[RT] Russian police have uncovered an illegal scheme involving the sale of human remains from a hospital morgue in St. Petersburg, authorities have announced.
A hospital official provided human remains to commercial organizations for use in training cosmetic, surgical, and dental specialists, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said on Friday.
“In exchange for money, a hospital official assisted in the removal of body parts from deceased individuals, mostly those without relatives,” Volk wrote on Telegram. In some cases, the organs and tissues were also allegedly used in paid educational courses, where participants could observe or perform procedures.
The head of the pathology department at Alexandrovskaya Hospital and the founder of a private company producing anatomical models were detained on suspicion of official misconduct and corruption, according to the Russian Investigative Committee. Investigators said the businessman persuaded and bribed the hospital official to supply unclaimed bodies for the removal of internal organs, bones, and other parts, with the pathologist reportedly receiving at least 500,000 rubles ($6,500) per month.
Searches at the suspects’ workplaces led to the seizure of human remains, the committee said. A full investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances to decide on confinement measures for the arrested individuals.
The scheme reportedly involved primarily bodies of people who had no known relatives or led socially isolated lives. In some cases, representatives of commercial firms were allegedly allowed to conduct autopsies in the hospital morgue without proper documentation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck Sakhalin's Okha District. The regional headquarters of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported this on February 8.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, instruments at the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk seismic station recorded tremors at 11:06 a.m. local time (3:06 a.m. Moscow time). The source was located 13 kilometers underground.
The epicenter was located 42 kilometers southwest of the village of Moskalvo. According to rescuers, the earthquake's intensity reached magnitude 3 in the town of Okha itself, as well as in the villages of Nekrasovka and Moskalvo.
There were no casualties or damage to infrastructure as a result of the incident. There is no tsunami threat. Local fire and rescue personnel and local administration representatives are patrolling residential areas in the Okha Municipal District.
On February 2, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake was recorded off the coast of Crimea. The earthquake's source was located at a depth of 10 km in the Sea of Azov. It was located approximately 78 km from Kerch and 36 km from Shchyolkino. There are no reports of the earthquake's aftermath.
A magnitude 4.0 earthquake occurred in the Tere-Kholsky District of Tuva on February 1. No ground shaking was felt, no reports were received from residents, and essential services operated as normal.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 21.57 The number of casualties in Kramatorsk has increased as a result of the morning shelling by Russian troops, according to the head of the Donetsk OAO, Vadym Filashkin.
"1 dead and 4 wounded - these are the final consequences of the morning strike on Kramatorsk. A woman born in 1948 was killed. An 18-year-old girl was injured, as well as men aged 40, 46, and 48," Filashkin noted.
21:28 The Southern Defense Forces reported full control over Ternuvaty, in Zaporizhia. The defenders published a corresponding video with the Ukrainian flag.
The fighters noticed that the Russians sometimes upload footage of so-called "victories for an hour" or the well-known "flag attacks" to the network. As they did in Ternuvaty, Zaporizhia.
18 46 Ukraine has agreed to supply 150 Swedish Gripen and 100 French Rafale to strengthen the Air Force. The aircraft will be completely new, which will significantly improve the country's defense capabilities. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky during a conversation with students and teachers of the Kyiv Aviation Institute, Ukrinform reports .
One of the state's priorities is to strengthen the aviation component of the Defense Forces.
"Ukraine has agreements on the supply of 150 Gripen and 100 Rafale combat aircraft. These are the best aircraft, in our opinion, in the world," the head of state noted, specifying that we are talking about completely new aircraft.
On July 18, Russian troops carried out an airstrike on the village of Kozacha Lopan in the Kharkiv region, damaging residential buildings and outbuildings. This was reported by the head of the Dergachivskaya MVA Vyacheslav Zadorenko.
17.16 Russian troops actually lost two battalions in January while trying to break through Ukraine's borders, said Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports .
Over the past few days, Russian troops have been particularly active in the Kharkiv direction, in particular near the settlement of Vovchanski Khutory. Thus, in the relevant areas, the enemy tried to attack positions held by the State Security Service of Ukraine.
