blacklisted 71 more Russian and Belarusian companies, which included institutes for ship building and research, and aircraft plants along with other sanctions and restrictions in response to Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine. Read more

June 3, 2022 - According to a classified U.S. intelligence report, Russian President Vladimir Putin was treated for advanced cancer in April 2022, Newsweek said that they were privy to the information given by U.S. intelligence leaders reported. Read more

June 2, 2022 - Alexei Zhuravlev, who is a lawmaker and a member of the Russian parliament has threatened the United States with Satan-2 nuclear missiles over U.S. support for Ukraine. Read more

June 2, 2022 - The Biden administration has authorized another $700 million to go to Ukraine, along with MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones. Read more

June 2, 2022 - RUSSIA - Around 1,000 servicemen of the Russian nuclear forces began exercises with over 100 vehicles in the Ivanovo province northeast of Moscow, Russia, according to the Russian defense ministry. Read more

June 1, 2022 - Russian state television Channel 1 said that world war 3 has already started, and that the war in Ukraine, which was a rehearsal for a 'bigger conflict' in the future. Read more

June 1, 2022 - Russian state television Channel 1 said that world war 3 has already started, and that the war in Ukraine, which was a rehearsal for a 'bigger conflict' in the future. Read more

May 31, 2022 - The U.S. will not be giving long-range rocket systems to Ukraine that can be used to target locations within Russia, according to U.S. President Joe Biden. Read more

May 30, 2022 - The European Union has agree to cut about 90% of Russian oil imports by the end of 2022, according to the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Read more

May 30, 2022 - China has sent 30 military aircraft into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, which is the largest incursion on the island's ADIZ since January and caused Taiwan to scramble their fighter own fighter jets. Read more

May 28, 2022 - Two Russian lawmakers who acted as regional officials have been branded as traitors and ordered out of a legislation meeting after they called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion on Ukraine. Read more

May 28, 2022 - Israel has said no to a request by the United States to allow Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles manufactured in Germany using Israeli technology, according to an Israeli official, and two U.S. officials. Read more

May 28, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that abolishes the age limit of those allowed to join its military. The age limit to serve in the Russian military has now been extended to up to 65 years of age for men and 60 years of age for women, which is the age of retirement. Read more

May 28, 2022 - Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic nuclear capable Zircon cruise missile which was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday. Read more

May 28, 2022 - Russia loaded two of their six Varshavyanka submarines anchored in the South Bay of Sevastopol with Kaliber class cruise missiles. Ukraine says they will be used to strike targets within Ukrainian territory. Read more

May 27, 2022 - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read more

May 25, 2022 - DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros said on Tuesday that the Russian invasion on Ukraine may have been the beginning of World War Three, and that the best way to preserve free civilization was for the West to defeat Russia. Read more

May 25, 2022 - On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia must cease being dependent upon the West, and that the 'dictator's position' of the West will lead economic ties with China to grow 'even faster'. Read more

May 24, 2022 - Japan scrambled fighter jets after warplanes from both Russia and China approached its airspace on Tuesday. Japan called the action a "provocation" that was likely planned while it hosted an informal gathering of Quad nations. Read more

May 24, 2022 - South Korea has scrambled fighter jets after at least four Russian warplanes and four Chinese warplanes entered the country's Air Defense Identification Zone without giving notice. Read more

May 24, 2022 - Russia and China have held the first joint exercise since Russia's war on Ukraine began as a part of the two countries "annual military cooperation plan" over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and Western Pacific, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry. Read more

May 24, 2022 - General Mark Milley, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated on Monday that although there is low-level planning currently underway, the United States is still "a ways away" from re-introducing U.S. troops back into Ukraine. Read more

May 23, 2022 - The Pentagon has said that the claim by a Ukrainian official that the United States has plans to attack the Russian naval fleet in the Black Sea is not true and said that there has been no change in maritime posture in the Black Sea. Read more

May 23, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that they have declared a Russian travel ban on 963 Americans, including U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in retaliation for what it calls hostile US actions. Read more

May 23, 2022 - Russia will be establishing new military bases in western regions of the country in response to the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as both Finland and Sweden apply to join the NATO alliance, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Read more

May 22, 2022 - The Ukrainian parliament has extended martial law, which was initiated on February 24th of this year, in Ukraine for another 90 days as a result of the continued Russian invasion of the country. Read more

May 22, 2022 - The government of Lithuania has put out a statement saying that the country is now completely independent from Russian gas, oil and electricity. Read more

May 21, 2022 - WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden signed a $40 billion dollar aid package to Ukraine during his visit to Seoul, the capital of South Korea after the Senate passed the package with an 86-11 vote, while inflation in the United States sits at a 40-year high. Read more

May 21, 2022 - Both Italy and Germany have authorized companies to open ruble accounts in order to purchase gasoline from Russia without violating the current sanctions that have been placed on Russia, according to Reuters and Radio Free Europe. Read more

May 21, 2022 - Russia said that it is not Ukraine Russia is fighting, but the West fighting Russia on Ukrainian territory and said that their opponent is not Ukraine, but a united West through the hands of the Ukrainians. Read more

May 18, 2022 - After 3 months of fighting, Russia has now captured the port city of Mariupol, Ukraine which not only gives Russia a land bridge corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, it also takes a key port away from Ukraine. Read more

May 18, 2022 - After a three month closure as a result of the Russian war on Ukraine, the United States has reopened its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Russia responds to Finland's decision to join the NATO alliance and says that the response will be both a 'surprise' and will be taken primarily by the military. Read more

May 18, 2022 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that both Finland and Sweden have officially handed in their applications for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more

May 18, 2022 - The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that Russia is shutting down the Moscow Bureau of Canadian broadcaster CBC. They are also withdrawing their journalist's accreditations and Visas. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Russia has expelled 34 French diplomats. The diplomats have been declared non grata and have been told to leave the country within two weeks time according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Read more

May 18, 2022 - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Switzerland's Defense Ministry is drawing up a report on security options which include joint military exercises with NATO countries. It also includes "backfilling" munitions to countries sending Ukraine aid. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Researchers believe that they have finally found the cause of Gulf War illness that made around 250,000 U.S. troops sick after almost 30 years of attempting to find the answer. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Dmitry Peskov, who is a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the Western countries, including the United States which it says is currently conducting a hybrid war against Russia, have become hostile states to the country. Read more

May 18, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has, for many years taken Finland and Sweden into account for its plans for eastward expansion. Read more

May 17, 2022 - Four NATO warships that had departed from Hamburg, Germany were spotted traveling through the English Channel just off the Kent coast on May 17th. Read more

May 17, 2022 - On Tuesday Sweden formally signed their request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), one day after they had announced the intention to join the alliance. Read more

May 17, 2022 - SYRIA - Syria, Channel 13 news has reported that Russia , for the first time fired on Israeli aircraft in Syria using S-300 anti-aircraft missiles last week citing 'foreign publications'. Read more

May 16, 2022 - There have been reports that Russia is moving nuclear capable missiles toward their border with Finland, after Finland and Sweden stated that they have decided to seek NATO membership. Read more

May 16, 2022 - U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, as well as a delegation of Republican senators traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine unannounced and met with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine in order to show bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress. Read more

May 16, 2022 - EUROPE - Sweden's president and government have officially announced on Sunday that it will be joining Finland in applying for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey however has raised objections and has threatened to veto the request. Read more

May 16, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States would "strongly support a NATO application by either Sweden or Finland, should they choose to formally apply to the alliance. Read more

May 15, 2022 - Russian Channel 1 state TV said that the reason Finland is joining NATO is fear, but that when NATO bases begin popping up in Sweden and Finland, Russia will have no choice but to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. Read more

May 15, 2022 - The President of the Finnish Ministerial Committee has agreed that Finland would apply for membership for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after the Parliament has been heard, according to the Finnish Government. Read more

May 15, 2022 - MOSCOW - Top member of Russia's Kremlin party "United Russia's Superior Council" and Duma deputy Oleg Morozov stated that "Poland should be the next in the line for denazification process after Ukraine". Read more

May 14, 2022 - Russia carried out drills with fighter jets repelling a mock airstrike against Kaliningrad, Russia which sits between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast after Finland announced plans to join NATO, with Sweden likely to follow suit. Read more

May 14, 2022 - WASHINGTON - U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers on May 10th that the U.S. believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine. Read more

May 14, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that the consequences of the "total hybrid war against Russia declared by the West" will be felt by everyone without exception, and said that Russia did its best to avoid direct confrontation, but that if the challenge has been posed, they certainly accept it. Read more

May 10, 2022 - French President Emmanuel Macron stated that it would take years for Ukraine to join the European Union, and called for a new 'community' of non-EU European democracies which would not only include Ukraine, but other countries in Europe, including Britain to join the "European core values". Read more

May 9, 2022 - The Pentagon says that they will not define Russia's fighting in East Ukraine as a stalemate, as they are still making progress, though incremental. Read more

May 8, 2022 - Russia is redirecting its troops located in Syria, in the Middle East to eastern and southern Ukraine. Read more

May 6, 2022 - The Pentagon says that they have seen no information to corroborate the reports that the Russian ship Admiral Makarov was in fact hit in the Black Sea. Read more

May 6, 2022 - The United States has stated that they are ready to provide various forms of security assurances to both Finland and Sweden on their road to joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more

May 4, 2022 - A report by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Russia is now preparing to evacuate the families of Russian officers from Transnistria, Moldova after a string of attacks that sparked fears that Moldova could be dragged into the conflict. Read more

May 4, 2022 - Belarus has begun large-scale snap drills to test combat readiness, according to the Belarusian defense ministry. Read more

May 3, 2022 - U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine hopes to return to the country by the end of May. Read more

May 1, 2022 - U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger has announced the introduction of a joint resolution that would authorize the United States Armed Forces to defend Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates the war on Ukraine by using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons against the country. Read more

May 1, 2022 - The United States has depleted about a third of its Javelin missiles due to donations of its stock of missiles to Ukraine to aid in its war with Russia, leaving lawmakers concerned that it leaves the United States vulnerable. Read more

April 29, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened "lightning-fast" retaliatory strikes on any country that intervenes in what Russia calls their "special military operation' in Ukraine. Read more

April 27, 2022 - The Interior Ministry of Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova, has accused Ukraine of an attack in Kolbasna this morning, and claimed that drones flew from Ukraine into Transnistria last night. Read more

April 27, 2022 - Two men, one Russian citizen, and one Belarusian citizen have been arrested by the Polish military police on suspicion of espionage, according to the leading radio station in Poland, RMF 24. Both men had lived in Poland for 'many years' according to the station. Read more

April 27, 2022 - In a major policy shift, Germany has reportedly now allowed the transfer of Gepard anti-aircraft cannon tanks to Ukraine to aid in their efforts to fight the Russian invasion of the country. Read more

April 27, 2022 - US officials say they have given coordinates to Russian targets to the Ukrainian military which has aided Ukraine not only in moving their forces out of the way from Russian strikes but also allegedly led to Ukraine shooting down a transport plane. Read more

April 26, 2022 - Russia has issued a warning to Britain for allegedly provoking Ukraine, and said that if it continues to do so, there will be an immediate and 'proportional response'. Read more

April 26, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the West Monday not to underestimate the risk of a nuclear conflict over Ukraine and also stated that he views the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as currently being 'in essence' engaged in a proxy war with Russia because it is supplying Ukraine with weapons. Read more

April 24, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has 'lost interest in diplomatic efforts' in order to end the war with Ukraine and 'appears' set on taking as much Ukrainian territory as possible, according to the Financial Times who were referencing three people who they said were briefed on conversations with Vladimir Putin. Read more

April 24, 2022 - The United Nations says that there is a growing amount of evidence that Russia committed war crimes as a result of actions that they have carried out during their 'special operation' or invasion on Ukraine since the war started on February 24th, 2021. Read more

April 24, 2022 - The Russian Investigative Committee, Russia's main investigative authority said on Saturday that it is now looking into a report by Russian state media that alleged that British SAS special forces, or 'sabotage' experts have been deployed in the western region of Lviv, Ukraine. Read more

April 24, 2022 - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a press conference in India that Britain is considering sending tanks to Poland in order to intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more

April 24, 2022 - MOSCOW - Russian military official has claimed that the United States is preparing 'provocations' so that it can accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction.Russian state news TASS said that Igor Kirlov alleged that the U.S. plan was in response to the "successes" that Russian troops have had during their 'special operation' in Ukraine. Read more

April 23, 2022 - According to Russian state news, TASS on Friday, Russian Major General Rustam Minnekaev, Deputy Commander of the Central Military District said that the 'second phase' of the war on Ukraine will be centered around establishing a 'land corridor' between Russia, the Russian-occupied portion of Crimea, and Transnistria, a pro-Russian area of Moldova. Read more

April 23, 2022 - Turkey has reportedly closed their air space to civilian aircraft that carries military personnel from Russia to Syria after speaking with Moscow, according to Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber, who cited Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday. Read more

April 22, 2022 - The Pentagon has confirmed that a Ukrainian missile strike did lead to the sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva. Russian state news RIA Novosti, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, have also put out a new report admitting that some crew onboard the Moskva was indeed killed. Read more

April 21, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will be banning all Russian-affiliated ships from entering American ports. Read more

April 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the city of Mariupol "liberated" and fully under the control of the Russian Federation, as Ukraine claims that Ukrainians continue to defend the city from the Russian military Read more

April 20, 2022 - Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby stated that the test of the Russian RS-28 ICBM missile was 'routine' and that the Russians had 'properly notified' the United States under its new START treaty obligations. Read more

April 20, 2022 - Russia has test-fired the RS-28 Sarmat (SATAN II) intercontinental ballistic missile, a liquid-fueled MIRV-equipped ICBM capable of carrying 10 to 15 18-25 megaton nuclear warheads that can each target a different location within the United States and is believed to have the ability to evade missile defense systems. Read more

April 20, 2022 - British Ministry of Defense intelligence update for April 20th, 2022. Russia's military presence on Ukraine's eastern border continues to build, while fighting in the Donbas is intensifying as Russian forces seek to break through Ukrainian Defenses. Read more

April 20, 2022 - Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov has stated that Russia is not considering the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and that they are considering 'conventional weapons only". Read more

April 19, 2022 - The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Russian forces have now begun their assault on Eastern Ukraine, and Donbas. Read more

April 17, 2022 - (Based on translated information) Russian state-run news RIA Novosti has reported that Russian Crimean political expert Ruslan Balbek stated that Russia is not going to demilitarize Ukraine for ten years. Read more

April 16, 2022 - Russia has said that attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine will increase and claimed that Ukraine carried out airstrikes on Bryansk, Russia after Russia's warship was sunk and Ukraine claimed to have blown it up with two missiles while Russia claimed a fire blew up ammunition on board. Read more

April 14, 2022 - The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that the Moskva cruiser that Ukraine says they hit with two Neptun anti-ship missiles has sank while being towed in a storm. Read more

April 14, 2022 - Russia has put out a threat to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltic if Sweden or Finland joins NATO after the two countries expressed the intention to apply to join the alliance. Read more

April 14, 2022 - The Ukrainian military has claimed that they struck the Russian Flag-Ship, Slava-Class Project 1164 missile cruiser "Moskva" with two Neptun anti-ship missiles off of the coast of Odessa in the Black Sea. Read more

April 12, 2022 - The Pentagon says that it cannot confirm the use of chemical weapons by Russian forces in Ukraine "at this time", according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity. Read more

April 12, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed on Monday that the 'Special Military Operation' by Russia was meant to put an end to the United States quest for world domination and the expansion of NATO. Read more

April 12, 2022 - Slovakia's Prime Minister now says that the MiG-29 transfer over to Ukraine is back on the table. Eduard Heger said that discussions regarding NATO providing Ukraine with the MiG-29 jets have been renewed due to "how Russia behaves". Read more

April 12, 2022 - Pentagon says they are monitoring unconfirmed reports Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol, Ukraine, and said that they reflect concerns about Russia's "potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents." Read more

April 11, 2022 - Spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov spoke to reporters and said that the NATO "alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation" as US officials have stated that they expect both Finland and Sweden will apply for membership of the alliance as early as June, which would increase NATO membership to 32 members. Read more

April 11, 2022 - Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov has warned that the West giving Ukraine weapons and ammunition may lead to direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States and claimed that the invasion was a result of Ukraine carrying out genocide of Russians. Read more

April 8, 2022 - A train station in Ukraine that was crowded with thousands of people trying to escape eastern Ukraine was reportedly hit by a missile, killing 50 people on Friday according to Ukrainian authorities. Read more

April 8, 2022 - Intel, which has 1,200 people employed in Russia has decided to pull out of the country and suspend all operations due to the Russian war on Ukraine. Read more

April 8, 2022 - NATO jets have been scrambled from the Mihail Kogalnicanu Air Base in Romania four times over the last 20 days in order to intercept Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea toward NATO territory. Read more

April 8, 2022 - Russia has put out a statement regarding the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying that they would have to re-balance and make Russia's western flank more sophisticated to ensure security. Read more

April 8, 2022 - *UPDATED* Finland is set to announce possible plans to apply for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance membership as early as this spring according to reports by the local Finnish media. Read more

April 7, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the U.S. is imposing sanctions on two of the largest financial institutions in Russia, Putin's adult children, Lavrov's wife and adult child, 21 members of Russia's National Security Council and former President. Read more

April 6, 2022 - Expert says he believes China is preparing for a war with the United States, as well as its neighboring Asian countries. NATO to expand cooperation with partners in Indo-Pacific. Read more

April 6, 2022 - There many are reports coming out saying that Russia blew up a nitric acid tank in Rubizhna, Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine. Pro-Russian media outlets however say that Ukraine was behind the attack. Read more

April 5, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador has issued a security alert regarding the Government of El Salvador’s enactment of emergency measures on March 27, violent encounters between law enforcement personnel and alleged gang members continue around the country. Read more

April 4, 2022 - SPAIN - Federal agents from the United States, along with law enforcement from Spain has boarded a $90 million dollar yacht owned by Russian billionaire Victor Vekselberg Monday and seized the property as per a court order. Read more

April 4, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has again called Russian President a 'war criminal' and says that Putin must stand trial for the slaughter of civilians in Bucha. When he was asked whether he believed that the slaughter of civilians in Bucha was genocide, he stated "No, I think it is a war crime". Read more

April 3, 2022 - Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a top Polish official has stated that Poland is ready to deploy United States nuclear weapons in the country to deter Russian aggression. Read more

April 3, 2022 - A mass grave filled with around 280 people has been found according to the head of Bucha, Ukraine. The bodies of around 20 civilians have also been found all over the Zhytomyr highway. Bodies have also reportedly been found in Motzhyn and other towns and villages in Ukraine. Read more

April 2, 2022 - Ukraine has denied hitting the fuel depot in Russia, after Russia accused Ukraine of sending two helicopters over the border and shooting missiles at the depot. Read more

April 2, 2022 - Russian forces are using banned antipersonnel mines in Kharkiv, Ukraine that "can indiscriminately kill and maim people" according to a report from Human Rights Watch who has verified that these mines, which includes POM-3 antipersonnel mines have been used. Read more

April 2, 2022 - Ukrainian photographer Maks Levin, who went missing during the battle of Kyiv on March 13th was found dead on April 1st near Huta village in Kyiv, Ukraine. He was said by RSF (Reporters Without Borders) to be wearing a press jacket and unarmed at the time of his disappearance. Read more

April 2, 2022 - The United States has canceled testing the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that it originally had intended only to delay testing amid tensions with Russia. Read more

April 1, 2022 - British MOD intelligence update for April 1st, 2022: "A fire has destroyed several oil tanks at a depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. On 30 March, explosions were also reported at an ammunition depot in the vicinity of the city". Read more

April 1, 2022 - Ukrainian helicopters reportedly crossed the Russian border at low altitude in order to carry out strikes on a fuel depot in Belgorod, Russia. Two workers were reportedly injured in the fire resulting from the strikes. Read more

April 1, 2022 - The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola has announced that she is traveling to Kyiv, Ukraine. She tweeted "on the way to Kyiv" on Thursday night Read more

April 1, 2022 - The U.S Embassy in Russia has put out another alert saying that U.S. citizens currently located in Russia "should depart Russia immediately" via commercial options still available. Read more

April 1, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated last Friday that the United States and the West have declared total war, stating "a real hybrid war, total war has been declared on us" by the West. Read more

March 31, 2022 - "Russia is redeploying elements of its forces from Georgia to reinforce its invasion of Ukraine. Between 1,200 and 2,000 of these Russian troops are being reorganized into 3 x Battalion Tactical Groups. Read more

March 31, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to pay for Russian gas in rubles for 'unfriendly countries' starting on April 1st. Read more

March 31, 2022 - Two workers that were on duty at the Chernobyl site when Russian soldiers took control of it have stated that Russian soldiers, who wore no radiation suits drove through the 'Red Forest' located near the reactor kicking up clouds of radioactive dust. Read more

March 30, 2022 - An ammunition depot exploded in Belgorod, Russia for a reason that is not yet known. There is a possibility of mishandling of explosives within the depot. Some have alleged that it was a missile strike on the ammunition depot, but that has not been confirmed to be true. Read more

March 30, 2022 - Ukraine has claimed that Russia used phosphorous munitions in the town of Marinka, Donetsk region. Our intel team suspected as much after seeing many videos showing what looked like phosphorous being dropped from the sky in Ukraine. Read more

March 29, 2022 - The Ukrainian army says that they have destroyed two missiles that were launched from territory within Belarus at the city of Lviv, Ukraine. The missiles were reportedly destroyed about 30 kilometers away from the city. Read more

March 29, 2022 - The Russian Ministry of Defense says that they have agreed to 'drastically reduce' military activity in Chernihiv and Kyiv in order to increase trust in peace talks. Read more

March 29, 2022 - Hundreds of unexploded mines have been discovered in Kyiv, Ukraine and have been removed. The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has called on residents to be careful and inform the police if they see an object that resembles a mine or other explosive device. Read more

March 26, 2022 - The Russian Ministry of Defense has put out a statement claiming that Russian male citizens are receiving fake phone calls which the 'answer-back unit informs them of a call to the military commissariat". After 12 hours of the statement we have seen no rebuttal from Ukraine regarding the claim. Read more

March 26, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be removed from office, saying 'For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power' during a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland. Read more

March 26, 2022 - The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been seen in public at a Security Council meeting after having been missing from public view since March 11th amidst rumors and speculation that he had died. Read more

March 24, 2022 - U.S. President Joe Biden said that if Russia uses chemical weapons then the United States would respond, saying "We would respond if he uses it, the nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use". Read more

March 24, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has estimated that there have been up to 15,000 troops killed since Russia's invasion on Ukraine began last month, with as many as 40,000 troops either killed, wounded, taken prisoner or gone missing, including Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Read more

March 23, 2022 - The following is a report put out by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine about the current situation regarding the current situation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine Read more

March 22, 2022 - A senior U.S. Defense official says that Russia is continuing to talk about using chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine but that the United States has no indications of an imminent attack. Read more

March 22, 2022 - US and NATO officials say that Belarus could soon join Russia in its war on Ukraine and is already taking steps in that direction. Read more

March 22, 2022 - Russian warships were spotted going through the Japanese strait on March 15th and 16th, as the Kremlin has halted peace treaty talks with Japan after Japan placed heavy sanctions on Russia over the invasion on Ukraine. Read more

March 22, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that he was prepared to discuss a deal not to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in order to reach a ceasefire with Russia, along with the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and a guarantee of Ukraine's security. Read more

March 22, 2022 - The Pentagon says that it can neither confirm nor refute Russia's claims that it had fired hypersonic missiles in Ukraine and at Ukrainian targets. U.S. President Joe Biden however has confirmed that hypersonic missiles were used. Read more

March 22, 2022 - British intelligence update for March 21st, 2022: "Heavy fighting continues north of Kyiv. Russian forces advancing on the city from the north-east have stalled. Read more

March 22, 2022 - Poland is allegedly preparing for a possible invasion by Russia, according to local Ukrainian media who reportedly quoted Ukraine's Warsaw envoy, Andriy Deshchytsia. Read more

March 22, 2022 - Washington says that the Kremlin is 'exploring options' for carrying out cyberattacks against the United States, Joe Biden said on Monday urging to strengthen the cybersecurity of America's private sector. Read more

March 22, 2022 - The head of the Ukrainian Railways Alexander Kamyshin has confirmed that there is no longer any railway connection between Ukraine and Belarus, "thanks to Belarusian railway workers" who decided to launch what they have called a "railway war" by sabotaging Russian equipment in various ways. Read more

March 21, 2022 - Cooperation between Russia and China is only going to get stronger in the current circumstances, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday. Read more

March 21, 2022 - The death toll from the overnight attack on the mall in Kyiv, Ukraine has risen to six people. Rescuers are searching the rubble for more people. Read more

March 21, 2022 - Oleksandr Starukh, governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast has reported that Russia has used tugboats to steal five grain carriers from the Berdyansk port. Read more

March 21, 2022 - One person was reported to have been killed and several residential and business areas were hit by the missile earlier in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Retroville shopping mall area is reported to have been the likely target. Read more

March 19, 2022 - Four U.S. Marines have died in a plane crash in Norway in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise that was reportedly not in any way related to the war in Ukraine according to Norway's Prime Minister. Read more

March 19, 2022 - US officials have confirmed Russia's first use of hypersonic missiles in western Ivano-Frankivsk Ukraine last week, destroying an underground missile and ammunition depot. Read more

March 19, 2022 - The British Defense Intelligence update on Ukraine 19 March 2022: "The Kremlin has so far failed to achieve its original objectives. It has been surprised by the scale and ferocity of Ukrainian Resistance". Read more

March 17, 2022 - National Guard refutes Russian state media reports that falsely claim Tennessee National Guard members killed in Ukraine. Read more

March 17, 2022 - An American named Jim Hill was among around nine other civilians who were reportedly standing in the bread line in Chernihiv, Ukraine when they were gunned down by Russian soldiers according to his sister. Read more

March 17, 2022 - Both Belarus politician Pavel Latushka and Belarusian journalist Franak Viačorka posted this map saying that popping sounds (explosions) were heard in these Belarusian cities in the evening on March 16th. Read more

March 16, 2022 - Explosions were reported in Baranavichy, Luninets, Stolin, Hantsavichy, Slutsk & Kletsk cities of Belarus. Our intel team has examined the audio and concluded that it does not sound like artillery, but it does sound like sonic booms. Read more

March 16, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that the International Court of Justice in the Hague has ordered Russia to stop the war on Ukraine immediately and says that the order is binding under international law. Read more

March 16, 2022 - Ukraine, Russia were reportedly drawing up plans to end the war, providing Ukraine agrees not to join NATO and promises not to host foreign military weapons or bases on its territory. Kyiv rejected Russia's offer after 10 reportedly killed in bread line by Russian military. Read more

March 16, 2022 - There are reports going around that @FoxNews reported the death of the American news crew that worked for them, but not the Ukrainian woman who worked for them that was killed, which has drawn ire from some. Fox did report this, but not initially because they wanted to wait to notify the woman's family first. Read more

March 15, 2022 - A Fox News cameraman, and long-time photojournalist was killed after his vehicle was hit with 'incoming fire' outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. The correspondent that he was with inside the vehicle that took fire was also injured. Read more

March 15, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance has sent 35,000 troops, 50 ships, including a nuclear attack submarine and 200 aircraft to Norway, which borders Russia for military drills. Read more

March 14, 2022 - Russia is reportedly legalizing piracy by issuing a decree this week allowing businesses to steal patents from anyone in its list of 'unfriendly nations' and stating that unauthorized use of the patents will not be compensated. Read more

March 14, 2022 - The Estonian Parliament has formally called for the implementation of a no-fly zone in Ukraine and a total trade embargo against Russia, becoming the first NATO member to officially endorse a no-fly zone in the war-torn country. Read more

March 13, 2022 - A Soviet-era Tu-141 military drone carrying a bomb flew across three NATO member states before finally crashing down in Croatia, in an urban area according to the Croatian defense minister on Sunday. Read more

March 13, 2022 - According to the Financial Times, US officials stated that Russia has requested military aid from China since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in the form of military equipment and other assistance, but declined to give any further details. Read more

March 13, 2022 - A Russian airstrike that targeted a military training base in Western Ukraine near the Polish border has killed 35 people according to Ukrainian authorities on Sunday. Read more

March 13, 2022 - One journalist was killed and two were injured in Irpin, Ukraine when Russian troops reportedly opened fire on their vehicle. Read more

March 12, 2022 - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that there are 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East who are ready and willing to join Russian backed rebels fighting in Donbas, Eastern Ukraine. Read more

March 12, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine has urged American citizens to depart Ukraine now via ground transport if safe and says that border crossings are now open. Read more

March 12, 2022 - Russia threatens to target foreign aid convoys to Ukraine after NATO Chief said targeting supply lines of allied nations would be 'a dangerous escalation of the war'. Read more

March 12, 2022 - The United States is revoking Russia of its 'permanent normal trade relations' status in order to punish it for its invasion of Ukraine. Read more

March 12, 2022 - Russia says that sanctions on the country could cause the International Space Station to crash into the ocean. The head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos called on Saturday for the sanctions against Russia to be lifted. Read more

March 11, 2022 - The Russian invasion of Ukraine could worsen microchip shortages due to the fact that Ukraine produces around 70% of the world's neon. Neon gas is used to run the lasers necessary for manufacturing semiconductors. There is also a looming threat of a Chinese invasion on Taiwan. If China were to invade Taiwan, it could worsen microchip Shortages even further. Read more

March 10, 2022 - After the United States rejected Poland's offer to put all of its MiG-29 fighter at the disposal of the US, a top US general has explained in more detail why the decision was made. Read more

March 10, 2022 - According to the United Nations, there are now more than 2.3 million Ukrainian war refugees who have left the country since the beginning of the Russian invasion. 161,700 have left the country in the last 24 hours according to the UN report. Read more

March 10, 2022 - The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that the United States has been carrying out experimentation on bat coronavirus samples in U.S. established and U.S. funded bio-labs in Ukraine and that it was first revealed during Russia's 'special operation' in Ukraine. According to Turkish news, China has 'demanded answers' from the United States regarding the '26 bio-labs in Ukraine'. Read more

March 9, 2022 - The United States is deploying two Patriot missile batteries to Poland in order to bolster defenses, after having sent thousands of U.S. troops to the country. Read more

March 9, 2022 - NetBlocks real-time network data shows evidence of a blackout in the vicinity of Chernobyl and Slavutych. The IAEA says however that nuclear experts say it does not present a threat due to the fact that the fuel is "so old that it's no longer hot enough to rely on active pool cooling". Read more

March 9, 2022 - The U.S. has rejected Poland's offer to put all of its MiG-29 fighter jets at the disposal of the United States, which according to a U.S. diplomat was a 'surprise move' after Ukraine requested aircraft from countries in Eastern Europe to aid in their fight against Russia. Read more

March 8, 2022 - U.S. President Biden has announced that the United States is banning oil, gas and energy imports from Russia, saying that it has strong bipartisan support in the congress. Read more

March 8, 2022 - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he agrees to seek compromises, including on NATO, but is not going to surrender. Regarding NATO he said he cooled down to the issue after realizing that NATO was not ready to accept Ukraine and said NATO is afraid of confrontation with Russia. Read more

March 7, 2022 - Russia has published an official list of foreign states that it deems has committed 'unfriendly actions' against Russia. Read more

March 7, 2022 - Dominik Stillhart, director of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told BBC Radio that the evacuation route out of Mariupol was mined. Read more

March 7, 2022 - The Russian Defense Ministry claimed, without providing any evidence, that the Ukrainian military plans to blow up the 'experimental nuclear reactor' at the Kharkov institute and then blame the Russians for doing it. Read more

March 6, 2022 - Many sources have reported that Russian troops targeted and killed civilians that were attempting to leave the city of Irpin, Ukraine. Video footage also shows this. Four civilians are reported to have died from the attack. Read more

March 6, 2022 - Netflix has announced that it is suspending its services in Russia saying “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service”. Netflix currently has about 1 million subscribers in Russia. It is not yet known what will happen to the accounts of current subscribers, but Netflix will not be allowing any more sign ups or subscription extensions on existing accounts from Russia. Read more

March 6, 2022 - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that they can no longer get reliable information on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant due to the fact that the internet and telecommunications to the area have been disconnected. Read more

March 6, 2022 - The British Defense Intelligence update for March 6th, 2022 says that the ceasefire agreement to enable the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol was violated within hours of the planned implementation and has failed for the second day in a row. Russian artillery strikes have also likely remained at high levels. Read more

March 6, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine might lose statehood 'if they continue what they are doing'. Read more

March 6, 2022 - The United States has given the 'green light' to NATO countries to provide fighter jets to Ukraine. Russia, however, says that countries that use their airfields to supply Ukraine with fighter jets may be regarded as participating in the conflict. Read more

March 6, 2022 - Many major companies, as well as entire countries continue to cut the cord with Russia. A growing number of companies have stopped shipping and selling products and services to the country citing Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine. Read more

March 6, 2022 - Russian state media has announced that Ukraine is close to building a nuclear 'dirty bomb' but cited an unnamed source that did not provide any evidence to speak of to back up the claims. Read more

March 6, 2022 - The city council of Mariupol, Ukraine says that an evacuation of around 400,000 people currently trapped in the city will start around noon local time on Sunday according to a temporary ceasefire that will reportedly last until 9:00 p.m. Read more

March 5, 2022 - Visa has announced that they are suspending all Russian operations "effective immediately". Visa will be working with its clients and partners in Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days. Read more

March 5, 2022 - A journalist for Sky News was wounded during an ambush by Russian soldiers while they were reporting on the war in Ukraine. The cameraman for the news crew took two bullets to the body armor he was wearing at the time. Read more

March 5, 2022 - The U.S. State Department has reissued its advisory urging all Americans to leave Russia 'immediately'. Read more

March 5, 2022 - There are now major disruptions in Ukraine's national telecoms operator Ukrtelecom. The provider reports combat damage impacting service to: Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Volyn, Khmelnytsia, Lviv, Ternopil Read more

March 5, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that sanctions put on Russia from the West are 'akin to a declaration of war' but also said 'thank God it has not come to that'. Read more

March 5, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he has no plans to introduce martial law in Russia, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Read more

March 5, 2022 - The Mariupol City Council has stated that the Mariupol evacuation has been postponed due to continued Russian shelling. DPR however, claims 'Ukrainian nationalists' refuse to allow the population of Mariupol to use the humanitarian corridor. Read more

March 5, 2022 - Over 200,000 people are planned for evacuation from Mariupol, Ukraine. Read more

March 5, 2022 - U.S. Based Russian state news channel RT America is now closing its doors, 'ceasing production' at every location and laying off nearly all of its staff members due to 'unforeseen business interruption events'. Read more

March 5, 2022 - The United Nations says that more than 1,200,000 refugees have fled Ukraine in total thus far since the war with Russia started. Read more

March 5, 2022 - PayPal has reportedly officially stopped working in Russia after PayPal shut down its services in the country citing aggression against Ukraine. Read more

March 5, 2022 - Ukrainian presidential advisor, Mykhaylo Podolyak has reportedly confirmed that Russia will open a humanitarian corridor at Mariupol and Volnovakha today. Read more

March 5, 2022 - British Defense Intelligence update for March 5th, 2022: The overall rate of Russian air and artillery strikes observed over the past 24 hours has been lower than previous days. Ukraine still holds key cities such as Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol. Reports of street fighting in Sumy. Russian forces probably advancing on port city of Mykolaiv. Read more

March 5, 2022 - Russian state news claims that the Russian Ministry of Defense will be declaring a ceasefire at 10:00 Moscow time, in Mariupol and Volnovakha in Donbas to open 'humanitarian corridors' in order to evacuate civilians. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday that if there is a third world war, it will be destructive and involve nuclear weapons. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Russian troops reportedly fired on each other, destroying nine of their own tanks and four of their own armored vehicles according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other sources. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly banned Russians from leaving the country with more than $10,000 of foreign currency in their possession. Read more

March 4, 2022 - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham's indirect call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be assassinated is now drawing ire from lawmakers on both political sides. Read more

March 4, 2022 - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that Russia is using cluster bombs in Ukraine. Read more

March 4, 2022 - A Russian spy who was allegedly posing as a journalist was doing intelligence work in Przemysl, Poland near the Ukrainian border when he was apprehended. He now faces up to 10 years in prison. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Over 8,100 anti-war protesters have been arrested by authorities in Russia as protests broke out across Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. Read more

March 4, 2022 - A massive airlift effort by NATO is underway to 'reinforce Europe' according to NATO Allied Air Command. "Strategic and tactical air transport aircraft including C-17s, C-5s, A330 MRTTs and C-130s from multiple nations have been busy moving units from the NATO Response Force along with national contributions to locations across NATO's Eastern Flank". Read more

March 4, 2022 - Mariupol, Ukraine is currently under siege. Citizens are reporting there is no electricity, no water and faltering telecoms. NetBlocks real time network data shows a collapse in internet activity. Read more

March 4, 2022 - The Russian Parliament has reportedly drafted a law that would punish what they call 'fake' information about the war in Ukraine with up to 15 years in prison and will be debating on it tomorrow. Read more

March 4, 2022 - The Kyiv Independent has posted what they claim are Russian losses. Remember, we likely won't know the real number until the war is over. Read more

March 4, 2022 - CBS reportedly obtained the latest status report from Ukrainian operators on Zaporizhzhia nuclear site to the IAEA: "at present, no changes in the radiation situation have been registered". Read more

March 4, 2022 - Russia is reportedly returning to the gold standard. The government will abolish the VAT (tax) on bullion when purchasing gold bars or other precious metals from a bank. The 20% current tax on top of its value will not apply. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Russian state news RT says that US senator Lindsey Graham is calling for an assassination on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more

March 4, 2022 - The Russian stock exchange remains closed on Friday for the fourth day in a row as Russian authorities reportedly rolled out additional measures to limit the economic impact from the 'severe sanctions imposed by the West' Read more

March 4, 2022 - The following is an advisory from the U.S. Department of State to U.S. citizens currently located within Ukraine. Read more

March 4, 2022 - The Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said that the U.S. Department of Energy activated its Nuclear Incident Response Team and is 'monitoring events in consultation with the DOD, NRC and White House but sees no elevated radiation readings near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility. Read more

March 4, 2022 - U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has stated that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station "are protected by robust containment structures and reactors are being safely shut down. We have seen no elevated radiation readings near the facility". Read more

March 4, 2022 - According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ukraine has reported that the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected 'essential' equipment Read more

March 4, 2022 - White House readout of President Biden's calls with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and NNSA Administrator Hruby regarding the fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Read more

March 4, 2022 - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba put out a statement earlier saying that the Russian army was firing 'on all sides upon Zaporizhzhia' nuclear power plant and said if it blows up it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl was. Read more

March 4, 2022 - A fire has reportedly broken out at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine according to Dmytro Orlov who is the mayor of Energodar, a town close to the power plant. Video footage also shows problems at the nuclear power plant. Read more

March 3, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that he believed some foreign leaders were preparing for war against Russia and that Russia will continue its war and military operations on Ukraine until the end, also mentioning bio-labs in Ukraine. Read more

March 3, 2022 - After Turkey asked Russia not to send their warships into the Black Sea 'in a friendly way', Turkey says that Russia has withdrawn their request to do so. Turkey has made it clear it will be restricting access to warships from both sides of the war. Read more

March 3, 2022 - The Swedish armed forces have announced that four Russian jets have violated Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea. Two Russian SU-27 jets and two Russian SU-24 jets were involved in the violation. The Swedish defense minister has called the violation 'unacceptable'. Read more

March 3, 2022 - Turkey has rejected Russian warships from entering the Black Sea through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, according to Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on March 1st. Read more

March 3, 2022 - A Romanian military helicopter along with the MiG-21 fighter jet the helicopter was searching for has crashed close to the Ukrainian border killing 8 people in total. The reason for the crash is not yet known but harsh weather conditions were reported. Read more

March 3, 2022 - Several Russian vessels have left Crimea and are now heading to Odesa according to correspondent Lucas Tomlinson who stated "An amphibious assault on Ukraine’s third largest city could come as soon as Thursday: U.S. officials". Read more

March 3, 2022 - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) figures state that over one million Ukrainians have now fled the country of Ukraine since the large-scale invasion by Russia began last week. Read more

March 3, 2022 - The Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby has made a statement to reporters saying that the Department of Defense has postponed the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch in order 'to demonstrate we are a responsible nuclear power'. Read more

March 2, 2022 - The US State Department has said that they have closed the U.S. Embassy in Belarus and have authorized the voluntary departure of nonessential staff at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow due to Russia's invasion on Ukraine. Read more

March 2, 2022 - The head of Russia's space agency has stated that Russia will be treating any hacking of its satellites as justification for war, after an alleged hack of their systems was claimed by a 'non-state' hacker group on Tuesday according to media reports. Read more

March 2, 2022 - Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Interior says that Russia is attempting to storm two nuclear power plants in Southern Ukraine. Olga Tokariuk, a freelance correspondent in Kyiv says that there are fears of a potential disaster, should they succeed in storming the nuclear plants. She also warns that this is not only a threat to Ukraine, but to all of Europe. Read more

March 2, 2022 - Reports circulating around British news agencies that appear to be from the same source, that Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved his family to a Siberian 'underground city' designed to 'survive nuclear war'. Our findings here: Read more

March 1, 2022 - A US Defense official has rejected a no fly zone in Ukraine and said "There's no discussion about it here. There's no debating about it here. It's not something that we have to take to NATO". Read more

March 1, 2022 - The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has put out a statement claiming that Russia is preparing a deliberate 'provocation' to justify the introduction of Belarusian troops. They also stated that according to available intelligence, there are now 300 Belarusian tanks near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. Read more

March 1, 2022 - Mariupol, Ukraine which is a city of nearly 500,000 people has lost power after attacks from advancing Russian forces. The Mayor of Mariupol says that the enemy is attacking 'from all fronts' and that it is being 'pounded' by Russian attacks. Read more

March 1, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that Ukraine still has 'Soviet nuclear tech' and that Russia cannot fail to respond to this danger. He also said that it's 'time for US nuclear weapons in Europe to return home'. Read more

March 1, 2022 - Google Europe has put out an official message saying that they are blocking YouTube channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe. Read more

March 1, 2022 - The British Ministry of Defense intelligence update for March 01, 2022 says that the Russian advance in Ukraine has made little progress in the last 24 hours. Russian artillery is hitting densely populated urban areas and Russia still does not have air superiority. Read more

March 1, 2022 - Current (as well as former) U.S. officials who have been briefed on the matter have reportedly told NBC News that Russian President Vladimir Putin is growing 'increasingly frustrated' and has had outbursts of anger at the people in his inner circle regarding the current progress of his military 'campaign' on Ukraine so far. Read more

February 28, 2022 - Ukrainian Pravda news site (based on Ukrainian translation) claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Wagnerians to Ukraine with a special mission to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and 'prepare the ground for Russia's seizure of power. Read more

February 28, 2022 - The exchange rate for the Russian rouble is now at a record high, at around 117 to 125 rouble per every one US dollar. The Central Bank has also lifted the borrowing rate to 20%, from yesterday's 9.5% borrowing rate. Read more

February 28, 2022 - The British Prime Minister has stated that the United Kingdom will be sending 40 million more pounds in aid to Ukraine for medical supplies and assistance to the country. Read more

February 28, 2022 - The British Defense Ministry has put out an intelligence update that says that Russia's ground forces remain 30km from North of Kyiv, slowed by Ukrainian forces, heavy fighting continues near Chernihiv and Kharkov but remain under Ukrainian control, logistical failures and Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance and Russia has been forced to admit casualties despite suppressing details since the start of the conflict. Read more

February 28, 2022 - Speaking to Fox News, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stated that he believes that Russia may be ready to level a Ukrainian city with a nuke and kill thousands of civilians to 'break their will and to break our will". Read more

February 28, 2022 - The US embassy in Moscow has put out an announcement telling all US nationals to leave Russia 'immediately'. Read more

February 28, 2022 - After assessing the situation with Russia and their forces being set to a higher nuclear deterrence level, we have set our overall alert level back to three for the time being. We don't believe the current situation warrants a two quite yet. Read more

February 28, 2022 - Russia's war on Ukraine has failed to provide Russia a quick and decisive victory after four days of fighting, so Russia has reportedly pulled their ally Belarus in on the conflict according to Ukrainian news. Read more

February 27, 2022 - A former U.S. defense intelligence analyst says that Putin is "is escalating the conflict into the nuclear domain in order to de-escalate – that is topple Kiev’s regime quickly" due to the fact that his forces aren't getting the job done. Read more

February 27, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has now ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert in response to Western sanctions and rising tensions over Putin's invasion on Ukraine. Read more

February 26, 2022 - French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Lukashenko, the President of Belarus to demand that Russian troops leave the country, claiming that Russia has been given the green light to deploy nuclear weapons in the country. Belarus borders Ukraine, giving Russia a strategic reason to deploy nuclear warheads in the country if they so choose to do so. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Russian forces have reportedly fired at a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv, Ukraine according to The Kyiv Independent. Read more

February 26, 2022 - YouTube has blocked Russian state news RT, as well as other Russian channels from receiving money from advertisements. This includes videos that run videos from these state run news and media channels. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba has responded to apparent propaganda that Ukraine has plans to launch a 'dirty bomb' into Russian territory. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Ukrainian President Zelensky seemed to hint that Turkey had closed its straits leading to many reports that they have done done, but reports by Reuters say that Turkey has not yet decided to close the straits. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Ukraine's Ministry of Interior has asked all people in the country to turn off the geolocation on their cell phones, as Russia is beginning to track gatherings of people. As locations may possibly be tracked even with geolocation (GPS and data) turned off, it's best to completely remove the battery on your cellphone if possible to ensure your location cannot be tracked. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Britain's Ministry of Defense has put out a new intelligence update on the Russia/Ukraine war. They say Russian forces have continued their advance on Kyiv with the bulk of their forces and are now 30km away from the city. Read more

February 26, 2022 - Russian state news RT has announced that Russia is deploying 12,000 Chechens to Ukraine. We had been hearing about Russia having plans to do that earlier today but it has now been posted out by Russian state news. Read more

February 26, 2022 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that the alliance sending thousands of commanders to nations in Eastern Europe near Ukraine, and will be beefing up arms support and continuing to send weapons and air defenses to Ukraine and reinforcing defenses on allied territory (territory of NATO members in Eastern Europe). Read more

February 26, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has told both nations that if they join NATO there will be 'military military-political repercussions'. Read more

February 26, 2022 - The Biden administration has said that they believe that Russia plans to threaten to kill the families of Ukrainian soldiers if they don't surrender to Russia Read more

February 26, 2022 - There has been a major disruption in Ukraine's internet provider GigaTrans that feeds internet connectivity to many of Ukraine's networks amidst heavy fighting in Vasylkiv and Kyiv, Ukraine according to Netblocks Internet Observatory. Read more

February 26, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Agreement (NATO) has now activates parts of its multinational response force. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated "We are deploying elements of the NATO Response Force. On land, at sea, and in the air. We will do what it takes to protect and defend every Ally, and every inch of NATO territory". Read more

February 26, 2022 - Russia reportedly shelled a Moldovan chemical tanker and Panamanian cargo ship headed for the load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea and a Japanese Bulk carrier MV Namura Queen also reportedly hit by a rocket at anchor off Yuzhne. Read more

February 25, 2022 - Actions that are being described by some as war crimes are allegedly being carried out in Ukraine by Russian forces. One video was posted on showing what looks to be a Russian tank rolling over a person's car in Kyiv. The driver of the car was allegedly still inside according to Ukrainian UNIAN news. Read more

February 25, 2022 - Ukraine forces claim they have reportedly re-taken Kyiv airport from the control of Russian special forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a full mobilization of troops. Read more

February 25, 2022 - Kyiv, Ukraine has been bombarded by Russian rockets. Photos from Kyiv's local news show an entire skyrise apartment complex nearly demolished by rocket fire (join us on social media or telegram to see photos and videos). Some rockets fired by Russia at Kyiv were reportedly intercepted, but many hit their marks (or missed their intended targets). Read more

February 25, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 137 Ukrainian military and civilians have been killed in the fighting with Russia thus far. 10 officers and 316 injuries have also been reported elsewhere. Read more

February 25, 2022 - Ukrainian Defense Minister Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar put out a report claiming alleged Russian military losses (as of 03:00 24.02.2022): 7 planes, 6 helicopters, over 30 tanks, 130 BBM. The Ukrainian Defense Minister says that about 800 Russians have been killed in the fighting so far. Read more

February 25, 2022 - A Turkish ship off Odessa is reported to have been hit by a Russian missile (some reports say bomb) which was 'misfired'. There weren't any reported casualties, but the incident according to Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2 on Twitter), could put pressure on Turkey to block Russian vessels from entering its straits Read more

February 25, 2022 - It appears 'the whole Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea (that we know of) sailed to Syria this morning while the invasion of Ukraine was unfolding'. Information provided by well known Defense analyst H I Sutton, writer for Naval News. Read more

February 24, 2022 - A Russian artillery shell has reportedly hit the Uman city center and killed one person, injuring five others according to the Head of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration Oleksandr Skichko. Read more

February 24, 2022 - The United States is set to deploy 7,000 more troops to Europe, including an armored Brigade combat team with enablers. Read more

February 24, 2022 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that allies condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine in the 'strongest possible terms'. Read more

February 24, 2022 - Russia attacked Ukraine by air, land and sea on Thursday, in what Reuters calls 'the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two'. Read more

February 24, 2022 - The Ukrainian government has now imposed martial law according to local Ukrainian news reports. Read more

February 24, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin is launching full-scale attacks on the entire country of Ukraine, not just the separatist locations. Read more

February 24, 2022 - Pray for the people of Ukraine under those explosions. There are around 500,000 people in that city that those bombs are raining down on, and they are most certainly living in a great deal of fear for their lives right now. Read more

February 24, 2022 - During the live broadcast by Russian President Vladimir Putin he both officially declared war on Ukraine, and added a warning to anyone who might get involved saying that they will have 'consequences that you never have had before in your history'. Read more

February 24, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly officially declared war on Ukraine in a live speech that is currently being broadcast. We will report more on what was said in the live speech as the information comes in, he's still speaking and he sounds very resolute. Read more

February 24, 2022 - The Mariupol live feed camera we were monitoring has been cut. Either it has been hacked or the live feed had too many requests from heavy site traffic due to the current situation. Pray hard for Ukraine and all of the people that are currently in danger! Read more

February 24, 2022 - There is currently a suspected missile attack in Mariupol, Ukraine happening. Live feed cameras of the city show heavy explosions and smoke billowing from the city. Read more

February 24, 2022 - Russia has closed the airspace along the northeast Ukrainian border for civil aviation according to NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) Read more

February 24, 2022 - I should point out, the official Ukrainian government websites have a virus. Confirmed by our intel team. DO NOT click on the link at the bottom of the page if you try to visit. I repeat the official Ukrainian websites have been compromised, don't click on any links on it. Read more

February 23, 2022 - According to Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, there are "Worrying reports from Crimea on the entire night shift of Titan chemicals plant in Armyansk evacuated from the facility. This might be a preparation for another staged provocation by Russia. Moscow seems to have no limits in attempts to falsify pretexts for further aggression". Read more

February 23, 2022 - The Ukrainian Parliament has now declared a state of emergency. Decree green lights on the following measures: Document checks, ban on protests, evacuation of people from dangerous areas, ban on producing or spreading information that may 'destabilize the situation'. Read more

February 23, 2022 - The Latvian Prime Minister says that Russia is moving some forces and tanks into Eastern Ukraine, which would confirm previously unconfirmed videos that we have seen of Russia moving tanks into Eastern Ukraine. Read more

February 23, 2022 - We continue to see large convoys of tanks allegedly rolling into Belgorod, Russia, and a new field hospital at a garrison near Belgorod around 12 miles from the Ukrainian border which indicates that something is going on there. Putin said last week he planned on ending drills as planned on February 20th. Read more

February 22, 2022 - There are many reports coming out from sources regarding an explosion that allegedly happened in Donetsk at a TV center. So far the root sources we've been able to track down all seem to be coming from the DPR and LPR which could be Russian propaganda. We will keep you informed as we get more information. Read more

February 22, 2022 - There are many reports coming out from sources regarding an explosion that allegedly happened in Donetsk at a TV center. So far the root sources we've been able to track down all seem to be coming from the DPR and LPR which could be Russian propaganda. We will keep you informed as we get more information. Read more

February 22, 2022 - White House Officially Calls Russian 'Peacekeeping Mission' In Ukraine An Invasion - The White House has officially called the so called Russian 'peace keeping' mission in Ukraine to the separatist regions Donetsk and Luhansk an invasion. Read more

February 22, 2022 - Russian state news RIA Novosti has announced that the meeting between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that was scheduled for February 25th has now been canceled in the midst of ever increasing tensions between Russia and the West. Read more

February 22, 2022 - The Russian President held a meeting of the Russian Federation Security Council at the Kremlin. Read more

February 22, 2022 - The following is a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin, who says he supports making the LPR and DPR part of the Russian Federation. Read more

February 22, 2022 - The head of the Belarusian Army, Viktor Vulevich stated that the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus primarily depends on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pulling back its own forces from the region. Read more

February 22, 2022 - The U.S. Department of State has released a statement regarding the move of Department of State personnel to Poland for the night. Read more

February 22, 2022 - Tanks and military vehicles were reportedly spotted on the outskirts of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine by a Reuters reporter, according to Reuters. Read more

February 22, 2022 - *Defcon Site No Longer Under Attack Due To Our Restrictive Firewall* Reports coming out that various services are being jammed in Ukraine's occupied "LDPR" territories. We're also seeing attempted attacks on our own web server, with thousands of new requests hitting it and increasing rapidly. We have never seen an increase like this before. If you have issues with anything loading on our website please message us on social media and let us know. Read more

