Russia / Iran / China - The New Axis Megathread (Page 2027 of 2028)
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Originally Posted By stone-age: Trump is pathologically transactional. He doesn't give anything unless he gets something. So what is he willing to give to zelensky in return for zelensky calling an end to the attacks on Russian fuel? Originally Posted By stone-age: Originally Posted By PsyTek: Originally Posted By MFP_4073: Putin must have placed a call to Trump. ============= Trump Urges Ukraine to Halt Russia Oil Strikes By Charlie McCarthy | Monday, 21 September 2026 08:10 AM EDT President Donald Trump on Sunday asked Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop Kyiv's strikes on Russian refineries over concerns that the attacks are driving up global diesel prices, it was reported. Trump repeatedly focused on diesel during his phone call with Zelenskyy and urged Ukraine to halt drone and missile attacks on Russian energy facilities, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing people familiar with the conversation. The president was particularly concerned about rising diesel prices and maintaining Russian supplies on the global market, according to the FT. Axios separately reported that Trump repeatedly pressed Zelenskyy about the refinery attacks during the call, with a person familiar with the conversation saying diesel was raised numerous times. The discussion came amid a global squeeze on diesel supplies that has sent prices sharply higher in the United States. https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/donald-trump-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy/2026/09/21/id/1270088/ ========================== Please don't defend your country because it's making me look bad. Also, ignore that whole middle east thing, that has nothing whatsoever to do with diesel prices! Trump is pathologically transactional. He doesn't give anything unless he gets something. So what is he willing to give to zelensky in return for zelensky calling an end to the attacks on Russian fuel? Sucking up to Putin is more than just a transactional relationship attempt. His actions and behavior in Alaska showed that. |
NV, USA
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Originally Posted By Tiberius: It’s pretty obvious, it’s just like here. The Left weaponized the state and Techbros against thier enemies (us), and were enthusiastic Putin-Puffers until Putin pissed in thier faces with the ‘14. Now, of course, due to that they hate Putin with a hysterical intensity…..a lot of folks hate the shitlibs so much they assume anyone they hate that much is thier friend. It’s how Trump got Elected, and ultimately re-Elected, and at the bottom of why they hate Ukraine even though it has a backstory that should make them total CHADs in thier eyes. It’s a compelling argument, one I have to work to resist because I know the truth….the Russians hate us and want to kill us. Originally Posted By Tiberius: Originally Posted By Lieh-tzu: Originally Posted By Longshore87:I will agree that Slovakia is an issue. If they just sit on their hands and don’t participate in the near future though it’s not like we are losing much. Long term if Ukraine falls it’s much more of an issue. It's not just Slovakia, and Hungary until Orban lost. Look at AfD surging in Germany. Their Federal elections are next year. Look at RN in France, where Le Pen recently said she'd flat-out end aid to Ukraine - their national election is next year, also. What is Putin's goal? A multipolar world. Rebuilding Imperial Russia is only one side of the coin. Tearing down western power is the other side. If you get Fico's view repeated in Europe's biggest powers, NATO is in terminal decline. That seems destabilizing. What infuriates me is that the political Right in Europe is correct on domestic issues, but simultaneously wrong on Russia. I don't even understand why. Anti-immigration? Great. Pro-Russia? Uhh... no. It’s pretty obvious, it’s just like here. The Left weaponized the state and Techbros against thier enemies (us), and were enthusiastic Putin-Puffers until Putin pissed in thier faces with the ‘14. Now, of course, due to that they hate Putin with a hysterical intensity…..a lot of folks hate the shitlibs so much they assume anyone they hate that much is thier friend. It’s how Trump got Elected, and ultimately re-Elected, and at the bottom of why they hate Ukraine even though it has a backstory that should make them total CHADs in thier eyes. It’s a compelling argument, one I have to work to resist because I know the truth….the Russians hate us and want to kill us. AfD doesn't have the numbers to form a national govt. after Federal elections. Anyone claiming "surging" is weird. Like claiming the Dems are "surging" after a local NYC election. AfD is also led by a self-hating married lesbian with adopted kids who isn't even living in Germany. lol, how any morons relate that Kremlin puppet group to being "nationalist" or having any real "values" is insane. |
NV, USA
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Originally Posted By trapsh00ter99: The bat signal has definitely gone out on social media that diesel prices are high because Zelensky doesn't want Trump to be president. Originally Posted By trapsh00ter99: Originally Posted By ITCHY-FINGER: It's possible Zelensky broke some agreement but my bet is that Russia broke it first. Anyway, Trump's open, public response is childish. The late August Pentagon "leak" admitted the US Govt is paying online influencers to work at the Pentagon (and parrot propaganda talking points). Our tax dollars are funding Kremlin talking point scripts getting coordinated out of the Pentagon. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/30/pentagon-secretly-installs-military-influencers-civilian-roles/ |
LOL 
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next. Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. Trump Says Potash Deal With Belarus in Works Amid Canada Fight President Donald Trump said the US is working with Belarus to secure more supplies of potash amid a trade fight with Canada, a major supplier of the critical ingredient used in fertilizers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-21/trump-says-potash-deal-with-belarus-in-works-amid-canada-fight The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next. Maybe, but on anything Belarus I'd temper that a bit. The administration's gotten a lot out of Belarus, by all accounts, not just theirs. Belarus Frees 25 Political Prisoners in Exchange for U.S. Sanctions Relief The deal is part of the Trump administration’s more transactional approach to a close Russian ally that Europe has tried to isolate. Belarus on Wednesday released 25 political prisoners after a visit from President Trump’s envoy, continuing a thaw in relations between the United States and the Eastern European nation’s autocratic leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko. The prisoner release was the latest in a long series that began last year when the Trump administration, unlike the European Union, shifted away from sanctions against Belarus — Russia’s neighbor and closest ally — to embrace negotiations. The United States had hoped to get 200 people released on Wednesday. Despite getting far fewer freed, the Trump administration appeared eager to push on with rapprochement, hoping that Mr. Lukashenko, a tough and cunning negotiator seasoned by years of dealing with the Kremlin, will release more later. The prisoner release followed talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, between Mr. Lukashenko and the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, a lawyer and friend of Mr. Trump’s with little previous government experience. In a telephone interview, Mr. Coale said he was “almost positive” that a larger number of prisoners would be released “about a month from now.” Declaring his talks a success, he said, “We used what you would call Donald Trumpism — very friendly, but very direct — and we got a lot of things done.” ... https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/world/europe/belarus-political-prisoner-release-us-sanctions.html |
Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next. Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. Trump Says Potash Deal With Belarus in Works Amid Canada Fight President Donald Trump said the US is working with Belarus to secure more supplies of potash amid a trade fight with Canada, a major supplier of the critical ingredient used in fertilizers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-21/trump-says-potash-deal-with-belarus-in-works-amid-canada-fight The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next.  
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ID, USA
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Good grief. 
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Originally Posted By ITCHY-FINGER: It's possible Zelensky broke some agreement but my bet is that Russia broke it first. Anyway, Trump's open, public response is childish. Originally Posted By ITCHY-FINGER: Originally Posted By 15fanatic: Now we see the talking point today. Trump just had to tweet out that complete lie he made up (ukraine nor russia agreed to anything)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSrAoVuWsAAYC7F?format=jpg&name=900x900
It's possible Zelensky broke some agreement but my bet is that Russia broke it first. Anyway, Trump's open, public response is childish. The amount of time that Russia doesn't break it's agreements is pretty close to zero. |
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: AfD doesn't have the numbers to form a national govt. after Federal elections. Anyone claiming "surging" is weird. Like claiming the Dems are "surging" after a local NYC election. AfD is also led by a self-hating married lesbian with adopted kids who isn't even living in Germany. lol, how any morons relate that Kremlin puppet group to being "nationalist" or having any real "values" is insane. They won the plurality in Merz' home state. That doesn't bode well for the national elections next year. Or it bodes well, if you're and AfD fan, which much of GD is. BTW, AfD just won a plurality in another state (albeit, an insignificant one). So far, it looks like AfD is on track for Germany to go the way of France: the centrist government loses to the Right, but the coalition of Left-wing parties comes together to form a ruling coalition, giving more power to the far-Left. |
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Originally Posted By Haub: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSv-T1zW8AAPeEk?format=jpg&name=small
LOL
"It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. 
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Originally Posted By Lieh-tzu: They won the plurality in Merz' home state. That doesn't bode well for the national elections next year. Or it bodes well, if you're and AfD fan, which much of GD is. BTW, AfD just won a plurality in another state (albeit, an insignificant one). So far, it looks like AfD is on track for Germany to go the way of France: the centrist government loses to the Right, but the coalition of Left-wing parties comes together to form a ruling coalition, giving more power to the far-Left. Maybe one day Germany (and Europe) can get a right of center party that that could reverse the national suicide but is not linked directly to the Kremlin (or wants death camps)... |
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Originally Posted By absael: "It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. Yes absurd. But like with everything Trump says/posts we have to look at the actual details and concrete actions rather than get distracted by the bloviating. This may be a good, equally absurd, response to Canada becoming a junior member of the EU. Im sure Putin immediately call Lukashenko..."Luke! You are MY bitch NOT Don's". |
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Canada bad! Belarus good! And remember, the entire trade war with canada supposedly started because they tariff our milk. "Belarus designates the United States as an “unfriendly country.” Under a Belarusian government resolution that took effect January 1, 2026, Belarus prohibits the import and domestic sale of specified goods originating in “unfriendly countries.” The U.S. is included in that category. The important part is that the prohibition applies to specific product categories listed in the government's annexes, rather than everything manufactured in America. For example, the current list includes agricultural/food products. The 2026 list begins with things such as fresh or chilled beef. There are also separate restrictions covering goods originating from particular unfriendly countries. Since 2022, Belarus has had legislation permitting certain unlicensed use of intellectual property belonging to companies and individuals from designated “unfriendly states,” including the United States. The U.S. Trade Representative specifically says this includes things such as copyrighted computer programs, broadcasts, audiovisual works and music. The U.S. State Department likewise reports that Belarus legalized violations of intellectual-property rights belonging to citizens of “unfriendly states,” including the United States." |
MN, USA
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Originally Posted By 15fanatic: Canada bad! Belarus good! And remember, the entire trade war with canada supposedly started because they tariff our milk. "Belarus designates the United States as an “unfriendly country.” Under a Belarusian government resolution that took effect January 1, 2026, Belarus prohibits the import and domestic sale of specified goods originating in “unfriendly countries.” The U.S. is included in that category. The important part is that the prohibition applies to specific product categories listed in the government's annexes, rather than everything manufactured in America. For example, the current list includes agricultural/food products. The 2026 list begins with things such as fresh or chilled beef. There are also separate restrictions covering goods originating from particular unfriendly countries. Since 2022, Belarus has had legislation permitting certain unlicensed use of intellectual property belonging to companies and individuals from designated “unfriendly states,” including the United States. The U.S. Trade Representative specifically says this includes things such as copyrighted computer programs, broadcasts, audiovisual works and music. The U.S. State Department likewise reports that Belarus legalized violations of intellectual-property rights belonging to citizens of “unfriendly states,” including the United States." Supposedly started because of milk? You really think the trade war with Canada is because of their tariffs on our milk? LOL |
MN, USA
MN, USA
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Well yeah of course none would be available this year. 2026 is almost over. Contracts for most commodities are for months or years out. 90+% of deliveries of Potash to the U.S. happens from March-May and September-November. |
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Originally Posted By absael: "It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. Originally Posted By absael: Originally Posted By Haub: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSv-T1zW8AAPeEk?format=jpg&name=small
