Free Republic

One of the Senior Pentagon advisors to the POTUS during the Trump Administration.

The Pentagon is defending its steady rollout of weapons to Ukraine even as officials in Kyiv say the assistance is coming too slowly — and it might already be too late to help turn the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favor. On Wednesday, POLITICO detailed criticisms from high-ranking Ukrainian officials, who said they can’t defend the frontlines any longer: “There’s nothing that can help Ukraine now,” one of the officials said. The West doesn’t have the technology to help Ukraine, and it also hasn’t sent weapons quickly enough, the officials said. While the incoming F-16 fighter jets are welcome,...

Russia cannot defeat Ukraine or the West - and will likely lose - if the West mobilizes its resources to resist the Kremlin. The West’s existing and latent capability dwarfs that of Russia. The combined gross domestic product (GDP) of NATO countries, non-NATO European Union states, and our Asian allies is over $63 trillion.[1] The Russian GDP is on the close order of $1.9 trillion.[2] Iran and North Korea add little in terms of materiel support. China is enabling Russia, but it is not mobilized on behalf of Russia and is unlikely to do so.[3] If we lean in and...

A social-media account overseen by a former U.S. Navy noncommissioned officer—a prominent online voice supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine—played a key role in the spread of intelligence documents allegedly leaked by Airman First Class Jack Teixeira. A purported Russian blogger known as Donbass Devushka, which translates as Donbas Girl, reposted the files from obscure online chat rooms. The blog is the face of a network of pro-Kremlin social-media, podcasting, merchandise and fundraising accounts. But the person who hosted podcasts as Donbass Devushka and oversees these accounts is a Washington-state-based former U.S. enlisted aviation electronics technician whose real name is Sarah...

Oleg Matveychev said "ultra-patriots" could overthrow Putin over his army's performance. "The situation is not so critical yet, but 2023 will be very dangerous," Matveychev said. Oleg Matveychev — an MP with Russia's largest political party, United Russia, which backs Putin — said in an interview that the biggest threat to Putin is now supporters of the Ukraine war who are unhappy with the progress of the conflict, The Times of London reported. Matveychev said that "ultra-patriots" in the country will likely put forward a candidate to run against Putin in next year's presidential elections, when Putin is set to...

The Biden administration on Monday notified Congress it has approved a possible $323 million arms sale to Finland as the country seeks to join NATO. The administration approved the potential sale of 40 tactical missiles and 48 Joint Standoff Weapons, made by Raytheon, in addition to accompanying equipment, training and support, the State Department said in a release. Finland, which shares a border with Russia, is in the process of joining NATO along with Sweden. Both countries sought to enter the alliance earlier this year. This State Department said the proposed sale “will support the foreign policy and national security...

U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers will lead fighter jets from Belgium, Germany, and 12 other countries across Europe’s skies on nuclear exercises Monday, amid reports Russia has increased the number of strategic bombers close to its border with NATO-member state Norway. The annual NATO training is going ahead despite rising fears President Vladimir Putin might consider a real nuclear strike in Ukraine.

Back in July, Bank of America hired Michael Gapen as its chief U.S. economist, and the former Barclays exec began his tenure with a gutsy call, arguing a “mild recession” would hit the U.S. by the end of the year. Before Gapen’s hiring, Bank of America’s economists had refrained from using the R-word, even if many of their peers weren’t so shy. But Gapen highlighted weaker-than-expected services spending, fading fiscal support, persistent inflation, and rising interest rates as his evidence for a more bearish outlook. On Friday, however, Gapen and his team of economists said the situation has changed over...

IS Ukraine LOSING the war in Donbas? Defenders fall back to avoid capture as Russians advance after blasting towns to wastelands while Boris Johnson offers fresh support to Ukrainian president Zelensky Withdrawal from the Luhansk region likely, admits Ukraine in new war blow Area is hugely significant and one of main aims of Putin and Russia's invasion President Zelensky said Ukraine was protecting Luhansk as best it could Putin had launched invasion under the aims of capturing Luhansk and Donetsk Boris Johnson offered renewed support for Ukraine in a phone call with Zelensky Ukraine has admitted it may have to...

Russian forces have captured a key town with major ramifications for their invasion of Ukraine, according to the Russian military and British intelligence. Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said Russia had total control of the town of Lyman, according to state media. The UK's Ministry of Defense said in a memo Saturday that Lyman will prove a critical area to hold due to its railways and key bridges. "By 27 May, Russian forces had likely captured most of the town of Lyman, in the north of Donetsk Oblast, in what is likely a preliminary operation for the next...

One of the side effects of war is economic dislocation. No matter what Vladimir Putin chooses to call his war in Ukraine, it is a war, and it is dislocating markets worldwide. Most of the attention has been on the potential disruption of Russian oil and gas supplies to Europe, but a more significant problem than cold Euros is looming. Ukraine is one of the world’s leading exporters of wheat and sunflower oil. Because of Putin’s War, Ukrainian products can’t pass through the Black Sea to get to market.Fears of a global food crisis are swelling as Russian attacks on...