February 22, 2022 - The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations put out a letter from Sergiy Kyslytsya requesting an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council and requested to be allowed to 'participate in the meeting and make a statement". Read more

February 21, 2022 - In response to the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize Donetsk (DNR) and Luhansk (LNR) as independent states, Biden will issue an executive order that prohibits new investment trade and financing by U.S. persons to, from or in DNR and LNR. Read more

February 21, 2022 - The Biden Administration has ordered out all remaining State Department personnel out of Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy had been moved from Kyiv, Ukraine to the western Ukraine city of Lviv but now they are moving out of Ukraine completely and into Poland Read more

February 21, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated "Kremlin recognition of the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” as “independent” requires a swift and firm response, and we will take appropriate steps in coordination with partners". Read more

February 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to carry out 'peacekeeping functions' only hours after officially recognizing the two separatist regions as independent. The forces are reportedly to maintain peace in the separatist held regions. Read more

February 21, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy had been moved from Kyiv, Ukraine to the western Ukraine city of Lviv but now they are moving out of Ukraine completely and into Poland. Read more

February 21, 2022 - A Ukrainian commander that is currently operating on the front lines in Donbas sent Buzzfeednews correspondent Christopher Miller a text message saying "We’ve been under shelling all day and yesterday. We watched Putin’s speech and now we are waiting... No new orders from military leadership except be covered with armor and watch for drones". Read more

February 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has also ordered a 'peacekeeping operation' in eastern Ukraine's two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk. Read more

February 21, 2022 - The White House has responded to Putin's 'Live' address recognizing two Russian backed separatist locations in Eastern Ukraine as independent states. Read more

February 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin is now urging lawmakers to sign treaties with Ukraine's rebel regions so that Moscow can begin to supply military support to those regions. Fox News reporterJennifer Griffin says that the "Pentagon is expecting Putin to move into Ukraine tonight, on to those just recognized independent areas". Read more

February 21, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "Discussed the events of the last hours with @POTUS. We begin the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council. A conversation with @BorisJohnson is also planned". Read more

February 21, 2022 - Putin says Ukraine is capable of creating nuclear weapons using heritage from Soviet era and Western technological support. This could be used as a pretext (or excuse) to move in on Ukraine. Read more

February 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has now officially singed the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic as sovereign states. The papers are now officially signed, and the Russian stock market futures are now crashing. As of 26 minutes ago at the time of writing this, the futures had plummeted 21% as Putin was speaking on Ukraine during the live address. Read more

February 21, 2022 - White House National Security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Russia is planning an 'extremely violent' invasion of Ukraine and that Russia seeks to 'crush' the Ukrainian people. Read more

February 21, 2022 - The recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to do, if he so chooses, is roll his troops, tanks and artillery through the Ukrainian border and into those two regions. This would put Russian troops and tanks within Ukraine while under the pretext that it is Russian territory since it will now be 'officially' recognized as Russian territory the moment he signs the decree. Read more

February 21, 2022 - Putin has reportedly told Macron and Scholz that he will be signing the decree recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk 'People Republics'. He will reportedly be speaking about it in the live address about to take place. It was supposed to be taking place now, but he is not always on time. Read more

February 21, 2022 - There has allegedly been a car bomb explosion in the city of Lugansk in front of the JCC center that contains Russians who monitor the 'ceasefire'. There are many reports of an explosion that rocked Lugansk city center, and videos out purportedly showing the explosion released by Russian state news, RIA Novosti. Read more

February 21, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly 'going around the room asking his top officials if Russia should recognize the Russian-controlled separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine according to Moscow reporter Patrick Reevell. Watching the live now, they are debating on it (news stream is live, they are showing footage from earlier debating on the issue). Read more

February 21, 2022 - U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated "President Biden accepted in principle a meeting w/ President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn’t happened. We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war". Read more

February 21, 2022 - The LPR and Russian state media are claiming that Ukraine allegedly shelled a position along the Line Of Control and killed two civilians. Read more

February 20, 2022 - Internet provider Lugacom, an ISP that supplies internet connectivity to Luhansk in eastern Ukraine from Russia, has announced potential disruptions in their mobile services in the region in the last day. Read more

February 20, 2022 - Fox news has confirmed reports by the New York Times and Washington Post that US allegedly has intelligence that Russian troops were given orders to proceed with an invasion. On NBC's Face The Nation CBS David Martin had stated "The commanders on the ground are making specific plans for how they would maneuver in their sector of the battlefield". Read more

February 20, 2022 - Natasha Bertrand, reporter for the White House and national security stated that she talked to Vice President Kamala Harris and asked if the U.S. has evidence that Putin has given his subordinates the order to invade Ukraine. Kamala replied with "We believe he has made his decision. Period". Read more

February 20, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a statement regarding possible terror attacks in Russia. They have warned American citizens to stay away from crowds, carry proper identification and have an evacuation plan ready. Embassy says that their assessment is based on 'media reports' of threats. They did not specify which media reports they were referring to. It's possible it could have been Russian media reports. Read more

February 20, 2022 - Russian tanks have been rolling into Belgorod, Russia. Our intel team has noticed many videos of tanks rolling into Belgorod the last few days. Check us out on social media to see our video and photo updates. Read more

February 20, 2022 - Over 10 Russian ships have now reportedly passed under the Crimean Bridge (Kerch Strait Bridge) and entered the Sea of Azov. The ships include: Project 775, the Saratov Project 1171 large landing ships, and Pavel #Derzhavin Project 22160 patrol ship. Read more

February 20, 2022 - CNN has now reported that Russia has around 75% of its 'conventional forces' positioned around the Ukrainian border, including 120 Battalion Tactical Groups that are within 60km of Ukraine, 35 air defense battalions, 500 fighters and bomber aircraft and 50 medium to heavy bombers. (as always, question everything) Read more

February 20, 2022 - A video released by Russian state news TV Vezda allegedly shows DPR forces carrying out an anti-tank guided missile attack on Ukrainian positions in Donbass. Read more

February 20, 2022 - Russian state news RIA Novosti has put out an article that says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated he has decided to make a nuclear bomb. We decided to get to the bottom of this claim and find out what was really said. Read more

February 20, 2022 - The British Prime Minister suggested that Russia may be planning the largest war in Europe since 1945. "All the signs are that the plan has already in some senses begun" he stated. Read more

February 19, 2022 - Russian T-72 tanks have been spotted in Tomarovka, Belgrod Oblast, which is less than 30 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Our intel team has pulled up a large number of video footage of tanks in and around that location. Read more

February 19, 2022 - Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four injured during a large escalation in fighting on the frontline. Mortars and artillery were used and there are even reports that a tank was allegedly used. Read more

February 19, 2022 - We're starting to see a large escalation of fighting near the line of control in Donbass, Ukraine over the last hour. What sounds like gunfire and artillery rounds are reportedly being fired near the Kievsky district. Read more

February 19, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "I had a conversation with the leader of one of the leading countries. I was told the war would start in a few days. I said - impose sanctions today. They answered me, we will introduce when the war starts". Read more

February 19, 2022 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "I had a conversation with the leader of one of the leading countries. I was told the war would start in a few days. I said - impose sanctions today. They answered me, we will introduce when the war starts". Read more

February 19, 2022 - The OSCE has reported that there have been 222 ceasefire violations by separatists in the #Donetsk region on Thursday including 135 explosions and 648 in #Luhansk including 519 explosions. Read more

February 19, 2022 - The leader of the Unrecognized DPR Denis Pushilin has announced a general mobilization saying "I urge fellow countrymen who are in reserve to come to the military commissariats. Today I signed a decree on general mobilization". Read more

February 19, 2022 - Russian state news has claimed that Ukrainian security forces have opened fire on DPR positions, and that in Donetsk they believe Kyiv is ready for a forceful solution to the conflict. Read more

February 19, 2022 - The OSCE says that there are between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian troops on the Ukrainian border, "This is the most significant military mobilization in Europe since the Second World War". They said that Russia now has around 50% of its forces stationed near the Ukrainian border. Read more

February 19, 2022 - Ukrainian security official Oleksiy Danilov stated on Friday that Russia is attempting to stage provocations in eastern Ukraine and trying to provoke a response out of Kyiv. Danilov stated that Ukraine will remain peaceful despite this in order to diffuse the current tensions with Russia. Read more

February 19, 2022 - U.S. intelligence indicates that Russia may target political opponents, activists and Belarusian 'dissidents' currently living in exile if it does carry out a large-scale invasion on Ukraine according to Foreign Policy. Read more

February 19, 2022 - During heightened tensions with Ukraine, Russia has decided to carry out nuclear force exercises on February 19th where they will test launch ICBMs, SLBMs and bombers. Read more

February 19, 2022 - The British Ministry of Defense stated Thursday that Russia has 50% of its ground combat units on the Ukrainian border. U.S officials now say Russia has around 150,000 ground troops and 125 battalion tactical groups on the border. Read more

February 18, 2022 - There has been a massive pipeline explosion in Ukraine. We are still investigating but Russian state news, Reuters and other news agencies say that it was near Luhansk, one of the main cities in Ukraine's breakaway region of the People's Republic of Luhansk. The pipeline caught fire after the blast. Read more

February 18, 2022 - The head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic has announced an agreement with the Russian leadership to evacuate Russian citizens in the Rostov region into Russia. The evacuation is claimed to be carried out due to alleged 'increased shelling by Ukraine' and what they say is an 'impending Ukrainian attack' on Russian separatist locations within Ukraine. Read more

February 17, 2022 - Luhansk, Ukraine internet and main mobile service operator Vodafone. The cause has not yet been determined. One report says that Kyivstar is also down or having disruptions. Read more

February 17, 2022 - The CinC AF of Ukraine has put out a statement declaring an evacuation of the local population in some settlements in the 'temporarily occupied territory' especially by Donetsk. Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russian military expert Rob Lee has stated that when Russia said that they will be taking 'military technical response' they likely meant moving weapon systems closer to NATO members such as 9M729 (SSC-8) cruise missile systems. Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russian state news RIA Novosti reported saying that the United States allegedly "twisted" Russia's proposals on security guarantees in the direction of creating advantages for Washington and its allies. Russia says they expect a full withdrawal of US and NATO forces from eastern Europe. Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russia says that Moscow will be forced to respond due to Washington's unwillingness to agree on security guarantees, according to Russian state news TASS. Read more

February 17, 2022 - When Biden was asked is it "your sense Putin is going to go thru with it" Biden responded with, “Yes… not now, in a matter of days.” Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russian Foreign Ministry website seems to be under DDOS attack at the moment. Website now shows no errors except default 'site took too long to be reached' error which indicates the server has been taken down. Read more

February 17, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Ministry website is currently down, with a database error "DB query error. Please try later". Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russian state news has reported that Russia has expelled United States Deputy Ambassador in Moscow Bart Gorman. The United States has allegedly promised a 'response'. Read more

February 17, 2022 - There has reportedly been shelling on a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine. Russian state news agencies claim that the artillery fire came from the Ukrainian front and that Ukraine targeted a kindergarten within its own territory. Ukraine says that the artillery fire came from Russia and that it is 'a big provocation'. Read more

February 17, 2022 - There is currently smoke billowing out of the Russian embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. The smoke is coming out of the chimney so it is controlled and does not seem to be accidental. This may indicate that Russia is burning sensitive documents within the embassy as a precaution to safeguard against another country obtaining them. Read more

February 17, 2022 - Al Jazeera reported the following message "Urgent | President of the separatist Lugansk Republic: We call on international observers to take urgent measures to prevent bloodshed in Donbass". Read more

February 17, 2022 - Russian state news has accused Ukraine of firing mortar shells and grenades at four LPR locations. This may or may not be true, but as always never treat a story as fact until it's verified by multiple credible sources. Read more

February 16, 2022 - Nolan Peterson, a reporter on the ground in Ukraine who spoke with Ukrainian soldiers said that they were 'on edge last night' and are now taking 'concrete actions' to prepare for a Russian attack. Read more

February 16, 2022 - Despite suspected propaganda coming from the Russian media, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Washington continues to see Russian forces in mass moving toward the Ukrainian border, not away from it, and Russia is building a bridge over the Pripyat river from Belarus to Ukraine. Read more

February 15, 2022 - The United States is reportedly currently evaluating whether or not Russia is in fact behind the cyberattack on the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense website, as well as a few Ukrainian banks. Read more

February 15, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated During joint press conference with German Chancellor that "Russia can't turn away from the fact that US and NATO are interpreting the key principles of indivisibility of security that is stipulated in many pan-European documents". Read more

February 15, 2022 - Our intel channels confirm that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense website is still down. It is now not showing any custom error message at all, just the white default connection timeout message, indicating the server is completely shut down. Read more

February 15, 2022 - Netblocks monitoring service confirms that the Ukrainian ministry of defense website is down, along with Ukraine's State Savings Bank which is impacting ATM and banking services in Ukraine. Suspected ongoing DDOS attack on the servers. Read more

February 15, 2022 - Ukrainian Ministry of Defense: "The MOD website was probably attacked by DDoS: an excessive number of requests per second was recorded. Technical works on restoration of regular functioning are carried out. Communication via FB and Twitter pages" Read more

February 15, 2022 - Ukrainian media reports say there are issues with some Ukrainian banks, in addition with the Defense Ministry site being down. Privat and Oschad apps are not working and people can't pay with their cards. Read more

February 15, 2022 - Russian State news TASS claimed that the LPR prevented a terrorist attack in Luhansk. TASS said the department announced 'possible' involvement in the attempted attack of 'sabotage'. Remember to always read Russian state news with a grain of salt. The report may be part of Russia's pretext for justifying an invasion on Ukraine. Read more

February 15, 2022 - The United States Embassy in Kyiv says "Today’s Duma vote on the “LPR/DPR” is yet another odious attempt to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and a clear violation of the Minsk agreements, which commit signatories to reintegrate these regions. Read more

February 15, 2022 - Russian State Duma reportedly passed resolution appealing to Putin to recognize independence of the DNR and LNR (Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republic) Read more

February 15, 2022 - Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs put out a statement saying "Russia's recognition of the so-called "L/DPR" will be tantamount to its deliberate withdrawal from the Minsk Agreements. Such a move will cause a blow to the politico-diplomatic settlement that Ukraine and its partners have been actively engaged to promote". Read more

February 15, 2022 - The Russian Defense Ministry says that they are withdrawing troops and have shown video footage of tanks moving back to their bases. They say Southern and Western Military District troops have completed their exercises and will return to their permanent bases. Read more

February 14, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is now reportedly closing down temporarily and relocating to Lviv, western Ukraine "due to the dramatic acceleration in the buildup of Russian forces". Read more

February 14, 2022 - A U.S. official claims that Russia has 'moved some long-range artillery and rocket launchers into firing position' according to CBS. Read more

February 14, 2022 - Ukrayinska Pravda has reported that there are currently no flight cancellations at Ukraine's capital airports Boryspil and Zhulyany and that all flights in those airports are currently on schedule. Read more

February 14, 2022 - There are many reports that Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom told BBC that Ukraine may be willing to drop plans of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in order to avoid a possible war with Russia. However, they only said they had contemplated the possibility, not that they actually were actually considering doing such a thing now. Read more

February 13, 2022 - After reports began to come out of insurance agencies for airlines and aircraft refusing to allow their carriers over Ukrainian airspace, Ukraine has now reportedly put up $590 million to insure its airspace. Read more

February 13, 2022 - *TRANSLATED FROM UKRAINIAN* Ukrayinska Pravda is reporting that Ukrainian oligarchs and businessmen are leaving Ukraine on charter flights and that about 20 charters and private jets departed from Kyiv on Sunday alone. Read more

February 13, 2022 - Canada is reportedly pulling its troops out of Ukraine 'as a result of complex operational aggression against Ukraine' according to the Canadian Armed Forces, who are in the process of relocating components of their Joint Task Force from Ukraine to somewhere else in Europe. Read more

February 13, 2022 - Senior U.S. officials stated on Sunday that they can't confirm reports by mainstream sources that Russia is planning on invading Ukraine on Wednesday. They did however say that they will attempt to prevent any 'surprise attack' that might happen by sharing what they know about Russia's plans. Read more

February 13, 2022 - *Based On Translated Ukrainian News* Ukraine has reportedly classified the airspace over the Black Sea as dangerous and has put out a warning telling airlines not to fly over airspace above the Black Sea. Read more

February 13, 2022 - U.S. National Security Advisor has reiterated Washington's stance that the United States won't be sending any forces to battle the Russians in the event that Russia invades Ukraine. Read more

February 13, 2022 - Ukraine has reportedly stated that they see no point in closing airspace amid Russian tensions. But, "If particular air carriers decide to reconfigure the flight schedule, this certainly has nothing to do with the decisions or policies of our state". Read more

February 13, 2022 - Russia has reportedly begun the process of evacuating diplomats from Ukraine according to RIA Novosti which stated (translation): "Russian Diplomats begin to leave Ukraine, a source said". Read more

February 12, 2022 - *NEW INFORMATION* Russia claimed that the U.S. submarine refused orders to leave their territorial waters, but then left back into international waters after the Russian Navy used 'appropriate means'. The US has rejected Russia's claims that Russia warned off the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine. Read more

February 12, 2022 - The Russian Embassy for the United Kingdom quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stating "After Russian troops finish drills and return to barracks, West will declare 'diplomatic victory' by having 'secured' Russian 'de-escalation'. Predictable scenario and cheap domestic political points". Read more

February 12, 2022 - Biden reportedly told the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, Romania and France as well as NATO Secretary General and President of the European Commission that Putin may launch an attack on Ukraine on Wednesday, February 16th. Read more

February 12, 2022 - The U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of 'most' of the embassy staff in Ukraine, reducing the staff to a 'bare minimum' according to a state department official. Read more

February 12, 2022 - *UPDATED* Countries that have asked their citizens to evacuate #Ukraine: United States, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Iraq, Montenegro, Norway, Latvia, Great Britain, Estonia, North Macedonia, Finland, Canada, New Zealand, Kuwait, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Sweden, Spain, KSA, Lithuania, UAE, New Zealand, Australia, Czech Republic Read more

February 12, 2022 - Iraq has now reportedly asked all of its citizens currently located in Ukraine to leave the country due to the 'exceptional circumstances' and has issued a warning to its citizens against traveling to Ukraine until further notice for their safety. Read more

February 12, 2022 - There are reportedly 7,000 American citizens currently in Ukraine with another 25,000 dual citizens with U.S. citizenship, all of which will have no help from the U.S. government to evacuate from the country if Russia carries out an invasion of Ukraine. Read more

February 12, 2022 - Russia is looking to attack on Wednesday as a target date a U.S. official reportedly told AP. Why Wednesday? We don't know. The mainstream media has been in a state of confusion, and it only seems to be getting worse the closer the world gets to a possible war. Read more

February 12, 2022 - The Russian Mission To the United Nations put out a statement quoting Polyanskiy saying "We codemn the policy of the #UnitedStates and its allies that relocate their military to #EasternEurope. Those are steps in a wrong direction. Instead of bringing de-escalation, it may provoke crises that all of us would want to avoid". Read more

February 12, 2022 - More than 30 ships from the Russian Black Sea Fleet moved out for exercises From from Novorossiysk and Sevastopol with subdivisions of the coastal troops of the fleet 'also entering combat training grounds' according to Russian state news Zvezda by Russia's Ministry of Defense. Read more

February 12, 2022 - White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich stated "On WH denying reports Putin has decided to attack, diplomatic source tells me “There are some worrying signals that could lead you to believe a go-order has been given –but it cannot be confirmed. I would be a bit cautious because the information is imperfect, incomplete". Read more

February 11, 2022 - According to Belarus Journalist Franak Viačorka, "only part of the Russian troops were actually involved in the 'exercise' while some were deployed outside of the location where the drills were taking place, near the Ukrainian border. Read more

February 11, 2022 - Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs put out a statement saying that in a conversation with EU the Foreign Minister, they discussed the security situation and he confirmed that a package of 'severe sanctions' for Russia is ready. Read more

February 11, 2022 - Israel is now evacuating the families of its diplomats from Kyiv, Ukraine in light of the escalating tensions in the region. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The White House has put out another warning telling Americans in Ukraine to get out of the country, saying get out now because the U.S. Military won't help rescue you if Russia invades and that the President will not be putting the lives of soldiers at risk by sending them in a war zone to rescue people who could have gotten out but chose not to. Read more

February 11, 2022 - There is currently a lot of confusion going on regarding whether Putin has decided to invade Ukraine. Jake Sullivan pushed back on the report, but said he did not watch the PBS piece regarding Putin having made up his mind to invade. Read more

February 11, 2022 - Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke to Australia's Sky News and stated they are ready and capable and we will not give up a single meter of Ukrainian land without a fight, and that if Russia were to invade Ukraine each meter of the land will be flooded with their blood. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Russian Navy's detachment of six landing ships which includes the Minsk, Kaliningrad, Georgy Pobedonosets, Pyotr Morgunov, and Olenegorsk Miner has reached the naval base of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea. Read more

February 11, 2022 - *UPDATED* After the Russian Foreign Minister called British Foreign Minister A Dumb And Deaf Person and left her standing at the podium all alone, the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has stated that Russia's ties with Britain are at a low point while meeting with UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace for talks, saying that Russia's level of cooperation is "close to zero and about to cross the zero meridian and go into negative'. Read more

February 11, 2022 - After US officials stated that Russia was planning on creating a pretext for an invasion on Ukraine, Russia has conveniently come out with a report that they have found more than 130 mass graves of civilians on the territory of the so called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), who they claim died from Ukrainian aggression. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The US Mission to NATO said Russia continues its military buildup, NATO allies continue calling for diplomacy and said that an attack on one is an attack on all. Read more

February 11, 2022 - The United States has deployed B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bombers belonging to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota to the United Kingdom. Read more

February 11, 2022 - Secretary of State Antony Blinken has put out a statement saying that an invasion on Ukraine by Russia could happen 'at any time', including during the Beijing Winter Olympics. Read more

February 11, 2022 - Biden has told NBC that sending troops in to evacuate Ukraine would be world war, essentially saying that it would result in world war 3 where Americans and Russians would be shooting at each other. Read more

February 10, 2022 - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called British Foreign Minister Liz Truss "dumb and deaf" and walked away, leaving her standing at the podium alone during talks. Read more

February 10, 2022 - *Based On Translated Version Of Ukrainian News* Ukrainian news site ZN.UA reported that Russia is closing off areas of the Black and Azov Seas for 'missile training' which, the project manager at the Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies Andriy Klimenko said indicates that Russia may be planning to carry out a naval blockade of Ukrainian ports. Read more

February 10, 2022 - A group of members of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has reportedly asked Biden in an open letter to share as much intelligence as possible with Ukraine. Read more

February 10, 2022 - The U.S. Embassy in Russia has put out a travel advisory for Russia saying that the advisory level is at: Level 4: Do Not Travel, for reasons including 'harassment against U.S. citizens, harassment by Russian government security officials as well as the 'arbitrary enforcement of local law' and 'increased tensions along the border of Ukraine'. Read more

February 9, 2022 - Around 80 tons of 7.62mm ammunition has arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine from the United States. Read more

February 9, 2022 - Ukrainian request for THAAD missile defense systems from the United States are a 'provocation' and that seriously considering approving the request to Ukraine would deal a setback for the current crisis in Ukraine according to Russian RIA news agency. Read more

February 9, 2022 - Latvian Air Force has been accused by Belarus Border Guard with breaching its airspace. To prevent illegal border crossings that are being coordinated authorities in Belarus since last August, the Latvia Air Force plane An-2 made a planned flight along the Latvian-Belarus border, but allegedly didn't cross it. Read more

February 9, 2022 - Russia's 203mm self propelled nuclear capable 'Soviet atomic cannons' have been spotted having been deployed 10 miles from the Ukrainian border. Read more

February 9, 2022 - A new video in Russian that was posted on Telegram show what looks to be a Russian MiG-31K Foxhound (MiG-31I) carrying what appears to be a Kinzhal hypersonic missile to the Chkalovsk air base near Kaliningrad, which is a Russian territory that closely borders both Poland and Lithuania, both which are members of NATO. Read more

February 8, 2022 - The Canadian government is reportedly telling its citizens in the country to leave Ukraine immediately in the 'anticipation of a Russian invasion'. The department of Global Affairs told Canadian citizens to get out of the country on the first available flight and to avoid travel to Ukraine. Read more

February 8, 2022 - Six Russian Warships and a submarine, part of Russia's amphibious landing ship force which carries troops, tanks and supplies have now entered the Dardanelles which connects the Mediterranean to the Black Sea moving towards Ukraine. Read more

February 8, 2022 - French President Macron travels to Russia for talks with Putin. While Putin stated "we will do everything to find compromises that suit everyone", Peskov said Moscow and Paris could not do this, the leadership of NATO does not belong to France. Read more

February 8, 2022 - RIA Novosti stated that Peskov said he had not heard reports that Putin had agreed in talks with Macron not to hold new exercises near Ukraine. Furthermore, the Belarusian Security Council stated that if NATO activity near the borders of Belarus intensifies, it is planned to increase the measures of strategic deterrence. Read more

February 8, 2022 - A separatist commander in separatist controlled Eastern Ukraine has asked Russia to send 30,000 troops and military equipment to help the separatist forces fight against 'a potential Ukrainian offensive' which was originally claimed by Andrey Turchak without providing any evidence. Read more

February 8, 2022 - Air Force Major General Ferdinand B. Stoss, STRATCOM director of plans and policy issued a warning at the 2022 virtual Nuclear Deterrence Summit saying that the US and allies have not 'faced this type of threat in over 30 years' and that 'we have no history of this' regarding a nuclear China and Russia and a 'three-party nuclear peer dynamic'. Read more

February 8, 2022 - The Department of Defense has stated that the number of Russian forces stationed near the Ukrainian border has increased over the weekend to 'well north of 100,000' troops. Some reports estimate around 130,000. Read more

February 8, 2022 - Biden has stated that he promises that Nortstream 2 will be able to be shut down if Russia invades Ukraine saying, "I promise you we will be able to do it" after being asked how that is possible since the United States doesn't control the project. Read more

February 8, 2022 - Biden says that Germany is 'completely reliable' and that the partnership with Germany is a partnership of 'complete trust' despite how reluctant Germany has been to give aid to Ukraine, including the fact that Germany sent Ukraine 5,000 combat helmets instead of lethal weapons. Read more

February 7, 2022 - Biden has made an assessment on Putin's ability to invade Ukraine during a press conference on Monday. He stated (word for word): "I don't know that he knows what he's going to do, I know that he's in a position now to be able to invade almost assuming that the ground is frozen above Kyiv. He has the capacity to do that. What he's going to do, I don't know. And I don't think anybody knows but him". Read more

February 7, 2022 - Jens Stoltenberg says NATO is 'considering the deployment of additional battlegroups to the south-eastern part of the Alliance' and says that they have over 100k troops near the Ukrainian border (Some reports say over 130,000), and 30,000 Russian soldiers are headed to Belarus. Read more

February 7, 2022 - British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has announced that Britain is sending 350 more troops to the Polish border amid heightened tensions in Eastern Europe. Read more

February 7, 2022 - The Russian reconnaissance ship "Ivan Hurs" was spotted by the Ukraine military approaching the coast of Odessa at a distance of 20 miles on February 6th, 2022. Read more

February 7, 2022 - A CNN report says that the U.S. allegedly has intercepted communications that Russian officers have had doubts about the costs and difficulty of a full-scale invasion on Ukraine which would be costlier than even Putin realized Read more

February 7, 2022 - Russia has around 130,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, 70% of the forces it needs to carry out a full-scale invasion on Ukraine according to both U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Read more

February 7, 2022 - Another Russian Slava-class cruiser Ustinov has been spotted entering the Mediterranean Sea on February 6th, bringing the number of Slava-class cruisers in the Mediterranean to 2 now. Read more

February 7, 2022 - Su-30SM fighters from Russia and Belarus carry out more joint patrols over Belarus at an altitude of about 8,000 meters and speed of 750 km/h. Patrols will continue until Feb 9th, after which 'Allied Resolve - 2022' exercises set for February 10th through 20th. Read more

February 7, 2022 - The Ukrainian Foreign Minister has Dmytro Kuleba Sunday warned people to ignore 'apocalyptic predictions' regarding an 'imminent' Russian invasion on Ukraine and said that Ukraine is tough and has an unprecedented amount of international support Read more

February 7, 2022 - US troops have arrived in Poland to reinforce Eastern European allies on Sunday as Russia continues to bolster its forces near the Ukrainian border in both Russia and Belarus. Read more

February 6, 2022 - A US official has stated that based on a government assessment, Russia should be at full operational capacity at around February 15th and have now already moved ground troops near Ukraine from nearly every part of their military. Read more

February 6, 2022 - Around 80 members of the Main National Guard is set to be deployed to Eastern Europe in the Spring for a one year deployment to Poland. Read more

February 5, 2022 - The US Military's XVIII Airborne Corps from Fort Bragg has established a 300 member headquarters unit in Wiesbaden, Germany dubbed 'Task Force Dragon' in the midst of the current developing crisis in Europe between Russia and Ukraine. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Russian SU-25SM attack aircraft of the Eastern Military District have been moved from Russia to Belarus for what Russia and Belarus are calling 'exercises' but the West suspects may be an ever growing invasion force near Ukrainian borders. SU-25SM aircraft would be paramount to carrying out an attack on the ground in the event of an invasion taking place. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Russia sent a couple of nuclear-capable bombers to patrol Belarus on Saturday as tensions mount between Russia, Belarus and the West over Russian troops being stationed near the Ukrainian border within Russian territory, as well as within Belarus. Read more

February 5, 2022 - BELARUS - Belarus has quietly altered its constitution to allow the country to host nuclear missiles within its region, which comes into effect on February 27th, 2022 and gives Belarus the ability to legally offer Russia to host its own nuclear missiles within Belarusian territory. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Number Of Russian #Battalion Tactical Groups Near Ukraine Increased From 60 To 83 In Two Weeks. National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin has reported that Putin has in place 70% of necessary forces needed for a Ukraine invasion, and battalion tactical groups have increased from 60 to 83 in two weeks with 14 more in transit. Read more

February 5, 2022 - United States and NATO fighter jets, which included British and Norwegian aircraft intercepted Russian planes over the North Atlantic on Thursday according to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Russian state propaganda machine and Kremlin mouthpiece Provda news claims that Russian nuclear submarines are currently on duty off the U.S. coasts, citing two 'unconfirmed' reports which included one submarine located near the east coast of the United States and one off the west coast, and also another 'presumably' in the Arctic. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Russia has agreed on a 30 year contract to supply gas to China which will be fed to China through a new pipeline. China will be paying Russia for the gas in Euros in order to separate themselves from the US dollar. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Bloomberg has accidentally reported on their website that Russia has invaded Ukraine, but then quickly removed the article saying that they prepare for many scenarios and one of those scenarios was accidentally published at about 4pm Eastern Time on their website. Read more

February 5, 2022 - The following is the "Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the International Relations Entering a New Era and the Global Sustainable Development" given by the leaders of both Russia and China. Read more

February 5, 2022 - Russia now has 83 battlegroups stationed near Ukraine, which according to Russian defense policy expert Rob Lee is equal to half the total number of Russia's ground combat power with 14 additional battlegroups currently in transit Read more

February 4, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put out a statement over Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Twitter account saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated Russia's position on security guarantees in Europe and that China's President has 'reaffirmed' support for Russia's stand on the issue. Read more

February 4, 2022 - Multiple oil transport and storage facilities in Europe have been hit with cyber attacks. Oiltanking in Germany, SEA-Invest in Belgium and Evos in the Netherlands have all had cyberattacks carried out against them, including 'dozens of terminals with oil storage and transport' across the world having been affected over the weekend according to BBC News. Read more

February 4, 2022 - The Russian President has met face to face with Chinese President during the kickoff of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, where Russia backed China's stance on Taiwan, and China backed Russia's stance on 'security guarantees' from the United States and NATO. Read more

February 4, 2022 - After a classified congressional briefing on the situation between Russia and Ukraine a GOP lawmaker stated the briefing is 'top secret' but what he can say is "Americans need to get out of Ukraine". He also stated the importance of focusing on America's southern border. Read more

February 4, 2022 - Russia stated on Thursday that it would be "absolutely justified" in responding to the Pentagon's deployment of 3,000 troops to Poland, Romania and Germany. Meanwhile the leader of Belarus stated "I will do everything so that Ukraine becomes ours. She is our Ukraine".` Read more

February 4, 2022 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has stated that Russian troop numbers stationed in Belarus which lies close to the Ukrainian border could reach 30,000, the largest since the cold war. Read more

February 3, 2022 - Russian, US and French warships have been spotted off the Irish coast by the Irish Air Corps and Navy ahead of Russian Naval and live fire missile exercises set to take place on Thursday. Read more

February 3, 2022 - Ukraine says footage of drone over Belarus is fake news. An interesting thing about the drone in the photos being shared across social media is that it appears to be a Russian made modded Orlan-10 UAV, which could indeed indicate it is a Russian false flag event. Read more

February 3, 2022 - There are multiple reports, one from ATN News stating that Belarus has shot down a Ukrainian drone over Brest as it was doing recon and taking footage of Russian troops training in Belarus. The #Ukrainian Foreign Ministry however reportedly says that they have not used drones at the border between Belarus and Ukraine and says that it's another provocation by #Russian authorities. Read more

February 3, 2022 - The leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has stated that things are currently unpredictable and can turn into a 'hot phase' at any moment, such as in the 1930s and 1940s around the time of World War 2. Read more

February 3, 2022 - KREMLIN - Article written by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Chinese News Agency Xinhua on the strategic partnership between Russia and China. Read more

February 3, 2022 - WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has stated that the United States is on high alert, waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin to make his next move as Satellite photos taken by Maxar suggests that Russian troops are on an increased level of readiness compared to earlier satellite photos taken. Read more

February 3, 2022 - The Pentagon has stated that the United States is on high alert, waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin to make his next move. EUCOM alert level has been raised to level 2. Read more

February 2, 2022 - Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has put out a statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be visiting China on the invitation of the Chinese to attend the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. Read more

February 2, 2022 - Britain's Royal Air Force has intercepted four Russian strategic bombers approaching UK's area of interest but did not enter sovereign airspace. The UK scrambled quick reaction Alert Typhoon aircraft in response. Read more

February 2, 2022 - A new email alert that has been issued by the US embassy in Ukraine has advised Americans to contact the U.S. Embassy if they need financial assistance to purchase an airplane ticket out of the country. Read more

February 2, 2022 - New satellite photos taken by Maxar show an increased level of activity by Russian troops surrounding the Ukrainian border in Belarus, Crimea and Western Russia. Read more

February 2, 2022 - The Foreign Ministers of Germany, France, Austria, Czech Republic And Slovakia are set to visit Ukraine next week according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko. Read more

February 2, 2022 - Thousands of Russians, including intellectuals and activists are urging the Kremlin to avoid an 'immoral, irresponsible, and criminal' war with Ukraine. Read more

February 1, 2022 - Russia has responded to the US and NATO's written message saying that the message 'demonstrate serious differences in the understanding of the principle of equal and indivisible security'. Read more

February 1, 2022 - The Ukrainian President has warned that there will be a 'full fledged' European war if Russia decides to carry out an invasion on Ukraine despite his recent comments admonishing the US for creating a 'big hype' regarding an 'imminent' invasion. Read more

February 1, 2022 - The United States, NATO and Britain have now stated that they will not likely be sending troops to Ukraine if Russia decides to invade the country. Read more

February 1, 2022 - Italy's defense ministry has spotted and confirmed six Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea but said that Russia is not showing 'escalatory behavior'. Read more

February 1, 2022 - Russian state news RT has claimed that Ukraine has carried out a drone strike on the front line in Eastern Ukraine that killed 'military personnel'. Read more

February 1, 2022 - The Russian Embassy has stated that Russia will not be backing down to U.S. sanctions and 'stand at attention'. Read more

February 1, 2022 - Russia has now assumed the presidency of the United Nations for one month, until the end of February. Read more

February 1, 2022 - The U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of family members of the US Embassy in Belarus and warns U.S. citizens not to travel to Belarus amid 'unusual and concerning Russian military buildup along Belarus’ border with Ukraine'. Read more

January 31, 2022 - The Australian Embassy to Ukraine has called upon its citizens to leave the country immediately due to the threat of a new Russian invasion on the country. Australia has also advised citizens not to travel to Ukraine. Read more

January 31, 2022 - U.S. Senators are close to passing a sanctions bill that may include penalties on Russia even if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not decide to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 31, 2022 - The Pentagon has put out a statement saying that there will be no American troops on the ground in combat with the Russians in Ukraine. Read more

January 31, 2022 - The Russian army is reportedly disrupting GPS signals with electromagnetic waves in Latakia as well as Ben Gurion, the main airport in Israel and within Israel's airspace. Read more

January 31, 2022 - On Sunday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Russia wants "mutually respectful" relations with the United States but said that they don't want their 'security infringed daily' and said that Ukraine is not ready to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and would make no contribution to it. Read more

January 31, 2022 - Global Affairs Canada has temporarily withdrawn non-essential personnel from the Canadian embassy to Ukraine. Read more

January 31, 2022 - PENTAGON - The Pentagon stated Sunday that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time and says that Putin 'has a lot of options available to him' and 'could execute some of those options imminently'. Read more

January 30, 2022 - Britain is putting the aircraft carrier HMS Wales, a command ship for the NATO Response Force (NRF) on standby to move within hours if tensions with Russia further increase. Read more

January 30, 2022 - Russia: 2022 will be a year of crisis between the US and Russia, and a new world order is needed that weakens the US on the world stage for peace between the two countries to be possible. Read more

January 30, 2022 - Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia plans on asking NATO to make it more clear whether it intends on implementing Russia's security demands after Russia stated that The U.S. and NATO's written response did not address Moscow's key concerns. Read more

January 30, 2022 - According to the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is 'downplaying' the risk of invasion on the country and pointed out that Zelensky has paid 'hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of weapons 'to defend against one'. Read more

January 30, 2022 - The British government says that they are considering making a major NATO deployment across Europe in response to Russia amassing troops, tanks and artillery near the Ukrainian border in order to "send a clear message to the Kremlin". Read more

January 29, 2022 - Does Russia want war? Verbal indications may say no, but actions indicate yes. Read more

January 29, 2022 - Russia says that they are now conscripting 'Russians permanently residing in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's Republics' (DNR and LNR) into the Russian military 'if they so wish' while Belarus also says that if Russia invades #Ukraine or gets attacked it 'will fight alongside Russia'. Read more

January 28, 2022 - Russia is now reportedly moving supplies of blood near the Ukrainian border, along with other medical materials. Read more

January 28, 2022 - Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned of destabilization amid fears of a new Russian invasion. Read more

January 28, 2022 - Russia replies to the written response by US and NATO. Russia activates a Triumph missile battalion for combat duty after claiming NATO Air Force is practicing sorties with nuclear missiles. Read more

January 28, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has responded to the written responses from the US and NATO saying the US security proposals were better than NATO's, and stated that Russia does not want to attack Ukraine. Read more

January 28, 2022 - There have been conflicting reports regarding Biden and Zelensky's phone conversation coming out. Some reports saying that the conversation leaked to White House reporter Natasha Bertrand and other established reporters at CNN is false. Read more

January 27, 2022 - The United States is now urging China to use its influence with Russia to urge diplomacy and discourage an invasion on Ukraine. Read more

January 27, 2022 - United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman had stated on Wednesday that the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics might postpone a Russian invasion if that is what Putin decides to do. Read more

January 27, 2022 - "The document we’ve delivered includes concerns of the United States and our allies and partners about Russia’s actions that undermine security, a principled and pragmatic evaluation of the concerns that Russia has raised, and our own proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground". Read more

January 27, 2022 - The Department Of Homeland Security has released an intelligence bulletin stating that Russia would consider carrying out a cyberattack on the United States homeland if Moscow deems that the written response given by the U.S. Read more

January 27, 2022 - Russia has said that they see some room for dialog after receiving the written security guarantee responses from both the United States and NATO but that it was clear that Russia's demands had not been taken into account in the response. Read more

January 27, 2022 - The Belarusian Ministry of Defense has stated that once the joint military exercises with Russia are over on February 20th, Russian forces will be leaving Belarus. Read more

January 27, 2022 - Ukraine says that they have seen the U.S. written response to Russia before it was passed onto the Kremlin and see no objections to its contents and emphasized the "No decisions on Ukraine without Ukraine" Golden rule. Read more

January 27, 2022 - NATO Open Door Policy: - "The door to NATO membership remains open to other European countries which are ready and willing to undertake the commitments and obligations of membership and whose membership contributes to security in the Euro-Atlantic area". Read more

January 27, 2022 - Russia has responded to the written response by the United States and NATO saying that its demands main demands have 'not been taken into account' and warned of an unavoidable nuclear missile crisis if measures aren't taken. Read more

January 26, 2022 - Secretary of State Antony Blinken has again strongly warned Americans currently in Ukraine to 'strongly consider leaving' and stated Americans still in Ukraine 'may be caught in a #conflict zone between #combatant forces'. Read more

January 26, 2022 - Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly stated that "there is no change, there will be no change" regarding the open door policy and that the door is open and 'remains open'. Read more

January 26, 2022 - Britain is in talks to send thousands of extra troops to Eastern Europe before any potential Russian invasion of Ukraine happens Read more

January 26, 2022 - US Ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan has reportedly delivered the U.S. response to Russia. NBC News Correspondent Richard Engel reported that he has been told that the written response to Russia does not go beyond what the US and NATO have already said". Read more

January 26, 2022 - Moscow has stated that Russia will take 'necessary response measures' and said that Russia and its citizens are 'absolute priority'. Read more

January 26, 2022 - U.S. Department of State has stated that they see every indication that Putin is going to use military force in Ukraine. They have stated that they believe that it will happen between now and the middle of February. Read more

January 26, 2022 - Russia's Defense Ministry has reported that they will be carrying out large-scale exercises in Russia near the Ukrainian border, including Crimea. Read more

January 26, 2022 - Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby has said that the United States may send more troops to Eastern Europe than the 8,500 soldiers that have already been placed on high alert. The U.S. supercarrier Harry S. Truman carrier group has also been placed under NATO command. Read more

January 26, 2022 - The United States has warned Belarus against helping Russia invade Ukraine saying that it would face a 'decisive response' if the country helps Russia carry out an invasion on Ukraine. Read more

January 25, 2022 - While the United States maintains that an invasion on Ukraine by Russia is imminent, Ukraine leaders say "Stay calm, a Russian invasion is not imminent" but says that the threat is real. If invasion isn't imminent however, what does Ukraine need with German weapons and military equipment? Read more

January 25, 2022 - Angered by Russian military live fire exercises being announced off the coast of Ireland, Irish fishing boats say that they plan to thwart the Russian military excessive by maintaining a presence in the area that they will be carrying out the drills. Read more

January 25, 2022 - There has reportedly been a cyber attack on the Belarus railway system by hacktivists who say they hacked the rail system to stop the Russian military buildup near the Ukrainian borders. Read more

January 25, 2022 - The Department of Homeland Security is warning of an 'imminent cyber threat' against both American companies and government agencies from Russia Read more

January 25, 2022 - Russian business elites are dumping the rouble and bracing for war as fears of an invasion on Ukraine grow. Many are 'bracing for heavy losses' but are unable to speak out or influence events Read more

January 24, 2022 - The U.S. Press Secretary has put out a statement to Americans currently in Ukraine saying "We are conveying very clearly, now is the time to leave" and said that the US government typically does not do large scale evacuations" Read more

January 24, 2022 - Three embassies in Ukraine have now reportedly announced evacuations including: US, UK and Australia and Germany. There are conflicting reports on Germany however. Read more

January 24, 2022 - The U.S. Navy has put their supercarrier USS Harry S. Truman under NATO command as U.S., NATO and Russian ships converge in the Mediterranean. Read more

January 24, 2022 - U.S. Press Secretary says U.S. committed to provide troops to the NATO Response Forces (NRF) of 40,000 troops and has put 8,500 troops on 'heightened alert'. Read more

January 24, 2022 - Both US and Russian stocks are crashing over tensions in Europe and fears of a Russian invasion on Ukraine. Read more

January 24, 2022 - Russia says that US troop deployments in the Baltic states are escalating tensions in the region. Read more

January 24, 2022 - The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has issued a warning to Russia saying that invading Ukraine would be a 'disastrous step'. Read more

January 24, 2022 - Ireland has warned that Russian war games, including live fire missile drills off their coast are not welcome and NATO says they are sending more troops and fighter jets to eastern Europe. Read more

January 24, 2022 - The U.S. State Department said "Given that the President has said military action by Russia could come at any time. The US government will not be in a position to evacuate US citizens. So US citizens, currently present in #Ukraine should plan accordingly" Read more

January 24, 2022 - Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Minsk, Belarus (January 23, 2022). The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens to exercise increased awareness and vigilance regarding political and military tensions in the region. Read more

January 24, 2022 - STATE DEPARTMENT - U.S. Embassy in Ukraine: Authorized departure of U.S. government employees, ordered departure for eligible family members, from U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Read more

January 24, 2022 - Biden is considering sending thousands of troops along with warships and aircraft to the Baltics and Eastern Europe Read more

January 23, 2022 - The Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, Dominic Raab says that there is a 'very significant' risk that Russia will invade Ukraine. Read more

January 23, 2022 - The U.S. State Department has ordered the families of diplomats in Kyiv, Ukraine to leave the country. Non essential staff have also been told they can leave the country at government expense. U.S. Citizens also urged to leave on commercial flights. Read more

January 23, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Minister's office has warned Japan to stay out of the Ukraine crisis Read more

January 23, 2022 - The White House has stated that the report from the UK on Russia's purported plan to install pro-Kremlin leadership in Ukraine is 'deeply concerning. Read more

January 23, 2022 - A Russian Ambassador to Caracas, Venezuela says that deployment of Russian bases in Venezuela is impossible under its constitution. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Russia is set to test missiles off the coast of Ireland during an 'exercise'. The 'range practice' is scheduled to take place in early February in the Eastern Atlantic. Read more

January 22, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Ministry has reportedly put out a statement blasting the UK, saying that their claim that Moscow sought a puppet government in Ukraine is 'nonsense'. Read more

January 22, 2022 - The UK Government has put out a statement on their official website that they have exposed a plan by Russia to install pro-Russian leadership in Ukraine as it considers whether to invade and occupy the country. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Ukraine's military intel says that Russia has increased its military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine in the recent weeks as well as increasing its 'active recruitment of mercenaries'. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Russia's ambassador to Caracas, Venezuela says that Venezuela is ready to offer military help to Moscow if relations with the United States exacerbate. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Commander of the German Navy has resigned over comments saying that Putin deserved respect, that Kyiv would never be returned to Ukraine and that they would never meet NATO's criteria for membership. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Estonia and Lithuania have green lit sending Javelin anti-tank weapons and Stinger air-defense systems to Ukraine. The U.S. has approved the transfer of light anti-tank weapons from the UK and Russian made helicopters. Read more

January 22, 2022 - The United States has shipped 90 tons of military equipment to Ukraine, 'lethal aid' that is worth around $200 million. Read more

January 22, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Ministry says that they are expecting military and information provocations from the U.S. and Kyiv on the eve of the Olympics. Read more

January 22, 2022 - Germany continues to break with NATO allies and reject calls to ship weapons to Ukraine, calling it 'currently not helpful'. This has angered Ukraine, as well as comments by Germany Navy that Crimea will never be returned and Ukraine will never be allowed into NATO. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Biden stated on Wednesday that if Russia invades Ukraine, the U.S. will be sending more troops to Poland and Romania, boosting its number of troops in eastern NATO countries. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Germany has blocked North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) ally Estonia from getting weapons to Ukraine by saying that they won't issue permits for German-origin weapons for export to Ukraine Read more

January 21, 2022 - The U.S. is considering evacuating family members of diplomats out of Ukraine in light of rising tensions in the region Read more

January 21, 2022 - Blinken has said that the U.S. will share with Russia its concerns and ideas in more detail in writing next week after Russia issued demands that the U.S. give a written response to its security proposals Read more

January 21, 2022 - The Russian embassy put out a tweet calling for an end to the 'hysteria' and stating that Russia is not going to attack anyone but failed to explain the over 100,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border Read more

January 21, 2022 - The Russian embassy in Washington put out a tweet calling for an end to the 'hysteria' and stating that Russia is not going to attack anyone. Read more

January 21, 2022 - The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that their demands for a NATO pullout also applies to both Bulgaria and Romania. Read more

January 21, 2022 - The Russian embassy to the United States tweeted that within a few hours the State Department published 3 documents 'designed to incriminate Russian authorities' and 'state media' but that Russia didn't see anything new and claimed that Washington keeps replicating propaganda and allegations. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Blinken stated "We don't expect to resolve our differences today" at the negotiations. Lavrov replied that he heard Blinken's statement and that Russia also doesn't expect a breakthrough. Read more

January 21, 2022 - During a news conference on January 14th Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated "Our patience has been exhausted. We are very patient. You know what they say about how long Russians take to harness their horses? We harness them slowly but then it’s time to ride". Read more

January 21, 2022 - Vyacheslav Volodin, Russian State Duma chairman has called upon the parliamentary to discuss recognizing the independence of Donbass as well as its separation from Ukraine according to Maariv. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Six Russian landing ships from the Russian Northern Fleet and Baltic Fleet have passed through the English channel to enter the Mediterranean and join a group of Russian Pacific Fleet ships on maneuvers with Iran and China Read more

January 21, 2022 - Britain on Friday gave a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping saying that the West will stand together to fight for democracy against dictatorships which have been emboldened more than any time since the Cold War. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Russia has announced that they are moving their S-400 Triumph surface to air missile systems from Russia to Belarus. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Moscow says that Russia and Belarus are forced to respond to NATO military buildup at their shared borders. Read more

January 21, 2022 - Warships from Russia, China and Iran are all navigating to the Middle East for joint naval drills in the Persian Gulf. Syria, India and Venezuela will also be participating in the drills. Read more

January 20, 2022 - Russia is staging massive cross country military drills where they will be live firing Iskander-M missile systems. Read more

January 20, 2022 - After Biden indicated that a small scale invasion into Ukraine would be met with a less severe response, the White House has put out a statement clarifying that any incursion into Ukraine will be met with a 'severe' response. Read more

January 19, 2022 - Biden Suggests minor invasion would have lesser response than a full scale invasion. Kyiv stunned, says "This gives the green light to Putin to enter Ukraine at his pleasure". Read more

January 19, 2022 - Biden believes Russia will further #invade Ukraine, but unlike Britain, which believes Putin wants a full-scale invasion, Biden does not believe Putin is seeking a full-blown war. Read more

January 19, 2022 - Russian State News Agency TASS has reported that the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Militia says that the Ukrainian Army is preparing sabotage actions on the 'contact line' in Donbass. Read more

January 19, 2022 - The Russian Embassy has called on Washington to stop providing weapons to Ukraine and instead convince them to 'stop sabotaging the Minsk Agreements' according to a statement. Read more

January 19, 2022 - GOP Senators have called on the Biden Administration and NATO to take decisive action against Russia and bloody Putin's nose. Read more

January 19, 2022 - Canada says that it fears that armed conflict could break out in Ukraine and is currently working with allies to make it clear to Russia that more aggression towards Ukraine is not acceptable Read more

January 19, 2022 - Russian Delegation says that the start of the countdown for security guarantees has begun and that the West faces a 'moment of truth' Read more

January 19, 2022 - A new invasion of Ukraine could happen 'at any minute' a Ukrainian official told Military Times on Wednesday Read more

January 19, 2022 - A UK Senior Defense Official has stated that they strongly believe that Russia is preferring a full scale invasion of Ukraine rather than a limited offensive Read more

January 19, 2022 - The latest intelligence assessment by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry states that Russia has more than 127,000 soldiers near the Ukrainian border now and has 'almost completed' its build up in the region Read more

January 19, 2022 - Russia and Belarus have announced drills next month where they will practice repelling an external attack in Belarus which they say is necessary as Ukraine has built up troops near Belarus. Read more

January 19, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is departing Washington D.C. to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for talks in an attempt to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Officials at the U.K. Foreign Office are being told to get ready to move into 'crisis mode' at very short notice in light of heightened tensions with Russia regarding Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield has stated "The Belarus deployment shows Russia is making moves that would suggest that they have plans to invade". Read more

January 18, 2022 - WASHINGTON - The White House has put out a statement saying that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine at any time and that it would support an anti-Russian insurgency if Russia decides to further invade Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - A Senior State Department official has said that Belarus could play a part in a Russian invasion on Ukraine and Washington is worried about the potential that Russia could deploy conventional weapons, or even nuclear warheads in Belarus. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that Germany may consider halting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia decides to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - According to a report by CNN, although Washington is still unsure what Putin's plans are, 'some U.S. officials who have seen the intelligence say there is evidence Russia is planning to try to take Ukraine's capital, Kyiv'. Read more

January 18, 2022 - The White House Press Secretary has told reporters "We're now at a time where Russia at any time could launch an attack on Ukraine". Read more

January 18, 2022 - The United States has indicated that it would strongly support an anti-Russian insurgency if Russia invaded Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin Dimitry Peskov says that the reason Russia began building up troops near the Ukrainian border is because it could no longer 'tolerate' NATO's eastward expansion and 'gradual invasion' of Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Russia has begun evacuating its diplomats from Ukraine. Russian consulates have also been told to prepare to leave Ukraine according to the New York Times. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Iskander-M ballistic missile launchers have been spotted by Moscow-based Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) and captured on video being transported through Russia on trains toward Ukraine, but Russia has denied that it plans to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 18, 2022 - According to Belarus Secretary of Security Council, Russian troops have begun arriving in Belarus. Russian military vehicles have been spotted all over the country. Read more

