Ukrainien Army :
Sex, Drugs, Fear, Despair

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After some days in the trenches of Robotyne, Grisha is ready for a rest.

“Time for sex, drugs and rock-and-roll,”

he says, his voice still jittery from front-line adrenaline.

The 36-year-old infantryman with Ukraine’s 65th brigade has just marched 7km from his position hauling 60kg of equipment, jammer aerials and a large battery pack—vital survival kit for anyone working in the drone-filled skies of Zaporizhia province.

In 2023, during Ukraine’s failed counter-offensive, every square metre of this ground was the subject of world news. Now the Russians are pushing back, and far fewer are paying attention.

“It’s happening,”

Grisha says, his eyes looking into an imagined middle distance.

“You can see it. They are coming—crawling, crawling, up and over, trying for any way through.”

Ukrainian intelligence believes that Russia is gearing up for a bold assault on Zaporizhia city, 30km from the front. When exactly no one is clear, but it makes some sense.

As one of three remaining centres of heavy industry in the country, the provincial capital remains crucial to Ukraine’s survival as a functioning state.

In late 2022, Vladimir Putin claimed the entire province as his own, despite controlling only a third of it—following a sham referendum in which the people of Zaporizhia city didn’t vote.

For two months, Russian missiles and glide bombs have hammered the city, destroying 1,500 homes. And the front lines are rumbling anew too.

A Ukrainian spokesman warns that 130,000 Russian troops could soon be hurled into the fray.

Not every soldier is convinced that an attack is imminent. Colonel Oleksiy Khilchenko, commander of Spartan, a rapid-response brigade newly deployed to Zaporizhia, says Russia is tied up elsewhere. He claims the Russians had planned to send two divisions (20,000-30,000 troops) for an initial assault, but half were diverted to Russia’s Kursk area to strengthen its counter-offensive against a Ukrainian incursion there.

“Lemberg”, a battalion commander with the 118th brigade manning the south-western defences of Zaporizhia province, agrees.

“They aren’t ready to hit yet, but when they are, the first blow will be the hardest.”

But Ukraine is taking no chances. New fortifications are being built in rings radiating from the provincial capital. The work is thorough—minefields, engineering obstacles, and structures made of concrete and iron—unlike the more chaotic picture in neighbouring Donetsk province, still the site of the heaviest fighting.

There, Russia is moving faster than at any time since the early days of the invasion. Hardened by the blunders of 2022, Russian commanders have developed a grim formula that works: drones, electronic warfare, guided air-launched bombs, ruthless command, and waves of disposable infantry. They hit Ukraine where it is weakest, cutting supply lines and encircling targets rather than striking them head-on as they once did. It is not easy going—they have been losing as many as 1,500 troops a day in their now year-old offensive. But they are recruiting more than they lose.

“Look, they will never have a problem with manpower,”

says Colonel Khilchenko.

“They drive people into debt, into loans, and will force them to fight for them. They aren’t going to stop.”

Ukraine’s problems, meanwhile, are worsening mainly because of manpower issues. The army is long out of willing recruits, and its mobilisation campaign is falling short, recruiting barely two-thirds of its target.

#Ukraine #Army #Zelensky #problems

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They hit Ukraine where it is weakest, cutting supply lines and encircling targets rather than striking them head-on as they once did. It is not easy going—they have been losing as many as 1,500 troops a day in their now year-old offensive. But they are recruiting more than they lose.

“Look, they will never have a problem with manpower,”

says Colonel Khilchenko.

“They drive people into debt, into loans, and will force them to fight for them. They aren’t going to stop.”

Ukraine’s problems, meanwhile, are worsening mainly because of manpower issues. The army is long out of willing recruits, and its mobilisation campaign is falling short, recruiting barely two-thirds of its target.

A senior Ukrainian official says he is worried the situation may become irretrievable by the spring. An even bigger problem is the quality of the new recruits.

