💲🎚The Proxy War Graduates
Marco Rubio already called Ukraine a “proxy war between nuclear powers.”
Today Vladimir Putin supplied the next chapter: he told the Valdai Discussion Club that international conflicts are highly likely to continue, blamed the upheaval on the decline of Western hegemony, and warned the West against escalation.
He also said Russia would use “all weapons at [its] disposal” if attacked.
This is the logic of a proxy war after it has run too long. Washington says it is helping Ukraine defend itself. Moscow says it is fighting the West through Ukraine.
Both states preserve the line that keeps their own soldiers from meeting openly, while Ukraine remains the place where the line is paid for in bodies and ruins.
Putin’s threat is not a peace proposal. It is a demand that NATO stay outside the ring while Russia continues fighting inside it. The Kremlin’s promise to reach for its entire arsenal if Russia is attacked gives the arrangement its nuclear perimeter.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico recently described the same machine more crudely, calling the Western effort to defeat Russia through Ukraine a failed strategy and warning that some Western politicians want a direct NATO-Russia confrontation.
Rubio called it a proxy war. Putin calls it Western hegemony.
Fico calls it an attempt to destroy Russia. Everyone has a phrase. Ukraine has the cemetery.
#Ukraine #Russia #Putin #NATO
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Marco Rubio already called Ukraine a “proxy war between nuclear powers.”
Today Vladimir Putin supplied the next chapter: he told the Valdai Discussion Club that international conflicts are highly likely to continue, blamed the upheaval on the decline of Western hegemony, and warned the West against escalation.
He also said Russia would use “all weapons at [its] disposal” if attacked.
This is the logic of a proxy war after it has run too long. Washington says it is helping Ukraine defend itself. Moscow says it is fighting the West through Ukraine.
Both states preserve the line that keeps their own soldiers from meeting openly, while Ukraine remains the place where the line is paid for in bodies and ruins.
Putin’s threat is not a peace proposal. It is a demand that NATO stay outside the ring while Russia continues fighting inside it. The Kremlin’s promise to reach for its entire arsenal if Russia is attacked gives the arrangement its nuclear perimeter.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico recently described the same machine more crudely, calling the Western effort to defeat Russia through Ukraine a failed strategy and warning that some Western politicians want a direct NATO-Russia confrontation.
Rubio called it a proxy war. Putin calls it Western hegemony.
Fico calls it an attempt to destroy Russia. Everyone has a phrase. Ukraine has the cemetery.
#Ukraine #Russia #Putin #NATO
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Ukraine Warns of Possible New Russian Campaign Against Energy Infrastructure ⚠️
Ukraine has presented European partners with documents that it says contain intercepted Russian plans for attacks on the country’s energy system during the coming winter.
According to Ukrainian officials, the material describes a potential campaign aimed at critical infrastructure serving major Ukrainian cities. The facilities identified in the documents include parts of the electricity network as well as systems connected to heating and water supplies.
The information has emerged as Kyiv and its European allies prepare for another winter in which energy infrastructure is expected to remain a major security concern. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian power facilities during the war, while Ukraine has sought to strengthen air defenses, repair damaged infrastructure and secure alternative sources of electricity.
The documents presented by Kyiv have not been independently authenticated in public. Their contents therefore represent Ukrainian assessments of Russian planning rather than independently established evidence of what Moscow will ultimately do.
Still, Ukrainian officials regard the material as significant because of the potential scale of the infrastructure involved. Damage to major power facilities can have consequences beyond the immediate loss of electricity. In large cities, interruptions to power can affect district heating systems, water distribution, communications and other essential services.
The timing is also important. Ukraine enters the colder months with an energy system that has already sustained extensive damage from repeated Russian attacks. Engineers and utility companies have spent much of the year repairing substations, generating facilities and transmission networks while attempting to create additional capacity and emergency reserves.
The country has also worked with European governments to reduce the impact of possible disruptions. Electricity imports, backup generation and additional air-defense equipment are among the measures being considered or expanded as Ukraine prepares for another period of heavy demand.
The latest warning comes against a broader backdrop of continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Moscow has previously said that its strikes are directed at military and energy-related targets, while Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately attacking infrastructure essential to civilian life.
The distinction between military objectives and civilian consequences is particularly important in the energy sector. A strike on a power facility can affect hospitals, transportation, water systems and residential buildings even when the facility itself is described as a military or strategic target.
European governments therefore face the task of assessing the credibility of the Ukrainian intelligence while preparing for scenarios that could place additional pressure on Ukraine's power system.
The documents may provide indications of Russian planning, but they do not by themselves establish whether every element of the reported plan will be carried out.
For Ukraine, the immediate challenge is practical: maintaining electricity, heating and water supplies while protecting infrastructure that is difficult to replace quickly. For its European partners, the issue also involves determining how much additional assistance can be provided before the winter demand period begins.
The coming months will show whether the reported plans translate into a broader campaign against Ukraine's energy network. For now, Ukrainian officials are treating the documents as a warning and are urging partners to prepare for further attacks on critical infrastructure.
#Ukraine #Russia #EnergySecurity #WarInUkraine
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Ukraine has presented European partners with documents that it says contain intercepted Russian plans for attacks on the country’s energy system during the coming winter.