"For three weeks, when the enemy tried to break through our border en masse, he suffered heavy losses. About two battalions were wiped out, killed, and wounded," Demchenko noted.
16.47 President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to scale up Ukrainian weapons production abroad. The head of state announced this at a meeting with teachers and students of the Kyiv Aviation Institute.
"Today we are opening exports. In Europe in 2026, there will be ten export centers. These are the Baltic countries and the countries of Northern Europe. Ten representative offices will operate in 2026. In mid-February, we will see the production of our drones in Germany. I will receive the first drone. This is a working line. There are production lines in Britain. These are all our Ukrainian technologies," the president noted.
15.59 Russian troops shelled railway infrastructure in the Chernihiv region. This was reported by the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia .
"At night, the enemy again attacked the railway infrastructure in the Chernihiv region. Suburban and regional connections in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions are undergoing temporary changes; flights between Snovsk and Bakhmach will not operate today," the message noted.
14.55 Ukrainian director Mstislav Chernov has won the 78th Directors Guild of America (DGA) Award. He received the award for the documentary film 2000 Meters to Andriyivka . The Ukrainian Film Academy reported this .
The film tells the story of the events in the village of Andriivka, located about 10 kilometers from Bakhmut in Donbas. Together with journalist Oleksandr Babenko and soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, Chernov documented the battles for the village, showing the war from the inside and through the personal stories of the soldiers.
13.42 This week, the aggressor country Russia launched over 2,000 strike drones, 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 116 missiles of various types into Ukraine . This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
13.00 A participant in the assassination attempt on the First Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate of the Russian General Staff (GRU), Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev, has allegedly been detained in the United Arab Emirates . The FSB reported this.
12.33 On Sunday night, Russian troops carried out another massive drone attack on Naftogaz facilities in the Poltava region. The company's press service reported this. About 200 rescuers and 60 units of State Emergency Service equipment were involved in eliminating the consequences of the enemy strike.
On August 12, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed two decrees implementing the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to impose sanctions against 66 individuals and 62 legal entities . This was reported by the press service of the head of state.
11.37 Ukrainian military managed to hit at least three structures at the Kapustin Yar training ground in the Astrakhan region of the Russian Federation. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the details .
Enemy military facilities in the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Ukraine and on the territory of the Russian Federation were also attacked.
10.52 As of Sunday morning, emergency outages are in effect in most regions of Ukraine. This was reported by Ukrenergo. Currently, the nuclear power plant is still partially unloaded, but thanks to the round-the-clock work of power engineers in some regions of Ukraine, the volume of outages today is less than yesterday.
10.29 As of this morning, the number of people injured in Kherson as a result of Russian shelling has increased to eight people. This was reported by the Kherson OVA. As a result of numerous "arrivals", houses, shops and public catering establishments were damaged.
10.07 In the Russian city of Belgorod and its surroundings, 80,000 consumers were left without heat supply after a missile attack. This was announced by the so-called governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov. He stated that the situation was "quite difficult", despite the "heroic efforts" of energy workers.
09.27 On Sunday night, Russian aggressors attacked Ukraine with 101 drones of various types. Air defense and electronic warfare units intercepted two-thirds of the enemy targets , the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
09.05 On Sunday morning, Russian aggressors struck Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. The attack resulted in one death and injuries , said the head of the city's military administration, Oleksandr Honcharenko.
08.44 Over the past 24 hours, 294 combat clashes took place on the front, which is more than twice the figure of the previous day. This is evidenced by the operational report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fierce fighting continued in all 13 key areas , and the Pokrovska district became the hottest again.
08.23 Russian invaders hit Odessa with "shaheeds" at night, as a result of which an industrial facility was damaged . This was reported by the head of the Odessa MVA Serhiy Lysak in Telegram.
08.08 A shooting occurred in Chernivtsi with the participation of military CCC . A passenger in a car refused to provide his documents for verification and wounded a serviceman. In response, he used a traumatic weapon, the Chernivtsi Regional CCC and SP reported the day before.
