This is me talking about Texas Instruments. 6-14-24

In June 2017, for example, Congress received notification of a sale to Taiwan of 56 AGM-154C joint standoff weapons—guided bombs that use onboard wings to glide to their targets. The contract to produce the bomb was awarded this February, nearly seven years after the congressional notification. By the time the bombs are expected to be delivered, in March 2028, it will have taken almost 11 years for Taiwan to receive the weapons that it purchased.

This is me talking about Viktor Orban. 6-14-24

These are military reports about Russia.

NEW YORK, June 14. /TASS/. The US sent the fast attack submarine USS Helena to Guantanamo Bay as Russian naval ships are visiting Cuba. The US Southern Command said the US submarine pulled into the Cuban bay as part of a "routine port visit." However, The Associated Press described the port call as "a show of force" as Russian warships gathered in the Caribbean. The AP reported that other US ships also have been tracking and monitoring the Russian drills, which Pentagon officials say do not represent a threat to the US.

MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces have fired 169 munitions at the Belgorod Region during the day, injuring two people, regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel.

This is hyperbole because the Russians are complaining about OFAC and GCHQ. Also, Orban seems vulnerable to financial misconduct.

Viktor Mihály Orbán (born 31 May 1963) is a Hungarian lawyer and politician who has been Prime Minister of Hungary since 2010, previously holding the office from 1998 to 2002. He has led the Fidesz political party since 1993, with a break between 2000 and 2003.
Spouse Anikó Lévai ​(m. 1986)​ Children 5, including Gáspár

Orbán was severely punished The highest court of the European Union has ruled that Hungary must pay a fine of 200 million euros for non-compliance with migration and asylum policy, Deutsche Welle reports. The country of Viktor Orbán, the biggest advocate of anti-migration policy in the EU, also has to pay a million euros a day until it meets those conditions, for which it is also fined. Namely, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled today that Hungary must pay a lump sum of 200 million euros and a fine of 1 million euros per day of delay for not implementing the measures required of it in relation to migration and asylum policy.

Orbán revealed NATO's plan: Is there a turnaround? NATO, as part of its mission in Ukraine, wants to create military bases in Poland, Romania and Slovakia to coordinate the delivery of weapons to Kyiv, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told Radio Kossuth. "NATO wants to create a so-called 'NATO Mission' in Ukraine. This means that NATO will coordinate the transfer of weapons to Ukraine by NATO countries – in Poland, Slovakia and Romania," Orbán said.

MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. The United States undermined confidence in the dollar as a world reserve currency by imposing sanctions on Russian financial institutions, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said. "The dollar has grown toxic. Washington completely undermined confidence in the dollar as a global reserve currency as it imposed illegitimate sanctions on our country’s financial institutions," Volodin wrote on his Telegram channel. The latest restrictions will not work, he said.

LONDON, June 13. /TASS/. The United Kingdom sided with sanctions introduced earlier by the US and added the Moscow Exchange, the National Settlement Depository (NSD), and the National Clearing Center (NCC) into its restriction list. London also added St. Petersburg Exchange and the insurance company Ingosstrakh to its blacklist. The updated sanctions list for Russia, posted on the website of the country’s Foreign Office, includes 42 new legal entities and individuals.

ROME, June 13. /TASS/. Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) reached a political agreement at their summit on the use of Russian assets for Ukraine, Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni said. This refers to the use of revenues from invested Russian assets that are currently frozen for guarantees of loans to Kiev, Meloni noted. "We reached the political agreement on providing financial support to Ukraine in the amount of $50 bln until the end of the year through a system of loans. It is not the confiscation but [the use] of accumulated interest," she said. The scheme should now be determined "from the technical point of view," she added.

The scale of mir payment system and fake travel documents. Notice these mentions of Ankara and Malawi.

Malawi launches investigation into vice president's plane crash

Turkey confirms deal to buy US F-16s

PM blasts EU court ruling to penalize Hungary over noncompliance with migration rules

This is me talking more about the Kremlin. 6-13-24

1) The Kremlin keeps doing tit for tat.
2) A joke about Russian-made travel documents.

Bulgaria Introduces Enhanced Biometric Identity Cards

Kyustendil District Court Orders Albanian National Wanted on European Arrest Warrant from Italy Remained in Custody

MOSCOW, June 12. /TASS/. Any citizen of Russia is likely to be targeted by the Danish special services, but Moscow will continue to stand up for the rights of its nationals abroad, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement commenting on the detention of a Russian woman in Denmark on suspicion of assisting foreign intelligence services.

ROME, June 13. /TASS/. Leaders of the G7 group of nations considered to be the most economically developed, will gather under Italy’s presidency for an annual summit on Thursday.

MOSCOW, June 12. /TASS/. The Alatau rescue tugboat of the Russian Pacific Fleet has sailed through the Bab-al-Mandeb Strait into the Red Sea, the fleet’s press service said.

Russian military exercises in the Caribbean Sea, near Florida, have sparked attention as a display of strength amid heightened tensions over Western support for Ukraine. According to reports, three Russian warships and the nuclear submarine "Kazan" passed within 54 kilometers southeast of Florida's coast. The Associated Press noted that the military maneuvers involve several Russian warships and auxiliary vessels, potentially including visits to Venezuela. Russia has longstanding ties with Venezuela and Cuba, and its military presence in the Caribbean is periodically observed.

The Polish military's operational command announced that Polish and NATO fighter jets had been raised to protect the country's airspace following reports of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine.

This is me talking about the Kremlin. 6-13-24

There is a conversation between Belgrade and Italian Americans. We've responded to a question with a holistic response. We speak Russian. I can respond to his Serbian language query.

--

Buducnostsrbijeav
Poštovani američki partneri, gde to piše?
Where are our American partners on this issue?

Александр, просто это было тридцать лет назад. Мне сорок лет. Кремль, мужики старые. Эти документы старые. Дейтонские документы.
Aleksandar, simply the Dayton deals are thirty years old. I'm forty. It's a joke about the Kremlin because they're old and so they use old documents.

Vučić's strong message: President of Serbia asked the US Embassy in BiH - "Where does it say?" VIDEO President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, took to Instagram and sent a strong message to the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement or the Dayton Accords, and colloquially known as the Dayton in ex-Yugoslav parlance, is the peace ... Wikipedia Signed: 14 December 1995

This is me talking about President Vucic. 6-12-24

1) An ominous report about Russian military personnel in Africa.
2) A joke if the Russian embassies are fortresses and they ignore constituent feedback. They're supposed to be honestly reading complaints and reporting back and adjusting their policies. Like a democracy. Instead they are in the buildings and they're repelling their borders.
3) A joke about the Kremlin because they keep saying the dollar is weaponized.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 12. /TASS/. Russia and Sudan are still in talks to set up a Russian base in the Red Sea, and haven’t reached a deal yet, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.

WASHINGTON, June 12. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy in Washington receives threatening messages almost every day, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.

WASHINGTON, June 12. /TASS/. Reports that the US removed the ban on providing weapons to Ukraine’s Azov regiment (designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia) causes utter resentment, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said.

Norway to allocate 240 mln euros for Ukrainian air defenses

This is me talking about the AUKUS treaty. 6-11-24

This is me talking about Hunter Biden. 6-11-24

This is me talking about New Jersey. 6-10-24

This is me talking about Nizhny Novgorod. 6-10-24

These are all reports about Europe and how there are conflicts between right wingers and communists.

Last night, explosions reverberated through the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, leading to the blockage of traffic on the Crimean bridge, as reported by the Ukrainian agency UNIAN. Military observers speculate that the explosions targeted a military site near the village of Naumovka, causing disruptions in power supply in certain areas. Meanwhile, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov declared that Russian forces, led by Chechen special forces Akhmat, had gained control of the Ukrainian border village of Ryzhivka in the northern Sumy region, as reported by Reuters. Kadyrov attributed the success to a "large-scale planned advance," resulting in significant losses for the Ukrainian forces, who purportedly retreated.

G7 countries intend to warn small Chinese banks against alleged ties with Russia — Reuters "Leaders gathering at the June 13-15 summit in Italy hosted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are expected to focus heavily during their private meetings on the threat posed by burgeoning Chinese-Russian trade to the fight in Ukraine, and what to do about it," Reuters reported

MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Moldova’s Victorie opposition bloc held its second conference in Moscow because in Moldova the opposition is facing threats form "traitors who have seized power," Evghenia Gutul, head of Moldova’s Gagauz Autonomy, said.

MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Russia has issued a note of protest to Yerevan following the visit to Bucha by Armenian Ambassador to Ukraine Vladimir Karapetyan, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS.

MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. The statements of the official Paris that there are no French instructors in Ukraine are nothing but lies, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

GROZNY, June 9. /TASS/. Russian forces have liberated the village of Ryzhevka near the border with Russia’s Kursk Region, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said.

MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Nizhny Novgorod to take part in a BRICS ministerial meeting, Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin said.

War's ready? Germans were warned, while hospitals were told: Get ready, if the Russians attack… German newspaper Bild published the alleged plan of their government in the event of a large-scale armed conflict with Russia.

This is me talking about the gyms here. 6-9-24

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico suffered a surprise defeat in EU elections to the opposition liberals on Sunday, weeks after he was gravely wounded in an assassination attempt, his party said.

Probably he looks like him.
Наверное, он похож на его.

This is me talking about Olivia Henson. 6-9-24

This is me talking about Catholic weddings. 6-9-24

Olivia is 31. If they have kids, she'll have the kid at 32. These British guys kind of wait a while to get married and then it's hard on the wife.

This is me talking about the HNLMS Tromp. 6-8-24

How the Americans complain about Canberra because their diplomat just flew all of the way to Hawaii to speak at a conference.

HE the Hon Dr Kevin Rudd AC is Australia's Ambassador to the United States of America, taking up his posting in Washington in March 2023.

Taiwan and the United States must counter China’s growing use of “gray zone” tactics meant to force the island to give-in to a takeover, Australia’s ambassador to Washington, Kevin Rudd, said Thursday. Speaking at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii, Rudd called the current era “the decade of living dangerously” and said Chinese President Xi Jinping was tiring of what he saw as Taiwan’s incrementally “growing autonomy.”