LOL
"It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. Not gonna lie, I dont think Trump actually said that but knowing his commentary style- its completely on point. I guarantee. |
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Originally Posted By Longshore87: Well yeah of course none would be available this year. 2026 is almost over. Contracts for most commodities are for months or years out. 90+% of deliveries of Potash to the U.S. happens from March-May and September-November. Originally Posted By Longshore87: Well yeah of course none would be available this year. 2026 is almost over. Contracts for most commodities are for months or years out. 90+% of deliveries of Potash to the U.S. happens from March-May and September-November. Hmmm. I guess we've already got some headed our way... "The first Belarus cargo of fertilizer to the US in four years, a 30,000 metric tonnes (t) cargo of MOP, is expected to arrive at New Orleans next month. It would mark the first potash trade between the two countries since US sanctions on Belarusian potash were lifted in December." Either way, I think its bs we're turning to a putin puppet country. https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2880995-trump-eyes-belarus-potash-deal-to-undercut-canada |
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Originally Posted By absael: "It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. Originally Posted By absael: Originally Posted By Haub: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSv-T1zW8AAPeEk?format=jpg&name=small
LOL
"It's a great deal. Actually the greatest deal of all times. I did it. Belarus, strong country, actually just like the US and like me, lead by a strong leader, quite frankly very strong. Their potash is the best, better than Canada. We don't need Canada, we have Belarus." You can't make this shit up. When I read what you quoted I thought you were quoting somebody who was making a joke by being ridiculous. Then I see it actually is what president trump said. |
MN, USA
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Originally Posted By Haub: Hmmm. I guess we've already got some headed our way... "The first Belarus cargo of fertilizer to the US in four years, a 30,000 metric tonnes (t) cargo of MOP, is expected to arrive at New Orleans next month. It would mark the first potash trade between the two countries since US sanctions on Belarusian potash were lifted in December." Either way, I think its bs we're turning to a putin puppet country. https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2880995-trump-eyes-belarus-potash-deal-to-undercut-canada I was adding context to the headlines you posted. 30,000 metric tons is .23% of the total we import a year. So that shipment is primarily symbolic or you could say a political signal. Edit: After digging into it more. It looks like we made orders for Potash from Belarus starting back in early summer. Restrictions were lifted on Potash from Belarus back in March. |
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Originally Posted By Prime: Maybe, but on anything Belarus I'd temper that a bit. The administration's gotten a lot out of Belarus, by all accounts, not just theirs. Belarus Frees 25 Political Prisoners in Exchange for U.S. Sanctions Relief The deal is part of the Trump administration’s more transactional approach to a close Russian ally that Europe has tried to isolate. Belarus on Wednesday released 25 political prisoners after a visit from President Trump’s envoy, continuing a thaw in relations between the United States and the Eastern European nation’s autocratic leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko. The prisoner release was the latest in a long series that began last year when the Trump administration, unlike the European Union, shifted away from sanctions against Belarus — Russia’s neighbor and closest ally — to embrace negotiations. The United States had hoped to get 200 people released on Wednesday. Despite getting far fewer freed, the Trump administration appeared eager to push on with rapprochement, hoping that Mr. Lukashenko, a tough and cunning negotiator seasoned by years of dealing with the Kremlin, will release more later. The prisoner release followed talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, between Mr. Lukashenko and the U.S. special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, a lawyer and friend of Mr. Trump’s with little previous government experience. In a telephone interview, Mr. Coale said he was “almost positive” that a larger number of prisoners would be released “about a month from now.” Declaring his talks a success, he said, “We used what you would call Donald Trumpism — very friendly, but very direct — and we got a lot of things done.” ... https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/world/europe/belarus-political-prisoner-release-us-sanctions.html Trump has such a visceral hatred of Canada that he is willing to conduct business with a Russian stooge. Belarus is where Russia launched their invasion and they still launch drones from Belarus. Unreal. |
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Originally Posted By kpacman: Trump has such a visceral hatred of Canada that he is willing to conduct business with a Russian stooge. Belarus is where Russia launched their invasion and they still launch drones from Belarus. Unreal. every time Trump does something good -- like the security agreement with Greenland -- he then does something so retarded i can't comprehend it. |
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: AfD doesn't have the numbers to form a national govt. after Federal elections. Anyone claiming "surging" is weird. Like claiming the Dems are "surging" after a local NYC election. AfD is also led by a self-hating married lesbian with adopted kids who isn't even living in Germany. lol, how any morons relate that Kremlin puppet group to being "nationalist" or having any real "values" is insane. Originally Posted By SierraNV: Originally Posted By Tiberius: Originally Posted By Lieh-tzu: Originally Posted By Longshore87:I will agree that Slovakia is an issue. If they just sit on their hands and don’t participate in the near future though it’s not like we are losing much. Long term if Ukraine falls it’s much more of an issue. It's not just Slovakia, and Hungary until Orban lost. Look at AfD surging in Germany. Their Federal elections are next year. Look at RN in France, where Le Pen recently said she'd flat-out end aid to Ukraine - their national election is next year, also. What is Putin's goal? A multipolar world. Rebuilding Imperial Russia is only one side of the coin. Tearing down western power is the