Robin
 
Are you truly that stupid?  Russia attacked four Turkish owned ships last week. 
 
To refresh everyone’s memory, Turkey is part of NATO.  Russia attacked a NATO country’s civilian shipping – in peacetime.  The attacks were Russia’s message to Turkey and NATO that they would happily start a war with either Turkey or NATO.  It was Russia’s way of slapping NATO in the face.
Turkey did nothing.
NATO did nothing 
The European Union did nothing.
The United States did nothing.
By targeting Turkey last week, Russia showed it had no fear of escalation.
With all of that, how did you decide to write something as stupid as, “I also believe that the Empire has gained a very strategic position from which it can carry out low cost strikes on a very strategic sector. Previously, this sort of action was reserved to either non-state actors that didn’t fear retaliatory attacks, or belligerent superpowers that didn’t fear retaliatory attacks. But with the war in Ukraine, Russia has unilaterally lost its deterrence insofar as its retaliatory attacks are limited to Ukraine,” makes you look worse than an idiot.  It makes you look like an ignorant, uninformed buffoon.
 
By targeting Turkey, last week, Russia signaled it had no fear of escalation.

Posted by: Nobody Special | Dec 20 2025 1:35 utc | 203

Rubio is spinning again as Sputnik reports:

“There’s a reason why this war hasn’t ended, and that is because there’s complex factors at play … I think everybody would agree, that there’s only one nation on earth, there’s only one entity on earth that can actually talk to both sides and figure out whether there’s a way to end this war peacefully, and that’s the United States,” Rubio stated during his end-of-year press conference.

 
Once again, the Outlaw US Empire is trying to avoid confessing that it started the war and is the primary belligerent and could bring the conflict to a halt in a heartbeat. However, the people running the Empire don’t want to confess or end their war, thus all the Kabuki we’re seeing. 

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2025 1:39 utc | 205

Greece, the Zionists and Cyprus are forming a coalition to attack Turkey.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2025 1:48 utc | 207

Greece, the Zionists and Cyprus are forming a coalition to attack Turkey.
#210

Isn’t Cyprus (the south with EU membership and British forward bases) itself holding on to a frozen conflict with Türkiye (north) under UN blue helmets (UNFICYP) since 1964?  Nothing like an almost forgotten powder keg rediscovered.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 1:57 utc | 209

Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 1:57 utc | 212—
 
Yes. I’ve been waiting for Greece and Turkey to break NATO for many years. Trump just pissed China off royally with the arms sate to the DPP. Perhaps China will send one of its carrier task forces to the mouth of the Orinoco on a Freedom of Navigation cruise.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2025 2:08 utc | 211

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 20 2025 0:53 utc | 204
 
Did you see the SU-57 demonstration at the Indian air show in Bengaluru this year flown by a real life Russian ‘Tom Cruise’ who is still highly competent in flying such a plane and pull extreme G-forces at over 60 years of age.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZtfN6oVHNE

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Dec 20 2025 2:12 utc | 213

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2025 1:39 utc | 208
 
Exactly, nothing to see here.
 
In fact more specifically neocons like Rubio started this war as you know and now pretend they are the good guys invoking peace. And like all US/neocon wars they leave the mess for everyone else to clean up and go off on the next war (Venezuela, China, Iran?) while giving US$988 million to Ukraine in military aid so the ‘impoverished’ US MIC doesn’t suffer too much.

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Dec 20 2025 2:24 utc | 215

Yesterday during some TV thing Putin told a journalist that, though not right away, Russia can hopefully soon go back to selling its enemies the stuff they need. It looked so out-to-lunch to me, when tankers are burning and the country is under attack. Or do Russians like to hear such a message from their president? Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Dec 19 2025 13:20 utc | 35

A very emotional, hysterical, even girly point of view. Putin (and all other grownup men) know, that France is more than Macron, Germany is bigger than Merz, Britain consists not only of Starmer.
 
Putin knows that sooner or later people will kick out their current impotent rulers, amd then Russia will establish normal relations with all those who would have to rectore their by then crushed nations.
 
Just like after the WWII Russia (then the USSR) restored normal relations with both Germanys and all the countries that fought on the side of the Axis.

Posted by: Poslan1 | Dec 20 2025 2:37 utc | 217

Poslan1, optimistic and naive. Possibly even girly in the rainbow and unicorn kind of sentiments.
 
I’d imagine a good number of Germans scoffed at the idea of a lowly Corporal and failed painter taking over the country and how much damage can someone like that cause anyway?