According to Ukrainian officials, the material describes a potential campaign aimed at critical infrastructure serving major Ukrainian cities. The facilities identified in the documents include parts of the electricity network as well as systems connected to heating and water supplies.
The information has emerged as Kyiv and its European allies prepare for another winter in which energy infrastructure is expected to remain a major security concern. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian power facilities during the war, while Ukraine has sought to strengthen air defenses, repair damaged infrastructure and secure alternative sources of electricity.
The documents presented by Kyiv have not been independently authenticated in public. Their contents therefore represent Ukrainian assessments of Russian planning rather than independently established evidence of what Moscow will ultimately do.
Still, Ukrainian officials regard the material as significant because of the potential scale of the infrastructure involved. Damage to major power facilities can have consequences beyond the immediate loss of electricity. In large cities, interruptions to power can affect district heating systems, water distribution, communications and other essential services.
The timing is also important. Ukraine enters the colder months with an energy system that has already sustained extensive damage from repeated Russian attacks. Engineers and utility companies have spent much of the year repairing substations, generating facilities and transmission networks while attempting to create additional capacity and emergency reserves.
The country has also worked with European governments to reduce the impact of possible disruptions. Electricity imports, backup generation and additional air-defense equipment are among the measures being considered or expanded as Ukraine prepares for another period of heavy demand.
The latest warning comes against a broader backdrop of continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Moscow has previously said that its strikes are directed at military and energy-related targets, while Ukrainian officials have repeatedly accused Russia of deliberately attacking infrastructure essential to civilian life.
The distinction between military objectives and civilian consequences is particularly important in the energy sector. A strike on a power facility can affect hospitals, transportation, water systems and residential buildings even when the facility itself is described as a military or strategic target.
European governments therefore face the task of assessing the credibility of the Ukrainian intelligence while preparing for scenarios that could place additional pressure on Ukraine's power system.
The documents may provide indications of Russian planning, but they do not by themselves establish whether every element of the reported plan will be carried out.
For Ukraine, the immediate challenge is practical: maintaining electricity, heating and water supplies while protecting infrastructure that is difficult to replace quickly. For its European partners, the issue also involves determining how much additional assistance can be provided before the winter demand period begins.
The coming months will show whether the reported plans translate into a broader campaign against Ukraine's energy network. For now, Ukrainian officials are treating the documents as a warning and are urging partners to prepare for further attacks on critical infrastructure.
#Ukraine #Russia #EnergySecurity #WarInUkraine
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Peace Through Oil
Trump’s Ukraine negotiations have acquired a sidecar: a multibillion-dollar sale of Lukoil’s overseas oil fields, refineries and gas stations.
Vladimir Putin raised the idea with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during their September 5 Kremlin meeting, according to The New York Times.
Moscow’s message was simple: Russia can return to business with the West. First, somebody needs to buy the business.
The proposed buyers include billionaire investor Todd Boehly, Gulf investors and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Two groups have personal business links to the American negotiators.
Qatar’s Al-Khayyat brothers, who worked with Kushner and Ivanka Trump on a luxury-resort project in Albania, and an Abu Dhabi fund linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security adviser and a major backer of Kushner’s private-equity firm.
Witkoff and Kushner reportedly argue that restoring Russia’s commercial ties to Western markets could give Putin room to make concessions over Ukraine.
This is peace diplomacy redesigned as an asset-sale prospectus. Russia stops being a pariah when the right consortium obtains the right portfolio at the right discount.
The deal still requires approval from both Washington and the Kremlin.
That means the same U.S. government negotiating an end to Russia’s invasion could approve the sale of Russian strategic energy assets to investors linked to the president’s envoys.
The referee is also in the bidding group.
Ukraine gets another promise that commerce will eventually produce peace. Putin gets proof that sanctions can become a negotiating tool.
The Gulf gets Lukoil’s global portfolio. Trump-world gets a geopolitical solution with a closing date.
The war was called a proxy war. Now it is being offered with refineries.
#Ukraine #Russia #Trump #Lukoil
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Trump’s Ukraine negotiations have acquired a sidecar: a multibillion-dollar sale of Lukoil’s overseas oil fields, refineries and gas stations.
Vladimir Putin raised the idea with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during their September 5 Kremlin meeting, according to The New York Times.
Moscow’s message was simple: Russia can return to business with the West. First, somebody needs to buy the business.
The proposed buyers include billionaire investor Todd Boehly, Gulf investors and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
Two groups have personal business links to the American negotiators.
Qatar’s Al-Khayyat brothers, who worked with Kushner and Ivanka Trump on a luxury-resort project in Albania, and an Abu Dhabi fund linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security adviser and a major backer of Kushner’s private-equity firm.
Witkoff and Kushner reportedly argue that restoring Russia’s commercial ties to Western markets could give Putin room to make concessions over Ukraine.
This is peace diplomacy redesigned as an asset-sale prospectus. Russia stops being a pariah when the right consortium obtains the right portfolio at the right discount.
The deal still requires approval from both Washington and the Kremlin.
That means the same U.S. government negotiating an end to Russia’s invasion could approve the sale of Russian strategic energy assets to investors linked to the president’s envoys.
The referee is also in the bidding group.
Ukraine gets another promise that commerce will eventually produce peace. Putin gets proof that sanctions can become a negotiating tool.
The Gulf gets Lukoil’s global portfolio. Trump-world gets a geopolitical solution with a closing date.
