Finally, but possibly ages too late.

Biden allows Ukraine to use long-range US-supplied ATACMS missiles on targets in Russia.

President Joe Biden has permitted Ukraine to use long-range missiles supplied by the US to strike targets inside Russia, in a major foreign-policy about-face being reported by multiple American media outlets.

Previously, the US had insisted the weapons it supplied Kyiv could only be used to attack Russian military assets occupying Ukrainian territory, with one exception that came earlier this year designed to protect the border city of Kharkiv.

It's understood the policy change will pave the way for Ukraine to use the Army Tactical Missile Systems, known colloquially as ATACMS on targets inside Russia......

It may help to thwart Russia's strategy of destroying the power supply throughout Ukraine before winter. If Ukraine were to try this in Russia, there would be a global outcry.

On the other hand, it remains unclear which restrictions in detail Biden has lifted. There are different statements.

• targets in Russia in general
  
• targets in Russia's Kursk oblast which Ukraine has partially occupied; where North Korean troops are attacking...
  

Hopefully the decision will have an impact on policy making in Europe (e.g. FR, UK, ... impossible in Germany).

Many here see Russia's aggression as an unalterable fate, where it is better not to interfere. The false assumption is that as soon as Putin has swallowed the whole of Ukraine, the angry Russian bear will turn back into the cuddly teddy bear of the 1990s. The West (which excludes us) hopefully has learned from the inter war period that led to WW2. We learned to recognize imperialism and fascism as a purely German original sin... which was necessary. But now we can't identify these threats anywhere else.

PooTin has a new plan to recruit more orcs.

PooTin signs law to write off bad debts up to $100k for new Army recruits who fight in Ukraine.

Then there's the orcs that well overfed Kim sent him.

North Korean Troops Deployed to New Russian Frontline Region.

There's also the Yi Peng 3 and those undersea cables.

China-flagged vessel with Russian captain suspected of sabotaging fibre-optic cables in Baltic Sea.

Meanwhile, was PooTin's hands glued together and then to the table to coverup the shakes?

PooTin's Near Motionless Hands Reignite Health Rumors—What To Know.

It's a shame that we couldn't see his legs in the clip.

There's also the Yi Peng 3 and those undersea cables.

"Yi Peng 3" has not moved in days. It seems the ship is still detained by Danish authorities; it's closely shadowed (less than a mile away) by at least one Danish warship 24/7... today "HDMS Hvidbjørnen" (F360), an ocean patrol frigate, accompanied by the German Coast Guard cutter "Bad Düben" (BP 83).

Another 1 bites the dust.

Igor Kirillov, a Russian general who had been accused of using chemical weapons, has been killed by an explosion in Moscow - as Ukraine claims responsibility for the blast.

A senior Russian military official has been killed after an explosive device hidden in a scooter went off outside a building in Moscow.

Igor Kirillov, the commander of Russian armed forces’ chemical, biological and radiation defence troops, was killed along with his deputy when “an explosive device planted in a scooter parked near the entrance of a residential building was activated on the morning of December 17 on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow”, the Russian Investigative Committee (RIC) said in a statement. Russian authorities said they were probing the attack as “terrorism”

A source in Ukraine’s SBU security service claimed it was behind the early morning explosion in what it called a “special operation”, according to AFP, Reuters and the BBC.

Ukraine’s SBU alleged Kirillov was “a legitimate target” because he was a “war criminal” who gave orders to use banned chemical weapons against the Ukrainian military on the battlefield......

Meanwhile.

‘Real and operational’: Ukraine unveils new laser weapon.

Ukraine is now officially in the laser weapons game.

Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces, revealed that the country’s military has developed its own laser weapon which can target and down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometres.

Speaking at the European Defense Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense Industry conference, Sukharevskyi proudly declared Tryzub (trident) “laser is real and operational”, adding that efforts are already underway to scale up its capabilities against Russia.

The announcement marks a significant leap in Ukraine’s military innovation, according to Ukrainian publication the Kyiv Independent.

But it’s not just lasers that are powering Ukraine’s defence advances......

Russia threatened to freeze Central Europe by stopping gas exports if the 'West' interferes in Russia's "Special Military Operation" in Ukraine. In the end they are freezing 'their own' fellow Russians which they claim to protect from 'Ukrainian Nazis' or from the evil 'Greater Romania nationalists'. Unfortunately, it is the poorest who are hit the most severly again.

Russian Gas Halt Leaves Transnistria Without Heating Amid Winter Freeze

Residents of the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria were left without centralized heating and hot water on Wednesday after Russian gas shipments via Ukraine were halted, the local energy company Tirasteploenergo said.

The shutdown followed Ukraine’s decision not to renew a five-year gas transit agreement with Russia starting on Jan. 1. Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko called the cutoff a “historic event” and said that “Russia is losing its markets and will suffer financial losses.”

