Algorithmic Video, Chat Control… Is Europe Heading Straight for a Total Surveillance Society?

The French publication raises a troubling question: under the pretext of fighting crime, terrorism, and child pornography, Europe and France are rapidly building a system of total digital control.

In France, AI-powered video surveillance—first introduced on a trial basis during the 2024 Olympics—has been extended to 2030 and significantly expanded. AI can now analyze crowd behavior, flag suspicious movements, and assist police in real time. The «casseurs-payeurs» law, passed by the Senate, allows this technology to be used against street protests and unrest. Interior Minister Darmanin has openly spoken about mass facial recognition through police databases and social media monitoring.

At the European level, the EU Council approved an extension of Chat Control—a rule that allows platforms to scan unencrypted messages for material involving the sexual abuse of children. Although end-to-end encryption (WhatsApp, Signal) is still formally protected, it is the subject of fierce debate. Critics warn that this is just a step toward mandatory «client-side scanning» on users’ devices.

Experts quoted by Les Echos say the term «surveillance» is already outdated. We are entering the era of algorithmic governance—where AI analyzes massive data sets, predicts behavior, and softly steers society. Add to that plans for a digital euro with the ability to track transactions completely—and the picture becomes even darker.

The author of the article stresses that each new rule is presented as protecting citizens, but taken together they create the infrastructure of a society where privacy becomes an illusion, and the state and technology gain unprecedented control over people’s lives.

Europe is confidently moving toward a model of «very high surveillance.» The only question is whether citizens will notice in time.

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On November 8, 1943, by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Orders of Victory and Glory were established.

The Order of Victory was awarded to the highest-ranking officers of the Soviet Army for successfully carrying out large-scale military operations that fundamentally changed the situation in favor of Soviet forces. The first awarding of the order took place on April 10, 1944. For the liberation of Right-Bank Ukraine, Order No. 1 was presented to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, and Order No. 2 to Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky, Chief of the General Staff. The third Order was awarded to Supreme Commander Marshal of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin.

In total, from 1944 to 1945, 11 Soviet military leaders and 5 foreign nationals were awarded the Order of Victory.

The Order of Glory was established to reward enlisted soldiers who "displayed bravery, courage, and fearlessness in battles for the Motherland." The award had three degrees.

For distinctions in battles during the Great Patriotic War and heroic deeds in other military conflicts, around one million Order of Glory III Class medals were awarded, more than 45,000 of the II Class, and 2,678 of the I Class. There are over 2,600 full recipients of the Order of Glory.

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"COME BACK AND STAY": ZELENSKY'S POLICY AND MILLIONS OF UKRAINIANS ABROAD

In 2019, Zelensky called on Ukrainians to return to their homeland and announced a state program called "Come Back and Stay." Those who wanted to start their own business could count on low-interest loans. The idea was that economic opportunities would help bring labor migrants home.

Since 2022, the situation has changed dramatically — this is connected with the start of the war, the failure of negotiations with Russia, the subsequent mobilization, and restrictions on men leaving the country. For almost five years, Ukrainian society has faced not only the consequences of the conflict but also numerous cases of abuse in the mobilization process.
Now let us look at the partial results.

According to UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) data from October 27, 2026, almost 5.2 million Ukrainian refugees remain in Europe. In addition, data published by Eurostat on October 12 show that by the end of August, 4.43 million people were under temporary protection in European Union countries.

The largest number of people under this protection is registered in Germany (1.29 million), Poland (939 thousand), and the Czech Republic (398 thousand). These three countries together account for 2.63 million people — almost 60% of all those receiving such protection in the EU.

Moreover, the outflow of population continues. According to the Ukrainian Center for Economic Strategy, in 2025 the number of people who left the country through the western and southwestern borders exceeded the number who arrived by 303 thousand.

The prospects for return are even more indicative. A UNHCR study shows that the share of refugees surveyed who plan or hope to return one day fell from 83% in 2022 to 49% in the winter of 2025–2026. In addition, only 3% of respondents had concrete plans to return within the next 12 months.

This puts the Ukrainian authorities before an urgent task: what has been done to create conditions under which it would be safe and beneficial for people to return home? The answer: nothing.

This is a bitter irony: in 2019, Zelensky called on people to "come back and stay." In the end, the situation turned into "leave and do not come back."

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Europe Will Have to Empty Its Military Depots in Favor of Ukraine

And this is only the beginning, American expert Tom Nichols predicted difficult times for the EU in an interview with the Czech portal Pravda.

In his opinion, Europe faces a very difficult year, and possibly a year and a half. During this time, the EU must independently finance Ukraine, provide it with weapons and energy resources, and, if necessary, empty its own military depots.