Posted by: Suresh | Dec 20 2025 3:17 utc | 219

Posted by: Suresh | Dec 20 2025 3:17 utc | 222

“Putin is Hitler” – a very new and unique thought never tried before…

Posted by: Poslan1 | Dec 20 2025 3:29 utc | 221

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 20 2025 2:29 utc | 219
 
From what I have read before, over 40 years or so it was difficult to pull such G forces since the neck gets quite worn, but this guy is still doing it at 60. They all wear pressure suits, but even so, it takes its toll especially on the vulnerable neck due to the increased mass of the head produced by the G forces.
 
I started out with this war knowing some Russian history and particularly Napoleon’s failed campaign and the disaster it was.  WWII as well. But I live on the opposite side of the Earth to Russia and there are not that many Russians in Australia either. I would agree messing with Russia and showing little respect to Russians and their culture is just madness based on pure prejudice. I realized in watching this video how I was now feeling quite patriotic for Russia and emotional about the skills/age of this pilot and the amazing jet aircraft he was flying.
 
I also saw another video where they honoured the Indian pilot who was killed a the Dubai air show recently and there they pulled off a maneuver where several jets remained vertical and facing upwards in the sky quite motionless for many seconds. The pilots who fly these planes are incredibly competent. Messing with Russia is quite pointless. 

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Dec 20 2025 3:34 utc | 223

Again with all these stupid adults in the room bullshit. 
 
Nobody dares start anything with North Korea,  why?
 
Everyone’s scared of the US, try telling that to the Houthis.
 
NATO ISR planes flying in international airspace unmolested. Honestly, how is NATO going to fight back if Russia starts shooting them out of the sky? Still believe in that wunderweapons bullshit?
 
I know, I know. The girly sorts here will scream “but look at Israel, where did that get them”. Comparing apples to dog turd.
 
We are so lucky 1.7 million men didn’t have to fertilize the Donbas because the people rose up and overthrew the piano penis player. (/s for the slow ones).
 
The only real way to stop bullies is to punch them in the fucking face repeatedly with extreme prejudice.

Posted by: Suresh | Dec 20 2025 3:42 utc | 225

Poslan1, interestingly you have twisted your naive argument that citizens will rise up against evil Western rulers to “Putin is Hitler” when challenged. 
 
Explain Zelensky, fucktard.

Posted by: Suresh | Dec 20 2025 3:49 utc | 227

Why Should Americans Die For European Tyranny? by Tyler Durden Friday, Dec 19, 2025 – 06:30 AM
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/12/why_should_americans_die_for_european_tyranny.html
Anti Eurpoean elite, especially von der Lyden, Kallas and Merz, negative tone that is unlike tone of pieces in the recent past. Kind of a shill for Vance, which is a proxy that identifies the target audience.
Posted by: frithguild | Dec 19 2025 13:50 utc | 41

Nothing says “aimed for a USAian audience” like this line here quoted in the article:

Germany’s entire defense is subsidized by the American taxpayer.

With the USA having started the conflict in Ukraine in 2014 and succeeded in pitting Russia and the rest of Europe against one another, I find it hard to sympathize with the USian side for the past 7 years since I learned of the USA and NATO’s true intentions (e.g. US military personnel is not stationed in Europe to keep the peace), unless any open acknowledgement of the sort (with such names as Victoria Nuland being dropped) has gone on under my nose. Don’t get me wrong – as abhorrent as censorship is in of itself…

Posted by: joey_n | Dec 20 2025 4:13 utc | 229

Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 19 2025 19:41 utc | 113
“They’re worse than doing nothing because they won’t do anything substantive and their use will lead to further negatives for the West. ”
 
As Russia has shown with the attacks on energy infrastructure, they events get to the point where they decide that “two can play that game.” I’m not sure why they show such restraint for so long before they commit to the new rules of engagement, whether it is reluctance to lower themselves to Zelensky’s level or whether it is strategic timing. But once they decide to cross the Rubicon they don’t appear to hold back. I expect that if the attacks on the shadow fleet continue long enough, eventually ships insured by Lloyds of London will start sinking due to mysterious fires.
 

Posted by: Paranaense | Dec 20 2025 4:30 utc | 231

Many barflies here are Australian and this will be of specific interest for them. Maybe someone has more info.
Posted by: Bingo | Dec 19 2025 20:50 utc | 143
 
Fully expect Australia to enter a suicidal war against China, joining Japan and Philippines while the US steps back and pretends to not be involved. If China is like Russia they too will pretend the US is not the instigator as well presumably to avoid nukes. IOW the Ukraine playbook. Have already left that woke totalitarian hell hole, my kids also have dual passports and are up to speed to get out if things look like coming to fruition. Will the majority of Aussies be that dumb? Absolutely. The media has been priming Australia for years, both the woke and the Zionist, which suggests of course they are one in the same thing.