Among a list of recommendations to customers, the company suggested sealing gaps in windows and balcony doors to retain heat, as well as “gathering all family members in a single room while temporarily closing off unused spaces."

The temperature in Transnistria’s capital city of Tiraspol is set to plunge to minus 1 degree Celcius [edit: 30F] on Wednesday night.

Residents were also advised to use electric heaters and limit energy use to stay warm. Energy authorities urged caution to prevent fires and electrical system overloads.

Transnistria declared a 30-day economic emergency last month in anticipation of the energy shortage. Moldova also implemented its own state of emergency in the energy sector as fears mounted over the potential humanitarian impact of reduced gas supplies during the winter months.

Transnistria had been supplied with gas by Gazprom for decades without paying for it, simply accumulating debts. It was in Russia's strategic interest to support this grotesque Stalinist secessionist regime to uphold another frozen conflict. Now Ukraine finally terminated the gas transit contract with Russia as announced long time ago. And Russia has no 'Plan B' how to supply their Transnistrian brothers. They could simply buy gas from Moldova via Romania; that is from the EU. But somebody would have to pay for it. Now it is up to the humanity of the Moldovans to help their freezing neighbors in Transnistria.

They caught a couple of live 1's.

Zelenskyy claims Ukraine has captured two North Korean soldiers in Kursk region of Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy has claimed that two North Korean soldiers have been taken prisoner for the first time by Ukraine's military in Russia's Kursk region.

"Two soldiers, though wounded, survived and were transported to Kyiv, where they are now communicating with the Security Service of Ukraine," the Ukrainian president wrote on X.

"This was not an easy task: Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea's involvement in the war against Ukraine."

Mr Zelensky had said in late December that Ukraine had captured several seriously wounded North Korean soldiers who later died.

North Korean soldiers were first deployed to Russia in October to support Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, with around 11,000 troops present, according to Ukrainian and Western analysts.

The Ukrainian president said the prisoners were receiving medical care in lines with the rules of warfare governed by the Geneva Conventions.

He added that journalists would be given access to the prisoners by Ukraine's security forces......

Well the ball is in PooTin's court now as Ukraine accepts U.S. deal.

Ukraine ready to accept ceasefire with Russia as US restores intelligence sharing.

Ukraine has expressed a willingness to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, after meetings with the US in Saudi Arabia.

In exchange, the US has agreed to immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance with Ukraine.

Ukrainian and US officials have been meeting in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, discussing the future of the three-year-long conflict.

In a joint statement by the Ukrainian and US delegations, the officials said the offer would now be taken to the Russians for approval.

The statement said Ukraine "expressed readiness" to accept a US proposal to enact a 30-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

The ceasefire "is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation". .....

First it was North Koreans and now it's Chinese.

Ukraine releases striking footage of alleged captured Chinese soldiers who claim Russia dropped poison gas after they surrendered.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky claims at least 155 Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine, releasing new footage of two men, who themselves claimed to be Chinese, captured in Donetsk Oblast on Thursday.

The revealing video shows the men being interrogated in a room with a Ukrainian flag as a backdrop. The first man, Zhang Renbo, revealed he was an inexperienced soldier who was on his first deployment.

“I am a Chinese citizen from Jiangxi Province. I am currently being held by Ukraine as a prisoner of war,” he said.

When asked if he participated in direct combat against the Ukrainian armed forces, Mr Renbo deflected but revealed he had never held a gun before arriving in Ukraine.

“It was my first deployment, my first combat mission, prior to that I had never participated in combat operations. Before I got there, I had never held a weapon.”

The second prisoner, 34-year-old Wang Guangjun from Zhengzhou City, said he “surrendered in a group of three” including his deputy commander and another Russian soldier.......

You just can't trust PooTin's words. When he opens his mouth he lies and Donny is no better.

Ukraine says Russia has ramped up attacks despite 'Easter truce'.

Ukraine says Russia has stepped up its attacks despite the "Easter truce" it declared, while the Kremlin claims Kyiv has broken the ceasefire more than a thousand times.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said either "Putin does not have full control over his army" or Russia has no intention of trying to end the war, in a social media post on X.

His comments came after Russia's defence ministry claimed Ukraine had broken President Vladimir Putin's ceasefire more than a thousand times, Russian news agencies reported.

Mr Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter.

The US State Department said it would support the ceasefire's extension beyond Sunday.

But Russia's TASS news agency later said Mr Putin had not given any further order to extend the ceasefire beyond 9pm on Sunday, local time........

Mr Putin announced a surprise one-day ceasefire in Ukraine on Saturday for Easter.

So, Putin admits that Ukraine has changed its approach to Christian holidays from the previously used Orthodox calendar (which is the Julian calendar) to the Western Gregorian one (to break with Russian traditions and adapt to European/Western Christian holiday dates)?