other side. If you get Fico's view repeated in Europe's biggest powers, NATO is in terminal decline. That seems destabilizing. What infuriates me is that the political Right in Europe is correct on domestic issues, but simultaneously wrong on Russia. I don't even understand why. Anti-immigration? Great. Pro-Russia? Uhh... no. It’s pretty obvious, it’s just like here. The Left weaponized the state and Techbros against thier enemies (us), and were enthusiastic Putin-Puffers until Putin pissed in thier faces with the ‘14. Now, of course, due to that they hate Putin with a hysterical intensity…..a lot of folks hate the shitlibs so much they assume anyone they hate that much is thier friend. It’s how Trump got Elected, and ultimately re-Elected, and at the bottom of why they hate Ukraine even though it has a backstory that should make them total CHADs in thier eyes. It’s a compelling argument, one I have to work to resist because I know the truth….the Russians hate us and want to kill us. AfD doesn't have the numbers to form a national govt. after Federal elections. Anyone claiming "surging" is weird. Like claiming the Dems are "surging" after a local NYC election. AfD is also led by a self-hating married lesbian with adopted kids who isn't even living in Germany. lol, how any morons relate that Kremlin puppet group to being "nationalist" or having any real "values" is insane. They are now the largest Party in two different states, the Establishment parties are on borrowed time….eventually they will begin getting majorities, or some other party will take a coalition deal. Thier policy of excluding 40% percent from governance actually helps AfD in the long run as it makes it manifestly clear the Establishment isn’t listening, which erodes their credibility further. |
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: The late August Pentagon "leak" admitted the US Govt is paying online influencers to work at the Pentagon (and parrot propaganda talking points). Our tax dollars are funding Kremlin talking point scripts getting coordinated out of the Pentagon. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/30/pentagon-secretly-installs-military-influencers-civilian-roles/ Originally Posted By SierraNV: Originally Posted By trapsh00ter99: Originally Posted By ITCHY-FINGER: It's possible Zelensky broke some agreement but my bet is that Russia broke it first. Anyway, Trump's open, public response is childish. The late August Pentagon "leak" admitted the US Govt is paying online influencers to work at the Pentagon (and parrot propaganda talking points). Our tax dollars are funding Kremlin talking point scripts getting coordinated out of the Pentagon. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/08/30/pentagon-secretly-installs-military-influencers-civilian-roles/ You say that like Biden’s DOD wasn’t doing the same thing the other way. |
Kyiv got slammed hard tonight
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Originally Posted By Tiberius: They are now the largest Party in two different states, the Establishment parties are on borrowed time….eventually they will begin getting majorities, or some other party will take a coalition deal. Thier policy of excluding 40% percent from governance actually helps AfD in the long run as it makes it manifestly clear the Establishment isn’t listening, which erodes their credibility further. The problem in Europe is that they are multiparty systems. RN in France and AfD in Germany are in the same boat. They are the most popular single party, but that doesn't give them a majority anywhere. Because they are abhorred as 'far right' ( ), the Left wing parties join together to form ruling coalitions to exclude them and prevent them from having power. This enhances the power of far-Left parties that would otherwise be fringe, and further disenfranchises the largest minority group of the people. It's a mess. France used to elect true majorities in the Assembly, and giving clear mandates to their President. The rise of RN will likely break that (already did in the last Assembly election), making France just another multi-party coalition mess. The two-party system can be pretty bad. But it's unclear that we're any worse off than the Euros where 10% of the seats go to stupid small radical parties. |
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Originally Posted By mcantu: Kyiv got slammed hard tonight
That footage is from June 2026.  Russian airstrikes hit Ukraine's capital Kyiv |
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Originally Posted By mcantu: Kyiv got slammed hard tonight
Ukraine needs ballistics. Lots of them. Our inventory of ATACMs was pathetically small, I hope our planner & requisitions folks see that now and have made adjustments for the next generation weapons. |
Saudi Aramco just loaded 14 million barrels onto 7 VLCCs from Ras Tanura, ramping exports back through the Strait of Hormuz. Aramco already paused Hormuz loadings once this summer after tanker attacks there. They're back because with the East-West pipeline still down... Hormuz is the only real route that actually clears the crude. The question is how long Iran lets this run before testing it again.
WSJ: A $5 billion U.S. fund called PACT would go toward repairing Middle Eastern pipelines and refineries damaged in the Iran war, with eight Gulf and regional partners asked to match it for $10 billion total. Gulf officials are skeptical. Without a peace deal, anything rebuilt can be hit again, and Kuwait and Qatar still run through the Strait of Hormuz either way. Full WSJ article referenced in X post The Trump administration has proposed investing $5 billion in a new fund that would help Middle East countries rebuild energy infrastructure battered in the Iran war and reduce their reliance on the Strait of Hormuz to transport oil and gas, according to U.S. and Middle Eastern officials and documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. The move is a tacit acknowledgment that the seven-month conflict has roiled the global energy market and destroyed regional pipelines and refineries that will be costly to rebuild. Under Trump’s plan, the U.S. would seek a matching contribution from eight Middle Eastern partners—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq and Jordan—with the goal of generating a $10 billion investment fund. The investment would be called the Partnership for Allied Trust and Construction, or Pact. Discussions on the fund are under way, and the terms of the arrangement could change, U.S. officials said. It is unclear when, or even if, other countries will sign on. Some Middle East officials said the initiative appeared to be Washington’s attempt to cast the Strait of Hormuz as a less