January 18, 2022 - Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor has stated that he believes there is a "50 percent" chance that a 'major war' will break out in Europe amid fears that Russia will invade Ukraine. Read more

January 17, 2022 - Canada has reportedly sent special forces to Ukraine amid fears of a Russian invasion. Read more

January 17, 2022 - The British have reportedly sent troops to Ukraine amid fears that a Russian invasion could be only days away. Read more

January 17, 2022 - U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has stated that Washington is ready whether Russia decides to take the path of diplomacy, or to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 17, 2022 - Belarus President Lukashenko stated on Monday that Russia and Belarus will be holding a joint military exercise in February with the date yet to be determined. Read more

January 17, 2022 - Britain says they are supplying Ukraine with defensive weapon systems to face threats posed by Russia according to Britain's defense minister Ben Wallace on Monday. Read more

January 17, 2022 - The President of Belarus, Lukashenko says that there are over 30,000 U.S. allied troops amassed in Poland and the Baltic States near Belarusian borders Read more

January 17, 2022 - The White House has repeated its warning of 'severe economic consequences' from both the United States and Western allies if Russia decides to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 17, 2022 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at a press conference that the United States have disseminated a batch of 'total disinformation' about Russia preparing a provocation in order to justify an invasion on Ukraine. Read more

January 17, 2022 - NATO has signed a deal with Ukraine to 'deepen' cyber cooperation after the latest cyber attack on Ukrainian government websites, and worries about a coming full scale Russian invasion on the country. Read more

January 16, 2022 - Canada has put out a travel alert advisory telling its citizens to avoid air travel to Ukraine due to ongoing Russian aggression and military buildup. Read more

January 16, 2022 - Russian news TASS indicates Russia believes the only goal of a military cooperation agreement between the United States and Slovakia which was approved by the Slovakian government would be to deploy US troops closer to the Russian border. Read more

January 16, 2022 - Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Russia will never discuss the withdrawal of weapons and missiles from Kaliningrad with anyone. Read more

January 16, 2022 - The Russian Embassy has put out a tweet quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stating that Reaching an agreement depends on the United States and that Russia will not wait forever. Read more

January 16, 2022 - The NYT reported that Russia hinted that if its demands are not met then it may move nuclear missiles closer to the United States after Russia warns it may decide to deploy its military to Cuba or Venezuela and build Naval bases there. Read more

January 15, 2022 - The UK Defense Secretary has stated that there will be consequences if Russia invades Ukraine and that Britain would 'stand up to bullies' no matter how far away the conflict is. Read more

January 15, 2022 - A report by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine stated that militants in Horlivka in Donetsk Oblast eastern Ukraine released toxic ammonia gas into the atmosphere on January 14th. Read more

January 15, 2022 - Ukraine says that they suspect a hacker group linked to Belarus intelligence hacked into its government websites and shut them down. Read more

January 15, 2022 - The Russian Embassy in the United States put out a tweet saying that the 'continuous accusations' against Russia on preparation for invasion pretext are unfounded. Read more

January 15, 2022 - Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov stated "Even if Ukraine does not become a member of NATO, deployment of the alliance's offensive weapons on Ukrainian territory is also a 'red line' for Russia". Read more

January 15, 2022 - Sweden has reportedly rolled out tanks onto the streets of Gotland on Friday in response to "Russian Activity" that had been observed by the Swedish military. Read more

January 14, 2022 - Russian news, Pravda has claimed that a Russian nuclear submarine with 160 nuclear warheads on board appeared off the U.S. coast and went unnoticed. Read more

January 14, 2022 - Russian News Agency TASS reported that no Western sanctions can heavily affect Russia's economy. Read more

January 14, 2022 - Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby says that Russia has 'prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine' in order to create a pretext to invade Ukraine. Read more

January 14, 2022 - The Ukrainian Information Ministry said that 'the first data suggests' today's cyberattack on Ukrainian websites was 'carried out by the Russian Federation'. Read more

January 14, 2022 - The Swedish military has raised military preparedness due to increased Russian activity in the Baltic Sea, which 'deviates from the normal picture' according to Sweden's military. Read more

January 14, 2022 - On Friday Russia repeated its demands that NATO will not allow Ukraine to join the alliance and agree not to expand its forces into Eastern Europe. Read more

January 14, 2022 - U.S. Department Of State: "It is Russia that has to make a stark choice: de-escalation and diplomacy or confrontation and consequences. We expect and had expected that the Russian delegations will have to report back to President Putin, who we all hope will choose peace and security". Read more

January 14, 2022 - Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lavrov reportedly stated that Russia's patience with the West has come to an end and said 'now is the time to go'. Read more

January 14, 2022 - Ukrainian government websites have been hacked in a massive cyberattack and are temporarily down. Read more

January 13, 2022 - U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says that the administration will be sharing within the next 24 hours what US officials have seen Russia doing regarding creating disinformation as a pretext to invade Ukraine Read more

January 13, 2022 - British intelligence agency MI5 has said that a Chinese agent has been active in the UK Parliament and engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Read more

January 13, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin says he had a productive call with his counterpart in Ukraine discussing Russia's 'unprovoked military build-up'. Read more

January 13, 2022 - Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Thursday that there would be a complete rupture of ties between the United States and Russia if the US sanctions Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. Read more

January 13, 2022 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov said that Russia will not rule out deploying its military to Cuba and Venezuela if tensions with the United States continue to mount. Read more

January 13, 2022 - A mysterious illness called 'Havana Syndrome' is baffling Washington after four more diplomats in Geneva and Paris have been sickened with the suspected neurological illness. Read more

January 13, 2022 - After talks between Russia and NATO failed to come up with a resolution, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov stated that there is 'no reason for a new round of talks in the near future'. Read more

January 13, 2022 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that there is a 'real risk of a new armed conflict in #Europe' and that the alliance is ready to send troop reinforcements into Eastern Europe if Russia invades Ukraine. Read more

January 13, 2022 - Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau has stated that Europe is closer to war than it has been any time in the last 30 years. Read more

January 11, 2022 - U.S. Officials say that Russia is currently moving its military helicopters into place, a sign that Russia continues to plan for an invasion on Ukraine despite talks being carried out according to the New York Times. Read more

January 11, 2022 - Ukraine has stated that they have arrested a Russian agent that was planning attacks in Odessa, Ukraine's largest Black Sea port. Read more

January 11, 2022 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that Russia tried to explain to the United States that playing with fire is no longer acceptable. Read more

January 11, 2022 - The CSTO Russian led troops are set to leave Kazakhstan in 2 days time. Read more

January 11, 2022 - As talks between Russia, the United States and NATO reveal no breakthrough, Ukraine says that they will defend themselves against Russia 'to the last drop of blood'. Read more

January 10, 2022 - Putin continues to make demands that he knows that NATO will not accept as NATO prepares for the worst fearing talks with Russia will fail. Russia meanwhile says that a failure to reach agreements will mean that Russia will be forced to ensure a necessary balance and deter opponents. Read more

January 10, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has proven its potential and ability to act swiftly and efficiently in the case of Kazakhstan Read more

January 10, 2022 - It has been confirmed that internet connectivity has been restored significantly in Kazakhastan as of Monday morning Read more

January 9, 2022 - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken: "Let’s be very, very clear about this: NATO did not invade Ukraine; NATO did not invade Georgia; NATO did not position forces in Moldova against the will of its people. Those are all things, among many others, that Russia has done in recent years". Read more

January 8, 2022 - Kazakhstan U.S. Embassy Security Alert: Voluntary Evacuation. "The U.S. government has authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and family members at the U.S. Consulate General in Almaty." Read more

January 8, 2022 - NATO: We Won't Create 2nd-Class Allies To Sooth Russia but are ready to engage in arms control with Russia. Read more

January 7, 2022 - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has stated that the 'risk of conflict is real' regarding Russia's buildup of soldiers, tanks and artillery near the Ukrainian border and said that NATO must be prepared for possibility that talks may fail. Read more

January 7, 2022 - Kazakhstan's leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has told security forces to 'fire without warning' on rioting citizens. Read more

January 6, 2022 - The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has reportedly requested help from Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization, or CSTO which consists of post-Soviet states to help restore order. Read more

January 5, 2022 - Kazakhstan President Tokayev has vowed 'maximum toughness' from no one in an address to the nation and announced that Nazarbayev is no longer the chairman of the Security Council. Read more

January 5, 2022 - President of Kazakhstan Tokayev has reportedly announced that he is taking over as chairman of the Security Council and will be staying in the Capital. Read more

January 5, 2022 - The President of Kazakhstan has reportedly accepted the government's resignation after reports that its people demanded the government resign over hiking fuel prices as Russia reversed the flow of gas to Europe. Read more

January 3, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear to Biden that imposing sanctions would be seen as an 'act of war' after Biden threatened Putin with sanctions over Ukraine. Read more

January 2, 2022 - The top U.S. General in Europe is seeking to reinforce NATO's eastern flank by adding battle groups in Romania and Bulgaria ahead of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. Read more

January 2, 2022 - Ukraine has enacted a new law that prohibits Russian vessels from entering internal waters within Ukraine. Read more

January 1, 2022 - New intel shows that Russia is still sending troops to the Ukrainian border as of December 30th, 2021 Read more

December 31, 2021 - In a statement put out by the Press secretary regarding Biden's phone call with Putin, Biden urged Russia to de-escalate tensions and said the U.S. will 'respond decisively' if Russia 'further invades Ukraine'. Read more

December 30, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcoming more joint military drills with Belarus. Read more

December 30, 2021 - The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine is making emergency evacuation preparations Read more

December 29, 2021 - The U.S. and Russia are set to hold security talks on January 10th. Each will address concerns each has about the other's military activity and address tensions over Ukraine. Read more

December 29, 2021 - Russian State Duma deputy Mikhail Delyagin claims that Ukraine aims to attack Crimea in early 2022 due to Ukraine's 'bad internal situation of absolute hopelessness'. Read more

December 29, 2021 - Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin stated on Monday that NATO is refusing to speak to Russia on an equal basis and maintain an 'equal' dialogue. Read more

December 29, 2021 - On December 17th Ukraine began mandatory conscription of women into their military of ages between 18 and 60 who are 'fit for military service' amid a looming threat of a Russian invasion. Read more

December 29, 2021 - Ukrainian intelligence says that Russia continues to increase forces, combat equipment, artillery and armored vehicles near the Ukrainian border. Read more

December 29, 2021 - A Russian Commander of the Russian Airborne Troop has announced that Russia has formed a new airborne assault regiment in Crimea. Read more

December 29, 2021 - The U.S. Navy has ordered its warships to stay in the Mediterranean Sea amid tensions with Russia regarding Ukraine. Read more

December 28, 2021 - MOSCOW - Russia's Foreign Ministry warned foreign ambassadors that there is a 'high risk' of conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Read more

December 27, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told International Affairs magazine that we are close to a point where diplomacy will play a subordinate role and where 'we will be unable to reconcile ourselves with current events'. Read more

December 27, 2021 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that he does not rule out that the West is planning a 'small war' in ukraine so that they can accuse Moscow of it and then impose sanctions to restrict Russia's capabilities Read more

December 27, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Foreign Affairs magazine on Monday that Russia is not bluffing with their demands to the United States and NATO. Read more

December 27, 2021 - German and Russian Envoys have agreed to meet in person in January to attempt to ease tensions between Russia and Ukraine according to Reuters. Read more

December 27, 2021 - At a joint meeting of the State Council and Council for Science and Education Putin boasted about the latest successful Tsirkon hypersonic missile test Russia carried out on December 24th. Read more

December 27, 2021 - Accepting Sweden and Finland into NATO will have 'serious' military and political consequences that won't be left unanswered by Russia according to Russia's Foreign Ministry. Read more

December 27, 2021 - British Commanders have drawn up contingency plans to evacuate all of the British troops from Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion. Read more

December 27, 2021 - Regarding the 10,000 troops Russia has reportedly moved away from the border, U.S. intelligence did say that Russia would likely move battalion and tactical groups to and from the border 'to obfuscate intentions and to create uncertainty'. Read more

December 26, 2021 - NATO has invited Russia to a council meeting on January 12th between both NATO and Russia, and Russia is reportedly 'considering it' but insits it wants its demands met. Read more

December 26, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he is pondering a slew of options if the West fails to meet his demands for security guarantees, including military measures. Read more

December 25, 2021 - Russia has reportedly test fired a cruise missile from a submarine in the Sea of Japan Read more

December 25, 2021 - Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov says there is no discussion currently underway regarding a meeting between Biden and Putin. Read more

December 25, 2021 - Over 10,000 Russian troops are returning to their permanent bases after drills near the Ukrainian border according to the Russian military. Read more

December 25, 2021 - Russian state run news RT has reported that the US is sending 'thousands of military personnel' to Ukrainian front lines. Read more

December 24, 2021 - A joint statement of 36 delegations to the United Nations states that Russia has used a UN Security Council event to proclaim false narratives against other states. Read more

December 24, 2021 - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov threatens that accepting Ukraine into NATO and deploying missiles near Russia's borders could lead to a large military conflict in Europe. Read more

December 24, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov says that Russia will not be accepting any 'preconditions' from Washington on security guarantees. Read more

December 23, 2021 - New satellite images that have been released show that the Russian buildup near Ukraine's border is picking up steam. Read more

December 23, 2021 - On Tuesday Russia claimed that the United States has 150 mercenaries in Eastern Ukraine where Russian militants have been fighting with Ukraine forces. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Washington is working on a system that will issue battlefield intelligence to Ukraine that may give the country an early warning to respond to invading Russian forces. Read more

December 23, 2021 - A senior White House official told reporters that Moscow has stepped up their disinformation campaign in a possible prelude to invading Ukraine. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Ukrainian top commander Lieutenant General Valeriy Zaluzhniy says that while they support the state of the ceasefire in Donbass with the Russian militants, Ukraine will give an appropriate response to any enemy attack. Read more

December 23, 2021 - The United States "is ready to act if and when we need to” if Russia invades Ukraine" a senior administration official stated according to White House reporter Natasha Bertrand. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Russia is set to carry out paratrooper drills near the Ukrainian border this week according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Putin: One Gets The Impression That Maybe They Are Preparing A Third Military Operation. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Russian controlled media says that Ukraine believes Russia is planning a nuclear attack on Ukraine. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Putin spoke at an annual news conference and said that the "ball is in the West's court". Read more

December 23, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the United States to act quickly to respond to its demands for security guarantees and to sign an agreement that NATO will withdraw forces from Eastern Europe and not expand further. Read more

December 23, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he believes Ukraine is preparing for a new military operation in Donbas and that the West is calling on Russia not to interfere Read more

December 22, 2021 - Washington has alarmed Russia by approving the sale of anti-tank Javelin missiles to Lithuania. Read more

December 22, 2021 - A batch of nuclear capable Russian Su-34 bombers was delivered to a Lipetsk based State Aviation Personnel Training and Troop Testing Center of the Russian Defense Ministry according to the Russian Ministry of Defense website. Read more

December 22, 2021 - The Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security And SE Council (NSDC) now says there are 122,000 Russian troops within 200km of its borders and another 143,500 stationed within 400km of its borders. Read more

December 22, 2021 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's response to Russia's security guarantee proposals 'inappropriate'. Read more

December 22, 2021 - WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department has accused Russia of spreading 'dangerous misinformation' for claiming that U.S. Mercenaries are preparing to use chemical weapons in the eastern Ukrainian conflict zone in Donbas. Read more

December 22, 2021 - US State Department Spokesman Ned Price put out a tweet saying contrary to statements from Moscow, Russia and its proxies responsible for tensions, not Ukraine or United States. Read more

December 22, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia has no room to retreat in a standoff with the US over Ukraine and will be forced into a tough response unless the West drops what he calls its 'aggressive line'. Read more

December 22, 2021 - Dmitry Kiselyov who is known to be Putin's mouthpiece has stated that Russia is putting a 'gun to America's head' and that if NATO forces don't back off 'everyone will be turned to radioactive ash'. Read more

December 22, 2021 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has once again rejected Russia's demands that NATO back out of their promise that Ukraine would gain NATO membership in the future. Read more

December 21, 2021 - NATO Secretary General Gens Stoltenberg gave an update regarding the status of the Russian forces, tanks and heavy artillery near the Ukrainian border saying "The buildup continues". Read more

December 21, 2021 - The Russian Defense Ministry says that the US is building up a forward military presence with 8,000 troops near Russia's border in Eastern Europe. Read more

December 21, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said today that Russia is prepared to take 'military-technical measures' in response to what he calls 'unfriendly' actions by the West regarding Ukraine. Read more

December 20, 2021 - Russia is demanding immediate talks with the United States regarding their request for security guarantees from NATO and warning of a military response to NATO activity. Read more

December 20, 2021 - The US State Department has issued a level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory for Ukraine for risk of COVID-19 as well as 'increased threats from Russia', saying there are reports Russia is planning significant military action against Ukraine. Read more

December 20, 2021 - Germany: NATO will not let Russia dictate its military posture. Read more

December 20, 2021 - In a tit for tat move, Russia has expelled two German diplomats in response for Germany expelling two Russian diplomats from its embassy Read more

December 20, 2021 - Reports circulating along with a video that Russian reserve troops have been called upon and are marching in the snow toward Ukraine. Read more

December 20, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said that Ukraine's actions have reached a 'boiling point' that forces Russia to take 'radical steps' which includes other countries as well. Read more

December 19, 2021 - US Embassy In Kyiv: US Embassy In Kyiv: #Russia Claims It Has Always Treated Ukraine As Independent State. Read more

December 19, 2021 - Russia has stated that if the US and NATO ignores its Proposals for 'security guarantees' that many argue were written to be rejected then it will create 'counter #threats' in response and called it 'the moment of truth'. Read more

December 18, 2021 - Tod Wolters, NATO's top general says he wants NATO troops in Bulgaria and Romania and expand NATO's 'enhanced forward presence' in the Baltic states and eastern Poland, despite Russia's new demand for the removal of all U.S. and NATO troops from Eastern Europe. Read more

December 18, 2021 - Belarus has now stated that they are ready to deploy nuclear weapons under the threat from NATO according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vladimir Makei. Read more

December 18, 2021 - Russian Tu-22M3 nuclear capable strategic bombers patrolled the border that Belarus shares with Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania amid tensions with NATO and the United States. Read more

December 18, 2021 - The UK Defense Ministry announced that personnel from 32 Engineer regiment arrived in Poland earlier this week to provide engineering support for Poland's border with Belarus. 140 specialists will be in Poland by end of December. Read more

December 18, 2021 - Russian Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Ukraine is openly declaring their intentions to join NATO on a legislative level and called it a 'creeping intrusion' on NATO's part saying that NATO is 'drifting' towards Russia's borders and said the Cold War Era is back. Read more

December 18, 2021 - General Micael Byden, the Swedish supreme commander told POLITICO Thursday that if the conflict between Russia and Ukraine deepens then the United States needs to send more troops to Europe to reinforce military presence in the region. Read more

December 18, 2021 - Despite urges from Biden to deescalate tensions, Russia continues to buildup and amass new troops near the Ukrainian border as well as diverting flights and rail systems to support military efforts. Read more

December 18, 2021 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has stated that in order for talks to begin and addressing Russia's security proposals, Russia must first de-escalate tensions with Ukraine. Read more

December 17, 2021 - The Russian Ministry of Defense website has locked out IP addresses that do not have either an origin from Russia. People located in Belarus however are still able to access Russia's Ministry of Defense website and that region has not been locked out (blocked). Read more

December 17, 2021 - Russia carried out large scale military exercises off Crimea Thursday, eliminating a 'notional' enemy warship in the Black Sea. Read more

December 17, 2021 - The draft agreement handed to US by Russia says that Russia wants the US to agree not to conduct any military activity in Ukraine as well as 'other eastern European states, Transcaucasia and Central Asia'. Read more

December 17, 2021 - A Ukrainian soldier has been killed in fighting with pro-Russia militia during the ongoing fighting that started in 2014 when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula. Read more

December 17, 2021 - The United States has drafted a budget for 2022 that includes $756 million in assistance to Ukraine, including $400 million to strengthen the Ukraine's security. Read more

December 16, 2021 - Read The New Statement By The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Regarding The Situation (NATO) In And Around Ukraine. Read more

December 16, 2021 - During an event recognizing 30 years of Israel and Ukraine ties, the Ukrainian ambassador to Israel Yehven Korniychuck stated that Ukraine sees Jerusalem as Israel's 'one and only capital' and will be opening up an embassy in the city next year. Read more

December 16, 2021 - The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told CNBC on Thursday that he believes Putin has not decided yet whether to do a military operation, however if he decided to do so things would happen in the blink of an eye. Read more

December 16, 2021 - Ukrainian minister for veterans affairs Yuliia Laputina told Sky News that a full invasion of Ukraine by Russia would cause conflict to flare up in Europe and may even trigger World War Three. Read more

December 15, 2021 - A German court has accused Russia of 'state terrorism' and expelled two Russian diplomats non grata. Read more

December 15, 2021 - KYIV - Despite rumors that Russia has begun withdrawing its troops from the border, Ukraine says that there is no such sign. In fact, according to Ukraine there has been an increase in the number of troops stationed near the Ukrainian border. Read more

December 14, 2021 - The Ukrainian parliament has voted in favor of allowing foreign military to take part in Ukrainian exercises in 2022. Read more

December 14, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to discuss tensions in Europe and what they are calling 'aggressive' US and NATO rhetoric in a video call with one another according to Russia. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Paul McLeary who covers Defense for POLITICO stated that the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov spoke of Ukraine's need of anti-missile systems, namely the Iron Dome and Patriot mobile air defense systems. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Ukraine has begun inspections of bomb shelters and carrying out alert drills in preparation for a possible invasion by Russian forces. Read more

December 13, 2021 - One of the two Danish crew that had gone missing after an overnight collision with a British cargo ship was found dead inside the ship hull. Read more

December 13, 2021 - The Foreign Minister of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis has stated that he believes that Russia is really gearing up for war and that 'we are not taking this seriously enough'. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Russia has vetoed the UN resolution linking climate change as a threat to international peace and security. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday that Russia may be forced to deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe if NATO does not engage with it on preventing escalation. Read more

December 13, 2021 - The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has put out a statement regarding the current tensions and military buildup near the Ukrainian border. Read more

December 13, 2021 - New Satellite images by Maxar show Russian forces building up less than 30 miles away from the Ukrainian border between September 7th and December 5th. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Russia says that they will respond 'militarily' if NATO does not stop encroaching on its western borders. Ryabkov said "Our response will be military" and "There will be confrontation". Read more

December 13, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov has stated that 'The actions of the United States and NATO allies in Europe lead Moscow to believe that the United States is preparing for a repeat of the missile crisis that in 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war'. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Ukraine Minister of Defense has stated that a Russian invasion on Ukraine would mark an end of the current world and start a new era where international rules no longer exist. Read more

December 13, 2021 - Two cargo ships have collided in the Baltic Sea due to foggy conditions between Bornholm, Denmark and Ystad, Sweden. A rescue operation is underway to find two people who are missing after the collision Read more

December 13, 2021 - The US Embassy in Kyiv has put out a statement in response to Russia's accusations that Ukraine committed genocide: False accusations of genocide are irresponsible and dangerous. Read more

December 12, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Russia leads the world in hypersonic weapons, and by the time other countries catch up Russia will likely have developed the technology to counteract them. Read more

December 12, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the collapse and end of the Soviet Union was the demise of what he says is 'historical Russia'. Some believe Russia wants rebuild the Soviet Union, starting with conquering Ukraine. Read more

December 12, 2021 - At the G7 summit on Sunday the seven richest democracies met together and warned Russia that there would be 'massive consequences' if Russian president Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Read more

December 11, 2021 - Despite Appeals from Ukraine, the Biden administration has chosen to hold back the $200 million in military assistance aid to Ukraine for diplomatic reasons. Read more

December 11, 2021 - The United States is sending a top diplomat for Europe, Donfried to both Russia and Ukraine. Read more

December 11, 2021 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has rejected Russian demands to rescind NATO's promise to Ukraine that the country would one day become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read more

December 11, 2021 - According to Russia's state run media, the Russian military carried out live fire tank drills and exercises in various places within Russia with 1,500 tank crews, including occupied Crimea and included driving over anti-tank trenches. Read more

December 11, 2021 - Multiple rare manned US Military aircraft have been flying over Ukraine. According to sources only US Military unmanned Global Hawks UAVS have been spotted in Ukrainian airspace until this point and manned aircraft are extremely rare over Ukraine. Read more

December 10, 2021 - After Russia demanded NATO rescind their offer to Ukraine for future membership, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the door for NATO membership remains open for Ukraine and that Moscow has no say over which countries have the right to join. Read more

December 10, 2021 - On Friday Russia demanded that NATO rescind the 2008 agreement with Ukraine stating that one day they would become members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Read more

December 10, 2021 - The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that 'irresponsible behavior of the West' toward Ukraine is provoking serious military risks, even up to 'large-scale conflicts in Europe'. Read more

December 10, 2021 - Biden has angered eastern NATO allies by announcing a meeting between NATO allies and Russia to discuss Russia's buildup of troops, tanks and artillery along Ukraine's border. Read more

December 10, 2021 - Ukrainian Navy says that Russia has blocked Ukraine off from 70% of the Sea of Azov and are holding live fire artillery drills close to the Ukrainian coast. Read more

December 10, 2021 - US and French NATO fighter jets were allegedly intercepted by Russian Su-27 fighter jets over the Black Sea on December 9th according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Read more

December 10, 2021 - According to the Joint Forces Operation HQ, Russian separatists breached the Minsk Protocol ceasefire agreement 6 times on December 9th with two Ukrainian soldiers injured in the fighting. Read more

December 10, 2021 - Russia continues to move medium range surface to air missile systems closer to the Ukrainian border raising concerns that Putin may indeed preparing to invade Ukraine. Read more

December 10, 2021 - U.S. Republican Senator Roger Wicker stated that the United States shouldn't rule out using nukes on Russia in response to the conflict over Ukraine. Read more

December 10, 2021 - Russian General Valery Gerasimov has issued a warning to Ukraine against attacking areas controlled by Russian separatists saying that Russia will get involved and 'severely suppress provocations'. Read more

December 10, 2021 - A Ukrainian warship named 'Donbass' sailed toward the Kerch strait without filing a request to sail through and was given warnings by Russia to turn away. The ship did not respond to the requests, but eventually turned away from the strait. Read more

December 10, 2021 - A Ukrainian warship named 'Donbass' sailed toward the Kerch strait without filing a request to sail through and was given warnings by Russia to turn away. The ship did not respond to the requests, but eventually turned away from the strait. Read more

December 9, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the conflict in eastern Ukraine in Donbass 'is very reminiscent of genocide'. Read more

December 9, 2021 - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated on Thursday that Russia and the United States could end up in a situation resembling the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 where the US and Russia had a standoff over the Soviets deploying missiles in Cuba. Read more

December 9, 2021 - After Biden dashed Ukrainian hopes of help by the US by saying that sending in U.S. troops to defend Ukraine against Russia is 'not on the table', Ukraine's generals now say they have no hope of defending against a Russian invasion without aid from the West. Read more

December 9, 2021 - Cooperation between Turkey and Russia is increasing as Turkey is set to receive another shipment of advanced S-400 anti-air missile systems from Russia according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Read more

December 9, 2021 - KYIV - The Ukrainian military says that Russia now has 120,000 troops on their border, including 98,000 soldiers on the ground and 22,000 air and naval forces as well as increased intelligence gathering. Read more

December 9, 2021 - MOSCOW - Russia has handed the U.S. Embassy a 'note of protest' underlining the 'perilous consequences' of alleged provocations from US and NATO forces near the Ukrainian/Russian border. Read more

December 8, 2021 - Just hours after Biden and Putin talked, Russia began rolling in electronic warfare vehicles into occupied Crimea. Read more

December 8, 2021 - The Russian Foreign Ministry has sent a note to the US Embassy in Moscow that warns of 'dangerous consequences' for 'provocations near Russia's borders'. Read more

December 8, 2021 - France has issued a warning to Russia: 'Strategic and massive' consequences if Ukraine is threatened. Read more

December 8, 2021 - India and Russia's defense partnership is increasing as the two countries proceed with an agreement to send a Russian missile system to India, despite threats of sanctions from the United States. Read more

December 8, 2021 - Senior White House Correspondent Ed O'Keefe reported that Biden said that sending U.S. troops in to defend Ukraine against Russia is 'not on the table' in the event of an attack when talking to reporters at the White House. Read more

December 8, 2021 - Russia has finished deploying the Bastion anti-missile system to an island North of Japan which is able to target and destroy entire carrier groups and landing craft around islands disputed with Japan. Read more

December 8, 2021 - Britain is considering giving more defensive support to the Ukraine due to the increasing buildup of Russian troops, tanks and artillery building up near their border. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Ukraine Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov is warning there will be a 'bloody massacre' if Russia invades Ukraine, along with five million refugees fleeing into Europe and that Russians would come also back home in coffins. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Biden is looking into options to evacuate US citizens from Ukraine in the event that Russia initiates an invasion of the country. State Department says options to deter an invasion are limited. Read more

December 7, 2021 - CIA director William Burns said on Monday that US intelligence agencies haven't concluded that Russia will invade Ukraine, but stated that he wouldn't underestimate Putin's appetite for Ukraine and that Russia has put together forces that 'could act in a very sweeping way'. Read more

December 7, 2021 - A Russian train carrying BTR armored personnel carriers, howitzers, military trucks, MT-LBs and tanks have been spotted moving towards the Ukrainian border. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Ukrainian Defense Ministry says that Russia is sending tanks and snipers to the line of contact in eastern Ukraine in order to 'provoke return fire' hours before the video call between Biden and Putin occurred. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Russian state owned news agency has reported that the Russian Navy has carried out airstrike 'missile' drills involving 20 aircraft, and made it a point to highlight that the missile strikes against naval targets paralleled the US warship deployment to the Black Sea. Read more

December 7, 2021 - A senior administration official has hinted toward sending in additional US troops to flank NATO allies in the event of a Russian invasion on the country. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Ukraine is asking the United States for help to defend against Russia, including air and naval support, helicopters and forward deployed troops. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that during his phone call with Biden they agreed on joint and concerted action. Read more

December 7, 2021 - Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stated on Monday that conflict with the Ukraine is not 'inevitable' and that there is still time for diplomacy with Russia. Read more

December 6, 2021 - Russia continuing to build supply lines, hospitals, jamming equipment and modified MBTs (Defensive equipment against drones and javelins) as well as calling on reserves and positioning more forces near the Ukraine. Read more

December 6, 2021 - Russia is filing an official diplomatic protest due to an alleged 'increased' and 'unsafe' amount of US spy planes flying over the Black Sea and says that they threaten civilian flights. Read more

December 6, 2021 - US Officials say that the United States will send troops to eastern Europe and reinforce NATO's eastern flank if Russia invades the Ukraine as well as impose economic measures. Read more

December 6, 2021 - US troops have arrived in the Ukraine with the goal to send a message of support to the Ukraine in standing up to Russia. Read more

December 6, 2021 - Ukraine has invited the United States, United Kingdom and Canada to deploy soldiers to the East and South of the Ukraine despite the fact that Putin said that deploying foreign troops in the Ukraine is a 'red line' that would lead to provocation and consequences. Read more

December 6, 2021 - US intelligence sharing has convinced NATO allies that Russia may be preparing to attack the Ukraine as early as next year with 175,000 troops, moving troops in and out to confuse western intelligence of their intentions. Read more

December 5, 2021 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on air during the TV broadcast of Channel Russia 1 that if the Ukraine does not intend to follow the Minsk agreements of its own free will, then it must be forced. Read more

December 5, 2021 - Russian paratroopers are testing the use of heat traps to protect their ground facilities from heat-seeking missiles, according to Russian Major General Anatoly Kontsevoy, Deputy Commander of the Russian airborne forces. Read more

December 4, 2021 - Ukraine has drawn Ire from Russia by purchasing TB2 drones from Turkey which were used in October to destroy Russian mobile artillery in Donbass. Read more

December 4, 2021 - According to US intelligence Russia is planning on a multi-front offensive against the Ukraine with 175,000 troops by early 2022. Read more

December 3, 2021 - Russian state owned news agency, TASS says that Russia will 'certainly react' if the United States imposes sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. Read more

December 3, 2021 - The Ukrainian Defense Minister says that Russia might use 94,300 troops to invade the Ukraine by the end of January. Read more

December 3, 2021 - CNN has reported that Russia's military has capabilities in place to carry out a swift and immediate invasion, and has built supply lines, fuel and medical units that could 'sustain a drawn out conflict', but Russian news is reporting that there is no planned attack, Russia isn't preparing for an offensive operation and there is no heightened activity as reported by western media. Read more

December 2, 2021 - Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Says NATO Refusing To Consider Russian Proposals And Is Escalating Situation Read more

December 2, 2021 - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the 'nightmare scenario of military confrontation is returning' in Europe and that the Ukraine's goal to take Crimea is a 'direct' threat. Read more

December 2, 2021 - Russia has deployed Bastion missile systems near the Kuril Islands on Matua, which is an uninhabited volcanic island located in the middle of the Pacific chain also claimed by Japan. Read more

December 2, 2021 - When Russian Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov was asked about how likely war is between Russia and the Ukraine, he replied saying that the probability of hostilities is high and Ukraine's goal to take Crimea is a 'direct threat'. Read more

December 1, 2021 - In a speech to ambassadors, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the buildup of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border is intended to force the United States to give up support for the Ukraine joining NATO. Read more

December 1, 2021 - U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says that the United States is extremely concerned by evidence that Russia has made plans for significant moves against the Ukraine Read more

December 1, 2021 - Russia said on Wednesday that they cannot de-escalate tensions due to the fact that half the Ukrainian army is stationed near the Russian border. Read more

December 1, 2021 - Russian news RT says that a total of over 100,000 Ukrainian troops, or well over half of the Ukrainian army along with large amounts of military hardware and weaponry are now stationed in Donbass according to the Russian Foreign Ministry amid rising tensions between Russia and the Ukraine. Read more

December 1, 2021 - Russia has told some of the US embassy workers who have worked at the US embassy in Moscow for the last three years to leave the country. The embassy workers are to be out of Russia by January 31st, 2022. Read more

December 1, 2021 - Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said that Russian annexed Crimea was legally Russian territory and said that he plans to visit the peninsula with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more

December 1, 2021 - Vice Admiral Karl Thomas is calling for more aircraft carriers in the Pacific to deter and intimidate China and Russia so that they understand that 'today is not the day' to initiate a conflict in the region. Read more

November 30, 2021 - Putin is not issuing a statement, reports circulating of this are false. False reports were originally circulated by Russian intelligence officer @wargonzoo via twitter. Read more

November 30, 2021 - The entire Belarusian 6th tank brigade is reportedly moving from Folush, near Grodno, where it is normally based toward the Ukrainian border in full force with a full compliment of weapons. Read more

November 30, 2021 - The entire Belarusian 6th tank brigade is reportedly moving from Folush, near Grodno, where it is normally based toward the Ukrainian border in full force with a full compliment of weapons. Read more

November 30, 2021 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a warning to NATO saying that it will act if NATO crosses any of its red lines with the Ukraine, such as deploying offensive missile systems on Ukrainian territory. Read more

November 30, 2021 - NATO Foreign Ministers are currently meeting in Riga, Latvia to discuss the situation in and around the Ukraine. They are also discussing the situation with Belarus as well as lessons learned from NATO's engagement in Afghanistan. Read more

November 30, 2021 - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia will pay a high price for any military aggression on the Ukraine when they met to discuss the Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border. Read more

November 30, 2021 - Russia has reportedly been converting its tanks with field modifications to defend against the Ukraine's new US supplied Javelin anti-tank guided missiles, along with TB2 Bayraktar drones that were supplied by Turkey.Read more

November 30, 2021 - Parts of the Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system has been spotted being transported by a Russian convoy in Rostov, Russia along with mobile radio stations. Read more

November 30, 2021 - Lukashenka, the president of Belarus has spoken with Russian media outlet RIA Novosti and stated that they will allow Russia to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus again, in case nuclear weapons are brought to Poland by NATO. Read more

November 30, 2021 - The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says that NATO is moving a significant amount of military equipment to the Russian border. This, as Russian forces, artillery and military equipment continue to build up on the Russian side of the border. Read more

November 30, 2021 - The Ukrainian military stated on Tuesday that they will be carrying out 10 large military drills in 2022 along with the United States, Britain, Poland, Romania as well as other countries. Read more

November 30, 2021 - On November 30th, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has reported 8 ceasefire violations by Russian separatists, two of which used weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements. Read more

November 30, 2021 - Belarus has announced joint military drills with Russia along its southern border. Lukashenko has stated that if Ukraine starts another war in Donbass or anywhere near Russia's borders "Belarus will not stay aside. And it is clear whose side we will be on". Read more

November 30, 2021 - The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has reported that Russian servicemen have arrived in non-government controlled areas in eastern Ukraine to "strengthen" 'sabotage' and 'sapper' units. Read more

November 30, 2021 - The Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kouleba says that Russia has accumulated about 115,000 troops near their border and in occupied Crimea as Russia continues to send forces, artillery and weapons to locations near the Ukraine border. Read more

November 29, 2021 - The US Defense Department says that they will be expanding deployments and bases in the Indo-Pacific to deal with Russian and Chinese threats while maintaining enough forces in the middle east to deal with Iran and Jihadist groups. Read more

November 29, 2021 - There is currently heavy shelling happening in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine as well as north of Donetsk. There was also shelling on November 18th which severely damaged a school in the town of Pervomaisk. Read more

November 27, 2021 - The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has reportedly stated that there will be no invasion on the Ukraine, and said that reports of an invasion by media and US state department is malicious propaganda. Read more

November 27, 2021 - The U.S. State Department says that all options are back on the table regarding responding to the Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border. Read more

November 24, 2021 - There is a new Advisory from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine regarding Russian military activity near the Ukrainian borders and in occupied Crimea. Read more

November 23, 2021 - The Ukrainian military held drills and practiced airstrikes on training grounds in southern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Read more

November 23, 2021 - Russia said on Tuesday that the United States is 'escalating' tensions by arming the Ukraine with weaponry and sending over military advisors. Read more

November 23, 2021 - Russian state TV has claimed that Russia's anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles have the capability of destroying 32 NATO satellites and 'blind all their missiles, planes and ships, not to mention the ground forces'. Read more

November 23, 2021 - The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has warned that #Russia has increase its military readiness level for Russian occupation forces in Donbass. Read more

November 23, 2021 - Russia has allegedly stated that the U.S. State Department is using diplomatic channels to share false information about the number of Russian forces by the Ukrainian border. Whether this is misinformation on Russia's part remains unclear. Read more

November 22, 2021 - Russia and China flew nuclear capable strategic bombers together near Japan and South Korea on Friday in a joint patrol causing South Korea to quickly scramble their fighter jets. Read more

November 22, 2021 - The Ukrainian defense intelligence agency chief told Military Times that Russia is preparing for an attack on the country by the end of January, or the beginning of February. Read more

November 21, 2021 - Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that the West is artificially whipping up hysteria regarding tensions with the Ukraine and stated that 'a provocation' could not be ruled out due to the current U.S. Rhetoric. Read more

November 19, 2021 - Russia deployed 2 Tu-95MS long range nuclear bombers to international airspace near Alaska for hours on Friday. Read more

November 18, 2021 - Ukraine's parliament has approved a bill that allows guards on the Ukrainian border to use military equipment and firearms, as the Russian military buildup near the border continues. Read more

November 18, 2021 - The Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin, Andrij Melnyk says that Russia has about 114,000 troops stationed near the eastern Ukrainian border, and about 32,000 troops stationed in Occupied Crimea, with several thousand in Belarus. Read more

November 17, 2021 - The Ukrainian armed forces have carried out military drills close to the border of annexed Crimea according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry as tensions between the Ukraine and Russia continue to mount. Read more

November 17, 2021 - Russia is deploying a paratroop regiment on the annexed part of Crimea by the beginning of December and has objected to the new British deal to give the Ukrainian military a boost. Read more

November 14, 2021 - A group of 50 illegal migrants have broken through the defenses on the border between Belarus and Poland and entered Poland near Starzyna village. Read more

November 14, 2021 - Former head of U.S. Army Europe says that what we are seeing is nothing new, but a continuation of what started back in April regarding the military buildup of Russian forces on the Ukrainian border. Read more

November 13, 2021 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that there are currently almost 100,000 Russian troops stationed near the Ukrainian border and that the West has shared intel on troop movements by Russia. Read more

November 13, 2021 - The Belarus Defense Minister has also said that they are ready to ensure their safety and call on Russia for help if necessary. Read more

November 13, 2021 - The Belarus Defense Minister has stated that their armed forces are "ready to respond harshly to any attacks, we would like to warn hotheads against overestimating their capabilities." Read more

November 12, 2021 - Britain scrambled jets from two different bases to intercept and escort long range nuclear capable Russian bombers 'approaching the UK area of interest' according to the UK Royal Air Force. Read more

November 12, 2021 - Britain has sent troops to Poland to help the Polish army fortify its border with Belarus and provide engineering support Read more

November 12, 2021 - Russian paratroopers have been deployed to the border shared between Belarus, Poland and Lithuania as Poland puts its troops on high alert. Read more

November 12, 2021 - The Russian ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday that Russia will never invade the Ukraine unless it is first provoked by the Ukraine, or someone else and then quoted threats from the Ukraine as well as actions by the United States naval forces in the Black Sea that Russia sees as provocative. Read more

November 12, 2021 - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has lost connection with a drone over the Ukraine near Perevalsk with probable signal jamming suspected. Read more

November 11, 2021 - Putin has held a second phone call in two days with German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding the Belarusian-Polish border crisis. Read more

November 11, 2021 - The Ukrainian foreign minister stated that the Russian government is 'looking for an opportunity to move further' into Ukrainian territory. Read more

November 11, 2021 - The United States has warned European allies that Russia might be planning an invasion on the Ukraine after monitoring Russian troop movements on the Russia/Ukraine border. Read more

November 11, 2021 - The leader of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday that he needs Russian nuclear capable bombers to monitor the border situation with Poland, after two Russian Tu-160 planes carried out bombing runs during a training exercise. Read more

November 8, 2021 - The Polish-Belarusian border fortifications are being destroyed by migrants as they chant "Germany, Germany" after Belarusian troops lead the migrants to the Polish border. Polish officers are also being attacked as tensions grow. Read more

November 8, 2021 - Pro-Russian separatists killed one Ukrainian soldier and injured two others in an attack in the country's eastern region on Sunday. Read more

November 5, 2021 - United States Republican representatives Mike Rogers and Mike Turner are urging Joe Biden to "deploy a U.S. military presence in the Black Sea" including weapons and troops in light of the threat from the growing number of Russian troops and artillery stationed near the Ukrainian border. Read more

November 5, 2021 - The United States is activating a European artillery command that hasn't been activated for the last 30 years, as Russia begins to amass troops and artillery at their border with the Ukraine. Read more

November 4, 2021 - Satellite photos show Russia moving military equipment 250 kilometers from their border with the Ukraine, who has deployed combat drones along the front lines in the Donbas region, raising renewed concerns of a possible coming conflict between the two countries. Read more

November 2, 2021 - The UK strike group, HMS Queen Elizabeth has intercepted over 30 Russian military aircraft as well as warships during its deployment in the Indo-Pacific over the last two weeks. Read more

October 28, 2021 - There are reports coming in of Russian tanks and artillery heading to the Ukrainian border via railroad after the Ukraine launched an airstrike on Russian artillery equipment with a TB-2 Drone for the first time. Read more

October 27, 2021 - Ukraine has launched an airstrike on Russian artillery equipment, sparking renewed fears of a military escalation between the two countries. Read more

October 22, 2021 - A Russian aircraft flew into the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on Thursday but did not enter into US or Canadian airspace. Read more

October 20, 2021 - Russia scrambled two Sukhoi Su-30 fighters to escort two US B-1B strategic bombers over the Black Sea. Read more

October 19, 2021 - Russia and China joined forces to stage massive wargames during which Russia staged an invasion of the Ukraine in Russian controlled Crimea Read more

October 15, 2021 - Three Russian fighter jets have intercepted a United States B-52 bomber near Japan/Russia. Read more

September 30, 2021 - Three Russian fighter jets have intercepted a United States B-52 bomber near Japan/Russia. Read more

September 26, 2021 - Serbian tanks and fighter jets have been spotted near the their border with Kosovo after Kosovo banned Serbian license plates. Read more

September 26, 2021 - 3 Russian SU-35S fighter jets reportedly escorted a U.S. B-52H bomber away from the Russian border after the bomber approached the border in the Pacific Ocean. Read more

September 17, 2021 - Russia, China, North Korea and other countries have put out a statement to the UN Tuesday saying that the United States committed war crimes in Afghanistan and is calling on the United Nations to bring them to justice. Read more

September 13, 2021 - On September 12th Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelendsky warned Russia of a 'full scale war' indirectly while speaking at the Yalta security forum in Kyiv Read more

September 13, 2021 - A Kamaz truck owned by the Ukrainian 503rd Naval Infantry was hit by an ATGM (anti tank guided missile) by Russian separatists killing 1 Ukrainian and wounding 3 others. Read more

September 9, 2021 - Russia has deployed S-300 long range surface to air missile systems to Western Belarus, on Russia's border with Poland and Lithuania. Read more

September 3, 2021 - Russia has deployed S-300 long range surface to air missile systems to Western Belarus, on Russia's border with Poland and Lithuania. Read more

August 27, 2021 - An artillery strike by Russian backed separatists reportedly hit the Ukraine's 25th Airborne Brigade parking lot Read more

August 27, 2021 - A Ukrainian soldier, who was wounded in Donbas from shelling by Russian backed forces died on Friday according to the press service of the Skhid (east) task force. Read more

August 24, 2021 - A Ukrainian plane that was in Afghanistan to evacuate Ukrainian citizens has been hijacked by unknown armed hijackers. After the hijackers took over the plane, they flew it to Iran. Read more

August 21, 2021 - The United States is joining Britain in taking action against those responsible for poisoning Alexei Navalny, a critic to Russian President Vladimir Putin according to a joint statement by the US State Department. Read more

August 13, 2021 - August 13, 2021 - The Russians and Chinese are launching airstrikes together during joint military exercises on Chinese territory. Read more

August 3, 2021 - The Chinese and Russian military will be holding joint military exercises for the first time, on Chinese soil as ties between the two countries grow ever stronger in the face of growing tension with the West. Read more

August 3, 2021 - The United States has requested that 24 Russian diplomats leave the U.S. once their Visas expire on September 3rd. Read more

July 27, 2021 - During a parade for Russian Naval forces in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that their hypersonic missiles, capable of being fashioned with a nuclear warhead 'can locate and inflict inevitable strike' on their enemies. Read more

July 26, 2021 - Seven Ukrainian soldiers have been injured in Donbass when pro Russian separatists violated the ceasefire 10 times in a single day according to JFO headquarters. Read more

July 25, 2021 - Russia says it has upgraded its missile defenses in Syria to thwart missile attacks by Israel and has intercepted Israeli missiles in the latest Israeli airstrike on Syria.Read more

July 23, 2021 - In a TV interview, Russian ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov revealed that Russia has seen the United States as an enemy for the last 10 years, since the start of the Russian and Ukraine conflict. Read more

July 20, 2021 - Russia has successfully tested their new Zircon [Tsirkon] hypersonic cruise missile and hit a target 217 miles away on the Barents Sea coast at 7 times the speed of sound. Read more

July 20, 2021 - Russia has issued a warning to the United States from deploying hypersonic missiles in Europe, saying that it could lead to 'inadvertent conflict'. Read more

July 20, 2021 - Russia scrambled MiG-31 and Su-35 jets to intercept US B52-N strategic bombers over the Bearing Sea last week. Read more

July 10, 2021 - 1 Ukrainian has been killed and 3 wounded which amounts to 4 Ukrainians killed in the last week alone during rising tensions with Russia.Read more

July 7, 2021 A Russian SU-30 fighter jet has buzzed a US Poseidon spy plane over the Black Sea while a NATO ship was being tracked by the Russian navy late Tuesday. Read more

July 6, 2021 The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Ross is leading 28 ally live fire exercises in the Black Sea to send a clear and precise message to Russia as Russian jets circle above. Read more

July 5, 2021 A Ukrainian medic was killed and another person was injured during fighting in Donbas as Russian backed militants carried out an attack on July 4th. Read more

July 4, 2021 Biden has stated that the United States will respond if Russia is behind the cyberattack that struck more than 200 companies on Friday, just before the start of the Independence Day weekend. Read more

June 30, 2021 The Dutch defense minister said on Tuesday that Russian jets armed with air to surface missiles harassed one of their navy frigates in the Black Sea for over 5 hours. Read more

June 30, 2021 Putin has put out a statement saying that it's not likely that the "world would have been on the verge of World War Three" if Russia had decided to sink the British destroyer near Crimea and said, "Firstly, it was certainly a provocation, it is obvious that it is a provocation". Read more

June 28, 2021 Ukraine and United States are set to carry out military drills in the Black Sea in which 30 countries will be involved on June 28th, in spite of Russia's protests and calls to cancel the drills. Read more

June 27, 2021 The British HMS Defender, a destroyer that recently angered Russia by entering waters near Crimea has docked in the Batumi port in Georgia. Read more

June 27, 2021 Classified documents from the UK Ministry Of Defense have been found at a bus stop in Kent, England. The documents included sensitive data, including contact information and emails and information about the passage of the HMS Defender through waters near Crimea. Read more

June 27, 2021 Russia has sent fighter jets that are able to equip Kinzhal hypersonic missiles to the Hemeimeem airbase in Syria after claiming to fire warning shots and dropping bombs ahead of British destroyer in the Black Sea Read more

June 25, 2021 Russia says next time British ships enter the Black Sea it will bomb the British vessels, but the UK says that Russia's claims of previously firing warning shots and dropping bombs ahead of the missile destroyer didn't happen and is Russian fake news. Read more

June 24, 2021 Russia has fired warning shots at a UK missile destroyer and a Russian Su-24 dropped bombs in front of the British ship in the Black Sea to ward it away from Russian territory around Crimea. Read more

June 11, 2021 U.S. Navy's guided missile destroyer, the USS Laboon has has entered the Black Sea. Russia is closely monitoring the movements of the destroyer and their Black Sea Fleet has begun tactical exercises. Full story

June 5, 2021 Russia scrambled fighter jets to intercept a United States military plane over the Barents Sea according to EUCOM officials. Full story

May 27, 2021 China's main invasion force practices amphibious beach landings, presumably for a Taiwan invasion - The Chinese main invasion force, the 73rd Group Army have been practicing live fire exercises and beach landings with amphibious vehicles, firing off thousands of rounds of ordnance. Read more

May 26, 2021 Russia has stated that for the first time it can now operate nuclear capable bombers from an air base in Syria and has deployed three heavy bombers to a Syrian air base. Read more

May 18, 2021 9 Russian and Chinese navy warships have been spotted near Japanese waters: three Chinese vessels and 6 Russian vessels. Read more

May 16, 2021 Shelling by Russian backed separatists have increased. On May 15th there were 16 ceasefire violations in a single day with one Ukrainian soldier known to be wounded in the attacks. Read more

May 16, 2021 The Russian News Agency claims that the Ukrainian army has shelled the western part of Donetsk and violated the ceasefire 5 5 times. Read more

May 15, 2021 Russia is continuing to conscript residents of Crimea into its military. Some have been transferred to carry out orders in Donbass. Read more

May 15, 2021 Russia stopped six U.S. armored vehicles in Syria, forcing them to turn back and go the opposite direction. Read more

May 15, 2021 Russia has listed both the United States and the Czech Republic to their list of 'Unfriendly States' and said that U.S. diplomatic missions can no longer deploy local staff Read more

May 15, 2021 Russian president Vladimir Putin stated that the Ukraine is becoming 'anti-Russia' and says that Moscow is ready to act to threats to Russian security. Read more

May 11, 2021 Russia Still Has 100,000 Soldiers Near Ukrainian Border According To Ukraine - According to the Ukraine, Russia still has 100,000 soldiers stationed near the Ukrainian border and in Crimea. Read more

May 8, 2021 As Russia refuses to withdraw around 80,000 troops around the Ukrainian border, NATO is set to amass 28,000 of its own troops for war games next to the Ukraine. Read more

May 8, 2021 Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and one injured in eastern Ukraine while under fire from Russian separatists Read more

May 7, 2021: May 7, 2021: One Ukrainian soldier killed and another was wounded on May 6th during Russian ceasefire violations in Donbass, Eastern Ukraine. Read more

May 7, 2021: Despite claims by the Kremlin that they have ordered the Russian troops that had been stationed on the Ukrainian border last month to fall back to their normal stations in Russia, more Russian troops yet remain amassed on Ukraine's border than has been since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Read more

May 2, 2021: 500,000 Russian passports issued to eastern Ukraine in the last 2 years as Ukraine condemns naturalization of Ukrainian citizens into Russia and labels it "hybrid warfare". Read more

May 1, 2021: The U.S. Embassy in Russia stated that it was cutting its consular staff by 75% as well as putting a stop to processing Russian non immigrant visas for non diplomatic travel. Read more

April 29, 2021: Numerous U.S. officials have stated that Russian activity around Alaska have increased significantly as of late, and the head of Alaskan Command has just put out a statement saying that the recent increase has put a strain on U.S. assets. Read more

April 29, 2021: Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov said in an interview that was published on Wednesday that relations between the United States and Russia are worse now than even during the cold war. Read more

April 28, 2021: On April 28th there were 15 Russian ceasefire violations in Ukraine with one soldier reportedly wounded in action from Russian backed armed groups. The Joint Forces Operation (JFO) press center stated "In the past day, April 28, as many as 15 ceasefire violations were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) zone". Read more

April 28, 2021: Russia has issued an order to expel seven EU diplomats from Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in tit for tat expulsions over accusations of Czech spying.