Posted by: Organic | Dec 20 2025 5:35 utc | 233

Korybko has a new piece out, republished on ZH.  Excerpt:
 

Given Russia’s richness in critical minerals deposits, the central role that their development is expected to play in the “New Détente”, and the importance of these investments for advancing the US’ NSS goals vis-à-vis China, it’s possible that associated projects could include the US’ Asian allies. This could take the form of the US providing sectoral secondary sanctions waivers to India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and others as rewards for Russia’s compliance with a Ukrainian peace deal to incentivize joint investments.
 
Not only would this help the US and its Asian allies reduce their collective dependence on China’s critical minerals supply chains, but it would also help avert the scenario of Russia becoming disproportionately dependent on China, thus serving both sides’ interests vis-à-vis China. Furthermore, the proposed sectoral secondary sanctions waivers could expand to include energy and tech, which would unlock their access to Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 megaproject while also reducing Russia’s dependence on Chinese chips.
 
The resultant complex strategic interdependence would be mutually beneficial.
 
US pressure along Russia’s western (European), northern (Arctic), eastern (East Asian), and potentially also southern (South Caucasus and Central Asia as proposed here) flanks would be greatly reduced due to Russia’s newfound national security significance brought about by its irreplaceable strategic resource and associated supply chain roles.
 
Russia has wanted this for decades, and it might finally be within reach.
 

Korybko makes a few good points here, but it’s a few years too early.  EU and NATO need to crumble first, to prevent any Ukraine 2.0 scenario from ever happening again.  Alas, EU and NATO crumbling is within reach like never before.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 5:41 utc | 235

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 5:41 utc | 238

Forgot to add, of course, that driving a wedge between Russia and China will never work in this lifetime.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 5:51 utc | 237

‼️🇺🇦Ukraine will not have enough of the European loan of 90 billion euros for two years, – they complain in the Rada▪️The IMF previously calculated that Kiev needs at least 137 billion for budget financing and military salaries for this period, explained MP Zheleznyak.@Slavyangrsf
 
behind the scenes
extracts from politico
According to the described scenario, it turns out that the key role in the plan’s failure was played not so much by Belgium as by France and Italy.
Although Belgium consistently blocked the plan to use Russian assets to finance Ukraine for more than two years, a few hours before the summit, most EU countries expected Brussels to back down at the last moment. According to one diplomat, on the eve of the summit, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever “essentially got everything he wanted”.
 
Diplomats said that in early December, the European Commission leadership and the German Chancellor tried to persuade the Belgian Prime Minister to make concessions through informal meetings and personal negotiations, but to no avail. After this, the option of pressure was discussed behind the scenes: Belgium was hinted that it could be isolated in decision-making, similar to Hungary. This threat also failed.
Less than a day before the start of the summit, the Belgian ambassador informed colleagues in a closed format that the position on frozen assets was “backsliding” (that is, no consensus was reached), but most EU leaders still went to Brussels, considering the reparations loan option as the main one.
On the day of the summit, according to sources, the discussion of financing Ukraine was deliberately postponed to the end of the agenda to buy time for pressure on Belgium. In parallel, separate negotiations involving Belgian, Italian, and German leadership were taking place in closed rooms.
 
The decisive moment was the distribution of a two-page legal document from the European Commission, which was supposed to dispel Belgium’s fears. But, according to participants of the discussions, the document raised even more questions and effectively buried the plan to use the assets. Several leaders – including representatives of Italy, France, and Luxembourg – immediately opposed this document.
 
@Slavyangrad

Posted by: Jo | Dec 20 2025 5:56 utc | 239

History Legends
Ukraine Counterattacks in Kupyansk. What Really Happened?

🇺🇦🇷🇺 Detailed report on Ukraine’s counterattack against the strategic city of Kupyansk. December 2025. Was Russia humiliated once more in Kharkiv Oblast? 0:00 Ukraine Counterattacks in Kupyansk 4:49 Russian gains in Kupyansk (November) 11:01 Russia finalizing conquest of the fortress 14:22 Ukraine’s shaping operations (December) 21:44 Ukrainian Counterattack Encircles Kupyansk (12 December) 28:08 Zelensky’s video: Real or Fake? 30:37 Did Ukraine capture Kupyansk? (13-20 December) 35:55 The big picture – Operations across Kharkiv Oblast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxepBlVsojw

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 20 2025 7:21 utc | 241

Eu Simps at least understand they had to self preserve and even throw some economic stability. Stealing that  money was going to have a bigger negative affect than the small bonus it gave . The weeks emergency headlines fell over to Russia said there will be consequences and they listened

Posted by: Hankster | Dec 20 2025 8:02 utc | 243

Posted by: Eighthman | Dec 19 2025 17:21 utc | 84
 
Putin should trigger. He should make an official offer as a treaty to invest the assets in the US. This would drive a wedge between the US and EU and , I think, make life very difficult for the EU.
 