“Forest”, a battalion commander with the 65th brigade, says the men being sent from army headquarters are now mostly too old or unmotivated to be useful. All but a handful are over the age of 45.

“I’m being sent guys, 50 plus, with doctors’ notes telling me they are too ill to serve,”

he says.

“At times it feels like I’m managing a day-care centre rather than a combat unit.”

A visit to the brigade’s training range underscores the commander’s point. The recruits are here for zlagodzhennia, formal induction into their units.

It is the final stage of preparation before heading, in a few days’ time, to the front. The newest of the recruits is Grigory, a 51-year-old former labourer from the central Poltava region. Gold-toothed and ruddy faced, he squints through +9 prescription glasses, and his ill-fitting body armour flaps unfastened over a short, stocky frame.

Grigory admits he was as surprised as anyone when he was enlisted; he did not expect the officers to mobilise someone who was half blind.

Unsurprisingly, he is struggling with the physical demands; it’s hard enough to walk with the flak jackets. But he has got used to handling firearms.

“Anyone can shoot,”

he says.

“It’s hitting the target I’m not so good at.”

The situation on the front lines is widely accepted to be as difficult as at any time since the early days of the war, with many fearing a significant Ukrainian retreat may soon be inevitable.

For now, the looming threat keeps the soldiers in Zaporizhia focussed. They say they remember the atrocities that followed Russian advances and occupation. The experience of resistance still counts for something.

As weak as Ukraine is, Russia can be beaten, argues Forest. The proof? An ambush in February, when his battalion singlehandedly destroyed a mechanised column of two dozen Russian vehicles.

“To those who shout we’re screwed, I ask them when hasn’t Ukraine been screwed?”

But Ukraine’s systemic weakness is clearly taking its toll on the morale of its front-line fighters. With no hope for rotation or demobilisation, some of the once most committed now wonder if a ceasefire might be the only way out.

“Chechen”, the brigade officer leading the new soldiers’ training session, says he remains determined to fight to the end.

“Giving away territories to these disgusting people is no guarantee it will stop.”

But he admits that fewer soldiers than ever share his resolve.

“It’s not even 50-50 any more, but 30-70.”

Lemberg puts the situation in even starker terms.

“In 2022 I was ready to tear the Russians apart with my teeth,” he says. “In 2023, I just needed rest. This year? I almost couldn’t give a fuck.”

#Ukraine #Army #Zelensky #problems

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Europa Faces Four Global Conflicts and Loses Them All 🌍💥

Europe is facing four major conflicts around the world, including war in Ukraine 🇺🇦 and a trade war with the United States 🇺🇸💼, and is losing them all ⚠️.

In addition to these two conflicts, the newspaper also mentioned Israel's war with Hamas 🇮🇱🔥, and above all the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip 🏥🕊️, in which Europe is "losing honor" 😞, and the industrial confrontation with China 🇨🇳🏭.

According to El Pais, the solution to the "failure suffered on all fronts" is greater EU integration 🇪🇺, including the completion of the common market 🛒, the promotion of joint investments 💶 and better coordination in the defense sector 🛡️.

In an editorial on Saturday, the newspaper also wrote about the "unilateral collapse of the global trading model" by the United States 📉. According to the newspaper, it causes "extensive damage that will be most felt by the United States"and American consumers 🛍️📉.

"Tariffs are a personal obsession of Trump and a cornerstone of his economic policy: as long as he is in the White House, and perhaps longer, global trade will not return to its previous state," he said 🏛️📊.