--

The USN sent a reconnaissance plane through the Taiwan Strait. A Dutch ship was threatened in the East China Sea.

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense tracked 13 Chinese military aircraft, five navy ships, and four coast guard vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Friday (June 7) and the same time on Saturday (June 8). Of the 13 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six were detected in the southwest and eastern sectors of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the defense ministry posted on X. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity.

The US Navy’s 7th Fleet said the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane, which is also used for anti-submarine missions, flew over the strait in international airspace.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Defense on June 7, the incident involved two Chinese fighter jets circling the Dutch naval ship HNLMS Tromp several times. During the patrol, two Chinese fighter jets and a helicopter approached the ship’s NH90 maritime combat helicopter, heightening the tension. This incident took place in international airspace. The Ministry of Defense revealed that HNLMS Tromp was conducting patrols in the East China Sea as part of a multinational UN coalition. The coalition is tasked with enforcing maritime sanctions against North Korea, as stipulated by the UN Security Council resolutions.

This is me talking about Orson Welles. 6-8-24

A joke about Belgrade and if we want Serbia to join the EU.

Guido Crosetto › Height 6′ 5″ Guido Crosetto is an Italian businessman and politician, who has been serving as Minister of Defence since 22 October 2022 in the government of Giorgia Meloni.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that he wanted Kyiv's EU accession talks to start "by the end of the month" as he hosted Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for discussions in Paris. Macron added that he wanted to "finalise" the creation of a coalition of military instructors for Ukraine in the coming days and lashed out at what he called a "camp of pacifists" and the "spirit of defeat". Read our live blog to see how all the day's events unfolded.

A visibly thinner Fico had issued a pre-poll video describing his attacker as “an activist of the Slovak opposition” which he accused of “aggressive and hateful politics”. “It was only a matter of time before a tragedy would occur,” the four-time PM said in the 14-minute video. His party, which highlighted the attack in its campaign events, opposes EU arms deliveries to Ukraine and rails against alleged “warmongers” in Brussels.

The Turks want to pause wheat shipments.

China has accused the UK’s intelligence agency of recruiting a couple as spies - the latest in a string of tit-for-tat allegations between Beijing and the West in recent months. According to the Ministry of State Security, the two Chinese government employees were successfully recruited after MI6 operatives exploited the man’s “strong desire for money”. The man, named as Wang, then convinced his partner, named only as Zhou, to join him as a British spy, the ministry said.

Türkiye on Friday announced it would halt wheat imports from June 21 until at least mid-October to safeguard farmers from price fluctuations, secure domestic procurement of raw materials and create a favorable market for producers. U.S. and European wheat futures dropped sharply on the news, both falling around 2%, with traders fearing Russian exporters would be struck by the move, compelling supplies earmarked for Türkiye to be sold cheaply in other markets.

This is me talking about Guido Crosetto. 6-8-24

This is from the French news. They are outlandish statements coming from Moscow.

Putin presented his latest threat as a response to NATO members – notably the United States and Germany – reversing course to allow Ukraine to use Western weapons for limited strikes inside Russia.

The Kremlin also accused French President Emmanuel Macron of “inflaming tensions” following his promise to transfer French Mirage 2000-5s fighter jets to Ukraine.

This is me talking about red alert. 6-7-24

A joke if everyone is on red alert and if this is sustainable. Also, there is about a day between event in Taiwan and reading about it.

Taiwan recently launched the Yong Kang CG610, a state-of-the-art 600-ton Anping-class missile corvette It is part of an ambitious initiative, with the Taiwanese government allocating a substantial NT$42.6 billion (approximately US$1.31 billion) towards the development of 141 Coast Guard ships over a ten-year period (2018–2027). This program not only enhances Taiwan's defensive posture but also stimulates local industry, creating thousands of jobs and promoting the global competitiveness of Taiwanese shipbuilders.

Taipei [Taiwan], June 7 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence has detected six Chinese military aircraft, six naval vessels, and four Coast Guard ships around the nation between 6 a.m. on Thursday (June 6) and 6 a.m. on Friday (June 7), according to Taiwan News.

China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, and last month launched drills around the self-ruled island days after the inauguration of new President Lai Ching-te. The United States, a close partner of Taipei, on Wednesday approved two military sales to Taiwan worth approximately $300 million in total, mostly of spare and repair parts for the island’s F-16 fighter jets.

This is me talking about the White House calling Putin a dictator. 6-7-24

These Russian diplomats seem to not get that dictator sounds like a….

DUBAI, June 6. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden by insulting his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin harms his own reputation, a Kremlin spokesman said, after Biden called Putin a dictator.

WASHINGTON, June 7. /TASS/. The US administration’s verbal assaults on Russia expose Washington’s despair about its inability to continue imposing their will on other countries, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.

Russia mulls creating new federal district comprising Novorossia, Donbass, Crimea

Russian warplanes deliver strikes on four militant hideouts in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor

Russian defense people maybe have bases in these countries.

US Accuses Hungary of Backing Putin This criticism from Pressman comes amid increased anti-Western propaganda from the Fidesz government, led by Viktor Orbán. The Hungarian leadership uses this rhetoric to aim for electoral success in the upcoming European elections.

Republika Srpska sticks to its policy of rejecting anti-Russian sanctions — president

Shor says Moldovan government could use force to settle Transnistria issue

US introduces visa sanctions against dozens of Georgian citizens over foreign agents bill

Rumen Radev, the Bulgarian President, announced that his country might reconsider its support for Serbia towards the European Union because of, as he said, the way in which Belgrade treats the Bulgarian minority in the country.

This is me talking about the Chinese internal security budget. 6-6-24

It used to be that the Chinese didn't report police stuff. Now they're not reporting navy stuff. But because of the new radar systems in Taiwan, maybe there will be more transparency.

China’s third aircraft carrier recently began its sea trials, and there are reports that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy already has more ships than the United States, but how do these superpower rivals stack up, ton for ton? This graphic from Chris Dickert looks at the Chinese and U.S. navies by tonnage using data from the International Institute for Security Studies.

This is me talking about Robert Fico. 6-6-24

Reports about the Uzbek economy.

Uzbekistan-Germany Business council boosts strategic cooperation

971 cases of illegal energy use found

The Kremlin is talking about monetary policy.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 6. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin described Washington’s decision to use the US dollar as a tool for sanctions as a huge mistake, because it undermines trust in the US currency.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 6. /TASS/. No unipolar world order exists at this point, and this is the way the world should be, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning to countries allowing Ukraine to utilize their weapons against targets within Russia. Speaking to foreign journalists at Gazprom's new headquarters in St. Petersburg, Putin threatened "very serious problems" for these countries, stating that he would consider providing missiles to third parties capable of launching attacks on Western nations.

Hungarian banks and Taiwanese tech firms.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 5. /TASS/. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto will meet with Rosatom’s top management on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 6, a diplomatic source told TASS.

CBS News reported that Nvidia surpassed Apple in market capitalization on Wednesday, securing the second position behind Microsoft. This shift reflects investors' confidence in the chipmaker's role in driving the artificial intelligence revolution.

It's gross that he's going back to work because he was in surgery.

BRATISLAVA, June 5. /TASS/. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who survived an assassination attempt on May 15, has recorded a video address in which he says he intends to return to his duties by the end of June or early July.

BRATISLAVA, June 5. /TASS/. The increased security measures that were introduced in Slovakia following the attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico will remain in force at least until the inauguration of the country’s President-elect Peter Pellegrini on May 15, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said.

Bulgarians are among the nations of Europe most susceptible to disinformation and conspiracy theories Almost two-thirds of Bulgarians believe in conspiracy theories, Todor Galev from the Centre for the Study of Democracy said for the BNR in a comment on the results of a rapid social survey to be presented today.

This is me talking about the Taiwan Strait. 6-5-24

Beijing is threatening a USN ship and the Taiwanese are responding.

In response to the US military’s passage through the Taiwan Strait, Li Xi, spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command, stated that the command organised air and naval forces to monitor and warn off the US vessel throughout its passage, handling the situation in accordance with the law and regulations. The command’s forces remain on high alert, firmly defending national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability.

Hualien (Taiwan) (AFP) - Taiwan's navy fired anti-submarine rockets and guns Wednesday simulating their response if China launched an invasion, as part of the island's biggest naval drill in 25 years.

Taiwan’s vision to have a fleet of unmanned boats is also consistent with the Overall Defense Concept, which calls for developing asymmetric capabilities before China

This is me talking about the American RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone. 6-5-24

Uzbek immigrants in Moscow.

Tashkent to send 5,000 workers to Russia in labor exchange deal

Uzbek migrants in Russia drop from 4-6 to 1 million since 2016

We have a really cool reconnaissance drone.

U.S. intelligence drone "RQ-4B Global Hawk", which took off from Sicily, is flying over the neutral waters of the Black Sea not far from Crimea, according to social networks. Ukrainians launch attack in the meantime Ukrainian missile forces carried out successful strikes on a ferry crossing in the temporarily occupied Crimea and an oil terminal in the Krasnodar region of Russia, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced on Facebook.

Reports about the French army and small countries in Eastern Europe.

The possibility of Russian strikes on French instructors in Ukraine was not ruled out by the Kremlin today, as reported by AFP. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized that no instructor involved in training the Ukrainian military would be safe, regardless of their nationality. Last week, Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that France would soon send instructors to train Ukrainian troops. However, the defense ministry in Kyiv denied this claim. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Syrskyi's statement, although Paris had previously mentioned the possibility of dispatching instructors to Ukraine.

MOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. The West prepares Moldova as a scene for the fate of ‘the second Ukraine’ for its actions aimed against Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin told TASS on Wednesday. "It is obvious to everyone today that Brussels, backed by Washington, are actively preparing Moldova for the role of a ‘second Ukraine,’ as another tool of their aggression," Galuzin said in an interview with TASS.

These are reports about the German army and the Polish army.

BERLIN, June 4. /TASS/. NATO may prepare a scenario similar to the onset of the Vietnam War to get an excuse to send troops to Ukraine, German parliament member Sevim Dagdelen said.

