Russia Invades Ukraine. Again
POSTED BY: captaincrunch
UPDATED: Sunday, September 6, 2026 21:09
VIEWED: 562266
PAGE 1095 of 1104
Belgium open to transferring Russian assets to Ukraine, but with one condition
Belgium is ready to take this step
By Roman Kot, Kateryna Shkarlat | Tue, August 18, 2026 – 16:22
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/belgium-open-to-transferring-russian-a
ssets-1787059352.html
In December 2025, the European Commission proposed that Belgium unblock a €210 billion reparations loan for Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets. However, Brussels ultimately decided not to take that step.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said Belgium is open to using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine but insists that EU countries first agree on a mechanism for sharing the legal and financial risks.
Belgium explains its position
Prévot stressed that Brussels' caution regarding Russian assets does not mean it is unwilling to support Ukraine or that it is prepared to assist Russia.
According to him, Belgian legal experts have identified risks that could affect not only the country itself but also Europe's financial system.
"Belgium's reluctance, or even refusal, to use these frozen Russian assets should in no way be understood or interpreted as a refusal to help Ukraine, let alone as a desire to provide any support to Russia," the minister said.
What Brussels is concerned about
According to Prévot, if Belgium were ordered in 10–15 years to return more than €200 billion to Russia, the country would be unable to shoulder such costs on its own.
"Otherwise, if in 10 or 15 years Belgium is ordered to return all the funds, it will not be able to bear the burden of repaying more than €200 billion on its own. Proportionally, that is unthinkable for our budget," he said.
What Belgium proposes
Prévot said European countries need to agree in advance on a shared responsibility mechanism to deal with any potential consequences.
At the same time, Belgium supported the EU's decision to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan in 2026–2027.
"The risks we identified at the time have not miraculously disappeared. But we have no fundamental objections to using these funds to support Ukraine's cause," the Belgian foreign minister said.
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Russia has fielded a tank defense that can shoot down Ukrainian FPV drones.
The Russians have begun deploying tanks fitted with the Arena-M active protection system (APS), which detects incoming FPVs and automatically fires a small projectile at them.
By David Axe | August 17, 2026
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/17/arena-m-works/
Tank-led assaults have been rare in the last year of fighting as Russian forces have pivoted to infantry-led infiltration tactics. That may change as commanders gain confidence in the Arena-M to protect tanks from drone attack.
The protection systems shot down drone after drone, and only stopped shooting down drones when they ran out of projectiles. "In general, it took from 15 to 20 FPV drones to destroy a tank," Ukrainian drone operator Dmytro Putiata reported.
The Arena-M installation is bulky but it's not heavy. With Arena-M, a tank can defend itself from drones without sacrificing its mobility. If an Arena-M had, say, 24 rounds instead of just 12, an attacking tank might be able to fend off drones long enough to reach its objective across the disputed gray zone.
But only barely. "15 to 20 FPV drones to destroy a tank is a perfectly viable rate," Czech analyst Jakub Janovsky noted in a comment on Putiata's social media. "At those numbers, Russia could throw its entire [armored fighting vehicle] fleet at the Ukrainian front line over a few months without achieving much more than creating a future low-grade iron ore deposit."
What if the Russians could fit 36 rounds in an upgraded Arena-M installation? Would that be enough?
No one knows for sure until they try. What we do know is that "the Russian military is learning and is experimenting in how to employ armor on a drone-saturated battlefield," explained Rob Lee, an analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. "The Arena-M APS demonstrated effectiveness and will likely be improved."
And those improvements could unlock those thousands of tanks the Russians have parked for want of drone defenses.
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Wiretaps, a mocking codename, and a seized playbook—Ukraine’s anti-graft bureau reaches the President’s Office again
Media reports place a deputy head of the presidential office among those searched, while investigators decline to confirm any identities.
By Yuri Zoria
19/08/2026
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/19/wiretaps-a-mocking-codename-and
-a-seized-playbook-ukraines-anti-graft-bureau-reaches-the-presidents-office-again/
Ukraine's anti-corruption bureau and anti-corruption prosecutors opened a special operation against an alleged criminal organization reaching into the Office of the President, the two agencies said on 19 August 2026. Detectives said a sitting and a former lawmaker led the group, released a wiretap recording that points to the presidential administration, and seized a document laying out a plan to shape public opinion around the anti-corruption fight. Media reports place a deputy head of the President's Office among those searched, though investigators have not confirmed any names.
Corruption keeps surfacing close to the top in wartime Ukraine, and the country's young anti-graft agencies have shown they can act on it — even reaching the president's circle. Their independence has been fought over too: when the government moved to rein them in last year, Ukrainians took to the streets to defend them, and each new case tests whether the watchdogs still have teeth.
Much more at https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/19/wiretaps-a-mocking-codename-and
-a-seized-playbook-ukraines-anti-graft-bureau-reaches-the-presidents-office-again/
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Russian Jet-Powered ‘Shahed’ Drone Reaches Western Ukraine for First Time
In brief: A Russian jet-powered “Shahed” drone flew roughly 900 kilometers (nearly 560 miles) from Crimea into western Ukraine on Tuesday, Aug. 18, marking the farthest such strike recorded so far. According to Ukrainian monitoring systems, the flight path was designed to avoid air defenses.
Air defense monitors say the drone’s record range exposes gaps in Ukraine’s anti-aircraft coverage across western regions.