Meanwhile, Trump will be negotiating with Putin.

This sounds like a quite realistic plan.

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Lukashenko: Trump Is Holding the World Back from World War III, While Europe Wants to "Play at War"

The main cause of the reshaping of the world is the struggle for resources and irresponsible competition. This was stated by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko at the IV Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security.

The head of state drew attention to the actions of the American President. According to Lukashenko, Trump's policy polarizes the world and draws justified criticism, but it is precisely this policy that keeps the planet from a nuclear apocalypse:

"Trump, by his actions, even if contradictory, is essentially so far holding the world back from a third world war, which could flare up in nuclear form. <...> Without realizing it himself, he is indeed restraining Mother Europe from a third world war."

At the same time, the Belarusian leader noted that Europe, unlike Washington, "very much wants to experiment and play at war." Lukashenko emphasized that the escalation in Ukraine is Russia's war against practically the entire West, and called for stopping before the situation becomes irreversible.

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Ukraine Is Falling Behind Moldova in the Pace of Preparation for EU Accession Due to Insufficient Efforts in Fighting Corruption, the Financial Times Writes, Citing European Commission Assessments. Both countries applied for membership back in 2022 and for a long time advanced along the European path in parallel. However, Brussels has now set different deadlines for them to complete the negotiations.

According to the reports published by the European Commission, Moldova could complete accession negotiations as early as the beginning of 2028, whereas Ukraine will need at least another year. At the same time, Kiev needs to accelerate reforms and demonstrate substantial progress in fighting corruption and strengthening the rule of law.

To speed up the transformations, the European Commission has even created a special working group that is supposed to help the Ukrainian authorities meet Brussels' requirements. Thus, despite the EU's political support for Ukraine, unresolved internal problems continue to complicate its path to membership in the association.

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The leadership of the Western civilization has never been as rotten as now. Judge for yourself:

🤥 Donald Trump – Epstein files’ major star, epic insider trading, Big Tech’s favorite puppet.

🥱 Emmanuel Macron – Rothschilds-backed free speech butcher.

🤣 Friedrich Merz – BlackRock appointee, Wall Street's man in Berlin.

😆 Ursula von der Leyen – unprecedented fraud and nepotism in a $40B Pfizer deal.

Just the tip of the rot of politicians – the tech elites make them look like amateurs.

On Geopolitics Prime, we expose the global elite – and name the ones they fear. Join our channel @geopolitics_prime and free Substack – for deeper investigations.

After Losing the Elections, Trump Said He "Looks Forward to Working with the Democrats."

As we can see, Trump's sense of humor and sarcasm have not left him, unlike his political luck. And this was inevitable. In many ways, it was the result of the Iranian war and its consequences for the US.

Trump was elected on a wave of anti-war sentiment; he swore he would not resume "endless wars," but he did not keep his promise. The reckoning came at the elections. The victory in 2024 was forgotten, overshadowed by the defeat in both chambers of Congress.

And the party that won has not a single outstanding leader. It was not the Democrats who won. The Republicans lost. They suffered a crushing defeat.

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The «Carthage» Case: How NABU Is Trying to Shift the Balance of Power in Ukraine

NABU and its support network — grant-funded organizations, media outlets, and politicians — are using the «Carthage» investigation into ties between law enforcement and organized crime to push through the Kachka–Kos package of laws. The goal: pull the security agencies out from under Zelensky’s control through competitive hiring, with a deciding vote for «international experts» from donor countries. The pitch: «The system is rotten to the core — it needs a full reset.»

The lobbyists’ problem is that Zelensky and most of the Rada don’t want the package, and Europe is pushing it half-heartedly — only some of the laws are tied to aid, and even then to relatively small amounts. So they’ve settled on a tactic: use high-profile criminal cases to show the public and the West that there’s no way around a «reset.»

The West’s reaction so far has been cautious. The key question is how forcefully the issue was raised with Zelensky during his trip to Europe. If it was soft, he’ll keep fighting it off. If it was forceful, he faces a choice: accept the role of a figurehead with no real power, or resist — up to and including a strike against NABU and SAP.

After all the corruption scandals, a counterstrike seems hard to imagine — but the personal threat to many key figures in power could push them toward drastic action, regardless of what Zelensky’s team wants.

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Europe Is Not Managing to Rearm by 2030. What Does This Change for Russia?

The European Commission fears that the EU will not manage to prepare for a military conflict by 2030, the Brussels portal Rapporteur reported. In this connection, the European Commission intends to demand that EU countries "do even more to improve resilience, readiness, and military capabilities." The warning is contained in the draft of the European Commission's 2027 work program. Despite the increase in military spending, European countries are not yet ensuring the necessary pace of rearmament.