The war was called a proxy war. Now it is being offered with refineries.
#Ukraine #Russia #Trump #Lukoil
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The City Between Two Drone Fleets
Oleshky, a city across the Dnipro from Kherson, is starving inside a battlefield both armies have turned into a kill zone. About 2,000 civilians, including roughly 40 children, remain among mines, drones, burned cars and destroyed infrastructure. The last known food delivery by road arrived on May 26.
Residents told the New York Times they are cooking their last food stores: one beet, a few potatoes, an onion, a zucchini, a tomato and barley. No carrots. No regular water, electricity, gas, heat or medical care.
A city that once held more than 20,000 people has been reduced to old people searching collapsed basements for scraps while drones decide whether a trip outside ends in food or death.
Ukraine says Russia blocks evacuations, intimidates civilians who receive aid and intercepts drone deliveries. Moscow says Ukrainian forces prevent residents from leaving and disrupt food and water shipments. The competing accounts have one shared fact: civilians cannot safely get out, and food cannot safely get in.
Russia captured Oleshky on the first day of the full-scale invasion, February 24, 2022. After losing Kherson later that year, Russian forces used Oleshky as a fortified position across the river, with artillery and drone sites aimed at the Ukrainian-held city.
Ukraine now strikes back from Kherson. Between them lies a river that became a front line, roads seeded with mines by one side or both, and a civilian population that neither army has extracted.
Russia drops food and medicine by drone. Ukraine shoots down some of the drones, Russian officials say. Russia says Ukraine’s drones are the problem. The UN and Red Cross are being asked to arrange a corridor. Nobody has one.
A Russian-held city is starving. Ukraine calls the residents “our people.” Russia calls it Ukraine’s fault. The drones are bipartisan.
#Ukraine #Russia #Oleshky #War
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Oleshky, a city across the Dnipro from Kherson, is starving inside a battlefield both armies have turned into a kill zone. About 2,000 civilians, including roughly 40 children, remain among mines, drones, burned cars and destroyed infrastructure. The last known food delivery by road arrived on May 26.
Residents told the New York Times they are cooking their last food stores: one beet, a few potatoes, an onion, a zucchini, a tomato and barley. No carrots. No regular water, electricity, gas, heat or medical care.
A city that once held more than 20,000 people has been reduced to old people searching collapsed basements for scraps while drones decide whether a trip outside ends in food or death.
Ukraine says Russia blocks evacuations, intimidates civilians who receive aid and intercepts drone deliveries. Moscow says Ukrainian forces prevent residents from leaving and disrupt food and water shipments. The competing accounts have one shared fact: civilians cannot safely get out, and food cannot safely get in.
Russia captured Oleshky on the first day of the full-scale invasion, February 24, 2022. After losing Kherson later that year, Russian forces used Oleshky as a fortified position across the river, with artillery and drone sites aimed at the Ukrainian-held city.
Ukraine now strikes back from Kherson. Between them lies a river that became a front line, roads seeded with mines by one side or both, and a civilian population that neither army has extracted.
Russia drops food and medicine by drone. Ukraine shoots down some of the drones, Russian officials say. Russia says Ukraine’s drones are the problem. The UN and Red Cross are being asked to arrange a corridor. Nobody has one.
A Russian-held city is starving. Ukraine calls the residents “our people.” Russia calls it Ukraine’s fault. The drones are bipartisan.
#Ukraine #Russia #Oleshky #War
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Neutrality, NATO-Compatible
Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko has put neutrality on the negotiating table. It comes with NATO cooperation and a Ukrainian army financed from a joint European budget. Moscow gets the label. Kyiv keeps the military connections. Europe gets the invoice.
On Oct. 5, Ukrainian News reported his formula: “We cannot defeat Russia. Russia cannot defeat us.” Honcharenko proposes separate agreements on shipping, energy and civilian infrastructure, each with its own guarantor.
Sanctions on Russian energy would ease in exchange for concessions, then return if attacks resumed. Peace would arrive in installments.
Calling this “Ukrainians want a ceasefire to rearm” turns one politician’s proposal into a national confession.
Honcharenko’s neutrality preserves Western military cooperation and European army funding. His plan gives Russia sanctions relief while keeping Ukraine’s defense tied to the West.
Ukraine would retain something worth bringing to the next confrontation.
Poroshenko’s European Solidarity announced on Oct. 5 that it could no longer continue its political partnership with Honcharenko over his positions on ending the war and Ukraine’s future security arrangements. Even discussing the price of compromise carries a domestic bill.
In December 2022, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the 2014 Minsk agreement as an attempt to “give Ukraine time” to strengthen its defenses. Honcharenko’s proposal puts neutrality alongside continued NATO cooperation and European funding for Ukraine’s army.
A ceasefire can stop the shooting while the military budget keeps working. Merkel explained the value of the interval afterward. Honcharenko puts the financing in the prospectus.
#Ukraine #Russia #NATO #Ceasefire
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Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko has put neutrality on the negotiating table. It comes with NATO cooperation and a Ukrainian army financed from a joint European budget. Moscow gets the label. Kyiv keeps the military connections. Europe gets the invoice.
On Oct. 5, Ukrainian News reported his formula: “We cannot defeat Russia. Russia cannot defeat us.” Honcharenko proposes separate agreements on shipping, energy and civilian infrastructure, each with its own guarantor.