By Kyiv Post | Aug. 18, 2026, 9:47 pm
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82616
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
There, he delivered a scathing report on the Kremlin’s monetary policy, predicted Moscow will be more dependent on Beijing than it ever was on Europe, and openly admitted Russia is losing the technological and economic battle to Ukraine.
To UKRAINE???
He means that region to Russia's southwest that is entirely dependent on no-interest, no- payback "loans" from the west? That region entirely dependent on western drones and intell? That region whose only port area is entirely blockaded?
THAT region?
What world is he living in?
*****
SECOND, your bot posts crap. And the only time YOU post is to name call and threaten.
You're stupid. Worse, you're boring.
-----------
"It may be dangerous to be America's enemy, but to be America's friend is fatal."- Henry Kissinger
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Pessimism reaches record levels
In July 2026, 66% of Russians said they believe "difficult times" are still ahead for their country. Since the beginning of the year, the share of those expecting difficulties has risen by one-third, or 16 percentage points.
According to a state poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM), similar figures (66–67%) were recorded only in 1991, several months before the collapse of the Soviet Union, and in 1992, during a period of 2,500% hyperinflation.
For comparison, a higher level of anxiety was recorded only in April 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (72%). Even during the economic crisis of the mid-1990s, the pessimism rate was lower, ranging from 46% to 60%.
What is driving sentiment in Russia
The psychological state of Russians, particularly in major cities, is being heavily affected by the prolonged war, a deteriorating economy, and regular long-range drone strikes on oil refineries and storage facilities from Moscow to the Urals.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/russia-s-public-mood-falls-to-ussr-col
lapse-1787169613.html
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Ukraine's Defence Intelligence provides Ukrainska Pravda with data on Russia's missile stockpiles and production rates
By Anastasia Prots — 20 August, 11:06
Ukrainska Pravda has learned that Russia has no shortage of missiles and has the capacity to produce more than 200 cruise and ballistic missiles per month. Its largest stockpiles are made up of Oniks and Kalibr missiles as well as RM-48U missiles for S-400 air defence systems, which Russia has adapted for use against ground targets.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/08/20/8049494/
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Putin’s Mach-10 wonder weapon misses by 30 meters. Russia stopped building it in April.
Putin unveiled it as unstoppable in 2018. Ukrainian intelligence says the line stopped in April, and the fuel now goes to Iskanders.
By David Axe
19/08/2026
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/19/kinzhal-sidelined/
It's possible the only way the Russians can boost production of their best deep strike munitions is to cut production of the underperforming ones. According to the pro-Ukrainian Conflict Intelligence Team, the savings in fuel, components, and funds from the suspended Kinzhal and Kh-32 assembly lines "were redirected to other types of missiles."
Production winners and losers
That's how, in July, Russia reportedly produced 65 Iskanders, surpassing its target of 60 by nearly 10%. Meanwhile, production of Kh-101s reached 140% of the monthly target. Kalibr production 111%. Across its main missile lines, Russian industry is running at 110 to 120% of plan. Certain Russian munitions may soon disappear from the sky over Ukraine, if they haven't already. But only because more copies of better munitions are taking their place.
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Russia Has 600+ Oniks, 450+ Kalibr and 120+ Zircon Missiles—and Keeps Building More
By Vlad Litnarovych | Aug 20, 2026 13:10
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russia-has-600-oniks-450-kali
br-and-120-zircon-missiles-and-keeps-building-more-21856
Russia is not only maintaining substantial missile reserves but also replenishing key weapons at a rapid pace despite their continued use in attacks against Ukraine.
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Why Putin refuses peace talks: Ukraine's presidential office explains
The Russian leader is resorting to terror against Ukraine's civilian population
By Daryna Vialko | Thu, August 20, 2026 - 19:40
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/why-putin-refuses-peace-talks-ukraine-
s-presidential-1787243545.html
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is not interested in peace talks. He believes that Ukrainians will not survive the next winter, Sergiy Kyslytsya, First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said.
Putin does not want negotiations
Kyslytsya explained the logic behind the Russian leader’s approach to negotiations.
"Putin now has no desire to sit down at the negotiating table, and after the start of winter and until its end, that is, until mid-March, he will have even less motivation," the official said.
Putin will believe that Ukrainians are not strong enough as a nation to survive this winter, Kyslytsya said.
At the same time, he added that Ukraine continues to consider diplomatic ways to end the war.
"Diplomacy must work under any circumstances because our opponents and enemies are trying to impose the idea in various world capitals that it is Ukrainians who do not want to end the war and are seeking escalation," Kyslytsya said.
Ukraine continues to tell its partners that it is ready to sit down at the negotiating table, to listen to the American side, to talk to the Russians and to present its arguments as to why this war must end.
Peace talks details
The official also stressed the importance of a visit to Kyiv by negotiators from US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has already been postponed several times.
"I believe that the past two and a half months have been very active because the president has had very productive discussions — both remotely and in person — with the President of the United States," Kyslytsya said.
In his view, "the atmosphere and level of mutual understanding between Ukraine and the United States, at least as it formally appeared, were unprecedented between June and August."
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the Kremlin once again confirmed that it does not plan any "freeze" of the war against Ukraine. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov made the statement.
In addition, Russia will never agree to a "freeze" of hostilities in Ukraine without eliminating the "root causes" of the war. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin made the statement.
It was also reported that despite significant progress in the peace talks, Ukraine and Russia failed to reach a compromise on key contentious issues, according to Kyslytsya.
The Joss Whedon script for Serenity, where Wash lives, is Serenity-190pages.pdf at https://www.mediafire.com/two
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME