Slowly but surely, Russia is using the war in Ukraine to eliminate its own population. The high compensations make it easy for them to recruit, and relatives also do not seem to worry about the loss of human lives. The compensations for the fallen are so high that it is rather seen as a bonus. The other day, we saw a film about a mother who had lost one of her sons and received compensation, and now appealed to Putin to send her other younger son to the battles in Ukraine.
We are naive to think that the Russian population will protest in the near future; for now, most see it as pure profit. Only when the Russian treasury is empty and they can no longer pay high salaries to the soldiers, or high compensations for the fallen, will we see serious protests.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is fighting for its own existence, and to drain the Russian treasury.
- 1130 KWIA
- 3 Tanks
- 6 AFVs
- 31 Artillery systems
- 1 MLRS
- 1 Air defense system
- 721 UAVs
- 115 Vehicles & fuel tanks
SLAVA UKRAINI
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AFU reports:
Saw a comment on “the other” blog about: what if all of agent orange’s actions are aimed at delaying the midterm election.
Personally, I believe that everything he does has plenty of pathways forward that are already planned out to more or less benefit him. If this happens, then do this, otherwise…
The Supreme Court’s decision on tariffs, for example. If they say no, then he has a plan where he might gain even more politically.
Otherwise, 99% is just a cover for the main plan.
Speaking of gaining, his side hustle is to deceive money through market manipulation and other means. But that is surely a side job compared to the main plan.
Anyway, this talk about the midterm election deserves attention because it could very well be part of the plan.
He provokes from both the right and the left, maybe he is trying to find a reason to declare a state of emergency, if he can do it.
If the tariffs are abolished by the US, one of his most important weapons will be removed. Waiting with excitement
Now all countries supporting Greenland will receive an additional 10% in customs duties starting from the beginning of the month…..
President Donald Trump’s statement about Greenland, word for word: “We have subsidized Denmark, and all EU countries, and others, for several years by not imposing tariffs or other forms of repayment. Now, after centuries, it’s time for Denmark to give back – world peace is threatened! China and Russia want Greenland, and there’s nothing Denmark can do about it. They currently have two sled dog teams for protection, one of which was added recently. Only the USA, under President Donald J Trump, can play this game, and very successfully at that! No one should touch this sacred land, especially when the security of the USA and the whole world is at stake. On top of everything, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland have traveled to Greenland for unknown reasons. It’s a very dangerous situation for our planet’s security, safety, and survival. These countries, playing this very dangerous game, have raised the risk to an unsustainable level. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance, in order to protect global peace and security, to take strong measures so that this potentially dangerous situation ceases, without question. As of February 1, 2026, all the aforementioned countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland) will be subject to a ten percent tariff on all goods sent to the USA. On June 1, 2026, the tariff rate will increase to 25 percent. This tariff will be imposed until an agreement is reached for a total and complete purchase of Greenland. The USA has been trying to make this transaction for over 150 years. Many presidents have tried, for good reasons, but Denmark has always refused. Now, due to the Golden Dome and modern weapons systems, both offensive and defensive, the need for a purchase is extra important. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on a security program related to “The Dome,” including for possible protection of Canada, and this brilliant, yet highly complex system can only reach its maximum potential and efficiency, due to angles, dimensions, and boundaries, if this land is included. The USA is open to immediate negotiations with Denmark and/or any of these countries that have put so much at stake despite all we have done for them, including maximum protection, for so many decades. Thank you for your attention! Donald J Trump, President of the USA”
The EU is a customs union, is there any regulatory framework within the EU that is mandatory to respond as one voice to this against the USA? Or can someone (read: Hungary) destroy a common response?
Personally, I look at this with confidence. Either the US Congress must take a stand and not just follow the sect leader, or the EU must give a strong and forceful response to the breach of contract from the Yankees’ side. Should American agreements be as worthless as Russian ones? Exploit the American legal system and sue all those who can be sued. However, the US Supreme Court has given the president limited power by granting carte blanche immunity to the president. Do the judges in the Supreme Court realize that this also applies if a new president wants to carry out revenge against the Supreme Court?
Yes, it will be interesting to see how the EU handles this.
I guess the point with the whole Greenland thing could be to sow division between the western and eastern members of the union in an attempt to break up the entire EU.
EU, NO & UK: all-in to extract rare earth metals. Deals with the USA to buy with increased tariffs.
“[W]hoever controls the island’s rare-earth elements will hold a decisive chip in the coming contest over artificial-intelligence infrastructure, precision weapons, and ultimately military supremacy vis-à-vis China.
It’s a choke-point for every high-tech weapons system. A single F-35 fighter needs ~418 kg of rare-earth metals in its radar, lasers, and flight-control magnets; a Virginia-class submarine needs 4.6 t; an Arleigh-Burke destroyer 2.6 t. 78% of all current U.S. weapons programs contain rare-earth permanent magnets; without them “even the most sophisticated algorithms and defense platforms become inoperable.”
https://x.com/wati_xo/status/2012502061229748434?s=46
On the same theme:
Since I always try to read beneath the surface, I’ve been closely monitoring the situation around Greenland, the European deployments, and all the statements coming from the U.S. and Denmark. Two days ago, I came across a U.S. presidential proclamation regarding processed critical minerals, and honestly, it really helps explain what’s behind a lot of the rhetoric we’ve been seeing. Follow me closely, because there are multiple points connecting here:
The proclamation lays out concerns about processed critical minerals and rare earths their importance to national defense, critical infrastructure, and the U.S. economy. It highlights that the U.S. is extremely reliant on foreign sources, and we know that China, handles around 90% of global rare earth refining. And that’s the key: it’s never really been the mining that’s the problem. Greenland has potential rare earth resources, yes, but mining is trivial compared to refining. The real challenge is processing these minerals at scale, in a remote environment with minimal infrastructure, harsh climate, and very limited workforce. Greenland is, for now, almost impossible to exploit economically, no matter the resources it has.