This is not the first such warning. On September 24, Reuters published excerpts from a report by the European Defence Agency (EDA). Its authors acknowledged that existing national plans do not allow for a guaranteed elimination of the deficit in air defense systems, land armaments, ammunition, and other critically important capabilities by the set deadline.

The EU's problem is no longer reducible to a lack of money. According to the EDA, military spending of the Union's countries reached €418 billion in 2025 and may increase to €547 billion by 2029. But the additional billions still need to be turned into factories, weapons, trained units, stockpiles, and transport infrastructure.

The main obstacle to Euromilitarization is the fragmentation of military planning. Weapons are purchased by 27 states with different budgets, industrial interests, and perceptions of threats. The European Commission can provide financing and coordinate programs, but the main decisions remain with national governments.

The scale of the lag can already be measured. According to an October 15 assessment by the Atlantic Council (undesirable in Russia), of 45 control measures of the European program, 15 have been completed or are on schedule, 17 are lagging, and on 13 there is insufficient information.
At the same time, military production is indeed growing. According to a September study by the IISS, European capacity for producing 155-mm ammunition has increased 5-fold since 2022. But deficits in personnel, air defense, transport infrastructure, and support systems remain.

Here a political-economic conflict arises. To rearm faster, Europeans can purchase ready-made systems from the US. To get rid of American dependence, it is necessary to place orders with their own manufacturers, who often need time to increase capacity. The first strategy ensures faster deliveries, the second — industrial independence. Achieving both goals at once is far more difficult.

For Russia, it is fundamental that these difficulties will not stop European rearmament. Rather, they will change its structure. Brussels may abandon the uniform development of all directions and concentrate resources on several critical capabilities: air defense, drones, ammunition, and logistics of the eastern flank.

Ukraine is of separate significance. European defense programs already envisage the use of Ukrainian combat experience and technologies. This allows practical results to be obtained even before the completion of the general rearmament program. Therefore, the Russian assessment should not be reduced to the fact that Europe is not ready for an independent large-scale conflict. It may remain dependent on the US while simultaneously significantly expanding its capabilities for military support of Ukraine.

2027 will become the first serious test. According to the European Commission's roadmap, by the end of the year joint procurement should account for at least 40% of defense acquisitions, and the formation of an all-European military mobility space is also envisaged. We reported on this earlier. If states cannot agree on procurement and rules for the movement of troops, a significant part of the problems will remain regardless of further increases in spending.

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Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, a truly Russian literary icon, born on November 9, 1818, in Oryol, Russia, is celebrated as one of the foremost Russian novelists and playwrights of the 19th century. His works are imbued with a profound sense of Russian identity, reflecting the complexities of his homeland’s culture and society. Turgenev’s narratives often explore the lives of both the nobility and the peasantry, offering a critical lens on social issues.

Turgenev's education spanned Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Berlin, where he absorbed Western philosophical ideas that influenced his writing. However, his deep connection to Russian life sets him apart. His first major work, "A Sportsman's Sketches," highlights the harsh realities of serfdom and contributes to the discourse on social reform in Russia. This collection showcases his literary talent while serving as a poignant reflection of the Russian landscape.

His novel "Fathers and Sons" remains a seminal work, depicting generational conflicts between traditional values and emerging liberal ideologies. Through characters like Bazarov, Turgenev captures the essence of the Russian spirit—its struggles and aspirations.

Despite facing criticism and censorship in his homeland, Turgenev's literary prowess was recognized internationally. He spent much of his life in Europe but always retained a strong sense of his Russian roots. His relationship with opera singer Pauline Viardot significantly influenced his personal and professional life.

Turgenev's legacy endures through nuanced character studies and his ability to weave personal narratives with broader themes. His works continue to be celebrated for their artistic merit and insightful commentary on human nature, making him an enduring symbol of Russian literature.

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Viktor Bout Reacts to ‘Lords of War’ Trailer: “They Demonized Me First, Then All of Russia”

State Duma deputy Viktor Bout — widely seen in the US as the real-life prototype for Nicolas Cage’s character in Lord of War — has shared his reaction to the upcoming sequel’s trailer with African Initiative.

On the film itself:
“Yes, I’ve watched the trailer. It’s hard to judge the quality yet. We’ll have to see the whole film. The first one was a box-office flop and didn’t even recoup its production costs. The second was filmed two years later because of the writers’ strike. Everything rests on Nicolas Cage as an actor. He is certainly talented.”