consequential energy route and show the U.S. and its allies as united in confronting Iran. They added that creating a fund to rebuild destroyed energy sites without a peace deal with Tehran would be premature, as the regime could target fresh infrastructure with drones and missiles. “This strategy has risk written all over it,” said Bilal Saab, senior managing director of TRENDS US, a consulting firm. Gulf countries have differing dependencies on the strait, Saab added, noting that regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. could support alternative routes while smaller countries such as Kuwait and Qatar still rely on the waterway. Under the U.S. proposal, the fund would be managed by the Development Finance Corporation, a federal agency that works with the private sector to support U.S. national-security policy. Its programs historically have targeted projects in developing countries, not wealthy Gulf monarchies. The push by the Trump administration is the latest attempt to mitigate consequences from the Iran war. Iranian missile and drone strikes have hit dozens of refineries, oil fields and natural-gas export terminals across the region, ensuring a prolonged squeeze on global oil-and-gas markets even if the Strait of Hormuz fully reopens. Drone attacks also shut down Saudi Arabia’s bypass pipeline earlier this month, forcing more crude through the Strait of Hormuz and onto a tanker fleet already stretched thin. The impact has spread worldwide, as longer voyages and shuttle runs around Hormuz tie up ships and push the daily rate of hiring oil tankers to records. Trade routes in the Red Sea also are being threatened by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The Houthis claimed responsibility for a Saturday attack on a jet-fuel storage site near the airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital. The sheer complexity of rebuilding damaged energy facilities translates into an extended stranglehold on global supply—and higher oil prices. Energy analysts and officials have pegged energy infrastructure repair costs in the region at tens of billions, covering engineering, construction, equipment and materials. Gulf producers from the U.A.E. to Iraq are also racing to build alternative routes for their crude. Those workarounds are keeping Gulf barrels moving, but they are tying up tankers, driving freight rates higher and, in Saudi Arabia’s case, not sustainably alleviating blockages that have left its oil production at multidecade low. “There seems to be a realization within all Arab Gulf states and even in Iraq that the status of Strait of Hormuz in the short to medium term will not revert back to what it was before the conflict and they need to work upon creating viable, secure and dependable routes and corridors that can bypass the strait,” said Umer Karim, a researcher on Gulf security at the U.K.’s University of Birmingham. “But invariably this new scheme will create a geographical dependence of some of the involved countries over other ones and thus creating a dependency which may complicate some bilateral relationships and thus will remain challenging to implement,” he said.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: every Iranian airline will be shut down worldwide starting September 23. "If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets, or you will be knocked out of the dollar system." Bank sanctions continue alongside the aviation measures.
Al Arabiya reports that pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have committed to halting all military activity that conflicts with the policy and authority of the government in Baghdad. Starting in March, the factions will begin transferring their strategic weapons to the Iraqi government. Efforts are underway to get Washington to accept the terms of the new understandings on weapons consolidation.
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Robert A. Heinlein, Friday
USA
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Originally Posted By maddmatt: I wonder what the odds are that Belarus sees cracks forming in their controllers and are starting to jump ship and fall into our sphere of influence. We have already seen a few of the smaller nations shifting. Lukashenko has been playing West against Russia since before Putin became president. He isn't immortal though. |
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Originally Posted By Haub: That footage is from June 2026.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrdSMVR9SR8|46Originally Posted By Haub: Originally Posted By mcantu: Kyiv got slammed hard tonight
That footage is from June 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrdSMVR9SR8|46There WAS a drone attack happening, someone just took liberties with the video. All clear called in Kyiv proper about 1850ET. 1315ET In Buchanan district, a fire broke out on the territory of a private household due to an attack by enemy drones. In Brovary district, a fire was recorded in warehouses after an enemy attack. There were no deaths or injuries. Rescuers are working on the scene and eliminating the consequences. Services continue to record the damage. https://t.me/tkachenkotymur/2946 |
Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Air Alert Map‼️Explosions‼️Rockets‼️ 4x Parcel🚀→Krasnopavlivka/Orilka (Kharkiv region) 6x Parcel🚀→Orilka/Dnipropetrovsk region https://t.me/povitryanatrivogaaa/224949 💥 EXPLOSIONS in Kryvyi Rih. https://t.me/typical_KR/84249 
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
1559ET From 40 UAVs in the direction of the Moscow region through the Tula and Lipetsk regions. https://t.me/radar_ru_russiia/27589 1907ET Novospassky District, Ulyanovsk Region, UAV Downing https://t.me/radarrussiia/95382 1941ET Syzran district, Samara region. UAV downing. https://t.me/radarrussiia/95395 |
Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Amid rumors of a possible resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, his motorcade was spotted in the Kremlin today VChK-OGPU and http://Rucriminal.info continue to share rumors from the smoke breaks of government agencies, where potential personnel reshuffles are being actively discussed. In particular, there are talks that Andrei Yarin, head of the Russian Presidential Administration's Department for Domestic Policy, who oversees issues of interaction with regional authorities and the conduct of election campaigns, may leave his post. He has reportedly been offered a new interesting position. Earlier, we reported that smoke break chatter is about an impending reshuffle. Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, may become the mayor of Moscow. And accordingly, Sergei Sobyanin will be the prime minister.