BERLIN, June 4. /TASS/. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) intends to increase production of artillery shells by another 200,000 units amid the depletion of its arsenals due to aid to Ukraine, Der Spiegel reported citing a letter from the German defense industry to the budget committee of the Bundestag (German parliament).

MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Interpol has rejected Poland’s request to issue an international arrest warrant for Tomasz Szmydt, judge for the Voivodeship Administrative Court of Warsaw, who fled to Belarus in early May, Polish police spokeswoman Katarzyna Nowak said.

MINSK, June 4. /TASS/. The US is interested in escalation of tensions on the border between Poland and Belarus, said former Polish judge Tomasz Szmydt, who left for Belarus over disagreements with Warsaw's policy.

This is me talking about Hunter Biden. 6-4-24

This is me talking about Scott Ritter. 6-4-24

The news today is hyperbole. Because OFAC and GCHQ are set up about the SPIEF. And the State department pulled a guy off the plane at JFK and took his passport.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that Italy will be sending a second SAMP/T air defense system to Ukraine, as reported by Reuters. The SAMP/T, also known as MAMBA, is a joint Franco-Italian air defense battery capable of tracking numerous targets and intercepting up to 10 at once. Notably, it is the sole European system with the capability to intercept ballistic missiles.

Chief Commissioner Anton Zlatanov, director of the Main Directorate "Border Police", asserted Bulgaria's readiness to fully integrate into the Schengen area, citing Austria's veto as the sole obstacle preventing this transition. Zlatanov criticized Austria's veto, deeming it unjust during an interview on BNT.

Bulgarians own real estate in 64 countries around the world. This is shown by data of the National Revenue Agency, provided to the "24 Chasa" daily. By April 30, 2024, 3,604 Bulgarian citizens have declared they own real estate abroad. Their number is smaller than the the number of properties as some have declared that they have more than one.

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WASHINGTON, June 4. /TASS/. The US State Department does not comment on the fact that former UN inspector for monitoring the elimination of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction Scott Ritter, who previously served in intelligence in the US Marine Corps, was removed from the flight from New York to Istanbul. "We cannot comment on the status of the passport of a private U.S. citizen," a State Department spokesperson told TASS. Ritter previously told TASS that he planned to fly to Russia through Turkey and was supposed to fly out of John F. Kennedy International Airport. Ritter noted that he was not given a reason why the American authorities did not let him leave the country, saying only that this was being done by the order from the State Department. The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held on June 5-8, 2024. TASS is the official information partner of the event.

MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the US authorities to answer the question of what constitutional amendment they were guided by when they did not let Scott Ritter leave the country. "By order of the US State Department, American police removed columnist Scott Ritter from the flight, who was heading to the St. Petersburg Forum (SPIEF - TASS). Was this done in accordance with the First Amendment to the US Constitution or the Fourth?" Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.

US seizes Scott Ritter’s passport The RT contributor was stopped from visiting Russia The US State Department has seized the passport of former Marine and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, he told RT on Monday. Ritter was on his way to Russia for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) when he was pulled off the plane and had his documents confiscated. “My passport was seized by the State Department,” Ritter told RT in a message. “I was pulled off the airplane.” “I’m fine, just aggravated,” he added. Ritter is a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, who later served as the US and UN weapons inspector in Iraq. He is also a RT contributor, writing about international security, military affairs, Russia, and the Middle East, as well as arms control and nonproliferation. He most recently visited Russia in January, spending time in Chechnya, Moscow and St. Petersburg, among other places. The most recent post on Ritter’s Telegram channel put the Clooney Foundation for Justice on notice for its alleged crusade against “Russian propagandists.” “Here I am. In your face. If telling the truth about Russia makes me a propagandist in your book, then I accept the title,” he wrote. “Bring it on. I’ll school you on the First Amendment.” “You have zero concept of what free speech is. Try and arrest me and you’ll find out. In spades. It’s war,” he added.

This is me talking about Australia. 6-3-24

This is me talking about the French Open. 6-3-24

Strange reports about banks and taxes in Eastern Europe.

According to Central Bank, in April this year, the mortgage portfolio of banks increased by 557 billion soums, and the consumer portfolio, which makes up car loans, increased by 201 billion soums. In addition, the total loan portfolio of banks increased by 5.4 trillion soums. The share of problem loans in the total volume of issued loans reached 4.8 percent.

The document was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lyudmila Petkova and US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten. "Administrative cooperation is an effective tool in the fight against tax evasion. This agreement has been eagerly awaited by business representatives as it will reduce the administrative burden," said Lyudmila Petkova.

A joke about the British and NATO.

BEIJING, June 3. /TASS/. The UK foreign intelligence service MI6 has recruited two officials from China's central government agencies, the Chinese State Security Ministry reported.

SYDNEY, June 3. /TASS/. More than half of Australians believe that Canberra should stop supporting the Kiev regime and pay more attention to domestic issues, the ABC news corporation said citing its own opinion poll. The survey, conducted among 1,510 respondents, shows that 51% of Australians are against providing aid to Ukraine.

Maybe the KFOR could keep Jelena away from the US Open.

The Serb list yesterday, after the deputy director of the so-called Kosovo Police for the North, Veton Elshani, stated that the bridge will be opened for traffic very soon, called on KFOR, EULEX and Brussels to prevent prime minister of the temporary institutions of Pristina, Albin Kurti, from opening the bridge on the Ibar to vehicles as this would cause another crisis in the north of Kosovo, and to stop his plan for the persecution of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. The bridge over the Ibar divides Kosovska Mitrovica into the southern part of the city, where Albanians live, and the northern part, where mostly Serbs live. It was the site of several clashes between Serbs and Albanians trying to cross to the northern part of the city, and the bridge is still guarded today by Italian Carabinieri from KFOR.

Army reports about Ukraine.

MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. Russian Battlegroup East units disrupted attempts to reinforce frontline positions of the Ukrainian army, Battlegroup spokesman Alexander Gordeev told TASS. "Battlegroup East units continue delivering combat missions in the special military operation zone. Group units improved the frontline position during proactive actions and derailed enemy attempts to strengthen forward positions in areas of Vladimirovka, Makarovka, Belogorye, and Gulyai-Pole," the spokesman said.

Germany's Stance on Ukraine: Potential Use of Patriot Missiles in Russian Skies The German armed forces, represented by Major General Christian Freuding, have not dismissed the possibility of Ukraine utilizing Patriot missile systems, provided by Germany, within Russian airspace. This statement follows Chancellor Olaf Scholz's confirmation that Kyiv can employ weapons supplied by Berlin in its defense efforts. Speaking to German public broadcaster ARD, Major General Freuding acknowledged the potential use of Patriot systems both in the Kharkiv region and over Russian territory. He highlighted their effectiveness against Russian aircraft, particularly in countering potential aerial attacks. Additionally, reports from Tagesschau indicate that Ukraine could deploy Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers and Mars II multiple rocket launchers. Chancellor Scholz emphasized the necessity of revising defense policies to demonstrate NATO's readiness to protect its territories against any potential threats, particularly from Russia.

This is me talking about Dong Jun. 6-2-24

1) Dong Jun is giving a military speech on a Sunday. Chiang Kai-shek was a Christian. There are lots of Catholics in Asia.
2) Reports about radar.
3) Maybe last year a Chinese submarine sank and nobody reported it.

However, the ROC navy changed its request later, asking for an Active ESA radar system to meet the needs of the future operations, but NCSIST was unable to develop an AESA radar system, which is compact enough to fit aboard the 4,500-ton ship.

In a trip to the Suao naval base on Taiwan's northeastern coast late Thursday, Tsai told sailors that fulfilling their mission in the tight confines of a ship must have been difficult.

Taiwan National Security Bureau chief Tsai Ming-Yen admits that a PLA Navy Type-09III Shang-class SSN did encounter some accident last year, even though it did not sink. This is the first explicit acknowledgement by TW authorities to date.

SINGAPORE (AP) — China's defense minister on Sunday acknowledged the importance of newly renewed military-to-military communications with the United States as tensions escalate in the Asia-Pacific, while at the same time accusing Washington of causing the friction with its support for Taiwan and the Philippines. “We will not allow anyone to bring geopolitical conflicts or any war, whether hot or cold, into our region," Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun told the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore through a translator. “We will not allow any country or any force to create conflict and chaos in our region,” he added.

In 1930, three years after he had married the brilliant, Wellesley-educated Meiling, Chiang was baptized a Methodist, the faith of his wife and her family.

This is me talking about Dell computers. 6-2-24

This is me talking about Estonia. 6-2-24

Eston Kohver (born 1971) is an Estonian officer of the Estonian Internal Security Service[1] who was detained by the Russian FSB on 5 September 2014 under disputed circumstances, creating a major political rift in Estonia–Russia relations.[2] In Russia, Kohver was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but in September 2015 was returned to Estonia in a prisoner exchange.
Kohver was abducted on 5 September 2014 at gunpoint from the Estonian side of the border by Russians using a smoke grenade and radio jammers. Russia claims that Kohver had crossed the border, and had €5,000, a pistol, "special equipment to carry out covert recording", and "materials that seem to be assignments for an intelligence-gathering mission".[4] The Estonian Internal Security Service confirmed that Kohver was carrying his service pistol, cash and recording equipment in his task of investigating cross border crime and smuggling.[5] He was due to meet a possible informant on the border as part of the investigation, but instead walked into a trap set up by the FSB.[6] The incident occurred about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of the border crossing at Luhamaa, in a secluded and forested area near the village of Miikse. The defense lawyer appointed by the Russian state to represent Eston Kohver claims that the FSB has thorough video recordings on Kohver crossing the border.[7]

This is me talking about the PLAAF. 6-1-24

The Type 076 aligns with the PLA-N’s efforts to enhance its maritime strike capabilities, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, and traditional amphibious assaults. The ship’s construction began around October 2023, underscoring China’s robust shipbuilding capacity and ambition to project naval power beyond its shores.

This is me talking about Ireland. 6-1-24

This is me talking about Chechnya. 6-1-24

The Chechens are Kremlin allies. They seem really far to the right. A Chechen in France is saying he wants to be a martyr. How Belgrade and Grozny are members of the European community and why are there so many complaints about them?