Sanctions on Russian energy would ease in exchange for concessions, then return if attacks resumed. Peace would arrive in installments.
Calling this “Ukrainians want a ceasefire to rearm” turns one politician’s proposal into a national confession.
Honcharenko’s neutrality preserves Western military cooperation and European army funding. His plan gives Russia sanctions relief while keeping Ukraine’s defense tied to the West.
Ukraine would retain something worth bringing to the next confrontation.
Poroshenko’s European Solidarity announced on Oct. 5 that it could no longer continue its political partnership with Honcharenko over his positions on ending the war and Ukraine’s future security arrangements. Even discussing the price of compromise carries a domestic bill.
In December 2022, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the 2014 Minsk agreement as an attempt to “give Ukraine time” to strengthen its defenses. Honcharenko’s proposal puts neutrality alongside continued NATO cooperation and European funding for Ukraine’s army.
A ceasefire can stop the shooting while the military budget keeps working. Merkel explained the value of the interval afterward. Honcharenko puts the financing in the prospectus.
#Ukraine #Russia #NATO #Ceasefire
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Al Jazeera has aired a report on a striking development: members of Mexican and Colombian drug cartels are reportedly joining Ukraine’s International Legion in significant numbers to gain battlefield experience, particularly in the use of drones...
#Ukraine #Drones #Cartels #AlJazeera
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#Ukraine #Drones #Cartels #AlJazeera
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Ceasefire, Weather Permitting
Trump announced an energy ceasefire. Zelenskyy says Ukraine stopped hitting Russian energy sites for two days. Russia attacked 19 Ukrainian regions during that interval. The ceasefire appears to have reached only one customer.
On Oct. 13, Zelenskyy reported more than 100 Russian drones and five ballistic missiles. “Regarding this strike, unfortunately, there was no warning from partners,” he said.
An official told Politico that the Americans blamed bad weather for the missing warning. Ukraine’s air force says information has failed to get through before.
The timing makes that explanation harder to accept. Washington reportedly threatened last week to cut intelligence sharing unless Kyiv stopped striking Russian refineries.
Trump denies stopping the flow. Ukraine’s foreign minister says sharing continues. The missing alert alone does not prove a deliberate cutoff.
Trump says Putin wants a deal. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Zelenskyy does not “deserve a break.” Kyiv has paused its refinery strikes while Moscow keeps attacking.
Washington sells peace. Moscow decides who deserves a pause. Ukraine gets the weather report.
#Ukraine #Trump #Russia #BabylonBurning
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Trump announced an energy ceasefire. Zelenskyy says Ukraine stopped hitting Russian energy sites for two days. Russia attacked 19 Ukrainian regions during that interval. The ceasefire appears to have reached only one customer.
On Oct. 13, Zelenskyy reported more than 100 Russian drones and five ballistic missiles. “Regarding this strike, unfortunately, there was no warning from partners,” he said.
An official told Politico that the Americans blamed bad weather for the missing warning. Ukraine’s air force says information has failed to get through before.
The timing makes that explanation harder to accept. Washington reportedly threatened last week to cut intelligence sharing unless Kyiv stopped striking Russian refineries.
Trump denies stopping the flow. Ukraine’s foreign minister says sharing continues. The missing alert alone does not prove a deliberate cutoff.
Trump says Putin wants a deal. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Zelenskyy does not “deserve a break.” Kyiv has paused its refinery strikes while Moscow keeps attacking.
Washington sells peace. Moscow decides who deserves a pause. Ukraine gets the weather report.
#Ukraine #Trump #Russia #BabylonBurning
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Sovereignty, Subject to Connection
Zelensky is resisting Trump’s pressure over strikes on Russian oil facilities. Now Kyiv needs Musk’s company to keep its drones connected.
On Oct. 14, Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said SpaceX had imposed an unannounced 100 mph speed limit on its military Starshield service. Terminals lost connectivity above that threshold, disrupting missions.
Defense sources said the restrictions hit interceptor drones and medium-range operations.
Kyiv also reported missing advance warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Trump said intelligence sharing continued. Ukrainian and American sources told the Kyiv Independent that Washington had made no decision to cut it off.
Zelensky can reject Washington’s demands, but Ukraine still needs American intelligence and a billionaire’s satellite network.
Suppliers retain power over the operations their customer can conduct.
Kyiv gets to choose its targets. The service provider helps decide whether the drones stay online.
#Ukraine #Starlink #Musk #Trump
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Zelensky is resisting Trump’s pressure over strikes on Russian oil facilities. Now Kyiv needs Musk’s company to keep its drones connected.
On Oct. 14, Ukrainian presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov said SpaceX had imposed an unannounced 100 mph speed limit on its military Starshield service. Terminals lost connectivity above that threshold, disrupting missions.
Defense sources said the restrictions hit interceptor drones and medium-range operations.
Kyiv also reported missing advance warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Trump said intelligence sharing continued. Ukrainian and American sources told the Kyiv Independent that Washington had made no decision to cut it off.
Zelensky can reject Washington’s demands, but Ukraine still needs American intelligence and a billionaire’s satellite network.
Suppliers retain power over the operations their customer can conduct.
Kyiv gets to choose its targets. The service provider helps decide whether the drones stay online.