April 28, 2021: Russia unveils a new upgraded anti-ballistic missile (ABM) at a Kazakhstan test site that they say can fly nearly 2 miles a second or roughly four times the speed of a bullet. Read more

April 28, 2021: Russia holds live fire drills in the Black Sea as U.S. Coast Guard vessel enters the region. The Russian Navy said that they are monitoring the U.S. Coast Guard vessel.

April 28, 2021: Russia has pulled back its military personnel from the Ukrainian border but has not pulled back its Navy forces from the Black Sea nor its heavy weaponry that Russia left sitting near the border. Read more

April 27, 2021: One Ukrainian soldier was killed and three others wounded in Donbass when an unknown explosive device was detonated in the Pivnich northern sector. Three other servicemen were also injured.

April 27, 2021: Ukraine To Expel Russian Diplomat In Tit For Tat Response To Russia Expelling Ukrainian Diplomat From Its Embassy.

April 26, 2021: There were a total of 9 Russian ceasefire violations in the Ukraine on April 26th Read more

April 26, 2021: Russia Expels Another Member Of The Ukrainian Embassy saying due to the "unfriendly actions taken by the Ukrainian side, an employee of the Ukrainian embassy in Russia was declared persona non grata". The Ukrainian Diplomat Has To Leave The Country By The End Of April.

April 26, 2021: There were 12 ceasefire violations in Donbass on April 25th from 120mm and 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns & Grenade Launchers. Civilian facilities In Vodiane were also shelled with 120mm mortars. No forces have attacked Ukrainian troops directly, And No casualties reported. Ukrainian military says situation is under full control.

April 26, 2021: Russia Says That Conflict In Eastern Ukraine Has Calmed Down With Fewer Ceasefire Violations, But Still Dangerous.

Neutral Zurich No Longer Neutral, Sanctions Possible If China Invades Taiwan - In the event China invades Taiwan, the director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs expects Switzerland to adopt any measures that are implemented by the European Union against China. Read Full Article

Turkish Consulate In Mosul, Iraq Targeted By Missiles - The Turkish consulate in Mosul, Iraq was targeted by missiles on Wednesday, after the Iraqi government claimed that Turkey had carried out artillery strikes in the Zakho District, in the Duhok Governorate that killed eight people, which Turkey has denied involvement in.

Four mortar missiles were reported to have been used in the attack. There were no casualties reported from the missile attack on the Turkish consulate, but damages to cars that were parked on the street near the consulate were reported by lawmaker Shirwan Dobardani, who spoke to AFP.

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that a group who calls itself "Ababil Brigades" claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said, "We condemn this attack, in which no casualties were reported, in the strongest terms. We firmly request from the Iraqi authorities to fulfill their responsibilities in protecting diplomatic and consular missions."

It was a "grave and noteworthy development that this attack was carried out during the UN Security Council meeting, which was held upon the call of the Iraqi authorities," the ministry added.

- Alert Put Out By Donald Standeford

USTRANSCOM Moves 2,700 Pieces Of Army Equipment In Europe - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine.

Russia Set To Withdraw From International Space Station After 2024 - Yuri Borisov, who is head of the Roskosmos, Russia's state space agency has said that Russia will be withdrawing from the International Space Station (ISS) project after the year 2024. Read Full Article

USTRANSCOM Moves 2,700 Pieces Of Army Equipment In Europe - The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) has announced that they have offloaded 2,700 pieces of U.S. Army equipment at the port Antwep-Bruges, Belgium, for onward movement by rail, commercial line-haul and barge in "response to Russia's aggression" in Ukraine.

Russia Set To Withdraw From International Space Station After 2024 - Yuri Borisov, who is head of the Roskosmos, Russia's state space agency has said that Russia will be withdrawing from the International Space Station (ISS) project after the year 2024. Read Full Article

Russian Gas Giant Gazprom To Cut Gas Flows To Europe Down To 20% - Russian state owned energy corporation Gazprom had stated that it will reduce gas flows through the Nord Stream to 20% of its normal capacity on July 27th, 2022, taking injection down to 33 mln cubic meters of gas per day. Read Full Article

92 Ukrainian Armed Forces Personnel Charged With Crimes Against Humanity by the Kremlin - MOSCOW - Alexander Bastrykin, Russian investigative committee head, has told the government news site Rossiiskaya Gazeta, that over 1,300 criminal investigations have begun, regarding war crimes in Ukraine. Ukraine also said it was examining more than 21,000 war crimes which it alleges were carried out by Russian forces. Read Full Article

The Ongoing Turkish Operation: Claw-Lock, In Syria & Iraq - SYRIA/IRAQ - IRAQ - An ongoing military operation by the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Iraq, against the Kurdistan Workers' Party ( PKK ) in the Duhok Governorate, is the next phase of many operations utilizing the code word 'claw' aimed at the PKK. Other operations, beginning in 2019, prior to Claw-Lock include the following: Claw-Eagle, Claw-Tiger, Claw-Lightening, & Claw-Thunderbolt. Read Full Article

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Off To Africa Seeking Non-Western Allies - Sergei Lavrov, Russia's Foreign Minister is setting out on a trip to Egypt where he will meet with officials and solidify their relationship with Russia. Rosatom, a Russian state-owned energy corporation began construction on Egypt's first nuclear power plant. Read Full Article

White House Announces $270 Million In Defense Aid To Ukraine - White House Spokesperson John Kirby has announced $270 million in defense aid to Ukraine, including rocket systems, which will bring the total of US military assistance to Ukraine to $8.2 billion USD. Read Full Article

DOD: $270 Million in Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine - DOD: $270 Million in Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine. Immediate release from the Department of Defense. Included: 20 Soviet designed Mi-17 helicopters originally purchased by the US military to aid the Afghan military. Read Full Article

Department Of State: On Resuming Ukrainian Exports Through Black Sea - U.S. Depeartment of State - Quadrilateral Deal for Safe Passage of Agricultural Goods on the Black Sea. The United Nations, the Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia have committed to a plan for resuming Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea.

The United Nations, the Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia have committed to a plan for resuming Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea and getting millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to those who need it around the world. The United States welcomes this deal and commends UN Secretary-General Guterres and Turkish President Erdoğan for their committed diplomatic efforts to mediate these discussions.

Today's UN-brokered deal is a positive step towards addressing the far-reaching impacts of Russia's war. The international community must now hold Russia accountable for this deal, ending its effective blockade of Ukraine's ports and ensuring Ukrainian agricultural goods -- including grain, oilseeds, and sunflower oil -- reach world markets. Russia has weaponized food since the beginning of this crisis.

An end to Russia's blockade of Ukraine's agricultural exports through the Black Sea is, therefore, only one of the many steps Russia needs to take to ensure that food from Ukraine makes it to global markets. Global food security will remain at risk for as long as Russia continues its unjustified and brutal aggression against Ukraine. The world's hungry cannot wait, and we expect the implementation of today's deal to commence swiftly and proceed without interruption or interference.

Russia Restarts Gas Supply To Europe Via Nord Stream At Limited Capacity - Russia restarted its gas supply to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline on Thursday after 10 days of being closed off, according to Nord Stream AG, the pipeline's operator, who said: "gas is flowing". Gas flow is well below full capacity, however, and expected to fall even further. Read Full Article

CIA Estimates 15,000 Russians Killed So Far In Ukraine - CIA Director William Burns stated on Wednesday that the United States intelligence community estimates that around 15,000 Russian forces have been killed in Ukraine during the Russian invasion on the country since the war began.

The latest estimates from the U.S. intelligence community would be something in the vicinity of 15,000 [Russian soldiers] killed and maybe three times that wounded. So a quite significant set of losses," he said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

He also added that the "Ukrainians have suffered as well -- probably a little less than that. But, you know, significant casualties."

Presidents Putin, Erdogan, & Supreme Leader Khamenei, Meeting in Iran - TEHRAN - Today there was a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayhip Erdogan, and the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei. The topics of discussion were Ukrainian grain exports as well as peace in Syria. Read Full Article

New York National Guard Deploying To Train Ukrainian Soldiers - The New York National Guard are deploying to train Ukrainian soldiers. 140 troops Syracuse-situated 27th Infantry Brigade Combat squad deployed to Germany on Friday to assist Ukrainian military members..

The service members will reconstitute 160 Army National Guard from Florida from the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Task Force Gator; who are included in the Joint Multinational Training Group mission in Ukraine.

These soldiers have been instructing Ukrainian personnel at the Combat Training Center Yavoriv near Lviv in westernmost Ukraine since November of 2021.

The troops from team Gator were ordered to exit Ukraine for Germany in February of 2022 before Russia's invasion. The Gator team is the primary instructor for Ukrainian forces in Germany and other locations.

The New York team will prepare at Fort Bliss in Texas before situating in Germany. It is anticipated they will relieve the Gator team in September, according to American Military News.

New York's National Guard delivered 220 soldiers to Ukraine in 2017 for a 10-month training cycle involving Ukrainian forces in Yavoriv. That squad was accompanied by the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station; but included service personnel from all over New York.

The Joint Multinational Training Group has continually provided instruction and consultation to Ukrainian armed forces since 2015. The Army National Guard unit conflict affiliates supply direct support to the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine operation in 9-month revolutions as a factor for the army’s rotational guideline.

Some of the other countries that have participated in the JMTG-U missions while at Yavoriv are the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland.

- Alert Put Out By Matt Pepple

Ukrainian Antonov-12 Aircraft Crashes In Greece, Suspected Of Carrying Dangerous Material - A Ukrainian owned, soviet made Antonov-12 (An-12Bk) plane carrying 8 crew members is reported to have crashed in Kavala, Northern Greece while flying from Serbia to Jordan, carrying 12 tons of dangerous material. Read Full Article

Russian Offensive Intensifying Overnight Striking Odesa and Others - ODESA - The Russian offensive in Ukraine intensified overnight following instruction from Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu announcing an intensified effort on all fronts in Ukraine to shore up military groups in the south and center. Read Full Article

British Aid Worker Captured By DPR Separatists Dies In Their Custody - A British aid worker who was captured by Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Russian separatists in April and accused of being a mercenary has died while in detention, according to BBC News. Read Full Article

Security Alert For US Embassy In Ukraine – Missile Threat Awareness - Event: The security situation throughout Ukraine continues to be violent and unpredictable due to ongoing military attacks by Russia, with active fighting in country and uncertain safety conditions. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens not to enter Ukraine and those in Ukraine to depart immediately using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so. Avoid large gatherings and organized events as they may serve as Russian military targets anywhere in Ukraine, including its western regions.

If you hear a loud explosion or if sirens are activated, immediately seek cover. If in a home or a building, go to the lowest level of the structure with the fewest exterior walls, windows, and openings; close any doors and sit near an interior wall, away from any windows or openings.

If you are outdoors, immediately seek cover in a hardened structure; if that is not possible, lie down and cover your head with your hands. Be aware that even if the incoming missile or drone is intercepted, falling debris represent a significant risk. After the attack, stay away from any debris, and monitor major news outlets for official guidance.

The security situation throughout Ukraine is highly volatile, and conditions may deteriorate without warning. U.S. citizens should remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space. In the event of mortar and/or rocket fire, follow instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately. If you feel your current location is no longer safe, you should carefully assess the potential risks involved in moving to a different location.

Actions To Take: Visit the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv’s webpage to view the most recent safety and security alerts for U.S. citizens. Ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible. Review your personal security plans and always have a contingency plan in place that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.

Enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact you in an emergency.

Regularly monitor the State Department’s website for current Travel Advisories. Read the Country Specific Information for Ukraine. For additional information, refer to the “Traveler’s Checklist” on the State Department’s website.

Please see information on What the Department of State Can and Can’t Do in a Crisis. Visit Website for US Embassy In Ukraine.

Russia Says It Can't Guarantee Nord Stream Will Go Back Online After Repairs - (Based on translation) The Russian state gas giant Gazprom says that it can't guarantee that the Nord Stream pipeline will go back online after the major maintenance that is currently being done on it, according to Dutch daily newspaper Trouw.

Gazprom says that they have not seen any documents that allow the gas turbine that had been maintained by Siemens industrial manufacturing company in Canada to be returned to Russia.

Russia's gas company says that the turbine is required for the safe operation of the pipeline. Germany, however says that Gazprom still has a spare turbine that it could use, and blamed Russia for playing political games.

Russia Says It Can't Guarantee Nord Stream Will Go Back Online After Repairs - (Based on translation) The Russian state gas giant Gazprom says that it can't guarantee that the Nord Stream pipeline will go back online after the major maintenance that is currently being done on it, according to Dutch daily newspaper Trouw. Read Full Article

Ukraine Cuts Diplomatic Ties With North Korea - Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says that they have cut ties with North Korea as a result of North Korea recognizing the "independence" of Ukrainian territories under the occupation of Russia.

The statement put out by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said that they strongly condemn the decision by North Korea to recognize the "so-called "independence" of the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine".

"We consider this decision as an attempt by Pyongyang to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a gross violation of the Constitution of Ukraine, the UN Charter and the fundamental norms and principles of the international law," it added.

The DPR, or Donetsk People's Republic pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Ukraine had stated that it was in discussions with Pyongyang regarding North Korea's recognition of its independence.

After the North Korean embassy in Moscow reportedly confirmed their recognition of the DPR and Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry had announced that they were cutting diplomatic relations with North Korea.

"In response to such an unfriendly act, Ukraine announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea [North Korea's official name]".

EU Lifts Restrictions On Sanctions For Russian Goods Being Transported Through Lithuania - The European Commission has released new guidelines that state sanctions against Russia do not apply to rail transit through Lithuania to Kaliningrad, Russia and that rail transit can only be used for essential goods. Read Full Article

European Commission: Guidance to EU Member States - The European Commission has today published further guidance to Member States on the transit of goods from Russia. This is part of regular technical exchanges on the practical implementation of EU restrictive measures. Read Full Article

White House: Iran Providing Russia With "Hundreds" Of Drones - The White House has said that the U.S. has "information" that indicates Iran is preparing, or already has given Russia "hundreds" unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and said that Iran plans to train Russian forces on using the drones as early as this month.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, "Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline".

He added that this is proof that Russia's attack on Ukraine is "coming at a cost to the sustainment of its own weapons".

Sullivan also said that Iran has likewise given similar UAVs to the Houthi rebels in Yemen so that they could be used against Saudi Arabia, before the ceasefire was reached earlier this year.

- Alert Put Out By Donald Standeford

Russian Parliament to hold an uncommon session - LONDON - The lower tier of the Russian parliament will assemble on July 15 for an unaccustomed meeting, its convention decided on Monday, just days after President Vladimir Putin warned that he had not even started to get serious about the conflict in Ukraine. Read Full Article

Germany And Europe Worry Russian Gas Might Be Cut Off For Good - Russian gas to Germany from the Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been completely stopped for the next 10 days, and shipments from the pipeline to .Europe are due to stop today. The West fears the gas flow may never come back. Read Full Article

Boris Johnson Resigns His Post Along With Others In The UK - UNITED KINGDOM - Boris Johnson's most well-known achievement was uniting the Conservative Party and Brexit, where the United Kingdom exited the European Union, and he just made a speech at 10 Downing Street, posting his resignation, according to The Washington Post. Read Full Article

Pentagon Looking To Send Weapons Inspectors Into Ukraine - The Pentagon is considering sending weapons inspectors to Ukraine in order to monitor the U.S. weaponry being sent to the country, according to Jed Royal, deputy director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Read Full Article

Young Russian Men Are Avoiding Military Service - Increased number of young Russian men are looking to avoid nations' obligatory military service since the conflict began in February. Read Full Article

Belarus Gives Russia Full Control Of Zyabrovka Air Field Near Ukrainian Border - Belarus has given Russia full control of the Zyabrovka air field located about 19 miles from the Belarusian border with Ukraine in the Gomel region, according to Oleksiy Gromov, deputy chief of the Main Operative Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Just recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that "unprecedented sanctions" and "political pressure from the collective West" had pushed both Russia and Belarus toward unification.

Nexta reported that Gromov said there are currently "activities to equip [a] Russian military base" at the location.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk had said on June 21st that there were up to seven battalions from Belarus on the Belarusian and Ukrainian border in both the Brest and Gomel regions, according to Ukrainian Interfax.

(Translation) of what Motuzianyk had stated, "This is up to 4,000 personnel. But you must understand that there are also Russian troops there. Considering that today the Belarusian side provides Russia with all the logistics, it is quite possible that the Russians will be able to quickly transfer some additional reserves to the territory of Belarus and, possibly, prepare an offensive, but they need to prepare for this. As of this day, we do not see it yet".

Putin: "War In Ukraine Just Beginning", Hints That Peace talks Will Become More Difficult with Time - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine "has not started anything in earnest," and said that the "war in Ukraine just beginning; hints that peace talks will become more difficult with time."

Any chances for peace arrangements will grow darker the longer the war continues on, the Russian leader said in a disturbing speech to parliamentary leaders. Putin states, "Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. What can you say, let them try. We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian.

"This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it seems that everything is heading towards this," he said, and added "Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven’t started anything yet in earnest. At the same time, we don’t reject peace talks. But those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us."

It should be noted that this is the first reference to statecraft negotiations in several weeks after statements from Moscow saying that arbitration had completely collapsed.

UK Warship Seized Iranian Missiles Headed To Gulf Of Oman - A British Royal Navy vessel had seized a shipment of Iranian missiles in the Gulf of Oman earlier this year. British officials also said that the seizure is proof that Iran is supporting Yemen's Houthi rebels.

The British embassy to the United Arab Emirates said that the seizure of surface-to-air missiles, as well as cruise missile engines is "the first time a British naval warship has interdicted a vessel carrying such sophisticated weapons from Iran".

James Heappey, who is the minister for the British Armed Forces released a statement saying, "The UK will continue to work in support of an enduring peace in Yemen and is committed to international maritime security so that commercial shipping can transit safely without threat of disruption".

Ukraine Disappointed In Turkey's Decision To Release Russian Vessel - Ukraine cited an "unacceptable situation" as they summoned the ambassador of Turkey, after Turkish authorities released the Zhibek Zholy, a Russian vessel which Ukraine has accused of smuggling stolen Ukrainian grain.

After Turkey released the vessel, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry put out a statement saying that, "The Ukrainian side has received this information with deep disappointment" and called for an investigation and a "comprehensive answer" as to what transpired.

UK: Iranian Report Of Detained British Citizen 'Completely False' - The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that they arrested several foreigners, including the British deputy ambassador to Iran Giles Whitaker for spying. The UK says that the reports are "completely false".

Iranian state television said, "These spies were taking earth samples in Iran's central desert where the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace missile exercises were conducted" and said that "Whitaker was expelled from the city after apologizing".

Representative of the British Foreign Office, Samuel Heath said that "Reports of the arrest of a British diplomat in Iran are completely false. He is not even posted in Iran any more".

One of those that the IRGC says that they detained was claimed by Iranian state TV as being the huhsband of Austraia's cultural attache in Iran.

A third foreigner which was allegedly shown by Iranian state television was Maciej Walczak, who is a university professor in Poland, who the state TV said was visiting Iran as a tourist.

Iran's state TV allegedly showed Walczak and three of his colleagues collecting earth samples after they visited Iran during a scientific exchange program.

Iranian state television said that the collection of the earth samples coincided with a missile test that was carried out in the Kerman province in Iran.

Russia Starts Constant Nuclear Explosion Detection At Its New Facility - RUSSIA - A newly constructed nuclear facility in Russia, which opened on the 1st of June, 2022, has begun constant nuclear explosion detection, says The 12th Chief Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry as of the 1st of July 2022. Read Full Article

Russia Says It Could Destroy Half Of Lithuania's Economy - Kaliningrad's Region Governor said that Russia could take out "half of the Lithuanian economy" if Russia implements counter-sanctions on goods coming in and out of the Baltic states.

Anton Alikhanov, the regional Governor told Russian newspaper Vedomosti Monday that, "The transport sector of the Baltic states could be destroyed if Russia implements counter-sanctions on the goods coming in and out of the Baltic states".

"Russia could make half of the Lithuanian economy disappear. There’s an impression that Lithuania doesn’t understand that Kaliningrad Region is part of Russia, and that we have someone to come to the rescue. We’re not alone in the face of the problem." He stated.

Last month, Lithuania banned certain goods from transiting through its territory in order to comply with sanctions against Russia levied by the European Union, but the ban did not include food items.

Alikhanov, who called the ban a "blockade" said that although food items weren't banned, it still hurts the region which relies heavily on building materials and other non-food items.

"Yes, the ban doesn’t include food, but without concrete we can’t build schools or hospitals. So it’s an issue for the normal existence of more than a million people and for the economy of our region.” he said.

Russian state news RT says that Russia has re-routed the sanctioned goods to the Baltic Sea rather than transiting the goods via rail or road, but Alikhanov said that the dispute must be "resolved as quickly as possible".

Russia Announces Large Discovery Of Oil In Arctic - Russia's oil company, Rosneft has announced that they have discovered a 'huge oil deposit' in the Pechora sea, containing around 82 million tons of oil according to Russian state news RT.

Russia Announces Large Discovery Of Oil In Arctic - Russia's oil company, Rosneft has announced that they have discovered a 'huge oil deposit' in the Pechora sea, containing around 82 million tons of oil according to Russian state news RT.

The Russian news agency attributed the discovery to a drilling campaign in the Medynsko-Varandeysky region. Rosneft announced, "During the tests, a free flow of oil was obtained with a maximum flow rate of 220 cubic meters a day," and said that the oil is "oil is light, low-sulfur, low viscosity".

Rosneft also said that their exploration in the Pechora Sea proved that there are "significant oil potential of the Timan-Pechora province on the shelf and became the basis for continuing the study and development of the region.”

Russia Claims Full Control of Luhansk Region in Eastern Ukraine - MOSCOW - After fully capturing the city of Lysychansk, which was Ukraine's last stronghold, Russia is claiming full control of the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, after intense fighting and resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu has informed Russian President Vladimir Putin, that the Luhansk region has now been "liberated." Read Full Article

Western Stocks Of Soviet Era Military Equipment For Ukraine Depleting - EUROPE - The United States and Western allies have been giving Ukraine Soviet-era military equipment due to the fact that Ukraine's military was once part of the Soviet Union and Soviet-era weapons are not interchangeable with those of the West. Western stocks of Soviet-era weapons however are running out. Read Full Article

Russian State Media Talks Of WW3, Says Other Countries Will Be Invaded After Ukraine - Russian state media Channel 1 talks of world war 3 which it calls Russia's Second Great Patriotic War and said that countries that decided to play with Westernness neutrality are next, once the special military operation in Ukraine concludes. Read Full Article

Russia Responds To Explosions Heard In Belgorod, Russia - Russian state news Gazeta and the Russian Ministry of Defense have put out a statement regarding explosions captured on video from Belgorod saying that three people died and four were injured in the explosions.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has also put out a statement claiming that Ukraine had launched Tochka-U missiles with cluster munitions on residential areas of Belgorod and Kursk.

The Russian MOD however, claimed that all three Tochka-U missiles launched by Ukraine were intercepted and destroyed while they were still in the air and that the 'wreckage' of one of the missiles fell on a residential building in Belgorod.

The MOD also said that two Ukrainian Tu-143 flight drones were flying to Kursk and were packed with explosives and that they were shot down by air defense as they were approaching the city.

Russian state news TASS reported that "Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that three people were killed and four injured overnight. He added that 11 apartment buildings and at least 39 smaller houses were damaged".

"Gladkov later said that the death toll had grown to four. Three of the victims are Ukrainian nationals and one is a Russian citizen, he added".

TASS also reiterated that, "The Russian authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine of shelling cities and villages close to the border. Moscow previously warned that it would hit Ukrainian “decision-making centers, including Kiev” if attacks on Russian territory did not stop".

Russian Vessels Turning Off Their Transponder Trackers - Russian and Syrian vessels have been turning off their transponders and have been accused of deceptive shipping practices in order to sell crude oil and stolen Ukrainian grain while evading the heavy sanctions placed on Russia due to its war on Ukraine. Read Full Article

Belarus Accuses Ukraine of Attempted Missile Strike After Claims of Missile Intercept - BELARUS - On Saturday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that 3 days ago, Ukraine attempted a missile strike on Belarusian military installations, but said that the missiles had been intercepted, through the Belarusian state-run media Belta news. Read Full Article

Chip Shortage: New U.S. Vehicle Sales Drop But Demand Still Greater Than supply - UNITED STATES - Although new vehicle sales in the United States have dropped by over 21 percent in the second quarter, versus a year ago, demand is still greater than supply due to a global shortage of semiconductors in spite of rising inflation, fuel prices and interest rates.

Ukraine produces around 70% of the world's neon gas, which is used to operate the lasers used in manufacturing semiconductors. While Russia's invasion on Ukraine is greatly influencing the global microchip shortage, a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which we have covered extensively in the past would greatly exacerbate shortages. Read Full Article

Putin: Western Response To War Pushing Russia And Belarus Towards "Unification" - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that sanctions and political pressure on Russia from the West is pushing Russia and Belarus towards "unification".

Putin told a bilateral forum in Grodno, Belarus on Friday, "Unprecedented political and sanctions pressure from the collective West is pushing Russia and Belarus to speed up the unification process".

"After all, it is easier to minimize the damage from illegal sanctions, it is easier to master the production of demanded products, develop new competencies and expand cooperation with friendly countries," he added.

On March 14th, after a meeting with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said, "We are taking coordinated measures to protect our economic security and the technological sovereignty of Russia and Belarus. Above all, we consider it necessary to strengthen integration in the union state".

The day before, Put had spoke to Lukashenko and told him that Russia would be providing Belarus with Iskander missiles systems that "can use both ballistic and cruise missiles, both in conventional and nuclear versions".

Putin had also promised Lukashenko that Russia would retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges".

Russia: Sanctions Could Be Justification For War - Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated on the Thursday that 'under certain circumstances' such 'hostile measures' as the sanctions placed on the country could be seen as an act of international aggression, or even as a casus belli [a provocation that is a justification for war] and said that Russia has a right to defend itself.

Medvedev said that Western restrictions were "boorish and cynical" and said they could border on "economic war". "I would like to point out once again that under certain circumstances such hostile measures can also qualify as an act of international aggression. And even as a casus belli (justification for war)," Medvedev stated.

"In response to them, a state receives the right for individual and collective defense," he added, and said that Western sanctions due to Russia's military actions in Ukraine "have a clear goal — to inflict as much pain as possible to as many citizens of our country as they can… to ordinary citizens, not the country’s leadership or business elites".

"The main aim is to punish the Russian people by trying to reduce economic activity and to provoke hyperinflation," he said.

Australian Bank Collapses, Urging Customers To Pull Their Funds - Australian bank, Volt has collapsed in the midst of rising inflation and the bank has urged their customers to pull their funds from their accounts before it closes them on Tuesday. Inflation in Australia and US on the rise. Read Full Article

Biden Announces Another $800 Million In Aid To Ukraine - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced another $800 million military aid package to Ukraine, which will be including modern air defense systems, HIMARS missile systems and ammunition, and other "offensive weapons".

"We plan to announce new advanced Western air defense systems for Ukraine, more artillery & ammunition, anti-battery radars, ammunition to HIMARS" Biden stated at the NATO summit in Madrid.

At the Summit, Biden said, "This summit was about strengthening our alliance, meeting the challenges of our world as it is today and the threats we’re going to face in the future".

"Putin thought he could break the transatlantic alliance. He tried to weaken us. He expected our resolve to fracture. But he’s getting exactly what he did not want," Biden stated.

He also pointed out the decision by Finland and Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and said, "He [Putin] wanted the Finland-ization of NATO. He got the NATO-ization of Finland".

When Biden was asked whether American citizens should be prepared for the United States to support Ukraine indefinitely, Biden replied, "We are going to support Ukraine as it takes" and added "As long as it takes to in fact make sure that they are not defeated by … Russia".

Putin: Operation In Ukraine Going As Planned, No Need For Deadlines - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the "special military operation" in Ukraine is going according to plan, and that there is no need to meet any deadlines to end it.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is claiming to have killed 35,450 Russian military personnel, destroyed 1,572 tanks, 3,720 armored personnel vehicles, 781 artillery systems, 246 MLRS, 103 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 217 aircraft, 185 helicopters, 640 UAVs, 142 cruise missiles, 14 warships/boats and 2,598 vehicles and fuel tanks.

Putin claimed that the goal of the special military operation is to "liberate Donbas" to "defend the people living there" and to "create conditions that will guarantee the security of Russia itself".

"The work is proceeding in a calm and rhythmic way. The troops are advancing and reaching those endpoints that are assigned as a task at a certain stage of this combat work. Everything is going according to plan", he said.

Russian state news agency TASS reported that when asked about a deadline for the "operation", Putin said, "There is no need to talk about any deadlines. I never talk about it, since this is life and these are real things. It is not right to squeeze that into any deadlines".

"It is linked to the intensity of combat operations, which is directly linked to potential casualties, and we must think above all things about protecting our guys’ lives," he said.

Russian And Chinese Vessels Working Together In Waters Near Japan - The Japanese defense ministry reported around 10 Russian Chinese navy vessels earlier this month in Waters Near Japan, leaving analysts to believe that the two countries are sending a message to Japan, the United States as well as Taiwan.

A high-ranking Defense Ministry official said that "It was a clear demonstration of cooperation between China and Russia".

What confused officials and analysts, however, is how both China and Russia staggered their voyages so that each country's voyages were slightly separated from one another. "China may have wanted to avoid openly working with Russia, especially at a time when it is facing international criticism for its invasion of Ukraine" the official stated.

The Defense Ministry official said that Japan must "view the situation calmly and not go beyond the limits of provocation," as there hasn't been any confirmation that their vessels or aircraft ever entered Japanese waters or airspace.

Russia Confirms Transfer Of Nuclear Capable Missile Systems To Belarus - Russian state news Izvestia, and TASS have confirmed reports that Russia plans to send Belarus nuclear capable Iskander-M missile systems, capable of carrying "a nuclear warhead" and promised to "retrofit Belarusian Su-25s in order to upgrade them to "carry nuclear charges". Read Full Article

China Expresses "Serious Concern" And "Resolute Protest" Regarding NATO's New Strategic Concept - Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhao Lijian on Thursday expressed "serious concern" and "resolute protest" on behalf of the CCP regarding the NATO's new 'Strategic Concept', saying that it ignores facts, distorts the truth and vilifies China's foreign policy.

"The so-called NATO’s new Strategic Concept ignores facts, distorts the truth, vilifies China's foreign policy, makes irresponsible statements about China’s natural military development and its national defense policy, promotes confrontation and conflict, it is filled with the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudices", he stated.

"China expresses serious concern and resolute protest over this", claiming that China has always strived for global peace, defended the international order and facilitated global development.

He also claimed that China has never invaded another country, or joined or formed any military blocs, always following the path of a peaceful development.

Wednesday, during the Madrid summit, NATO alliance leaders had approved the new Strategic Concept which declares that the Russian Federation is the most Significant Threat to the security of NATO Allies, and also gave China a mention for the first time in the history of the Alliance.

Putin: Multipolar World Order Evolving Globally, Process Irreversible - In an address to the 10th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF), Putin stated that a multi polar world order is "evolving globally", and said that the process is "irreversible". He also said that it should be built upon "international law" and the "UN charter".

"A multipolar system of international relations has been actively evolving. The process is irreversible, it has been unfolding in front of our eyes and it is objective in its nature", Putin said.

"The position of Russia and many other countries is that this democratic, more just world order should be built on the basis of mutual respect and trust, and, of course, on the generally accepted principles of international law and the UN Charter" he added.

NATO Says Russian Federation Significant Direct Threat To Allies - EUROPE - NATO leaders have declared that the Russian Federation is the most significant "direct threat" to the security of North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. According to the Lithuanian ministry of defense, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders at the NATO summit agreed that "Russia is a direct threat to NATO", on "new strategic concept" being adopted, reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank with Forward Presence Brigades, increased support for Ukraine, as well as other "security enhancement" measures. Read Full Article

Putin: BRICS Countries Setting Up Global Reserve Currency To Cut Financial Reliance On West - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 21st that the BRICS countries, which include Russia, China, Brazil, and South Africa (Iran and Argentina have applied but not yet accepted) are currently working on setting up a global reserve currency to cut their financial reliance on the West.

Putin stated at the BRICS business forum, "The issue of creating an international reserve currency based on a basket of currencies of our countries is being worked out". The Russian President also said that the BRICS member states are in the process of developing reliable alternative mechanisms for making international payments.

The BRICS group had previously stated that it was working on setting up a payment network that would cut financial reliance on the West, and have been increasing using local currencies in mutual trade with one another, according to the Economic Times.

Russia Warns Of Consequences From Finland And Sweden Joining NATO Alliance - Member of the Russian state Duma Leonid Slutsky said that while Sweden and Finland's choice to join NATO is their choice, it will have consequences on their relationship with Russia, and on the general security architecture in Europe which is already in deep crisis. Read Full Article

Ukraine Cuts All Diplomatic Ties With Syria After It Recognizes The Two Separatist Regions - Due to Syria's recognition of independence of the two separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared that all relations between Ukraine and Syria are now cut off.

After Syria publicly recognized the regions, Zelensky put out a video on Telegram saying, "There will no longer be relations between Ukraine and Syria" and stated that there will now be stronger sanctions put upon Syria.

Syria's foreign ministry had told the Syrian state news agency SANA, "The Syrian Arab Republic has decided to recognize the independence and sovereignty of both the Lugansk People's Republic and the Donetsk People's Republic".

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also claimed the United States is under the charge of terrorists and neo-Nazis, and said that Syria and its ally Russia are "fighting the same enemy" and said "both terrorists and neo-Nazis are controlled by the same country: the US".

Assad continued to claim that, "the main and the biggest battle is being fought against the policy of [imposing its] hegemony, which is being implemented by the West, which considers itself the center and seeks to rule the world in accordance with its interests".

In addition, he called on "countries defending their sovereignty" to build "strong relations with each other in order to help to strengthen their own positions and realize the interests of their peoples".

Britain Adding 1,000 More Soldiers, Aircraft Carrier To NATO's Eastern Flank - Britain, who already has 2,000 soldiers stationed in Estonia has committed to add 1,000 more service members to the country, as well as sending one of its new aircraft carriers to defend NATO's eastern flank.

Britain has also announced another 1 billion British pounds ($1.2 billion USD) in additional aid to Ukraine, on top of the already 1.3 billion pounds in military aid that it pledged in May equaling to 3.8 billion in total support to Ukraine thus far since the start of Russia's invasion.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said "UK weapons, equipment and training are transforming Ukraine's defenses against this onslaught. And we will continue to stand squarely behind the Ukrainian people to ensure Putin fails in Ukraine".

NATO's defense secretary Jens Stoltenberg said, "we are going to allocate a brigade" and "dedicate one of the carrier groups to it".

While speaking at a the NATO summit in Madrid, Ben Wallace said that Britain would "allocate a brigade" to Estonia, bringing the number of British troops 'available' to around 3,000.

He said that it would be more efficient to base some of the troops at home with their equipment being in Germany. Of the British commitment to the defense force that had been announced at the NATO summit, Wallace said "We will put in a huge amount of the Navy. I think we’ll dedicate one of the carrier groups to it".

Washington Supports Sale Of F-16 Jets To Turkey - Washington has shown support toward the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey just one day after Turkey withdrew its objections regarding Sweden and Finland joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read Full Article

British Intelligence Confirms Russian Strike On Ukrainian Shopping Center Possibly Accidental - In an intelligence update, the British Ministry of Defense has agreed that the strike on the Kremenchuk shopping center may have been an accident, and that the intended target may have been, as Russia says a nearby infrastructure target. Read Full Article

US Giving Metal Shark Patrol Boats To Ukraine - Metal Shark, an American company that developer and builder of aluminum-hull vessels have put out a statement saying that they are providing six maritime combat vessels to Ukraine.

The patrol boats will be part of the $450 million military aid package that the White House had announced last week which included 18 patrol boats. The type of patrol boats were not previously announced, however.

Metal Shark's Vice President of of International Business Development Henry Irizarry said in the statement, "Metal Shark has been working closely with the US Embassy in Kiev since 2019 to develop the strategy now being implemented to support Ukraine’s maritime capabilities, so it is fulfilling to see that the vessels will arrive when they are most needed".

"Metal Shark provides next-generation, proven platforms to partner nations, but most importantly, we create long term partnerships with end users to train boat crews and provide seamless technical support to assure 24/7 operational readiness" he added.

The manufacturer, and type of the other 12 patrol bothers have still not yet been revealed, however. A senior defense official said that the 18 patrol boats the U.S. is sending will be used for patrolling rivers, and for protection.

Russian Space Agency Publishes Satellite Photos And Coordinates Of Western Decision Making Centers - The Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos has Published Satellite Photos and coordinates of Western decision making centers, all publicly known locations in an apparent statement to the West.

"Today, the NATO summit opens in Madrid, at which Western countries will declare Russia their worst enemy. Roscosmos publishes satellite photographs of the summit venue and the very 'decision centers' that support Ukrainian nationalists".

The satellite photos included the location of the U.S. Pentagon, White House, British government buildings, German Chancellery, Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, and location of NATO's summit, as well as the place of residence of Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, along with French government buildings.

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency: that Western satellite operators are working for Ukraine, Russia's enemy, "The entire conglomerate of private and state orbital groupings is now working exclusively for our enemy".

Rogozin said "At the same time, we are giving the coordinates of the objects, just in case".

Turkey Agrees To Support Finland And Sweden In Joining NATO Alliance - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Jens Stoltenberg has announced that Turkey has agreed to support both Finland and Sweden in joining the NATO alliance.

A joint memorandum was reportedly signed on Tuesday regarding the matter by Turkey, Finland and Sweden.

Stoltenberg told reporters at the NATO summit in Madrid, "I am pleased to announce that we now have an agreement that paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO"."Turkey, Finland and Sweden have signed a memorandum that addresses Turkey's concerns, including around arms exports and the fight against terrorism," he added.

Iran Applies To Become A Member Of BRICS - Iran has applied to become a member of the BRICS, a group of emerging world economies that include: Russia, China, South Africa, Brazil and India.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said that the move "would result in added values for both sides".

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Argentina has also applied to join the BRICS group. Zakharova stated in Telegram "While the White House was thinking about what else to turn off in the world, ban or spoil, Argentina and Iran applied to join the BRICS".

At the moment the BRICS group has a combined population of about 3.2 Billion. Iran has a population of around 85 to 86 million people, while Argentina has a population of around 45 million people.

If both Iran and Argentina join BRICS , it would bring the total combined population of the group to around 3.3 billion.

US Now Has Over 100,000 Troops Stationed In Europe - The United States now has over 100,000 troops stationed in Europe, which has increased from the 70,000 U.S. troops that were stationed in Europe when Russia's invasion on Ukraine began at the end of February.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that the United States "increased the number of U.S. troops in Europe from roughly 70,000 to more than 100,000 over these last months".

In May, during a press briefing, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price had said that the US was planning to have an ongoing presence of around 100,000 troops in Europe. "Before that invasion, we were clear that we would do a few things if [Russian President Vladimir Putin’s] aggression went ahead," Price had stated.

"We made clear that we would provide unprecedented levels of security assistance to support our Ukrainian partners so that they could effectively defend their freedom, defend their democracy, defend their country from what was then the potential of Russian aggression. We made clear that we would impose severe consequences on the Russian economy, on the Russian financial system".

"We also said that we would reinforce and take steps to reassure the Alliance, the member states of the Alliance, and particularly those on the eastern flank of the NATO Alliance, and that’s what we’ve done."

"We have – there are now some 100,000 U.S. service members on the European continent. That number has risen in recent weeks precisely because we are fulfilling the pledge that we made prior to Russian – prior to Russia’s invasion".

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is also increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.

NATO Increases Number Of Rapid Response Forces On High Readiness To Over 300,000 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is increasing the number of its NATO Response Force troops at high readiness from 40,000 to "well over 300,000", according to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.

NATO now says that Russia has walked away from dialogue, and has now become a direct threat, choosing "confrontation instead of dialogue". "Russia has walked away from the partnership and the dialogue that NATO has tried to establish with Russia for many years," he stated. "They have chosen confrontation instead of dialogue. We regret that - but of course, then we need to respond to that reality".

"I expect the allies will state clearly that Russia poses a direct threat to our security, to our values, to the rules-based international order" Stoltenberg said. "Together, this constitutes the biggest overhaul of our collective deterrence and defense since the Cold War".

Russian State Media Talks About Lithuania, NATO Article 5 - Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands.

Russian state media Channel 1 talks about Lithuania, NATO Article 5, military presence being established on the Belarusian border and targeting oil tankers in the Netherlands. Article 5 is the cornerstone of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) treaty signed in 1949 that states that if one member of the alliance is attacked, it is seen as an attack on all members of the NATO alliance.

Transcript from the Russian state media video: ""We understand perfectly well that when the Armed Forces achieve the goals set by the president, and reach the western borders of Ukraine, the rest will certainly not be about Ukraine.

And now about Europe and its survival. A military presence has to be established on the border with Belarus, in Kaliningrad, it already exists and is combat ready. It can potentially create a safe corridor for our supply chain to Kaliningrad. It has to be created, without a doubt.

Those who are waving their Article 5 in the air [NATO] should roll it up and shove it you-know-where. It's our territory and we'll decide what to bring in, regarding Europe, and appropriate measures that could be taken.

Yes, the taming of Lithuania is being considered, but it's really not about Lithuania. No one asks them, they are given commands. The issue is with their owners. No less than 40% of crude oil is imported and processed by Netherlands in its coastal areas. It's such a small spot that it would be hard to miss.

When we say that nuclear weapons might be used, maybe, maybe not from another side. I assure you that when a spigot closes from here, and crashes over there, the main supply chain is via oil tankers. We don't even need a Kalibr, a torpedo would do it. Especially if it's docked at a port. It will burn along with all of the port's infrastructure.

Europe will not only freeze, but totally croak. Go ahead and send an F-35 to Ukraine. We'll show you what our S-300, S-400 are capable of. Then, Lockheed Martin will be carried out feet first. We're ready to take you all down".

Russia Supplying Nuclear Capable Missile Systems To Belarus - Russian President Vladimir Putin told the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko that Russia will be providing Belarus nuclear capable Iskander missile systems in the "next few months".

The Iskander missile system is able to launch both cruise missiles, as well as short-range ballistic missiles with either conventional or nuclear warheads. According to the readout on the Russian presidential website, this is a response to concerns of "training flights of aircraft of the United States of America and NATO, which are trained to carry nuclear warheads".

Germany's BMWK Announced The Gas Emergency Plan On Alert - Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) has announced the second stage of the gas emergency plan, or alert stage, according to the ministry, putting the gas emergency plan 'on alert'. Read Full Article

China Ready To Supply Aircraft Components To Russia - Chinese Ambassador to Moscow Zhang Hanhui told Russian state news TASS that they are ready to supply aircraft components to Russia, noting that there are no restrictions from the Chinese side.

"We are ready to supply components to Russia, we are organizing such cooperation. [Airlines] are currently addressing [it], they have certain channels, there are no restrictions from the Chinese side".

TASS noted that the European Union had prohibited the sale and supply, including leasing of aircraft, as well as components for Russian air carriers over the situation in Ukraine, but said that Russian authorities responded by 'taking a number of actions' including allowing local carriers "to continue exploiting aircraft leased or rented from foreign companies".

Key Takeaways From Meeting Between Putin And Lukashenko - RUSSIA - Russian President Vladimir Putin and the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met at the Constantine Palace and talked about issues such as the economy, the situation with Poland and Lithuania, and NATO training and nuclear weapons in Europe. Read Full Article

Iran Expanding Nuclear Program While Expanding Cooperation With Russia - Iran’s top security official Ali Shamkhani stated during a meeting with a top diplomat from the European Union that Iran will continue developing its nuclear program until the West changes what it calls "illegal behavior" according to Iranian state news IRNA.

"Iran’s retaliatory actions in the nuclear sector are merely legal and rational responses to US unilateralism and European inaction and will continue as long as the West’s illegal practices are not changed" Shamkhani stated. Shamkhani did not however divulge what those "illegal practices" were.

Meanwhile, on June 22nd Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traveled to Iran in order to discuss a nuclear deal and cooperation between Iran and Russia.

Russia's Foreign Ministry had posted a clip of the meeting where he said "In all the countries experiencing the negative influence of the selfish line taken by the United States and its satellites, there arises the objective need to reconfigure their economic relations so they can avoid relying on the whims and vagaries of our Western partners".

The month before, Russia and Iran had spoken of exchanging supplies for oil and gas, as well as creating a logistics hub in the region. Regarding the visit, Iranian state media said "During Lavrov's visit, Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, boosting bilateral and energy cooperation, as well as international and regional issues will be discussed".

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov's visit was aimed at "expanding cooperation with the Eurasian region and the Caucasus".

China Says "We'll Take Taiwan By All Means", Says US Is Starting Wars - China says that they "can't leave Taiwan independent" and that they will "retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones" if they can't reunify the island using peaceful methods. They also said that the United States wants two wars, one in Europe and one in Asia.

Chinese ambassador to France Lu Shaye said "We can’t leave Taiwan independent. We’ll retake Taiwan by all means, including military ones. If we can’t reunify the country by peaceful means, what else are we left to do?"

"The Americans want to start two wars in the world: one in Europe, the other in Asia" he also said. "Taiwan is not a sovereign state. It has been an integral part of China since ancient times".

Meanwhile, Taiwan has been spotted by Alert 5 on Flight Radar flying a UAV around the island for 10 hours straight, likely on the lookout for activity around the island by Chinese forces.

Lukashenko Says Lithuania's "Blockade" Against Kaliningrad Declaration Of War On Russia - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko said that what Russia calls the 'blockade' against Kaliningrad by Lithuania is akin to a declaration of war on Russia.

Lukashenko said, "We are very concerned by the situation and the policy being pursued by our neighbours. You know in general terms: this is the leadership of Poland and the leadership of Lithuania. The policy [is aimed - UP] at confrontation… And there is enough of that, especially in Ukraine.

These days most of the mercenaries are from Poland. I don’t understand why they need this confrontation. But it’s clear that they are behind this and pushing it, and so on. But the policy is abhorrent and the behaviour is aggressive.

It’s the same with Lithuania. There is a growing flow of information about their plan to suspend transit from Russia through Belarus to Kaliningrad, to isolate Kaliningrad. Well, listen, that’s akin to a declaration of war! That sort of thing is unacceptable in the current conditions."

Lithuania however, says that the restrictions that they placed against transporting certain goods through their country into Russian controlled Kaliningrad is not a blockade, but that they are simply complying with sanctions put upon Russia by the European Union.

Russia Fires Rockets Directly From Belarus Into Ukraine - Russia has fired rockets directly from Belarus into Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, and the New York Times who says that over 40 missiles were launched from Belarus into Ukraine.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted on their Facebook page, "Rocket strikes from the territory of Belarus - a large-scale provocation of Russia for the purpose of further dragging Belarus into the war against Ukraine".

"On the night of June 25, a mass rocket-bomb strike was launched across Ukraine. In particular, Russian bombers "worked" directly from the territory of Belarus. For this, six tu-22m3 aircraft were involved, which performed the launches of 12 winged missiles x-22. Rim of launch - area of the city of petrikov, which nearby mozyrâ, probably for 50-60 kilometers from the state border of Ukraine. Bombarduvalʹniki took off from the airport "Shaikkovka" of the Kaluz region of Russia. Further through the territory of Kaluz and Smolensʹkoí сі regions entered the airspace of Belarus. After the launch of the rockets returned to the airport "Shajkova" in the territory of Russia. The blow was carried out in Kiev, Chernihiv and Sumy regions.

This is the first case of an air strike across Ukraine directly from the territory of Belarus. Today's shelling is directly related to the efforts of the Kremlin authorities to drag Belarus into the war in Ukraine as a direct participant.

We remind you that yesterday it became known about the arrival of the Belarusian Mozyr of Russian sabotage groups planning to undermine the city of residential buildings, schools and hospitals. Possible provocations can be presented as Ukraine's response to the air strikes".

The Chief Directorate of Intelligence says that this is the first time Russia has launched airstrikes on Ukraine from Belarus, and said "Today’s attack is linked to the Kremlin’s attempts to drag Belarus into the war with Ukraine as a direct participant".

The New York Times has reported that Russia launched over 40 missiles from Belarusian airspace into Ukraine, hitting 'mostly military targets' just hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to meet with Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus.

Russian State Television Says There Will Be Other 'Special Operations' Elsewhere - A Russian state television Channel 1 speakers indicates that conflict in Europe will never end, and that the struggle is against the West, not just Ukraine, saying that there will be other 'special operations' elsewhere, aside from the one in Ukraine.

"Let's have a serious discussion. Not everyone amongst our people feels secure. Every day I hear the same phrase: 'When will all of this end?". And then I ask, "When will what end?", they say "All of this".

This will never end, the old live will never return. This is a long struggle that will determine the place of Russian civilization, the Russian world, among the new humanity. To the contrary, this is a long struggle that will answer the question as to how much of the West we'll allow to remain.

There is a special operation in Ukraine, and there will be other operations elsewhere, because the situation at our borders is worrisome. This is a confrontation between different systems; most importantly, against the united West".

Travel Advisories: June 1st - June 24th, 2022 - List of travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State from June 1st, 2022 to June 24th, 2022. KEY: Level 1: Normal Precautions | Level 2: Increased Caution | Level 3: Reconsider Travel | Level 4: Do Not Travel. For a clickable list visit the OSLINT Advisories post.

Cabo Verde Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 23, 2022
Hong Kong Travel Advisory Level 4 - June 22, 2022
Ecuador Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 22, 2022
Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 22, 2022
China Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 22, 2022
Republic of the Congo Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 22, 2022
Moldova Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 21, 2022
Ethiopia Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 21, 2022
El Salvador Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 21, 2022
Tanzania Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 21, 2022
Tanzania Travel Advisory Level 2 -June 21, 2022
Kenya Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 21, 2022
Guinea Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 21, 2022
Ghana Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 21, 2022
Bolivia Travel Advisory Level 2 -June 21, 2022
Sweden Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Sint Eustatius Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Romania Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Fiji Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Comoros Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Botswana Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
Bhutan Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 21, 2022
United Arab Emirates Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 14, 2022
Mexico Travel Advisory Other -June 13, 2022
Iraq Travel Advisory Level 4 - June 13, 2022
Belarus Travel Advisory Level 4 - June 13, 2022
Honduras Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 13, 2022
Maldives Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 13, 2022
Cuba Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 13, 2022
Saba Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 13, 2022
Saba Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 13, 2022
Malawi Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 10, 2022
The Bahamas Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 8, 2022
Suriname Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 8, 2022
French Guiana Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 8, 2022
Denmark Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 7, 2022
Libya Travel Advisory Level 4 - June 6, 2022
Iran Travel Advisory Level 4 - June 6, 2022
Lebanon Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 6, 2022
Guyana Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 6, 2022
Guatemala Travel Advisory Level 3 - June 6, 2022
Zimbabwe Travel Advisory Level 2 - June 6, 2022
Saint Kitts and Nevis Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 6, 2022
Poland Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 6, 2022
Namibia Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 6, 2022
Mongolia Travel Advisory Level 1 - June 6, 2022
Russia Travel Advisory Level 4 -June 1, 2022

Russia: London Will Be Bombed First If World War 3 Breaks Out - Andrey Gurulyov, who is a member of the Russian defense committee spoke on Russian state television Channel 1, and said that if world war 3 breaks out, London will be the first city that Russia Will Bomb, and that all power sites in Western Europe will be destroyed.

First, he said "We'll destroy the entire group of enemy's space satellites during the first air operation. No one will care if they are American or British, we would see them all as NATO. Second we'll mitigate the entire system of anti-missile defense, everywhere and 100%. Third, we certainly won't start from Warsaw, Paris or Berlin. The first hit will be London.

It's crystal clear that the threat to the world comes from the Anglo-Saxons. As part of the operation to destroy critically important sites, Western Europe will be cut off power supply and immobilized. All power supply sites will be destroyed. And on the third stage I shall see what the USA will tell Western Europe on continuing their fight in the cold, without food and electricity.

I wonder how they [the United States] will manage to stay aside. This is the rough plan, and I deliberately leave out certain moments because they are not to be discussed on TV".

Ukraine And Moldova Recognized As Candidates For EU Membership, Russia Compares With Hitler - EUROPE - Ukraine and Moldova has now formally been recognized as candidates for EU membership, while the EU is ready to grant candidate status to Georgia "once priorities will be addressed". Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has compared the EU and NATO to Hitler, and said they are building a coalition to fight Russia. Read Full Article

Belarus Conducts Military Mobilization Exercises In The Gomel Region - Release from the Belarus ministry of defense regarding the pre-planned military mobilization exercises in the Gomel region that will last until July 1st, 2022.

"From June 22 to July 1, 2022, in accordance with the Training Plan of the Armed Forces in the 2021/2022 academic year, under the leadership of the Chief of the main organizational and mobilization department - Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, a mobilization exercise with the military commissariats of the Gomel region is held.

The exercise is held annually. Last year, a similar exercise was held with military commissariats of Mogilev region. The aim was to test the readiness of the military commissariats to carry out tasks.

During the exercise, the issues of recruitment of reserve conscripts to the military commissariats will be worked through. During their stay at the military training camp the military personnel will be trained.

In the course of the exercise, the military commissariats will carry out measures to notify and submit persons liable for military duty to the points of dispatch to military units. After the formation of appropriate teams, the draftees will be sent to their place of residence, thus the issue will be checked - controlling notification.

In order to carry out the notification and collection of persons liable for military service, appropriate points of notification and collection will be deployed at the points of dispatch.

In order to create a situation close to the real one, during the exercise the participation of units of special operations forces of the Armed Forces is planned.

