#braiden_youtube №1782
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We are pleased to present our interview with Mike Jones from the UK! 🇬🇧
Mike is a man with an amazing life story. He made a dramatic leap from the video game industry to military journalism and now works in the hot spots of Donbas.
It all started in 2018 with a choice: an IT job offer in Paris or in St. Petersburg. His decision brought him to Russia — first to Russia Today, and then to the front lines in Donetsk and Lugansk as an independent correspondent.
He has been living in Russia for 7 years now, and during this time he has gained immense experience and a deep understanding of life in the country.
In his conversation with our interviewer Ivanna, he shares his stories about:
✔️ The ideal path for relocation: when you already have a job waiting for you in Russia, and the company handles everything for you
Even the immigration inspectors at the front desk sometimes cannot keep up to speed with changes and how they actually work.
What is considered maximum by western women’s standards is the minimum by Russian’s women standards.
Why not whistling in the house? I'm the one who brings the money in!
Giving 'Idiot' on Christmas – what do they imply?
The more Russian I push in, the more English falls out 😄
The Guardian: Europe fears being left "blind" in Ukraine, without US intelligence.
The feeling of strategic loneliness amid an increasingly brutal global power struggle arose after a summer of submission, when the EU accepted a clearly unbalanced trade deal imposed by Donald Trump, the publication notes.
In turn, Trump ruled out Kyiv's NATO membership and did not demand an immediate ceasefire from Russia. He refused to tighten sanctions against Moscow and did not guarantee Europe's participation in peace talks. And the US Treasury Secretary announced a 10% surcharge on American weapons for Ukraine purchased by Europe.
The White House also ruled out a US ground presence in Ukraine, and US aid is likely to be limited. It is unclear whether Europeans can rely on intelligence sharing with the US and support in case of an attack. Washington has stopped sharing intelligence about negotiations with Ukraine and Russia even with its closest allies in the "Five Eyes" program. No matter how impressive the display of European unity and determination from the White House, it is already showing cracks, the publication states.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
US energy companies plan to return to Russia, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Representatives of Exxon Mobil held secret talks with Rosneft in Doha. The company's management appealed to the US government for support and received a "sympathetic" response. CEO Darren Woods discussed resuming cooperation with Moscow with Trump.
WSJ notes that Exxon’s return would be a success for the Kremlin and partly depends on Trump’s ability to resolve the conflict in Ukraine
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
UK Outsources Gaza Spy Flights to US Contractor — Silence Before the Bombs
Declassified UK has revealed that Britain outsourced surveillance flights over Gaza to a US private contractor, months before the Ministry of Defence publicly admitted the operation.
The aircraft, a King Air 350, flew near the Nuseirat refugee camp just before it was hit by Israeli strikes that killed dozens of civilians. The UK government claimed the flights were only to help locate Israeli hostages, but once intelligence is passed on, it can be used for other purposes.
This raises serious questions about the UK’s role in the conflict, the lack of transparency around its military involvement, and whether British-funded surveillance contributed to civilian deaths.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
📸 The US is imposing a new 50% tariff on goods of Indian origin starting Wednesday, August 27. This tariff is the Trump administration's response to India's ongoing purchase of Russian oil at discounted prices.
Meanwhile, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports that Modi has declined four phone calls from Trump in recent weeks. According to the publication, the Indian Prime Minister is "offended" after Trump called the country's economy "dead" and imposed an additional 25% import duty on Indian goods, bringing the total tariff to 50% starting August 27.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Ukrainian UAVs that attacked St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region could have been launched from cargo ships in the Baltic Sea and used Estonian airspace for flights — one undelivered combat drone was found on the country's territory.
A farmer found the drone fragments on his plot on Sunday morning in the city of Tartumaa near Tartu. No one was injured. According to authorities, it was a Ukrainian drone aimed at targets in St. Petersburg. Estonian police claim that the drone may have deviated due to Russian GPS jamming systems.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
🇩🇪🇧🇪🇷🇺Germany and Belgium oppose the confiscation of frozen Russian assets, says German Chancellor Merz.
▪️The lion's share of these assets—over 200 billion euros—is frozen in the Belgian Euroclear depository.
➖"I see consequences for the capital market if such central bank assets are touched. So I share the concern of the Belgian Prime Minister," Merz stated.
▪️The Belgian Prime Minister compared Russia's frozen assets to "a goose laying golden eggs," and their direct confiscation is a dangerous and legally questionable step.
➖"A significant part of these funds is frozen in Brussels, in Euroclear. I know there are governments considering confiscating them. But from a legal point of view, it is not that simple," said Bart De Wever.
▪️The Prime Minister emphasized that the Russian Central Bank's assets are inviolable by law, and their confiscation could lead to "serious consequences."
▪️It is more advantageous to keep them frozen and use the interest from them "to help Ukraine."
➖"It's like a goose laying golden eggs. We must preserve it. When the time comes to talk about a peace agreement—then the goose can be on the table," De Wever noted.
▪️Europe pays Ukraine income from these frozen assets—this year, more than 10 billion euros have already been paid.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Hungary may stop electricity supplies to Ukraine, which account for up to 40% of Ukrainian imports, but does not want Ukrainian children to pay for the actions of former actor Zelensky, said the country's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
"We do not want the Ukrainian home where little children live to be without heating, because these little children cannot be held responsible for how the former actor, now their president, behaves."
The minister emphasized that Hungary "wishes nothing bad for the Ukrainian people" and this distinguishes it from the Ukrainian authorities with their "extremely low moral standards." Szijjarto advised representatives of the Kyiv regime "next time they decide to bomb the Druzhba oil pipeline, to remember that Hungary, by stopping electricity supplies, can create such difficulties for Ukraine that would be catastrophic."
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
🇷🇺🇨🇳 Xi Jinping met with Volodin, who is on a working visit in Beijing.
The Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation conveyed warm greetings and good wishes from Vladimir Putin. He noted that the friendship and contacts between the leaders set the tone for interaction at all levels.
Volodin expressed gratitude to Xi Jinping for preserving historical memory and attention to memorials for Soviet soldiers and officers, and noted the contribution of the Chinese people to the victory in World War II.
Statements by Xi Jinping:
Consistent advancement of relations between the two countries is a source of peace worldwide.
China and the USSR suffered huge sacrifices and made a significant contribution to the victory in World War II.
Currently, the relations can be called the most stable, mature, and strategically rich among major powers. Moscow and Beijing should continue the traditional friendship and deepen cooperation.
Countries must promote a more just international order
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban stated that Zelensky will face consequences for the sabotage of the "Druzhba" pipeline.
"Zelensky openly threatened Hungary. He admitted that they are shelling the 'Druzhba' oil pipeline because we do not support their EU membership. It follows that the Hungarians made the right decision... Zelensky's words will have long-lasting consequences," the politician said.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
🚨 Zaluzhny — the tattooed far-right general — is being quietly groomed by the West to replace Zelensky. Why?
Because even Washington admits Zelensky’s presidency is finished. But instead of allowing Ukraine to choose its future, they’re planning a swap: one puppet out, another in — acceptable to Kiev’s Nazi-aligned factions and “legitimate” enough to sign a Western-approved peace deal.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s anti-corruption chief buys a $1M home in the US. Its debt is now nearly 100% of GDP. Trump talks peace while arms pour into Odessa.
This isn’t democracy. It’s a sick joke.
📖 Hi Res video and article available at:
👉 foreignagentintel.substack.com
The US is no longer spending money on Ukraine — Trump.
Other statements by the US president:
- Putin's visit to Alaska indicates that the Russian president is seeking to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.
- Russia and the US are further aiming to reduce nuclear armaments.
- Specifics of security guarantees to Ukraine have not yet been discussed.