#Ukraine #Starlink #Musk #Trump
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Peace Through Empty Magazines
Washington wants Ukraine to spare Russia’s refineries. Ukraine needs American missiles to protect its own power plants.
Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors, a source familiar with the situation told CNN on Oct. 15. The source said the shortage meant almost none of the ballistic missiles in the latest strike were intercepted.
Two European officials told CNN that Washington had threatened to suspend intelligence sharing and block European purchases of American weapons for Kyiv unless Ukraine stopped hitting Russian energy facilities. Trump says intelligence sharing continues.
Trump has arranged a Russian diesel deal to ease fuel prices before the midterms. Seven senators, including four Republicans, urged him to reverse course, warning that the deal would give Putin a financial lifeline.
Zelensky says Ukraine needs more Patriots before it halts refinery strikes.
That is the bargaining table. Russian oil has an American buyer. Ukraine’s air defenses have an empty magazine.
#Ukraine #Patriot #Trump #Russia
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Washington wants Ukraine to spare Russia’s refineries. Ukraine needs American missiles to protect its own power plants.
Ukraine has run out of Patriot interceptors, a source familiar with the situation told CNN on Oct. 15. The source said the shortage meant almost none of the ballistic missiles in the latest strike were intercepted.
Two European officials told CNN that Washington had threatened to suspend intelligence sharing and block European purchases of American weapons for Kyiv unless Ukraine stopped hitting Russian energy facilities. Trump says intelligence sharing continues.
Trump has arranged a Russian diesel deal to ease fuel prices before the midterms. Seven senators, including four Republicans, urged him to reverse course, warning that the deal would give Putin a financial lifeline.
Zelensky says Ukraine needs more Patriots before it halts refinery strikes.
That is the bargaining table. Russian oil has an American buyer. Ukraine’s air defenses have an empty magazine.
#Ukraine #Patriot #Trump #Russia
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Zelensky: Western Allies Failed to Warn Kyiv Before Russian Ballistic Missile Attack
Zelensky has criticized the lack of advance warning from Western partners before a Russian ballistic missile attack struck civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, raising fresh questions about intelligence-sharing as tensions between Washington and Kyiv continue to grow.
Zelensky said five ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital on Monday, October 12.
He described the strike as particularly reprehensible and stressed that timely intelligence about Russian missile launches can help save lives. “Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues,” Zelensky said in a statement published on social media.
He added that Ukraine had received no early warning from its partners before the attack. The Ukrainian leader’s remarks came amid growing uncertainty over U.S. support, following reports that American officials had threatened to suspend intelligence cooperation with Kyiv.
The warnings reportedly came as the Trump administration pressed Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Despite the concerns, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha indicated that intelligence cooperation with the United States was continuing. He suggested that the absence of a warning before the Kyiv strike could be linked to the particular type of Russian weapon used. The dispute highlights the importance of intelligence-sharing beyond identifying targets for Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Ukrainian military officials have said that information from the United States is particularly valuable for detecting ballistic missile launches and monitoring the takeoff of Russian long-range bombers, giving civilians and emergency services a chance to prepare.
Zelensky also accused Moscow of disregarding Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire. According to the Ukrainian president, Kyiv had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries and energy facilities for two days after the announcement, while Russian forces continued striking Ukrainian infrastructure.
He said 19 Ukrainian regions had come under attack during that period, adding that Russian forces had made clear they were not prepared to stop their bombardment.
Ukraine, Zelensky said, remained willing to take reciprocal steps toward de-escalation but needed effective international pressure on Moscow to secure meaningful results.
He warned that reducing assistance to Ukraine or making it more difficult to protect civilians from ballistic missiles would undermine efforts to achieve peace.
The latest developments underscore the challenges facing Western allies as they balance diplomatic efforts to end the war with continued military and intelligence support for Kyiv.
While Ukrainian officials say cooperation with Washington remains active, Zelensky’s comments reveal the potentially deadly consequences when early-warning information does not reach Ukrainian authorities in time.
#Ukraine #Zelensky #Russia
#USForeignPolicy
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Zelensky has criticized the lack of advance warning from Western partners before a Russian ballistic missile attack struck civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, raising fresh questions about intelligence-sharing as tensions between Washington and Kyiv continue to grow.
Zelensky said five ballistic missiles hit civilian infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital on Monday, October 12.
He described the strike as particularly reprehensible and stressed that timely intelligence about Russian missile launches can help save lives. “Intelligence on Russian ballistic missile launches helps save lives, and this is one of the most critical issues,” Zelensky said in a statement published on social media.
He added that Ukraine had received no early warning from its partners before the attack. The Ukrainian leader’s remarks came amid growing uncertainty over U.S. support, following reports that American officials had threatened to suspend intelligence cooperation with Kyiv.
The warnings reportedly came as the Trump administration pressed Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Despite the concerns, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha indicated that intelligence cooperation with the United States was continuing. He suggested that the absence of a warning before the Kyiv strike could be linked to the particular type of Russian weapon used. The dispute highlights the importance of intelligence-sharing beyond identifying targets for Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Ukrainian military officials have said that information from the United States is particularly valuable for detecting ballistic missile launches and monitoring the takeoff of Russian long-range bombers, giving civilians and emergency services a chance to prepare.