That's surprising.

[EDIT to add:] ...just a rare coincidence:

https://www.catholicregister.org/item/2021-a-unified-easter-in-2025

Because this year, churches both East and West will celebrate Easter, the Day of Resurrection, on the same date: Sunday, April 20, 2025.

It’s notable because Western churches — Catholics of the Latin Church and most Protestants — follow the Gregorian calendar. So do most Eastern Catholic churches. The Eastern Orthodox churches — along with some Eastern Catholic churches — use the older or revised Julian calendar.

That divergence currently results in a 13-day disparity between the Gregorian and Julian calendars [...]

It seems that the love affair with PooTin maybe coming to an end.

US slams Russia: ‘Asking too much’.

The White House has again berated Russia for its lack of movement when it comes to its lack of action on peace in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, US time, Vice President JD Vance said Russia was “asking for too much” in negotiations to end the conflict.

It signals a remarkable turnaround in Washington’s relations with Kyiv after President Volodomyr Zelensky was practically marched out of the Oval Office following his spat with Mr Trump and Mr Vance just months ago.

The remarks came just hours after former president Joe Biden berate the Trump administration for appearing Vladimir Putin which could lead to the Russian leader wanting even more eland.

Mr Vance made the comments to the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington DC, a conference on foreign policy and security issues........

Trump's spiritual advisor, the Evangelical minister Pastor Mark Burns, visited Ukraine just a month ago. He met there also with Ukrainians who endured Russian occupation; which may influence Trump's view. Other members of Trump's administration consequently reject to visit Ukraine (e.g., JD Vance who was repeatedly invited by Zelenskyj).

Trump’s Spiritual Advisor Visits Ukraine, Shocked by Scenes in Bucha, Irpin

It's not that native Russian-speaking East Ukrainians aren't harmed by Russian occupation. From previous statements of the Trump admin you could get the impression, they think "Russian speaking" means "Russians". Most of them are not native Russians, just as German-speaking, e.g. Swiss or Austrians, are not Germans. Forcing them into a unified "motherland" means totalitarian oppression against centuries of a different history and culture. If they resist Putin's assimilation policies (e.g. forcing Russian citizenship on them to get pensions; health care, social welfare); they immediately get in great danger. Imprisonment; forceful resettlement somewhere to Siberia... the old Russian and Soviet playbook to break any resistance against Russian/Soviet imperial expansion.

Silly young PooTin loving Viktor has been caught sticking his nose in where it shouldn't be.

Ukraine says it uncovered Hungarian spy network, Moscow and Kyiv trade accusations over ceasefire breaches.

Ukraine's SBU security agency says it has uncovered a spy network operated by Hungary.

The claims come after Kyiv announced that Russia had broken its ceasefire truce.

The security agency said on Friday, local time, the network was working to collect intelligence on Kyiv's defences.

In a statement, the SBU said it had detained two suspected agents who, it said, were being run by Hungarian military intelligence......

He never has been.

has just given the world fresh evidence that he’s not serious about seeking an end to the war in Ukraine.

PooTin is snubbing peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the latest sign that Russia’s dictator is less than serious about seeking an end to the war.

Earlier this week Mr Zelensky challenged PooTin to meet him in Istanbul, Turkey, for negotiations, saying there was “no point in prolonging the killings”.

“I will be waiting for PooTin in Turkiye on Thursday. Personally,” he said.

US President Donald Trump urged both sides to “have the meeting, now”, though he did suggest Ukraine, rather than Russia, was the bigger obstacle.

The Kremlin has now revealed that its delegation to Istanbul will be led not by PooTin himself, or even a senior Russian official, but by one of PooTin’s aides, Vladimir Medinsky.

Medinsky is the same man who led negotiations on Russia’s behalf shortly after PooTin launched his invasion in 2022. That was the last time Ukraine and Russia met directly, without an intermediary.

Other Russian delegates are the country’s former deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin and the head of military intelligence, Igor Kostyukov.

Senior officials who took part in previous discussions with the United States, such as longtime Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, will not be there........

Putin offered a meeting and so he sends a couple of his aides. He keept his word. He's clearly open for talks to achieve "peace" (in Russian: "mir"), that is, "Russkiy Mir"... or if you prefer: Pax Russica. But as the supreme leader of the greatest and most noble Empire of all times, he of course can't attend every second-tier diplomatic meeting somewhere in the distant periphery of his vast Empire in person. A day still has just 24 hours...