How many wives and children does Ramzan Kadyrov have?
Ramzan Kadyrov
Political party United Russia
Spouses Medni Musaevna Kadyrova ​ ​ ( m. 1996)​ Fatima Khazuyeva Aminat Akhmadova
Children 12 (6 sons (2 adopted), 6 daughters)

Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on May 22 on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack soccer events that will be held in the southern city of Saint-Etienne. According to the initial investigation, the man was preparing an attack targeting the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in Saint-Etienne that will host several soccer matches during the Summer Games. The planned attack was to target spectators and police forces, the statement said. The suspect wanted to attack the Olympic events “to die and become a martyr," the statement also said.

Army reports about eastern Ukraine.

With Russia waging a major new offensive, NATO foreign ministers met in Prague to lay the groundwork for a July summit in Washington that will both celebrate 75 years of the transatlantic alliance and seek new ways to bolster Ukraine. The United States has led assistance to Ukraine but is resuming aid after a months-long delay triggered by fighting in Congress, with November's presidential election throwing further doubt on future US funding.

Russia launches strikes on Kharkiv as Biden lets Ukraine use US arms to hit inside Russia Russian strikes killed three people in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, the regional governor said early Friday, hours after the United States authorised Kyiv to use American weapons to hit targets inside Russia in defence of the embattled region.

The Turks are meeting with Pristina and Budapest.

President Erdoğan receives Kosovo PM Kurti

Erdoğan, Hungary's Orban discuss ties, EU in phone call

Türkiye has started mass production of the country's first domestically made main battle tank, the Altay, a top defense official said Wednesday.

"We have started the mass production of our national tank. There are countries that want to work with us on this internationally, and we are continuing our negotiations with them," Haluk Görgün, head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) told public broadcaster TRT Haber.

A French report about a Russian social media spoof.

A video of a massive fire garnered several million views on TikTok, X and Facebook when it was shared on April 26 by accounts that wrongly claimed that it showed the aftermath of a Russian airstrike on a NATO weapons convoy en route for Ukraine. A reverse image search lead us to posts from February featuring the same video. It was actually filmed in the West Bank.

This is me talking about the Chinese navy. 5-31-24

Maybe the new Lockheed radar systems in Taiwan can give us better information about the Chinese navy. For example, drama on the submarines.

In October, the newspaper cited “a secret U.K. report” as stating that the submarine had become trapped in an anti-submarine net in the Yellow Sea, and all crew members died after the vessel's oxygen system failed. There were subsequent reports of Chinese families unable to contact their military relatives, and the fleet commander being punished. At that time, a U.S. reconnaissance plane specialized in detecting nuclear subs reportedly flew close to the area, but there have been no subsequent reports on the alleged incident.

BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will dispatch frigate Xuchang to Nigeria for a multilateral joint drill, a Chinese military spokesperson said on Thursday. Xuchang is one of the PLA navy vessels currently carrying out the 46th escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia.

This is me talking about Romania. 5-31-24

Russian defense contractors establish bases in the Balkans.

Before the assassination attempt, most polls were predicting a clear victory of the leading opposition party, pro-Western liberal Progressive Slovakia (PS/Renew). Fico’s Smer and his coalition partner Peter Pellegrini’s Hlas (both S&D but suspended) followed, with significant differences. For example, in the poll from AKO agency, PS scored 27.2%, Smer 15.2% and Hlas 14.2%, and other parties fewer than 8%. An NMS poll showed PS scoring 23.4% and Smer 17.3%.

Fico was targeted in an assassination attempt on May 15 while greeting supporters in Handlova, Slovakia. The assailant fired four bullets at close range, striking Fico in the stomach. He was swiftly transported to Banska Bistrica hospital in serious condition, where he underwent over five hours of surgery immediately after the attack, followed by further medical procedures two days later. The suspect in the assassination attempt, 71-year-old Juraj C., was apprehended at the scene and subsequently charged with attempted murder.

CHISINAU, May 31. /TASS/. Ukraine and Moldova have reached a preliminary agreement not to obstruct deliveries of Russian gas to the unrecognized republic of Transnistria after 2024, Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov told Bloomberg in an interview.

BUDAPEST, May 31. /TASS/. Europe has entered an intermediate stage of preparations for war with Russia as it is increasingly being drawn into the armed conflict in Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Kossuth Radio.

Effective sentences for Bulgarians who siphoned 53.9 million pounds from the British welfare system Four Bulgarians, accused of one of the biggest frauds with social benefits in the UK, were sentenced to periods of 3 to 8 years in prison by the court in London's "Wood Green" district, BNR correspondent Veselin Paunov has reported. The fifth member of the gang, Tsvetka Todorova, got a three-year sentence, but since she spent more than 18 months in custody, she was released today. According to the court, the Bulgarians stole £53.9m through a sophisticated combination of legitimate identity documents and false documentation to make it look like people were entitled to benefits. Gyunesh Ali, Galina Nikolova, Stoyan Stoyanov and Patritsia Paneva have 28 days to appeal the sentence.

And here are army responses to the criminal reports.

Ukrainian soldiers operating US-supplied Abrams tanks have uncovered surprising vulnerabilities in these armored vehicles, raising doubts about their frontline effectiveness, according to a CNN report. The Abrams tanks, provided by President Joe Biden as a show of support, are now facing scrutiny from Ukrainian crews who find them inadequately armored against modern threats like drones. A soldier, known by the call sign Joker, revealed that the tank's armor does not sufficiently protect the crew in today's drone-dominated warfare. His colleague emphasized that the Abrams have become the primary targets on the battlefield, explaining, "Without protection, the crew does not survive." Crews have resorted to improvising additional protection, such as attaching explosive plates to create counter-blasts against incoming shells.

WASHINGTON, May 31. /TASS/. A US Department of Defense official confirmed to TASS that the administration of US president Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to use US weapons against targets on the Russian soil during counter-battery warfare.

ALMATY, May 30. /TASS/. Russian and Kazakh Defense Ministers Andrey Belousov and Ruslan Zhaksylykov discussed bilateral military cooperation and interaction in regional organizations at a meeting in Almaty, the Kazakh Defense Ministry's press service has reported.

This is me talking about Taiwan's new radar systems. 5-30-24

1) Maybe Taiwan has nice new radar systems.
2) The Russians are saying nonsensical comments about the Middle East.
3) It's been maybe since the 1990s there has been a plan about Southeast Asia.

It will be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s AN/SPY-7 active phased array radar system instead of the previously planned passive radar system Considering the changes, the Taiwanese frigate is now expected to keep pace with international shipbuilding standards, matching other modern warships. Enhanced Air Defense Regarded as one of America’s most advanced radar systems, the AN/SPY-7 is built to detect and track advanced aerial threats with high precision. It is compatible with many weapon systems, increasing its ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously with proven interceptors. The system includes an open architecture design, making it easily configurable to suit the needs of various warships. In Taiwan’s new frigate, the AN/SPY-7 will work alongside Huayang vertical launch systems and Sea Bow III missiles, enhancing the fleet’s air defense capabilities.

UNITED NATIONS, May 31. /TASS/. The United States exposed its double standards with regard to the situation in Syria while trying to whitewash terrorist groups, such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (outlawed in Russia), Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Chumakov said.

The third Taiwan Strait crisis (1995−96) emerged after the United States granted a tourist visa to R.O.C. Pres. Lee Teng-hui in May 1995, despite previous assurances to the contrary. Allowing the R.O.C. president to visit the U.S.—even in an unofficial capacity—broke with a long-standing precedent.

This is me talking about Tartarstan. 5-30-24

Russian values and parenting.

Ukraine Endures Night of Russian Missile Strikes as Kyiv Targets the Kerch Strait

MOSCOW, May 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a video linkup with large families from various Russian regions and bestow state awards in the Kremlin on Thursday. Families, where parents have been decorated with the Order of Parental Glory, or where mothers received the honorary title of Mother Heroine, will be invited to a conversation with the Russian president. The title of Mother Heroine, first introduced in the Soviet Union, was revived by a presidential decree in August 2022. It is awarded to mothers who gave birth or raised ten or more children.

And then reports about borders and drugs.

TBILISI, May 30. /TASS/. Georgian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive more than 20% of their financing from abroad will be registered in a special database starting from September in line with the new law on foreign agents, Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili said in an interview to Imedi TV.

The attack on the Polish soldier took place during a patrol along the border on Tuesday morning. During the incident, which involved a clash with around 50 illegal migrants, other soldiers were also injured. According to the prosecutor, the attack took place around 4:30 a.m. local time. The attacker reached through the opening in the steel barrier and stabbed the soldier in the ribs, and the knife remained in the soldier's body.

SEOUL, May 29. /TASS/. One of the trash balloons, launched from North Korea, landed on the rooftop of a building in the Jongno governmental district of Seoul, the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported. On May 29, at about 13:00 local time, the police received a call from the building’s security, who said that a "strange object" was discovered on the rooftop of the building. The police initially arrived at the scene, and later, the case was handed over to the armed forces. Several hours later, another balloon was discovered near the South Korean Foreign Ministry building; it was spotted by a police patrol. The newspaper notes that the waste balloons were discovered in different parts in downtown Seoul.

The Germans can launch missiles from their own bases.

BERLIN, May 29. /TASS/. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he was against sending military instructors to the territory of Ukraine as he visited the training ground in eastern Germany where the Ukrainian armed forces are trained to use Patriot air defense systems. According to the minister, no one has yet been able to explain to him "what would be the advantage of instructing on Ukrainian soil". "The additional effect, which I don't see, does not correlate with the risk and effort that would have to be put, and therefore it is not an option for us," the DPA news agency quoted him as saying.

MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. The Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) has changed rules for registration and expert examination of pharmaceuticals for medical use, the EEC said in its press release.

This is me talking about Taiwan. 5-29-24

In ten days Beijing will send three hundred thousand soldiers across the Taiwan Strait.

Alessio Patalano
I am a Professor of War & Strategy in East Asia at the Department of War Studies (DWS), King’s College London, where I specialise in Japanese naval history and strategy and contemporary maritime issues in East Asia.

Taiwan detects 13 Chinese military aircraft, 9 naval vessels around island

Western sources insist that the U.S. Navy has the weapons to devastate any Chinese blockade force around Taiwan. But this would escalate the conflict. It is doubtful that U.S. leadership would choose such a path unless the United States were directly attacked by Chinese forces.

According to The Telegraph, China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has vowed to take control of the island, possibly by force. U.S. intelligence believes that Xi Jinping ordered PLA to be ready to seize the island by 2027. Taiwan’s armed forces are much smaller than China’s, but they are protected by mountainous terrain and 110-mile Taiwan Strait. Chinese Navy already has world’s largest surface fleet and has built dozens of dual-purpose ships capable of operating in both peacetime and wartime. In 2022, Tom Shugart, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, estimated that China’s civilian ships could dramatically increase tonnage of military cargo that military landing craft can carry. This will allow them to transport about 300,000 troops and equipment across Taiwan Strait in about 10 days. “Both Taiwanese and U.S. intelligence should begin to monitor China’s key civilian vessels in the same way they monitor its naval vessels,” he wrote at the time. It is noted that although the idea of converting passenger ferries for use in a conflict zone may seem unusual, it reflects extent to which China’s private sector is linked to ruling Communist Party and military policy of government in Beijing. According to analysts, it also makes defense planning much more difficult. “The civilian ferries are part of a broader Chinese concept of civil-military fusion, in which civilian assets and capabilities are an integral part of the nation’s national security efforts,” said Alessio Patalano, professor of East Asian war and strategy at the Department of Military Studies at King’s College London. He added that while it is difficult to say whether the passenger ferry movements are part of war preparations, China’s broader intentions are “clear.”

This is me talking about highways in Belgrade. 5-29-24

This is a description of Serbia. They have gone too far with highway construction.

The injured are still being brought to the emergency room: Almost 40 people are injured According to the latest information, a total of 37 people were admitted to the Emergency Center in Belgrade after being injured in a serious traffic accident that happened this morning near Mladenovac.

The Kremlin maybe has allies in these places.

South Korea has issued a warning to residents near the North Korean border to stay vigilant after the discovery of over 90 balloons carrying various items, including garbage and excrement. The South Korean military has advised people to avoid these balloons and report them to the authorities.

ISLAMABAD, May 29. /TASS/. Moscow’s possible move to exclude the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) from its list of terrorist organizations will remove obstacles to the establishment of official relations between Kabul and Moscow, Zakir Jalali, an advisor to the Taliban Foreign Ministry, said.

A satire about trade with East Asia.

European CEOs Predict Deteriorating Relations with China

Within the framework of the budget deficit the government takes on new 3-year debt

MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s question-and-answer sessions remain relevant, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS. When asked if an annual Q&A session was expected to take place in 2024, he said: "Q&A sessions remain on the agenda as a concept."

A satire about Russian influence in Eastern Europe.

CHISINAU, May 28. /TASS/. Leader of Moldova’s Sansa (Chance) opposition party Alexei Lungu has been released after a three-hour check at Chisinau’s airport, his wife Diana said. "They refused to bring official charges or explain why I was detained. They checked my luggage but I had only a costume and underwear. We will not let it all hang out and will file complaints with a court," Lungu said, adding that he returned from Moscow after taking part in the BRICS International Financial and Economic Forum.

MOSCOW, May 29. /TASS/. The Polish authorities do not limit the use of its weapons supplied to Ukraine, they can be used to attack facilities on the Russian territory, Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said on the air of Radio Zet.

This is me talking about Russian energy exports. 5-28-24

Maybe the Chinese want to invade Taiwan because they have an energy surplus. The Pentagon is sending more missiles to Warsaw.

WASHINGTON, May 28. /TASS/. The US can toughen restrictive measures aimed against Russian seaborne oil exports, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Daleep Singh said.

MOSCOW, May 28. /TASS/. Poland signed a contract with the US to buy AGM-158 JASSM air-to-surface cruise missiles for its F-16 fighters, Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

This is me talking more about Taiwan. 5-28-24

As the Kremlin exports energy and missiles, the PLA is more likely to invade stuff.

TASHKENT, May 27. /TASS/. Russia is a reliable supplier of hydrocarbons to Uzbekistan, President Vladimir Putin said after talks with his Uzbekistan’s counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

North Korea launched an unidentified missile in the southwest direction today, the armies of South Korea and Japan announced.

A joke about training and if the British are near the French.

The commander of the Ukrainian army, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, has signed documents authorizing French military instructors to visit Ukrainian training centers soon. This initiative, driven by a French proposal, aims to enhance cooperation and support between the two countries' military forces. Initially, the French instructors will focus on familiarizing themselves with the infrastructure and staff of the Ukrainian training centers.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. France could send no more than 200 soldiers to Ukraine as instructors, said Christelle Neant, a French editor-in-chief of the International Reporters news agency in Donbass.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, NATO is directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine. Peskov criticized NATO for escalating the situation and using military rhetoric that heightens tensions. He stated that NATO's actions are contributing to the conflict's intensity.

A joke about if the Aussies are good at reporting stuff. This report, for example, isn't about the Pacific.

SYDNEY, May 28. /TASS/. Australia condemned the IDF strikes at Rafah and urged Israel to immediately stop the military operation in the city.

How the Russians have claimed Syria for their trade goals.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. Russia’s aerospace forces struck a base of terrorists from the US-controlled al-Tanf area in Syria in the Deir ez-Zor governorate, Yury Popov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Monday.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace in the al-Tanf area four times during the past day, Yury Popov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Monday.

Warsaw has put limits on Russian diplomas.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. Russia will take retaliatory measures following restrictions on diplomats' movement in Poland to make "the Russophobic Polish top brass regret a lot," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has told TASS. "The details are still unknown. A note of the Polish Foreign Ministry with the details of the decision has been announced," she said. "When we have it, we will study it and take retaliatory measures that will make the Polish top brass, which is choking on Russophobia, regret the anti-Russian steps taken." Earlier on Monday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that the country's authorities were imposing restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats. Diplomats from the Russian embassy will be able to move only within the capital region (Mazowieckie Voivodeship). According to Sikorski, the measures would not concern Russian ambassador Sergey Andreev. Employees of Russian consular offices in Poland will be restricted in their movements to the regions in which they work. Sikorski argued that the restrictions were a response to Russia's alleged hybrid actions in Poland. Such measures are introduced in every EU country at the national level, Sikorski said.

This is me talking about Taiwan. 5-27-24

It's a true story. In 1989 supposedly the CCP had a movie theater set up and they watched the Ceaușescus die by firing squad. There exists logistical difficulties between east and west.

--

The Ceaușescus were executed at 2:50 p.m. local time at Military Unit UM 01417 from Târgoviște on 25 December 1989.[1] The execution was carried out by a firing squad consisting of eight paratroop regiment soldiers brought in by two helicopters from the Boteni base: Captain Ionel Boeru, Sergeant-Major Georghin Octavian and Dorin-Marian Cîrlan, and five other non-commissioned officers who were selected from 20 volunteers.

While the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) lacks the numbers of amphibious landing craft needed to stage the sort of invasion seen during the D-Day landings, it could bridge the gap with civilian vessels, including dozens of gigantic roll-on, roll-off ferries that can each carry hundreds of armoured vehicles.

China is flexing its missile arsenal in a new simulation for a mass Taiwan attack as the US watches Beijing's Rocket Force closely

The scene is a simulation organised in late January by a civil defence group, Kuma Academy. The drill lasted eight hours and also included training people how to respond to air defence alarms, use the surrounding terrain as cover and avoid detection by enemy forces.

---

Lai Ching Te
Presidential term: May 20, 2024
May 24 began the comments coming from the Beijing MFA.
Today is May 27.
They released the video simulation sometime this week.
The fastest reports so far are coming from Al Jazeera and the Telegraph.

This is me talking about Memorial Day. 5-27-24

I wish the Kremlin would switch to complaining about the PLAAF near Taipei.

China raised fighter jets - army on standby Taiwan's military spotted 21 Chinese military aircraft and 15 ships around the island in the last 24 hours, authorities in Taipei announced this morning.

MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. The US-led coalition’s aircraft violated Syria’s airspace seven times during the past day, Yury Popov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian defense ministry), said on Sunday.

This description of Ukrainian soldiers contrasted with this Uzbek student.

LUGANSK, May 27. /TASS/. Over 70 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian troops in the battle for the village of Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region, State Duma MP, coordinator for inter-parliamentary ties with the LPR (Lugansk People’s Republic) parliament Viktor Vodolatsky told TASS on Monday.

Economist Botir Kobilov has received a doctoral degree from Harvard University. He became the first Uzbek to defend his doctoral dissertation at a higher education institution, as reported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

The conflict is kind of regional.

Daniel Mitov: Bulgaria Seeks Deeper Integration of Its Defence Capabilities into NATO

BRUSSELS, May 27. /TASS/. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East will once again be the focus of the 27 EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. A senior EU official told reporters in Brussels earlier that the foreign ministers would discuss the need for urgent deliveries of military aid to Kiev, in particular shells and air defense systems.

MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. Russian air defense systems destroyed and intercepted 12 Ukrainian UAVs over Russian regions overnight, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

This is me talking about Ambassador Antonov. 5-26-24

"Origins of the Great Purges: The Soviet Communist Party" by John Arch Getty · 1987 has a rubric.
1) Cult of personality
2) Policy changes
3) Peculiar journalism

That book has a rubric and then here it seems like the local ambassador is all three things. Maybe that means there are purges in Russia.
Notice how the Russians trade with Tashkent. The Ivy League has lots of Uzbek students. And so if the Kremlin is mad at the White House, can the Tashkent kids leave the Ivy League?

WASHINGTON, May 26. /TASS/. US President Joe Biden insults all the Russian people by his invectives against Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Russian Ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov said. "I believe such behavior is unacceptable for any responsible politician, especially the leader of the nation. Verbal rudeness and attempts to raise self-esteem on account of the image of our President reflect anger of Washington because Russia, using the US wordings, is challenging the ‘rule-based world order’," Antonov said, cited by the press service of the Russian mission. On Saturday, US President Joe Biden again used offensive speech against the Russian leader. "It’s time for the local establishment to stand the fact that we will continue pursuing the independent and sovereign policy based on national interests," the Russian diplomat stressed. Biden "insults the entire Russian nation firmly lining up behind the head of state" by making insinuations against Putin, Antonov added.

TASHKENT, May 26. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tashkent on a two-day state visit.

This is me talking about internet dating. 5-26-24

This is me talking about Tartarstan. 5-26-24

Khrushchev Remembers is a unique -- and enthralling -- historical first. Never before, in all the years since the great Russian Revolution, have we had access to the intimate political reminiscences of a Soviet leader. Never before have we had the opportunity to penetrate to the power center of the Kremlin itself -- as we do now in these absorbing, often shocking, sometimes bizarre, frequently ingenuous, occasionally humorous, always illuminating recollections of the man who sat at the summit of power in the modern Russian empire from 1953 until 1964 and whose impact on the outside world, particularly the Western world, was so vivid and unsettling. Includes an introduction, commentary, and notes.

This is me talking about Pokrovsk area. 5-25-24

This seems to be a German army tactic. I think the Ukrainians shot down a hover jet over Donetsk region. They're not supposed to be there anyway. Also, the Germans just sent them air defense systems.

MOSCOW, May 25. /TASS/. The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces has recognized Russia’s success in the Pokrovsk area and is attempting to take measures in order "to recover lost positions" near the village of Yevgenyevka.

Ukrainian defence forces shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft on the Pokrovsk front on 22 May.

The Sukhoi Su-25 Grach is a subsonic, single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Sukhoi. It was designed to provide close air support for Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975.

Truppenführung was a German Army field manual published in 2 parts as Heeresdienstvorschrift 300: Part 1, promulgated in 1933, and Part 2 in 1934.

BERLIN, May 24. /TASS/. Ukraine has received the fourth IRIS-T air defense system, the Der Spiegel magazine said. No further details were given. Germany is the second biggest weapons supplier to Ukraine after the United States. As of now, Germany’s military aid to Kiev, both already provided and promised, amounts to about 28 billion euro.

This is me talking about Lancaster University. 5-25-24

1) Basil is from the continent and he's really smart.
Jeff is an American and he's not smart.
Alexander is a Russian government official and he's not smart.
How these Russian guys have been around forever and you think about trade with China and we need some turnover in there.
1) A joke about islands in the Pacific and if people are memorizing the names and locations.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Thursday delivered a warning that included language more commonly used by China's propaganda outlets. "Taiwan independence forces will be left with their heads broken and blood flowing after colliding against the great... trend of China achieving complete unification," Wang told reporters. The drills are taking place in the Taiwan Strait and to the north, south and east of the island, as well as areas around the Taipei-administered islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin.

And there are other issues at play. “It also comes at a time when Russia is seeking to exert greater control over the airspace above Kaliningrad,” says Kullaa. Moscow has been accused of jamming GPS signals over this Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania. For Basil Germond, a specialist in maritime security issues at Lancaster University in the UK, Russia's aim in introducing and withdrawing this bill is to intensify “political pressure in the region, to gauge NATO's response”. It may also be linked to President Vladimir Putin's fixation with the history of the USSR. “It's not surprising that the Russian government wants to go back on the maritime limits negotiated in 1985, during the détente period,” notes Jeff Hawn, Russia specialist at the London School of Economics. “Putin believes that Russia was tricked by the West at that time. So for him, this is also a way of saying that he wants to correct those mistakes.”

Russia says Islamic State behind deadly Moscow concert hall attack Russia on Friday said for the first time that the Islamic State group coordinated the March concert hall assault in Moscow, the country's deadliest terror attack in two decades. IS has claimed responsibility on multiple occasions for the March 22 attack which killed over 140 people, but Moscow has repeatedly tried to link Ukraine and the West to the attack. FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency that "preparations, the financing, the attack and the retreat of the terrorists were coordinated via the internet by members of Khorasan Province (IS-K)," an IS branch active in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This is me talking about the cease fire. 5-24-24

This is me talking about the Hungarian banking sector. 5-24-24

Infamous Russian allies. Maybe the usual suspects. Hungary has a large banking sector.

MINSK, May 23. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Minsk on Thursday for a two-day official visit.

Concentrations of militants in Afghanistan threatening CIS borders — Kyrgyz security chief

BUDAPEST, May 24. /TASS/. Budapest is reassessing its role in NATO as it is unwilling to take part in the alliance’s military mission in Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told the Kossuth radio station.

Karakalpakstan introduces subsidies for operating hotels

This is a report from the Russian news service and the Bulgarian news service. And then contrast those reports with this tweet from the Russian diplomat in London. It's a strange mention of Grant Shapps.

WASHINGTON, May 24. /TASS/. The United States Administration will launch a major review of Georgian-American cooperation following the adoption of the law on foreign agents in Georgia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Georgia Amid Democracy Concerns

Russian Embassy, UK @RussianEmbassy Embassy comment on attempts by #UK Defence Secretary @GrantShapps to accuse Russia of interfering in the internal affairs of Georgia On 14 May, the #UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps in his comments to @SkyNews following the adoption by the Georgian Parliament of the draft Law on "Transparency of Foreign Influence", baselessly accused #Russia of interfering in #Georgia's internal affairs.

This is me talking about Viktor Orban. 5-23-24

This is me talking about the Polish air force. 5-23-24

These are descriptions of USAF stuff in eastern Europe.

US F-35 Fighter Jet Presented at Defence Exhibition in Bucharest

STOCKHOLM, May 23. /TASS/. The Norwegian authorities will impose additional restrictions on Russian tourists starting from May 29.

Ukraine has reached out to Poland for assistance in intercepting Russian missiles and drones near their shared border, as reported by BTA. Poland is currently evaluating both the technical and legal aspects of utilizing its air defense systems for this purpose.

WASHINGTON, May 23. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that Washington was ready to discuss with Kiev the possibility of using US weapons for attacking targets deep in the Russian territory.

In his opinion, "this is exactly how ideas about using long-range American systems against Russian civilians, primarily women, children and the elderly, should be viewed."

These are reports about the Russian embassies in Germany. We're watching to see what they do.

BERLIN, May 22. /TASS/. The German government still opposes confiscation of the blocked Russian assets to aid Ukraine, cabinet spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said. "Our position remains the same: we are talking about the revenue from the frozen assets. We are not talking about the assets themselves," he said.

BERLIN, May 22. /TASS/. An unidentified person made an attempt to drive a car through the gates of the Russian consulate general in Bonn (North Rhine-Westphalia) in western Germany, Deutsche Welle (DW, designated a foreign agent media outlet in Russia), said.

This is me talking about Russian foreign policy. 5-22-24

These are workplace inappropriate comments about foreign infantrymen.
Holistically it's as though the Kremlin isn't tallying their own losses, even if it's redrawing the map.
What if some of these places in the Balkans want to Americanize?
Notice this mention of fake diplomas found in Bulgaria.

MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. The chances of a Ukrainian breakthrough on the battlefield this year are slim, Alexander Litvinenko, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, conceded.

NEW YORK, May 22. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces need to triple recruitment in order to carry out defensive operations, Foreign Affairs writes. According to the magazine, the Ukrainian army "urgently needs more soldiers."

MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. An infrastructure facility has suffered damage in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnepropetrovsk Region, regional administration head Sergey Lysak said.

Vučić spoke up: I am asking the Greek brothers to exercise restraint. There is no going back, Serbia will win Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić spoke from New York and appealed to Greece.

Additionally, a significant quantity of excise goods lacking proper labeling was found at one address, indicating involvement in illicit activities. Nikolov noted that although the individual involved is known for criminal behavior, this is the first instance of search conducted in relation to electoral activities. Aside from vote trading, arrests were made for offenses including possession of narcotics, vehicle theft, and the production of counterfeit documents. Notably, a clandestine operation producing fake diplomas for secondary and higher education was uncovered during the operation.

This is me talking about Russian controlled Ukraine. 5-21-24

Maybe the Russian air force is now illegal in Ukraine. Because of how incompetent their government is in the bordering areas.

BERLIN, May 21. /TASS/. The West has rejected the idea of no-fly zones over Ukraine as it will mean being involved in hostilities, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit came out with similar statements. "Establishing a no-fly zone over western Ukraine would be akin to participation in war, which is why we are not considering it," Reuters quoted him as saying while visiting Latvia. This way Pistorius commented on the Bundestag discussion about the protection of Ukraine’s airspace. Lawmakers claim that thanks to Western air defense systems deployed along Ukraine’s borders with Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia it would be possible to establish a 70-kilometer safe zone.

This is me talking about the police in Slovakia. 5-21-24

1) A gaff about Putin finding stuff. He looked for something for two hours.
2) These other groups seem questionable. Romanian infantrymen, Uzbek microchips, the Slovakian police.
3) Issues about police uniforms.

DUBAI, May 21. /TASS/. The meeting that Russian President Vladimir Putin convened to help look for the crashed helicopter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi lasted as long as about two hours, said Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali.

Romania's Defence Ministry Looks to Recruit 5,000 Servicepersons

Microchip Supply Chain Crisis: Expert Analysis Sokhibkhon Salikhov, MBA, a supply chain professional with a background at Volkswagen, Peugeot Citroën, Schneider Electric, and a foreign trade company, shared his expert insights on the latest trends in supply chain and microchip management.

Juraj Cintula, 71, was arrested at the scene immediately after the Slovakian prime minister was shot in the abdomen last Wednesday. He has not left custody since. A new team set up to investigate the May 15 attack found the Facebook data had been deleted, Mr Šutaj Eštok said on Sunday. “However, it was not deleted by him and apparently not by his wife either,” he said after it was announced Mr Fico was still in a serious condition but his life was no longer in danger. Mr Fico, who founded the leading nationalist Smer party, won elections last year campaigning to end weapons donations to Ukraine. Since returning to power, the populist has scrapped a special prosecutor established to fight corruption. Slovakia’s ruling coalition government said last week that the shooting was “politically motivated” but was the action of a “lone wolf”. Since then, the pro-Russian government has blamed the pro-Western opposition and media for the rare assassination attempt in an EU and Nato member state.