07.45 Over the past 24 hours, the Russian occupation army has lost 1,040 servicemen killed and wounded on the front in Ukraine . The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational update. The Ukrainian military has destroyed more than 540 units of Russian equipment, including eight guns and dozens of units of automotive equipment.
04.03 In the Russian city of Vyborg, located in the Leningrad region, an electrical substation exploded on the night of Sunday, February 8. As a result of the incident, several settlements in the Vyborg district were left without electricity.
Meanwhile, a series of incidents occurred again in Belgorod, Russia, late on the evening of February 7. Another "missile attack" was reported, allegedly launched from Ukrainian territory, which damaged the Belgorod electrical substation and the Luch CHP. As a result, a blackout engulfed the city and nearby settlements.
01.28 On the evening and night of Sunday, February 8, the Russians shelled the Korabelny district of Kherson and Odessa with MLRS. Three women were injured as a result of the strike on Kherson. The head of the Odessa OVA, Oleg Kiper, explained the explosions in Odessa by the work of the air defense brigade.
00.21 The aggressor country Russia is planning a large-scale summer offensive in Ukraine, focusing on the southern and eastern directions. This indicates that the Kremlin is leaving peaceful solutions out of consideration, says a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The most likely directions of strikes are Slavyansk-Kramatorsk or Orekhov-Zaporizhzhia. However, analysts believe that the Russian Federation does not have enough reserves to prepare for such an offensive and achieve its goals.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] Fierce fighting continued in all 12 directions. While the Pokrovska area again became the hottest, the enemy launched 63 attacks there.
Since the beginning of the day, 283 clashes have occurred on the front, which is twice the number of the previous day. This is evidenced by the evening report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sunday, February 8.
The enemy carried out one missile strike using six missiles, 50 air strikes dropping 144 guided bombs. In addition, it used 2,211 kamikaze drones and carried out 2,061 attacks on settlements and positions of our troops.
In the North-Slobozhansk and Kursk directions today, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three enemy attacks, the enemy carried out 57 attacks on the positions of our troops and settlements, including five from multiple launch rocket systems.
In the South Slobozhansk direction, the enemy stormed the positions of our units in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipka and towards Figolivka. Ukrainian units repelled seven attacks.
13 attacks were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Kupyansk direction, towards Kupyansk, Podoliv, Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Novoosynovo, Novaya Kruglyakivka, Novoplatonivka. Another combat clash is currently ongoing.
In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers stopped 22 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Drobysheve, Seredne, Zarichne and towards Druzhelyubivka, Stavki, Shyykivka, and Lyman.
In the Slavyansk direction, our defenders repelled 14 attempts by the occupiers to advance, in the area of the settlement of Dronivka and towards Zakitne, Rai-Oleksandrivka, and Platonovka.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy carried out one attack in the Orikhovo-Vasylivka area.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, the invaders stormed the positions of our defenders 30 times today near the settlements of Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, Yablunivka and towards Kostyantynivka, Ivanopillya, Illinivka, Mykolaipilya, Stepanivka, Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy carried out 63 attacks. The occupiers tried to advance near the settlements of Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Muravka, Myrnograd, Filiya and towards the settlements of Toretske, Kucheriv Yar, Bilytske, Shevchenko, Novooleksandrivka, Serhiivka, Novopidhorodne, Novopavlivka, Ivanivka, Hryshyne, Novyi Donbas. In some locations, fighting is still ongoing.
According to estimates, today in this direction our soldiers eliminated 146 occupiers and wounded 46; destroyed 32 unmanned aerial vehicles, 16 vehicles, a unit of special equipment, and also hit seven vehicles and four enemy personnel shelters.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, Ukrainian units stopped seven attacks by the invaders, in the Pryvillya area and towards the settlements of Andriivka-Klevtsove, Ivanivka, and Oleksandrograd. The settlement of Kolomiytsi was hit by guided bombs.