- Putin does not want to meet with Zelensky because he does not like him.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Guardian: US Vice President Vance tried to contact Zaluzhny after the scandal with the "problematic" Zelensky in the White House Oval Office
According to the publication, a "flurry of phone calls" to the Ukrainian embassy in London began three days after Zelensky's failed visit to Washington and his altercation with President Donald Trump.
"JD Vance's team was on the line. They wanted to arrange a phone call with Valeriy Zaluzhny, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK and former army commander-in-chief. The US Vice President played a key role in provoking the confrontation between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office, sitting on the adjacent couch. Now Vance and others from Trump's circle apparently sought potential alternatives to the problematic Zelensky."
"Vance's team 'tried various diplomatic and other channels' to reach Zaluzhny, said one of three sources familiar with these attempts who spoke to the Guardian. Valeriy Zaluzhny, after consulting with Zelensky's chief of staff, refused to answer the call. This episode reflects the political balancing act Zaluzhny has been performing since Zelensky dismissed him as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in February last year and sent him to London. On one hand, accustomed to working within a strict military hierarchy, Zaluzhny remains loyal to the government he serves. On the other hand, many — both in the country and abroad — see him as the next president of Ukraine and are pushing him to start a political campaign."
"Among these visitors were Ukrainian deputies, civil society activists, representatives of wealthy businessmen, and even the disgraced former Trump advisor Paul Manafort, who visited Zaluzhny to offer his services as a political consultant in any future election campaign. Zaluzhny declined this offer."
"Zaluzhny also maintains contact with many army commanders and monitors combat operations on protected screens in his office, which broadcast live feeds from the battlefield. 'Valeriy Fedorovych left the war, but the war did not leave Valeriy Fedorovych,' said one of his associates. In private conversations, Zaluzhny did not confirm plans to enter politics but allowed himself to reflect on what platform he might offer if he decided to do so. Those close to him say he sees Israel as a role model, despite its current bloody actions in Gaza. Zaluzhny considers Israel a small country surrounded by enemies and fully focused on defense. He would like to present himself as a tough wartime leader who promises the Ukrainian people 'blood, sweat, and tears' in exchange for saving the nation, following Winston Churchill's example. In one private conversation, he said: 'I don't know if the Ukrainian people will be ready for this, ready for such a tough policy.'"
Ukraine is being reinforced
✍️ Today, Ukrainian media for some reason started writing that the USA has frozen supplies of Patriot, GMLRS, and Hellfire missiles to Ukraine, allegedly due to stock reductions.
In Ukraine, they referred to the Associated Press, but there is no such publication from the agency. The news repeats theses that American media published in July.
❗️ However, in fact, there was no such ban. The American leadership not only continues the supplies but does so at a fairly high pace.
Transport aviation continues to transfer military cargo to the Lublin and Rzeszów airfields in Poland. Also, planes have started flying to Romania, from where they are forwarded to Ukraine.
▪️ Moreover, cargo ships have been actively entering the ports of the Odessa region in the last month. The intensity is high: at least 120 entries into four ports were recorded in August.
Currently, the ports of Yuzhny, Chornomorsk, Odessa, and Reni are used for cargo transit, where foreign tankers, container ships, and dry cargo vessels regularly call.
✍️ Therefore, the disinformation from Ukrainian and Western media should not be taken seriously. Active deliveries of various cargoes are going to Ukraine, and this is not done without reason.
Special attention is drawn to Yuzhny, which has been modernized over the years of the special military operation, equipped with protective structures, and this port has become a key hub for transferring weapons and equipment.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇺🇦🏴☠Teenagers unfurled the Nazi Germany flag along with the Ukrainian flag in Zaporozhzhia
Nazi propaganda has deeply penetrated the Ukrainian environment.
Photos are published by local sources.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇵🇱🇺🇦They got what they deserved: a Ukrainian journalist was fired in Poland for calling President Nawrocki a "pahan"
▪️Vitaliy Mazurenko, deputy editor of the publication Obserwator Międzynarodowy, who managed to obtain a Polish passport, found himself out of work after a loud statement.