Which brings me back to the proclamation and why it’s so interesting. From weeks of analysis, one thing has remained clear: the U.S. has agreements with Denmark that allow them to deploy troops there freely. They control the area, including key strategic points like the GIUK gap. Europe sending reconnaissance teams Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands explain also why Deploying forces there is extremely hard, even for the U.S. and nearly impossible for others at scale. So when we hear Washington framing Greenland as a national security issue and pointing fingers at Russia or China, the reality is different.
For me, the real, critical national security threat for the U.S. is the rare earths. That’s what all of this is really about. Not an imminent Russian or Chinese invasion, it’s securing access to rare earths in case of conflict or future supply chain disruptions. And even then, Greenland itself isn’t a simple solution. Extracting and refining rare earths there would require massive infrastructure, enormous logistics, and personnel that don’t exist and the population isn’t going to just let it happen overnight.
So putting it all together: the proclamations, the deployments, the rhetoric it’s all about long-term planning, supply chain security, and mitigating reliance on China. Militarily, the U.S. has the ability to project power there if needed, but practically, Greenland is harsh and unexploitable right now. Economically, rare earths are critical, but Greenland’s resources alone don’t magically solve the problem. This is why, if you read beneath the surface, the national security threat isn’t Russia or China tomorrow it’s the potential choke points in rare earth supply chains decades from now.
And this is something which i’ve been saying since weeks now: all of this is not a national security threat in purely military terms.
The question that remains is: is it really worth creating diplomatic tension, or even risking conflict with your allies, over resources that may take years to exploit? Couldn’t other partnerships and sources provide these critical minerals more efficiently? The problem remains, and it’s one the U.S. will have to weigh carefully.
https://x.com/insidergeo/status/2012123905641562429?s=46
Today, the ore is often mined in one country and then transported mainly to China, which has the most experience and capacity (and today accounts for nearly 90% of all separation and refining), but also to the USA, which also has some facilities.
So, it is not at all necessary to refine on Greenland, but if it were possible, it would of course yield much more return than just mining the ore.
Iceland has built up an aluminum processing industry with its geothermal energy. Perhaps also a good base to refine ore from Greenland?
Yes, cheap energy certainly facilitates.
Then I suspect that it requires large investments that they may not afford themselves.
The EU should be able to look into the possibilities of collaboration.
The US would not have any major problems securing its territory or securing access to rare-earth metals if Trump were to know the word “Cooperation”.
Unfortunately, he, like the Russians, believes that everything is a zero-sum game; if you want something that someone else has, you start by threatening with violence, and then you escalate the violence until you get a deal where you get everything you want and the other party is left with nothing.
EU, NO & UK: all-in extract rare earth metals. Deals with the USA to buy with increased tariffs.
“[W]hoever controls the island’s rare-earth elements will hold a decisive chip in the coming contest over artificial-intelligence infrastructure, precision weapons, and ultimately military supremacy vis-à-vis China.
It’s a choke-point for every high-tech weapons system. A single F-35 fighter needs ~418 kg of rare-earth metals in its radar, lasers, and flight-control magnets; a Virginia-class submarine needs 4.6 t; an Arleigh-Burke destroyer 2.6 t. 78 % of all current U.S. weapons programmes contain rare-earth permanent magnets; without them “even the most sophisticated algorithms and defence platforms become inoperable.”
https://x.com/wati_xo/status/2012502061229748434?s=46
Danish general says military exercises in Greenland are linked to Russia as Exercise Arctic Endurance begins without US participation.
#Greenland
🎥Interview:
https://x.com/alarabiya_eng/status/2012489071021478207?s=46
🔥 “Alpha” SBU showed how it destroys Russian infantry
In the last two weeks of December, the soldiers added more than 3.7 thousand occupiers to the statistics of enemy losses. And this is only part of the work done.
https://bsky.app/profile/insideukraine.bsky.social/post/3mcndtitr7c2j
Highly recommended
Only logged in
👍
That the five permanent members of the Security Council – the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China – have veto power makes the UN dysfunctional and repeatedly protects dictatorships. This is written by Lars Adaktusson (KD), former Member of the European Parliament and Member of Parliament, in DN Debatt. Strong, authoritarian great powers and their self-interest cannot outweigh justice, writes Adaktusson. The UN has often been relegated to a bystander position during massacres and other violations of international law, and states’ sovereignty has been guaranteed while vulnerable citizens have been left in the lurch, he continues. “In order to prevent today’s violations of international law, to avert the Trump administration’s bizarre claims on Greenland, changed global institutions and tools are required.”
https://omni.se/a/Arlgdn
If Trump now sees that the USA needs to protect itself against expected future Russian aggression, why not start by countering today’s Russian aggression? The absolutely safest way to counter future Russian aggression would be to give them a memory pill that takes a generation or a couple to forget. Force Russia into an unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine plus war reparations and Putin to The Hague. Like that.
Agree, if one is afraid of Russia, it would have been the obvious solution.
Therefore, one must almost draw the conclusion that they are not really afraid of Russia militarily, they simply want to access natural resources partly for their own sake and partly to prevent China (and possibly Russia) from accessing them. When it comes to China, it is probably not a question of military actions, rather they are buying in and thus gaining control. The latter is in everyone’s interest to prevent, it is not possible to allow China to gain even greater control over rare earth metals than they already have.