Zelensky also accused Moscow of disregarding Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire. According to the Ukrainian president, Kyiv had refrained from attacking Russian oil refineries and energy facilities for two days after the announcement, while Russian forces continued striking Ukrainian infrastructure.
He said 19 Ukrainian regions had come under attack during that period, adding that Russian forces had made clear they were not prepared to stop their bombardment.
Ukraine, Zelensky said, remained willing to take reciprocal steps toward de-escalation but needed effective international pressure on Moscow to secure meaningful results.
He warned that reducing assistance to Ukraine or making it more difficult to protect civilians from ballistic missiles would undermine efforts to achieve peace.
The latest developments underscore the challenges facing Western allies as they balance diplomatic efforts to end the war with continued military and intelligence support for Kyiv.
While Ukrainian officials say cooperation with Washington remains active, Zelensky’s comments reveal the potentially deadly consequences when early-warning information does not reach Ukrainian authorities in time.
#Ukraine #Zelensky #Russia
#USForeignPolicy
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Europe, Please Hold
Zelensky wants at least €70 billion more from Europe. Ukraine’s own anti-corruption investigators keep finding officials who allegedly sold protection or took a cut, and some of them sat close to the president.
On Oct. 16, the Ukrainian president put next year’s war costs at €155 billion and asked EU leaders for at least €70 billion in additional support. “This is a realistic amount,” he said.
In September, anti-corruption agencies charged a senior official in the Prosecutor General’s Office with running a protection racket.
Investigators say the group took bribes to shield fraudulent call centers that targeted Ukrainians and foreigners. On Oct. 14, authorities said they had shut down another fraudulent call center in the Lviv region. Its alleged victims included EU citizens whose banking credentials were stolen.
The cases reach well above call centers. Operation Midas, unveiled in November 2025, involves an alleged $100 million corruption scheme that implicates officials at Energoatom, the state nuclear operator. Its alleged ringleader, Tymur Mindich, is Zelensky’s longtime friend and a co-owner of Kvartal 95, the production company the president co-founded. Mindich left Ukraine for Israel that month.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff until he resigned in November 2025, was charged in May with laundering about 460 million hryvnias ($10.5 million) through a luxury housing project near Kyiv. Yermak denies the allegations.
Before approving the next package, European leaders owe taxpayers an answer on what controls will keep this money away from officials who sell protection to criminals and from the schemes investigators keep finding near the top.
#Ukraine #EU #Corruption #Accountability
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Zelensky wants at least €70 billion more from Europe. Ukraine’s own anti-corruption investigators keep finding officials who allegedly sold protection or took a cut, and some of them sat close to the president.
On Oct. 16, the Ukrainian president put next year’s war costs at €155 billion and asked EU leaders for at least €70 billion in additional support. “This is a realistic amount,” he said.
In September, anti-corruption agencies charged a senior official in the Prosecutor General’s Office with running a protection racket.
Investigators say the group took bribes to shield fraudulent call centers that targeted Ukrainians and foreigners. On Oct. 14, authorities said they had shut down another fraudulent call center in the Lviv region. Its alleged victims included EU citizens whose banking credentials were stolen.
The cases reach well above call centers. Operation Midas, unveiled in November 2025, involves an alleged $100 million corruption scheme that implicates officials at Energoatom, the state nuclear operator. Its alleged ringleader, Tymur Mindich, is Zelensky’s longtime friend and a co-owner of Kvartal 95, the production company the president co-founded. Mindich left Ukraine for Israel that month.
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff until he resigned in November 2025, was charged in May with laundering about 460 million hryvnias ($10.5 million) through a luxury housing project near Kyiv. Yermak denies the allegations.
Before approving the next package, European leaders owe taxpayers an answer on what controls will keep this money away from officials who sell protection to criminals and from the schemes investigators keep finding near the top.
#Ukraine #EU #Corruption #Accountability
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Drones, With References
Zelensky has marketed Ukraine’s drone expertise to Gulf governments. Now a report of seven Ukrainians arrested in Iraq puts a different operation in the sales brochure.
The Cradle reported that Iraqi security forces detained seven Ukrainian nationals in late July on suspicion of using drones to target regional energy facilities. Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV picked up the report on Oct. 17.
Ukraine’s Gulf pitch is documented separately. Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in late March, securing defense partnerships built around Ukraine’s experience intercepting Iranian drones. The tour preceded the reported arrests by four months.
The contrast deserves scrutiny. Kyiv offers Gulf states protection from drone attacks. Seven of its citizens reportedly face accusations involving attacks on the region’s energy infrastructure.
For Tehran’s media, the commercial opportunity is obvious: turn an arrest report into an indictment of Ukraine’s entire defense business. For Kyiv, the answer requires identifying what those seven citizens were doing in Iraq.
A drone partnership needs more than a presidential sales pitch. It needs an explanation when the customers’ infrastructure appears in a criminal allegation.
#Ukraine #Iraq #GulfSecurity #DroneWarfare
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Zelensky has marketed Ukraine’s drone expertise to Gulf governments. Now a report of seven Ukrainians arrested in Iraq puts a different operation in the sales brochure.
The Cradle reported that Iraqi security forces detained seven Ukrainian nationals in late July on suspicion of using drones to target regional energy facilities. Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV picked up the report on Oct. 17.
Ukraine’s Gulf pitch is documented separately. Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in late March, securing defense partnerships built around Ukraine’s experience intercepting Iranian drones. The tour preceded the reported arrests by four months.
