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Slavyangrad.org — Nuestra Ira No Tiene Limites — There is No Limit to Our Anger — (c) V. M. Molotov
‼️🇺🇸🇮🇷 The USA turned out to be unprepared for modern warfare, despite a trillion-dollar military budget, — NYT
▪️The United States spends about 1 trillion dollars a year on its army, which is more than 100 times the amount Iran spends.
▪️Iran maintains pressure and holds strong positions, including through missiles and drones.
▪️The US's problem is its reliance on expensive systems and its weak ability to quickly produce weapons, whereas modern warfare requires mass and cheap solutions.
▪️The USA needs reforms, including the development of drones and the modernisation of the defense industry.
@Slavyangrad | Grigori 🇷🇺
"Trump's call to reduce the number of American troops in Germany shocks Pentagon": The German authorities believe that Trump's policy of threats no longer works.
"A senior German official stated that Donald Trump's 'policy of harsh threats' has exhausted itself. This happened after the US President threatened to withdraw American troops from Germany, as well as from Spain and Italy. According to the interlocutor, Trump's rhetoric 'has become thin', and the withdrawal of troops will primarily weaken the USA itself.
Although Trump's previous threats were not implemented, his current statement took the Pentagon by surprise, which did not plan a serious reduction of troops in Europe. Between 35 and 40 thousand American military personnel are stationed in Germany, and their sudden withdrawal would be logistically complex and costly. "We wonder when adults will be back in charge in Washington," concluded the German official."
@Slavyangrad
🏳️🇷🇺Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the President's special representative, Kirill Dmitriev, is a very intelligent person, and called him "literate" in Russian. This was a response to the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund's statement that Vučić is one of the few who understand the scale of the energy crisis in Europe.
"Kirill Dmitriev is very intelligent. Russians have an expression for a 'literate' person, and it's not accidental - he's Putin's special representative," Vučić said on TV Pink. Earlier, Dmitriev was one of the first to predict the likelihood of an energy crisis across Europe, forecasting oil prices above $150.
The White House is actively negotiating with the US Congress about authorizing a war with Iran, according to ABC News.
▪️The Trump administration is discussing with lawmakers a possible request for official approval of military action, a White House representative said.
▪️By law, the deadline for conducting an operation without Congressional approval expires on Friday.
@Slavyangrad
NEW ANTI-DRONE DOCTRINE: THE "BLINDING" METHOD! 🛡️
A literal GAME CHANGER for frontline survival! By blinding the drone's sensors with spray paint, our soldiers turn a lethal threat into a flying paperweight. Simple, cheap, and incredibly effective.
• Dr SMO on X
@Slavyangrad
A major fire broke out earlier this week on the USS Higgins, a guided-missile destroyer and a mainstay of the Navy's forward presence in Asia, according to U.S. officials.
The fire knocked out electricity and propulsion on the destroyer, one of the officials told CBS News, speaking under condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.
Overusing fleet or crews are sabotaging ships due to long deployments IMHO.
@Slavyangrad
"Ukraine's Hopes for a Quick EU Accession Are Fading" – Politico.
"Despite political support for Ukraine's EU bid, the accession process remains protracted—no other country has joined the bloc since Croatia joined in 2013. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos warned that Zelensky's hopes of joining the EU in 2027 are 'unrealistic.' Moreover, the accession negotiations themselves will only conclude by the end of 2027 if Ukraine continues to implement reforms at the current pace. Even so, any EU accession agreement will require unanimous political support from all 27 EU countries and will force the bloc to confront unresolved disagreements over the terms of Ukraine's membership."
@Slavyangrad
🇩🇪'"Germany continues to decline in the press freedom ranking": Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia lead the ranking.
'"Germany has again worsened its position in the global press freedom ranking. The country has dropped to 14th place — three places lower than the previous year, reported the human rights organization "Reporters Without Borders". Overall, the situation is still assessed as "satisfactory", however, according to the report, journalists are increasingly facing threats — both online and on the street.
The organization cites, first and foremost, the deterioration of the professional climate as the reason. In general, many journalists report a wave of hatred, defamation, and a decline in trust in the media.
Norway once again topped the ranking, taking first place for the tenth time in a row. It is followed, in particular, by the Netherlands and Estonia. At the bottom of the list, as in previous years, are Eritrea, North Korea, and China."
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇦🇪🇺 The EU has rejected Ukraine's accelerated accession and is now discussing interim formats, — Politico
- EU countries are preparing a package of short-term benefits for Ukraine to bring it closer to the bloc after European capitals rejected plans for Kiev's accelerated accession to the EU as a full member.
