You cannot understand the rot of modern politics without studying Vladislav Surkov, the dark political strategist who engineered Putinism. He is a profoundly dangerous figure who mastered the art of weaponized illusion, creating a blueprint of deception that has been copied by many, including Donald Trump. Many know about Surkov’s existence because of The Wizard of the Kremlin, but both the book and the movie have faced intense blowback for humanizing Putin and Surkov too much. The truth is much uglier. Surkov built the infrastructure of modern Russian authoritarianism through managed democracy, a toxic system where the Kremlin secretly funds and controls almost every political faction, from violent skinheads to liberal human rights organizations, ensuring the population remains divided, confused, and powerless. His philosophy is entirely built on turning an act into reality. Everything is an act, and while most people realize everything is an act, they choose to play along with the spectacle. As the chief engineer of the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, Surkov manufactured the entire Donbas separatist movement out of nothing. He deployed paid crowds, fake protests, and crisis actors to stage a civil war, while sending real Russian soldiers to masquerade as local separatists, firing real bullets. This manufactured theater laid the groundwork for the current catastrophic war, an act of aggression that was completely unprovoked, and chosen by Russia. Donald Trump has mirrored this dangerous methodology, adopting the fake-it-till-you-make-it strategy, utilizing paid crowds, and spreading absolute cynicism. We saw it in Greenland. Trump uses these Surkovian tactics to erase objective truth, gaslight voters, and resort to brute force or raw intimidation the moment his fabrications start to fall apart. Surkov's horrific legacy continues to poison global discourse. He must be widely studied and exposed so the public understands that chaos is rarely accidental. It is actually a post-modern warfare strategy designed to make us submissive to dictators

Belgium’s Russian Steel Loophole— Belgium remains the EU’s largest importer of Russian steel slabs, using an exemption that allows deliveries to continue until September 2028 despite more than four years of sanctions. The trade supports two Belgian plants linked to Russian steel giant NLMK and protects local jobs, but it also channels revenue and an artificial cost advantage to a company controlled by Kremlin-linked billionaire Vladimir Lisin. Brussels argues that sanctions should hurt Russia more than European workers, yet alternative suppliers already exist in countries such as India, Brazil and China. brusselstimes.com/2184858/be… Get our daily insights: underfirenews.substack.com

🤯 Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is reportedly preparing to evacuate its remaining command bodies from temporarily occupied Sevastopol to Novorossiysk. Driven by intensifying Ukrainian strikes and a crumbling logistical network, some officers are already moving their families.

A russian woman whines that she’s scared and exhausted living in occupied Sevastopol under constant threat, and is leaving everything behind as life has become unbearable. But when they moved into occupied territory, it was fine then—what did they expect? You reap what you sow.

Britain has intercepted a Russian shadow fleet tanker for the first time. The sanctioned tanker SMYRTOS was boarded and detained in the English Channel during a six-hour operation involving Royal Marines, the National Crime Agency, Royal Navy warships, maritime helicopters, and an RAF P-8 patrol aircraft, conducted in coordination with France.

Russian milblogger “UAV Developer” admits that the Russian Armed Forces do not have the means to prevent Ukrainian attacks on Russian logistics in the occupied territories.  “Technically, we can't stop the attacks on Novorossiya [The R-280 highway through southern Ukraine]. 1/

“Tulsi Gabbard and her staff promulgated Russian intelligence products as American work.” Yes, and she did this before joining ODNI and again on her way out the door, which should probably tell you where she’ll wind up next. Senators who voted to confirm her should think on their sins.

...& Dnipro river line . AFU boat-drones operate under Russia's Western Crimean S-400 SAM A2AD bubble that keeps TB-2 from plinking the Ondatra & Serna-class landing craft like was done at Snake Island. Normally RuAF attack helicopters cover Black Sea Fleet landing craft... 6/

1. Kun Venäjän mahdollisesta uhasta Natolle puhutaan, moni kuvittelee uuden Ukrainan. Pitkiä rintamalinjoja, vuosia kestävää kulutussotaa ja valtavia maahyökkäyksiä. Todennäköisempi riski on lyhyt ja raju kriisi, jonka tavoitteena olisi hajottaa Nato. 🧵 iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/60c9…

The massive difference between the two is the payload i understand is far greater. Notwithstanding that, this is home produced. There's plenty where that came from. Let's not forget ( i certainly haven't ) Ukraine have been producing those for well over a year. The issue of launch was GPS mapping which has now been sorted. The last time I'd heard anything, which was a good while back, Ukraine were producing 50 per month and that was a year ago..... In summary: They have a shit ton of these. 🐸☕️

Today, I’m releasing never before seen intelligence revealing new evidence of past US government funding for more than 120 biolabs in over 30 countries, including Ukraine. In support of President Trump‘s Executive Order to end federal funding of dangerous gain of function research around the world, and increase transparency and accountability, ODNI will continue working with partners across the Administration to identify where these labs are, what pathogens they contain, and what “research” is being conducted. odni.gov/index.php/newsroom/…