Spider-Man at the Kapotnya Oil Refinery The fire following the drone attack has been extinguished, but a strong acrid smell persists. Workers are patching holes in the protective nets and stringing up new ones
A source from the Cheka-OGPU and http://Rucriminal.info, close to Auchan's top management, revealed that they have information suggesting Putin handed over Auchan, Nestlé, FM Logistic, and "Leman PRO" to Suleyman Kerimov (and, of course, his partner, the head of the Russian Presidential Administration, Anton Vaino). Supposedly, to justify this, the Russian president was fed several reports claiming that French technologies were actively used in the attacks that destroyed WB's warehouses. The narrative goes that Kerimov and his associates effectively suffered at the hands of France, so it would only be fair if her businesses were used to compensate for the damage. It's clear these reports came at Vaino's instigation—he's seen as the chief lobbyist for transferring these assets. By the way, this isn't the first time he's pulled off such a "trick." When Vaino was convincing Putin that WB should go to Kerimov rather than Kadyrov, the Russian president was promised that Kerimov would turn the marketplace into a global megacorporation with its own payment system and so on. Now all of that can be chalked up to force majeure. For now, this information remains a rumor, but if it pans out, Kerimov and Vaino are genius businessmen. After snapping up WB, they started aggressively using its funds to buy up non-core assets: the Riv Gosh perfume chain; the YApteka pharmacy chain; a business center near Moscow's Paveletsky Station; a stake in Uzbekistan's national postal operator UzPost; the transport services Citymobil, Taksovichkof, and Gruzovichkof; a business center on Letnikovskaya Street in Moscow; JSC "Magas International Airport"; spaces in the Legion I business center in Moscow; the major tour operator Fun&Sun, and so on. Huge sums are being poured into designing and building an 80-story skyscraper called "Bagration" on the Moscow City territory. Through the "New Start" company, massive funds are being funneled into snapping up space industry enterprises. Large amounts are also being invested in the WB bank as a standalone project, separate from the marketplace. They've even launched their own messenger app. All these assets are being registered under structures not directly linked to the marketplace. By the time the strikes hit the warehouses, Kerimov and his crew had built up a massive "basket" of such assets, which the drone attacks left completely untouched, and they continue to generate enormous profits. Now, in exchange for WB's destroyed warehouses, they've scored yet another equally prime asset, complete with huge piles of cash sitting in its accounts. Meanwhile, Tatyana Kim is left with burned-out warehouses, debts, a ruined business, and all the other headaches. Brilliant.
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
Whilst Ukrainian manufacturers are urgently improving their means to counter the new, significantly upgraded Russian Geran-5s, there is now also good news from Germany. I received a video from a credible source showing the successful interception of a Geran-5 by the new SPYS interceptor drone designed via the German-Ukrainian Joint Venture Quantum WIY Industries. To my knowledge it's still undergoing combat testing, but first interceptions are taking place!
A fifth publicly known claimed kill of a Russian Geran-5 jet-powered drone This latest interception was made by the SPYS interceptor, a high-speed system claimed to be capable to engage targets flying at up to 600 km/h. So far, the five publicly shown Geran-5 interceptions break down as: 2× STING S 2× unnamed jet-powered interceptors 1× SPYS 
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Originally Posted By Haub: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSv-T1zW8AAPeEk?format=jpg&name=small
LOL
Something us cold war era vets never thought we'd see.
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"The quality of 155 mm caliber shells produced by some Asian countries is disastrous." The most interesting excerpts from the interview with the commander of the 7th Artillery Brigade "Hrehit." Recently, on the pages of the Oboronka section of the Ukrainian Pravda portal, an interview appeared with Vitaliy Korniyenko, commander of the 7th Artillery Brigade "Hrehit" of the 2nd Corps GN "Chartia." Below are the most interesting excerpts: On changes in artillery tactics in the rus-ukr war. "At the beginning, both we and the Russians could keep two or three guns in position. On the enemy side, this lasted until 2023. Then things started to change, because you deploy six guns—and an hour later, there's nothing left of them but a memory. No one goes out into the open field anymore. Today, the equipment simply wouldn't even make it to the position. The artillery crew's departure is prepared in advance. First, anti-aircraft drone crews "clear" the sky of enemy reconnaissance in the area. The position itself is a bunker fully dug into the ground, with well-camouflaged entrances. (...) If we fire a hundred rounds from a gun in a day, it's unlikely to survive until evening. Because the sky is full of drones, every shot reveals the position—it will be detected and they will start pounding it with every means possible. Now a typical mission is a salvo of up to 10 shots. First 3–5 rounds to zero in, then fire on the target. At least five rounds, each costing a minimum of 2000 dollars. That gives you an idea of the costs." On the use of self-propelled and towed guns. "Self-propelled guns are used 'on call' and not always against infantry or some building. Towed guns are already dug in and waiting for the order; they can operate quickly. Self-propelled guns now also work from bunkers, but towed ones are better suited for it—they're simply smaller. Plus, towed guns are much more durable. They can be damaged, but it's hard to destroy them—that's their advantage." On types of 155 mm ammunition. "155 mm M107 ammunition is called 'short.' It's mass-produced and cheap; all our allies make it, and even our country does. We have enough of them to wage war. It's accurate, but its range is 14–18 km depending on the propellant. As for the long-range ones, that's M795 and its foreign equivalents. It's longer, heavier, and much more expensive. With good propellant, it will fly 30 km, and with a base bleed even farther. Such ammunition and propellants are quite scarce. I think giving up on M107 isn't entirely a good idea. Long-range shells wear out the barrel faster, reveal the position—when firing a long-range charge, a huge column of fire shoots out of the barrel… In the evening or early morning, the flash is visible from kilometers away." On problems with Asian-produced 155 mm shells. "We have a wide range of shells from different countries, and those from Western states are up to standard. However, their counterparts produced by some Asian countries [probably referring to artillery ammunition from Pakistan produced by Pakistan Ordnance Factories and from India produced by the now-defunct Ordnance Factory Board—my note]... their quality is, frankly speaking, disastrous. "On paper, the shell's weight is specified as 46 kilograms, but we weigh it on site and it's 46.9 or 45.4 kg. And that contractual half a kilogram has a huge impact on where it will fly. We no longer trust standard tables for shells and create our own for each manufacturer; we weigh every batch, sort them by weight so that the difference in 'groupings' is small and they fly roughly to the same spot. I can't afford mistakes where a shell flies 2 km off to the side, where our infantry boys are sitting. I'll add that our artillerymen generally fear shells from one country [India or Pakistan—my note]. There have been cases where they sheared off the muzzle brake or even burst the barrel. And when the barrel bursts, it's very bad." Source: https://oboronka.mezha.ua/chi-vizhivut-vazhki-garmati-u-viyni-droniv-315324/ Below: Effects of using faulty 155 mm caliber shells with improperly made driving bands in a towed M777 howitzer belonging to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The ammunition likely comes from India (Ordnance Factory Board production). 
