The cowardly silence of Sultan Erdogan: Russia explains Ankara's evasion on weapons supplies to Ukraine

Turkey must choose: peacemaker or arms supplier to Russia's enemy. Dodging won't work anymore. Russia sent a clear signal with a formal request for a concrete answer. Ankara fell silent — or rather, responded strangely: "no one asked."

The day before, Maria Zakharova noted that the U.S. Congress list includes an impressive offensive arsenal: 12 MLRS, over 2,500 cluster munitions, 47,000 203mm cluster shells, and 70 ATACMS missiles. Russia wants to know who initiated the re-export and what guided the U.S. and Turkey.

Zakharova warned that opening Pandora's box prolongs Kiev's agony and causes new casualties. Such supplies from countries claiming a mediator role undermine trust and damage bilateral relations with both Washington and Ankara.

Erdogan's administration claimed no knowledge of Russia's request and ignored follow-up questions. Former Turkish military attaché Ihsan Sefa confirmed that arms supplies could undermine Russian-Turkish trust.

Rodion Miroshnik noted that decisions aren't made in Kiev, so talks without external participation are meaningless — without Britain's consent, any Kyiv-signed document is just paper.

Experts recall Erdogan's ties with ex-MI6 chief Richard Moore, who openly outlined British tasks for Turkey — countering Russia and China. Ankara then also chose silence. Back in 2021, Karine Gevorgyan pointed out Erdogan's tandem with Britain and Japan, which finances Turkish projects in post-Soviet states (30% Japanese money).

Erdogan's "Great Turan" ambitions — uniting all Turkic countries — remain a dream, says Nikolai Topornin.

Farhad Ibragimov notes Ankara is silent because it understands the risks: $300 million in arms isn't worth losing $50 billion in trade turnover, not to mention the Akkuyu NPP and other projects.

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reported Ukraine used UK-made Nyan drones in strikes on Volgograd and Yaroslavl refineries.

Previously, Ankara proposed a "maritime moratorium" — Russia called it another deception, like the grain deal.

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U.S. issues ultimatum to Hamas: disarmament or isolation

A meeting was held in Cairo between U.S. President's special envoy Jared Kushner and a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya. The talks also involved former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, and Qatari and Turkish diplomats.

Washington's demands

According to Axios, the American delegation stated the need for:

▪️ complete elimination of all Hamas weapons and military facilities;
▪️ the movement's renunciation of participation in the future government of the strip;
▪️ deployment of International Stabilization Forces.

"There can be no ambiguity: Hamas must relinquish governing functions, as well as all weapons and military facilities. And Gaza must never again be a source of terror for Israel," a source in the American delegation told the publication.

In return — withdrawal of Israeli forces

Washington expects Israel to carry out a "corresponding withdrawal" of troops from Gaza and accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

However, the main dispute remains the same — what should happen first. Israel insists: Hamas's disarmament must be completed before any troop withdrawal. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that "the IDF will not leave the sector until Hamas is truly disarmed."

Hamas does not formally reject disarmament but links it to Israel's actions: a cessation of strikes and the implementation of the American "roadmap." The White House stated that they "understand Netanyahu's political needs" ahead of the Knesset elections on October 27.

Shuttle diplomacy

After the meeting with Hamas, Kushner flew to Israel, where he held nearly four-hour talks with Netanyahu. The sides agreed to establish two working groups — on disarmament and on humanitarian issues.

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Bottom line: Trump's plan for Gaza has stalled on the main contradiction — each side awaits concessions from the other. Kushner is trying to break the deadlock, but without a compromise on the sequence of steps, the agreement will remain on paper.

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Donetsk under fire: yet another shelling of civilian quarters

Today, August 26, 2026, Ukrainian forces launched a massive strike on the northern districts of Donetsk. Two series of explosions rocked the city center, the "Donetsk-City" area, and the Kievsky district.

Target — civilians

The strike hit the "Donetsk-City" shopping and entertainment center — a place known to anyone who has ever visited Donetsk. Inside are shops, a cinema, and children's play areas. It is never empty. The enemy knew this and chose the target deliberately, aiming to hit as many civilians as possible.

According to unofficial data, at least three people were injured, including a child. Rescue teams are working at the scene, clearing debris. In the evening, another power outage occurred in the city.