The main feature of the upcoming mobilization exercise, in contrast to past mobilization exercises in the military commissariats of other regions, is that the supply of mobilization resources to military units is not planned, and the persons called up to military commissariats for training will participate in the mobilization exercise in the military commissariats

NATO Aims To Get Finland And Sweden Into Alliance But Cannot Guarantee It Will Be Swift - Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg says that he "aims" to get both Finland and Sweden into the alliance "soon" regardless of objections by Turkey, but said that he "cannot guarantee" that it will be done swiftly.

"My aim is still to make sure that they [Sweden and Finland] can join soon. I cannot guarantee, but I’m saying that’s still my aim".

While the vast majority of the alliance has supported the two countries joining the NATO organization, Turkey has objected on grounds that both countries support Kurdish groups that Turkey sees as terrorists.

"This is not the first time we see one or just a few allies is not agreeing with the rest," Stoltenberg said and added that NATO allies have the ability to continue providing Ukraine with weapons "as long as it takes," as NATO allies, Stoltenberg stated have a "political and moral obligation" to keep supplying Ukraine with arms.

"We should maintain support deliverables of modern weapons, heavy weapons, as NATO allies have now done for a long time, and also that NATO has a role to play in providing support", he stated.

He said that the ongoing war in Ukraine will be a "long-haul" effort, and said that the war was actually started in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea.

Finland: If Russia Attacks, We Are Ready To Fight - Finnish Armed Forces Chief of Defense, General Timo Kivinen says that Finland has been preparing for a Russian attack for decades and says that Finland would be a "tough bite to chew" for Russia if they decided to attack the country.

During an interview, Kivinen said "The most important line of defense is between one's ears, as the war in Ukraine proves at the moment. We have systematically developed our military defense precisely for this type of warfare that is being waged there (in Ukraine), with a massive use of firepower, armored forces and also air forces".

"Ukraine has been a tough bite to chew (for Russia) and so would be Finland" he declared. (Quoted as "Ukraine has proved to be a strong nut, so it will be the same with Finland", from the Ukrainian ministry of defense).

The General said that since the Second World War, Finland has developed a military sphere in order to resist the enemy using massive firepower, armored vehicles and aircraft.

The commander also approved of the decision for Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Finnish Defense Forces have 280,000 active troops and 870,000 people in the reserves.

In the end of June NATO will be holding a summit with member states in Madrid where they will be considering the application of both Finland and Sweden to join the alliance.

Governor Of Kaliningrad Says Retaliatory Steps For Transit Restrictions Down The Road - Russian state news TASS reported that the Kaliningrad Region Governor Anton Alikhanov stated restrictions put in place on freight transit by Lithuania "looked like a mistake at first" but then said, "it's now clear that it's deliberate policy".

TASS reported that during an interview the Governor said "Honestly, I was hoping they would say: ‘We made a mistake, let’s clarify.’ But no. In any case, the rhetoric that’s seen in the media suggests that this is a deliberate policy. ‘Sanctions are sanctions’ - that’s what it is".

He said that 'in this situation' Kaliningrad will be organizing a sea corridor and "offer tit-for-tat measures".

"I believe that this should be met with a response. Our country has not yet taken any retaliatory steps that are quite serious, in my opinion. But that’s down the road".

Russia Says They Have Received No Requests About US Mercenaries - The Russian embassy in Washington says that they have received no requests from the United States regarding two "US mercenaries" reported to have been captured in Ukraine.

Russian state news TASS reported that US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price had stated on Tuesday that the US administration has been "in touch with Russian authorities regarding U.S. citizens who may have been captured while fighting in Ukraine".

Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said that "There were no requests to the embassy. I do not confirm receiving a request of this kind from the US side".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke to journalists Tuesday and said that the two Americans that had been captured recently in Donbas are being accused of mercenarism and are, therefore "not subject to the Geneva Convention".

He also said that the captured Americans "should be investigated and they should be brought to justice". TASS noted that he did not count out the possibility that the court would sentence them to "capital punishment", also known as the death penalty.

Denmark MOD: Russia Behind Cyberattack On Satellite Equipment Leading Up To Ukrainian Invasion - Denmark's Ministry of Defense says that they have credible information that attributes a cyberattack on satellite equipment operated by the Viasat satellite company to Russia prior to the invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. Read Full Article

Three NATO Members Report Incursions By Russian Aircraft Into Territory - Estonia, Lithuania, and Denmark which are all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance have reported incursions into their airspace by Russian forces who filed no flight plan and turned off their transponder. Read Full Article

Russian Analyst: Lukashenko Will Never Give Order To Attack Ukraine - Russian scientist, political writer, and analyst Andrey Andreyevich Piontkovsky said that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko would never dare to give the order for his troops to go to war with Ukraine.

Piontkovsky said that "Lukashenka will never order the Belarusians to attack Ukraine. And he gathers the so-called militia just in case so that sometimes Russian troops do not enter Belarus and drive it out".

Lukashenko would only worry about staying in power, he said. Though, he added that the Belarusian president is even now in a very difficult situation.

24tv.ua newspaper has said that Lukashenko 'could not dare to order his troops to go to war against Ukraine" because he understands that it would be a catastrophe for him.

"Under the threat of execution, Lukashenko refuses to bring troops into Ukraine not because he is a 'friend of the Ukrainian people, but because he understands that this army will immediately turn into the Belarusian National Legion and will drop it" the paper quoted Piontkovsky as saying.

Lithuania Bans Goods From Transiting To Kaliningrad, Russia - NATO member, Lithuania has banned some goods from traveling to the Kaliningrad, Russia enclave from Lithuania which has angered Russia who said the move was unprecedented and unlawful as well as threatening to respond saying the situation is more than serious. Read Full Article

British MOD Defense Intelligence Update On Ukraine - June 19th, 2022 - British MOD intelligence update for June 19th, 2022 reports that entire Russian units are refusing orders and having armed standoffs with their own officers and troops.

"In recent days, both Russia and Ukraine have continued to conduct heavy artillery bombardments on axes to the north, east and south of the Sieverodonetsk pocket, but with little change in the front line.

Combat units from both sides are committed to intense combat in the Donbas and are likely experiencing variable morale.

Ukrainian forces have likely suffered desertions in recent weeks, however, Russian morale highly likely remains especially troubled. Cases of whole Russian units refusing orders and armed stand-offs between officers and their troops continue to occur.

The Russian authorities likely struggle to bring legal pressure to bear on military dissenters, hampered by the invasion’s official status as a ‘special military operation’ rather than as a war.

Drivers for low Russian morale include perceived poor leadership, limited opportunity for rotation of units out of combat, very heavy casualties, combat stress, continued poor logistics, and problems with pay.

Many Russian personnel of all ranks also likely remain confused about the war’s objectives. Morale problems in the Russian force are likely so significant that they are limiting Russia’s ability to achieve operational objectives".

NATO: War In Ukraine Could Last Years, British Army Prepares Troops To Fight - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a German newspaper that Russia's war on Ukraine could take years, but that 'we must not let up in supporting Ukraine' he said. Even if the costs are high. The head of the British army also told troops they must prepare to fight in Europe. Read Full Article

DOD: Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine - Department Of Defense: "The United States has committed approximately $6.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including approximately $5.6 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked invasion on February 24".

"On June 15, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced $1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. This includes an authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $350 million, as well as $650 million in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds. This authorization is the twelfth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021". List Of Items Included

Russia Launches 3 Cruise Missiles At Oil Depot In Novomoskovsk, Ukraine - Ukrainian Pravda has claimed that Russia launched three cruise missiles at an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast which wounded 11 people, one of whom is reported to be in "serious condition" with seven others suffering "minor injuries".

The Ukrainian paper quoted Olena Lukash, Former Minister of Justice of Ukraine saying "In the evening we have several ‘arrivals’ [strikes] in the Novomoskovsk district. According to preliminary data, there are victims and large-scale destruction. All information is currently being clarified".

Pravda said that "around 20:45 Reznichenko said that three Russian missiles hit an oil depot in the Novomoskovsk region. Three people were hospitalized with burns".

The newspaper reported that Reznichenko said the oil depot was destroyed 'as a result of the attack' and that rescuers are putting out the flames.

Lukashenko Warns Ukraine Against Attacking Cities In Russia - The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has given a warning to Ukraine against any possible attacks on Russian cities and said that if Ukraine does this then Russia will use "brand-new weapons" according to Russian state news agency TASS.

"Ukrainians, Zelensky are asking for long-range weapons to hit Russian cities such as Kursk, Rostov, Orel, Belgorod, and neighboring cities. But I once said in public that under no circumstances must it be done" Lukashenko reportedly stated.

TASS reported that the Belarusian President referenced the $1.5 billion that U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to Ukraine on a monthly basis and said "What for? For war. So it is just the beginning. They, the powerful of this world, have loads of work to do - to re-divide the world. Americans feel they are losing, but they do not want to lose, since it is their wealth. They want to be on top and to rule the whole world".

Putin Says He Believes The US Sees Itself As A Messenger Of God On Earth - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he believes the United States sees itself as a "messenger of God on Earth", who has "no interests" but "no responsibility".

He went on to say "After claiming victory in the Cold War, the United States declared it was the messenger of God on Earth, who has no obligations, but only interests - and these interests are sacrosanct," he said during a speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"The United States is ostensibly unaware that over the past decades new powerful centers have emerged around the globe and their voice is heard ever louder. Each of them is developing its own political system and public institutions and implements its own model of economic growth and, of course, has the right to protect them and to ensure national sovereignty," he added.

"we are witnessing objective processes and truly revolutionary tectonic changes," he added.

Belarus: We Will Have To React To Poland's Desire To Take Western Ukraine - The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will have to react to Poland's "desire to take Western Ukraine" because it poses a "threat to the security of the republic" on Friday.

"We will have to react here. Because we cannot allow the Poles to surround us completely. It is a dangerous option. I said it back in the day: the Ukrainians and the Russians will ask us to help preserve the integrity. So that nobody would chop something off" Lukashenko stated at a meeting with workers in Bobruysk, according to TASS and BelTA.

TASS reports that Lukashenko sees a 'danger of escalation' of the situation due to the fact that he says 'Poland is being pushed to take action by the US.

"We see it. This is why I have to keep armed forces ready in the west and in the south. I deployed ten units along the border behind the border guard so that [enemies] could not infiltrate Belarus. And they had such ideas," he stated.

Russia: It Is No Longer Possible For Ukraine To Return To Previous Borders - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has stated that it is no longer possible for Ukraine to return to its previous borders, and added that "this is obvious".

"The Ukraine that you and I had known, within the borders that used to be, no longer exists, and will never exist again. This is evident" she stated.

Ivanovich Pasechnik, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic said that the country may hold a referendum on accession to Russia, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

TASS also stated that "The head of another Donbass republic, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said the issue on joining Russia will "become the number one issue" once the republic restores its constitutional borders".

Two Russian Missile Frigates Patrolling Off Romania's EEZ - Two Russian Project 22160 missile frigates were spotted patrolling off of Romania's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near the country's natural gas platforms around 140 km (87 miles) from Romania's coastline.

The frigates were loaded with an ASW helicopter and ground-based Tor-M2KM air defense system and around 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the Uranus and Ana platforms.

Gazprom Reduces Energy Supplies, Says 'Our Product, Our Rules' - After reducing energy output to Germany by over half the previous output, Russian energy giant Gazprom was accused of artificially pushing up energy prices by cutting off supplies.

Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller then stated "our product, our rules", but said that the reduced supply was a result of the delayed return of equipment serviced by Siemens Energy in Canada.

Germany isn't the only country reporting that Russia has cut gas supply, however. Italy and Australia have also reported large decreases in energy supply from Russia, though Russia says that the limited energy output was not premeditated.

Miller said "Our product, our rules. We don't play by rules we didn't create" but said that does not see a solution to the equipment issue at the Portovaya compressor station and blamed the equipment that had not been returned on the sanctions that have been placed on Russia by the West, but Germany has called this claim "unfounded".

The Eni energy corporation in Italy said that it would only be receiving 65% of the gas that it had requested from Gazprom on Thursday due to the issues at Portovaya. Italy says, however, that they have counter-measures in place if the supply of gas from Russia continues to be cut. "The gas situation is under control, we are monitoring flows day and night, damages are so far limited, Roberto Cingolani stated.

Germany on the other hand has had its energy supply from Russia cut down to 40% of its normal capacity.

Both Italy and Germany rely heavily on Russian energy. Poland, Finland, Bulgaria, Denmark and the Netherlands on the other hand refused Russia's demand for "unfriendly countries" to pay for their energy in Russian rubles and have already been completely cut off by the Kremlin.

Iranian Terror Cells Activated In Turkey "Looking For Israelis" - Iranian terror cells have been activated in Turkey and are roaming the streets of Istanbul "looking for Israelis" after having been given an order to carry out attacks against Israelis located in the country, according to an Israeli official who spoke to Ynet on Friday.

The official has put out an advisory to all Israelis vacationing in Turkey to leave the country immediately and return home from their vacations. They were also advised to lock their hotel rooms and not allow any strangers into their rooms, not even housekeeping.

The threat to Israelis in Turkey has been flagged as an 'ongoing incident' and Israeli security officials are concerned that Iranian cells in Turkey will carry out an immediate attack.

Earlier in the week Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid had called on Israelis to avoid traveling to Istanbul after the Israeli National Security Council had raised the threat level for trips to Turkey after reports had come out that both Israel and Turkey had botched an attempted terrorist attack on Israeli tourists in the city last month.

The Islamic Republic has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Colonel Hassan Sayad Khodayari in Tehran last month.

Russian Ships Spotted Transporting Grain From Ukraine To Syria - U.S. Satellite images have spotted Russian-flagged vessels Carrying Grain from Ukraine to Syria, according to the satellite imagery company Maxar, reported by Reuters.

The images by Maxar showed two vessels flying the Russian flag docked in the Russian-controlled port of Sevastopol in May loaded with grain, and then the same ships days later docked in Syria with the vessel's hatches open and semi-trucks waiting to haul the grain away, according to Maxar.

Another satellite image taken in June showed another vessel being loaded with grain in Sevastopol, corroborating reports by Ukraine that Russia had been transporting grain from occupied portions of the country out of the country.

Being one of the world's breadbaskets, the Russian war in Ukraine is contributing to the grain shortage being Reported worldwide.

Russia carries Out Airstrikes On U.S. Base Near Syria's Border With Jordan - Russia carried out airstrikes at the al-Tanf garrison U.S. military base on Wednesday after first notifying the United States of their intentions. The base is located near Syria's border with Jordan in southeast Syria. Read Full Article

Netherlands Accuses Russian Spy Of Infiltrating ICC Investigating War Crimes In Ukraine - According to the Dutch intelligence service, a Russian spy tried to infiltrate the International Criminal Court (ICC) that was investigating allegations of war crimes carried out in Ukraine by Russia using fake identification and spent over a decade building up his cover story.

Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, who is linked to the Russian military secret service was accused by the agency of creating an elaborate cover story that dated back years in an attempt to enter the Netherlands posing as a man with Brazilian nationality, the intelligence service told Reuters.

Dutch intelligence chief Erik Akerboom stated, "It clearly shows us what the Russians are up to - trying to gain illegal access to the information within the ICC. We classify this as a high-level threat".

Dutch intelligence agency chief Erik Akerboom said that "This was a long-term, multi-year GRU operation that cost a lot of time, energy, and money", using the acronym for the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (formerly known as the Main Intelligence Directorate).

The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) put out a statement that said the man, whose alias was Viktor Muller Ferreira was picked up at a dutch airport and was declared an undesirable alien. He was then put on a flight back to Brazil where he will be facing court proceedings.

Akerboom said that "It clearly shows us what the Russians are up to - trying to gain illegal access to the information within the ICC. We classify this as a high-level threat".

ICC spokesperson Sonia Robla said that "The ICC takes these threats very seriously and will continue to work and cooperate with The Netherlands".

The Dutch intelligence agency gave out a four-page document detailing Cherkasov's cover story, including details about their troubled family history and a club where he listened to trance music. It even included his favorite restaurant in Brasilia where it stated he would eat cheap brown bean stew.

"Cherkasov used a well-constructed cover identity by which he concealed all his ties with Russia in general, and the GRU in particular" according to the statement.

If Cherkasov had been able to succeed in infiltrating the ICC, he may have been able to access and even destroy or tamper with documents and emails related to the investigations of the alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

Russian State Television Talks Of NATO Sending Weapons To Ukraine And Nuclear Strike - Russian state television Channel 1 spoke of NATO sending weapons to Ukraine and a nuclear strike. Translation of the conversation: "If everything keeps progressing the way it is, only a couple of mutants in Lake Baikal will survive. The rest will be destroyed in a massive nuclear strike. [laughing]. Everything is moving in that direction, regardless of what either side wants. Because if NATO decides they can place whatever they want at our borders, they'll be sending more and more of American weapons to Ukraine. Everything is moving in that direction, regardless of what either side wants. Because if NATO decides they can place whatever they want at our borders, they'll be sending more and more of American weapons to Ukraine. Ukraine will fire and end up hitting one of our nuclear power plants, and here we go".

Urengoy, Russia's Largest And Main Gas Pipeline On Fire, Germany Accuses Russia Of Pushing Up Energy Prices - A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar.

A fire has started at a 1400mm pipeline in Russia. The Urengoy is the largest gas extraction facility in the country, and the second-largest natural gas field in the world, after South Pars/North Dome Gas-Condensate field in the Persian Gulf which is shared between Iran and Qatar.

Germany has accused Russian state-controlled gas giant Gazprom of attempting to push up energy prices by cutting its gas supplies in half.

While Russia claims that the reason is due to service equipment in the Nord Stream pipeline, German economy minister Robert Habeck said that it's 'a political decision' not a technical decision. "It is obviously a strategy to unsettle and drive up prices," he said.

Gazprom had previously said it would be cutting the Nord Stream 1 gas flow from 167 cubic meters a day to 100 cubic meters. Then on Wednesday, it said that it would be cutting it again to 67 cubic meters.

Gazprom limited its gas to Italy by about 15% on Wednesday according to the ENI energy firm. About 40% of Italy's imports are from Russia.

Ukraine Reports Wheat Field Burned Down, Along With Houses And Warehouses - The Mikolavska District Administration of Ukraine has claimed that on June 15th the Russian military burned down a wheat field and destroyed houses and warehouses in Nikolaev, Ukraine.

The statement said "On June 15 the Russian occupiers fired at the residential quarter of Nikolaev from jet systems of volley fire, preliminary, the Hurricane system. Aimed at a four-story apartment building. The roof, floors from the fourth to the second floor were destroyed, the load-bearing wall was damaged and the windows were broken, 6 apartments were destroyed. According to preliminary information, five people were injured".

China To Russia: Beijing To Keep Backing Russia On Sovereignty And Security - Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday that Beijing will keep backing Moscow on "Sovereignty and security", according to Chinese state media.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Xi Jinping ans saying that China is "willing to continue to offer mutual support (to Russia) on issues concerning core interests and major concerns such as sovereignty and security".

China has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine since Putin began his war on the country and has continued to criticize sanctions placed on Russia by the West, as well as weapons and arms sales to Ukraine from Western countries.

According to CCTV, the Chinese President applauded the "good momentum of development" in bilateral relations between the two countries since the beginning of the year "in the face of global turmoil and changes".

He also reportedly said that China is ready to "strengthen communication and coordination", as well as "push the international order and global governance towards more just and reasonable development".

He added that Bejing is willing to "intensify strategic coordination between the two countries" according to the report.

Two U.S. Veterans Suspected Captured In Ukraine, White House Urges Americans Not To Travel To Ukraine - Alexander Drueke, 39 years of age, and Andy Tai Huynh, 27 years of age, both Alabama residents have gone missing within the last few days near Kharkiv, Ukraine which is located near the Russian border, according to their families. U.S. State Department has reported that two Americans have been captured in Ukraine but did not identify who they were.

After reports of the soldiers being captured by Russian soldiers, the White House put out a statement advising Americans not to travel to Ukraine.

Drueke’s mother, whose name is Lois said that she received a phone call from another American citizen who had told her that intercepted communications suggested that the two Americans had been taken prisoner by Russian forces.

Before his disappearance, Drueke had told his family that he was in Ukraine teaching troops how to use American made weapons, according to his mother, who said "Alex felt very strongly that he had been trained in ways that he could help the Ukrainians be strong and push Putin back. He went over there not to fight but to train".

Huynh’s fiance, Joy Black said that Huynh had volunteered to fight along with Ukrainian forces and also received a phone call saying that Huynh had gone missing. She said "The response that we’ve gotten from our government has been very helpful. They have been taking it very seriously. We got the call on Monday morning, and this has just gone up so high, so quickly".

The U.S. State Department said "We are closely monitoring the situation and are in contact with Ukrainian authorities. ... We also once again reiterate U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict and the singling out of U.S. citizens in Ukraine by Russian government security official".

US Sending Another $1 Billion In Military Aid To Ukraine - Washington is sending another $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) ammunition and harpoon coastal defense systems. Germany is also sending MLRS systems.

This will be the 12th shipment of military equipment from the United States Department of Defense to Ukraine since August 2021. The shipment will include 18 155mm Howitzers, 36,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition, 18 tactics vehicles capable of towing the 155mm Howitzers, more ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Four Tactical Vehicles that will be used to recover equipment, and spare parts.

Under the USAI, the Department of Defense will be providing Ukraine with near-term priority capabilities in order to defend against Russian attacks. The package includes two Harpoon coastal defense systems, thousands of secure radios, thousands of night vision devices, thermal sights and other optics, and funding for training, maintenance, sustainment, transportation, and administrative costs.

Germany will also be sending three Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and Slovaks will be sending Mi-17s.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated during a press conference in Brussels that "General Milley and I have been in a number of fights. And when you’re in a fight, you can never get enough. I certainly understand where the Ukrainians are coming from, and we’re gonna fight hard to give them everything they need".

Ex Russian Prime Minister Says War In Ukraine Could Last Years, Baltic States Will Be Next - Mikhail Kasyanov, who served as Russia's Prime Minister from 2000 to 2004 stated during an interview with Agence France-Presse that the war in Ukraine could last two years, and if Ukraine falls, the Baltic states will be next. Read Full Article

50 Detained In Russia Due To Planned Protests Over Ukrainian War - 50 people were detained in Moscow, including activists, journalists and other citizens due to planned protests over the Ukrainian war on Sunday according to Russian Radio Svoboda.

The detention of the 50 Russians occurred after information circulating around various Telegram channels had been intercepted regarding a protest against the war in Ukraine which was allegedly supposed to take place on June 12th (Russia Day).

Iran Tests New Trade Route Linking Russia To Asian Export Markets - According to the Iranian state's shipping company, Iran has commenced its first shipment of Russian goods to India using a new trade route that uses Iran to link Russia to Asian export markets.

The first shipment, which consists of wood laminate sheets weighing about 41 tons which began its departure at Saint Petersburg, Russia to the port city of Astrakhan. From there, the shipment will cross the Caspian Sea to the Iranian port of Anzali, where it will be transported by road to the port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf. After this it will be loaded back onto a ship and transported to the Indian port of Nhava Sheva, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA.

Dariush Jamali, director of a joint-owned Iranian-Russian terminal in Astrakhan said that the initial shipment is a 'pilot' transfer in order to test the corridor.

Jamali said that the transfer is being coordinated and managed by the Iranian state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines Group along with its regional offices in Russia and India, and expects that it will take 25 days.

After heavy sanctions were placed on Russia, Iran has been Iran has been wanting to revive the North-South Transit Corridor that had previously been stalled. The Times of India reports that eventually the plan will be to build a railroad that transfers goods "arriving at Iranian Caspian Sea ports to the southeastern port of Chabahar".

Russia And China Build First Bridge Between The Two Countries As Ties Grow - Russia and China have finished building and opening up a cross-border bridge that they stated in February will bring the two countries closer together in their "no limits' partnership, before Russian President Vladimir Putin began his invasion of Ukraine.

The bridge, which is a little over half a mile in length and costs about $342 million has two lanes and links Russia's Blagoveshchensk city to the Chinese city of Heihe together across the Amur river (also called Heilongjiang river in China) according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

In February, Russia said that the bridge, which had been started in 2016 and completed in May of 2020 would bring both China and Russia closer together by increasing trade. The construction had been delayed by COVID-19 restrictions, however, according to BTS-MOST, which is the construction firm that participated in building the bridge on the Russian side.

Deputy prime minister of Russia Yuri Trutnev said "In today's divided world, the Blagoveshchensk-Heihe bridge between Russia and China carries a special symbolic meaning".

During the opening ceremony for the bridge, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said that China seeks to deepen practical cooperation with Russia in all areas, while Russia's Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev said that the bridge will boost bilateral annual trade to over 1 million tons of goods.

According to BTS-MOST, the bridge should shorten the distance that Chinese goods have to travel to get to Russia by about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). Vehicles traveling across the bridge have to pay a toll fee of 8,700 rubles ($150) but the fee should go down in price after the costs for constructing the bridge have been covered, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Turkey Announces Military Operation In Northern Syria After Russia Withdraws Troops - After Russia withdrew a large number of troops from Syria in order to re-focus them on its war in Ukraine, Turkey has announced that it will be carrying out a military operation in northern Syria. Read Full Article

U.S. Inflation At 40 Year High In May, Gas Prices Soaring - WASHINGTON - U.S. inflation hit a 40-year high of 8.6 percent in the month of May according to data given by the U.S. government on Friday. This makes it the 12th month in a row that the inflation percentage has been above 5%. Food and fuel prices are also soaring up, while China, India and other countries benefit from Cheap Russian Oil at discounted prices. Read Full Article

China And India Benefit From Cheap Russian Oil While Oil Prices Surge For West - Both India and China have drastically increased their imports of Russian oil at greatly discounted prices, with Indian purchases of Russian oil up by 400%, while countries buying from Russia benefit from discounted prices, the price for oil for the rest of the world is surging. Read Full Article

Lukashenko Says Belarus May Have To Fight In Western Ukraine - [Based on translation] Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus has said that he believes Belarus may have to fight for "Western Ukraine so that it is not cut off [or pulled away] by the West".

"They [the West] have not yet abandoned the goal of leveling the front so that it passes: SmolenskPskov, Smolensk-Bryansk-Kursk and there to Rostov. They need to level the front. And we, almost a thousand kilometers, this balcony, it must be cut off".

He also said "This is their goal - they [the West] will not stop before this, they will come from Western Ukraine or from somewhere else. Western Ukraine will have to fight in order not to be chopped off. Because it is like death for us, not only for Ukrainians. Terrible processes are taking place around".

NATO Conducts Live-Fire Exercises In Poland To Test Readiness - NATO forces conduct live-fire exercises in Poland in order to test their readiness and ability to respond to missile attacks from enemy drones and aircraft.

Russia Begins Naval Exercises In Baltic Sea With 60 Warships - Russia has begun naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with around 60 warships. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) said that the exercises are "planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic".

The Russian MOD said that the exercises involved around "about 60 surface warships, boats and support vessels, over 40 aircraft and helicopters, as well as up to 2,000 units of weapons, military and special equipment of the Baltic Fleet".

In a Thursday statement, the MOD said "In the Baltic Sea and at the combat training ranges in the Kaliningrad region, a planned operational exercise with groups of the Baltic Fleet has started".

"As part of the exercise, naval tactical groups of the Baltic Fleet left their bases and deployed fleet groupings in designated areas" they stated. They added that they will be "will perform training tasks for the protection and defense of sea lanes and fleet bases".

Russian Banks Begin To Charge Service Fees For Foreign Currency Accounts - Russian banks, one after the other are beginning to implement service charges and service fees for accounts held in foreign currencies due to what the Russian banks are calling the unreliability of foreign currency partners for Russia. Read Full Article

U.S. Military Training Ukrainian Troops How To Use Multiple-Launch Rocket Artillery - The U.S. military is training one platoon of Ukrainian soldiers at a time how to use the multiple-launch rocket artillery systems, paving the way for possibly more of the systems to be sent to Ukraine.

An initial group of Ukrainian soldiers have been training and learning how to use the systems with U.S. soldiers stationed in Germany and are showing proficiency according to Army General Mark Milley.

"We’ve got to start this thing with a program that is rational and deliberate and gets them trained to a standard where they become effective. It will do no good to just throw this weapon system into the battle. You’ve got to be trained on it to get the maximum effective use out of the weapon as a precision system" Milley told reporters.

Washington had approved sending four M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARs) to Ukraine shortly after the UK announced that it would be sending three M270 multiple-launch rocket systems which perform similarly, though the version that the British will be sending has a greater range.

Milley said that Russia has "demonstrated that they are outgunning and outranging Ukrainian artillery" in spite of the dozens of M777 howitzers the United States has already shipped to Ukraine. Milley said that although the Ukrainians have used the artillery to great effect, they need "some longer-range artillery system" that have more distance.

"The Ukrainians have very good artillerymen. Very good gunners. They’re excellent at artillery. But they have been using Soviet-era systems, and then transitioning to different [Western] systems" Milley stated.

Russian Senator Proposed Missile Strikes On U.S. Military Bases In Europe - A Russian senator has proposed that Russia carry out missile strikes on U.S. military bases located in Europe in response to the decision by the United States to go ahead and send longer ranged rocket systems to Ukraine. Read Full Article

Russia Suspends Fishing Deal With Japan As Japan Strengthens Ties With NATO - Russia's Foreign Ministry says that it is suspending a fishing agreement allowing Japan to have fishing rights near the disputed Kuril Islands, which are called the Northern Territories by Japan.

Russia says that Tokyo failed to make payments that were stipulated in the agreement, according to a statement by Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

While the failed payments were given by Russia as the reason for the suspension, many media reports blame the war in Ukraine for being the real reason behind the decision, due to the fact that Japan has been strengthening ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and has welcomed increased cooperation between Tokyo and NATO.

This comes as Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted naval exercises with NATO in the Mediterranean Sea, and also conducted joint flight drills with the United States over the Sea of Japan with fighter jets.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that "The security of Europe and Asia are closely intertwined, especially now with the international community facing serious challenges".

World Bank: Less Developed Countries Facing Major Recession - The World Bank put out a statement saying that less developed countries in the world face a major recession as a result of the war in Ukraine, as well as the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdowns as the cost of energy and food continue to rise globally.

David Malpass, the President of the World Bank says that there is also a major risk of high inflation and small growth, which is also called 'stagflation'.

Malpass said that "The war in Ukraine, lockdowns in China, supply-chain disruptions, and the risk of stagflation are hammering growth. For many countries, recession will be hard to avoid".

"Subdued growth will likely persist throughout the decade because of weak investment in most of the world. With inflation now running at multi-decade highs in many countries and supply expected to grow slowly, there is a risk that inflation will remain higher for longer".

Although the countries that will be immediately affected in 2022, according to a World Bank forecast are Russia and Ukraine, it warned of long term effects [from the war and COVID lockdowns] that will likely have much wider effects.

Malpass said "Even if a global recession is averted, the pain of stagflation could persist for several years - unless major supply increases are set in motion".

Turkey To Russia: We Will Respond To Destabilizing Actions In Syria - Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in a phone call, and said that Turkey would be responding to actions meant to destabilize northern Syria.

A couple of weeks ago Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had stated that the country would be carrying out new offensives within northern Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia. Turkey considers YPG a terrorist organization.

Akar informed Shoigu that "the necessary response will be given to actions aimed at disrupting the stability achieved in the region and the presence of terrorists in the region is not acceptable", according to a statement released by Turkey's defense ministry.

The statement also said that Turkey "reminded that previous agreements on this issue need to be adhered to".

Russia Continues Effort To Revert Back To Gold Standard - Russia is continuing its efforts to revert back to the 'gold standard' for the first time in over a hundred years, purchasing gold at a fixed price of 5,000 rubles ($59) per gram until June 30th. Read Full Article

UK Sending Long-Range M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems To Ukraine - Britain is sending Ukraine M270 multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine a week after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized sending M142 High Mobility Artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) after Kyiv gave assurances that they would not be used to strike Russian territory.

The missiles used with the M270 multiple-launch rocket systems Britain plans to send to Ukraine have a range of about 50 miles, while the missiles given with the M142 HMARS that the United States agreed to send have a range about about 40 miles.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said that British support for Ukraine will change as Russia's tactics change, when he explained the reasoning behind giving the M270 multiple-launch rocket systems.

"These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities" he stated.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had said that the shipments of the M142 HMARS from the United States was "nothing new", he had warned that there would be a response of the United States gave longer-range missiles for the HIMARS systems that will be given to Ukraine.

Britain said that Ukrainian soldiers will be trained how to use the new systems in Britain.

Russia: If US Missiles In Ukraine Strike Russia, Moscow Will Strike Outside Ukraine - MOSCOW - Former Russian President and current head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has warned that if Ukraine uses any of the missiles given to them by the United States to strike Russian territory, Russia will have 'no choice' but to strike 'decision making centers' which are 'not even located on the territory of Kyiv'. Read Full Article

U.S. Adds 71 More Russian, Belarusian Companies To Trade Blacklist - The United States, on Thursday blacklisted 71 more Russian and Belarusian companies, which included institutes for ship building and research, and aircraft plants along with other sanctions and restrictions in response to Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine.

Among those blacklisted were the Russian Academy of Sciences. The wave of new sanctions and restrictions is meant to restrict Russia's access to technology.

U.S. Intelligence Report: Putin Was Treated For Cancer In April - According to a classified U.S. intelligence report, Russian President Vladimir Putin was treated for advanced cancer in April 2022, Newsweek said that they were privy to the information given by U.S. intelligence leaders reported. Read Full Article

Russian Official Threatens US With Satan-2 Nuclear Missiles - Alexei Zhuravlev, who is a lawmaker and a member of the Russian parliament has threatened the United States with Satan-2 nuclear missiles over U.S. support for Ukraine. Read Full Article

Biden Authorizes 700M To Ukraine, Including MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones - The Biden administration has authorized another $700 million to go to Ukraine, along with MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones. Read Full Article

Russia Carries Out Nuclear Drills After the US Announces Sending Rockets To Ukraine - RUSSIA - Around 1,000 servicemen of the Russian nuclear forces began exercises with over 100 vehicles in the Ivanovo province northeast of Moscow, Russia, according to the Russian defense ministry. Read Full Article

Russian State TV: World War 3 Has Started, Ukraine Was A Rehearsal - Russian state television Channel 1 said that world war 3 has already started, and that the war in Ukraine, which was a rehearsal for a 'bigger conflict' in the future. Read Full Article

Biden Will Not Send Long-Range Rocket Systems To Ukraine - The U.S. will not be giving long-range rocket systems to Ukraine that can be used to target locations within Russia, according to U.S. President Joe Biden.

"We’re not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia" Biden stated on May 30th while talking to reporters, prompting Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev to state that Washington's decision not to send the long-range rocket systems to Ukraine is a 'rational' one.

EU Agrees To Reduce Oil From Russia By 90% By End Of 2022 - The European Union has agree to cut about 90% of Russian oil imports by the end of 2022, according to the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

The ban on Russian oil exempts oil from pipelines and allows dependent states such as Hungary to continue to import Russian oil, but ban oil shipped from the sea.

Both Germany and Poland will be stopping their oil imports from the Druzhba oil pipeline by the end of 2022 as well.

Russian Lawmakers Branded As Traitors For Demanding Putin End Ukraine Invasion - Two Russian lawmakers who acted as regional officials have been branded as traitors and ordered out of a legislation meeting after they called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion on Ukraine. Read Full Article

Israel Says No To US About Transferring Missiles To Ukraine - Israel has said no to a request by the United States to allow Germany to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles manufactured in Germany using Israeli technology, according to an Israeli official, and two U.S. officials. Read Full Article

Russia Extends Military Service Age To 65 Years Of Age - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that abolishes the age limit of those allowed to join its military. The age limit to serve in the Russian military has now been extended to up to 65 years of age for men and 60 years of age for women, which is the age of retirement. Read Full Article

Russia Successfully Tests Hypersonic Nuclear Capable Zircon Cruise Missile - Russia has successfully tested a hypersonic nuclear capable Zircon cruise missile which was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Saturday.

The missile, which was launched from the Barents Sea hit a target in the White Sea from a distance of about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles). The ministry released a video showing a missile being launched from a vessel.

The Zircon hypseronic missile can travel at 9 times the speed of sound, or mach 9 and travels at a maximum speed of 11,000 km/h, or roughly 6835 miles per hour.

Russian state news agency TASS reported "Today, the lead frigate of Project 22350 Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target position in the White Sea from the Barents Sea".

Russia Loads Caliber Cruise Missiles Onto Two Submarines - Russia loaded two of their six Varshavyanka submarines anchored in the South Bay of Sevastopol with Kaliber class cruise missiles. Ukraine says they will be used to strike targets within Ukrainian territory. Read Full Article

World Only Has 10-Week Supply Of Wheat Left, Expert Tells UN - A food insecurity expert has told the United Nations Security Council that the world only has a 10-week supply of wheat left stored, and that global food insecurity has now reached levels that hasn't been seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Read Full Article

DAVOS: Soros Says Russian Invasion May Have Been Beginning Of World War 3 - DAVOS, SWITZERLAND - Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros said on Tuesday that the Russian invasion on Ukraine may have been the beginning of World War Three, and that the best way to preserve free civilization was for the West to defeat Russia. Read Full Article

Lavrov: Russia To Focus On Ties With China And Cease Being Dependent Upon The West - On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia must cease being dependent upon the West, and that the 'dictator's position' of the West will lead economic ties with China to grow 'even faster'.

On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia must cease being dependent upon the West, and that the 'dictator's position' of the West will lead economic ties with China to grow 'even faster'.

Lavrov said that Russia is working to replace goods imported by Western countries, and that the country would only rely on 'reliable' countries that aren't beholden to the West.

"If they (the West) want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not" he stated, according to Russia's foreign ministry.

"We must cease being dependent in any way on supplies of absolutely everything from the West for ensuring the development of critically important sectors for security, the economy or our homeland's social sphere" he said.

"Now that the West has taken a 'dictator's position', our economic ties with China will grow even faster. In addition to direct revenue for the state budget, this is a chance to develop (Russia's) far east and eastern Siberia".

Lavrov said that China has information and communications technology that is "in no way inferior to the West. A great deal here will ensure mutual benefits" and said that Russia would count on "only ourselves and on countries which have proved themselves reliable and do not 'dance to some other piper's music'. If Western countries change their minds and propose some form of cooperation, we can then decide".

Japan Scrambles Jets After Russian And Chinese Warplanes Approach Airspace - Japan scrambled fighter jets after warplanes from both Russia and China approached its airspace on Tuesday. Japan called the action a "provocation" that was likely planned while it hosted an informal gathering of Quad nations.

The informal meeting consisted of leaders of four nations, Fumio Kishida, Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi. Japanese defense minister Nobuo Kishi expressed Japan's 'grave concerns' to both Russia and China regarding their actions and threatening its airspace, according to AFP.

Kishi said that two Chinese bombers had joined two Russian bombers in the Sea of Japan and "made a joint flight to the East China Sea". "After that, a total of four aircraft, two presumed (new) Chinese bombers – which replaced the two Chinese bombers – and two Russian bombers, conducted a joint flight from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean" he stated.

He also said that the aircraft hovered over Northern Hokkaido to the Noto Peninsula in central Japan.

Kishi said that Japan has lodged its concerns to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels. "As the international community responds to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the fact that China took such action in collaboration with Russia, which is the aggressor, is cause for concern. It cannot be overlooked" he said.

South Korea Scramble Jets As Russian Warplanes Enter Air Defense Zone - South Korea has scrambled fighter jets after at least four Russian warplanes and four Chinese warplanes entered the country's Air Defense Identification Zone without giving notice.

The Russian and Chinese aircraft entered and left the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (Korea ADIZ) in the Sea of Japan, or East Sea several times throughout the day, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The aircraft that entered into South Korea's ADIZ included fighter jets and bombers from both the Russian side and Chinese side, but they did not violate South Korea's airspace, according toe the JCS.

South Korea deployed fighter jets to "implement tactical measures" in order to brace for a potential contingency.

Russia does not recognize the Korean ADIZ, and China says that the airspace is not territorial and that all countries should enjoy freedom of movement in the region.

Russia And China Hold Joint Aerial Patrol Over Japanese And East China Seas - Russia and China have held the first joint exercise since Russia's war on Ukraine began as a part of the two countries "annual military cooperation plan" over the Sea of Japan, East China Sea and Western Pacific, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.

Both country's Air Force held 'regular joint strategic patrols' on Tuesday, with the Chinese Defense Ministry saying, "Air forces of China and Russia held regular joint strategic patrols above the Sea of Japan, the East China Sea and the West Pacific Ocean on Tuesday according to the two sides’ yearly military cooperative plan".

In addition to the joint aerial patrols, the Chinese Navy also sent warships through both of the strategically important straits in Northwestern and Southwestern Japan simultaneously, according to Chinese state media, Global Times.

Global Times claims that the move comes as US and Japanese leaders made, what they call "provocative" remarks to China.

Russia had also confirmed that there would be a joint patrol with China. The patrol lasted for 13 hours and involved Russian Tu-95 and Chinese Xian H-6 strategic bombers over the Japanese and East China seas.

A senior US administration official said that the joint exercise shows the depth of the two countries alignment. "We think it shows that China continues to be willing to closely align themselves with Russia, including through military cooperation" the official stated.

"China is not walking away from Russia. Instead, the exercise shows that China is ready to help Russia defend its east while Russia fights in its west".

Milley: US Still A Ways Away From Reintroducing Troops Into Ukraine - General Mark Milley, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated on Monday that although there is low-level planning currently underway, the United States is still "a ways away" from re-introducing U.S. troops back into Ukraine, but that the decision ultimately lies with U.S. president Joe Biden.

The United States withdrew troops from Ukraine on February 24th, just before Russia's invasion on the country in order to avoid direct conflict with Russia.

The re-opening of the U.S. embassy in Ukraine has caused some to question whether the United States should also be bringing its troops back into the country in order to ensure the security and safety of the diplomats within Ukraine.

Milley said that to some extent staff is planning ahead of a possible decision to send American troops back into the country, but that the planning hasn't made it to his level for review, or to the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"At the end of the day, any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we're a ways away from anything like that. We're still developing courses of action, and none of that's been presented yet to the Secretary [of defense]" Milley stated.

U.S. officials did tell the Wall Street Journal however, on Monday that the Biden administration is currently considering sending special forces to Ukraine in order to guard the embassy in Kyiv.

Pentagon: Ukrainian Official's Claim That US Has Plans To Attack Russian Fleet Untrue - The Pentagon has said that the claim by a Ukrainian official that the United States has plans to attack the Russian naval fleet in the Black Sea is not true and said that there has been no change in maritime posture in the Black Sea. Read Full Article

Russia Adds 963 Americans On Russian Travel Ban, Including Biden And Blinken - The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that they have declared a Russian travel ban on 963 Americans, including U.S. President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in retaliation for what it calls hostile US actions.

The Foreign Ministry also said that they have added 26 new names to their list of Canadians that it has banned from traveling to Russia, including Canadian defense chiefs, defense industry executives and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau.

Russia had already previously banned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and hundreds of others from entering the country.

The Russian Foreign Ministry published the list of banned Americans publicly for the first time and stated, "We emphasize that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff".

It also said that Russian counter-sanctions were a necessary response that is aimed at "forcing the ruling American regime, which is trying to impose a neo-colonial 'rules-based world order' on the rest of the world, to change its behavior, recognizing new geopolitical realities".

Russia To Establish New Military Bases In Western Regions In Response To NATO Expansion - Russia will be establishing new military bases in western regions of the country in response to the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as both Finland and Sweden apply to join the NATO alliance, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

In addition to the new military bases, Shoigu says that Russia will also be establishing 12 new units and divisions in response to the move by the Nordic countries to join NATO.

"Tension continues to grow in the zone of responsibility of the Western Military District. We are taking adequate countermeasures" Shoigu said. "By the end of the year, 12 military units and divisions will be established in there".

On May 18th, both Finland and Sweden formally applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as concerns grew in both countries that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be eying them for invasion next.

Putin had stated on May 16th that Finland and Sweden joining NATO was no threat to Russia, but said that Moscow would respond if NATO began to bolster military infrastructure within the two countries.

Ukrainian Parliament Extends Martial Law For Another 90 Days - The Ukrainian parliament has extended martial law, which was initiated on February 24th of this year, in Ukraine for another 90 days as a result of the continued Russian invasion of the country.

The Verkhovna Rada made a statement on May 22nd saying that the decision to extend martial law for another three months, until at least August 23rd, had been requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The parliament received the bill seeking to extend martial law from Zelenksy on May 18th. A general mobilization order was also given. On May 10th, AFP and Kyiv Independent reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also likely to declare martial law in Russia.

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines had said, "We assess President Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine during which he still intends to achieve goals beyond the Donbas".

Lithuania Declares It Is Now Independent From Russian Energy - The government of Lithuania has put out a statement saying that the country is now completely independent from Russian gas, oil and electricity.

The Lithuanian government stated this, while quoting the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania, Dainius Kreivys, who said "As of Sunday, Lithuania will have completely cut import of Russian energy supplies, i.e. oil, electricity or natural gas, due to Nord Pool's decision to stop trading Russian electricity from its only importer in the Baltic States, Inter RAO".

Biden Signs $40 Billion Aid Package To Ukraine While U.S. Inflation At 40 Year High - WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden signed a $40 billion dollar aid package to Ukraine during his visit to Seoul, the capital of South Korea after the Senate passed the package with an 86-11 vote, while inflation in the United States sits at a 40-year high. Read Full Article

Italy And Germany Agree To Approve Payments For Russian Gas In Rubles - EUROPE - Both Italy and Germany have authorized companies to open ruble accounts in order to purchase gasoline from Russia without violating the current sanctions that have been placed on Russia, according to Reuters and Radio Free Europe. Read Full Article

Russia Says It's Not Ukraine They Are Fighting, But The West - Russia said that it is not Ukraine Russia is fighting, but the West fighting Russia on Ukrainian territory and said that their opponent is not Ukraine, but a united West through the hands of the Ukrainians. Read Full Article

Russia Takes Key Port City Of Mariupol, Ukraine - After 3 months of fighting, Russia has now captured the port city of Mariupol, Ukraine which not only gives Russia a land bridge corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, it also takes a key port away from Ukraine.

Ukraine formally declared that its combat mission in Mariupol has ended on Monday. Evacuations of Ukrainian soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant began being carried out that day.

The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that almost 1,000 soldiers have surrendered since. It is not clear how many Ukrainians are now left in the port city of Mariupol.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Wednesday, "The evacuation mission continues, it is overseen by our military and intelligence. The most influential international mediators are involved".

Ukrainian officials have expressed their desire for the evacuated soldiers to be exchanged in prisoner swaps, but Russian politicians have voiced that they are against this and called the soldiers that were defending Mariupol "Nazi criminals".

US Reopens Its Embassy In Kyiv, Ukraine After 3 Month Closure - After a three month closure as a result of the Russian war on Ukraine, the United States has reopened its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Russia Responds To Finland's Decision To Join The NATO Alliance - Maria Zakharova, the director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the response of the Russian Federation to Finland's decision to join NATO will be a "surprise" and will be taken primarily by the military.

She also said that a whole range of factors and features will be taken into account that will accompany the country's membership in the NATO alliance.

NATO Chief: Finland, Sweden Have Officially Applied For Alliance Membership - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that both Finland and Sweden have officially handed in their applications for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

On May 18th, after receiving both applications Stoltenberg told reporters, "I warmly welcome the requests by Finland and Sweden to join NATO. You are our closest partners. The applications you have made today are an historic step. Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO".

The application process should take around two weeks, although membership requires that all NATO alliance members are in agreement.

Turkey however has expressed the desire to block the bid due to their belief that both Finland and Sweden are supporting the PKK and YPG Kurdish groups which Turkey considers terrorist organizations.

Russian MOD Announces Russia Is Shutting Down Moscow Bureau Of CBC Broadcaster - The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that Russia is shutting down the Moscow Bureau of Canadian broadcaster CBC. They are also withdrawing their journalist's accreditations and Visas.

The Russian MOD put out a statement saying, "In response to the Canadian authorities' ban on the broadcasting of Russian TV channels @RT_com and @RTenfrancais, a decision was made to close the Moscow office of the Canadian State Broadcasting Corporation @CBC, including the cancellation of accreditations and visas of its journalists".

Russia Expels 34 French Diplomats In Retaliation For Russian Diplomats Expelled From France In April - Russia has expelled 34 French diplomats. The diplomats have been declared non grata and have been told to leave the country within two weeks time according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The expulsion by Russia was in retaliation for the Russian diplomats that were expelled from France back in April for security reasons. The French Foreign Ministry says that France condemns Russia's decision to expel the diplomats and staff from the country.

USS Harry S. Truman Under NATO Command Once Again - The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group, along with other United States naval vessels have come under NATO command once again for Neptune Shield Drills in the Baltic, Adriatic, and Mediterranean Seas.

The drills were announced by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on May 17th and places the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Mediterranean Sea, the USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group in the Baltic Sea, and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit under NATO operational control to the end of May.

Neptune Shield is the third exercise, in a series of exercises involving the United States and NATO allies.

Kirby stated that "This activity increases the pace and flexibility of command and control of US naval and amphibious forces between Sixth Fleet the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, operating in the Mediterranean Sea, USS Kearsarge amphibious ready group that’s operating in the Baltic Sea, along with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit".

Switzerland Considers Joining Military Exercises With NATO Countries - Switzerland's Defense Ministry is drawing up a report on security options which include joint military exercises with NATO countries. It also includes "backfilling" munitions to countries sending Ukraine aid. Read Full Article

Russia Says US Has Become A Hostile State To Russia - Dmitry Peskov, who is a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says that the Western countries, including the United States which it says is currently conducting a hybrid war against Russia, have become hostile states to the country. Read Full Article

Russia: NATO Has Long Taken Finland And Sweden Into Account For Plans Of Expansion - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has, for many years taken Finland and Sweden into account for its plans for eastward expansion. Read Full Article

Four NATO Warships Spotted Through English Channel - Four NATO warships that had departed from Hamburg, Germany were spotted traveling through the English Channel just off the Kent coast on May 17th.

The four vessels included A833, F802, 330, and F262. A833 and F802 flew the Netherlands flag, 330 flew the Canadian flag, and F262 flew the flag of Germany with F802 and F262 leading the other two vessels.

The two vessels leading are headed south-west, having passed Deal and currently nearing the coast of Dover, while the two trailing vessels are near the coast of Margate and Ramsgate.

All of the ships are military vessels, though the reason for the voyage is currently unknown, as is their destination which is not listed on the Marine Vessel Traffic website.

The Marine Vessel Traffic website does list a number of the ship's ports, however, which include Poland, Sweden, Latvia, and Estonia.

Sweden Formally Signs Request To Join NATO, Turkey Moves To Block Bid - On Tuesday Sweden formally signed their request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), one day after they had announced the intention to join the alliance.

Finnish lawmakers are expected to also formally endorse the decision by the leaders in Finland to join the NATO alliance.

The majority of the members of the NATO alliance have openly supported the two countries joining the alliance, but Turkey has thrown a wrench in the process by saying that they will not be allowing them to join.

Turkey has blocked the bid due to their belief that both Finland and Sweden are supporting the PKK and YPG Kurdish groups which Turkey considers terrorist organizations.

For a country to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, all NATO members must be in agreement so that the requesting country may be allowed into the alliance.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Finland and Sweden are refusing to extradite what it calls 'terrorists' that are currently wanted by Turkey.

Russian Air Defenses Fire On Israeli Planes In Syria - SYRIA - Syria, Channel 13 news has reported that Russia , for the first time fired on Israeli aircraft in Syria using S-300 anti-aircraft missiles last week citing 'foreign publications'. Read Full Article

Russia Moving Nuclear-Capable Iskander Missiles Toward Their Border With Finland - There have been reports that Russia is moving nuclear capable missiles toward their border with Finland, after Finland and Sweden stated that they have decided to seek NATO membership. Read Full Article

U.S. Senator Delegation Visits Kyiv, Ukraine And Meets With Zelensky - U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, as well as a delegation of Republican senators traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine unannounced and met with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine in order to show bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress.

The senators who traveled to Ukraine included Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, John Barrasso and John Cornyn and called the visit a "strong signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the United States Congress and the American people".

Sweden Officially Announces It Will Apply For NATO Membership With Finland - EUROPE - Sweden's president and government have officially announced on Sunday that it will be joining Finland in applying for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Turkey however has raised objections and has threatened to veto the request. Read Full Article

Reports That Ukrainian Troops Reached Russian Border Confirmed - Reports that have been circulating that Ukrainian troops have reached the Russian state border to the North-East of the Kharkiv Oblast have now been confirmed.

On May 14th a Ukrainian journalist had posted a photo showing that the Ukrainian military had taken control of the territory north of Kharkiv all the way up to the Russian border.

US Strongly Supports NATO Application By Sweden And Finland - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States would "strongly support a NATO application by either Sweden or Finland, should they choose to formally apply to the alliance. We'll respect whatever decision they make".

Russian State TV Says Finland Joining NATO Means Russia Will Have No Choice But To Deploy Tactical Nuclear Weapons - Russian Channel 1 state TV said that the reason Finland is joining NATO is fear, but that when NATO bases begin popping up in Sweden and Finland, Russia will have no choice but to deploy tactical nuclear weapons.

Russian state television stated, "Their official reason is fear. But they’ll have more fear in Nato. When Nato bases appear in Sweden & Finland, Russia will have no choice but to neutralize the imbalance & new threat by deploying tactical nuclear weapons".

Finnish Government Agrees Finland Will Apply For Membership Of NATO - The President of the Finnish Ministerial Committee has agreed that Finland would apply for membership for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after the Parliament has been heard, according to the Finnish Government.

The Finnish Government stated that "The report on Finland’s accession to NATO will proceed to Parliament once the government has endorsed it".

The Finnish government website stated, "On Sunday 15 May, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy finalized a report on Finland’s Accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The report will be submitted to Parliament once it has been endorsed in the government plenary session".