 
<= the more difficult it is for the EU the less likely they will be to agree to anything?
 
<= I think Russia should offer to use the impounded funds to rebuild NORD STREAM II and to extend its cheap energy oil and gas deliveries to all of Europe in exchange Europe would agree not to engage in nuclear weapons development or to allow on European soil any nuclear weapon or weapon of mass destruction not in the agreement. Such would be enforced by inspections and a scheme designed to assess proper penalties for violations.
 
 
European nations would resign their NATO memberships, agree not to have a standing army greater than 1% of the European population. all weapons development would need to be registered and made public. Russia to protect and avenge all Nuclear or Weapon of Mass destruction attacks perpetrated against European nations. Russia to build and operate a nuclear power generation system and an electrical distribution network (at European expense) all through Europe.
 
Each nation state would ratify the agreements by an everyone votes referendum/election in which the voters would be asked to approve the agreement and to elect under their right to self determination as to which government they wish to be governed by.
 
Russia would agree to adopt and use the Euro and all European sanctions to be removed.. This would split Russia from China.Everyone would recognize and submit to the jurisdiction of the International court of Criminal Justice and to Interpol.
 
This suggested solution has the advantage of giving Europe much of what their failing economies need, it allows Ukraine and the people in the states bordering Russia the opportunity to choose between Russia or Europe governance, it stops the war (at the front), and offers to Europe the security only a nuclear power can offer. EU would fund the Russia protection by providing 1% of its GDP to the Russia protection services so the agreement would fix everyone’s defense budget [and make Russia responsible for everyone’s safety]..
</p>
 
 
I wonder if the USA law mandating minimum U.S. troop levels in Europe for the coming year anticipated that Russia was planning to make such an offer?
 
 
Posted by: Mark2 | Dec 19 2025 20:41 utc | 139How much influence did the Epstien potential political black mail have on influencing US , UK and American leaders, decision making when it came to Ukraine.It would explain a massive amount of very bizzarre decisions to this day.<=yes, I can’t wait for the Phd thesis on this topic..

Posted by: snake | Dec 20 2025 8:43 utc | 245

Posted by: too scents | Dec 20 2025 8:55 utc | 250
 
Follow the thread, I already criticised the meaning as others did. In fact I repeated what the previous poster said it was such a weird comment.
 
And just for you: It’ s not a good idea to enter into, and fight other people’s battles either.  

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Dec 20 2025 9:02 utc | 247

Posted by: too scents | Dec 20 2025 9:03 utc | 252
 
You are welcome to your view. I don’t care if you found the meaning understandable, that would very likely be simply because it agreed with your view point too. I was also not the only one to question what was being said, and I was also attacked with a claim that I had the reading comprehension of the 9 year old. Are you moderator here BTW? 

Posted by: GeorgeWendell | Dec 20 2025 9:19 utc | 249

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 5:41 utc | 238
The Korybko piece was a week old when ZH reposted it.
https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-russian-us-new-detente-could
One reader comment says

This “new” détente seems a return to before 2014, or 2008, when Russia was open and willing to trade and integrate with the west but was attacked in Chechnia and then with the Maidan coup etc.Why would now Russia trust the US, after the experience of their betrayal? Memory hole?And logistics imposed at the time the the primary beneficiary of economic integration of Russia with the West was actually Europe. How would the US achieve economic ties with Russia while keeping Europe completely excluded, still on a trade blockade against it? This is the current political theatre (I import their uranium but you should not import their gas), but for how long could it go on if there was a real détente?Genuine questions, not a critique to an otherwise good analysis, thank you as always!

Moreover, right underneath the comment section was a link to an article Korybko penned September 2022 about the USA’s destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline and how the Anglo-American “Axis” benefits from it.

Posted by: joey_n | Dec 20 2025 10:05 utc | 251

Eighthman | Dec 20 2025 11:41 utc | 258
*** A Bering tunnel (failing all else) has a sort of ‘sexy’ or bold futuristic appeal to it – that Trump might really like. ***
 
Oh yes. why  not trash eastern Siberia with an influx of Yanks.
Wow and golly gee … they could intensively ‘culture’-shit all over there just like they’ve already inflicted on so  many European  and other countries.
 
*** The point is, Russia needs to get their money back – and is going to be very difficult. So, it’s time to be creative.***
 
Creative?
Try “money returned (plus other conditions) or Yellowstone blows”.
 

Posted by: Cynic | Dec 20 2025 11:51 utc | 253

Lets ask George how to spell Bering 
 
🤣

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2025 12:15 utc | 255

@Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 19 2025 19:19 utc | 108
Hi Jeremy thanks for replying; but that’s why I wrote “essential.” Sure the West did business with Russia and invested there–which frankly speaking, made more sense than the present course. But those assets are not their life savings; their nest egg; their loot. 
 

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Dec 20 2025 12:46 utc | 257

I recall that most of the Ukraine’s creditors are the IMF and the EU.  There is very little private investment in Ukraine sovereign bonds.
My take is that the $90B of new EU bonds will be going straight to refinance soon to mature bonds that would have defaulted without another can-kick. That likely explains the urgency.  It’s a bailout of the EU and IMF. Or “extend and pretend”, writ large.
The best thing Russia can do is further degrade Ukrainian infrastructure and take more territory. That will reduce the already feeble GDP and make the math even more impossible in a couple of years.
 
 

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Dec 20 2025 13:42 utc | 259

Posted by: dask | Dec 20 2025 12:43 utc | 262
[…]
 

Thanks. Good video from History Legends, very detailed and interesting, mocking both ukrops and the Russian general that claimed Kupyansk was in the bag a bit too early. History Legend is one of the good Canadians, reliable with data and a good communicator.
 
 

Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Dec 20 2025 14:00 utc | 261

`Hallmarks of Nazi CBC Claptrap’
Military espionage case started with claims that Postmedia journalist is linked to Russia: sources https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-intelligence-canada-ukraine-russia-9.6985474

The sensational allegations were made in public before the House of Commons committee on public safety on Oct. 24, 2024, by former Conservative cabinet minister Chris Alexander, who produced a dossier of records purportedly from old KGB archives in Kyiv.

Posted by: Laurence | Dec 20 2025 14:26 utc | 263

Posted by: Laurence | Dec 20 2025 14:26 utc | 269

Yeeeeeeeeeah right!  Late Canuck version of the RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA hoax? 😂 Thanks for sharing.  I asked ChatGPT for analysis:

Here’s the clean anatomy of the thing, stripped of CBC’s performative throat-clearing.
 
The core facts (such as they are)

1. A Canadian military counter-intelligence officer, Matthew Robar, is chargedHe faces eight charges under the National Defence Act and the Security of Information Act. The alleged crime is unauthorized contact with a “foreign entity,” later confirmed via anonymous sources to be Ukrainian defence intelligence, not Moscow.
2. This all began with a bizarre allegation about a journalistRobar was tasked to look into claims that David Pugliese, a long-time defence reporter, was a KGB asset recruited in the early 1980s. Yes, the Cold War called and wants its filing cabinets back. 📼
3. The allegation came from a politician waving a dossierFormer Conservative minister Chris Alexander tabled a seven-page “dossier” at a parliamentary committee in October 2024, claiming it came from old KGB archives in Kyiv. No provenance. No chain of custody. Just vibes.
4. The dossier surfaced mysteriously in Eastern Europe in 2023It floated around anonymously, landed with Ukrainian intelligence, then was passed to Canadian intelligence with an offer of “assistance.” This is either cooperation or a procedural banana peel, depending on how allergic you are to process.

 
Where things go off the rails 🚨

5. The dossier smells fake to multiple expertsIndependent researcher Giuseppe Bianchin examined it and concluded it’s a modern forgery. Typeface analysis shows artifacts consistent with Trixie Cyrillic, a font designed in the early 1990s.Translation: these “typewritten” KGB documents appear to have been born after the Soviet Union was already dead and buried. ⚰️
6. CBC confirms the typeface analysisEven CBC’s own fact-checking admits the forensic critique holds water. Repeating dust specks do not happen on mechanical typewriters. They do happen in digital fonts.
7. Nothing in the dossier proves actual espionageEven CBC concedes the documents don’t show Pugliese carried out assignments, knew of recruitment, or did anything beyond allegedly existing while the KGB allegedly took interest. That’s not espionage; that’s historical fan fiction.

 
The real scandal is procedural, not Russian 🇷🇺➡️📋

8. Robar allegedly crossed lines with Ukraine, not RussiaThe charges allege he:
   • Maintained unauthorized contact after being warned
   • Shared sensitive assessments
   • Revealed another Canadian intelligence officer’s identity
   • Discussed possibly working for Ukrainian defence intelligence

   None of this has been proven in court. But note the irony: the man investigating a supposed Russian op is charged over dealings with Ukraine.