In the Hulyaipil direction, there were 26 attacks by the invaders - in the areas of Solodke, Hulyaipil, Dorozhnyanka, Myrne and towards Zaliznychne, Olenokostyantynivka. In some locations, fighting continues to this day. Enemy aircraft struck the settlements of Zelena Dibrova, Barvinivka, Nizhenka, Lyubitske, Vozdvizhivka, Kopany.
In the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked the positions of our defenders five times in the area of Kamiansky, Shcherbaky, and towards Lukyanivsky.
As a reminder, Russia lost over 1,000 soldiers killed and wounded in the 24 hours of February 7. Since the beginning of the Great War, Russian losses have approached 1.3 million people.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:26 In the period from 8.00 to 20.00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed four Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles were:
Two – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
One – over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
One – over the Black Sea.
20:23 In the Dobropillya direction recorded advance of the Russian Armed Forces in the Belitsky area.
20:14 Military police officers of the West group of forces noted their professional holiday at combat posts.
19:51 Published video review of the fronts for January 2026.
19:46 Six ballistic missiles hit a target in the Vasylkiv area, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces airbase is located, MAP.
19:08 In Kakhovka, Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukrainefired atlocal market. Three injured.
According to regional governor Vladimir Saldo, the injured were men born in 1978 and 1987, and a woman born in 1983. One of the victims was hospitalized at the Kakhovka Central Regional Hospital with a mine blast injury and shrapnel wounds.
18:41 Russian drones cut off almost all the logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Dnipropetrovsk direction.
18:02 As a result of the work of drone operators of the Rubicon Center in the Krasnolimansky direction struck:
Automotive equipment,
Ground-based robotic systems,
Elements of the communications and electronic warfare systems,
Shelters and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel.
16:30 Over the past 24 hours, due to attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces wounded three people
In Kakhovka, the enemy fired at a local market. Men born in 1978 and 1987 and a woman born in 1983 were wounded. One of the victims was hospitalized at the Kakhovka Central District Hospital with a mine blast injury and shrapnel wounds.
15:40 During a reconnaissance and combat mission, crews from the Russian Ministry of Defense's Rubicon Test Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies discovered a 203mm 2S7 Pion self-propelled heavy artillery system of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a camouflaged shelter near the village of Samborovka in the Khar'kov region. A series of FPV drone strikes destroyed the enemy self-propelled artillery system. video.
14:37 Military police officers of the Southern Military District support order in the liberated territories of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Servicemen from the 5th Separate Commandant's Regiment and inspectors from the 220th Military Automobile Inspectorate are working in an enhanced mode: patrolling the streets and monitoring the roads
14:21 UAV operators of the 35th Army of the East Forces Group defeated an enemy reinforcement group, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, video.
13:40 Summary of the Ministry of Defense on the progress of the Special Military Operation as of 08.02.2026:
As a result of decisive actions, units of the North military group established control over the village of Sidorovka in the Sumy region.
The formations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces assault regiment and the territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Andreevka and Ugroedy in the Sumy region.
In the Khar'kov region, units of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, and three border detachments of the Ukrainian Border Service were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Velykyi Burluk, Mala Vovcha, Kolodeznoye, Nesternoye, Okhrimovka, Petrovpavlivka, and Tykhoye in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 210 servicemen, an armored personnel carrier, and 12 vehicles. Six ammunition depots and five supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" military group have established control over the village of Glushkovka in the Khar'kov region.
The manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a National Guard brigade were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Kovsharovka, Nechvolodovka, Novoosinovo, Pechenegi and Shiykovka in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost more than 150 servicemen, 12 pickup trucks and four ammunition depots.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, an unmanned aerial vehicle battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and three territorial defense brigades near the settlements of Artema, Druzhkovka, Kondratovka, Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk, Nikolaypolye, and Slavyansk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 120 servicemen, a Kazak armored vehicle, 14 vehicles, and three field artillery pieces. A supply depot was destroyed.