@Slavyangrad
A hohotel burned out in Odessa.
Some locals believe it was the Joker, but my money is on the Riddler.
@Slavyangrad
If Trump is right, the Iranian oil industry should be imploding by now. On April 26, he predicted the country’s wells would “explode” in a “very powerful” destructive process starting in three days. That’s today.
Trump has gambled that the US naval blockade, which began more than 2w ago, would stop Tehran’s tankers from reaching the high seas, depriving the regime of at least $175M a day in oil export revenue. Unable to ship its crude, Iran would soon run out of storage, forcing it to close the taps. Crucially, the president is convinced that shutting the wells would damage them irreparably. “When it explodes, you can never, regardless, you can never rebuild it the way it was,”
Before the war started, Iran was pumping about 3 mbd of crude, plus another 750,000 bbl of condensate. With local demand running close to 1.9mb that leaves Iran with a daily surplus of about 1.85 bpd.
Great chart that makes it clear, Iran can quite easily survive no oil exports.
@Slavyangrad
AI simulates the daring assault on Camp Buehring in Kuwait by an Iranian F-5 Tiger.
@Slavyangrad
Hegseth: "Their nuclear facilities have been obliterated."
Smith: So why did we need the war if the threat is gone?
Hegseth: They had not given up their ambitions.
Smith: So Operation Midnight Hammer accomplished nothing?
Hegseth: "You're missing the point."
Blind impotent rage. There is only so much one can achieve with air power. Without a doubt the US has an impressive air force but honestly what the US wants to achieve is only possible with boots on the ground and a gruelling war.
@Slavyangrad
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The UAE's exit from OPEC is a victory for Trump, who accused the organization of "exploiting the rest of the world" by raising oil prices, Reuters reports.
Earlier, the UAE criticized other Arab states for not doing enough to protect the country from numerous Iranian attacks during the war.
The UAE's energy minister stated that the decision was made "after a thorough analysis of current and future policies regarding production levels" and without consulting other countries. However, he added that this step would not have a significant impact on the market due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The agency writes that this step could lead to chaos and weaken OPEC, which has usually sought to present a united front, despite internal disagreements. It also deals a serious blow to the de facto leader of OPEC - Saudi Arabia.
@Slavyangrad
🇧🇪🧠"Belgium suspends the dismantling of all nuclear reactors and considers state control over nuclear power plants": Belgians have changed their minds about abandoning nuclear energy.
"Belgium has decided to suspend the dismantling of all nuclear reactors in the country. The Belgian government and the current operator Engie have agreed to halt decommissioning work and begin negotiations on the possible transfer of nuclear power plants to state management.
Earlier, the Belgian parliament last year cancelled the plan to completely abandon nuclear energy. The statement emphasizes that the suspension of dismantling is necessary to "guarantee the state all possible options for action".
@Slavyangrad
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🇸🇰Slovak Prime Minister Fico - on the fact that oil prices depend on the mood in which Trump wakes up:
Who stopped the Americans in Iraq? Who stopped the Russians in Ukraine? Who stopped the Americans in Iran? Who stopped the Americans, for example, in Venezuela? And, I'm afraid, other countries that are in the sphere of US interests may be next - I'm talking primarily about Cuba today.
The story around Denmark and Greenland is still not over, where the United States, it seems, will continue to assert its interests.
These are challenging times: oil prices actually depend on President Trump's mood. If he wakes up in a good mood - oil prices drop. If he's in a bad mood and makes a sharp statement - prices automatically go up.
@Slavyangrad
The US General Staff accused Russia of aiding Iran.
General Dan Kaine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke about Moscow's aid to Tehran during a Senate hearing.
He declined to elaborate, given the public nature of the meeting.
"There's certainly some action there," Kaine said.
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, a Republican and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, went even further.
"There's no question that Vladimir Putin's Russia is taking significant actions to undermine our efforts to succeed in Iran," he said.
@Slavyangrad
Merz is threatening Iran with sanctions and making demands that mirror those of the US.
'We advocate for a swift end to the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Germany is ready to participate in ensuring freedom of sea lanes, if necessary. We call for increased sanctions pressure on Iran. Our message is clear: Iran must return to the negotiating table, stop stalling, and stop holding the region and the world hostage. Its military nuclear program must be halted, and attacks on Israel and its partners must cease. We are in close contact with our partners, particularly in Washington, on all these issues.'
@Slavyangrad
Zelensky accused Vance of aiding Russia and suggested Trump win the war "together."