The contrast deserves scrutiny. Kyiv offers Gulf states protection from drone attacks. Seven of its citizens reportedly face accusations involving attacks on the region’s energy infrastructure.
For Tehran’s media, the commercial opportunity is obvious: turn an arrest report into an indictment of Ukraine’s entire defense business. For Kyiv, the answer requires identifying what those seven citizens were doing in Iraq.
A drone partnership needs more than a presidential sales pitch. It needs an explanation when the customers’ infrastructure appears in a criminal allegation.
#Ukraine #Iraq #GulfSecurity #DroneWarfare
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Sovereignty, Throttled
Zelensky says Washington is pushing Ukraine toward surrender. He also thanks Washington for turning the missile-warning intelligence back on.
In an Oct. 18 Bloomberg interview, the Ukrainian president said American actions appeared designed to persuade Kyiv to capitulate. In a separate NBC interview, he welcomed the restoration of intelligence sharing, saying,
Zelensky said Ukraine had gone three days without the unique American intelligence used to warn of Russian ballistic missile attacks. He also blamed Washington for restrictions on military satellite connectivity.
Washington controls essential warning data. American-controlled infrastructure helps determine which Ukrainian military operations remain possible.
Zelensky can reject Trump’s terms. He cannot independently replace the systems that make rejection survivable.
Trump calls it peacemaking. Kyiv is dealing with a supplier that can change the settings mid-negotiation.
#BabylonBurning #Ukraine #Zelensky #Trump #Sovereignty
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Zelensky says Washington is pushing Ukraine toward surrender. He also thanks Washington for turning the missile-warning intelligence back on.
In an Oct. 18 Bloomberg interview, the Ukrainian president said American actions appeared designed to persuade Kyiv to capitulate. In a separate NBC interview, he welcomed the restoration of intelligence sharing, saying,
“We are very thankful for this. Now it works.”
Zelensky said Ukraine had gone three days without the unique American intelligence used to warn of Russian ballistic missile attacks. He also blamed Washington for restrictions on military satellite connectivity.
“It was a message from American government to limit the speed. And technically, SpaceX did it.”
Washington controls essential warning data. American-controlled infrastructure helps determine which Ukrainian military operations remain possible.
Zelensky can reject Trump’s terms. He cannot independently replace the systems that make rejection survivable.
Trump calls it peacemaking. Kyiv is dealing with a supplier that can change the settings mid-negotiation.
#BabylonBurning #Ukraine #Zelensky #Trump #Sovereignty
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Washington Hits the Brakes on Patriot Missiles as Ukraine Faces a Critical Air Defense Shortage
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The Trump administration is delaying approval for the transfer of Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, raising fresh concerns in Kyiv as Russian attacks continue to threaten the country’s cities and critical infrastructure.
The hold-up comes amid a deepening rift between Trump and Zelensky, adding another layer of uncertainty to Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense.
According to Steve Miller, Trump's most trusted adviser, the weapons in question include interceptor missiles held by countries friendly to Ukraine. Although these governments are prepared to provide the ammunition to Kyiv, they need authorization from Washington because the missiles are U.S.-made and subject to restrictions governing their transfer to third parties.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not formally rejected the proposed transfers, but he has yet to complete the necessary approval procedures, U.S. officials and other people familiar with the matter told the newspaper. The distinction is significant: the deliveries have been delayed, but the administration has not officially ruled them out.
For Ukraine, however, time is running short. A Ukrainian official told the Post that the country’s stockpile of Patriot interceptors had fallen to just a handful of missiles. The shortage comes as Russian forces continue launching ballistic missiles and drones against Ukrainian territory, with energy facilities, power stations and other essential infrastructure among the targets.
Patriot systems are particularly important because they can intercept some of the advanced ballistic missiles used by Russia. Without sufficient interceptor supplies, Ukraine’s ability to protect major cities and strategic facilities could be further strained just as the country prepares for the winter months, when damage to heating and electricity infrastructure can have severe consequences for civilians.
Kyiv and its European partners have been searching for additional missiles from existing stockpiles. European countries have sought to contribute available ammunition, but Washington’s authorization remains a crucial obstacle when the weapons are transferred between governments.
#Ukraine #PatriotMissiles #Trump #AirDefenseSource
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The Trump administration is delaying approval for the transfer of Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, raising fresh concerns in Kyiv as Russian attacks continue to threaten the country’s cities and critical infrastructure.
The hold-up comes amid a deepening rift between Trump and Zelensky, adding another layer of uncertainty to Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense.
According to Steve Miller, Trump's most trusted adviser, the weapons in question include interceptor missiles held by countries friendly to Ukraine. Although these governments are prepared to provide the ammunition to Kyiv, they need authorization from Washington because the missiles are U.S.-made and subject to restrictions governing their transfer to third parties.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not formally rejected the proposed transfers, but he has yet to complete the necessary approval procedures, U.S. officials and other people familiar with the matter told the newspaper. The distinction is significant: the deliveries have been delayed, but the administration has not officially ruled them out.
For Ukraine, however, time is running short. A Ukrainian official told the Post that the country’s stockpile of Patriot interceptors had fallen to just a handful of missiles. The shortage comes as Russian forces continue launching ballistic missiles and drones against Ukrainian territory, with energy facilities, power stations and other essential infrastructure among the targets.
