New US administration recognizes Russia's military successes in Ukraine, says American Analyst The current US administration has recognized #Russia's military #successes in #Ukraine, which is reflected in "new realism in American foreign policy," Theodore A. Postol, Professor Emeritus of Science, Technology, and National Security Policy Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told TASS. He was commenting on the telephone conversation between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir #Putin and Donald #Trump, as well as the speech on February 12 by Pentagon Chief Piet #Hegseth in Brussels. "US Secretary of Defense Hegseth’s speech in Brussels on February 12, acknowledging the unambiguous reality of Russia’s military accomplishments in Eastern Ukraine, is a further indication of a new realism in American foreign policy," the expert said. "Anyone who looks at the war in Ukraine should now know that Russia has won, and the priority for everyone involved should now be to stop the unnecessary loss of Russian and Ukrainian lives. The objective should now be to quickly agree to and implement a new European security structure that accommodates the national security interests of all European powers," Postol stressed. "President Trump’s public comments following his more than one-hour phone conversation with President Putin indicated that the discussion between them went very well. In particular, President Trump’s acknowledgment that Russia has a right to a solid-binding agreement about NATO not expanding into Ukraine is extremely important. It is also an implicit acknowledgment of the damage to Russian-US relations caused by the undeniable history of US past withdrawals from treaties and improper reinterpretations [by Washington] of treaty agreements over the past more than 20 years," Postol said.

Syria's oil and gas comes with strategic potential #Syria has the potential to significantly increase its #oil and natural #gas production, which can provide energy and government revenue critical to the country's stability and reconstruction. Syria was an oil exporter in the decades prior to its civil war, and its natural gas production started to increase on the eve of the war. The country was self-sufficient in terms of energy supplies. Sales of oil and gas provided 20% of the government’s revenue. Most of Syria’s oil and natural gas fields are located in eastern Syria, in areas that are currently largely under the control of the predominately Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and where US forces are deployed. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimated in 2015 that Syria possessed 2.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. In 2010, Syria produced 383,000 barrels per day of oil. Estimates of Syria’s oil output on the eve of Bashar al-Assad’s ouster range between 40,000–80,000 barrels per day, while Iran was providing the bulk of Syria’s oil supplies, up to 100,000 barrels a day. In 2015, the EIA estimated Syria’s natural gas reserves to be 240 billion cubic meters (bcm). Syria’s natural gas is used for power production. According to British Petroleum (BP), Syria produced 8.7 bcm of natural gas in 2011, which fell to 3 bcm annually by 2024. According to International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, natural gas provided one-quarter of Syria’s electricity supplies in 2022.

#Russia deploys its forces for operations in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean to the Al-Khadim base in #Libya The Russians have supplied mercenaries and weapons to General Khalifa Haftar's forces in al-Khadim for years. Since mid-December, following the fall of the #Assad regime on the 8th of December, Moscow's Antonov AN-124 and Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft have been flying daily from Khmeimim to al-Khadim in eastern Libya, near Haftar-held Benghazi. The Russians have supplied mercenaries and weapons to General Khalifa Haftar's forces in al-Khadim for years. Earlier this year, All Eyes on Wagner reported that Russian personnel are now being accommodated in a secure compound near the base.

[BREAKING] Massive Taliban deployment and declaration of war on Pakistan Has a war just started and no one reported it? Well, of course, Israel is not involved... Here are some of the reports coming in now! #Pakistani airstrikes on #Afghanistan kill 46 people, #Taliban official says. Tensions in Pakistan-Taliban relations; Taliban deployment on Pakistani border. As per reports Taliban has mobilized forces against Pakistan after Pakistani airstrikes targeted seven villages in eastern Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of 46 people, mostly women and children! #AfghanistanPakistan

Expansion of the ISIS Threat in Syria In addition to the factors already mentioned that prompted the US to increase its grouping in #Syria, the activation of ISIS should also be noted. Until mid-December, there were isolated mentions of an increase in the militants' capabilities, but now their potential is beginning to take shape. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated that ISIS militants have seized Syrian army weapons and are now reorganizing their units, expanding control in eastern and central Syria. ❗️ In reality, the situation with ISIS has become threatening. So far, these are isolated sorties or shelling, but the terrorist group's militants are penetrating deeper not only into the Syrian Desert, but also into the Raqqa province - a significant region for #ISIS. Over the past few days, shelling of SDF positions has been recorded in Marrat near Deir ez-Zor, in Dabib in the south of Raqqa province, and crucially in Abu Khashab at the junction of the Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah and Raqqa provinces. The militants have not attacked so deeply for a long time. And this time they managed to kill three SDF members, confirming the concerns of the Iraqi Foreign Minister. The latter, by the way, also reported the escape of some ISIS prisoners from the largest prison for ISIS militants, Al-Hol on the border with Iraq, and ISIS plans to organize an attack on the facility. 🔻Against this background, French servicemen have arrived in the border areas with Iraq from the vicinity of Khan al-Jabal (the Kurds call it Khana-Sere). They were present in the northeast of Hasakah province, as some oil fields were under their control.