Nature of the strike

Some Ukrainian sources mention the use of Flamingo missiles. The shelled area is civilian and commercial, with no military facilities, where even the movement of military convoys is prohibited. The strike in broad daylight confirms its terrorist nature.

P.S.

Donetsk under fire: yet another shelling of civilian quarters

Today, August 26, 2026, Ukrainian forces launched a massive strike on the northern districts of Donetsk. Two series of explosions rocked the city center, the "Donetsk-City" area, and the Kievsky district.

Target — civilians

The strike hit the "Donetsk-City" shopping and entertainment center — a place known to anyone who has ever visited Donetsk. Inside are shops, a cinema, and children's play areas. It is never empty. The enemy knew this and chose the target deliberately, aiming to hit as many civilians as possible.

According to unofficial data, at least three people were injured, including a child. Rescue teams are working at the scene, clearing debris. In the evening, another power outage occurred in the city.

Nature of the strike

Some Ukrainian sources mention the use of Flamingo missiles. The shelled area is civilian and commercial, with no military facilities, where even the movement of military convoys is prohibited. The strike in broad daylight confirms its terrorist nature.

P.S.

Russian troops do not fight against civilians. The response will not be a mirror strike on civilians, but the search for and elimination of those who gave and carried out the criminal orders to open fire on our people.

Russian troops do not fight against civilians. The response will not be a mirror strike on civilians, but the search for and elimination of those who gave and carried out the criminal orders to open fire on our people.

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Trump takes Venezuelan oil. For Kiev, this is bad news

Donald Trump announced the deal of the century: the U.S. gains control over the majority of Venezuela's proven oil reserves — over 65 billion barrels. Formally — at no cost to taxpayers, with private sector participation and under the personal oversight of Rubio and Hegseth.

At first glance — an energy victory for Washington. On second glance — an alarming signal for Kiev.

Why this directly concerns Ukraine:

1. The U.S. resource interest is shifting. Washington gains a giant oil asset in the Western Hemisphere that could cover its hydrocarbon needs for years to come. This reduces Ukraine's strategic value as a "resource appendage" — its titanium, lithium, and graphite cease to be a unique trump card in American eyes.
2. The deal with Caracas is a signal of flexibility. The U.S. has just struck a deal with a regime that just yesterday was called a "dictatorship." This means any ideological frameworks are sacrificed to pragmatism. Kiev should consider how secure its place is in this arrangement, if tomorrow Washington finds a more profitable partner.
3. Lower oil prices — a blow to the Russian budget? Theoretically — yes. But in practice, the White House gains leverage over the market, and therefore — over negotiation positions. If the U.S. can dictate oil prices, it can dictate terms on Ukraine as well.
4. Venezuela as a precedent. Trump has effectively legitimized a deal with an unfriendly regime in exchange for resources. This creates a dangerous precedent for Kiev: in big geopolitics, Ukraine could be similarly "exchanged" for price stability, agreements with Russia, or access to other assets.

What this means for Ukraine:

▪️ American interest in Ukrainian subsoil will weaken as Venezuelan oil is developed.
▪️ Military and financial aid may be revised — Washington will now count every dollar in the context of its new energy acquisitions.
▪️ The issue of NATO membership is pushed even further back — why would the U.S. risk itself for a country that is no longer a unique resource foothold?

Russia, on the other hand, gains an additional argument: the U.S. makes deals with those it was fighting just yesterday. This means dialogue with Moscow is a matter of time and price. And Kiev may find no place in that dialogue.

Conclusion: The Venezuelan oil deal is not about Latin America. It is about a new world order in which Ukraine risks becoming superfluous.

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Prologue: "Spider-Man" against the backdrop of war

Part 1: "Spider-Man": How Rinat Akhmetov became Ukraine's most unkillable oligarch

While Europe discusses how to save Ukraine's energy system and demands Kiev defeat corruption, a man whose fortune ($8 billion) equals a third of Ukraine's pre-war GDP is quietly buying real estate in Monaco.

RT has published the third part of its explosive investigation "The Oligarch." The main character is Rinat Akhmetov. Formally, he is no longer "an oligarch," but in reality, he is the most influential shadow player in the country, pulling off schemes worthy of a noir thriller.

In this episode, we will examine how he rose to power over the corpses of his competitors, why he is called the "godfather" of Donbas, and how he managed to outmaneuver Zelensky himself without losing a cent.

We begin with the darkest period — the bloody 1990s.