9. Pugliese himself was never contactedHe says neither Robar nor the Defence Department ever spoke to him. Which raises the obvious question: Why was military counter-intelligence chasing a journalist over Cold War photocopies instead of, say, Canadian Security Intelligence Service doing a sanity check?
10. The “Russia disinformation” angle is speculative, not evidentiaryExperts say the dossier looks like a Russian information operation. That may be true. It may also be a freelance forgery, a political smear, or a badly laundered Ukrainian hand-me-down. CBC admits it cannot independently verify authenticity either way.

 
So what is this really?
 

• A possibly forged Cold War-era dossier of unknown origin
• Introduced publicly by a politician, not intelligence professionals
• Investigated by military CI instead of civilian intelligence
• Leading to charges unrelated to Russia at all
• While the alleged target, a journalist, is left in the dark
• And the media spends months saying “Russia” like a nervous tic

If this were a spy novel, the editor would send it back for being structurally implausible and emotionally confused. 📚✍️

The quiet subtext CBC tiptoes around
 

• Canada’s intelligence ecosystem looks process-sloppy under pressure
• Ukraine is treated simultaneously as trusted partner and foreign intelligence risk
• Parliamentary committees are being used as dumping grounds for unverified material
• And “Russian disinformation” is increasingly a rhetorical solvent used to dissolve critical thinking

Nobody emerges clean here. Not the politicians. Not the process. Not the press. Pugliese mostly looks like collateral damage in a badly supervised game of counter-intelligence telephone.

Final verdict 🧾

This is not a proven Russian op.
This is not a proven Ukrainian op.
This is a proven example of how rumor, politics, anonymous sourcing, and institutional panic can metastasize into a national-security farce.
Everyone’s chasing ghosts, and the only thing definitively authenticated is the font.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 14:50 utc | 265

Posted by: frithguild | Dec 20 2025 14:53 utc | 272

Oh, this is so beautiful, the most beautiful of the beautiful happening this week.  sPeCiAL rELaTiOnShIp getting a hard bitchslap after sticking it to the EU already by reducing U.S. troop count after dropping the Ukraine spending timebomb well below it.
 
Starmer, Merz, Macron, Tusk, Kallas, Rutte, von der Leyen — days are numbered.  But it will take a while till we can get the lettuce out of the fridge for live-streaming.  Well-deserved Christmas break for the Resistance first.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 15:03 utc | 267

Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 14:50 utc | 271
 
Perhaps you missed it:
 

AI OverviewYes, it is confirmed by historical records that Chrystia Freeland’s maternal grandfather, Michael Chomiak (Mykhailo Khomiak), was a Nazi collaborator and the editor-in-chief of a Ukrainian-language propaganda newspaper in Nazi-occupied Poland.

Chrystia Freeland’s granddad was indeed a Nazi collaborator – so much for Russian disinformationAuthor of the article:By David Pugliese • Ottawa CitizenPublished Mar 08, 2017 https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/chrystia-freelands-granddad-was-indeed-a-nazi-collaborator-so-much-for-russian-disinformation
 
Should help you sort things out.
 
 

Posted by: Laurence | Dec 20 2025 15:21 utc | 269

*** Starmer, Merz, Macron, Tusk, Kallas, Rutte, von der Leyen — days are numbered. ***
Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 15:03 utc | 274
 
The politics are interesting. This Eurpoean censorship is a Vance issue. He has had a good week with the Kirk endorsement. This ties in with the groundwork Musk laid. The target is Gen Z, who can easily backslide to the Democrat Party if the are not fed.
 
I’m not sure Gen Z will see this as augering in favor of end to endless wars as I argue here. That would require admitting narrative/regime change architecture was used to intentionally start the BritKraine war – as VVP flatly stated this week. 
 
Regardless, Gen Z in Europe can’t be happy with being gagged while the “Starmer, Merz, Macron, Tusk, Kallas, Rutte, von der Leyen” boot is on their necks. With this as the setup, Gen Z will not fight. Just my $.02

Posted by: frithguild | Dec 20 2025 15:25 utc | 271

The Belgian PM gives it out big time to Politico for spreading lies about him being a Russian asset. Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke): “Politico has exported its Russia collusion lies across the Atlantic, and Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever is not happy about it. But credit to him for channeling his anger into sheer ridicule.” | nitter.poast.org