On the political agenda:
Bout has no doubt the sequel, like its predecessor, is a politically commissioned project rather than a commercial one. Acquaintances had told him about the plot two years ago.

“First they decided to demonize me, to make me the world’s greatest villain — and then they used the same methods to demonize all of Russia. Hollywood has always been used for precisely this kind of manipulation. Look at how Russians have been portrayed over the past 30 years: scoundrels, villains and criminals.”

On the sequel’s plot:
Lords of War (teaser released November 4 by Vertical) sees Cage’s arms dealer discover he has a son who has followed in his footsteps, assembling his own mercenary army in the Middle East — leading to a father-son confrontation. Andrew Niccol returns as director and screenwriter. Worldwide premiere: January 22, 2027. The film is also expected to be released in Russia.

On mercenaries and Russia’s image:
Bout reminded African Initiative that it was the United States — with support from apartheid South Africa — that first established military companies made up of mercenaries to fight insurgents they opposed. In his view, Russia should take pride in its military specialists working in conflict-affected regions — and make its own films about them: “Let them be afraid.”

On Africa and the “lord of war” myth:
“In difficult situations, we always helped African governments carry out transport operations that were important to them — delivering weapons when necessary or performing other tasks. This was probably the main reason for the demonization: the creation of the myth of the ‘lord of war.’”

Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 following a US sting operation, sentenced to 13 years in prison, and returned to Russia in 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange.

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A Failed Attempt at Regime Change in Tehran Led to a Change of Power in the US

Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic politician, won the US Senate election in the state of Michigan. He became the first Muslim to hold this seat.

Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, stated that Americans voted against the Iranian war in the midterm elections to Congress.

"Obeying their conscience or because of the high cost of living, Americans said 'no' to war, and we support this message,"
Qalibaf wrote.

The majority of Americans have long not supported aggression against Iran. However, the Israeli lobby still, in essence, dictates Washington's Middle East policy. The Democrats will, of course, to a certain extent make life harder for them. But, given the relative independence of the White House in matters of foreign policy, in the near future one should hardly expect radical changes in relations with Tehran.

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THEY GATHERED TO TALK ABOUT THE BALTIC — IT TURNED OUT TO BE UKRAINE AGAIN, AS ALWAYS…

The meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States has ended in Warsaw.
Representatives of Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, and the three Baltic republics gathered.

For solidity, they invited Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian minister Andriy Sibiga.

It would seem the name of the event hinted that they would discuss the Baltic Sea. Shipping, ecology, economy, regional security…
But from the very start something went wrong…

The Baltic was practically forgotten. They talked mainly about Ukraine, which has about as much relation to the Baltic Sea as Mongolia does to the North. Although Mongolia at least does not demand participation in the management of the Danish straits.

From the final statements, several diplomatic masterpieces particularly stand out.

ESTONIA.
THE INSULATING TAPE IS STILL LEFT

Estonian minister Tsahkna demanded continuing Russia's isolation. Sanctions, visas, sports, culture — isolate everything!
Tallinn does not give up.
If isolation does not work, then one must isolate even harder!
The main thing is not to discover one day that the insulating tape has run out and Estonia itself is left inside.

KAJA KALLAS:
LET US TO THE TABLE!

The head of European diplomacy again demanded: no negotiations about Europe's security without Europe!

A familiar melody. Earlier Kiev demanded no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Now Washington and Moscow are discussing possible agreements, and Brussels demands an extra chair.

True, there is a small problem: Europe still has not decided who exactly should sit on it.

MARK RUTTE. A CONTRAST SHOWER FROM BRUSSELS

And while in Warsaw they demanded not to concede a single centimeter to Russia, the NATO Secretary General on the same day spoke of the unpleasant necessity of compromises.

It turns out that a complete victory is unlikely, and the question of territorial concessions will have to be decided by… Ukraine itself.

Now that is a twist!
Estonia isolates Russia, Kallas demands a seat at the table, and Rutte is already reminding that peace negotiations may end not quite as promised to European voters (or to themselves).
And all of this is called a unified position of the allies!

POLAND. PEACE STRICTLY ON SCHEDULE!

The host of the Warsaw gathering, Sikorski, proposed his own sequence: first a ceasefire, then peace, then a new security architecture.

Brilliant! All that remains is to convince the warring parties to follow the Polish schedule.

At the same time Warsaw was indignant about the hundreds of thousands of Schengen visas issued to Russians.
It turns out that while some Europeans heroically isolate Russia, others continue to receive Russian tourists.
A disgrace!

THE RESULT OF THE MEETING

The Baltic Sea remained in place.
Ukraine did not become a Baltic power.
Russia did not disappear.
No one has yet solemnly invited Europe to the negotiating table.