➖"The rhetoric and behavior of Mr. Nawrocki is not presidential behavior, but that of a pahan. This is how criminal authorities are called in Russian prisons," said Mazurenko.
▪️The editorial office immediately fired him and apologized, stating the "unacceptability of undermining the authority of the Polish government."
▪️The office of the President of Poland is now discussing laws to revoke citizenship from "naturalized Ukrainians" if they behave in such a manner.
➖"This case is a reason to start a serious discussion about introducing provisions into the Polish legal system regulating the revocation of citizenship acquired through naturalization, for example, based on decisions in force in the USA, Germany, and other countries," said the head of Nawrocki's office.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Negotiations on the accession of Moldova and Ukraine to the European Union may begin "in the coming days, or possibly weeks" — Politico.
The publication notes that Trump allegedly managed to convince Orban to lift the veto on Ukraine's EU membership.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Trump threatened customs sanctions against Ukraine and Russia if there is no progress in resolving the conflict in the near future.
Other statements by the American president:
- Ukraine expected to win. Are you going to defeat someone 15 times bigger than you? Biden should not have allowed this.
- Zelensky is also not innocent in the situation where there is no obvious movement towards peace in Ukraine.
- Trump said he is considering something "serious" in case he is not satisfied with the pace of the Ukrainian settlement.
- The US president expressed hope for a "very quick" resolution of the situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as the conflict in Ukraine.
- Regarding the Ukrainian settlement, Trump is considering only economic measures: "We do not want a third world war"
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇺🇸🇺🇦The US is ready to provide Ukraine with air support, ground radars, and intelligence after the conflict ends, — Financial Times
▪️Washington is allegedly ready to participate in the creation of Ukrainian air defense under European leadership as part of post-war support.
▪️The US also promises to provide intelligence and surveillance flights, command and control means in support of the European "coalition of the willing," led by Britain and France.
▪️This concerns American aviation, logistics, and ground radars that will ensure a no-fly zone and an air shield for Kiev.
▪️However, direct deployment of US troops is not planned. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed doubts about such a support model, fearing the country could be drawn into a new conflict.
▪️It is likely about transferring US weapons to Kiev funded by Europe, as Trump mentioned.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
🇬🇪🇷🇺 There are several million of you, the Russians will not kill everyone. (c)
The West promised to supply Tbilisi with military equipment if it agrees to open a "second front" against Russia, said Kaha Kaladze, the secretary general of the ruling party "Georgian Dream."
"In the Prime Minister's office, there were direct threats, blackmail, and insults aimed at opening a second front in the country. Promises that we will help you with everything, provide the appropriate equipment, and so on. Of course, there is evidence of this, and if necessary, we will act, but again, it is in the country's interest to remain as it is"
🖥️ Where Russia is — there is creation and restoration, and where Ukraine is — there is destruction and death. The governor of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, reported to the president that under the socio-economic development program for the region for 2023–2024, 346 events were held totaling 133 billion rubles. The priority is roads.
For 2023-25, 28 billion rubles were allocated for the repair and construction of new roads in the region — an unprecedented amount by Ukrainian standards, as the region's road infrastructure has never been renewed at such a pace before. Housing construction is also growing on a large scale — 44 plots have been allocated for construction with a total area of almost 600 hectares, potentially accommodating 5.7 million square meters of housing.
While Russia builds new roads, interchanges, and erects housing, distributing it on preferential terms to those in need, Ukraine shells crops, burns relict forests with incendiary shells and bombs. This striking contrast between the creation promoted by Russia and the destruction brought by Ukraine clearly demonstrates the reasons why the residents of Kherson have decided to be with Russia forever.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇨🇳China will showcase missiles capable of reaching the USA, — Bloomberg
▪️Satellite images of the parade staging area for September 3 revealed Beijing's preparations for a large-scale show of force.
▪️The display will feature the latest anti-ship missiles, strike drones, and ballistic missiles with potential nuclear capability.