This is me talking about Grant Shapps. 5-20-24

The Grant Shapps report is talking about the Russian economy. Notice these mentions of mercs and nepotism.

Putin’s total mobilisation of his economy is simply not sustainable. And he knows it. If all allies match the UK’s pledge to maintain support to Ukraine for the next 6 years we can exploit this weakness & make it impossible for the Russian economy to maintain its war effort.

MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Nine people have been arrested in Poland on suspicion of carrying out sabotage attacks that were allegedly ordered by Russia, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on TVN24 television.

BRUSSELS, May 20. /TASS/. Following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, the son of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will now likely be the one to succeed his father, the European edition of the newspaper Politico reported.

This is me talking about Taiwan. 5-20-24

This is me talking about Rory McIlroy. 5-20-24

These are different conflict zones between the Kremlin and NATO. Niger, Odessa, drone technology, embassies, and Bratislava. Notice the newspapers are calling Slovakia a government black hole. I wonder why the newspapers are calling Slovakia a media black hole?

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. It is time for the Kiev regime to recognize the realities on the ground and for the West to stop sacrificing Ukraine for its futile goals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

Withdrawal Agreement: US Troops to Leave Niger by September

Drone Attack Damages Administrative Building in Odesa Province

ANKARA, May 20. /TASS/. A Turkish Bayraktar Akinci drone discovered a heat source, which may be the fragments of the crashed helicopter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the Anadolu news agency reported.

MEXICO CITY, May 19. /TASS/. The Honduran foreign ministry has informed about the death of the country’s Ambassador to Russia Juan Ramon Elvir Salgado.

Toxic Political Culture Has Even Some Slovaks Calling Country 'a Black Hole.' - The New York Times

This is me talking about Ebrahim Raisi. 5-19-24

Raisi is from Meshed which is near Afghanistan. Now Putin is sending military personnel to assist him. It speaks to many years of military integration between the Iranians and the Russians. Maybe today that's from Ukraine to the Pacific. Also, in Afghanistan. Comments about right wingers in Moscow.

DUBAI, May 20. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to send two planes and helicopters with a group of 50 rescuers to aid in the search for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter, which made a hard landing earlier, Russian Presidential Aide Igor Levitin said during a phone call with First Vice President of Iran Muhammad Mukhbar.

DUBAI, May 19. /TASS/. The Iranian Red Crescent Society’s crisis management center has refuted reported that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter has been found after making an emergency landing in northwestern Iran.

MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi planned to visit Armenia on Sunday but the visit was postponed at the last minute, a source told TASS.

This is me talking about Hole 2 of the PGA. 5-19-24

Is the Crimea Euclidean to Kharkiv region, Luhansk, and Donetsk?

This is me talking about Tula, Russia. 5-19-24

This is me talking about Scottie Scheffler. 5-18-24

This is me talking about Kharkiv. 5-18-24

1) Poland is about to get new drones from Turkey. And so even if the Russians claim Kharkiv region, can't the Poles respond? Kind of the Ukrainian army, but all of those bordering countries' armies.
2) The relationship between government and land registries.
3) Unknowns about land use in Slovakia.

Buffer or ruse?: Russia's new offensive in northeast Ukraine 'not an open road to Kharkiv' At first glance, Russia's military successes appear to "raise two questions”, said David Lewis, a Russia specialist at the University of Exeter. Russia’s sudden advance sparks concerns about the effectiveness of fortifications in the Kharkiv region and about the Ukrainian army’s capacity to organise the defence of the front line.

Russia intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones overnight in the south of the country and over annexed Crimea and the Black Sea, Moscow's defence ministry said on Friday.

China announces 'historic' steps to stabilize property sector

Turkish drone giant Baykar delivers last batch of drones to Poland

Biden hits Chinese electric cars and solar cells with higher tariffs

This is me talking more about Grant Shapps. 5-17-24

This is me talking about Scottie Scheffler. 5-17-24

This is me talking about how Slovakia maybe is a dystopian novel. 5-17-24

1) In Bulgaria there was a car crash that involved Kiril Petkov.
2) The navy in the northern seas.
3) A strange Russian initiative about prison swaps.
4) OFAC is sanctioning North Korean companies.
5) A Serbian description of Slovakia. A joke somehow that it's a dystopian novel of police because of the borders with neighboring countries and military sites.

Representatives from the Military Prosecutor's Office arrived at the scene and are expected to provide details about the road accident. In the collision, the National Security Service driver sustained minor injuries, while Kiril Petkov was not injured. The causes of the crash are under investigation. The National Security Service claims that their car had the right-of-way and that the deceased driver of the other car failed to yield.

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Warships of the United States and other NATO countries may resort to provocative actions by entering the Northern Sea Route waters without coordinating their journey with Russia first, said Igor Kostyukov, the chief of the Main Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff.

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. Russia calls upon the United States to respond to its prisoner swap proposals, but the United States is delaying the answer, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS in an interview.

WASHINGTON, May 16. /TASS/. The US authorities introduced sanctions against two Russian citizens and three Russia-based companies for their alleged involvement in military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, according to a statement by the US Treasury.

"Slovakia on the brink of civil war" Slovak Minister of Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok said that Slovakia is on the verge of civil war, writes "News.Az". "Judging by what happened, what kind of hatred sowed by many, a storm has arisen today, and we are practically on the threshold of a civil war. Stop this immediately," he said. Just to recall that, according to the latest information, doctors stabilized Fico's condition during the five-hour operation, but it still remains serious.

Slovak Deputy Prime Minister revealed the true condition of Robert Fico Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer in danger after being shot multiple times in an assassination attempt on Wednesday, the deputy prime minister said. There has been no official announcement about his condition but the prime minister “is expected to survive” after surgery, his deputy prime minister said. Tomáš Taraba told the BBC Fico was no longer in a life-threatening situation: “Fortunately as far as I know the operation went well – and I guess in the end he will survive. He is not in a life-threatening situation at this moment.

This is me talking about Bratislava. 5-16-24

This is me talking about Grant Shapps. 5-16-24

This is me talking about elections in Serbia. 5-16-24

1) An awkward Russian posture. Air defense systems near Ukraine and police training centers in Latin America.
2) If elections aren't legitimate then other parts of society are corrupted. Demos is a Greek word. Notice Juraj Cintula said he didn't vote for Fico. They start getting out of touch with violent crime even.

MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Russian air defense systems downed several airborne targets, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel, adding that no one was injured.

Ukraine has withdrawn its forces from multiple villages in the northeastern Kharkiv region, where Russian troops are advancing and launching attacks on a village in a fresh offensive along the border, according to reports from Kyiv.

Bulgarian Authorities Probe Chilling Murder Case in Botevgrad Authorities in Botevgrad are currently investigating a grave crime, as reported by Nova TV. The discovery of charred remains has prompted a serious inquiry. The Ministry of the Interior disclosed that a 57-year-old resident of Novachene village, missing for several days, was officially declared as subject to a nationwide search as of yesterday. According to the investigation, the missing individual was last seen in the company of a local resident, with whom he had been involved in a dispute a day prior. This individual has since been detained for up to 72 hours, pending further investigation. Procedural measures are ongoing under the supervision of the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office.

The allegation that the 71-year-old writer Cintula, who carried out the assassination attempt on Fico, disagreed with the government’s policy was corroborated by his son. "Let me say this: he [father] did not vote for him [Fico during the election to the parliament]," the man said when asked by the Aktuality news website if his father hated the prime minister. He added that Juraj Cintula had never mentioned any intention to make an attempt on the politician’s life.

WASHINGTON, May 15. /TASS/. US authorities impose sanctions against two gold mining companies in Nicaragua and against a Russian Interior Ministry training center in Managua, a high-ranking US Administration representative said during a special briefing.

This is me talking more about Slovakia. 5-15-24

This is me talking about Slovakia. 5-15-24

This is me talking about Aston Villa. 5-15-24

This is me talking about the border between Russia and China. 5-15-24

This is me talking about the RAF. 5-15-24

A gaff about Russian capital flows in Tashkent.

Inflation in Uzbekistan reaches maximum The Central Bank's press service has reported an increase in the inflation rate expected by the Uzbek population for the first time this year.

UFA, May 14. /TASS/. Additional capital flow from Russia to Central Asian nations will intensify the ‘anti-sanctions immunity’ of countries in the region, Director of the Institute for the Study of Asian and European Countries of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan Rustam Khaydarov said at the 4th Central Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Maybe the Georgians directly assist the Russian and Chinese aviation firms.

HONG KONG, May 15. /TASS/. Taiwan recorded 45 aircraft and six ships belonging to China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in the vicinity of the island over the past 24 hours, according to the Defense Ministry’s statement on its website.

MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. Su-25 attack aircraft from Russia’s Battlegroup Center destroyed the Ukrainian army’s camouflaged special equipment and personnel, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.

US Threatens Aid Cut to Georgia Over Foreign Agents Act The passing of Georgia's "Foreign Agents" Act by parliament on Tuesday has prompted a warning from the United States, indicating a potential reevaluation of its relationship with the Caucasus nation and the cessation of aid. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre expressed anticipation for President Salome Zourabichvili to veto the legislation, although uncertainty remains regarding potential parliamentary actions to override it.

The law on foreign agents was approved with a vote count of 84-30, despite ongoing street protests and warnings from Brussels about its potential impact on Georgia's aspirations for EU membership. European External Action Service spokesman Peter Stano emphasized the concerns raised by EU member states regarding the approval of this law, stating that it could significantly impede Georgia's path toward European integration.

This is me talking about Moscow. 5-14-24

This is me talking about East London. 5-14-24

1) Wow! This guy was in the Royal Marines. I think they were efforting to enforce the Hong Kong security law in London. Also, they worked additionally for a volunteer police department.
2) The White House has banned Russian uranium. And here are these reports about energy cooperation in Central Asia. Maybe that's now illegal.
3) A joke about how boring is Serbian and Kremlin politics.

Mr Trickett, from Maidenhead, Berks, served as a commando in the Royal Marines between 2007 and 2013. He was also formerly employed by the UK Border Force at Heathrow before joining Home Office Immigration Enforcement in February this year. He is also listed as the sole director of MTR Consultancy, which he founded in 2021, and describes himself as a security consultant.