Patriot systems are particularly important because they can intercept some of the advanced ballistic missiles used by Russia. Without sufficient interceptor supplies, Ukraine’s ability to protect major cities and strategic facilities could be further strained just as the country prepares for the winter months, when damage to heating and electricity infrastructure can have severe consequences for civilians.
Kyiv and its European partners have been searching for additional missiles from existing stockpiles. European countries have sought to contribute available ammunition, but Washington’s authorization remains a crucial obstacle when the weapons are transferred between governments.
#Ukraine #PatriotMissiles #Trump #AirDefenseSource
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The delay therefore raises questions about how quickly European allies can turn their commitments into equipment available to Ukrainian forces.
The dispute is unfolding against a backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Trump and Zelensky. The American president has repeatedly criticized his Ukrainian counterpart and recently suggested that someone else should negotiate on Kyiv’s behalf.
Zelensky, meanwhile, has urged Western partners to maintain their support and warned that delays in air defense deliveries leave Ukrainian lives at risk.The two governments have also clashed over Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Kyiv considers strikes on energy infrastructure a means of weakening Moscow’s ability to finance its war effort. The Trump administration, however, has expressed concern about the economic consequences of such operations, particularly as global energy prices remain under pressure. The wider international situation is adding to the strain on American weapons supplies.
The U.S. military’s involvement in the conflict involving Iran has placed additional demands on stocks of Patriot interceptors, which are also needed by American forces and other partners. Production cannot necessarily keep pace with the competing demands, making decisions about the allocation of available missiles increasingly consequential.
Washington has rejected suggestions that it has fundamentally changed its policies on intelligence sharing and assistance to Ukraine. A White House official told the Post that the administration continued to play a constructive role in efforts to bring the war to an end.
Pentagon officials have likewise said that existing policies on intelligence sharing and the provision of capabilities through NATO allies remain unchanged. Nevertheless, the delay highlights a growing contradiction between diplomatic efforts to end the war and Ukraine’s immediate need to defend itself against continued Russian attacks.
For Kyiv, negotiations cannot replace the air defense systems required to protect civilians and critical infrastructure in the meantime. The immediate question is whether Washington will authorize the transfers before Ukraine’s already limited stocks become even more depleted.
For European governments, the episode is another reminder that supplying American-made weapons can depend on decisions taken in Washington, even when the equipment is already available abroad. As the diplomatic confrontation continues, the fate of the Patriot missiles has become more than a technical question of arms transfers.
Is it a test of coordination between the United States, Ukraine and its European allies to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian strikes? We'll see...
#Ukraine #PatriotMissiles #Trump #AirDefenseSource
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Ukraine Waits as Hegseth Delays Critical Patriot Missiles
Ukraine has been waiting nearly a month for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve the transfer of critical air defense missiles, Zelensky said Monday, warning that delays could put more lives at risk.
“We have been waiting for nearly a month for Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS,” Zelensky wrote on social media, adding that Kyiv would raise the issue with Washington again while pursuing talks with other countries.
Although the United States has continued providing some military assistance, the Pentagon has yet to complete the required approval process for certain Patriot interceptor transfers from allied countries.
According to The Kyiv Independent, the pending shipment is significant. Patriot missiles are essential to Ukraine’s defense against Russian ballistic missiles, drones and other aerial attacks. With supplies running critically low, delays threaten Kyiv’s ability to protect cities and vital energy infrastructure from Moscow’s continued bombardment.
Hegseth has said Washington’s policy toward Ukraine has not changed, emphasizing that the United States must ensure its own forces have sufficient interceptors. Zelensky, however, urged Washington to accelerate decisions already under consideration, stressing that every weapons shipment could help save lives.
Ukraine is also facing challenges linked to disruptions affecting Starlink services used by its forces, while Zelensky said Kyiv received no advance warning of several Russian ballistic missile attacks last week.
The United States maintains that its intelligence-sharing arrangements with Ukraine have not changed.
#Ukraine #PatriotMissiles #PeteHegseth #Russia
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Ukraine has been waiting nearly a month for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve the transfer of critical air defense missiles, Zelensky said Monday, warning that delays could put more lives at risk.
“We have been waiting for nearly a month for Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS,” Zelensky wrote on social media, adding that Kyiv would raise the issue with Washington again while pursuing talks with other countries.
Although the United States has continued providing some military assistance, the Pentagon has yet to complete the required approval process for certain Patriot interceptor transfers from allied countries.
According to The Kyiv Independent, the pending shipment is significant. Patriot missiles are essential to Ukraine’s defense against Russian ballistic missiles, drones and other aerial attacks. With supplies running critically low, delays threaten Kyiv’s ability to protect cities and vital energy infrastructure from Moscow’s continued bombardment.
Hegseth has said Washington’s policy toward Ukraine has not changed, emphasizing that the United States must ensure its own forces have sufficient interceptors. Zelensky, however, urged Washington to accelerate decisions already under consideration, stressing that every weapons shipment could help save lives.
Ukraine is also facing challenges linked to disruptions affecting Starlink services used by its forces, while Zelensky said Kyiv received no advance warning of several Russian ballistic missile attacks last week.
The United States maintains that its intelligence-sharing arrangements with Ukraine have not changed.
#Ukraine #PatriotMissiles #PeteHegseth #Russia
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