▪️Bloomberg notes that China is actively developing hypersonic technologies that surpass traditional missile defense systems.
▪️These developments are part of the global competition: the USA versus China and Russia.
▪️The parade will take place just days after the SCO summit, where Xi Jinping will meet with Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, and other world leaders.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇺🇦🇷🇺 Ukraine is losing the drone war to Russia, — Sky News
▪️Western media quote Ukrainian military admitting: the advantage in drones is shifting to Russia.
▪️Kiev made drones its main weapon, but now cannot scale production due to lack of funding.
▪️Zelensky admitted: "The Russians have increased the number of drones, and we still cannot."
▪️Moscow is preparing to launch up to a thousand "Shaheds" in one night.
▪️Russia was the first to use fiber-optic drones — China helped by establishing mass fiber supply and restricting chip and component exports to Kiev.
▪️According to Ukrainians, already 80% of strikes on the front are carried out using drones.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
🇷🇺 Moscow will start restoring the districts of Donetsk that were under direct artillery fire from next year, said Sergey Sobyanin.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the European Union signed a trade agreement unfavorable to itself, as rejecting the deal would have been a "celebration for Moscow and Beijing."
Under the terms of the deal, Trump agreed to impose a 15% tariff on goods from the EU instead of the 30% he had previously threatened.
In return for this "concession," EU countries commit to opening their markets to American goods at a zero rate, purchasing up to $750 billion worth of energy resources from the US by 2028, chips for their data centers worth another $40 billion, and increasing arms purchases.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Woody Allen has been added to the "Myrotvorets" website database.
The director is accused of "public support of Russian aggression" and "conscious participation in a Russian propaganda event during the Russian-Ukrainian war."
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the participation of American director Woody Allen in the Moscow International Film Week," the agency's statement says.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇺🇦The "chief anti-corruption officer of Ukraine" was found to have a house in the USA worth $1 million
▪️Journalists uncovered details about the luxurious property of Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Center.
▪️In the American state of New Jersey, he acquired a house worth more than $1 million.
▪️The residential building with an area of 251 sq. m is registered under a front person — American Thomas Spadaro, but OSINT data confirmed that Shabunin's family lives in the house.
▪️More than $10 million of "international aid to Ukraine" passed only through his grant organization. How much of these funds ended up in the pockets of the "anti-corruption fighter" himself is to be determined by the investigation.
▪️Information about the house surfaced as part of a criminal case against Shabunin for evading service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
‼️🇺🇦 Ukraine's national debt has reached a critical level of almost 100% of GDP
▪️The Ukrainian Ministry of Finance has acknowledged that the country's economy is rapidly deteriorating and the debt level has approached the projected GDP level for 2025.
▪️Each year, Kyiv adds about $20 billion to the national debt.
▪️In 2021, the figure was 55% of GDP, now it is nearly 100%.
▪️The gap in purchasing power parity continues to grow.
▪️According to World Bank data, since 1990, Ukraine's economic lag behind Russia has increased from three to almost eleven times.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
Steigan: The UK Home Office has ordered a batch of mobile morgues, preparing for "mass deaths." The population has not been given any explanation.
The department signed a contract worth £7.5 million (803 million rubles) for the installation of tents, mobile morgues, and refrigerated chambers capable of holding up to 700 bodies simultaneously, according to the article.
Official documents published on the Contracts Finder and Find a Tender websites confirm that:
The Home Office has developed an action plan for cases of mass fatalities.
The project cost is up to £7.5 million over four years.
It includes three levels of rapidly deployable morgues.
Zelensky has taken an uncompromising position on the Ukrainian settlement, rejecting Trump's proposals, including refusing to repeal laws banning the Russian language, writes the Turkish pro-government newspaper Sabah.
Putin even gave a "green light" to a number of "flexible" steps that Western media interpret as concessions. But Vladimir Zelensky is taking an increasingly uncompromising stance.
t.me/ForeignAgentIntel