Units of the Center Group of Forces have taken up more advantageous positions and lines. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of five mechanized brigades, a Jaeger, an airmobile, an airborne assault brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, three National Guard brigades, and the Azov* Special Forces Brigade near the settlements of Belitske, Vodyanske, Grishino, Dobropillya, Kutuzovka, Kucherov Yar, Svetloe, Sergeyevka, and Toretskoye in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Novopavlivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 205 servicemen, a US-made MaxxPro armored combat vehicle, two pickup trucks, and an artillery piece.
Units of the "East" force group continue to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. Formations of a mechanized, assault, two airborne assault brigades, and seven assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been defeated near the settlements of Orly and Pokrovskoe in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Barvinovka, Vozdvizhevka, Kommunarovka, Rivne, Samoylovka, Staroukrainka, Tsvetkovoe, and Shyroke in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The enemy lost up to 390 military personnel, eight armored combat vehicles, 16 cars and a Grad multiple launch rocket system combat vehicle.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the village of Shcherbaki in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Up to 30 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, two vehicles and a warehouse of supplies were destroyed.
12:57 DeepState reports new advances by Russians, MAP.
According to the public, Russian troops are making advances in the Yampol area in the Liman direction, as well as Bondarny in the Slavyansk direction.
12:14 Over the past 24 hours in Belgorod launched two rocket attacks using eight munitions.
Also, three aircraft-type drones were shot down over the city by the air defense system – Governor Gladkov.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces systematically strike civilian energy facilities using their entire military arsenal, including missiles, multiple launch rocket systems, and drones. Belgorod is located just 30 km from the Ukrainian border and is therefore subject to daily shelling.
11:59 Russian Investigative Committee will investigate the criminal actions of Ukrainian armed forces against civilians in the Belgorod region
According to government authorities, two civilians were injured in a drone attack on a vehicle in the city of Grayvoron.
10:27 Frontline summary as of the morning of 02/08/26
Zaporizhzhya Front
Reports of progress in the area of Pavlovka and Novoyakovlevka.
In the Hulyai-Polye direction, fighting is ongoing in Zaliznichnoye. According to sources, Russian forces have entered Tsvetkovoe. There is progress from Yelenokonstantinovka toward Vozdvizhevka.
In the Bratskoye-Ternovatoye sector, Russian forces are repelling enemy counterattacks.
Donetsk Front:
The encirclement of Belitskoye continues in the Krasnoarmeysk sector. Fighting continues for Kucherov Yar.
In the Konstantinovsky direction, Russian Armed Forces are expanding their zone of control near Ilyinovka.
In the area between Markovo and Mayskoye, Russian troops are exerting pressure on the enemy's defenses.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, Russian forces are advancing near Sosnovy. Fighting is ongoing near Aleksandrovka and Korovy Yar.
In the Seversk direction, Russian forces are advancing near Reznikovka. There is also progress near Nikiforovka toward Fedorovka Vtoraya.
Russian forces are expanding their zone of control on the northern outskirts of Privolye.
Khar'kov Front
Fighting continues in the Kupyansk sector. Russian forces are clearing the Kurilovka-Peschanoe sector. Advances are reported near Boguslavka.
In the Volchansk direction, Russian troops are advancing near Volchanskiye Khutor and clearing the forested area near Staritsa. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the liberation of Chugunovka.
The Sumy Front
of the Russian Armed Forces is increasing its territorial control in the Grabovskoye-Vysokoe sector. In the Glukhovsky sector, the Russian Armed Forces have entered the fighting for the village of Studenok.
9:41 Combined drone and missile strike on the Bryansk region. Two civilians wounded.
According to local authorities, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked civilian targets in the region using long-range Neptune missiles and Haimars multiple launch rocket systems. In addition, our air defenses shot down 11 UAVs.
The primary target of the attack was heating and power supply facilities. Emergency crews are working at the damaged sites.
9:10 AFU continue attacks on civilian infrastructure in the left bank of the Kherson region
Yesterday afternoon, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 21 shells from barrel artillery at populated areas of the Kherson region of the Russian Federation:
8:32 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 22 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles
11 UAVs were flying over the Bryansk region,
Six UAVs were flying over the Black Sea,
Four UAVs were flying over the Kaluga region, and
One UAV was flying over the Kursk region.