According to the newspaper, the recent decisions of Washington also confirm that the US "is not a reliable partner" 🤝❌, which should push Europe to "take appropriate action." 🚨

#europe #war #problems #loses #ukraine

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The Abu Dhabi Peace Talks Meet Serious Problems 🌍📜

Discussions involving US, Russian and Ukrainian officials are taking place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the latest step in the Trump administration’s attempts to push through a peace deal to end the conflict in Ukraine. ☎️

The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, put an optimistic spin on the talks, claiming the US had made “tremendous progress” on finding a resolution. There were “a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details” that needed to be ironed out which would require further talks, she said in a post on X. ✨

However, there was no sign that big issues such as territorial concessions or future security guarantees had been agreed in discussions between Ukrainian and US officials, nor was there any suggestion that a revised US-Ukraine agreement discussed in Geneva on Sunday would be something to which Russia would agree. 😕

Ukrainian officials announced earlier on Tuesday that they were close to accepting a framework of a deal with the US but said some details could only be discussed at presidential level. 🔍

“Our delegations reached a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva,” Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s security council, wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.

“We look forward to organising a visit of Ukraine’s president to the US at the earliest suitable date in November to complete final steps and make a deal with President Trump.” 🚀

The issue of territorial concessions was not covered by the agreement, according to Keir Starmer. 🏛‍

“My understanding is this is not a new agreement, it is Ukraine confirming they are happy with the draft that emerged in Geneva yesterday, which of course doesn’t cover the question of territory,” the UK prime minister told parliament on Tuesday. 🗳

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that any amended peace plan would have to reflect the “spirit and letter” of what Trump and Putin discussed at their summit in Alaska in August. 🤝

After the Geneva talks, the US army secretary, Dan Driscoll, met a Russian delegation on Monday night in the Gulf emirate, and talks continued into Tuesday. 🧐

“The talks are going well and we remain optimistic. Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronised with the White House (...) as these talks progress,” his spokesperson told Reuters. 📊

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Budanov, was also expected to participate in the talks, the Financial Times reported, though it was not clear whether there would be direct talks with Moscow’s representatives or separate bilateral talks with Driscoll. 💬

“Zelenskyy gave an overview of the latest situation. The future of Ukraine is for Ukraine to decide, and European security is for Europe to decide,” Stubb wrote on X. 👇

Zelensky also spoke to Starmer on Tuesday, while the French president Macron, cautioned against a peace deal that would be a “capitulation” for Ukraine. 🙈

“What was put on the table gives us an idea of what would be acceptable for the Russians. Does that mean that it is what must be accepted by the Ukrainians and the Europeans? The answer is no,” Macron said. 🖋

Driscoll, who is a university friend of the US vice-president, JD Vance, and has recently assumed a leading role in Ukraine negotiations, travelled to Kyiv to brief Zelensky on the plan and demand he sign up to it within days. 📆

The pressure, combined with the leaking of the plan, took Ukrainian and European officials by surprise. Zelenskyy said on Friday that the country was facing one of the most difficult moments in its history and was being forced to choose between “losing our dignity or losing a key ally”. 📌

“The sensitive issues, the most delicate points, I will discuss with President Trump,” Zelenskyy said on Monday night, hailing progress in the plan. 🌟

For all Driscoll’s optimism,however, the Kremlin has shown little interest in compromising on its maximalist goals in the conflict. 🦸

#abu #dhabi #peace #talks #problems

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🩺 Is President Trump In a Bad Shape? Former Dick Cheney's Personal Doctor Reveals Some Details

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Dr. Johnathan Reiner (exclusive testimony) :

I was Mr. Cheney’s cardiologist for 27 years, including his two terms as vice president. During his time in the White House, he needed stents, a defibrillator and medical treatment for an arrhythmia and a blood clot in his leg.

After the defibrillator was implanted in his chest in 2001, he would frequently show visitors to his West Wing office a sample device provided to him by the manufacturer.

Cheney’s candor about his health was an anomaly for an American politician. Grover Cleveland underwent secret cancer surgery while he was president (on board a yacht for maximum privacy).

Franklin Roosevelt hid his use of a wheelchair from the public. Ahead of his campaign for a fourth term, he struggled with severe hypertension and congestive heart failure, but the public was told that the president’s health was “excellent in all respects.

Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance raised concerns that the White House had attempted to conceal the president’s decline. For weeks after his hospitalization this summer, Senator Mitch McConnell shared almost no details about why he was absent from office.