Shock in Europe! Russian army in Libya The #Russian army has transferred all their equipment from #Syria to #Libya, in the eastern part controlled by General Haftar and by them. This includes the advanced missiles, fighter jets, warships, submarines and surveillance means. This is a shock to# Europe, as the Russians will now militarily threaten Italy, Greece, Spain and other countries. It is also a shock to the Sultan, who supports the opposing forces in "Libya", who sees the move as a threat. For #Israel, it will now be much calmer. Bye, bye to the circus that ended in disgrace which ends half a century of support for the Assad family's criminal gang, allowing Iran to use it against Israel.

Senior Russian general, his aide killed in Moscow blast Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Lieutenant General Igor #Kirillov and his aide were killed in a blast in southeastern Moscow on Tuesday morning. The #blast was caused by an explosive device that had been planted in an electric scooter, Spokeswoman for the Russian Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko said. "On the morning of December 17, an explosive device planted in a scooter went off near a residential building entrance on Ryazansky Avenue in Moscow, the investigation showed. Chief of Russia’s Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his aide were killed in the explosion," she said. According to Petrenko, the Committee’s Moscow department has launched a criminal probe into the attack. Circumstances behind the crime are currently being investigated.

Bundeswehr prepares plan for Operation Germany in case of war with Russia The #Bundeswehr (Germany’s armed forces) prepared a secret plan in case of a military conflict with #Russia, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported. According to it, the 1,000-page "Operation Germany" plan lists all infrastructure facilities that deserve special protection, and also contains a procedure for defense or "measures to deter Russia on NATO’s eastern flank." The plan says that in such a case, Germany would become "the center of concentration for tens of thousands and possibly hundreds of thousands of troops" that would be transferred to the east, as well as military equipment, food and medical supplies. Throughout the year, German military officials have repeatedly stated the need to prepare for a military conflict with Russia, which they say could take place in five years. In particular, Defense Minister Boris #Pistorius has stated this on several occasions. In July, the Bild newspaper reported that the Bundeswehr had drawn up a secret plan outlining the order of military and civilian action in the event that NATO troops needed to be moved to the alliance’s eastern flank. Commenting on German Foreign Minister Annalena #Baerbock's remarks in July that Russia allegedly posed the greatest threat to security in Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria #Zakharova said that this was nothing but "monstrous nonsense." The diplomat expressed hope that politicians in Germany would finally realize the deadlock and counterproductivity of their anti-Russian line and its danger for their own country.

Six planets, Moon to be seen aligned on Wednesday morning Six planets and the Moon will align on Wednesday morning on one side from the Sun. All the planets, except Venus, will be seen on the dome of the sky at the same time. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will be in the eastern part of the sky, while Neptune and Saturn will be in the southwest. "All the planets, except Neptune and Uranus, can be seen without magnification if the weather is bright. Nevertheless, it will be rather difficult to find Mercury - it will be visible for less than an hour, located very low at a horizon, and will vanish in bright rays of the Sun. A telescope or a high-power binocular will be needed to see Neptune and Uranus," ...

Ships told to reroute in Indian Ocean as Houthi attack range extends 🔶️ EU Naval Force Operation ATALANTA is advising shipping to sail at least 150 nm further east of existing traffic route to avoid the threat of attack from attack from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). 🔶️ The MSC Orion was targeted by a UAV southeast of Socotra Island while transiting the Indian Ocean Northbound to Salalah in Oman. 🔶️ “This attack confirms that potential attacks can take place in the Indian Ocean up to 800 nautical miles from the areas under Houthi control in Yemen,” EU ATALANTA said. 🔶️ As the Houthi lengthen the range of attacks against commercial shipping allied naval forces in the region are increasingly stretched in response. 🔶️ The Houthi have also threatened to attack vessels in Eastern Mediterranean Sea which are calling at Israeli ports, which is seen as credible in terms of weapons range.