"In the meeting, the President and the Ministerial Committee agreed that Finland would apply for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after Parliament has been heard" it added.

Russian Lawmaker Says Poland Should Be Next For 'Denazification' After Ukraine - MOSCOW - Top member of Russia's Kremlin party "United Russia's Superior Council" and Duma deputy Oleg Morozov stated that "Poland should be the next in the line for denazification process after Ukraine". Read Full Article

Russia Carries Out Drills With Fighter Jets After Finland Announced Plans To Join NATO - Russia carried out drills with fighter jets repelling a mock airstrike against Kaliningrad, Russia which sits between Poland and Lithuania along the Baltic Coast after Finland announced plans to join NATO, with Sweden likely to follow suit.

The drills, which included Su-27 fighter jets took place just two days after Finland announced its plans to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The jets simulated destroying mock enemy aircraft during the drills according to Interfax, which said that over 10 crews of the Baltic Sea fleet's Su-27 were included in the exercises.

US Intelligence Director: Putin Preparing For Prolonged Conflict In Ukraine - WASHINGTON - U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers on May 10th that the U.S. believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a prolonged conflict in Ukraine. Read Full Article

Russia: We Did Our Best To Avoid Direct Confrontation, But If Challenged We Certainly Accept - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that the consequences of the "total hybrid war against Russia declared by the West" will be felt by everyone without exception, and said that Russia did its best to avoid direct confrontation, but that if the challenge has been posed, they certainly accept it.

During a meeting of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, Interfax quoted Lavrov as saying that "the collective West has declared a total, hybrid war on us (Russia), and it is difficult to predict how long it will be, but it is clear that the consequences will be felt by all without exception".

"we did everything to avoid a direct confrontation, but since the challenge has been thrown, we, of course, accept it. We are used to sanctions, in one form or another they have almost always been around" he added.

France Calls For New 'Community' Of Non-EU European Democracies - EUROPE - French President Emmanuel Macron stated that it would take years for Ukraine to join the European Union, and called for a new 'community' of non-EU European democracies which would not only include Ukraine, but other countries in Europe, including Britain to join the "European core values". Read Full Article

Pentagon Says It Will Not Define Russia's Fighting In Ukraine's East As Stalemate - The Pentagon says that they will not define Russia's fighting in East Ukraine as a stalemate, as they are still making progress, though incremental.

The Pentagon has also stated that the United States has seen indications of Ukrainians being moved into Russia from Ukraine against their will.

As far as the second Russian ship that is said to have been hit by Ukraine, a U.S. official has said that U.S. intelligence does not have any evidence that a second ship was actually struck by Ukraine.

Russian battalion tactical groups within Ukraine have also increased from 92 last week, to 97 according to a U.S. official.

Russia Redirecting Soldiers From Syria To Ukraine - Russia is redirecting its troops located in Syria, in the Middle East to eastern and southern Ukraine according to a report by The Moscow Times.

On April 16th, Russia signaled that they were going to be moving troops from Syria to Ukraine after Russia had suffered heavy losses during their invasion of the country which reportedly forced Russia not to rotate its 'Syrian' units.

The Moscow Times also notes that Turkey had barred Russia from flying aircraft to Syria from Turkish airspace until April 23rd which restricted Russia's options and forced Russia to relocate its forces in Donbas, Ukraine.

Pentagon: No Information To Corroborate That Russian Ship Admiral Makarov Was Hit - The Pentagon says that they have seen no information to corroborate the reports that the Russian ship Admiral Makarov was in fact hit in the Black Sea.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby stated, "We’ve seen the reports [about the Admiral Makarov]…we’ve been looking at this all day and we have no information to corroborate on these reports".

There has been many reports and claims that have stated that the Russian Frigate Admiral Makarov had been hit by a Ukrainian anti-ship missile and was sinking near Odessa.

U.S Intelligence Helped Sink Russian Ship Moskva - According to U.S. officials intelligence from the United States given to Ukraine aided in sinking the Russian ship, the Moskva which sank after being hit with two Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles.

The Moskva vessel sank on April 14th, making it the largest Russian warship sunk during a combat situation since the world war 2 era.

While officials stated that there were significant Russian casualties after the Moskva was hit by the missiles, officials did not know what the exact death toll was.

Officials stressed however that they were not aware that Ukraine was going to target the Moskva when they passed the intelligence along and was in no way involved in the decision to carry out the strike against the Russian ship.

U.S. To Provide Security Assurances To Sweden And Finland On Road To Joining NATO - The United States has stated that they are ready to provide various forms of security assurances to both Finland and Sweden on their road to joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Read Full Article

Russia Preparing To Evacuate Families Of Officers From Transnistria, Moldova - A report by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Russia is now preparing to evacuate the families of Russian officers from Transnistria, Moldova after a string of attacks that sparked fears that Moldova could be dragged into the conflict. Read Full Article

Belarus Carries Out Snap Drills For Combat Readiness - Belarus has begun large-scale snap drills to test combat readiness, according to the Belarusian defense ministry.

The Belarus defense ministry put out a statement regarding the drills that stated, "It is planned that the (combat readiness) test will involve the movement of significant numbers of military vehicles, which can slow down traffic on public roads".

The defense ministry said that the drills do not pose a threat to the country's neighbors, or to the European community.

U.S. Embassy Hopes To Return To Kyiv By End Of May - According to the U.S. Embassy In Kyiv, Ukraine U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Kristina Kvien returned to Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of Russia's invasion of the country. She stated "We are thrilled to be back!" at a press conference in Lviv.

She also said that the embassy hopes to return to Kyiv, Ukraine by the end of May.

U.S. Congressman Announces Resolution To Defend Ukraine If Russia Escalates Conflict - U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger has announced the introduction of a joint resolution that would authorize the United States Armed Forces to defend Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates the war on Ukraine by using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons against the country Read Full Article

U.S. Has Given A Third Of Its Javelin Missiles To Ukraine - The United States has depleted about a third of its Javelin missiles due to donations of its stock of missiles to Ukraine to aid in its war with Russia, leaving lawmakers concerned that it leaves the United States vulnerable. Read Full Article

Russia Threatens "Lightning Fast" Strikes On Anyone Interfering In War On Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened "lightning-fast" retaliatory strikes on any country that intervenes in what Russia calls their "special military operation' in Ukraine. Read Full Article

During a speech before Russia's Federal Assembly Putin said, "What I would like to note and say now, I already spoke about this at the very beginning of the special military operation. Let me stress again: if someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside and creates strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning-fast".

"We have all the tools for this, such that no one can boast now. And we will not brag, we will use them if necessary,” Putin continued. “And I want everyone to know about it, we have made all the decisions on this matter" he added.

Transnistria Accuses Ukraine Of Attacks - The Interior Ministry of Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova, has accused Ukraine of an attack in Kolbasna this morning, and claimed that drones flew from Ukraine into Transnistria last night.

The statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs Of The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic stated (translation) was as follows, "Shooting in the village Sausage".

"Information at 10:00. Last night, several drones were seen in the sky above the village of Kolbasna, Rybnitsa region. Aircraft on the territory of Transnistria were launched from Ukraine".

"On the morning of April 27, at 8:45, shots were fired from the Ukrainian side in the direction of the Pridnestrovian settlement of Kolbasna. Information about the victims at the moment has not been received".

"Recall that in the village of Kolbasna there is a warehouse with weapons. According to experts, this is the largest ammunition depot in Europe".

Russian And Belarusian Arrested In Poland On Suspicion Of Espionage - Two men, one Russian citizen, and one Belarusian citizen have been arrested by the Polish military police on suspicion of espionage, according to the leading radio station in Poland, RMF 24. Both men had lived in Poland for 'many years' according to the station.

The Military Counterintelligence Service findings state that the Russian and Belarusian men had been gathering intelligence on military units of allied forces and acted on behalf of the intelligence services of the Russian Federation.

The two men were arrested in Bialystok, Poland, and the Polish court has ordered the men to be detained for three months.

Germany Sends Anti-Aircraft Tanks To Ukraine - In a major policy shift, Germany has reportedly now allowed the transfer of Gepard anti-aircraft cannon tanks to Ukraine to aid in their efforts to fight the Russian invasion of the country.

German defense minister Christine Lambrecht announced on Tuesday that the country will be sending the anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine, saying that it's 'exactly what Ukraine needs right now in order to secure the airspace from the ground.

Germany has up to this point been hesitant to send arms to Ukraine, but said "We decided yesterday that we will support Ukraine with anti-aircraft systems ... which is exactly what Ukraine needs now to secure the airspace from the ground".

US Says They Gave Ukraine Coordinates To Fire On Russian Targets - US officials say they have given coordinates to Russian targets to the Ukrainian military which has aided Ukraine not only in moving their forces out of the way from Russian strikes but also allegedly led to Ukraine shooting down a transport plane. Read Full Article

Russia Issues Warning To Britain For Provoking Ukraine - Russia has issued a warning to Britain for allegedly provoking Ukraine, and said that if it continues to do so, there will be an immediate and 'proportional response'. Read Full Article

Lavrov Says Risk Of Nuclear War Considerable And Blames The West - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the West Monday not to underestimate the risk of a nuclear conflict over Ukraine and also stated that he views the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as currently being 'in essence' engaged in a proxy war with Russia because it is supplying Ukraine with weapons.

Lavrov said that Russia is doing a great deal to prevent nuclear war at all costs, and said "This is our key position on which we base everything. The risks now are considerable. I would not want to elevate those risks artificially. Many would like that. The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it".

Lavrov also blamed the United States for ceasing dialogue with Russia and said, "The United States has practically ceased all contacts simply because we were obliged to defend Russians in Ukraine".

Regarding the weapons the West has been sending to Ukraine, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles and drones, he said were provocative measures which were calculated in order to prolong the conflict rather than to bringing it to an end.

"These weapons will be a legitimate target for Russia's military acting within the context of the special operation. Storage facilities in western Ukraine have been targeted more than once (by Russian forces). How can it be otherwise?" he added. "NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war" he said.

Large Explosions And Fires At The Oil Depot In Bryansk, Russia - There have been large explosions and multiple fires at an oil depot in Russian city of Bryansk, Russia. A smoke plume is visible from over six miles away.

Putin Loses Interest In Diplomacy With Ukraine, Who Calls For Peace Talks - Russian President Vladimir Putin has 'lost interest in diplomatic efforts' in order to end the war with Ukraine and 'appears' set on taking as much Ukrainian territory as possible, according to the Financial Times who were referencing three people who they said were briefed on conversations with Vladimir Putin.

The Financial Times stated that while Putin had been considering a peace deal with Ukraine has now reportedly told people that he 'sees no prospects for a settlement' according to the FT, who quoted one source as saying "Putin sincerely believes in the nonsense he hears on [Russian] television and he wants to win big".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a meeting with Putin in an effort to 'put an end to the war' and said, "I think that whoever started this war will be able to end it" at a news conference at a metro station in Kyiv.

Zelensky stated that he was "not afraid to meet" Putin if it would lead to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. "From the beginning, I have insisted on talks with the Russian president" he stated.

"It's not that I want (to meet him), it's that I have to meet him so as to settle this conflict by diplomatic means. We have confidence in our partners, but we have no confidence in Russia" he added.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has planned to visit Moscow, Russia on Tuesday before he visits Kyiv, Ukraine but Zelensky has denounced this saying "It is simply wrong to go first to Russia and then to Ukraine," he said. "There is no justice and no logic in this order".

Zelensky did however say that Ukraine would break off all talks with Russia if the Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol are killed, saying "If our men are killed in Mariupol and if these pseudo-referendums are organized in the (southern) region of Kherson, then Ukraine will withdraw from any negotiation process".

He stated that he was willing to exchange Ukraine's soldiers defending Mariupol "in whatever format" in order to save "these people who find themselves in a horrible situation, surrounded".

UN Says There Is Growing Evidence That Russia Committed War Crimes In Ukraine - The United Nations says that there is a growing amount of evidence that Russia committed war crimes as a result of actions that they have carried out during their 'special operation' or invasion of Ukraine since the war started on February 24th, 2021.

On April 22nd, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the "Russian armed forces have indiscriminately shelled and bombed populated areas, killing civilians and wrecking hospitals, schools, and other civilian infrastructure, actions that may amount to war crimes".

A United Nations mission in the town of Bucha, Ukraine says that they have documented 50 civilians that had been killed in that city and said that they documented those that had allegedly been killed by summary execution.

Russia however, has denied that any civilians were killed in Bucha, and accused Ukraine of staging the atrocities.

Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated on April 22nd that "over these eight weeks [since the start of war], international humanitarian law has not merely been ignored but seemingly tossed aside".

She went on to say that the UN mission "has also documented what appears to be the use of weapons with indiscriminate effects, causing civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects, by Ukrainian armed forces in the east of the country".

The UN mission stated that between February 24th to April 20th it had documented 2,345 civilians that had been killed, as well as 2,919 that had been wounded.

"We know the actual numbers are going to be much higher, as the horrors inflicted in areas of intense fighting, such as Mariupol, come to light," Bachelet stated.

Russia Investigates Reports Of British SAS Sabotage In Ukraine - The Russian Investigative Committee, Russia's main investigative authority said on Saturday that it is now looking into a report by Russian state media that alleged that British SAS special forces, or 'sabotage' experts have been deployed in the western region of Lviv, Ukraine.

The Investigative Committee says that it will be looking into whether the media report by RIA Novosti alleging that the British SAS has been sent into Ukraine to "assist the Ukrainian special services in organizing sabotage on the territory of Ukraine" is true.

RIA had stated that a security source said that 20 members of the British SAS Special Forces had been deployed in the western Lviv region, close to the border with Poland.

Sky news quoted a British defense source who reportedly said, "We don't comment on stories around special forces, especially ones that are being pushed out by the Russian news agencies, because inaccurate speculation can put people's lives at risk, which is why we neither confirm nor deny reports."

Britain Considers Sending Tanks To Poland - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a press conference in India that Britain is considering sending tanks to Poland in order to intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read Full Article

Russian Military Accuses US Of Provocation To Accuse Russia Of Using WMD - MOSCOW - Russian military official has claimed that the United States is preparing 'provocations' so that it can accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction.Russian state news TASS said that Igor Kirlov alleged that the U.S. plan was in response to the "successes" that Russian troops have had during their 'special operation' in Ukraine. Read Full Article

Russian General: Second Phase Of Ukraine War - Invasion Of Moldova - According to Russian state news, TASS on Friday, Russian Major General Rustam Minnekaev, Deputy Commander of the Central Military District said that the 'second phase' of the war on Ukraine will be centered around establishing a 'land corridor' between Russia, the Russian-occupied portion of Crimea, and Transnistria, a pro-Russian area of Moldova. Read Full Article

Turkey Closes Airspace To Aircraft Carrying Soldiers From Russia To Syria - Turkey has reportedly closed their air space to civilian aircraft that carries military personnel from Russia to Syria after speaking with Moscow, according to Turkish broadcaster TRT Haber, who cited Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Saturday.

Turkey is currently a NATO member, but has been attempting to remain relatively neutral throughout the war between Russia and Ukraine.

"We closed airspace to Russia's military planes and even to civilian planes going to Syria and carrying soldiers" Cavusoglu told reporters while he was on his way to Uruguay.

Washington Says Ukrainian Missile Strike Took Out Russian Vessel Moskva, Russia Admits Some Crew Were Killed - The Pentagon has confirmed that a Ukrainian missile strike did lead to the sinking of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva. Russian state news RIA Novosti, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, have also put out a new report admitting that some crew onboard the Moskva was indeed killed.

According to the Pentagon, a Ukrainian missile strike caused explosions, as well as a fire aboard the Moskva missile cruiser, and said that it had sunk as it was being towed to port in order to receive repairs.

Ukrainian officials had earlier claimed that they launched two Neptune missiles at the Moskva but Russia denied this and said that a fire had erupted and ignited ammunition on board the ship. Russian officials did not address how the fire had started, however.

A U.S. official had told reporters that they believed that the missile strikes had caused casualties. Russia has now confirmed that there were in fact some casualties on board.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that a Russian serviceman that had been aboard the missile cruiser died while attempting to put the fire out and that 27 crew members had gone missing.

The Russian Ministry of Defense report stated, "The remaining 396 crew members were evacuated from the cruiser to the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the area and taken to Sevastopol".

RIA Novosti reported that interviews were carried out with the living crew members, "during which a vast majority of officers, midshipmen, and contract service sailors wanted to continue serving on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet".

The Russian account of what happened as per RIA Novosti was as follows, "On the night of April 14, the Ministry of Defense reported that a fire had started on the Moskva cruiser, causing the ammunition to detonate. The crew was completely evacuated. At the same time, the main missile armament was not damaged, the source of ignition was localized, and the ship remained buoyant. However, she then sank while being towed in a storm to her destination port".

US To Ba Russian Affiliated Vessels From Entering American Ports - U.S. President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will be banning all Russian-affiliated ships from entering American ports.

"That means no ship, no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by a Russian entity, will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores. None", Biden said Thursday. The move follows the banning of Russian-affiliated ships by both Canada as well as nations located within Europe.

"The policies and actions of the government of the Russian Federation to continue the premeditated, unjustified, unprovoked and brutal war against Ukraine" Biden stated.

The order by the Biden administration will give the Homeland Security Department the authority to enact rules "to regulate the anchorage and movement of Russian-affiliated vessels, and delegate to the secretary my authority to approve such rules and regulations".

The order will bar Russian vessels from entering into the United States regardless of whether or not they are reflagged at sea and includes Russian-flagged, Russian operated or Russian owned vessels but does not ban all Russian cargo in order to make sure the order does not seriously hurt supply chains for the United States.

Putin Has Declared Mariupol 'Liberated', Ukrainians Continue To Resist - Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the city of Mariupol "liberated" and fully under the control of the Russian Federation, as Ukraine claims that Ukrainians continue to defend the city from the Russian military according to Ukrainian news, The Kyiv Independent.

During a televised meeting with Russian Defense Minister Segei Shoigu, he thanked Shoigu for "liberating" the Sea port city of Mariupol and stated that combat activity in the city is an a practical end.

"They (the Ukrainian defenders) are effectively sealed up" Shoigu reported to Putin during the meeting. "Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can escape" Putin told Shoigu.

Meanwhile Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that "Without additional weaponry, this war will become an endless bloodbath, spreading misery, suffering, and destruction. Mariupol, Bucha, Kramatorsk – the list will be continued. Nobody will stop Russia except Ukraine with Heavy Weapons".

A video released by one of the Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol appealed to the world to get them and civilians out and said that they have days, if not only hours to live.

In the video, the defender says "This is our appeal to the world. This could be the last appeal of our lives. We are probably facing our last days if not hours. The enemy is outnumbering us 10 to 1. They have advantage in the air, in artillery, in their forces on land, in equipment and in tanks".

We are only defending on object, the Azovstal plant, where in addition to military personnel, there are also civilians who have fallen victim to this war. We appeal and plead to all the world leaders to help us.

We ask them to use the procedure of 'extraction' and take us to the territory of a third party state. All of us - Mariupol military battalion of soldiers, more than 500 wounded, and hundreds of civilians including women and children. We plead to take us to safety on the territory of a third party state. Thank you".

Pentagon: Russian Test Of RS-28 ICBM Missile Routine And Not A Threat To U.S. Or Allies - Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby stated that the test of the Russian RS-28 ICBM missile was 'routine' and that the Russians had 'properly notified' the United States under its new START treaty obligations.

Kirby stated, "Such testing is routine, and it was not a surprise. It was not deemed be a threat to the United States or its allies". The Pentagon said that the Russian Defense Ministry had reported that the long-range missile was launched from western Russia, north of Moscow, and 'landed on the Kamchatka Peninsula' in the country's far east.

Russia Test-Fires: RS-28 Sarmat (Satan II) ICBM - Russia has test-fired the RS-28 Sarmat (SATAN II) intercontinental ballistic missile, a liquid-fueled MIRV-equipped ICBM capable of carrying 10 to 15 18-25 megaton nuclear warheads that can each target a different location within the United States and is believed to have the ability to evade missile defense systems.

Russia has test-fired the RS-28 Sarmat (SATAN II) intercontinental ballistic missile, a liquid-fueled MIRV-equipped ICBM capable of carrying 10 to 15 18-25 megaton nuclear warheads that can each target a different location within the United States and is believed to have the ability to evade missile defense systems.

A report by the EurAsian times stated, "Individual warheads would strike distinct targets within a very limited ballistic ‘footprint,’ or many warheads from the same missile would strike the same target, increasing the likelihood of destroying that target completely".

The missile can be shot into orbit and each of the 10 to 15 hypersonic glide missiles that the missile releases can each target separate locations. Being hypersonic, they would be able to avoid detection by modern missile defense systems.

Each missile released by the RS-28 is said to have enough nuclear payload to completely wipe out an area the size of Texas for France, thus making the Satan II potentially the most powerful ICBM in the world. More About The Satan II

British Defense Intelligence Update For April 20th, 2022 - "Russia's military presence on Ukraine's eastern border continues to build, while fighting in the Donbas is intensifying as Russian forces seek to break through Ukrainian Defenses.

Russian air activity in northern Ukraine is likely to remain low since its withdrawal from north of Kyiv. However, there is still a risk of precision strikes against priority targets throughout Ukraine.

Russian attacks on cities across Ukraine show their intent to try and disrupt the movement of Ukrainian reinforcements and weaponry to the east of the country".

Lavrov Denies Possibility Of Nuclear Strike And Says Next Phase Of Their "Special Operation" Started - Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov has stated that Russia is not considering the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and that they are considering 'conventional weapons only".

RIA Novosti quoted Lavrov as saying, "At this stage, we are considering the option of conventional weapons. This operation will continue, the next phase of this operation is now beginning. I am confident that it will be a very important moment in the whole special operation. The operation is aimed at the complete liberation of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics".

Lavrov also claimed that Russia is not going to try to carry out a regime change in Ukraine and said that "the people should have freedom of choice". Lavrov insists that the United States allegedly "pumped weapons into Ukraine" to create a "bridgehead" against Russia near its borders.

Ukrainian President Says Russia Has Begun Assault On Eastern Ukraine - The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Russian forces have now begun their assault on Eastern Ukraine, and Donbas.

Zelensky stated in a video address to the people of Ukraine, "Now we can state that the Russian forces have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time. No matter how many Russian troops are driven there, we will fight"

Novosti: Russia Not Going To Demilitarize Ukraine For Ten Years - (Based on translated information) Russian state-run news RIA Novosti has reported that Russian Crimean political expert Ruslan Balbek stated that Russia is not going to demilitarize Ukraine for ten years.

"Unlike Zelensky, we are not going to demilitarize Ukraine for 10 years" he reportedly told RIA Novosti.

The Russian news agency said that European countries have significantly increased in giving financial support to Ukraine, saying that the European Union is providing 600 million euros in support of Ukrainian troops.

After Russia's Warship Is Sunk, Russia Says Their Attacks On Kyiv, Ukraine Will Increase - Russia has said that attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine will increase and claimed that Ukraine carried out airstrikes on Bryansk, Russia after Russia's warship was sunk and Ukraine claimed to have blown it up with two missiles while Russia claimed a fire blew up ammunition on board.

The ramping up of attacks on Ukraine by Russia is claimed to be because Ukraine carried out 'diversions on the Russian territory' and alleged that Ukraine damaged around 100 residential buildings and wounded seven people in Bryansk, Russia which borders Ukraine.

Ukraine has not confirmed carrying out an airstrike within Russian territory and the reports regarding the alleged attack in Bryansk, Russia has not yet been able to be verified. Ukrainian officials have, however claimed responsibility for the attack on the Russian warship Moskva with two Neptun anti-ship missiles on Thursday.

Russia Claims Moskva Cruiser Sank Will being Towed In A Storm - The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that the Moskva cruiser that Ukraine says they hit with two Neptun anti-ship missiles has sank while being towed in a storm.

"During the towing of the Moskva cruiser to the designation port, the ship lost stability due to hull damage, sustained during the detonation of ammunition because of a fire. Amid the heavy storm, the ship sank" the Russian Defense Ministry stated.

The Defense Ministry said that the Moskva cruiser sank "while being towed amid storm because of hull damage sustained during the detonation of ammunition" and said "During the towing of the Moskva cruiser to the designation port, the ship lost stability due to hull damage, sustained during the detonation of ammunition because of a fire. Amid the heavy storm, the ship sank".

The Ministry also said that the crew of the Moskva were all evacuated to nearby Black Sea Fleet ships.

Russia Issues Threat To Deploy Nuclear Weapons In Baltic If Sweden Or Finland Joins NATO - MOSCOW - Russia has put out a threat to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltic if Sweden or Finland joins NATO after the two countries expressed the intention to apply to join the alliance. Read Full Article

Ukraine Claims They Have Sunk Russian Moskva Missile Cruiser - The Ukrainian military has claimed that they struck the Russian Flag-Ship, Slava-Class Project 1164 missile cruiser "Moskva" with two Neptun anti-ship missiles off of the coast of Odessa in the Black Sea.

Although Ukraine did not give any evidence, Russia's Defense Ministry did put out a statement saying that the Moskva missile cruiser had been badly damaged after ammunition that had was on board was blown up by a fire.

Russian state news TASS reported, "As the result of a fire on the Moskva missile cruiser, ammunition detonated. The ship was seriously damaged". The statement did not however say what caused the fire in the first place, but said that it was under investigation.

The ship, which is believed to have a crew of over 500, all of which were evacuated according to Russian reports. The Moskva, which was commissioned in 1983, and armed with "Vulkan" cruise missiles with a range of at least 440 miles had been reportedly broadcasting Morse code and Cipher signals, but those have now stopped which could indicate the ship is now completely sunk.

Presidents Of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia And Estonia Headed To Ukraine To Meet With Zelensky - The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all headed to Kyiv, Ukraine to meet President Zelensky. The German President said he was ready to go also, but Zelensky refuses to meet with him and Ukrainian authorities considered his presence undesirable.

Zelenskyy Suggests A Trade Of Viktor Medvedchuk For Ukrainian POWs - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has put out an address suggesting to trade recently captured Viktor Medvedchuk, a high-profile pro-Kremlin lawmaker in Ukraine for Ukrainian Prisoners of War (POWs) currently being held in Russian captivity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that his secret service has captured Putin's best friend, Viktor Medvedchuk who was under house arrest due to an investigation for treason and had been on the run after he escaped in February.

Medvedchuk is a lawmaker with Ukraine's pro-Kremlin Opposition Platform. Putin is Medvedchuk's daughter's godfather.

US Cannot Confirm Use Of Chemical Agents In Mariupol, Ukraine - The Pentagon says that it cannot confirm the use of chemical weapons by Russian forces in Ukraine "at this time", according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The official said that the United States has no information to support the movement of chemical agents by Russia in or near Ukraine. Under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, the production, use, and stockpiling of chemical weapons are banned. White phosphorous, however, which Russia has been accused of using recently is not banned under the convention.

"We're looking into this the best we can, but we're not in a position to confirm those reports" the official stated when asked about the use of chemical weapons in Mariupol, Ukraine.

"The biggest challenge is we're not there, and we don't know if anything was used. These are difficult things to prove even when you are more proximate" the official stated.

Russia Claims Special Operation Meant To End Alleged U.S. Quest For World Domination - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed on Monday that the 'Special Military Operation' by Russia was meant to put an end to the United States quest for world domination and the expansion of NATO. Read Full Article

Slovakia Says MiG-29 Transfer To Ukraine Back On The Table - Slovakia's Prime Minister now says that the MiG-29 transfer over to Ukraine is back on the table. Eduard Heger said that discussions regarding NATO providing Ukraine with the MiG-29 jets have been renewed due to "how Russia behaves". Read Full Article

Pentagon Monitoring Reports Of Russian Chemical Weapons Used By Russia - Pentagon says they are monitoring unconfirmed reports Russia used chemical weapons in Mariupol, Ukraine, and said that they reflect concerns about Russia's "potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents." Read Full Article

Russia Gives Warning To Finland And Sweden About Joining NATO - Spokesman for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov spoke to reporters and said that the NATO "alliance remains a tool geared towards confrontation" as US officials have stated that they expect both Finland and Sweden will apply for membership of the alliance as early as June, which would increase NATO membership to 32 members.

US Defense officials had called Russia's invasion on Ukraine a 'massive strategic blunder' and said that it would likely result in an enlarging of the alliance, which directly opposes Russia's demands that the US and NATO agree to halt expansion in Eastern Europe and withdraw all forces from the region.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused unease among some non NATO members bordering Russia, which has garnered support from Finland and Sweden for joining the alliance.

Finland shares about 830 miles of border with Russia. Prime Minister Sanna Marin said that she expects her government will "end the discussion before midsummer" regarding whether an application for membership will be made.

The Swedish Social Democratic party had, in the past been against joining the NATO alliance, but it also says that it is now rethinking its position on the matter after Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

The Swedish Social Democratic party secretary Tobias Baudin spoke to the media and said that the NATO review should be completed within the next couple of months.

"When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden's security position changed fundamentally" the party said in a statement they put out on Monday. Peskov however warned that NATO "is not that kind of alliance which ensures peace and stability, and its further expansion will not bring additional security to the European continent".

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was originally formed in 1949 by the United States, Canada and a few other European nations in order "to provide collective security against the Soviet Union" according to a government website and has since grown and expanded.

Russia Warns Of Direct Conflict With US, Which It Says Is Provoking It - Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov has warned that the West giving Ukraine weapons and ammunition may lead to direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States and claimed that the invasion was a result of Ukraine carrying out genocide of Russians.

Antonov told Newsweek, "The special operation in Ukraine is the result of the unwillingness of the Kiev regime to stop the genocide of Russians by fulfilling its obligations under the international commitments".

"The desire of the NATO member states to use the territory of a neighboring state to establish a foothold in the struggle against Russia is also obvious" he continued.

Antonov said that in Russia's eyes the war on Ukraine that started on February 24th was actually instigated 8 years prior, when the Euromaidan uprising toppled the Ukrainian government, which at the time had close ties with Russia.

According to Antonov, the uprising put a pro-Western administration in its place which sought close ties with NATO and the European Union, rather than with Russia.

In Russia's eyes, this was a "bloody coup d'état instigated by the West" in which "ultranationalist ideas came to power in Kiev", he stated.

Then, Antonov said that the removal of the Russian as the national language in Ukraine, and other policies that he said Moscow views as hostile were implemented.

He said that Russia seized Crimea with the goal of protecting the ethnic Russian majority in the region, at which time pro-Russian separatists rose up, which lead to 14,000 deaths which included civilians that each side blamed the other for.

He then accused NATO of carrying out a military exploration of Ukraine, and Ukraine of having plans of acquiring nuclear weapons. Both Ukraine and the head of the UN atomic agency IAEA has denied these allegations.

"The NATO member countries have commenced a military exploration of Ukraine It was flooded with Western weaponry while President Vladimir Zelensky announced Kiev's plans to acquire nuclear weapons which would threaten not only neighboring countries, but also the entire world", he stated.

Antonov also told Newsweek that he rejected claims by Ukraine that Russia had killed civilians in places such as Bucha where civilians were reportedly executed, some with their hands tied behind their backs, and instead claimed that Ukraine had faked the entire massacre.

"The Russian Federation is taking the necessary measures to preserve life and safety of civilians. We do everything to maintain the normal functioning of critical infrastructure facilities, to ensure law and order and the security of people. The strikes are made only on military targets and exclusively with high-precision weapons" he said.

Another strike that recently hit the Kramatorsk train station full of Ukrainian civilians attempting to flee, killed at least 57 civilians. The missile had the words "For Children" written on it in Russian.

While Ukraine accuses Russia of carrying out this attack, Russia in return accused Ukraine of carrying out the attack.

Meanwhile, Washington has supported Ukraine's assessment of the attack on the Kramatorsk train station and promised to send more military aid to Ukraine.

Antonov, however warned that such aid could lead to a direct conflict between the United States and Russia.

He stated, "The NATO member countries have commenced a military exploration of Ukraine It was flooded with Western weaponry while President Vladimir Zelensky announced Kyiv's plans to acquire nuclear weapons which would threaten not only neighboring countries, but also the entire world", he stated.

Antonov, however warned that such aid could lead to a direct conflict between the United States and Russia. "Western states are directly involved in the current events as they continue to pump Ukraine with weapons and ammunitions, thereby inciting further bloodshed" he stated.

"We warn that such actions are dangerous and provocative as they are directed against our state. They can lead the U.S. and the Russian Federation onto the path of direct military confrontation. Any supply of weapons and military equipment from the West, performed by transport convoys through the territory of Ukraine, is a legitimate military target for our Armed Forces".

Missile Strike Kills 50 People At Train Station In Ukraine - A train station in Ukraine that was crowded with thousands of people trying to escape eastern Ukraine was reportedly hit by a missile, killing 50 people on Friday according to Ukrainian authorities.

Photos at the Kramatorsk show bodies lying covered in tarp and also show what was left of the rocket with the words 'For children" painted on it in Russian. The station had about 4,000 civilians in and around it at the time according to Ukraine's prosecutor-general, saying that most of them were women and children trying to leave before Russia carried out a full-scale invasion of eastern Ukraine.

The Russian Defense Ministry however has said that they did not attack the Kramatorsk station in Donbas, despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with other Ukrainian leaders claiming that Russia purposefully attacked a place where only civilians were present.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace said that "the striking of civilians and critical infrastructure is a war crime. These were precision missiles aimed at people trying to seek humanitarian shelter".

Intel Added To List Of Companies Suspending All Operations In Russia - Intel, which has 1,200 people employed in Russia has decided to pull out of the country and suspend all operations due to the Russian war on Ukraine.

Intel had stopped sales within Russia a month ago in order to comply with U.S. sanctions on the country, and publicly condemned Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

The statement put out by intel on Wednesday regarding their pullout said, "Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted by this war, particularly the people of Ukraine and the surrounding countries and all those around the world with family, friends and loved ones in the region".

The company has a large software development company in Russia and said that it's "working to support all of our employees through this difficult situation" and has put forth measures in order to minimize disruption to the company's operations.

Intel isn't the only one to have suspended operations within Russia. Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, FEDEX, McDonald's, Starbucks, Pepsi, American Express, IBM, Visa, MasterCard, Netflix, Microsoft, Samsung, TikTok, Electronic arts, Adobe, Airbnb, IKEA, Volkswagen, Universal Studios, YouTube, Sony Pictures, Disney, UPS and a great many other companies have also suspended operations in Russia.

NATO Has Intercepted Russian Jets Over Black Sea Four Times In Last 20 Days - NATO jets have been scrambled from the Mihail Kogalnicanu Air Base in Romania four times over the last 20 days in order to intercept Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea toward NATO territory.

Each time NATO jets were scrambled to intercept, the Russian fighter jets turned back away from NATO territory without incident, however.

Spanish Lt. Gen. Fernando De La Cruz Caravaca, commander of the NATO Combined Air Operations Center, spoke to Air Force Magazine and said, "You have more Russian aircraft flying around the Black Sea".

"We react to them anytime any Russian aircraft flies in the Black Sea,” he added. “We need to be sure that we are there, ready, in front of them, just in case".

Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force Lt. Gen. Luca Goretti told Air Force Magazine, "When they take off from Crimea protecting their vessels on the Black Sea, they [Russian jets] might … fly over us".

"They might fly next to the boundaries and then turn back when they see us in the air. That gives a good indication that they can no longer move everywhere they want."

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Parks, 480th Fighter Squadron detachment commander also told the Magazine, "We’re executing 24/7 CAPs with all the NATO partners across the entire eastern front. It gives a chance for us to show that we are integrated completely with our NATO partners, and that includes in tight formations".

Russia Addresses Possibility Of Finland And Sweden Joining NATO - Russia has put out a statement regarding the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying that they would have to re-balance and make Russia's western flank more sophisticated to ensure security.

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told Sky News, "We'll have to make our western flank more sophisticated in terms of ensuring our security".

Possible Plans By Finland To Join NATO In The Works - Finland is set to announce possible plans to apply for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance membership as early as this spring according to reports by the local Finnish media.

The Finnish news site Italehti said (based on translation) that Finland is preparing to apply for NATO membership with an additional registration issued by TP-Utva. Italehti stated that the additional entry is brief and only states that the state leadership has decided to apply for NATO membership.

It also states that Prime Minister Sanna Marin will publish a 'supplement' to its foreign and security policy report on April 14th, and that the Parliamentary committees will begin discussing it after Easter. "The supplement does not directly express the NATO position of the Finnish state leadership" it states.

The paper said, "Finland is preparing to apply for NATO membership through an additional registration, which may be reported by the Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (TP-Utva) of the President of the Republic and the Government during parliamentary proceedings".

Italehti said that their sources estimate that the decision will be made in TP-Utva to apply for NATO membership in the first few weeks of May, but said that the decision route built by the government will allow TP-Utva to apply for NATO membership before May Day, in April.

US Imposing Sanctions On Two Largest Russian Financial Institutions And Putin's Adult Children - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the U.S. is imposing sanctions on two of the largest financial institutions in Russia, Putin's adult children, Lavrov's wife and adult child, 21 members of Russia's National Security Council and former President.

Blinken stated, "We are implementing sanctions on two of the largest Russian financial institutions, designating the adult children of President Putin, the wife and adult child of Foreign Minister Lavrov, and 21 members of Russia’s National Security Council, including former President Medvedev".

Expert Says China Preparing For War With US And Asia - Expert says he believes China is preparing for a war with the United States, as well as its neighboring Asian countries. NATO to expand cooperation with partners in Indo-Pacific. Read Full Article

Advisory Alert: Nitric Acid Tank In Ukraine Reportedly Hit - There many are reports coming out saying that Russia blew up a nitric acid tank in Rubizhna, Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine. Pro-Russian media outlets however say that Ukraine was behind the attack.

Ukrainian residents have been advised to stay indoors, close all windows and doors and wear wet face masks in order to protect themselves from the resulting toxic nitric acid cloud.

Federal Agents From U.S. And Spain Captures Yacht Owned By Russian Billionaire - SPAIN - Federal agents from the United States, along with law enforcement from Spain has boarded a $90 million dollar yacht owned by Russian billionaire Victor Vekselberg Monday and seized the property as per a court order. Read Full Article

Biden Calls Putin War Criminal, Says He Needs To Stand Trial As One - U.S. President Joe Biden has again called Russian President a 'war criminal' and says that Putin must stand trial for the slaughter of civilians in Bucha. When he was asked whether he believed that the slaughter of civilians in Bucha was genocide, he stated "No, I think it is a war crime". Read Full Article

Top Polish Official Says Poland Is Ready To Deploy US Nuclear Weapons In The Country - Jaroslaw Kaczynski, a top Polish official has stated that Poland is ready to deploy United States nuclear weapons in the country to deter Russian aggression.

Kaczynski, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice party stated, "If the Americans asked us to store U.S. nuclear weapons in Poland, we would be open to it" and has urged the United States to 'do more' in Ukraine.

Kaczynski also said that "The eastern flank must be much better protected in the future than before" and asked the United States to deploy 50,000 more troops, which would be a 50% troop increase into the Baltics and Poland.

"Let's face it: The soldiers of the U.S. nuclear power are the strongest stopping Russia from attacking NATO countries and provide us with the greatest security" he stated.

When he was asked whether he thought that the United States should deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Eastern Europe, he said he had discussed the idea with Senators in the U.S. in the past. "Back then, they thought it was possible. If the Americans asked us to store American nuclear weapons in Poland, we would be open to it".

"This would significantly strengthen Moscow's deterrence. At the moment, this issue does not arise, but it may change soon. The initiative would have to come from the Americans. In principle, however, it makes sense to extend nuclear weapons sharing to the eastern flank" he stated.

Mass Grave Of 280 People Found In Bucha, Ukraine - A mass grave filled with around 280 people has been found according to the head of Bucha, Ukraine. The bodies of around 20 civilians have also been found all over the Zhytomyr highway. Bodies have also reportedly been found in Motzhyn and other towns and villages in Ukraine.

Many of the civilians that were found dead had their hands tied behind their backs and executed with a shot to the back of the head. Many of the victims were also missing clothing, including the bodies of naked women who had been murdered.

Three people were also found to be killed while riding bicycles with their bodies tangled up in their bikes. Photos also show what appears to be the following: Village head of Motyzhyn-Olha Sukhenko, Her husband-Ihor Sukhenko and son Oleksandr Sukhenko.

Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk told AFP that "All of these people were shot, killed, in the back of the head".

Reports Say Putin Surrounded By Doctors, Including Thyroid Cancer Specialist - Reports are coming out that Russian President Vladimir Putin is surrounded by doctors, including a thyroid cancer specialist. Thyroid cancer is known to affect a person's mood and cause mood swings, anxiety and depression.

The report stated that Putin traveled to five doctors on average in 2016-2017, even being interested in alternative medicine. Thyroid cancer is highly treatable, with a long term survival rate of about 90% overall.

An investigation by Proekt, a Russian opposition journal that was released on Friday stated that Putin constantly has a doctor who specializes in thyroid cancer accompanying him where he goes.

Surgeon Yevgeny Selivanov of the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, who had written his thesis on thyroid cancer has also reportedly flown in to Putin's Sochi resort around 35 times.

Proekt stated, "We promised to reveal to you the main secret of the Kremlin. Of course, we are talking about the health of Vladimir Putin", and then said "In July 2020, he [Putin] met with the head of the National Medical Research Center for Endocrinology, Ivan Dedov, who is the boss of Putin's eldest daughter, Maria".

"Dedov told the president about the high prevalence of thyroid cancer and spoke about the new hormonal drug Tyrogin, which fights metastasis after surgery" the journal said. "Recovery of 95-98%?' Putin asked, and heard an affirmative answer".

The report also said that Putin bathes in blood extracts taken from severed deer antlers and expressed interest in alternative medicines.

Ukraine Denies Hitting Fuel Depot In Russia - Ukraine has denied hitting the fuel depot in Russia, after Russia accused Ukraine of sending two helicopters over the border and shooting missiles at the depot.

Oleksiy Danilov, who is the secretary of Ukraine's national security council stated on Ukrainian television, "For some reason they say that we did it, but in fact this does not correspond with reality".

The Russian governor of Belgorod had earlier stated that "The fire at the oil depot occurred as a result of an airstrike from two helicopters of the armed forces of Ukraine, which entered the territory of Russia at a low altitude".

Russian Forces Using Banned Antipersonnel Mines In Ukraine - Russian forces are using banned antipersonnel mines in Kharkiv, Ukraine that "can indiscriminately kill and maim people" according to a report from Human Rights Watch who has verified that these mines, which includes POM-3 antipersonnel mines have been used.

Other reports say that POM-3 landmines are being found in Kharkiv, Ukraine along with photos of the mines that were allegedly found. The POM-3 mine detects approaching footsteps using a seismic detector and then shoots a warhead into the air that explodes and sends fragments in every direction within a 50 foot radius.

Using landmines is prohibited by the 1997 international Mine Ban Treaty due to the fact that "These weapons do not differentiate between combatants and civilians and leave a deadly legacy" according to Stephen Goose, director of the Human Rights Watch arms division.

Civilian Massacre In Bucha, Ukraine Reported - There are reports coming out of Bucha, along with videos showing that a civilian massacre took place. We have not been able to solidly determine who the victims were, or who carried out the attack but the reports show a great many bodies laying in the streets and in different areas.

At least two of the bodies had their hands tied behind their back, and some of the killings look to have been execution style murders, all in civilian clothing.

Ukrainian Photographer Who Went Missing During Battle Of Kyiv Found Dead - Ukrainian photographer Maks Levin, who went missing during the battle of Kyiv on March 13th was found dead on April 1st near Huta village in Kyiv, Ukraine. He was said by RSF (Reporters Without Borders) to be wearing a press jacket and unarmed at the time of his disappearance.

US Cancels Testing Of LGM-30G Minuteman III Missile - The United States has canceled testing the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that it originally had intended only to delay testing amid tensions with Russia.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon first announced that it intended to delay testing of the LGM-30G ICBM on March 2nd after Russia had announced that it had put its nuclear forces on high alert. Washington had stated that the United States and Russia should both "bear in mind the risk of miscalculation and take steps to reduce those risks".

Although Washington had originally decided to delay the Minuteman III ICBM test "a little bit" rather than completely cancel the test, the eventual cancellation was said to be for the same reasons it was originally delayed.

Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said, "The Air Force is confident in the readiness of the strategic forces of the United States".

Jeffrey Lewis, who is a missile researcher at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) stated, "There's a value to doing the tests but I don't think missing one test in the grand scheme of things is a really big deal" and said that the Minuteman III missile is an extremely reliable missile.

British MOD Intelligence Update For April 1st, 2022 - "A fire has destroyed several oil tanks at a depot in the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the Ukrainian border. On 30 March, explosions were also reported at an ammunition depot in the vicinity of the city.

The probable loss of fuel and ammunition supplies from these depots will likely add additional short-term strain to Russia’s already stretched logistic chains. Supplies to Russian forces encircling Kharkhiv (60 km from Belgorod) may be particularly affected."

Ukraine Crosses Russian Border To Target Belgorod Fuel Depot - Ukrainian helicopters reportedly crossed the Russian border at low altitude in order to carry out strikes on a fuel depot in Belgorod, Russia. Two workers were reportedly injured in the fire resulting from the strikes.

The strikes were carried out by two Ukrainian military helicopters which fired missiles at low altitude, followed by an explosion according to the regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

President of the European Parliament Announces She Is Traveling To Kyiv - The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola has announced that she is traveling to Kyiv, Ukraine. She tweeted "on the way to Kyiv" on Thursday night but did not say when she is expected to arrive.

U.S. Embassy In Russia: Citizens Should Depart Russia Immediately - The U.S Embassy in Russia has put out another Alert saying that U.S. citizens currently located in Russia "should depart Russia immediately" via commercial options still available.

"If you are in Russia and your U.S. passport expired on or after January 1, 2020, you may be able to use your expired passport to return directly to the United States until June 30, 2022".

"While you may only travel directly back to the U.S. on your expired passport, you may seek emergency consular services in a different country as needed".

Russian Foreign Minister Says US Declared 'Total War' On Russia - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated last Friday that the United States and the West have declared total war, stating "a real hybrid war, total war has been declared on us" by the West.

Hybrid warfare is a military strategy that consists of political warfare and blends conventional warfare in with irregular warfare, such as cyberwarfare, circulating propaganda and fake news and other, more indirect tactics rather than full on confrontational warfare.

Lavrov stated during a meeting that "a real hybrid war, total war was declared on us to destroy, break, annihilate, strangle the Russian economy, and Russia on the whole".

In response to sanctions imposed on Russia by the West and reports that Russia has been isolated on the world stage Lavrov stated, "We have many friends, allies, partners in the world".

British MOD Intelligence Update March 31st, 2022 - "Russia is redeploying elements of its forces from Georgia to reinforce its invasion of Ukraine. Between 1,200 and 2,000 of these Russian troops are being reorganized into 3 x Battalion Tactical Groups.

It is highly unlikely that Russia planned to generate reinforcements in this manner and it is indicative of the unexpected losses it has sustained during the invasion.

Putin Signs Decree To Pay Russian Gas In Rubles For 'Unfriendly Countries' - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to pay for Russian gas in rubles for 'unfriendly countries' starting on April 1st.

Russian Soldiers Poisoned By Radiation In Chernobyl's Red Forest - Two workers that were on duty at the Chernobyl site when Russian soldiers took control of it have stated that Russian soldiers, who wore no radiation suits drove through the 'Red Forest' located near the reactor kicking up clouds of radioactive dust. 500 soldiers are now reportedly being admitted to a hospital in Belarus for radiation poisoning. Read Full Article

Ammunition Depot Explodes In Belgorod, Russia - An ammunition depot exploded in Belgorod, Russia for a reason that is not yet known. There is a possibility of mishandling of explosives within the depot. Some have alleged that it was a missile strike on the ammunition depot, but that has not been confirmed to be true.

Ukraine Claims Russia Has Used Phosphorous Munitions In Marinka, Donetsk - Ukraine has claimed that Russia used phosphorous munitions in the town of Marinka, Donetsk region. Our intel team suspected this after seeing many videos showing what looked like phosphorous being dropped from the sky in Ukraine.

Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko stated, "The Russians used phosphorous munitions again – today in Marinka. Dozens of fires were detected in the town, they were put out by State Emergency Service staff".

Ukrainian news Ukrinform said that Heorhiyivka, Novokalynove, and Ocheretyne also came under fire leaving several houses damaged. No civilian casualties have been reported however, according to the news site which also said that Avdiivka was cut off from power as a result of the shelling.

Ukrainian Army Says They Shot Down Two Missiles Launched From Belarus - The Ukrainian army says that they have destroyed two missiles that were launched from territory within Belarus at the city of Lviv, Ukraine. The missiles were reportedly destroyed about 30 kilometers away from the city.

The Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine put out a statement over Telegram saying, "“In the evening of March 28, 2022, from the territory of Belarus, the occupiers’ fighter launched two X-type missiles towards the city of Lviv. The targets were timely detected by the radio-technical forces and destroyed by the anti-aircraft missile units about 30 kilometers away from the city".

The Ukrainian news site Ukrinform also said that two enemy operational and techincal unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were shot down by Ukrainian anti-aircraft units.

US Official Says Russian Troops Redeploying And Not Withdrawing From Kyiv - A US official has said that Russian troops are redeploying and not withdrawing from Kyiv and that the world should be prepared for a major offensive against other areas of Ukraine according to Fox News reporter Mark Meredith on Tuesday.

"No one should be fooled by Russia’s announcements" the official reportedly told Meredith. "It also does not mean the threat to Kyiv is over. Russia has failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv, and failed in its objective of subjugating all of Ukraine, but it can still inflict massive brutality on the country, including Kyiv".

Russian MOD Agrees To Drastically Reduce Military Activity In Kyiv And Chernihiv - The Russian Ministry of Defense says that they have agreed to 'drastically reduce' military activity in Chernihiv and Kyiv in order to increase trust in peace talks. Read Full Article

Hundred Of Unexploded Mines Discovered In Kyiv, Ukraine Removed - Hundreds of unexploded mines have been discovered in Kyiv, Ukraine and have been removed. The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs has called on residents to be careful and inform the police if they see an object that resembles a mine or other explosive device.

Russian Ministry Of Defense claims Ukraine Making Fake Calls To Male Citizens - The Russian Ministry of Defense has put out a statement claiming that Russian male citizens are receiving fake phone calls which the 'answer-back unit informs them of a call to the military commissariat". After 12 hours of the statement we have seen no rebuttal from Ukraine regarding the claim.

The Russian MOD statement says, "In recent days, many Russian male citizens have received fake phone calls in which an answer-back unit informs them of a call to the military commissariat".

"All such fake calls are made from the territory of Ukraine, are completely untrue and are a provocation by the Ukrainian special services. We declare that the Russian Defence Ministry does not plan to call any citizens in reserve to military commissariats".

U.S. President Joe Biden Calls For Russian President To Be Deposed - U.S. President Joe Biden has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be removed from office, saying 'For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power' during a speech at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland. Read Full Article

Russian Defense Minister Seen In Public During Security Council Meeting - The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been seen in public at a Security Council meeting after having been missing from public view since March 11th amidst rumors and speculation that he had died.

Moscow claims that Shoigu had a heart attack and 'has had a lot on his plate' and that now is not a time for media appearances. Dmitry Peskov stated, "The Defense Minister has a lot on his plate at the moment ... now is not exactly the time for media activity".

Biden: If Russia Used Chemical Weapons We Would Respond - U.S. President Joe Biden said that if Russia uses chemical weapons then the United States would respond, saying "We would respond if he uses it, the nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use".

The response could range anywhere from verbal condemnation of the attack, to sanctions or even a military response but since Biden did not specifically state what type of response the United States would be willing to take, there is no way of knowing which of those actions it would be.

NATO: 40,000 Russian Troops Killed, Wounded, Taken Prisoner Or Missing - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has estimated that there have been up to 15,000 troops killed since Russia's invasion on Ukraine began last month, with as many as 40,000 troops either killed, wounded, taken prisoner or gone missing, including Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Read Full Article

Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Current Situation March 22, 2022 - The following is a report put out by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine about the current situation regarding the current situation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine Read Full Article

Russia Continues To Talk About Using Chemical And Biological Weapons - A senior U.S. Defense official says that Russia is continuing to talk about using chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine but that the United States has no indications of an imminent attack.

The United States is currently monitoring stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons for movements into Ukraine according to the official.

US And NATO Officials Say Belarus Could Soon Join Russia In Its War On Ukraine - US and NATO officials say that Belarus could soon join Russia in its war on Ukraine and is already taking steps in that direction.

Officials say it is increasingly likely Belarus will join the fighting in Ukraine and said that 'Putin needs support' and 'anything would help'.

Russian Warships Navigate Japanese Strait As They Halt Peace Treaty Talks - Russian warships were spotted going through the Japanese strait on March 15th and 16th, as the Kremlin has halted peace treaty talks with Japan after Japan placed heavy sanctions on Russia over the invasion on Ukraine. Read Full Article

Ukrainian President Says He Is Ready To Discuss Deal With Russia - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Monday that he was prepared to discuss a deal not to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in order to reach a ceasefire with Russia, along with the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and a guarantee of Ukraine's security.

"It’s a compromise for everyone: for the West, which doesn’t know what to do with us with regard to NATO, for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which doesn’t want further NATO expansion", Zelenskyy stated during an interview on Ukrainian television.

Zelenskyy reiterated that he wants talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said that it's impossible to know whether Russia wants to end the war unless he meets with Putin.

He said that Ukraine will be ready to talk about the status of Crimea and eastern Donbas after a ceasefire agreement is reached, along with security guarantees from Russia for Ukraine.

Pentagon Can Neither Confirm Nor Refute Russia's Claim That It Fired Hypersonic Missiles In Ukraine - The Pentagon says that it can neither confirm nor refute Russia's claims that it had fired hypersonic missiles in Ukraine and at Ukrainian targets. U.S. President Joe Biden however has stated that hypersonic missiles were used.