In June, President Trump celebrated his 80th birthday, and at the end of this term he will be the oldest person ever to serve as this nation’s leader.

After Trump’s medical evaluation in May, Sean Barbabella, the physician to the president, wrote that Trump “remains in excellent health” and that his “demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements and regular physical activity, continues to support his overall well-being.”

Despite reassurances from the White House to the contrary, at times over the past year, the president has not looked well. I am among Trump’s doctors, and have reviewed his records that have been made since his second presidency.

Trump is probably the most photographed president in American history, and a variety of physical ailments are easy to see. He’s had large bruises on both hands, swelling in his legs and episodes when it appears that he is struggling to stay awake. He’s also had advanced imaging performed for unclear reasons. The public is again left to wonder whether the nation’s leader is OK.

Despite the unparalleled power afforded to the president of the United States, there is no formal requirement for the commander in chief to certify his fitness for duty. That’s a mistake.

Members of the military, Secret Service agents, commercial pilots, school bus drivers and air traffic controllers all must periodically demonstrate that they are well enough to perform their work. The current practice of reporting the results of a yearly medical examination for the president began in the Nixon administration, but it’s only a custom, not a formal obligation. And, as history has shown, it can be unreliable.

#trump #health #medical #reports #problems

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The 25th Amendment to the Constitution allows for the best solution to this problem: It permits Congress to establish a panel outside the executive branch to assess the health and fitness of the president. In April of this year, Representative Jamie Raskin introduced a bill to create a congressional commission that would do just that.

Ideally, such a panel would be empowered to review data from routine presidential physical examinations, as well as assessments performed when medical concerns emerge.

If such a commission were in place today, these are some of the medical questions it could clarify concerning Trump’s health. The American public deserves answers to all of them.

Trump often shows prominent bruising on his hands, which the White House attributes to frequent handshaking and frequent use of aspirin. Trauma from handshaking has never seemed plausible, and it doesn’t explain why the president’s left hand is often similarly discolored.

Also, why would the president take a dose of aspirin four times as high as the dose typically recommended by doctors?

Swelling in the president’s legs last summer led to an unscheduled medical evaluation. The president’s physician described the problem as “chronic venous insufficiency,” a condition common in older people, that results from leaky valves in the veins of the legs. It usually develops gradually over a long period.

But during Trump’s comprehensive physical examination just a few months earlier, Barbabella documented no swelling in the president’s legs. If that’s true, his swelling would be by definition acute, not chronic. Acute leg swelling is a potentially much more consequential finding that can be caused by issues such as heart and kidney disease. What’s the reason for this discrepancy?

Trump often appears to struggle to stay awake, signs of a condition doctors refer to as excessive daytime somnolence.

This problem, which is sometimes evident during Oval Office events, was not addressed in the report after Trump’s comprehensive physical exam in May. Although the president is a renowned night owl, his sleepiness seems relatively new.

There are several possible causes for the president’s symptoms, some of which could have serious complications if left untreated.

Past Trump medical reports have disclosed the president’s use of the drug finasteride, which prevents hair loss. The drug was not mentioned in the report after Trump’s most recent medical examination. In response to a query from The Washington Post about its absence, the White House responded, “The current report reflects all medications deemed clinically relevant to disclose at this time.”

It does not matter, in any material way, if the president is or isn’t taking a hair-loss drug. The more important question is, what medications prescribed for Trump, if any, has the White House decided to withhold from the public?

The president has spoken about how well he performs on cognitive testing. However, the exam that Trump describes, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, is a brief and basic screening tool, with simple questions (draw a clock, identify a camel), often performed in response to a concern from the patient or a member of the family.

Why has the president undergone this test numerous times, and have there been more sophisticated neurocognitive assessments performed?

Some people would argue that these personal medical details are more than the public deserves to know: After all, Buckingham Palace has not revealed many details about King Charles’s cancer or his treatment.

#trump #health #medical #reports #problems

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