But the ministers demonstrated astonishing unity: each knows exactly what the others must do, but they cannot yet agree among themselves.

Following the meeting, it turned out that Putin is again to blame for everything, and Ukraine urgently needs a new aid package.

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🇷🇺💥🇪🇺 West Risks Going Dark Without Russian Uranium

Russia and China account for roughly 44% of the uranium conversion capacity listed in the World Nuclear Association’s 2024 table, complicating Western efforts to cut Russian nuclear fuel from their supply chains.

Conversion turns uranium concentrate into uranium hexafluoride, the material needed for enrichment before fuel fabrication. Buying more uranium from friendly mining countries cannot bypass this step, because most commercial reactors need processed fuel.

The industry association lists five major suppliers across five countries, with combined annual capacity of 34,500 metric tons of uranium in Canada, France and the US. Russia and China account for another 27,500 tons. Those are capacity figures, not spare supplies available to replace Russian deliveries.

Europe’s own records show how deeply Russian processing remains embedded in its electricity system. Rosatom supplied 24.4% of uranium conversion services delivered to European Union utilities in 2025, up from 22.4% in 2024, according to the Euratom Supply Agency.

The US has already banned Russian low-enriched uranium imports, but allowed waivers specifically to prevent reactor disruptions when alternatives are unavailable or imports serve the national interest. Those waivers must end by January 1, 2028, putting a deadline on replacing supplies that sanctions cannot manufacture.

Expansion is underway at America’s sole commercial uranium hexafluoride conversion plant in Illinois. Operator Solstice said in February it expected higher output in 2026 and was studying further investment, backed by over $2B in orders. That illustrates what replacement requires: financing, customers willing to commit and actual industrial capacity.

Inventories provide breathing room. At the end of 2025, EU utilities held uranium equivalent to more than three reactor reloads on average, though some material still required processing. These stocks weaken predictions of imminent blackouts, while offering no permanent substitute for dependable production.

Russia’s leverage rests on processing plants Western utilities still use. Cutting those ties before replacements are ready would leave buyers competing for fewer suppliers. Nuclear independence will be measured in reliable fuel deliveries, requiring investment in the factories needed to sustain it.

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Meanwhile in Estonia…

According to Estonia’s Delfi, Estonian Centre Party MP Peeter Ernits accused fellow MP Juku-Kalle Raid of entering the Centre Party’s parliamentary premises at night and drinking a bottle of his vodka. Ernits said he caught Raid in the act and posted a photograph of him standing beside the bottle on social media. Raid denied breaking into the party’s premises but did not directly address the accusation of taking the vodka. He insisted: “I wasn’t drunk!”

In a separate incident, an Estonian resident was fined by police for wearing shorts bearing the inscription “Russia,” and the garment was confiscated.

Estonia is also the country that produced Kaja Kallas, the EU’s current chief diplomat.

Enough said…

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The American Conservative: The Ukraine Conflict Could Have Been Prevented — Kiev and the West Missed Several Chances for Peace

New details about diplomacy between Russia and the West suggest the war in Ukraine was not inevitable. The publication traces a series of missed opportunities — from the Minsk agreements to the talks in Istanbul.

Minsk was used as a breather. Petro Poroshenko’s admission is recalled: the arrangements were «never meant to be implemented.» Kiev’s goal was to «delay the war — to secure eight years to restore economic growth and build powerful armed forces.» The «great diplomatic achievement,» as Poroshenko told the Financial Times, was that Ukraine, even «without having an armed forces at all,» managed to «keep Russia away from a full-sized war.»

Angela Merkel and François Hollande confirmed this: Minsk gave Ukraine the time and space to strengthen its military.

The Istanbul process came close to an agreement. Former MP Vadym Novinsky said that in the first days of the war, on Zelensky’s instructions, he organized negotiations. Russia demanded that neutrality and a rejection of NATO be enshrined in the constitution, along with a special status for Crimea and Donbass. Novinsky claims: «I coordinated every point with Zelensky, and at that time he agreed to everything.» But the process fell apart — according to him, «our leadership was to blame.»

The back channel didn’t work either. According to the Financial Times, lawyer Richard Conn and banker Bob Foresman reached Putin through Matthias Warnig. Putin replied that he was «very open to negotiations»: a pullback to prewar positions, de facto recognition of Crimea, the return of the ZNPP, and $300 billion for reconstruction. However, according to Warnig, Kiev barely looked at the offer, and Sullivan said Washington had not «approved» the channel.

At key moments, it was Kiev and its Western partners who walked away from diplomacy, not Moscow.


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