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
🚨To clear the way for Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to the United States, the CCP moved up its September Politburo meeting. And the long-pending cases of former Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and former Joint Staff Department chief Liu Zhenli have finally moved to the next stage. Both men have now been expelled from the Communist Party and the military. According to the official announcement, Zhang and Liu were accused of “forming cliques and factions,” being “disloyal and dishonest to the Party,” abusing their positions to help others secure promotions, accepting huge sums of money, and committing other serious disciplinary violations. Their cases have now been transferred to military prosecutors for review and prosecution. Some say Zhang could eventually receive a suspended death sentence, later commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of further sentence reduction or parole. The timing is notable. The announcement came just days before Xi’s scheduled trip to the United States for talks with President Donald Trump. Of the seven members of the Central Military Commission formed after the CCP’s 20th Party Congress, only two publicly remain: Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin. Being a senior CCP official—especially a senior military officer—has truly become a high-risk profession. Details below👇
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Large-scale, combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine. Preliminarily, the following missiles were used: ~11 Oniks-M supersonic cruise missiles. ~6 Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles. ~5 Kalibr cruise missiles ~4 Kn-23 ballistic missiles. ~2 Iskander-M ballistic missiles. ~28 missiles in total. Around 8 S8000 Banderol cruise missiles also targeted Kremenchuk. Strikes were carried out on the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Kremenchuk, Dnipro, and Pavlohrad, in Dnipropetrovak and Poltava Oblasts. Kryvyi Rih was struck by ~5 Kalibrs, ~2 Oniks-Ms, ~2 Kn-23, and ~2 Zircons. Kremenchuk was struck by ~5 Oniks-Ms and ~2 Iskander-M with cluster warheads. Dnipro was struck by 4 Oniks-Ms and ~1 Kn-23. Pavlohrad was struck by ~4 Zircons and ~1 Kn-23. (These numbers will likely be adjusted further in the coming hours) Targets hit include the Kryvyi Rih Metallurgical Plant, the Pavlohrad Chemical Plant, the Kremenchuk Oil Refinery, and an unknown industrial target in eastern Dnipro. 
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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A former officer of the Chinese General Staff openly states on the Chinese state television's military channel what Ukraine has been denouncing since June: Belarusian signal relays guide Russian drones right up to the Polish border, and Minsk thereby makes itself a accomplice in this air war. 1/8 🧵
2/8 Wu Dahui, born in 1967, studied Russian at the University of International Relations of the People's Liberation Army. He then served as a lieutenant colonel in a department of the General Staff. Today, he is deputy director of the Russia Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing and one of China's most influential Russia experts. Someone who has worked so closely with both apparatuses rarely speaks by chance. 3/8 CCTV-7 is the defense and military channel of the Chinese state television. The program "Defense Review" airs there daily during prime time and is regarded as the mouthpiece of the People's Liberation Army's line. There, Wu explained how the relay stations established in Belarus provide Russian drones with greater range and precision. A state broadcaster very deliberately selects its topics. 4/8 Four days before this broadcast, the same man sat on the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, recommending that the Russian-Chinese military cooperation be oriented toward AI and unmanned systems in the future. Beijing is studying Russia's drone war down to the technical details. Whoever dissects a foreign war so precisely reads it as a textbook. Anna 5/8 Since mid-September, Ukrainian border protection has once again registered active relays on Belarusian territory. The drones fly close along the Belarusian border. There, they pick up a stronger signal and then head deep into the regions of Rivne, Volyn, and Lviv. On September 13, a Russian drone struck the locomotive of the Kyiv–Warsaw train near Yahodyn, two kilometers from the Polish border. Just minutes earlier, the special train carrying Boris Johnson and European security advisors had passed through there. Border protection directly links this attack to assistance from Belarus. 6/8 One week. That’s how much time Selenskyj gave Lukashenko in June to shut down four of these stations in the Gomel and Brest regions. According to him, they had enabled attacks on energy facilities, railway lines, cities, and villages in Zhytomyr, Rivne, and Volyn. A few days after the deadline, the stations fell silent. The Ukrainian Air Force then observed that Russia could redirect its drones much less effectively in real time. A clear deadline here accomplished more than months of appeals. 7/8 Now the stations are broadcasting again. Publicly, Lukashenko keeps distancing Minsk from Moscow's war. At the same time, on his soil, the technology is running that guides Russian drones to their targets. Lukashenko has quietly switched it off and quietly switched it back on. A concession under pressure lasts exactly as long as the pressure itself. 8/8 The Brest region lies directly on the Polish border. Russian drones are thus controlled from Belarusian soil along the EU's external border, and in Beijing, it's meticulously documented how well this works. In June, a single week's deadline from Kyiv was enough to silence the relays. What deadline will the EU set, along whose border these drones are now flying? Write in the comments how Europe should respond to Lukashenko's relays. Sources: CCTV-7 "Defense Review" Kyiv Post Tsinghua University TASS
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
Video of fire in dnipro 
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 https://x.com/BohuslavskaKate/status/2102141249738150187 |
Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Tonight, both Poland 🇵🇱 and Latvia 🇱🇻 took local measures against approaching aerial threats For the first time and despite multiple attacks earlier, Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states finally started acting against drones approaching or violating their airspace. Recently, the Polish alert system finally started ringing before drones approached the border with Ukraine and not after. Now, fighter jets are constantly flying to ensure a rapid response in case there is an airspace violation. For Poland, the alert is now finished, but the number of similar events will increase as Russian strikes draw closer to the west of the Ukraine. 