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 20 2025 15:25 utc | 273

Posted by: frithguild | Dec 20 2025 15:25 utc | 278
Agreed!  Thanks for giving credit to Vance and Musk, it is due.  The blob of butthurt bureaucrats mentioned have nothing to offer Gen Z beyond more of the same.  At best, that means a short-lived future, rent-free, in Rasputitsa trenches.  At worst, it means an already bleak civilian outlook: a generation deprived of the wealth their parents once enjoyed, because the system broke somewhere between 2008 and 2015 and never truly recovered…

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 15:35 utc | 275

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 20 2025 15:25 utc | 280

Excellent! De Wever now is a household name from Lisbon to Vladivostok.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 15:43 utc | 277

Very puzzled by Kupansk. Apparently Putin has put a lot of face capital on this city. However my trusted sources, Weeb, Dima, History Legend and Willie OAM all agree, Ukraine has the upper had on the west bank and the east bank is not a great place to defend.
Did Putin sacrifice some credibilty to lure Ukraine to this outpost, or is Russia somewhat handcuffed by resources?

Posted by: steve | Dec 20 2025 16:02 utc | 279

Sorry George, ignore the idjits. The reality is there is a a gang of dipshits who post supportive shit to one another and try to disrupt threads. I appreciate your contributions considerably more than the apparently drunk hello88 who wastes the time I spent reading their comments. And too scents and sean, get a fucking life. I also dont suffer fools gladly and dont plan to start being accomodating here of all places.
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Dec 20 2025 15:25 utc | 277

 
I don’t think stupid can be fixed. Best to engage with the eejits minimally.

Posted by: tucenz | Dec 20 2025 16:21 utc | 281

Very puzzled by Kupansk. 
 
Posted by: steve | Dec 20 2025 16:02 utc | 287

 
”Very devoted to desperate cope” is more like it. Even if the Banderites scored a victory at Kupyansk, that victory will be short-lived.
 
Russia is winning and nothing short of nuclear holocaust is going to change that. Deal with it. 

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 20 2025 17:17 utc | 283

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 20 2025 17:17 utc | 292

Keep your reflexes of “cope” to yourself, will ya?  As Russian patriot you should be appalled seeing that old general handed the Gold Star Medal on the false claim that the city was liberated, and “clean”, made on live TV in front of the President and the whole nation.  If not, you are just as corrupt.

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 17:30 utc | 285

@ Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 17:30 utc | 294
 
oh, and —
 
Cope harder.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 20 2025 17:36 utc | 287

” Ukraine will lose the war against Russia – the Europeans have to admit that, even if it hurts. All that can now be done is to prevent the worst. It’s time to face the facts – soberly, mercilessly, painfully. Ukraine will lose the war against Russia. The country is engaged in a war of attrition against the Russian aggressor, which is slowly but surely draining their strength. Wars of attrition can be won. The winner is the person who lasts the longest. He must succeed in continually transferring new soldiers and new weapons to the front. Russia has enough men and equipment, although its human losses are estimated to be in the millions. Ukraine lacks this opportunity – militarily, socially, financially. And this despite the fact that the Europeans are making a real effort to support Kyiv. Since the end of 2024, the United States has refused further aid commitments to Ukraine. From 2022 to 2024, annual arms aid amounted to 41.6 billion euros. If you follow the figures from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, only 32.5 billion euros will have flowed in military aid in 2025. Furthermore, Kyiv is threatened with national bankruptcy.”

Jacques Shuster 
https://www.welt.de/debatte/plus6943def59ecfb47154d587e7/ukraine-konflikt-schmerzhafte-wahrheiten.html

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Dec 20 2025 18:07 utc | 289

Russia is winning and nothing short of nuclear holocaust is going to change that.
Posted by: malenkov | Dec 20 2025 17:17 utc | 292
 
They’re only winning against Ukr zombies. That is not a surprise, just the time it takes is, but whatever, doesn’t matter in the end.
You forget the whole Ukr thing was invented by Us, team Vicky and others including Trumpy who became the first to give billions in weapons each year. Wasn’t Obomber. and Russia has lost there completely. They have not obtained a single thing from the list Putin had before smo, it’s worse than before and will get even worse. 
Reminds me of Ukr, when they named someone in Eu the “offended sausage”
Now Putin calls them “piglets” and while that is true, can’t not notice he’s so brave only now, after Alaska and when Trumpy also is upset with them. He surely knows Us delivered 80t of weapons only this week to Ukr thru Poland and annouced the intel is going to Ukr non stop, was never stopped. What remains to be done is for Ukr and Rf to fight Eu in a competition to be hired by Trumpy, the Apprentice With Guns. 