But Putin's 'negotiators' will be in Istanbul: on time, professionally prepared and instructed in every detail. They will follow strict rules and guidelines for the talks, of course just to ensure progress and an acceptable result; different than this usually aimless, erratic babble of western diplomats. The topics of talks of course will be limited to the schedule of Ukraine's unconditional surrender and retreat from those regions of Russia (as defined in its constitution) that are still occupied by evil Bandera Nazis in the 'Russian' oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson. And if Ukraine doesn't adopt a compromise-seeking mentality ASAP (they have no cards, after all...), Russia would be forced to immediatly widen the topics, that is, question the the status-quo of the still not embattled Russian territories of Kharkiv, Mikolayev, Odesa,... which seem also to be illegally occupied. So Ukraine better accepts "peace" now, as long as long as Russia still graciously offers them peace.

These Ukrainians still don't understand their deplorable situation in this SMO (special military operation). What else can you expect... from narrow-minded and obtuse 'Ukrops' (in english: dill herb).

Did anyone thought this farce would be any different?

btw.. this Vladimir Medinsky who leads the Russian negotiations is itself a statement; not a minister, a high government official, graduate of MGIMO[*] (Moscow State Institute for Foreign Relations), publicist, close to Putin; a steadfast; ultra-patriotic ideologue...

Vladimir Medinsky: Russia's history hawk leading talks with Kyiv

[...] one of the main ideologues and trusted confidants of Putin, who has been in power for 25 years.

[...] known for his nationalistic writings on Russian history, which often deny Ukraine's existence as a nation and advance sweeping claims over its territory.

His hawkish approach has made him one of Putin's favourite officials.

Both share a passion for patriotic education and an ultra-conservative vision of Russia's history.

Since the start of the three-year invasion of Ukraine, Medinsky has taken a key role shaping Russia's propaganda on the conflict, including advancing the Kremlin's version of the military campaign in schools.

He is the author of new school textbooks on the invasion, telling Russian children that Moscow "saved peace" by annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and calling Ukraine an "ultra-nationalistic state".

On the war, he said Moscow was "gathering Russian lands" and that "Russia is a country of heroes".

It is as if Nazi Germany had sent Goebbels to negotiate peace with Poland.

[*] on the MGIMO, the 'Hogwarts' of Russian foreign policy elite: I Trained With Russian Diplomats. I Can Tell You How They Work

PooTin will not like this action and us Aussies may join in.

Finland using seized Russian assets to arm Ukraine defence forces.

Finland has sent a warning shot to Russian oligarchs as it ramps up its support of Ukraine in the now three-year-long war.

Finland has stood firm supporting the embattled nation since Vladimir PooTin’s invasion and has linked arms with several other EU members and Western allies in supplying aid.

The nation joined NATO in 2023 and signed a bilateral defence pact with Ukraine to expand cooperation on intelligence, armaments, and training, providing a whopping $5.79 billion in support.

But now, the funding for arms is coming from a place that hits PooTin where it hurts.

The Finnish government has now announced it will send €90 million (A$101 million) worth of ammunition to Ukraine, drawing directly from proceeds generated by Russian financial assets frozen by the European Union.

The Finnish defence ministry confirmed the move on Monday........

PooTin's actions finally have backfired.

Four nations have confirmed a massive escalation three years into the Ukraine conflict - and it’s bad news for Moscow.

For the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukraine has been given the green light to use Western-supplied long-range weapons inside Russian territory.

Even as optimism over a ceasefire deal slowly mounts, key figures in the EU have remained adamant that the Russian threat must be contained.

The tension and uncertainty over the true extent of Vladimir Putin’s ambitions is clearly rattling cages.
Earlier this month, a report from The International Institute for Strategic Studies warned Russia could be in a position to threaten NATO nations within two years if it is allowed to rebuild its military.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the escalation this week, stating that “there are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine – neither by the UK, France, nor us. There are no restrictions by the US either.”

In other words, the gloves are off......

It's just a shame that it has taken this long to do.

In other words, the gloves are off......

It's just a shame that it has taken this long to do.

The position of the German government coalition has not changed. The Chancellor expressed his own and his parties' position. I can't see he has the support of his SPD coalition partner when it comes to long range arms for Ukraine.

The Scholz' SPD faction of 'we must not provoke Russia'... 'Putin wants peace'.... 'we have to negotiate with Putin'... 'there's no alternative'... or even 'we should restart gas imports from Russia' ASAP to regain our 'levers', that is, 'influence on Russia' is strong. There are even a couple of formerly influential SPD and CDU MPs, former high officials of Merkel's government, the former state president of Brandenburg who frequently meet in Baku/Azerbaidshan with high-ranking Russian officials. ...against current government's policies. One of them, a leading SPD MP is even a member of the parliamentary intelligence commitee (entrusted with confidential gov information). Our government ignores these "moles", instead of revoking their passports.

The same as with Germany's position on EU support for nuclear energy as "climate-friendly". The Chancellor publicly expressed support in the previous week. His coalition partner SPD staunchly opposes any change of course and definitely will block it.

I do not believe in such public statements. ... and I would prefer our Chancellor refrains from explaining the U.S. position. Nobody knows what Trump's position on Russia will be tomorrow.