And Lithuania, hybrid balloon attack from Belarus according to Vilnius airport's Facebook page. IT'S OFFICIAL [updated 02:43] 2026 m. 21 september 11:25 PM. Restrictions of airspace have been introduced over Vilnius Airport due to Belarus' hybrid attack against Lithuania, civil aviation and society by fixing navigational markings typical of balloons in dangerous aviation areas. Vilnius Airport reopened its operations at 02:40 am. , after lifting airspace restrictions. Passengers whose flights were disrupted by restrictions or flights were canceled are invited to contact their airlines directly. More information about flights: www.vno.lt or tel. +370 612 44442. https://www.facebook.com/VilniusAirportOfficial |
Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Given the current debate, it is necessary to return to the current situation and the balance of power on the Ukrainian 🇺🇦/🇷🇺 front. 🔸There is a near-consensus among analysts that 2026 is a less favorable year for Moscow, on several fronts. 🔸Russia's territorial progress this year amounts to a little over 1,100 km² conquered, from which more than 450 km² of Ukrainian counterattacks must be subtracted, resulting in about 650 km². Over the same period in 2024, it was 1,900 km² conquered, and even 3,100 in 2025. 🔸For the first time since late 2023, Ukrainians have managed to slow down, or even halt, Russian advances in certain sectors of the Donbass and Zaporizhzhia. To cope with this reality, the Kremlin is multiplying lies and presenting maps that are far more positive for the Russian army in 2026. 🔸Ukrainians hold the advantage in medium-range strikes, particularly in occupied territories, complicating Russian logistics. Russians hold the advantage in deep strikes, even though the damage from Ukrainian strikes is far more costly (refineries, ports...) than the damage from Russian strikes. 🔸On the human front, Russian forces are losing slightly more men than they are recruiting, especially as recruitment costs are skyrocketing, placing a considerable burden on Russian public finances. A mobilization seems necessary to resume territorial progress. On the Ukrainian side, the situation is even more critical, with an infantry shortage since 2024. To address this, Kyiv has replaced numerous missions with robots, specifically ground drones, which handle logistics and assaults—something that is barely visible on the Russian side. 🔸On the economic and financial front, both states are suffering severely. Ukraine has been suffering for 5 years, particularly due to exodus, Russian strikes, and mobilization. European financial support is helping to maintain the situation. On the Russian side, while the situation has remained stable in recent years, it has deteriorated significantly in recent months, with a lack of finances, the loss of numerous hydrocarbon-related profits, and the long-term effects of Russian isolation. After two very difficult years for Ukrainians in 2024 and 2025, 2026 has seen a progressive stabilization of the front, the resumption of localized initiatives in 4 directions, and the development of new means for waging war. Russia retains the advantage in several areas, including strikes on the front lines and in the rear, but is increasingly suffering from a war that shows no signs of ending. Ukrainians have nearly completed the construction of a series of obstacle lines between the Black Sea and the Polish border, along the front, which dims the prospects for Russian breakthroughs in the coming years. -> Thus, Russian actions in Europe primarily aim to undermine military and financial support for Ukraine, in the context of the war on the eastern front. On the map: 🔴Russian progress from 2014 to 2025 🟠Russian progress in 2026 🔵Territories recaptured by Ukrainians in 2026 
The Retraction Loop The northern claw is gone — not on every map, but in the only sense that matters — collected the way these things always are, with the arrows showing up to record a result produced weeks earlier. Lyman is the reference; this is what it costs. Russian command is left with the question it has avoided all year, and it has two answers: a frontal approach into the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk belt, which nobody there wants to pay for, or the one place where the line is already broken and the geometry still open — the Dobropillia breach. So this runs wider than the breach: Barvinkove and Kostiantynivka are the same arithmetic. It is the wide orbit again: the further from the core the interdiction sits, the cheaper it is, and a force that collapses logistics early never enters the streets at all. Kostiantynivka is what the streets cost. Dobropillia is the attempt to avoid paying it twice. Underneath it the strategy is total pressure: tactics matter less than the intent, which is to keep the defence spending everywhere at once. What separates the options is cost, and the cheap ones are those that start a loop where the defence retracts on its own — a threatened road, then a thinned position, then a shortened line, then the next road. Russia is not looking for a breakthrough so much as for the cheapest way to start that loop. 
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Baldassare Castiglione
https://t.me/arfcom_ukebros
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Originally Posted By birdbarian: Something us cold war era vets never thought we'd see.
Originally Posted By birdbarian: Originally Posted By Haub: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSv-T1zW8AAPeEk?format=jpg&name=small
LOL
Something us cold war era vets never thought we'd see.
Yeah no doubt. Fencers, Fulcrums and Flankers employing Western munitions. HARM's, JDAM's, SDB's, MALD, Scalp/Storm Shadow, Hammer Ukrainian Mi-24 Hinds are/were shooting Hydras too. |
| I'm going to throw a question out because maybe someone in here knows the answer. Has there been any work done on developing a lower cost HARM-type missile? Something geared more towards the Pantsir type threats. If I'm correct in assuming that most of the Ukr drone shoot downs are due to Pantsirs and similar smaller, mobile systems, it seems like having something that can home on emissions would be a big plus. |
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Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next. Originally Posted By SierraNV: If anyone still doubted the US is being ran by a Putin puppet. Trump Says Potash Deal With Belarus in Works Amid Canada Fight President Donald Trump said the US is working with Belarus to secure more supplies of potash amid a trade fight with Canada, a major supplier of the critical ingredient used in fertilizers. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-21/trump-says-potash-deal-with-belarus-in-works-amid-canada-fight The oil "deals" direct with Russia are next. The US imports 90% of the potash needed, most of it from Canada. Guess who is saying they are going to cut off or slap taxes/duties on potash? Canada. It would be extremely stupid for the US to not diversify suppliers and/or increase domestic production. AB & SK are going to have to decide how far they want to follow Carney and the Lib party off the cliff. |