Russia had announced that it used Kinzhal (nicknamed Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. After the Pentagon stated that they could not confirm or deny it however, Biden announced that Russia has employed hypersonic missiles in its invasion on Ukraine.

One U.S. Official reportedly told reporters, "It's a bit of a head-scratcher, to be honest with you, because it's not exactly clear why -- if it's true - why would you need a hypersonic missile fired from not that far away to hit a building".

The official said that Russia may be attempting to send a message to Ukraine and the West in order to build leverage for negotiating, or has turned to higher end weaponry due to constraints on Russia's guided munition supplies.

The official said that Russia has been having failures with its guided missiles. "They're failing to launch or they're failing to hit the targets or they're failing to explode on contact" they stated.

Biden stated on Tuesday however that Russia used a hypersonic missile and that it's "the only thing that they can get through with absolute certainty".

"It doesn't make that much difference, except it's almost impossible to stop it. There's a reason they’re using it" he stated.

British Defense Intelligence Update On Ukraine March 21st, 2022 - British intelligence update for March 21st, 2022: "Heavy fighting continues north of Kyiv. Russian forces advancing on the city from the north-east have stalled. Forces advancing from the direction of Hostomel to the north-west have been repulsed by fierce Ukrainian resistance".

"The bulk of Russian forces remain more than 25 kilometers from the center of the city. Despite the continued lack of progress, Kyiv remains Russia's primary military objective and they are likely to prioritize attempting to encircle the city over the coming weeks".

Ukrainian Media Says Poland Preparing For Possible Invasion By Russia - Poland is allegedly preparing for a possible invasion by Russia, according to local Ukrainian media who reportedly quoted Ukraine's Warsaw envoy, Andriy Deshchytsia.

Andriy Deshchytsia was quoted on Monday as saying, "Poland understands all the threats from the Russian Federation and is preparing for a possible attack by the state".

The statement was first reported by Priamyi kanal, Ukrainian television. The ambassador has not yet confirmed or denied statement was made, however and we could not find a direct quote from him anywhere.

A member of the Ukrainian Parliament Lesia Vasylenko made a statement on Twitter saying, "144 Session. Instead I’m speaking from a field along Ukraine-Poland border, unable to cross at usual crossing because apparently Belarus army is preparing to invade Ukraine from Volyn region new reality".

There have been reports over the last few days of troops from Belarus moving toward the Polish border ahead of a 'possible' attack on western Ukraine as well as satellite images from @Maxar showing that Russia has deployed more ground forces in Southern Belarus about 18 miles from the Ukrainian border along with tents and equipment in the city of Dublin, Belarus.

White House: Russia Exploring Options For Cyberattacks Against United States - Washington says that the Kremlin is 'exploring options' for carrying out cyberattacks against the United States, Joe Biden said on Monday urging to strengthen the cybersecurity of America's private sector.

The White House statement, according to Biden spoke of 'evolving intelligence' on potential cyberattacks by Russia as Biden reiterated previous warnings from Washington about potential cyberattacks coming from Russia.

"I have previously warned about the potential that Russia could conduct malicious cyber activity against the United States. It is part of Russia’s playbook", he stated.

"Today, my administration is reiterating those warnings based on evolving intelligence that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks".

Biden called on America's private sector to harden its security defenses 'immediately' and said that the federal government "cannot defend against this threat alone".

He also said that "vigilance and urgency today can prevent or mitigate attacks tomorrow".

Railway From Belarus To Ukraine Cut Due To Belarusian Sabotage - The head of the Ukrainian Railways Alexander Kamyshin has confirmed that there is no longer any railway connection between Ukraine and Belarus, "thanks to Belarusian railway workers" who decided to launch what they have called a "railway war" by sabotaging Russian equipment in various ways. Read Full Article

Russia: Russia-China Cooperation Is Only Going To Get Stronger - Cooperation between Russia and China is only going to get stronger in the current circumstances, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday.

"This cooperation will get stronger, because at a time when the West is blatantly undermining all the foundations on which the international system is based, of course we – as two great powers – need to think how to carry on in this world" Lavrov stated.

Death Toll From Overnight Attack On Kyiv Mall Rises To 6 - The death toll from the overnight attack on the mall in Kyiv, Ukraine has risen to six people. Rescuers are searching the rubble for more people.

The 10-story building located at the Retroville shopping mall in Northwest Kyiv was still smoking on Monday morning and the entire South side has been destroyed, along with the fitness center.

Ukraine Says Russia Stole Five Grain Carriers FRom Berdyansk Port - Oleksandr Starukh, governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast has reported that Russia has used tugboats to steal five grain carriers from the Berdyansk port.

Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent reported that on March 21st Russian tugboats stole 5 grain carriers that were carrying 'tens of thousands of tons of grain' and said that eyewitnesses stated that the ships were stolen by Russian tugboats.

Ammonia Leak At Chemical Plant In Sumy, Ukraine - There has been an ammonia leak reported at a chemical plant in Sumy, Ukraine according to the Sumy regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyy on Monday.

Zhyvytskyy did not say what caused the leak, but that a five kilometer (1.5 mile) radius around the plant was hazardous. "For the center of Sumy, there is no threat now, since the wind does not blow on the city" Zhyvytskyy stated.

On March 19th, Russian state news agencies claimed Ukraine was planning to blow up ammonia storage tanks at the same chemical plant, without providing any evidence as to why they believed this.

Reports by Ukraine however say that the chemical plant had been under Russian shelling, which caused a slight ammonia leak. There have been no reported injuries, and the Ukraine State Emergency Service says that there has been "no threat to the city population".

Retroville Shopping Mall In Kyiv, Ukraine Hit By Missile - One person was reported to have been killed and several residential and business areas were hit by the missile earlier in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Retroville shopping mall area is reported to have been the likely target.

Four US Troops Die In Plane Crash In Norway - Four U.S. Marines have died in a plane crash in Norway in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise that was reportedly not in any way related to the war in Ukraine according to Norway's Prime Minister. Read Full Article

Russia Uses Hypersonic Missiles In Ukraine For First Time - US officials have confirmed Russia's first use of hypersonic missiles in western Ivano-Frankivsk Ukraine last week, destroying an underground missile and ammunition depot.

The US tracked the precision "Kinzhal" hypersonic missile launches in real time.

The British Defense Intelligence Update On Ukraine 19 March 2022 - The British Defense Intelligence update on Ukraine 19 March 2022: "The Kremlin has so far failed to achieve its original objectives. It has been surprised by the scale and ferocity of Ukrainian Resistance".

"Russian has been forced to change its operational approach and is now pursuing a strategy of attrition".

"This is likely to involve the indiscriminate use of firepower resulting in increased civilian casualties, destruction of Ukrainian infrastructure, and intensify the humanitarian crisis. Putin has reinforced his control over Russian domestic media".

"The Kremlin is attempting to control the narrative, detract from operational problems and obscure high Russian casualty numbers from the Russian people".

National Guard refutes Russian state media reports that falsely claim Tennessee National Guard members killed in Ukraine - This afternoon the Russian media outlet “Pravda” falsely reported that three members of the Tennessee National Guard, which it labeled as “mercenaries” were killed while fighting in Ukraine.

This afternoon the Russian media outlet “Pravda” falsely reported that three members of the Tennessee National Guard, which it labeled as “mercenaries” were killed while fighting in Ukraine.

The reporting by “Pravda” is patently false. “The three soldiers identified in the article are either current or former members of the Tennessee National Guard,” according to the Office of the Tennessee Adjutant General. “They are accounted for, safe and not, as the article headline erroneously states, US mercenaries killed in Donetsk People’s Republic.”

It is believed that the individuals were targeted by Russian media due to articles that appeared on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service related to a 2018 deployment as part of the Multinational Training Group-Ukraine which included members of the Tennessee National Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment.

During the 2018 mission, more than 200 soldiers assisted the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the continued development of the Yavoriv Combat Training Center. This effort included the development of cadre, ranges and training areas; equipment and instrumentation requirements, and a realistic operational training environment.

All members of the Tennessee National Guard returned safely to their home state in 2019 after a successful mission.

American Killed In Bread Line By Russian Soldiers In Ukraine - An American named Jim Hill was among around nine other civilians who were reportedly standing in the bread line in Chernihiv, Ukraine when they were gunned down by Russian soldiers according to his sister. Read Full Article

Belarusian Politician and Journalist Says Explosions Heard On March 16th In Belarus - Both Belarus politician Pavel Latushka and Belarusian journalist Franak Viačorka posted this map saying that popping sounds (explosions) were heard in these Belarusian cities in the evening on March 16th.

Franak Viačorka stated, "Today, the residents of 8 Belarusian cities have heard the noises of explosions. Still, there is no information on what it was. At the same time, there are reports of the missile shelling of the Ukrainian city of Sarny, right across the border with the Brest region of Belarus".

Ukraine Says It Needs To Make Defensive Alliance With Nuclear Armed Country Such As UK - The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine stated on their Facebook page that Ukraine needs to make a defensive alliance with a nuclear armed country, such as the United Kingdom.

Secretary of the Republic of Ukraine O. Danilova speech posted on The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Facebook page (translated text): "Statement O. Lukashenko, who around his country allegedly hit with a rocket "Point-U" from the territory of Ukraine, is a complete nonsense. We are a civilized nation, we don't kill children and women, we protect our land.

According to the data at our disposal, the vast majority of Belarusian military refuse to go to war on the side of the racists. Belarusians see that today the spirit of our army, our society, is huge. In addition, they see how many corpses of Russians and wounded are brought from Ukraine.

The whole world already understands what is happening in Ukraine. Unfortunately, not all countries react appropriately. But we will win. Remember how some countries behaved before the Second World. It's not democratic values that matter to them, but money. At first, they closed their eyes to the occupation of Crimea, later - to the occupation of parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Without the use of the force of the enemy, it is impossible to overcome, and we are very grateful to the countries that help us. But there are those who threw us in a difficult minute. They will also be famous.

A bunch of international organizations created after the Second World War do not influence anything, but express concern. Almost a hundred children have been killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, who will be responsible for this?

Ukraine needs to establish a new defense union, in which there must be a nuclear weapon-owned country. This is the UK today.

We have been preparing for a possible war since November last year, negotiating with partners about the supply of weapons, putting into effect the law on national resistance. And this help was very useful, especially in the first days of the war.

Victory will be ours, because the truth is behind us. President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky will not take a step back, will not surrender national interests.

The actions of the Russian army in Ukraine are beyond common sense. They don't even care about their dead. To them, human life is worth nothing. Such a country, such a kermanichí".

British Intelligence Update About Ukraine March 16th, 2022 - British Defense Intelligence update on situation in Ukraine for March 16th, 2022: "Given the delays in achieving their objectives and failure to control Ukrainian airspace, Russia has probably expanded far more stand-off air launched weapons than originally planned.

As a result it is likely Russia is resorting to the use of older, less precise weapons which are less militarily effective and more likely to result in civilian casualties.

Latest UN reporting indicates that 1,900 civilian casualties, including 726 deaths, have already occurred in the conflict to date. The true casualty figure is likely to be significantly greater and will continue to rise as long as the conflict continues.

Explosions Reported In Belarus - We Believe May Be Sonic Booms From Aircraft - Explosions were reported in Baranavichy, Luninets, Stolin, Hantsavichy, Slutsk & Kletsk cities of Belarus.

Our intel team has examined the audio and concluded that it does not sound like artillery, but it does sound like sonic booms.

There has also been reports that "aviation is "active" at the moment" and people who reported the explosions indicated that they happened in the sky somewhere, not on the ground which may explain the sound of sonic booms.

Ukrainian President Says International Court Of Justice Ordered Russia To Stop The War Immediately - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that the International Court of Justice in the Hague has ordered Russia to stop the war on Ukraine immediately and says that the order is binding under international law.

Zelensky stated, "Ukraine gained a complete victory in its case against Russia at the International Court of Justice. The ICJ ordered to immediately stop the invasion. The order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further".

Ukraine And Russia Draw Up Plans To End War - Kyiv Rejects Russia's Proposal - Ukraine, Russia were reportedly drawing up plans to end the war, providing Ukraine agrees not to join NATO and promises not to host foreign military weapons or bases on its territory. Kyiv rejected Russia's offer after 10 reportedly killed in bread line by Russian military. Read Full Article

Fox News Drew Ire For Not Reporting On Death From Ukrainian Woman, But Here's Why - There are reports going around that @FoxNews reported the death of the American news crew that worked for them, but not the Ukrainian woman who worked for them that was killed, which has drawn ire from some. Fox did report this, but not initially because they wanted to wait to notify the woman's family first.

Fox News Cameraman Killed After Vehicle Hit With Incoming Fire Outside Of Kyiv, Ukraine - A Fox News cameraman, and long-time photojournalist was killed after his vehicle was hit with 'incoming fire' outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. The correspondent that he was with inside the vehicle that took fire was also injured.

NATO Carries Out Large Military Exercises Near Russian Border - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance has sent 35,000 troops, 50 ships, including a nuclear attack submarine and 200 aircraft to Norway, which borders Russia for military drills. Read Full Article

Drone Crosses Into Poland And Turns Back, Another In Romania - The Ukrainian Air Force has claimed that a Russian drone crossed into Poland, then turned back into Ukrainian airspace before being shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.

We have not been able to find a response from Poland to verify the claims of the Ukrainian Air Forces and at the time of writing this it is in the middle of the night in Poland.

The information was published on the Telegram account of the Air Force Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and allegedly happened on March 14th (The 19th day of the war according to Ukrainian news 24tv.ua).

The Ukrainian Air Force posted "Radar means of the Air Force recorded the fact of crossing the state border of Ukraine in the direction of Poland of the previously Russian unmanned aerial vehicle complex type 'Outpost'".

They also said, "As we can see, the occupiers continue to carry out their provocative actions without hesitation, flying into the airspace of NATO member states".

Ukrainian news 24tv.ua also alleged that an 'unknown' Russian drone equipped with cameras landed in Romania 100 kilometers south of the border with Ukraine and that it is being investigated by local police.

There are many reports, including Ukrainian national news agency Ukrinform which states that an Orlan-10 drone crashed in Romania.

Russia Legalizes Piracy From List Of Unfriendly Nations In Response To Sanctions - Russia is reportedly legalizing piracy by issuing a decree this week allowing businesses to steal patents from anyone in its list of 'unfriendly nations' and stating that unauthorized use of the patents will not be compensated. Read Full Article

Estonia Becomes First NATO Member To Officially Endorse No Fly Zone Over Ukraine - The Estonian Parliament has formally called for the implementation of a no-fly zone in Ukraine and a total trade embargo against Russia, becoming the first NATO member to officially endorse a no-fly zone in the war-torn country. Read Full Article

Military Drone Carrying Air Bomb Flies Across NATO Member States Into Croatia - A Soviet-era Tu-141 military drone carrying a bomb flew across three NATO member states before finally crashing down in Croatia, in an urban area according to the Croatian defense minister on Sunday. Read Full Article

US Says Russia Requested Military Aid From China Since Beginning Of Ukraine Invasion - According to the Financial Times, US officials stated that Russia has requested military aid from China since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in the form of military equipment and other assistance, but declined to give any further details. Read Full Article

Russian Airstrike Hits Training Base In Ukraine Near Polish Border, Killing 35 - A Russian airstrike that targeted a military training base in Western Ukraine near the Polish border has killed 35 people according to Ukrainian authorities on Sunday.

Russia reportedly fired over 30 cruise missiles at the military training facility, which is around 15 miles from the Polish border.

1 Journalist Killed And Two Injured In Irpin, Ukraine - One journalist was killed and two were injured in Irpin, Ukraine when Russian troops reportedly opened fire on their vehicle.

A New York Times video operator was shot and killed while reporting in a suburb of Kyiv, filming refugees.

Russia Bringing In 16,000 Middle Eastern Volunteers To Fight In Ukraine - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that there are 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East who are ready and willing to join Russian backed rebels fighting in Donbas, Eastern Ukraine.

Shoigu stated, "We know many of [these volunteers], they helped in the fight against ISIS during the last 10 years".

Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "If you see that there are these people who want of their own accord, not for money, to come to help the people living in Donbas, then we need to give them what they want and help them get to the conflict zone".

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv put out a statement saying, "We urge U.S. citizens to depart Ukraine now via ground transport if safe. Border crossings are open. Consider routes & risks; roads may be crowded, exposed to combat or have damaged infrastructure. Sheltering in place may be the best option for some".

"The security situation throughout Ukraine continues to be violent and unpredictable due to ongoing military attacks by Russia, with active fighting in country and uncertain safety conditions" it continued.

"The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens in Ukraine to depart now using privately available ground transportation options if it is safe to do so. Carefully consider routes and the risks of travel, because Ukraine’s roads may be crowded, exposed to combat operations, or have deteriorated infrastructure due to damage to bridges, roads, and facilities. Sheltering in place may remain the best option for some".

"U.S. citizens wishing to depart Ukraine by land have several options. We understand that border crossings into neighboring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova) remain open".

"For U.S. citizens traveling into Poland by land from Ukraine at the Korczowa-Krakovets or Medyka-Shehyni border crossings, the U.S. Embassy in Poland has opened a Welcome Center near these border crossing points to provide assistance to U.S. citizens entering Poland from Ukraine. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of assistance, please visit our Welcome Center in the second-floor conference room of the SPA Gloria Hotel, Sybiraków 31, 37-700 Przemyśl, Poland. The Welcome Center is open to assist U.S. citizens 24 hours a day. The Welcome Center can assist with onward travel and provide information on needed consular services".

"Local authorities in neighboring countries have been assisting at most border crossings with reception centers, where you can find food, temporary lodging, clothes, and transportation to onward destinations".

Russia Threatens To Target Foreign Supply Lines To Ukraine - Russia threatens to target foreign aid convoys to Ukraine after NATO Chief said targeting supply lines of allied nations would be 'a dangerous escalation of the war'. Read Full Article

Russia: Space Station Could Crash Into Sea If Sanctions Continue - Russia says that sanctions on the country could cause the International Space Station to crash into the ocean. The head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos called on Saturday for the sanctions against Russia to be lifted. Read Full Article

Ukraine Invasion Could Worsen Microchip Shortage, Taiwan Invasion Would Make It Worse - The Russian invasion of Ukraine could worsen microchip shortages due to the fact that Ukraine produces around 70% of the world's neon. Neon gas is used to run the lasers necessary for manufacturing semiconductors. There is also a looming threat of a Chinese invasion on Taiwan. If China were to invade Taiwan, it could worsen microchip Shortages even further. Read Full Article

Ukrainian Network Provider Triolan Having A Major Outage Attributed To Cyberattacks - The Ukrainian network provider Triolan is having a major outage that is being attributed by Triolan as a cyberattack according to the Internet Observatory NetBlocks. It had also been hit with a cyberattack on the morning of February 24th when the Russian invasion on Ukraine started.

Top US General In Europe Says Anti-Tank And Anti-Aircraft Weapons More Effective For Ukraine Than MiG-29s - After the United States rejected Poland's offer to put all of its MiG-29 fighter at the disposal of the US, a top US general has explained in more detail why the decision was made.

Top US general in Europe Tod Wolters said that anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons are more effective tools for Ukraine than MiG-29s would be and stated that Ukraine is 'making excellent use of these weapons now". He also said that more aircraft would only have a marginal benefit and potentially even escalate the war. "Therefore, we assess that the overall gain is low".

Russia has refrained from using most of its Air Force over Ukraine, presumably due to the fact that they know that Ukraine possesses anti-aircraft capabilities and have instead focused their efforts on ground forces and artillery. We have seen quite a lot of footage of Russian tanks being destroyed by Javelins and Stingers.

Anti-tank and anti-aircraft weaponry are seen as 'defensive' weapons, whereas MiG-29 fighter jets would be seen by Russia as more 'offensive'.

One point to be made however, regarding a possible Ukrainian perspective is that fighter jets would be able to eliminate long range-targets such as artillery and strike at targets before they are in firing range. Fighter jets would also be able to destroy multiple targets at one time and respond to fighting zones providing quicker response times.

MiG-29s however would allow Ukraine the ability to travel into Russian territory or over the border into Belarus and carry out offensive attacks on their equipment which is clearly the reason that Russia and Belarus would both see them as 'offensive weapons' and not merely defensive.

Over Two Million Ukrainian Refugees Have Left The country To Date - According to the United Nations, there are now more than 2.3 million Ukrainian war refugees who have left the country since the beginning of the Russian invasion. 161,700 have left the country in the last 24 hours according to the UN report. Read Full Article

Russia Says US Experimenting With COVID In Ukraine Bio-labs, US Says Labs Peaceful - The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that the United States has been carrying out experimentation on bat coronavirus samples in U.S. established and U.S. funded bio-labs in Ukraine and that it was first revealed during Russia's 'special operation' in Ukraine. According to Turkish news, China has 'demanded answers' from the United States regarding the '26 bio-labs in Ukraine'. Read Full Article

US Deploying Patriot Missile Batteries In Poland - The United States is deploying two Patriot missile batteries to Poland in order to bolster defenses, after having sent thousands of U.S. troops to the country.

Captain Christina Judd, who is a EUCOM spokeswoman stated, "This defensive deployment is being conducted proactively to counter any potential threat to U.S. and Allied forces and NATO territory"

Judd stated, "This is a prudent force protection measure that underpins our commitment to Article Five and will in no way support any offensive operations. Every step we take is intended to deter aggression and reassure our allies.".

Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on all NATO members.

Just one day before it was decided to send air batteries to Poland, the United States had rejected a proposal from Poland to send its MiG-29 fighter jets to the Ramstein Air Base to be put at the disposal of the U.S.

Power Outage In Vicinity Of Chernobyl And Slavutych But IAEA Says Water Cooling Without Electricity Supply Enough To Maintain Cooling - NetBlocks real-time network data shows evidence of a blackout in the vicinity of Chernobyl and Slavutych. The IAEA says however that nuclear experts say it does not present a threat due to the fact that the fuel is "so old that it's no longer hot enough to rely on active pool cooling".

The IAEA website stated "Due to time elapsed since the 1986 Chornobyl accident, the heat load of the spent fuel storage pool and the volume of cooling water contained in the pool is sufficient to maintain effective heat removal without the need for electrical supply".

It also stated "Furthermore, the site has back-up emergency diesel generators available should there be a total loss of power".

US Rejected Poland's Offer To Puts All Of Its MiG-29 Jets At US Disposal - The U.S. has rejected Poland's offer to put all of its MiG-29 fighter jets at the disposal of the United States, which according to a U.S. diplomat was a 'surprise move' after Ukraine requested aircraft from countries in Eastern Europe to aid in their fight against Russia. Read Full Article

Biden Announces Ban On Russian Oil And Other Energy Imports - U.S. President Biden has announced that the United States is banning oil, gas and energy imports from Russia, saying that it has strong bipartisan support in the congress.

Biden stated that the United States would not be apart of subsidizing Putin's war, and said that the decision was made in "close consultation with our allies and partners around the world, particularly in Europe".

The U.S. ban includes Russian oil, liquefied natural gas and coal according to Bloomberg.

Up to this point the United States was importing around 700,000 barrels per day of Russian crude and petroleum products, including fuel oil according to the Energy Information Administration.

Ukrainian President Says NATO Is Afraid Of Confrontation With Russia - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he agrees to seek compromises, including on NATO, but is not going to surrender. Regarding NATO he said he cooled down to the issue after realizing that NATO was not ready to accept Ukraine and said NATO is afraid of confrontation with Russia. Read Full Article

Russia Publishes An Official List Of Foreign States It Deems Has Committed 'Unfriendly Actions' Against It - Russia has published an official list of foreign states that it deems has committed 'unfriendly actions' against Russia.

The countries that Russia has officially deemed committed unfriendly actions toward it are: "unfriendly" include "Australia, Albania, Andorra, United Kingdom, including Jersey, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Micronesia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, San Marino, North Macedonia, Singapore, USA, Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Japan".

It was pointed out to us that one of the 'unfriendly states' that Russia has listed is the nation of Taiwan. Our intel community obtained a direct quote of the list of countries from the Russian state news agency TASS.

The direct quote from TASS says "The list includes the United States and Canada, the EU states, the UK (including Jersey, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar), Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, and also Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan (considered a territory of China, but ruled by its own administration since 1949)".

Furthermore, Russian legislation on Sunday stated that Russian citizens and companies have to apply for a special permit to deal with 'unfriendly' foreign entities, which seems to indicate that the permit would have to be applied for dealings with anyone on their 'unfriendly' list above.

The list of unfriendly states was published along with a number of new laws regarding the decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin for 'temporary economic measures to ensure the financial stability of the Russian Federation' including enforcing a law that allows for Russian citizens, companies and state bodies to pay back foreign creditors in Russian rubles.

The Jerusalem Post pointed out however, that they are not currently on the list of 'unfriendly' states toward Russia due to the fact that Israel has taken on a 'mediation role' during the conflict.

Red Cross Says The Evacuation Route Out Of Mariupol Was Mined - Dominik Stillhart, director of operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told BBC Radio that the evacuation route out of Mariupol was mined.

When Stillhart was asked what was wrong with the 'humanitarian corridors' he said that they have been talking to both sides 'for days' but issued have remained when trying to confirm the details of ceasefire agreement talks that would allow civilians to leave the cities currently being bombarded and surrounded by Russian troops.

He said that getting the two parties to agree on terms that is 'concrete, actionable and precise' has been a challenge and said that there have only been agreements 'in principal', that immediately fell apart because the agreements lacked precision in relation to routes and who are able to use them.

Stillhart said that some ICRC staff attempted to get out of Mariupol along a route that had been agreed upon on Sunday but then realized that 'the road indicated to them was actually mined'. We do not yet know which side mined the evacuation route, but we are currently looking into it. If we find any more information on this we will report on it.

"That is why it is so important that the two parties have a precise agreement for us then to be able to facilitate it on the ground" he said.

Russia Claims Ukrainian Military Plans To Blow Up Experimental Nuclear Reactor At Kharkov Institute - The Russian Defense Ministry claimed, without providing any evidence, that the Ukrainian military plans to blow up the 'experimental nuclear reactor' at the Kharkov institute and then blame the Russians for doing it.

The Russian Defense Ministry said "on March 6, foreign journalists arrived in Kharkov to register the consequences of the provocation, followed by accusing Russia of creating an environmental disaster".

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Azov battalion is planning to blow up a reactor at the National Research Center of the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology and then accuse the Russian Armed Forces of launching projectiles at the nuclear reactor.

The statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said "The Security Forces of Ukraine along with the militants of the Azov battalion are plotting a provocation with possible radioactive contamination of the area near the city of Kharkov. Nationalists mined a reactor at an experimental nuclear system located at the [National Research Center of] Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology. The Ukrainian military and the Azov battalion militants are planning to blow up the reactor and accuse the Russian Armed Forces of allegedly launching a missile strike on an experimental nuclear system".

"on March 6, foreign journalists arrived in Kharkov to register the consequences of the provocation, followed by accusing Russia of creating an environmental disaster" the defense ministry added.

Russian Troops Reportedly Target And Kill Civilians Attempting To Leave The City Of Irpin, Ukraine - Many sources have reported that Russian troops targeted and killed civilians that were attempting to leave the city of Irpin, Ukraine. Video footage also shows this. Four civilians are reported to have died from the attack.

Video footage shows families attempting to leave Irpin when they came under fire from Russian troops. The photos of the aftermath show the bodies of the civilians that were attempting to leave. One body laying on the curb has a suitcase sitting next to it.

Netflix Suspends All Services In Russia - Netflix has announced that it is suspending its services in Russia saying “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service”. Netflix currently has about 1 million subscribers in Russia. It is not yet known what will happen to the accounts of current subscribers, but Netflix will not be allowing any more sign ups or subscription extensions on existing accounts from Russia.

Netflix isn't the only one cutting services to Russia. Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, Visa, MasterCard and many other services have also announced that they will no longer be offering their services to Russia, citing the Kremlin's war on Ukraine as the reason.

International Atomic Energy Agency Can No Longer Get Reliable Information On Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that they can no longer get reliable information on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant due to the fact that the internet and telecommunications to the area have been disconnected.

NetBlocks put out a statement, along with a graph showing the internet connectivity to the network serving Vodafone in Energodar, southeast Ukraine where users reported disruption to mobile services as Russian forces moved in to occupy the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

NetBlocks earlier stated "Confirmed: Network data show a loss a connectivity to the network serving Vodafone in #Energodar, southeast #Ukraine, where users report disruption to mobile services as Russian forces move to occupy #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant".

Not long after that they posted a new update saying "Update: The International Atomic Energy Agency says it can no longer get "reliable information" about #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant following the disconnection of internet and telecommunications networks at the location, per reporter @ErinBurnett (h/t @Osinttechnical)".

British Defense Intelligence Update For March 6th 2022 - The British Defense Intelligence update for March 6th, 2022 says that the ceasefire agreement to enable the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol was violated within hours of the planned implementation and has failed for the second day in a row. Russian artillery strikes have also likely remained at high levels.

The British Intelligence Defense Update stated "For the second day in a row, a ceasefire agreement to enable the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol failed. The ceasefire was scheduled between 10:00 and 21:00 local time, but the agreement was violated within hours of its planned implementation.

Russian artillery strikes on the city have likely remained at the high levels seen in recent days. As with yesterday, Russia has accused Ukraine of breaking the ceasefire agreement.

This is probably an additional attempt to diminish responsibility for civilian casualties caused by continued Russian strikes on the city".

Putin Says Ukraine Might Lose Statehood 'If They Continue What They Are Doing' - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine might lose statehood 'if they continue what they are doing' according to a New York Times report.

"The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood" the NYT quoted Putin saying. "If that happens, they will have to be blamed for that".

It was during the same meeting that Putin called sanctions from the West "akin to a declaration of war".

U.S. lawmakers, such as Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Marco Rubio commented on Putin's words saying "Weaponizing migration & attacks on nuke plants are akin to a declaration of war too".

"The problem is NATO would quickly annihilate Russia’s conventional forces & Putin would then use chemical, biological & non-strategic nukes to freeze the conflict" he stated.

Blinken: U.S. Has Given "Green Light" To NATO Countries To Give Fighter Jets To Ukraine - A day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested fighter jets from NATO, the United States has given the 'green light' to NATO countries to provide fighter jets to Ukraine. Russia, however says that countries that use their airfields to supply Ukraine with fighter jets may be regarded as participating in the conflict.

Russia Fires Rockets At Institute With Nuclear Reactor Inside - Russian troops have reportedly fired rockets at a Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology that houses a nuclear reactor according to Ukraine's national security service.

The security service claimed that Russian forces were firing missiles from truck-mounted Grad launchers that do not have precise targeting systems which increases the risk that a missile could miss their intended targets and hit the nuclear reactor inside of the institute building.

The Kharkiv (Kharkov) Institute of Physics and Technology houses a nuclear research facility that is called Neutron Source in which 37 nuclear fuel cells are reported to be loaded.

Video footage was posted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs on Facebook that shows blasts from missiles launched by Grand launchers hitting a building that was claimed to be the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology.

There have been no reports as of yet of any damage to the nuclear fuel cells inside of the institute, but we will keep you posted if any new information comes out regarding this.

Many Major Companies And Countries Cutting The Cord With Russia - Many major companies, as well as entire countries continue to cut the cord with Russia. A growing number of companies have stopped shipping and selling products and services to the country citing Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine. Read more

Russia Says Ukraine Making Nuclear Dirty Bomb But Does Not Provide Any Evidence - Russian state media has announced that Ukraine is close to building a nuclear 'dirty bomb' but cited an unnamed source that did not provide any evidence to speak of to back up the claims.

Russian state news TASS quoted 'a representative of a competent body' in Russia saying that Ukraine is developing nuclear weapon capability at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Russia has been insisting that Ukraine is seeking to obtain nuclear weapons and says that it will continue the war on Ukraine Until The End. Ukrainian officials however claim that they have no plans to seek nuclear weapon technology.

Mariupol, Ukraine Says Evacuation Under Ceasefire To Start Noon Local Time - The city council of Mariupol, Ukraine says that an evacuation of around 400,000 people currently trapped in the city will start around noon local time on Sunday according to a temporary ceasefire that will reportedly last until 9:00 p.m.

Russia reportedly now has forces surrounding the city. There was a plan yesterday to carry out a similar evacuation but the ceasefire was not fully enacted due to both sides claiming that the other was not following the ceasefire terms.

Russia: Flow Of Gas From Russia To Germany And Europe Now Halted Indefinitely - The Yamal-Europe gas pipeline has halted all westbound gas supplies on Thursday. This means, according to Russian state news that the flow of gas from Russia to Germany has been 'suspended indefinitely'. This will likely mean that oil and gas prices will be jumping significantly higher in the coming days.

The pipeline between Poland and Germany totals around 15% of Russia's supply of gas to the countries to the west which includes Europe and Turkey. In December Russia began reversing the flow of gas however which has driven gas prices higher since.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that Russia would continue to supply gas to the West, sanctions placed on Russia from the United States and NATO allies due to Russia's war on Ukraine is in turn causing the Kremlin to retaliate by putting the squeeze on the West and shutting off its supply of gas to Europe.

MasterCard Suspends All Russian Operations - MasterCard has also announced that they are suspending all Russian operations after having operated within Russia for the last 25 years.

MasterCard put out a statement saying "For more than a week, the world has watched the shocking and devastating events resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our colleagues, our customers and our partners have been affected in ways that most of us could not imagine.

We have previously shared the steps we have taken in response to these events, with the well-being and safety of our employees being our first and foremost priority. And as we have navigated and complied with our regulatory commitments, we have been in constant dialogue with our customers, partners and governments.

We've received perspectives from our employees, in addition to people across the industry, consumers and our shareholders. We have also considered what would be most important to support the continued availability of services, if possible, to impacted people in the region.

It's with all of this in mind - and noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment - we have decided to suspend our network services in Russia".

Visa Suspends All Russian Operations - Visa has announced that they are suspending all Russian operations "effective immediately". Visa will be working with its clients and partners in Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days.

Visa says that once complete, all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation.

Visa's statement said "We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” said Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Visa Inc. “We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values".

Sky News Ambushed By Russian Troops While Covering War In Ukraine - A journalist for Sky News was wounded during an ambush by Russian soldiers while they were reporting on the war in Ukraine. The cameraman for the news crew took two bullets to the body armor he was wearing at the time.

Sky News Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay, along with his news team were near Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine on Monday when they were attacked by a saboteur Russian reconnaissance squad.

Ramsay wrote about the incident on Sky News saying "The first round cracked the windscreen. Camera operator Richie Mockler huddled into the front passenger footwell. Then we were under full attack. Bullets cascaded through the whole of the car, tracers, bullet flashes, windscreen glass, plastic seats, the steering wheel, and dashboard had disintegrated".

British Defense Intelligence Update For Russia-Ukraine March 5th 2022 - The British Defense Intelligence Update for March 5th, 2022 states: "Russia's proposed ceasefire in Mariupol was likely an attempt to deflect international condemnation while resetting its forces for renewed offensive activity.

"By accusing Ukraine of breaking the agreement, Russia is likely seeking to shift responsibility for current and future civilian casualties in the city".

U.S. State Department Reissues Advisory Urging Americans To Leave Russia 'immediately' - The U.S. State Department has reissued its advisory urging all Americans to leave Russia 'immediately'.

The advisory reads "Do not travel to Russia due to the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials, the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, limited flights into and out of Russia, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law. U.S. citizens should depart Russia immediately.

U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately. Limited commercial flight options are still available. Overland routes by car and bus are also still open. If you wish to depart Russia, you should make arrangements on your own as soon as possible. If you plan to stay in Russia, understand the U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may change suddenly. U.S. citizens who are able to depart Russia for another country and are in need of emergency assistance upon arrival may contact a U.S. embassy or consulate in that country.

U.S. citizens should note that some credit and debit cards may be declined as a result of sanctions imposed on Russian banks. Also, there are some reports of cash shortages within Russia. U.S. citizens should make an alternative plan for access to money and finances if remaining in Russia.

Due to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines. In addition, airspace around southern Russia is restricted, and a number of airports in the area have closed. U.S. citizens located in, or considering travel to, the districts of the Russian Federation immediately bordering Ukraine should be aware that the situation along the border is dangerous and unpredictable.

Given the ongoing armed conflict, U.S. citizens are strongly advised against traveling by land from Russia to Ukraine. In addition, there is the potential throughout Russia of harassment of foreigners, including through regulations targeted specifically against foreigners. Given the ongoing armed conflict and the potentially significant impact on international travel options, U.S. citizens should depart Russia immediately via the limited commercial options still available.

The U.S. government’s ability to provide routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens in Russia is severely limited, particularly in areas far from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow due to Russian government limitations on travel, the number of U.S. staff, and the ongoing suspension of operations, including consular services, at U.S. consulates.

On February 28, the Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of eligible family members and non-emergency personnel from U.S. Embassy Moscow.

Do Not Travel to: The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping, and risk of civil unrest. Crimea, due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory and abuses by its occupying authorities.

Country Summary: U.S. citizens, including former and current U.S. government and military personnel and private citizens engaged in business, who are visiting or residing in Russia have been interrogated without cause and threatened by Russian officials, and may become victims of harassment, mistreatment, and extortion. All U.S. government personnel should carefully consider their need to travel to Russia.

Russian security services have arrested U.S. citizens on spurious charges, denied them fair and transparent treatment, and have convicted them in secret trials and/or without presenting credible evidence. Russian officials may unreasonably delay U.S. consular assistance to detained U.S. citizens. Russian authorities arbitrarily enforce local laws against U.S. citizen religious workers and open questionable criminal investigations against U.S. citizens engaged in religious activity. Russian security services are increasing the arbitrary enforcement of local laws to target foreign and international organizations they consider “undesirable,” and U.S. citizens should avoid travel to Russia to perform work for or volunteer with non-governmental organizations. Russian authorities may not notify the U.S. Embassy of the detention of a U.S. citizen, and consular access to detainees may be denied or severely delayed.

Russia enforces special restrictions on dual U.S.-Russian nationals and may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals’ U.S. citizenship, including denying access to U.S. consular assistance and preventing their departure from Russia.

The rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are not guaranteed in Russia, and U.S. citizens should avoid all political or social protests.

Terrorist groups, transnational and local terrorist organizations, and individuals inspired by extremist ideology continue plotting possible attacks in Russia. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

North Caucasus (including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus) – Do Not Travel. Terrorist attacks and risk of civil unrest continue throughout the North Caucasus region, including in Chechnya, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Stavropol, Karachayevo-Cherkessiya, and Kabardino-Balkariya. Local gangs have kidnapped U.S. citizens and other foreigners for ransom. There have been credible reports of arrest, torture, and extrajudicial killing of LGBTI persons in Chechnya allegedly conducted by Chechen regional authorities.

Crimea – Do Not Travel. The international community, including the United States and Ukraine, does not recognize Russia’s purported annexation of Crimea. There is extensive Russian Federation military presence in Crimea. Russia staged its further invasion of Ukraine from occupied Crimea, and Russia is likely to take further military actions in Crimea as part of its occupation of this part of Ukraine. There are continuing abuses against foreigners and the local population by the occupation authorities in Crimea, particularly against those who are seen as challenging their authority on the peninsula.

The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens traveling in Crimea, as U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling to Crimea".

Major Disruptions In Ukraine's Telecoms Provider Ukrtelecom - There are now major disruptions in Ukraine's national telecoms operator Ukrtelecom. The provider reports combat damage impacting service to: Chernihiv, Sumy, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Volyn, Khmelnytsia, Lviv, Ternopil according to NetBlocks Internet Observatory monitoring service.

Putin Says Sanctions Are Like A Declaration Of War - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that sanctions put on Russia from the West are 'akin to a declaration of war' but also said 'thank God it has not come to that'.

Putin also said that any attempt to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine would be seen as the same thing as entering the conflict.

"These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that" Putin stated as he spoke to a group of flight attendants at an Aeroflot training center near Moscow.

Putin said that if there is any attempt by another power to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine, Russia would consider it to be a step into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine has requested that NATO impose a no-fly zone over the country but NATO has rejected the request saying that it would escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine's borders and into Europe.

Putin Says He Has No Plans To Introduce Martial Law In Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he has no plans to introduce martial law in Russia, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

RIA Novosti quoted Putin saying "martial law is introduced in case of external aggression, including in specific areas of combat operations, but we have no such situation, and I hope we will not".

In another news update, they quoted Putin as saying "There are no plans to impose a special state and state of emergency in Russia".

Mariupol Evacuation Postponed Due To Continued Russian Shelling - The Mariupol City Council has stated that the Mariupol evacuation has been postponed due to continued Russian shelling. DPR however, claims 'Ukrainian nationalists' refuse to allow the population of Mariupol to use the humanitarian corridor.

The translated message from the Mariupol City Council ('delivered' looks to be badly translated and probably should be 'postponed') is as follows:

"Urgently! EVACUATION OF PEACEFUL POPULATION IS (POSTPONED)! Due to the fact that the Russian side does not adhere to the regime of silence and continued shelling of both Mariupol itself and its environs, for security reasons, THE EVACUATION OF THE POPULATION IS (POSTPONED)!! We ask all Mariupol residents to disperse and follow the places of shelters.

More information about the evacuation will be posted soon. At the moment negotiations are underway with the Russian Federation to establish a regime of silence and ensure a safe humanitarian corridor. The police will also inform the residents of the city with the help of loudspeakers. Mariupol residents, hold on!

Ukrainian Military Radio Claims Russia Fired On An Empty Train Meant To Evacuate Civilians - Ukrainian Military Radio 'Army FM' @Armia_fm has claimed that the Russian military fired on an empty train that was meant to evacuate civilians from Irpen. We are still investigating these claims and will report on it when/if we find out whether these claims are true.

Over 200,000 People Planned For Evacuation From Mariupol - Over 200,000 people are planned for evacuation from Mariupol, Ukraine. We don't know how many have already left the city, but the original population was around 446,000 people, which suggests that a few hundred thousand may be staying, if they have not already left the city thus far.

RT America Ceasing Production And Closing Its Doors - U.S. Based Russian state news channel RT America is now closing its doors, 'ceasing production' at every location and laying off nearly all of its staff members due to 'unforeseen business interruption events'.

UN Says 1,200,000 Ukrainians Have Fled The Country Since War Started - The United Nations says that more than 1,200,000 refugees have fled Ukraine in total thus far since the war with Russia started.

PayPal Shuts Down Services In Russia Citing Aggression Against Ukraine - PayPal has reportedly officially stopped working in Russia after PayPal shut down its services in the country citing aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine Confirms Russia Is Opening A Humanitarian Corridor At Mariupol And Volnovakha Today - Ukrainian presidential advisor, Mykhaylo Podolyak has reportedly confirmed that Russia will open a humanitarian corridor at Mariupol and Volnovakha today.

British Defense Intelligence Update For March 5th, 2022 - British Defense Intelligence update for March 5th, 2022: The overall rate of Russian air and artillery strikes observed over the past 24 hours has been lower than previous days. Ukraine still holds key cities such as Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol. Reports of street fighting in Sumy. Russian forces probably advancing on port city of Mykolaiv.

"Full report as follows: "The overall rate of Russian air and artillery strikes observed over the past 24 hours has been lower than in previous days. Ukraine continues to hold the key cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol. There have been reports of street fighting in Sumy. It is highly likely that all four cities are encircled by Russian forces".

"Russian forces are probably advancing on southern port city of Mykolaiv. There is a realistic possibility that some forces will attempt to circumvent the city to prioritize progression towards Odesa".

Russia Claims Ministry Of Defense Will Declare Ceasefire At 10:00 Moscow Time To Allow Evacuation Of Civilians - Russian state news claims that the Russian Ministry of Defense will be declaring a ceasefire at 10:00 Moscow time, in Mariupol and Volnovakha in Donbas to open 'humanitarian corridors' in order to evacuate civilians.

Russian Foreign Minister Says Third World War Would Be Destructive And Involve Nuclear Weapons - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Wednesday that if there is a third world war, it will be destructive and involve nuclear weapons according to a report by Russian state news RIA Novosti. Read more

Russian Troops Fire On Each Other And Destroy Nine Of Their Own Tanks And Four Armored Vehicles - Russian troops reportedly fired on each other, destroying nine of their own tanks and four of their own armored vehicles according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other sources.

Ground forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted, "Just now in the Kiev region, near Severinovka, Russian occupation troops started a fight with… Russian occupation forces. As a result, 9 tanks and 4 BTR were destroyed thanks to ‘friendly fire,’ That saved us 13 Javelin accordingly".

Putin Bans Russians From Leaving The Country With More Than $10,000 Of Foreign Currency - Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly banned Russians from leaving the country with more than $10,000 of foreign currency in their possession.

The Kyiv Independent stated "Russian President Vladimir Putin has now signed a decree prohibiting Russians from leaving the country with more than USD 10,000 in foreign currency".

Senator Lindsey Graham's Indirect Call For Putin To Be Assassinated Under Ire From Lawmakers - U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham's indirect call for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be assassinated is now drawing ire from lawmakers on both political sides.

Graham had stated "The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country — and the world — a great service" among other statements alluding to calling on Russians to kill the Russian President.

Among the lawmakers who spoke out against the statement were Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic representative Ilhan Omar.

Omar tweeted "I really wish our members of Congress would cool it and regulate their remarks as the administration works to avoid WWIII. As the world pays attention to how the US and it's leaders are responding, Lindsey's remarks and remarks made by some House members aren't helpful".

Cruz stated "This is an exceptionally bad idea. Use massive economic sanctions; BOYCOTT Russian oil & gas; and provide military aid so the Ukrainians can defend themselves. But we should not be calling for the assassination of heads of state".

NATO Secretary General Says Russia Is Using Cluster Bombs In Ukraine - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that Russia is using cluster bombs in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels, "We have seen the use of cluster bombs and we have seen reports of use of other types of weapons which would be in violation of international law".

Russian Spy Posing As Spanish Journalist Detained In Poland - A Russian spy who was allegedly posing as a journalist was doing intelligence work in Przemysl, Poland near the Ukrainian border when he was apprehended. He now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Over 8,000 Anti-War Protesters Arrested In Russia - Over 8,100 anti-war protesters have been arrested by authorities in Russia as protests broke out across Russia regarding the war in Ukraine.

4,000 anti-war protesters were arrested in Moscow and 2,700 were arrested in Saint Petersburg. The other arrests came from the other 124 cities in Russia.

Marina Litvinovich, who is a human rights activist had called out for mass protests last week in a video on Facebook that said "We don't support this war". She also stated "We, the Russian people, are against the war Putin has unleashed. We don’t support this war, it is being waged not on our behalf. I know that right now many of you feel desperation, helplessness, shame over Vladimir Putin’s attack on the friendly nation of Ukraine. But I urge you not to despair".

Shortly after putting out the video on Facebook Litvinovich was arrested.

Massive NATO Airlift Effort Underway To 'Reinforce Europe' - A massive airlift effort by NATO is underway to 'reinforce Europe' according to NATO Allied Air Command. "Strategic and tactical air transport aircraft including C-17s, C-5s, A330 MRTTs and C-130s from multiple nations have been busy moving units from the NATO Response Force along with national contributions to locations across NATO's Eastern Flank".

NATO Air Command tweeted "Strategic and tactical air transport aircraft including C-17s🇬🇧, C-5s 🇺🇸, A330 🇫🇷 MRTTs and C-130s 🇵🇱 from multiple Allied nations have been busy moving units from the @NATO Response Force along with national contributions to locations across NATO's Eastern Flank".

The NATO Allied Air Command website stated: "In a combined effort, Allied air transport aircraft working alongside charter aircraft have been moving Allied troops from across the Euro-Atlantic area towards their new locations in Eastern Europe. This augments NATO's presence in the region enhancing the speed, responsiveness and flexibility of the Alliance's defence".

"Allied Air transport aircraft are key in enabling the rapid movement of troops and supplies, allowing NATO to position its forces effectively during the evolving crisis".

"Allied Air transport aircraft are key in enabling the rapid movement of troops and supplies, allowing NATO to position its forces effectively during the evolving crisis," said Lieutenant General Pascal Delerce, Deputy Commander, Allied Air Command. "These movements underscore the Alliance's cohesion and readiness to ensure the security of all member States".

"These moves contribute to around 22,000 Allied land forces which are now under NATO command and control. Many of these forces are already deployed along the eastern flank of the Alliance, including: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Having forces in these eight nations under Supreme Allied Commander Europe's command ensures a robust and integrated shielding of NATO's eastern borders".

Mariupol, Ukraine Under Siege, Cut Off From Electricity, Water And Faltering Telecoms - Mariupol, Ukraine is currently under siege. Citizens are reporting there is no electricity, no water and faltering telecoms. NetBlocks real time network data shows a collapse in internet activity.

Russian Parliament Drafting Law To Punish What They Call Fake Information With Up To 15 Years In Prison - The Russian Parliament has reportedly drafted a law that would punish what they call 'fake' information about the war in Ukraine with up to 15 years in prison and will be debating on it tomorrow.

The law would apply to anyone who knowingly "distort the purpose, role and tasks of Russian Armed Forces, during special military and other operations".

Kyiv Independent Publishes What They Claim Are Russian Losses - The Kyiv Independent has posted what they claim are Russian losses. Remember, we likely won't know the real number until the war is over.

The Kyiv Independent claims that Russia has lost the following: 9,166 troops, 33 planes, 37 helicopters, 251 tanks, 105 artillery pieces, 939 armored personnel carriers, 50 MLRS, 2 boats, 404 cars, 60 fuel tanks, 3 UAV and 18 anti-aircraft warfare.

Latest Report From Ukrainian Operators On ZNPP Nuclear Site To The IAEA - CBS reportedly obtained the latest status report from Ukrainian operators on Zaporizhzhia nuclear site to the IAEA: "at present, no changes in the radiation situation have been registered".

The report also states that the power units remain intact, auxiliary buildings are damaged but that it does not impact safety. State of the power units: Unit 1 is outage, Unit 2,3 have been disconnected from the grid and the cool down of the nuclear installations being carried out, Unit 4 is in operation at 690 MW power, Units 5,6 are being cooled down.

Russia Returns To Gold Standard - Russia is reportedly returning to the gold standard. The government will abolish the VAT (tax) on bullion when purchasing gold bars or other precious metals from a bank. The 20% current tax on top of its value will not apply.

According to Money Week China 'almost certainly' owns more gold than the United States and both Russia and China have been expecting that they must separate from the U.S. dollar and have been increasing their gold holdings so that they will be prepared for such a time.

Maxime Bernier said that China and Russia have both accumulated a lot of gold and are dumping their dollar assets. "By escalating the Ukraine conflict and imposing financial sanctions, we are pushing them to establish an alternative global monetary system, likely based on gold" he stated.

"When this happens the US$ will crash and our massively indebted economies will suffer. This is a big geopolitical blunder. And btw Canada has no gold reserve. We won’t have anything to support the CAN$. Almost nobody sees this coming". he added.

Maxime Bernier said that he supports the return to sound money and a gold standard, but not in an 'unprepared and destabilizing fashion as the one we are facing now'.

Russian State News RT Says US Senator Lindsey Graham Is Calling For Assassination On Putin - Russian state news RT says that US senator Lindsey Graham is calling for an assassination on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

RT stated that Lindsey Graham urged 'somebody in Russia to do the world a great service' and 'take this guy out' or they will spend the rest of their lives in isolation and darkness.

RT reportedly quoted Lindsey Graham as stating "Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?" and "Unless you want to live in darkness for the rest of your life, be isolated from the rest of the world in abject poverty, and live in darkness you need to step up to the plate".

RT said that Graham did not mention Putin by name, or specify exactly how he expects the Russian people to 'take him out' RT stated that 'his historical parallels leave little room for interpretation'.

Russian Stock Exchange Remains Closed For Fourth Day In a Row On Friday - The Russian stock exchange remains closed on Friday for the fourth day in a row as Russian authorities reportedly rolled out additional measures to limit the economic impact from the 'severe sanctions imposed by the West' according to The Moscow Times.

Advisory For U.S. Citizens In Ukraine From The Department Of State - The following is an advisory from the U.S. Department of State to U.S. citizens currently located within Ukraine. Read Advisory

"U.S. citizens in Ukraine should complete this Online Form so that the State Department can communicate with you. U.S. citizens seeking to depart Ukraine can also call 1-833-741-2777 (in the United States) or 1-606-260-4379 (from overseas) for immediate assistance.

We encourage U.S. citizens to enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact you in an emergency.

Read alerts and message on security and border crossing issues from the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine".

Secretary Of Energy Jennifer Granholm Says U.S. Department Of Energy Activated Its Nuclear Incident Response Team - The Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said that the U.S. Department of Energy activated its Nuclear Incident Response Team and is 'monitoring events in consultation with the DOD, NRC and White House but sees no elevated radiation readings near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility.

Granholm tweeted "@ENERGY has activated its Nuclear Incident Response Team and is monitoring events in consultation with @DeptofDefense, @NRCgov and the White House. We have seen no elevated radiation readings near the facility. 2/".

U.S. Energy Secretary Said The Reactors At Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Are Being Safely Shut Down - U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has stated that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station "are protected by robust containment structures and reactors are being safely shut down. We have seen no elevated radiation readings near the facility".

According To IAEA The Fire At The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Has Not Affected Essential Equipment (yet) - According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ukraine has reported that the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected 'essential' equipment.. yet...

The IAEA statement on Twitter says "#Ukraine tells IAEA that fire at site of #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected “essential” equipment, plant personnel taking mitigatory actions".

Readout of President Biden's Calls With President Zelenskyy of Ukraine And NNSA Administrator Huruby - White House readout of President Biden's calls with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and NNSA Administrator Hruby regarding the fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

"President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine this evening to receive an update on the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. President Biden joined President Zelenskyy in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders access to the site.