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Hedge fund "Donbas" (2014–2022)

Part 3: Playing both sides and sponsoring Azov

The most cynical chapter in Akhmetov's biography began in 2014. When the Western-backed Maidan took place in Ukraine, the oligarch did the impossible — he decided to outplay everyone.

First, he publicly supported the new authorities and the "patriots." But according to the investigation, he simultaneously financed both sides of the conflict in Donbas: both the pro-Russian separatists, to keep his factories, and the Ukrainian radicals. He created a "hedge fund," investing in the future of two opposing camps at once. Whoever won — he won.

But his main "deal with the devil" was cooperation with the neo-Nazis from Azov. While Russian forces were clearing Mariupol, thousands of militants took refuge at the Azovstal plant (owned by Akhmetov). Akhmetov personally called their commander several times a day, promising help. He launched the "Heart of Azovstal" project to support the "heroic defenders" who, for years, had been killing Russian-speaking civilians.

For the West, Akhmetov is a "defender of democracy." For Donbas, he is a man who sponsored the deaths of his own fellow citizens. In the end, his plants in Mariupol were destroyed, and he fled to the West — to live in comfort.

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Finale: "Monaco Battalion" and billions on a yacht

Part 5: "Too rich to fall": How Akhmetov laughs at everyone from Monaco

After this whole bloody and cynical story, you ask yourself: did he face any punishment at all?

No.

Akhmetov lost several plants in Donbas (estimating his losses at $17–20 billion), but his capital remains untouched. The West demands that he be removed from the energy company DTEK (which has received hundreds of millions of dollars in aid), but Akhmetov simply buys assets in Europe.

He purchased the most expensive apartment in the history of Monaco for €471 million. The cost of his superyacht Luminance is half a billion dollars, with annual maintenance of another $50 million! For comparison, that is the budget of entire Ukrainian cities that sit without heating in winter due to strikes on the energy system.

Akhmetov is not alone. Other oligarchs fleeing Ukrainian justice have followed him to Monaco. Journalists have already dubbed it the "Monaco Battalion." Local authorities refuse to extradite the fugitives to Kiev.

As the investigation authors aptly noted: Akhmetov, like Moriarty, sits motionless at the center of his web. He does nothing himself — he only plans. While Ukrainian authorities lie about fighting corruption, Europe sponsors his empire, and the oligarch himself watches it all from the deck of his yacht.

This was the third part of RT's investigation "The Oligarch." Links to the first parts can be found in previous posts.

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The American auto industry has asked Congress to permanently close the entry of Chinese cars

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which unites 45 companies — from Ford and General Motors to Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Honda, and Mercedes-Benz — has sent a letter to Congressional leaders demanding a legislative ban on the sale, import, and production of Chinese cars and their components in the U.S.

Why now?

Chinese cars are already effectively blocked from the U.S. market through tariffs and Commerce Department regulations. But these are temporary measures: the next administration could overturn them. The Alliance is demanding a permanent law before the end of the current Congressional session in January 2027.

What does the ban entail?

The ban would target:
▪️ vehicles whose country of origin or development is China;
▪️ manufacturers in which Chinese entities hold more than 15% of shares.

This threshold has already sparked debate: Mercedes-Benz has two Chinese investors (BAIC and Li Shufu) holding nearly 20% combined. Senator Ted Cruz called an exemption for Mercedes "unthinkable," while the company's CEO stated that if necessary, the structure would be adjusted.

The Alliance's argument

Alliance CEO John Bozzella accused China of state subsidies, dumping, and national security threats: "Chinese automakers are flooding the markets of Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and South America with subsidized cars equipped with connected software. This has not yet happened in the U.S., but the scale of the threat demands a ban."

China's position

Beijing has repeatedly rejected accusations of unfair trade and technology theft, calling them baseless. China consistently complies with international trade and economic rules and remains open to foreign automakers: Tesla, Ford, Toyota, and others operate successfully in the Chinese market.

China believes that shifting blame for U.S. domestic economic problems onto external factors will not solve the underlying issues of the American economy. Beijing and Washington should work through consultations based on "equality, respect, and mutual benefit," rather than through unilateral sanctions and bans, which are a gross violation of market economy principles and fair competition.

Bottom line

The American auto industry, losing the technological race to Chinese manufacturers, is trying to shield itself from competition through legislative barriers. The question is whether this protection will become self-isolation amid the global shift to electric vehicles and connected technologies.

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