8:00: Reconnaissance UAV operators from the Unmanned Systems Troops discovered and destroyed a network of enemy fortifications in the Zaporizhzhia region. The coordinates were quickly transmitted to 122mm D-30 crews.video.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[RIA] The perpetrator of the assassination attempt on Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev, Lyubomir Korba, has been detained in the UAE, the FSB Public Relations Center reported.
"With the assistance of partners from the United Arab Emirates, Russian citizen Lyubomir Korba, born in 1960, who was the direct perpetrator of the crime, was detained in Dubai and handed over to the Russian side," the intelligence agency stated.
His accomplices were Russians Viktor Vasin and Zinaida Serebritskaya. The former was detained in Moscow, while the latter fled to Ukraine. The search for the organizers of the crime continues.
The assassination attempt on Alekseev occurred on Friday morning in a residential building on Volokolamskoe Highway in Moscow. He sustained several gunshot wounds. He was hospitalized.
The lieutenant general holds the position of First Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. In 2017, he was awarded the Hero of Russia.
According to presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin is receiving reports on the situation. The Kremlin wished Alekseyev a speedy recovery. A criminal case has been opened for attempted murder and illegal firearms trafficking.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Kamran Gasanov
[REGNUM] For almost a year, Europe has been trying by all means to stop Donald Trump's dialogue with Russia. In Brussels' ideal worldview, the US would have increased sanctions against Russia, ignored the Kremlin, and extracted concessions from Moscow, including the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The plan failed.
Three key meetings—in Riyadh, Anchorage, and Abu Dhabi—were held without European participation. Having failed to defend Ukraine's sovereignty, Brussels risks suffering a blow of its own, and from its closest ally: Trump has not yet abandoned plans to annex Greenland.
"COMMON SENSE" BY CALLAS
The more Washington ignored European diplomacy and the more actively Russian troops advanced in Pokrovsk and Kupyansk, the more often the leaders of France, Germany and Italy had second thoughts.
Their flow increased significantly during the Russia-USA-Ukraine negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a hardliner and the initiator of the confiscation of Russian assets, openly admitted that Ukraine will not be able to join the European Union under the accelerated program in 2027. And they are no longer even considering NATO.
Before the second meeting in Abu Dhabi, the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, made a sensational statement : “We now see that the Ukrainians are being strongly pushed to make very difficult concessions, which they are prepared to make, because they really want this war to end.”
In other words, she agrees that Ukraine will give up the parts of Donbas controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
No, Callas is unlikely to stop being a Russophobe. Deep down, she still wishes for Russians to remain privileged while the US and EU strangle Russia with sanctions.
But reality dictates its own course, and even the “hawks” of European politics are forced to voice a pragmatic approach.
SEARCH FOR A NEGOTIATOR
The French president also distinguished himself during these same days. He announced preparations for dialogue with his Russian counterpart "at a technical level." Emmanuel Macron is trying as much as possible to downplay his desire to speak with Vladimir Putin. But he still wants to talk.
Macron realized that Trump would not invite or force the EU into the Russia-US-Ukraine format, and if Brussels wanted to participate in the negotiations, it needed to approach them from a different angle – by talking to the Kremlin.
Unlike his colleagues, Macron has experience in this: in the summer, he established contacts with Putin by calling him under the pretext of discussing the Iran-Israel war.
Since the beginning of the year, the European Union has been actively discussing the appointment of its own negotiator with Russia. The main lobbyists for this idea are Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni.
Merz clearly didn't like the idea. But he's a proponent of appeasing Trump, and torpedoing diplomacy would mean going against "Daddy." Furthermore, Germany could find itself isolated if it blocks negotiations with Russia.
And in December, when France and Italy blocked the confiscation of Russian assets, Merz felt alone. So on February 6, the day after the second round of talks in the UAE, Merz was forced to say: "Of course, we are always ready to negotiate with Russia."
The main intrigue now is who the EU will appoint as negotiator. After all they've said, Russia is unlikely to want to see Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen at the table.