President Biden also spoke this evening with Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to receive an update on the situation at the plant. The President will continue to be briefed regularly.

Ukrainian Minister Of Foreign Affairs Says Russian Army Firing On All Sides Of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba put out a statement earlier saying that the Russian army was firing 'on all sides upon Zaporizhzhia' nuclear power plant and said if it blows up it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl was.

Kuleba stated "Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Fire has already broke out. If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone!".

The live stream of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has gone offline.

Fire Breaks Out In Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant In Ukraine - A fire has reportedly broken out at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine according to Dmytro Orlov who is the mayor of Energodar, a town close to the power plant. Video footage also shows problems at the nuclear power plant.

"A threat to world security!!! As a result of relentless shelling by the enemy of the buildings and blocks of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire!!!" Orlov stated on Facebook.

Firefighters have been unable to reach the fire according to Orlov, who posted "The Zaporizhzhia Power Plant is notifying of a threat at the first block of the power plant! The fire at the plant is continuing. The firefighters cannot reach the location of the fire".

Before the incident happened, Orlov had stated "Intense fighting is ongoing on approach routes to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Our National Guard fighters are defending. There are victims, but the exact number and condition so far cannot be determined under the circumstances".

Ukrainian Armed Forces Announces They Have Eliminated A Spetsnaz Commander - The Ukrainian Armed Forces have announced that they have killed Spetsnaz commander and deputy chief of the 41 Army in Novosibirsk Andrey Sukhovetskiy.

There are reports that the Russian online social media Vkontakte account of Sergei Chipilev from Kirov, where it was allegedly originally posted was hacked. Some pro Russian sources believe that this means the report is fake, but we don't believe even if it was hacked as has been stated that it necessarily means that the information was faked. We believe more information needs to be obtained on this before any solid conclusions are reached either way.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Said Russia Will Continue War On Ukraine Until The End - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that he believed some foreign leaders were preparing for war against Russia and that Russia will continue its war and military operations on Ukraine until the end, also mentioning bio-labs in Ukraine. Read more

Turkey Says Russia Will Comply With Request Not To Send Warships Into Black Sea - After Turkey asked Russia not to send their warships into the Black Sea 'in a friendly way', Turkey says that Russia has withdrawn their request to do so. Turkey has made it clear it will be restricting access to warships from both sides of the war.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told broadcaster Haber Turk "We, in a friendly way, told Russia not to send the vessels. And Russia told us that the vessels would not pass through the straits".

Cavusoglu made it clear however that it would be applying the treaty's rules for both sides of the conflict and restricting access to warships from Ukraine as well.

"Right now there are two parties to the war, Ukraine and Russia. Neither Russia nor others should be offended here. We will apply Montreux today, tomorrow, as long as it stands" he stated.

Four Russian Fighter Jets Violate Swedish Airspace - The Swedish armed forces have announced that four Russian jets have violated Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea. Two Russian SU-27 jets and two Russian SU-24 jets were involved in the violation. The Swedish defense minister has called the violation 'unacceptable'. Read more

Turkey Rejects Russian Warships From Entering Black Sea Through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits - Turkey has rejected Russian warships from entering the Black Sea through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, according to Turkish foreign minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on March 1st. Read more

Romanian Military Helicopter Searching For Missing Fighter Jet Crashed Close To Ukrainian Border Killing All Onboard - A Romanian military helicopter along with the MiG-21 fighter jet the helicopter was searching for has crashed close to the Ukrainian border killing 8 people in total. The reason for the crash is not yet known but harsh weather conditions were reported.

The MiG-21 fighter jet that the Romanian military helicopter had been looking for has also been found and 8 people in total reportedly died from the two crashes according to the Romanian Ministry of Defense: the 5 crew from the Air Force along with two divers from the Navy along with the pilot of the MiG-21 jet who reportedly did not have time to eject before crashing.

The Ministry of National Defense press release reported adverse weather conditions and that the MiG-21 LanceR aircraft 'lost its radio connection with the control tower and disappeared from radar. It also reported that it had been ordered to return to base due to adverse weather conditions.

Russia Holds Drills With Nuclear Submarines And Mobile Missile Launchers - Russia's Northern Fleet put out a statement saying that a number of its nuclear submarines were carrying out exercises in order to "train maneuvering in stormy conditions" with several warships that were protecting the Kola Peninsula also joining the exercises.

Russia Holds Drills With Nuclear Submarines And Mobile Missile Launchers - Russia's Northern Fleet put out a statement saying that a number of its nuclear submarines were carrying out exercises in order to "train maneuvering in stormy conditions" with several warships that were protecting the Kola Peninsula also joining the exercises.

In Irkutsk, eastern Siberia Strategic Missile Forces units placed Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers in the forests in order to practice secretly deploying them according to a Russian Defense Ministry statement.

The exercises were carried out after Putin had ordered the country's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert, but the statement did not indicate in any way whether or not the drills had anything to do with the order.

Several Russian Ships Leave Crimea And Head For Odesa - Several Russian vessels have left Crimea and are now heading to Odesa according to correspondent Lucas Tomlinson who stated "An amphibious assault on Ukraine’s third largest city could come as soon as Thursday: U.S. officials".

Several Russian Ships Leave Crimea And Head For Odesa - Several Russian vessels have left Crimea and are now heading to Odesa according to correspondent Lucas Tomlinson who stated "An amphibious assault on Ukraine’s third largest city could come as soon as Thursday: U.S. officials".

Over 1 Million Ukrainians Have Fled The Country Since Last Week - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) figures state that over one million Ukrainians have now fled the country of Ukraine since the large-scale invasion by Russia began last week.

The UN agency says it's too early to start resettling Ukrainian refugees and estimates that there could be up to 4 million Ukrainian refugees if current trends continue.

Minuteman III ICBM Test Launch By DOD Postponed - The Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby has made a statement to reporters saying that the Department of Defense has postponed the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launch in order 'to demonstrate we are a responsible nuclear power'.

US Closes Embassy In Belarus And Authorizes Voluntary departures For Russian Embassy - The US State Department has said that they have closed the U.S. Embassy in Belarus and have authorized the voluntary departure of nonessential staff at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow due to Russia's invasion on Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken put out a statement on February 28th saying "we took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine"

Russia: We Will Treat Any Hacking Of Our Satellites As Justification For War - The head of Russia's space agency has stated that Russia will be treating any hacking of its satellites as justification for war, after an alleged hack of their systems was claimed by a 'non-state' hacker group on Tuesday according to media reports.

Head of the Russian State Space Corporation "Roscosmos" Dmiry Rogozin denied media reports however that Russian satellite control centers had been hacked during Russia's campaign against Ukraine while at the same time warned against any attempt to hack their systems saying that it would be treated as justification for war.

Interfax quoted Rogozin saying "Off-lining the satellites of any country is actually a casus belli, a cause for war" after the hacker group Network Battalion 65 had claimed responsibility for hacking Russia's satellite systems.

The claim by Network Battalion 65 came out on March 1st, with a Twitter post saying "we won't stop until you stop" and a message saying "The Russian Space Agency sure does love their satellite imaging. Better yet, they sure do love their Vehicle Monitoring System. The WS02 was deleted, credentials were rotated and the server is shut down".

The message continues to read "Network Battalion isn't going to give you the IP, that would be too easy, now wouldn't it? Have a nice Monday fixing your spying tech. Glory to Ukraine. We won't stop until you stop dropping bombs, killing civilians and trying to invade" (we left out the colorful part at the end).

Another message by the hacking group says "Anonymous is not alone. NB65 has officially declared cyber war on Russia as well. You want to invade Ukraine? Good. Face resistance from the entire world" and then "All of us are watching. All of us are fighting".

Ukraine's Deputy Minister Of Interior: Russia Attempting To Storm Nuclear Power Plants In Southern Ukraine - Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Interior says that Russia is attempting to storm two nuclear power plants in Southern Ukraine. Olga Tokariuk, a freelance correspondent in Kyiv says that there are fears of a potential disaster, should they succeed in storming the nuclear plants. She also warns that this is not only a threat to Ukraine, but to all of Europe.

Reports All Over British News Agencies Putin Has Moved His Family To Siberian Underground City With Putin Suffering From Secret Illness - There are reports circulating around British news agencies that appear to be from one source, that Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved his family members to a Siberian 'underground city' designed to 'survive nuclear war', as well as claims that Putin is suffering from a secret illness.

Our intel team tracked the circulating reports down to one person, a political scientist and former professor in Moscow Valery Solovey, who claims that Putin has sent his family to a nuclear bunker in the Altai Mountains. The man has recently allegedly undergone an interrogation for 'claims he made about Putin' according to the British Daily Mail news agency.

Solovey is a former professor at the State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). He alleges that Putin suffers from medical problems hidden from the Russian public and has taken part in 'secret shamanic rituals' along with his defense minister Sergey Shoigu.

As the reports originate from one person, one must be careful about believing such claims wholeheartedly as there are not multiple sources to back up the man's claims that we can see thus far. We will continue monitoring the story and post any further findings if we come upon new information regarding the matter.

US Defense Official Rejects No Fly Zone In Ukraine - A US Defense official has rejected a no fly zone in Ukraine and said "There's no discussion about it here. There's no debating about it here. It's not something that we have to take to NATO".

The Defense official added "The president of the United States, the commander in chief, said we're not going to be fighting in Ukraine and certainly if you were to enact a no fly zone that puts you in the fight, it's just not gonna happen".

Ukrainian MOD: Russia Preparing Deliberate Provocation To Justify Introduction Of Belarus Troops - The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has put out a statement claiming that Russia is preparing a deliberate 'provocation' to justify the introduction of Belarusian troops. They also stated that according to available intelligence, there are now 300 Belarusian tanks near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

In another post by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense today, they said "The convoy has not yet crossed the border and is waiting on the route Pinsk - Ivanovo - Drahichyn (approximately 30 km from the State Border of Ukraine)" and then added "Russia is expected to carry out a deliberate provocation to justify the planned attack by Belarusian troops".

Mariupol, Ukraine City Of Nearly 500k Has Lost Power After Attacks From Advancing Russian Forces - Mariupol, Ukraine which is a city of nearly 500,000 people has lost power after attacks from advancing Russian forces. The Mayor of Mariupol says that the enemy is attacking 'from all fronts' and that it is being 'pounded' by Russian attacks.

The Mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boychenko put out a video message saying "the enemy is attacking us from all fronts. They are cynics who have left us with no power and no heating. But we know what to do - with first daylight we will fix the power, start the boilers and bake bread".

Correspondent Christopher Miller also says that the Southeastern Azov Sea city of Mariupol is nearly surrounded by Russian forces with 'practically no electricity supply and centralized heating in the city' according to Mayor Vadim Boychenko.

Looking at the weather in the city of Mariupol right now, the highs at the moment are 43 degrees Fahrenheit and the lows are 37 degrees Fahrenheit but temperatures in the lows will be getting below freezing in the city by Saturday according to weather.com. At that time it will be dire for residents in the city without a boiler to have centralized heating again.

Russian Foreign Minister Says Ukraine Still Has Soviet Nuclear Tech And Time For US Nuclear Weapons In Europe To Return Home - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that Ukraine still has 'Soviet nuclear tech' and that Russia cannot fail to respond to this danger despite there being no credible evidence that Ukraine has nuclear capability at all. He also said that it's 'time for US nuclear weapons in Europe to return home'.

Lavrov said that Moscow will take all possible measures to prevent the appearance of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, according to RIA Novosti. He also said that the fact that some European nations host nuclear weapons from the United States is unacceptable to Russia and that it's "time for U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe to be returned home", according to Russian state news agency TASS.

Lavrov said that the West must not build up military facilities in former Soviet Union countries, but that Russia is ready for joint work with the United States on obtaining strategic stability in the region.

Google Europe Blocks YouTube channels Connected To RT And Sputnik Across Europe - Google Europe has put out an official message saying that they are blocking YouTube channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe. The official message Google Europe put out was "Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, we’re blocking YouTube channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe, effective immediately. It’ll take time for our systems to fully ramp up. Our teams continue to monitor the situation around the clock to take swift action".

British Ministry Of Defense Intelligence Update March 01, 2022 - The British Ministry of Defense intelligence update for March 01, 2022 says that the Russian advance in Ukraine has made little progress in the last 24 hours. Russian artillery is hitting densely populated urban areas and Russia still does not have air superiority.

The intelligence update says "The Russian advance on Kyiv has made little progress over the past 24 hours, probably as the result of continuing logistical difficulties".

"Russian forces have increased their use of artillery north of Kyiv and in vicinities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv. The use of heavy artillery in densely populated urban areas greatly increases the risk of civilian casualties".

"Russia has failed to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine prompting a shift to night operations in an attempt to reduce their losses".

U.S. Officials Say It Has Intelligence That Putin Is Expressing Peculiar Bursts Of Anger At People In His Inner Circle - Current (as well as former) U.S. officials who have been briefed on the matter have reportedly told NBC News that Russian President Vladimir Putin is growing 'increasingly frustrated' and has had outbursts of anger at the people in his inner circle regarding the current progress of his military 'campaign' on Ukraine so far. Read more

Ukraine Says Putin Sent Wagnerians To Kill Zelensky - Ukrainian Pravda news site (based on Ukrainian translation) claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Wagnerians to Ukraine with a special mission to kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and 'prepare the ground for Russia's seizure of power. Read more

Exchange Rate For Russian Rouble At Record Low - The exchange rate for the Russian rouble is now at a record high, at around 117 to 125 rouble per every one US dollar. The Central Bank has also lifted the borrowing rate to 20%, from yesterday's 9.5% borrowing rate.

Britain To Send 40 Million Pounds More In Aid To Ukraine - The British Prime Minister has stated that the United Kingdom will be sending 40 million more pounds in aid to Ukraine for medical supplies and assistance to the country.

The notice from the UK Government says, "The UK has stepped up its support to the people of Ukraine again today with the announcement of 40 million [pounds] of further humanitarian aid to the country. The funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings and wound care packs.

"UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine".

British Defense Ministry Intelligence Updates - The British Defense Ministry has put out an intelligence update that says that Russia's ground forces remain 30km from North of Kyiv, slowed by Ukrainian forces, heavy fighting continues near Chernihiv and Kharkov but remain under Ukrainian control, logistical failures and Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance and Russia has been forced to admit casualties despite suppressing details since the start of the conflict.

The British intelligence update says "The bulk of Putin's ground forces remain more than 30km to the North of Kyiv, their advance having been slowed by Ukrainian forces defending Hostomel airfield, a key Russian objective for day one of the conflict".

"Heavy fighting continues around Chernihiv and Kharkiv (Kharkov), however both cities remain under Ukrainian control. Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance".

"Despite continued attempts to suppress details of the conflict from the Russian population, the Russian Armed Forces has for the first time been forced to acknowledge suffering casualties.

Russian Citizens Take To Streets In Protests, Arrests Made - Russian citizens are now taking to the streets in protest of the Kremlin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Over 1,500 people have been arrested so far in relation to the protests as of sundown on Sunday, which are considered illegal in Russia.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham Says He Believes Putin May Be Ready To Level A Ukrainian City With A Nuke To Break Their Will - Speaking to Fox News, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stated that he believes that Russia may be ready to level a Ukrainian city with a nuke and kill thousands of civilians to 'break their will and to break our will".

US Embassy: All US Nationals Should Leave Russia Immediately - The US embassy in Moscow has put out an announcement telling all US nationals to leave Russia 'immediately'.

The statement put out by the U.S. Embassy says "An increasing number of airlines are canceling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines. U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available".

This alert was put out after Russian President Vladimir Putin put its nuclear deterrence forces and arsenal at the ready, on a heightened alert status while referencing sanctions that have been put upon by both Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, as well as what Russia calls 'aggression' from NATO countries.

Andrei Illarionov, who is a senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy in Washington D.C. stated on News Max's "Wake Up America" that "This particular decision is not in response to the situation in Ukraine, not even what is going on in Ukraine right now, but as a response to American readiness to apply to sanctions. The situation now is unbelievably grave" and 'incomparable' to any nuclear threat the world has faced to date.

Illarionov said that the United States must respond in kind immediately. "If the United States will not respond with adequate reaction to this decision, it means not only Ukraine but the whole Europe and at some point the United States will be under nuclear threat, direct nuclear threat" he warned.

"That is why United States and NATO countries need to respond immediately, right now, to this nuclear blackmail of Putin" he stated, while saying that the Biden administration should also activate the U.S. nuclear deterrence arsenal.

"That should be exactly the same" he stated. "It should be putting all nuclear arsenal of the United States and NATO on the highest alert – at least equal response to what Putin has done".

Overall Alert Level Back To Three - After assessing the situation with Russia and their forces being set to a higher nuclear deterrence level, we have set our overall alert level back to three for the time being. We don't believe the current situation warrants a two quite yet.

Belarus To Join Russia's War On Ukraine Within Hours - Russia's war on Ukraine has failed to provide Russia a quick and decisive victory after four days of fighting, so Russia has reportedly pulled their ally Belarus in on the conflict according to Ukrainian news. Read more

Former U.S. Defense Intelligence Analyst Says Putin Is Escalating Conflict To Nuclear Domain To Topple Kyiv Quickly - A former U.S. defense intelligence analyst says that Putin is "is escalating the conflict into the nuclear domain in order to de-escalate – that is topple Kiev’s regime quickly" due to the fact that his forces aren't getting the job done. Russian President Vladimir Putin has now ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert in response to Western sanctions and rising tensions over Putin's invasion on Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Orders Russia's Nuclear Deterrent Forces On Alert In Response To Sanctions And Tensions - Russian President Vladimir Putin has now ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert in response to Western sanctions and rising tensions over Putin's invasion on Ukraine.

At a meeting with the Kremlin's top officials, Putin made statements that NATO had made 'aggressive statements' along with heavy financial sanctions against Russia, as well as on Vladimir Putin.

Putin has given the orders to the Russian Defense Minister and Chief of the Russian military's General Staff to put the nuclear deterrent forces in a "special regime of combat duty".

Much Needed Coming Into Ukraine From Belgium, Slovakia And Netherlands - Much needed Aid coming into Ukraine now from Belgium, Slovakia and the Netherlands. Belgium is giving 2,000 machine guns to Ukraine and 3,800 tons of fuel, Slovakia is giving 12,000 rounds of 12mm ammunition and 2.64 million gallons of diesel, Netherlands is giving 400 rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

French President Says Russia May Be Able To Deploy Nuclear Weapons In Belarus - French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Lukashenko, the President of Belarus to demand that Russian troops leave the country, claiming that Russia has been given the green light to deploy nuclear weapons in the country. Belarus borders Ukraine, giving Russia a strategic reason to deploy nuclear warheads in the country if they so choose to do so.

During a phone conversation, Macron denounced the 'gravity of a decision that would authorize Russia to deploy nuclear arms on Belarus soil' according to a statement by the Presidential palace.

Macron told Alexander Lukashenko that the fraternity between the people of Belarus and Ukraine should cause Belarus to "refuse to be a vassal and an accomplice to Russia in the war against Ukraine" according to the statement.

Russian Forces Fire At Radioactive Waste Disposal Site In Kyiv - Russian forces have reportedly fired at a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv, Ukraine according to The Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv paper stated "According to preliminary assessment of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, there is no threat to people outside the sanitary protection zone".

YouTube Blocks Russian State News RT From Receiving Advertising Revenue- YouTube has blocked Russian state news RT, as well as other Russian channels from receiving money from advertisements. This includes videos that run videos from these state run news and media channels.

Facebook made the same move after Russia began their invasion on Ukraine. YouTube cited 'extraordinary circumstances' and stated that it is 'pausing a number of channels' and their ability to monetize (or make money) with their affiliate programs.

YouTube is actually a Google owned product. Google also runs the Adsense affiliate program in addition to their YouTube allowing websites to generate revenue via ads placed on their website.

Dmytro Kuleba Responds To Apparent Russian Propaganda That Ukraine Plans To Launch Dirty Bomb Into Russia - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba has responded to apparent propaganda that Ukraine has plans to launch a 'dirty bomb' into Russian territory.

Kuleba stated "Russian propaganda has gone off the rails and speculates Ukraine might be preparing to drop a ‘dirty bomb’ on the Russian territory. This is a sick fake. Ukraine doesn’t have nuclear weapons, doesn’t conduct any work to create/acquire them. We are a responsible member of the NPT".

Our chief intel analyst Donald Standeford put out a tweet regarding the issue saying "If what Russia is allegedly saying about Ukraine seeking to launch a dirty bomb into Russia is in fact propaganda, one must wonder why Russia would be spreading such a rumor. There is a possibility it is to justify launching one of their own. This is merely speculation".

Zelensky Seems To Hint At Turkey Having Closed Straits, But Reports Say Turkey Hasn't Decided Yet - Ukrainian President Zelensky seemed to hint that Turkey had closed its straits leading to many reports that they have done done, but reports by Reuters say that Turkey has not yet decided to close the straits.

Zelensky's statement said "I thank my friend Mr. President of Turkey @RTErdogan and the people of Turkey for their strong support. The ban on the passage of Russian warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for Ukraine are extremely important today. The people of Ukraine will never forget that!"

A Turkish official however reportedly told Reuters on Saturday that Turkey has not yet made a decision to close the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits to Russian vessels.

Ukraine Ministry Of Interior Asks People In Ukraine To Turn Off Geolocation - Ukraine's Ministry of Interior has asked all people in the country to turn off the geolocation on their cell phones, as Russia is beginning to track gatherings of people. As locations may possibly be tracked even with geolocation (GPS and data) turned off, it's best to completely remove the battery on your cellphone if possible to ensure your location cannot be tracked.

UK Intelligence Update On Russia/Ukraine - Britain's Ministry of Defense has put out a new intelligence update on the Russia/Ukraine war. They say Russian forces have continued their advance on Kyiv with the bulk of their forces and are now 30km away from the city.

The British intelligence update also says Russia has yet to gain control of the airspace over Ukraine, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the Russian Air Force.

Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to put up 'staunch resistance' across the country, and Russian casualties are likely to be very heavy and greater than anticipated or acknowledged by the Kremlin.

Russian State News Says 12,000 Chechens Are Being Deployed To Ukraine - Russian state news RT has announced that Russia is deploying 12,000 Chechens to Ukraine. We had been hearing about Russia having plans to do that earlier today but it has now been posted out by Russian state news.

Ramzan Kadrov has pledged, to offer assistance to Russia's armed forces with 12,000 volunteers who RT shows being amassed on the cental square in the regional capital, Grozny.

Kadrov said "These are volunteers who are ready to leave for any special operation at any time in order to secure our state and our people" and said that no troops would be deployed until the 'Supreme Commander in Chief" Putin gave the go-ahead..

In the speech he gave to the servicemen, he said "Taking this opportunity, I want to give advice to the current President Zelensky so that he calls our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and apologizes for not doing so sooner. Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward. This will be the most correct and patriotic step for him".

NATO Will Be Deploying Thousands Of Commandos To Nations Near Ukraine - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that the alliance sending thousands of commanders to nations in Eastern Europe near Ukraine, and will be beefing up arms support and continuing to send weapons and air defenses to Ukraine and reinforcing defenses on allied territory (territory of NATO members in Eastern Europe). Read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Rejects US Offer To Evacuate Him From Kyiv - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the offer by the United States to evacuate him from Kyiv, Ukraine. He had told NATO leaders earlier in the day that he may be killed.

Putin Tells Finland And Sweden There Will Be 'Military Consequences" If They Join NATO - Russian President Vladimir Putin has told both Finland and Sweden that if they join NATO there will be 'military military-political repercussions'.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that "Finland and Sweden should not base their security on damaging the security of other countries and their accession to NATO can have detrimental consequences and face some military and political consequences"

After that message by Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Minister put out another message over Twitter saying "We regard the Finnish government's commitment to a military non-alignment policy as an important factor in ensuring security and stability in northern Europe,' the department wrote. 'Finland's accession to @NATO would have serious military and political repercussions".

Both Sweden and Finland share a border with Russia in the Arctic Circle. Putin has made it very clear that he does not want bordering countries to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization due to the fact that it could put NATO missiles at Russia's doorstep.

Biden Administration: Russia Plans To Threaten To Kill Families Of Ukrainian Soldiers Who Don't Surrender - The Biden administration has said that they believe that Russia plans to threaten to kill the families of Ukrainian soldiers if they don't surrender to Russia according to a top official. We don't know how the Biden administration got this information, or why Russia would allow it to be announced beforehand but we'll keep you posted.

Major Disruption In Ukraine's Backbone Internet Provider GigaTrans - There has been a major disruption in Ukraine's internet provider GigaTrans that feeds internet connectivity to many of Ukraine's networks amidst heavy fighting in Vasylkiv and Kyiv, Ukraine according to Netblocks Internet Observatory.

NATO Now Activates Part Of Its Response Force - The North Atlantic Treaty Agreement (NATO) has now activated parts of its multinational response force. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated "We are deploying elements of the NATO Response Force. On land, at sea, and in the air. We will do what it takes to protect and defend every Ally, and every inch of NATO territory".

Ukraine: Russian Warships Bombed Moldovan Chemical Tanker And Panamanian Cargo Ship - Ukraine stated that Russian warships have shelled a Moldovan chemical tanker and Panamanian cargo ship headed for the load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea Friday, just one day after Russia began invading Ukraine. Japanese Bulk carrier MV Namura Queen was also reportedly hit by a rocket at anchor off Yuzhne.

Ukraine's Infrastructure ministry stated that the vessel flying the Moldovan flag was called the Millennial Spirit and had been carrying 600 tons of diesel. According to Reuters, Moldova's naval agency reported that the crew of the Millennial Spirit were Russian and that two of them were seriously hurt.

"We just heard 10 minutes ago that all the crew were saved but two were seriously injured and are on the way to hospital" Pavalachi stated.

The Ukrainian ministry also reported that the cargo ship called Namura was also hit by Russian missiles on Friday. A Ukrainian shipping agent Stark Shipping that is based in Odessa stated "According to the information of the traffic control and the service of the Harbor Master at 12:55 at anchorage point No.358 a rocket hit the stern of the mv 'NAMURA QUEEN'".

"The ship flying the flag of Panama was heading to the Pivdennyi port (ex. Yuzhny) to load grain ... There was a fire on the ship, the P&O STAR tug moved to the rescue. The situation is under control".

First 36 Hours Of Fighting Ukraine Claims To Have Killed 2,800 Russian Troops And Destroyed Hundreds Of Russian Military Vehicles - In the first 36 hours of fighting between Russia and Ukraine, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has claimed to destroy 2,800 Russian troops, 80 Russian tanks, 10 aircraft, 7 helicopters and 516 armored combat vehicles while claiming that they have lost 137 of its citizens in the fighting.

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenskyy had put out an announcement that he will be arming 'anyone who wants to defend the country' saying "We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country,” Zelenskyy tweeted. “Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities".

Ukrainian reporter for Kyiv Independent Illia Ponomarenko said that up to 18,000 rifles have been handed out so far to civilians as of Friday, tweeting "18,000 rifles delivered to volunteering street fighters in Kyiv now #BattleofKyiv".

Ukraine Reportedly Retakes Kyiv Airport From Russian Special Forces - Ukraine forces claim they have reportedly re-taken Kyiv airport from the control of Russian special forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a full mobilization of troops.

Antonov Airport, which was being guarded by Russian airborne troops on Thursday would have been an invaluable asset to Russia, allowing them to ship more troops and military equipment to Kyiv.

Kyiv, Ukraine Bombarded By Russian Rockets - Kyiv, Ukraine has been bombarded by Russian rockets. Photos from Kyiv's local news show an entire skyrise apartment complex nearly demolished by rocket fire (join us on social media or telegram to see photos and videos). Some rockets fired by Russia at Kyiv were reportedly intercepted, but many hit their marks (or missed their intended targets).

Three people were reportedly injured in the rocket fire on Kyiv. The building was damaged so badly that there have been reports that it entire complex may fall in on itself at any time. According to the Pentagon Russia fired 160 missiles into Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Says 137 Ukrainian Soldiers And Civilians Killed, 316 Injured In Fighting With Russia So Far - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 137 Ukrainian military and civilians have been killed in the fighting with Russia thus far. 10 officers and 316 injuries have also been reported elsewhere.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Says 800 Russians Have Been Killed In The Fighting So Far - Ukrainian Defense Minister Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar put out a report claiming alleged Russian military losses (as of 03:00 24.02.2022): 7 planes, 6 helicopters, over 30 tanks, 130 BBM. The Ukrainian Defense Minister says that about 800 Russians have been killed in the fighting so far.

Regarding The Alleged Russian 'Misfire' On Turkish Ship - (Regarding Russian alleged 'misfire' on Turkey ship) NATO's Article 5 also states an armed attack, all resulting measures are reported to the security council and terminated when Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Article 5 Of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization - "The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.

Turkish Ship Near Odessa Allegedly Hit By Russian Missile - A Turkish ship off Odessa is reported to have been hit by a Russian missile (some reports say bomb) which was 'misfired'. There weren't any reported casualties, but the incident according to Samuel Ramani (@SamRamani2 on Twitter), could put pressure on Turkey to block Russian vessels from entering its straits.

The 'misfire' incident with Turkey is not a good situation. If a NATO member gets involved in the war, NATO and the United States will all be pulled into it as they are required as per the North Atlantic Treaty Organization article 5 agreement to defend other NATO members, which would likely lead to an all-out World War.

Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization states that an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all NATO members. Article 5 has only been invoked once in the history of the organization in response to the terrorist attacks in September 11th, 2001.

Decentralized International Hacker Group 'Anonymous' Declares Cyber War On Russia - The Decentralized international hacker group 'anonymous' has declared cyber war on Russia via Twitter, seemingly over Russia's war declaration on Ukraine.

The group tweeted on February 25th saying "The Anonymous collective is officially in cyber war against the Russian government. #Anonymous #Ukraine".

Entire Known Portion Of Russian Navy Moved To Syria While Other Forces Attacked Ukraine - It appears 'the whole Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea (that we know of) sailed to Syria this morning while the invasion of Ukraine was unfolding'. Information provided by well known Defense analyst H I Sutton, writer for Naval News. Read more

US To Deploy 7,000 More Troops To Europe - The United States is set to deploy 7,000 more troops to Europe, including an armored Brigade combat team with enablers. These will be deployed to Germany in order to reassure NATO allies and deter aggression from Russia. Stars and Stripes reporter Caitlin Doornbos says that they will be 'prepared to support a range of requirements in the region'.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Condemns Russia's Attack On Ukraine - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that allies condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine in the 'strongest possible terms'.

Stoltenberg said "NATO Allies condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s horrifying attack on Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified & unprovoked. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine. Russia's actions pose a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security.

Russia Attacks Ukraine By Air, Land And Sea - Russia attacked Ukraine by air, land and sea on Thursday, in what Reuters calls 'the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two'.

Russian Artillery Shell Reportedly Hits Uman City Center, Killing 1 And Wounding 5 Others - *Translation From Ukrainian* A Russian artillery shell has reportedly hit the Uman city center and killed one person, injuring five others according to the Head of the Cherkasy Regional State Administration Oleksandr Skichko.

An evacuation of the Uman district has been announced within a radius of 30 kilometers from Rossoshki. Residents of the city who do not own their own vehicles have been asked to arrive at the WOG gas station at the exit from the city near the Stryi-Uzvarino highway and wait there for the evacuation busses.

Those who use their own transport: go along the H-16 highway to the roundabout, and then turn at the turn towards Talnoye (near the bus station). Representatives of the RGA will coordinate there.

According to Ukrainian Pravda news, Skitchko left contact numbers on his facebook page for citizens to coordinate their actions.

Russia Says It's Closing Shipping In Azov Sea Between Ukraine And Russia - Russia has reportedly announced that they are closing down all of the shipping lanes in the Sea of Azov between Russia and Ukraine.

The LNR Is Claiming They Shot Down Two Ukrainian Sukoi Su-24s Near Stepove And Smile - According to Russian state news RIA Navosti, the LPR has stated that they shot down two Ukrainian Su-24s near Stepove and Smile, Ukraine.

Hundreds Of Casualties Being Reported Already - Ukraine's Interior Ministry says that there are already hundreds of casualties as a result of the Russian invasion (missile bombardment) on Ukraine. How many are dead, or injured is not yet known.

Leader Of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko Is Meeting With The Military - A Russian news outlet has reported that the leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko is meeting with the military.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry Says They Have Shot Down Five Russian Planes And A Helicopter - The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has put out a statement saying that they have shot down five Russian warplanes and a helicopter. Russia has claimed to have 'neutralized' Ukrainian air defenses. We do not know if this is propaganda or not yet but we are looking into it.

The message stated "Message from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine According to the Joint Forces Command, 5 planes and a helicopter of the aggressors were shot down in the area of the Armed Forces today. The combined forces give a worthy rebuff to the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Military units in their positions. The enemy suffers losses. Keep calm!

Russian State News Says Russian Backed LPR Separatists Now Carrying Out Mission To 'Liberate Temporarily Occupied Territory' - According to RIA Novosti (Russian state news) Russian backed LPR separatists are now carrying out their mission to 'liberate the temporarily occupied territory'.

Russian Troops Seen By CNN Through Livestream Entering Ukraine Through Belarus Border - CNN has just reported that they have spotted Russian troops through a livestream video atop a column of military vehicles entering into Ukraine from the Ukraine's border with Belarus.

Unconfirmed Reports All Over That Russia Has Also Begun Attacking Country Of Moldova - There have been many unconfirmed reports that the country of Moldova is under attack as well. We believe that these reports originated from the fact that people in Moldova are reporting explosions. We have found that it is likely they are hearing the explosions across the border of their neighbor, Ukraine as Ukraine gets bombarded with strikes from Russia. We do not believe that Moldova is currently under attack.

Ukraine Has Declared Martial Law According To Local Ukrainian News Reports - The Ukrainian government has now imposed martial law according to local Ukrainian news reports.

Russia Launches Full-Scale Attack On The Entire Country Of Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin is launching full-scale attacks on the entire country of Ukraine, not just the separatist locations.

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba stated "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.

"Journalist Yuri Butusov writes that military installations throughout the country have been attacked. First of all, strikes are made against air defense units, air bases, and control systems"

Message Broadcasted To All Channels: Pray For Ukraine - Pray for the people of Ukraine under those explosions. There are around 500,000 people in that city that those bombs are raining down on, and they are most certainly living in a great deal of fear for their lives right now.

Putin Declares War On Ukraine And Issues Warning To Anyone Who Attempts To Intervene - During the live broadcast by Russian President Vladimir Putin he both officially declared war on Ukraine, and added a warning to anyone who might get involved saying that they will have 'consequences that you never have had before in your history'.

Putin stated during the speech "A couple of words for those who would be tempted to intervene. Russia will respond immediately and you will have consequences that you never have had before in your history".

Russian President Vladimir Putin Officially Declares War On Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly officially declared war on Ukraine in a live speech that is currently being broadcast. We will report more on what was said in the live speech as the information comes in, he's still speaking and he sounds very resolute.

Mariupol Camera Down, Either Hacked Or Overloaded With Requests - The Mariupol live feed camera we were monitoring has been cut. Either it has been hacked or the live feed had too many requests from heavy site traffic due to the current situation. Pray hard for Ukraine and all of the people that are currently in danger!

Mariupol Ukraine Under Suspected Missile Attack - There is currently a suspected missile attack in Mariupol, Ukraine happening. Live feed cameras of the city show heavy explosions and smoke billowing from the city. Check our social media for photos and a link to the live feed. Location point on map "Hranitna St, 121, Mariupol', Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, 87500. Be careful with the camera live feed pages, they could be targeted as well.

Grad missiles have reportedly been fired at the city of Mariupol, Ukraine. The city is home to roughly 500,000 people. Smoke can be seen in camera live feed channels billowing from the city and what looks to be explosions and fires across the city.

Official Ukrainian Government Websites Have Been Hacked, DO NOT Click On Any Links On The Official Ukrainian Government Websites! - I should point out, the official Ukrainian government websites have a virus. Confirmed by our intel team. DO NOT click on the link at the bottom of the page if you try to visit. I repeat the official Ukrainian websites have been compromised, don't click on any links on it.

Russia Closes Airspace Along Northeastern Ukrainian Border For Civil Aviation - Russia has closed the airspace along the northeast Ukrainian border for civil aviation according to NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) NOTAM Website.

Social Media Users In Ukraine Have Put Out A Warning - Social media users in #Ukraine have put out a warning: “Everyone who has an active public anti-Russian position in Ukraine must take measures for personal security. Be extra careful. Pay attention at home, work, any place you visit often. Inspect your car, do not move alone.”

Pentagon: Additional Russian Military Forces Moving Into Donetsk And Luhansk Ukraine - The Pentagon reportedly says that they believe “additional Russian military forces” are rolling into the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Kirby stated "I hope, we all hope that we're wrong about this. But every indication we have is that he's poised to attack Ukraine again and this time with what could be significant military force".

Entire Night Shift Of Titan Chemical Plant In Armyansk, Russia Evacuated - According to Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, there are "Worrying reports from Crimea on the entire night shift of Titan chemicals plant in Armyansk evacuated from the facility. This might be a preparation for another staged provocation by Russia. Moscow seems to have no limits in attempts to falsify pretexts for further aggression".

Ukraine Has Declared A State Of Emergency - The Ukrainian Parliament has now declared a state of emergency. Decree green lights on the following measures: Document checks, ban on protests, evacuation of people from dangerous areas, ban on producing or spreading information that may 'destabilize the situation'. Other measures that may be implemented if necessary: curfew, special regime of entry and exit, ban on producing and spreading (misinformation?), special rules for spreading information online.

Latvian Prime Minister Says Russia Is Moving Some Forces And Tanks Into Eastern Ukraine - The Latvian Prime Minister says that Russia is moving some forces and tanks into Eastern Ukraine, which would confirm previously unconfirmed videos that we have seen of Russia moving tanks into Eastern Ukraine.

80% of Russia's forces are now poised around the Ukrainian border and in a forward position according to National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin. "80% of Russian forces "in forward position ready to go" w/some within 5km of Ukraine border. They are literally ready to go now if they get the order to go" per sr US defense official".

Seldin also quoted a senior US defense official saying "He is near 100% of all the forces we anticipated he would [move] in...He is dang near it".

Seldin also said that the US defense official stated Russia has over 10 landing ships in the Black Sea. "those ships exist for 1 reason-that's to put boots on the ground".

Seldin also stated that the official said "It is our assessment that he is fully prepared to conduct a large-scale invasion & that is a likely option" and also said "We'll continue to look for ways to provide lethal & non-lethal assistance".

The defense official also reportedly said "We'll continue to look for ways to provide lethal & non-lethal assistance".

Russian Tanks And Field Hospital In And Near Belgorod - We continue to see large convoys of tanks allegedly rolling into Belgorod, Russia, and a new field hospital at a garrison near Belgorod around 12 miles from the Ukrainian border which indicates that something is going on there. Putin said last week he planned on ending drills as planned on February 20th.

Also there have been numerous reports of blood being transported to locations near the Ukrainian border. Biden stated "You don't need blood unless you plan on starting a war."

Reports From DPR and LPR About An Alleged Explosion - There are many reports coming out from sources regarding an explosion that allegedly happened in Donetsk at a TV center. So far the root sources we've been able to track down all seem to be coming from the DPR and LPR which could be Russian propaganda. We will keep you informed as we get more information.

DPR reports are saying that it was allegedly an IED that exploded near the TV station and is accusing Ukrainian Special Forces of planning the IED in order to intimidate journalists from Donetsk.

An alert however by the DIU of the State Security Service says that the military intelligence of Ukraine has information about the mining of a number of social infrastructure facilities in Donetsk by Russian special services in order to further undermine them.

"These measures are aimed at destabilizing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of our state and creating grounds for accusing Ukraine of terrorist acts".

"The Defense Intelligence of the State Security Service of Ukraine urges Donetsk residents not to leave their homes and not to use public transport".

White House Officially Calls Russian 'Peacekeeping Mission' In Ukraine An Invasion - The White House has officially called the so called Russian 'peace keeping' mission in Ukraine to the separatist regions Donetsk and Luhansk an invasion.

On Tuesday the White House called Putin's actions an invasion, saying "We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” Jon Finer, a top national security adviser, told reporters. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is underway".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a televised address "We are committed to peace and diplomacy. We are on our land, we are not afraid of anyone or anything. we will not give anything to anyone, and we are sure of that.

Russia: Meeting With France's Foreign Affairs Minister And Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Canceled - Russian state news RIA Novosti has announced that the meeting between France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that was scheduled for February 25th has now been canceled in the midst of ever increasing tensions between Russia and the West.

Putin Address To The Nation To Russia February 21st 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin Address To The Nation February 21st, 2022 regarding recognizing the independence of Donbas (DPR) and Luhansk (LPR) separatist regions. Read more

Russian Security Council Meeting February 21 2022 - Transcript - The Russian President held a meeting of the Russian Federation Security Council at the Kremlin. Read more

Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin says he supports making LPR DPR Part Of Russia. - The following is a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin, who says he supports making the LPR and DPR part of the Russian Federation.

Putin: Are you suggesting to start negotiations? *Smiling*

Sergey: No… I.. Em…. Mmm. *Scared/confused*

Putin: *Interrupts* Or do you suggest recognizing the sovereignty?

Sergey: I supp.. *Something similar to support*

Putin: *interrupting* Speak directly.

Sergey: I’m gonna support the proposal about recognition…

Putin: *Interrupting* you’re GONNA support or you ARE supporting?

Sergey: I’m supporting the proposal to…

Putin: Then say so *That is, you are supporting or not gonna support*. *Smiling*

Sergey: *Uncertainly* Yes, yes, that’s what I say. I am supporting the proposal about LPR and DPR joining into the Russian Federation.

Putin: *Laughing* That’s not what we are talking about. We are talking about recognition of their sovereignty.

Sergey: *Uncertainly* Yes, I’m supporting the recognition of their sovereignty.

Withdrawal Of Russian Troops From Belarus Primarily Depends On NATO Pulling Back Its Forces Says Russia - The head of the Belarusian Army, Viktor Vulevich stated that the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus primarily depends on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pulling back its own forces from the region.

"The Russian Armed Forces' units will return to their permanent bases only when an objective need for that arises and when we decide" Viktor said.

"In no small measure this will also depend on our Western counterparts. The forces and equipment deployed in the eastern European region, including near Belarus ... are one of the factors that influence the development of the situation" he added.

Statement By Blinken On Moving Department Of State Personnel In Lviv To Poland - The U.S. Department of State has released a statement regarding the move of Department of State personnel to Poland for the night.

Today the Department of State is again taking action for the safety and security of U.S. citizens, including our personnel. For security reasons, Department of State personnel currently in Lviv will spend the night in Poland. Our personnel will regularly return to continue their diplomatic work in Ukraine and provide emergency consular services.

They will continue to support the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government, coordinating on diplomatic efforts. The United States' commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia's aggression is unwavering.

The fact that we are taking prudent precautions for the sake of the safety of U.S. government personnel and U.S. citizens, as we do regularly worldwide, in no way undermines our support for, or our commitment to, Ukraine. Our commitment to Ukraine transcends any one location.

We strongly reiterate our recommendation to U.S. citizens to depart Ukraine immediately. The security situation in Ukraine continues to be unpredictable throughout the country and may deteriorate with little notice.

There is a strong likelihood that any Russian military operations would severely restrict commercial air travel. Russian troops have continued to move closer to the border in what looks like plans for an invasion at any moment.

There have been reports of increased ceasefire violations in Kharkiv, Luhansk, and Donetsk in recent days. And Russia has ordered troops to deploy into the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine.

U.S. citizens who choose to remain in these areas despite our advice to depart Ukraine immediately should remain vigilant and alert to their surroundings.

In the event of an attack, U.S. citizens should seek shelter in a hardened structure and monitor major news outlets for guidance on when it is safe to move.

Tanks And Military Vehicles Spotted On The Outskirts Of Donetsk - Tanks and military vehicles were reportedly spotted on the outskirts of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine by a Reuters reporter, according to Reuters.

The reporter allegedly saw around five tanks on the edge of the city of Dontesk, and two more tanks in 'another part of the town'. They said they did not spot any insignia on the tanks but that they were spotted just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties declaring Donetsk and Luhansk independence.

Jamming in Ukraine Reported, And Defcon Level Website Seems To Be Under Attack - *Defcon Site No Longer Under Attack Due To Our Restrictive Firewall* Reports coming out that various services are being jammed in Ukraine's occupied "LDPR" territories. We're also seeing attempted attacks on our own web server, with thousands of new requests hitting it and increasing rapidly. We have never seen an increase like this before. If you have issues with anything loading on our website please message us on social media and let us know.

Ukraine's formal request for the meeting. - The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations put out a letter from Sergiy Kyslytsya requesting an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council and requested to be allowed to 'participate in the meeting and make a statement".

Excellency, "In light of the decision by the President of the Russian Federation to recognize the "independence” of the temporarily occupied parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as so-called "Donetsk and Luhansk peoples' republics” as well as ongoing aggravation of the security situation around Ukraine on the recent days that further violates Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity - the fundamental principles, enshrined in the Article 2 of the UN Charter and recalled in the UN General Assembly 68/262 "Territorial integrity of Ukraine" of 27 March 2014 - and endangers international peace and security and upon the instruction of my Government, I have the honor to request an urgent meeting of the Security Council in accordance with Articles 34 and 35 of the United Nations Charter under the agenda item "Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136)".

"I also have the honor to request that, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and Rule 37 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the Security Council, a representative of the Government of Ukraine be allowed to participate in the meeting and make a statement. Also, I kindly request to invite the Secretary-General, the Chief Monitor of the OSCE SMM to Ukraine and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the TCG at this urgent meeting of the Security Council to brief the Council on the matter".

Biden To Issue Executive Order Prohibiting New Investment Trade, And Financing By U.S. Persons To, From Or In DNR And LNR In response to the recent decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to recognize Donetsk (DNR) and Luhansk (LNR) as independent states, Biden will issue an executive order that prohibits new investment trade and financing by U.S. persons to, from or in DNR and LNR.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated: “President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine.”

The White House put out this announcement on Ukraine: "We have anticipated a move like this from Russia and are ready to respond immediately. President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine.

This E.O. will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine. The Departments of State and Treasury will have additional details shortly. We will also soon announce additional measures related to today's blatant violation of Russia's international commitments.

To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine.

We are continuing to closely consult with Allies and partners, including Ukraine, on next steps and on Russia's ongoing escalation along the border with Ukraine.

Biden Administration Orders Out All Remaining State Department Personnel From Ukraine The Biden Administration has ordered out all remaining State Department personnel out of Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy had been moved from Kyiv, Ukraine to the western Ukraine city of Lviv but now they are moving out of Ukraine completely and into Poland.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Orders Troops To Donetsk And Luhansk, Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to carry out 'peacekeeping functions' only hours after officially recognizing the two separatist regions as independent. The forces are reportedly to maintain peace in the separatist held regions.

According to AP, Putin stated, "I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: To immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic".

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Says Putin's Recognition Of Donetsk And Luhansk Independence Requires Swift Response U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated "Kremlin recognition of the so-called “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” as “independent” requires a swift and firm response, and we will take appropriate steps in coordination with partners".

Ukrainian Commander Tells Reporter They've Been Under Shelling All Day Today And Yesterday A Ukrainian commander that is currently operating on the front lines in Donbas sent Buzzfeednews correspondent Christopher Miller a text message saying "We’ve been under shelling all day and yesterday. We watched Putin’s speech and now we are waiting... No new orders from military leadership except be covered with armor and watch for drones".

White House Responds To Putin's 'Live' Address The White House has responded to Putin's 'Live' address recognizing two Russian backed separatist locations in Eastern Ukraine as independent states. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also ordered a 'peacekeeping operation' in eastern Ukraine's two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk.

A Kremlin statement put out regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's address said "Today, the leadership of the DPR and LPR received appeals to recognize their sovereignty in connection with the military aggression of the Ukrainian authorities, massive shelling of the territory of Donbas, as a result of which the civilian population suffers".

"With all this in mind, the President of Russia said that he intended to sign a corresponding decree in the near future” and said that the "President of France and the Federal Chancellor of Germany expressed their disappointment with this development."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated "We have anticipated a move like this from Russia and are ready to respond immediately. President Biden will soon issue an Executive Order that will prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine. This E.O. will also provide authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine. The Departments of State and Treasury will have additional details shortly. We will also soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments.

To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should Russia further invade Ukraine.

We are continuing to closely consult with Allies and partners, including Ukraine, on next steps and on Russia’s ongoing escalation along the border with Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Now Urging Lawmakers To Sign Treaties With Ukraine's Rebel Regions To Enable Moscow Military Support Russian President Vladimir Putin is now urging lawmakers to sign treaties with Ukraine's rebel regions so that Moscow can begin to supply military support to those regions. Fox News reporterJennifer Griffin says that the "Pentagon is expecting Putin to move into Ukraine tonight, on to those just recognized independent areas".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discusses Events Unfolding With POTUS Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "Discussed the events of the last hours with @POTUS. We begin the meeting of the National Security and Defense Council. A conversation with @BorisJohnson is also planned".

Putin Says Ukraine Is Capable Of Creating Nuclear Weapons Using Heritage From Soviet Era - Putin says Ukraine is capable of creating nuclear weapons using heritage from Soviet era and Western technological support. This could be used as a pretext (or excuse) to move in on Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Signs The Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic As Sovereign States - Russian President Vladimir Putin has now officially singed the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic as sovereign states. The papers are now officially signed, and the Russian stock market futures are now crashing. As of 26 minutes ago at the time of writing this, the futures had plummeted 21% as Putin was speaking on Ukraine during the live address.

White House: Russia Planning Extremely Violent Operation To Crush Ukraine - White House National Security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Russia is planning an 'extremely violent' invasion of Ukraine and that Russia seeks to 'crush' the Ukrainian people.

During an appearance on NBC's 'Today' Sullivan stated "We believe that any military operation of the size, scope and magnitude of what we believe the Russians are planning will be extremely violent. It will cost the lives of Ukrainians and Russians, civilians and military personnel alike".

"But we also have intelligence to suggest that there will be an even greater form of brutality because this will not simply be some conventional war between two armies" he added. ""It will be a war waged by Russia on the Ukrainian people to repress them, to crush them, to harm them".

Sullivan also said "We're prepared to respond decisively if Russia moves on Ukraine and we're prepared for diplomacy to settle this peacefully, including at the highest level".

"So [French President Emmanuel Macron] asked President Biden yesterday if he was prepared in principle to meet with President Putin if Russia did not invade, of course President Biden said yes. But every indication we see on the ground right now in terms of the disposition of Russian forces is that they are in fact getting prepared for a major attack on Ukraine".

What Recognizing Donetsk And Luhansk Means - The recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to do, if he so chooses, is roll his troops, tanks and artillery through the Ukrainian border and into those two regions. This would put Russian troops and tanks within Ukraine while under the pretext that it is Russian territory since it will now be 'officially' recognized as Russian territory the moment he signs the decree.

Putin Says He Will Sign Decree Recognizing Independence Of Donetsk And Luhansk - Putin has reportedly told Macron and Scholz that he will be signing the decree recognizing the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk 'People Republics'. He will reportedly be speaking about it in the live address about to take place. It was supposed to be taking place now, but he is not always on time.

Russian state news RT reported "In a statement released on Monday, the Kremlin revealed that Putin had notified French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that he intends to sign a decree recognizing the two separatist Donbass regions 'in the near future'".

Car Explosion From Suspected Car Bomb In Lugansk - There has allegedly been a car bomb explosion in the city of Lugansk in front of the JCC center that contains Russians who monitor the 'ceasefire'. There are many reports of an explosion that rocked Lugansk city center, and videos out purportedly showing the explosion released by Russian state news, RIA Novosti.

Putin Set To Make Televised Live Address On February 21st - Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to make a televised address to the Russian people on February 21st according to Russian state news agency TASS.

The address is set to begin at 9 PM local time according to RT. At the time of posting this it is now 8:40PM. The message on the TASS website reads: "Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday will make a televised address to the citizens of the country".

Putin Asking Top Officials If Russia Should Recognize Russian Controlled Separatist Regions In Eastern Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly 'going around the room asking his top officials if Russia should recognize the Russian-controlled separatist regions in Eastern Ukraine according to Moscow reporter Patrick Reevell. Watching the live now, they are debating on it (news stream is live, they are showing footage from earlier debating on the issue).

Russian news RT reporter is claiming that there is a very large escalation and claim that Ukraine has over 100,000 troops built up on the Ukrainian side of the border. Putin is reportedly set to make a final decision regarding recognizing separatist regions today. Putin said that Russia has done all it could to resolve things peacefully, but that the situation continues to escalate and that the authorities in Kyiv 'have no intention of recognizing the Minks accord'.

Russian State News RIA Novosti reported that the Grand Security Council discussed the recognition of Donbass: (They claim 70% of the Russian people allegedly support recognizing the separatist regions):

• Lavrov - recognize

• Bortnikov - recognize

• Shoigu - recognize

• Medvedev - if there is no improvement, recognize

• Volodin - recognize

• Matvienko - recognize

• Patrushev - give Biden 2-3 days, if it doesn't help - admit

• Mishustin - if there is no improvement, recognize

• Naryshkin - recognize

• Bells - recognize

• Shchegolev - recognize

• Zolotov - recognize

U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki Says Biden Accepted Meeting With Putin - U.S. Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated "President Biden accepted in principle a meeting w/ President Putin following that engagement, again, if an invasion hasn’t happened. We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war".

“And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon,” Psaki added.

LPR Claims Ukraine Forces Killed Two Civilians - The LPR and Russian state media are claiming that Ukraine allegedly shelled a position along the Line Of Control and killed two civilians.

RIA Novosti claimed "Two people were killed as a result of shelling of the LPR by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sunday evening, according to the representative office of the LPR in the JCCC".