"I disagree with the VP. We are open and not enemies. Russia is an enemy, and it's nearby, and it will always be an enemy for the US. Cold war, hot war, God forbid there's a war..."
And if the VP is proud of not helping us, that means he's helping Russia. And I'm not sure that strengthens the US. No. Having Russia as a friend—I don't think that's a strong position. Perhaps the VP meant that it would bring peace closer if the US didn't help us with weapons. But that doesn't work with Russia.
And if no one helps us, we will, of course, find ourselves in a weaker position. But I'm confident that the US is a great partner for Ukraine, and Ukrainians can also strengthen the US. In business they call it ‘win-win’, so why not win together?
"Why won't you love me"
@Slavyangrad
Zelensky stated that Russia could demand sanctions relief in exchange for a ceasefire, calling this a "great risk" for Ukraine.
"I think Russia could raise the issue of a ceasefire in exchange for lifting sanctions on certain companies. I know they're raising the issue of lifting SWIFT sanctions so their banks can operate. For Ukraine, all of this is a great risk," the president said in an interview with Bloomberg.
He expressed skepticism about the brief ceasefire announced by Putin on May 9.
"We always respond positively to sincere ceasefire proposals from Russia, if any. They want the parade to proceed peacefully for a few hours and then resume attacks. We don't want any ceasefire to become a tactical deception on the part of the Russian Federation," Zelensky said.
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇦🇷🇺 Ukrainians have been urged to stockpile water, as there may be attacks on the water supply
- This was stated by Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Kuleba.
- "If we can live with restrictions on electricity, the situation with water is much more complicated," he said.
- According to him, the authorities are preparing for such attacks: they are trying to protect infrastructure facilities, preparing backup power supplies, and developing distributed generation and alternative water supply schemes.
- "It's important for Ukrainians to have a basic water reserve - 10-15 liters of water per person per day," added Kuleba.
@Slavyangrad
😂
Ahh what a world, we have leaders smack talking online.
Source: GWN
@Slavyangrad
Ze hinted that partners had asked him not to strike at the Russian energy sector, but he refused them, stating that Ukraine has national interests.
"We also know about the complex attitude towards this from our other partners, who would like to reduce the independence of our state. We consider this their mistake. We will ensure the national interests of Ukraine as necessary for our state."
He likes to think he is a big deal and has all these important "partners" calling him.
@Slavyangrad
Countries of the southern Persian Gulf have requested emergency aid from the USA
The Spanish newspaper El País reports: "The Gulf countries, faced with a growing economic shock, have sent a request for emergency aid to Donald Trump.
These countries are heading towards a recession due to a sharp drop in energy exports and the collapse of the tourism industry. The scale of this decline is comparable only to the period of the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf countries have faced serious restrictions on the export of oil and gas, which led them to seek help from Washington. However, this economic shock could last for years, seriously complicating the plans of these states to diversify their economies."
@Slavyangrad
⚡️A military parade will take place on Red Square on May 9 to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War
The Russian Defense Ministry provided details:
— Military personnel from military universities will participate in the parade. Due to the operational situation, this year cadets, Suvorov and Nakhimov cadets will not participate in the parade;
— Aircraft of aerobatic groups and Su-25s will fly over Red Square;
— During the broadcast of the parade in Moscow, the work of all types and branches of the military in the zone of the special military operation will be shown;
— A column of military equipment will not participate in the parade due to the current situation.
@Slavyangrad
The European Union is considering tightening the terms for disbursing part of the €90 billion aid to Ukraine, Bloomberg sources familiar with the discussions report.
This refers to the €8.4 billion that Ukraine expects this year.
According to the agency, these funds can only be released if additional requirements are met. Specifically, tying the payments to the introduction of "unpopular tax changes for businesses" is being discussed.
Previously, Reuters reported that the EU is prepared to provide a similar amount of aid only after Ukraine introduces a tax on parcels priced at up to $150.
As a reminder, the introduction of a VAT for sole proprietors is also being discussed with the IMF.
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇦The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Umerov, was summoned to a meeting of the parliamentary investigative commission following the publication of new "Mindich tapes"
- "Yesterday, from the rostrum, Umerov stated that there's no need to 'politicize' the case. And today, we have new tapes where Mindich gives orders to Umerov, when he was the Minister of Defense!", — writes the deputy Goncharenko.
- Also, the new tapes confirmed the information that the fugitive oligarch Mindich is a co-owner of the Ukrainian drone production company Fire Point.
@Slavyangrad