Biden's Move: US Bans Russian Enriched Uranium Imports

Hungary explores energy partnership with Uzbekistan

Bulgaria's Defense Modernization: F-16 Maintenance to Stay In-House

Alleged Hackers Use Bulgarian Server to Broadcast Moscow Parade on Latvian TV

Reuters observes that Vucic is navigating a delicate balance between Serbia's aspirations for EU membership and its historical ties with Russia and China. The Serbian population exhibits strong support for Russia, reflecting historical, religious, and political connections. Pro-Russian sentiments are prevalent on social media platforms.

MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. Sergey Shoigu, who has been appointed Secretary of the Russian Security Council, will oversee Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation but won’t be its head, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

This is me talking about Grant Shapps. 5-13-24

This is me talking about the Polish border with Ukraine. 5-13-24

This is me talking about Andrey Belousov. 5-13-24

1) Notice this description of Uzbek migrants in Russia.
2) A mention of British weapons in Russia.
3) Defense contractors and strange reports in Tbilisi.
Holistically, can the Russians turn toward Astana and away from Kiev?

Uzbek travelers traveling to Kazakhstan warned Uzbek travelers going to Kazakhstan have been advised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure they have all necessary documents when entering or leaving the country. It's important to check beforehand for any restrictions on entering both Kazakhstan and Russia, as they have agreements on mutual recognition and enforcement of decisions regarding administrative and criminal cases. If there's a violation or unpaid fine discovered during a stay in Russia, Kazakhstan may decide to prevent entry or exit from their country for Uzbek citizens. To avoid any issues, Uzbekistan citizens are encouraged to complete an online form on the official website of the Main Directorate for Migration Issues of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the "Services" section, and to check for any bans on entering Russia.

MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed overnight 31 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), four Storm Shadow missiles and 12 Olkha MLRS rockets over the country’s Belgorod, Kursk and Lipetsk Regions as well as over the territory of Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed appointing Andrey Belousov, who previously served as the first deputy prime minister, as Russia’s new defense minister. Russia’s current defense chief Sergey Shoigu will replace Nikolay Patrushev as the Security Council Secretary.

TBILISI, May 13. /TASS/. Georgian law enforcers started dispersing participants of the rally against the draft law on foreign agents from the parliament’s building in the country’s capital of Tbilisi, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene on Monday.

This is me talking about Kharkov Region. 5-12-24

Kharkov region is an example. If the Russians claim land, they'll send in bad defense contractors.

LONDON, May 12. /TASS/. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron is concerned about the potential advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the Kharkov Region.

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Over 4,000 people have been evacuated from the Kharkov Region’s areas bordering Russia, Oleg Sinegubov, head of Ukraine’s regional military administration, said.

VILNIUS, May 12. /TASS/. Lithuania will hold the next presidential elections, for the eighth time during years of independence. Lithuanian citizens will simultaneously vote in a referendum on double allegiance introduction. This is the second attempt - the similar referendum in 2019 was recognized as held but no required votes were cast in its support.

This is me talking about Tony Diver. 5-12-24

More German army culture. How some of these Russian military solutions seem awkward.

Poland activates aircraft after Russian missile incursion during wave of attacks on Ukraine

A Russian helicopter fought an unusual Ukrainian drone armed with heat-seeking missiles, war watchers say

This is me talking about the Black Sea. 5-12-24

This to me is a German joke again. Because it's a weird mix between romance and the army. How infuriating are these three anecdotes.

Hong Kong: Protest song ban a 'worrying sign' of shrinking freedoms

Arrested U.S. soldier was in Russia to pursue girlfriend

Ukraine says Russia has launched an assault to breach defenses in northeastern Kharkiv

This is me talking about Nikola Jokic. 5-11-24

1) The Chinese are continuing their space program. This might affect Russian weapons imports. By contrast, I wonder if we benefit from Turkish drone research.
2) The Russian army is invading Ukraine's Kharkiv region.

Suspected Russian sabotage: The great return of Kremlin agents to Europe? Amid fresh intelligence warnings that Russia is preparing “violent acts of sabotage” targeting Europe and NATO member states, security experts tell FRANCE 24 that they have already noted a significant uptick in what appear to be covert Russian sabotage operations.

Russian attacks force hundreds to flee border area in Ukraine's Kharkiv region Hundreds of people were evacuated from areas near the Russian border in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the regional governor said Saturday, a day after Moscow launched a surprise ground offensive. Russian forces made small advances in the area it was pushed back from nearly two years ago, the latest in a series of gains as Ukrainian forces find themselves outgunned and outmanned. “A total of 1,775 people have been evacuated,” Kharkiv governor Oleg Synegubov wrote on social media. He reported Russian artillery and mortar attacks on 30 settlements over the past 24 hours.

Aksungur, a domestically produced medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) hit its target using MAM-T munitions "with pinpoint accuracy" during a military drill in southwestern Türkiye, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

China has launched a probe to collect samples from the far side of the Moon, in what is being billed a world first. An uncrewed rocket carrying the Chang'e-6 probe blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center at about 17:27 local time (10:27 BST). The 53-day mission aims to bring around two kilograms of lunar samples to Earth for analysis. It will try to relaunch from the side of the moon facing away from Earth.

The head of public relations at China's biggest search engine Baidu has apologised after her comments glorifying a work-till-you-drop culture sparked public outcry. In a series of videos posted on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, Qu Jing, said she had no responsibility for employees' well-being "as I'm not your mother". She also threatened retaliation against subordinates who complained about her management. "I can make it impossible for you to find a job in this industry with just a short essay," she wrote. On Wednesday, Ms Qu acknowledged that her posts - which have since been taken down - drew "very pertinent" criticism. "I deeply reflect on and humbly accept them,” she wrote on WeChat. The furore stirred by Ms Qu highlights the notoriously poor work-life balance in China's tech workplaces.

This is me talking about James Cartlidge. 5-11-24

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) - Britain's economy grew by the most in nearly three years in the first quarter of 2024, ending the shallow recession it entered in the second half of last year and delivering a boost to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of an election. Gross domestic product expanded by 0.6% in the three months to March, the Office for National Statistics said, the strongest growth since the fourth quarter of 2021 when it rose by 1.5%.

GDP (current US$) GDP growth (annual %)
2019 2,851,407,164,908 2
2020 2,697,806,592,294 -10
2021 3,141,506,156,619 9
2022 3,089,072,722,400 4

This is me talking about Grant Shapps. 5-10-24

This is me talking about Budapest. 5-10-24

1) The Hungarian banking sector maybe trades a lot with the east.
2) Horrific descriptions of Russian FPV drone operators.
3) Another ominous report about Russian medium range missiles.

BUDAPEST, May 9. /TASS/. Hungary supports any international initiatives aimed at putting an end to the conflict in Ukraine, including the peace plan proposed by China in February 2023, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told reporters after his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Budapest. Orban pointed out that never in recent decades has the world faced such a serious military threat, "even the danger of a new world war." "Debates are underway whether the war will go on or whether we will have peace," the prime minister said, adding that Hungary was the only member of the European Union that calls for peace in Ukraine.

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Russian specialists are pre-emptively planning deployment sites of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in response to US moves for deploying such weapons, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday.

MOSCOW, May 10. /TASS/. Operators of FPV drones from a battlegroup covering the state border destroyed observation posts of the Ukrainian armed forces in the region of Ukraine bordering the Belgorod region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. "During the special military operation, the military personnel of the state border covering group use FPV drones to destroy manpower and various military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces. This time, FPV drone operators destroyed enemy observation posts, from where they were adjusting artillery fire," the ministry says. The ministry clarified that the FPV drone operators received target designations from reconnaissance and then moved to the launch points. "Unlike the Ukrainian armed forces, we have a self-destruction system. That means that even if we don’t find the target, after a certain period of time - depending on the settings - the drone self-destructs. There are low-burning settings, there are medium-burning settings, and there are 300 settings - with them the burning time of the self-liquidator is approximately five minutes. This is a mandatory condition," said one of the FPV drone operators, as quoted by the Defense ministry.

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian command/observation post and a field ammunition depot over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Units of the battlegroup Dnepr destroyed two Ukrainian watercraft on the Dnieper River over the past day, said Roman Kodryan, a spokesman for the battlegroup.

This is me talking about Tajikistan. 5-9-24

The Tajiks speak a language similar to Farsi. I wish the Kremlin was more transparent about their intentions toward the Royal Navy.

MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Russia is a strategic partner and ally for Tajikistan, Dushanbe is not going to change its position, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said during the talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The House of Commons has voted unanimously in support of a motion to add Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps to an official list of terrorist organizations. The motion came from a House justice committee report that, among other things, called on the government to designate the IRGC as a terrorist entity in Canada. MPs voted 327 to 0 to accept the report on Wednesday.

This is me talking about Kelin Andrei Vladimirovich. 5-9-24

This is me talking more about the Russian embassy in London. 5-9-24

This is me talking about the Russian embassy in London. 5-9-24

1) At the Russian embassies. Are there wives, kids, drinking, weapons, and are the kids in school? Do the wives drive around London? It's an issue of government because you can't search the buildings.
2) Also, the diplomats continue to fight so to speak alongside the Russian army. It's as though the diplomats are verbally attacking their host cities.
3) Ominous reports about the Chinese border with Kyrgyzstan.

EU Agrees on Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Aid Ukraine

WASHINGTON, May 9. /TASS/. Russia expanded its inventory of intercontinental ballistic missiles armed with a hypersonic glide vehicle that is capable of evading radars over the past year, said General Gregory Guillot, commander of the US Northern Command.

WASHINGTON, May 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration speech evoked the key principle of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which called for countries to respect each other’s interest, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, the founder of the Schiller Institute, said in an interview.

MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/. China and Kyrgyzstan have decided to open new checkpoints on the border, as well as to upgrade existing ones, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Moscow.

Earlier in the day, UK Home Secretary James Cleverly announced in parliament that the British authorities will expel Russia’s defense attache, impose new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas and remove diplomatic status from some Russian properties. He said that this is a message to Moscow in response to its actions allegedly aimed at undermining British assistance to Ukraine.