Posted by: rk | Dec 20 2025 19:10 utc | 291

re rk | Dec 20 2025 19:10 utc | 300
 
Oh looky, another concern troll. Yay.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 20 2025 19:59 utc | 293

Just how deep in bed is Berlin with Kiev
 
 
Ukraine’s Neo-Nazi Parties Are Supported by the International Community. Adolph Hitler is “The Torchbearer of Democracy” in Ukraine – Global ResearchGlobal Research – Centre for Research on Globalization

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 20 2025 20:43 utc | 295

HMS Lusitania was used to transport hundreds of tons munitions from the US to the UK, it also carried gold to pay for the purchase of American munitions.
As such it was a legit military target for U boats.
The Imperial German government placed ads in several daily US newspapers warning travelers not to use UK flagged ships for travel to Europe, and to only travel on neutral liners.
Those warnings were ignored……..like the cartel drug transport vessels……..travel at your own risk……

Posted by: tobias cole | Dec 20 2025 22:40 utc | 297

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Dec 20 2025 20:43 utc | 304

I would have hoped the essay(s) had at least mentioned the names Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Vitali Klitschko and the Adenauer-Stiftung.  Too bad research obviously stopped before getting there.  Sparked me to take the liberty and do it myself:
 

In debates over German involvement in Ukraine prior to the 2014 Maidan uprising, attention often focuses on dramatic moments: street protests, emergency diplomacy, and sudden geopolitical rupture. Less examined is the quieter prehistory, in which political networks, training programs, and policy discussions unfolded openly, years before events reached a breaking point.
 
Between 2012 and early 2014, German political foundations and senior officials maintained visible, documented relationships with Ukraine’s parliamentary opposition, particularly with boxer-turned-politician Vitali Klitschko and his party UDAR. These interactions were not secret, nor were they framed as extraordinary at the time. They were reported matter-of-factly in German media, including zeit.de, as part of Germany’s long-standing “democracy”-promotion efforts in Eastern Europe [1][2].
 
As early as Ukraine’s 2012 parliamentary elections, Klitschko was described in German reporting as politically close to Germany’s Christian Democratic (center-right) milieu, including the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The foundation, affiliated with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU, was portrayed as a familiar partner rather than a controversial actor [1].
 
By late 2013, amid mounting protests after President Viktor Yanukovych suspended plans for closer integration with the European Union, reporting became more explicit. Zeit Online noted that the Adenauer Foundation provided organizational support and political training to UDAR parliamentarians and staff. Such assistance was presented as routine capacity-building, consistent with the foundation’s activities across post-Soviet Europe [2].
 
Klitschko’s reach extended beyond civil society channels. In December 2013, as tensions escalated in Kiev, he publicly appealed to Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, for diplomatic assistance. The appeal underscored Klitschko’s role not only as a domestic opposition leader but also as a recognized interlocutor within Germany’s political establishment [3] and already seen as future Prime Minister of Ukraine, until U.S. State Department Undersecretary Victoria Nuland pushed neo-nazi Arseniy Yatsenyuk for the job. Eventually, Yatsenyuk would become Prime Minister; Klitschko would become mayor of Kiev [6].
 
In early 2014, claims circulated suggesting the Adenauer Foundation had actively encouraged the creation of a Christian-democratic party structure in Ukraine. The German government rejected any suggestion of a formal mandate, claiming it had no knowledge of such an arrangement. Nonetheless, the matter surfaced in a Bundestag inquiry, reflecting how visible and politically sensitive the issue had become [4].
 
This pattern of early engagement recalls an earlier episode that briefly captured German public attention. In 2012, Die Zeit published a widely discussed report describing Syrian opposition figures gathering in Berlin’s Wilmersdorf district under the auspices of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) think-tank. The article portrayed Germany as a convening space for exiled political actors imagining a “day after” scenario for Syria, long before any such outcome appeared realistic [5].
 
At the time, the SWP episode was often read as speculative. Yet it illustrated a recurring feature of German foreign-policy practice: Berlin as a low-key incubator for foreign opposition networks, operating through think tanks, foundations, and informal political interference.
 
[1] zeit.de (2012): Coverage of Ukraine’s parliamentary elections and opposition figures
[2] zeit.de (Dec 2013): Reports on UDAR, Klitschko, and Konrad Adenauer Foundation support
[3] zeit.de (Dec 2013): “Klitschko bittet Steinmeier um Hilfe”
[4] Deutscher Bundestag (2014): Parliamentary inquiry regarding Konrad Adenauer Foundation activities
[5] Die Zeit (2012): “Assad-Gegner: Das neue Syrien kommt aus Wilmersdorf”
[6] Reuters (May 2014): “Boxing champ Klitschko becomes mayor of Kiev, says time for protesters to leave”

Posted by: Nervous German | Dec 20 2025 22:58 utc | 299