And if the European Union chooses someone like Alexander Stubb, it will be a slap in the face of European diplomacy, because formally, Kaja Kallas is supposed to represent the union on the international stage.
A SWISS MINISTER VISITS AND OPENS A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN HUNGARY
A good illustration of the search for ways of cooperation was the visit to Moscow of the head of the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, accompanied by the OSCE Secretary General, Feridun Sinirlioglu.
Until 2022, such a visit would not have raised any eyebrows, but after the start of the NWO, Bern ceased to be neutral and joined the sanctions, and therefore Russia refused to attend the 2024 peace conference on Ukraine in Nidwalden.
Sensing the winds of change, Cassis asked OSCE-skeptic Sergei Lavrov to attend a ministerial meeting in December.
During these same days, the Swiss Foreign Minister's compatriot and FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for sanctions against Russian teams to be lifted, because the ban "has achieved nothing but further disappointment and hatred."
Another sign of tectonic shifts in European politics is the developments in Hungary. After much ado and debate, construction of the Paks II nuclear power plant has begun. Rosatom is implementing a grand project right in the heart of Europe.
The words of the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, who is not always friendly towards Russia, who was present at the ceremony sound unusual: “This is a great day for Hungary, Russia and the entire international nuclear community.”
Of course, Hungary is a sovereign country, but it is still a member of the European Union, with all its economic and energy obligations. So it's no coincidence that Paks II is being launched almost simultaneously with Kallas's remarks about Ukraine's territorial concessions.
Overall, based on the results of the last couple of weeks, one gets the feeling that fundamental changes are taking place in the consciousness of the European elite, and the EU is trying to integrate into the negotiation process.
Another thing is that not all European politicians have abandoned the narrative of Russia as an existential threat, even though they talk about dialogue.
Brussels, Paris, and Berlin want to negotiate the most favorable terms for Ukraine. Ukraine should become a buffer, while the Old World itself will continue to militarize both conventional and nuclear weapons.
Europeans don't believe in the New START Treaty because it doesn't cover Russian tactical nuclear weapons, and the American nuclear shield no longer inspires confidence. This is clearly illustrated by the words of former German Green Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, who called for Europe's nuclear rearmament.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[VK] 05.02.26. Note from the Military Chronicle channel.
Western experts have drawn attention to a new anti-FPV drone protection feature that Russia has begun installing on its tanks—specifically, the T-72B3M. The reason for this was a patent illustration showing new side sponsons with dynamic armor.
"Tank sponsons are special protrusions on the sides of the hull that house weapons (cannons or machine guns). This solution came to tank design from the navy and was typical of the very first armored vehicles."
This modification renders the drones' shaped-charge warheads ineffective when striking the aircraft's sides at angles between 0 and 90 degrees. Judging by the design, the sponson defense system utilizes three types of reactive armor to cover vulnerable areas as completely as possible.
The solution does have a drawback: the installation of ERA necessitates the removal of external fuel tanks, which slightly reduces the tank's range. However, under current conditions, this seems a reasonable compromise and doesn't significantly affect the tank's combat capabilities.
It remains to be seen how effective the new protection is in real-world conditions. This will inform further conclusions and important decisions, such as restoring tanks' ability to safely conduct mechanized assaults in large groups."
#2
It can take dozens of drones to knock out a porcupine tank or turtle tank. ERA is a consumable and would presumably be used up even faster.
Also, Russia is basically out of tanks. There are still plenty in use and Russia makes a couple of hundred more each year, but they lose more than they can replace. The stockpiles are exhausted. The only Soviet tanks left in storage now are T-62's and older.
#3
Megabyses, Russia has been claiming they are climbing a growth curve for tank production, to the point that they are producing more than they’re losing. It sounds like you disagree.
#5
Check out Covert Cabal on Youtube. He's been counting tanks in storage using satellite imagery since the war began.
Russia's claimed production rates include refurbished tanks from storage, not just new production. So those numbers are dodgy. Watching thousands of tanks moved out of storage and nothing left behind tells a different story.
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