July 20: E-Stories
InUkraine CombatSitRep BehindLines Russia-China InEurope InOtherNews
Catching up…
For a general view of news from various geopolitical threatres, Scott’s EA Worldview is always superb.
Iryna Matviyishyn: “A typical Friday night when your neighbour is Russia. I was trying to get home after dinner with friends during an air raid. We passed several stations packed with people ready to spend their night in the metro because Russia launched drones on Kyiv and other cities again.”
Stories we’re following…Ukraine endured another large-scale missile and drone attack overnight. The mapped flight paths show most threats were mainly directed toward Zhytomyr, Pavlohrad, and Odesa. Ukraine’s Air Force has not yet released official details.
Russian attacks kill 7, injure 25 in Ukraine over past 24 hours; trains hit twice in one day. Ukraine's Air Force said it shot down 11 Shahed-type drones overnight as Russia launched a wave of 35 attack drones, including decoy drones, primarily targeting eastern frontline regions. Six additional decoys were jammed or lost.
2 killed, 11 injured in Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The fatalities included a man and a woman. All of the 11 injured victims have been hospitalized, one of whom — a 29-year-old woman — is in serious condition, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.
Yet another Russian attack on Odesa caused serious damage to a pharmacy, a clothing store, and several private homes—windows and doors were blown out, and glass shattered. One person was killed and six others injured. According to the mayor, over 20 strike drones targeted the city.
ICYMI: Trump admin cuts undermine efforts to track abducted Ukrainian children, Council of Europe envoy says. "European countries will have to fund it," Thordis Gylfadottir, an envoy of the Council of Europe, told Politico. "We cannot stop tracking them and then just re-track them (abducted children) in the months ahead."
Ukraine has brought back 11 children from Russian-occupied territories and Russia, with Qatar acting as mediator. Among them are five siblings who managed to contact their sister in Ukraine and asked for help to come home.
Just a reminder: Remember Yuliya Zdanovska (21), one of Europe’s and Ukraine’s brightest young mathematicians who died under russian bombardment in March? Kyiv has a street named after her.
Russia will ban Ukrainian in schools across occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson from Sept 2025, UK MoD says. Kremlin calls it a response to “geopolitical changes” — but it’s part of a Russification drive to erase Ukrainian identity. The UK Ministry of Defense reports that the Russian Education Ministry’s plans mark “a further addition” to the Kremlin’s “long-standing Russification policy” in occupied Ukrainian territory — a campaign that seeks to “extirpate Ukrainian culture, identity, and statehood.”
Zarina Zabrisky’s Human Safari in Kherson documentary: Zarina was a guest on EuroFile’s live Substack to talk about Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians and the UN Special Commission report that documented these attacks, and subsequently found them to violate International Humanitarian Law, and are war crimes.
Combat SituationUkrainian forces 'steadfastly' holding defenses near Pokrovsk, commander-in-chief says. "The enemy continues to use small infantry groups, but they are powerless in their attempts to capture Pokrovsk," Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, reported July 18. Mo: the battle is hard-going there. The Ukrainians are hanging on with their teeth.
A Russian sabotage unit attempted to breach Pokrovsk. Ukrainian troops spotted and wiped them out, Syrskyi confirmed.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 struck a Russian fuel depot in the northern direction.
Shostka in Sumy region was attacked by Russia—over 10 hits already from guided bombs, local media report. More than 40 Shaheds and 15 bombs were launched in addition.
Smoke is rising over the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, with reports of a blackout across all occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region today.
Explosions reported in the Moscow region, according to local channels. Meanwhile, air raid sirens are sounding in Voronezh.
According to Russian media, temporary flight restrictions are in place at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport following reported explosions.
Multiple areas in Russia’s Rostov region—Rovenky, Kamensk, Donetsk, and Gukovo are under drone threat. Air defense is reportedly active and continuing to engage targets.
Ukrainian drone strikes paralyzed rail traffic. According to Russian Railways, the contact network on the Likhaya-Zamchalovo section was damaged due to falling UAV debris. Train traffic was stopped at about six o'clock in the morning, and more than 50 long-distance trains were delayed.
The future of warfare according to Commander Prokopenko: Commander of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov," the legendary Denys "Redis" Prokopenko, has written an article that sheds light on key aspects of the global strategic situation. Key points:
World War III has, in fact, already begun — it’s just that in the current context, we are still unable to recognize its full scope, structure, or defining phase.
The bloc of authoritarian states (Russia, China, Iran, North Korea) will seek to achieve their goals through military means, while the Western bloc remains unprepared for this shift, having mistakenly assumed that democratic institutions alone would lead to a decline in global warfare.
In this situation, Western countries must learn from Ukraine’s experience — or risk losing the current confrontation.
Prokopenko emphasizes the unique experience of Azov: the unit was formed under extreme pressure and resistance from all sides, yet successfully defended its approach to defense and military organization. As a result, Azov developed a model based on horizontal autonomy in decision-making and discipline grounded in effectiveness rather than formal hierarchy.
The Azov model represents an asymmetric institution — it functions within the regular army but retains the flexibility typical of decentralized, network-based structures.
In a context where frontlines are becoming increasingly fluid, the key to combat effectiveness is the ability to adapt, evolve, and fight even when cut off from the rest of the forces.
This kind of approach will be decisive in future warfare — outweighing even the advantage of large weapons stockpiles. The war of the future won't be defined by nuclear strikes, but by the ability to remain operational and resilient. Victory will go not to those launching hundreds of Shahed drones at apartment buildings every night, but to those with institutions capable of rapid adaptation and development in environments where others simply collapse.
Behind the LinesThe water supply in the occupied DPR has run out under the Russian management. “The volumes [if water] that we have are not enough for manufacturing, agriculture, but first of all not enough to supply water to the residents of the republic.”
A German businessman is on trial for supplying spy technology to Russia. Prosecutors say sonar, antennas & other high-tech gear were funneled to a secret Russian naval spy program called “Garmonia” helping Moscow track submarines and undersea cables. The network ran for nearly a decade.
The man on trial is Alexander S., 55, from Nuremberg, with dual Russian-Kyrgyz citizenship. He ran two German companies accused of exporting dual-use tech civilian gear with military applications.
According to prosecutors, the tech included: underwater positioning systems from Norway, satellite antennas from Sweden, a precision drill bit from Italy, and an attempted €43K sonar purchase from the UK Some gear reached Russia’s military via Turkey.
The tech was allegedly used in Project “Garmonia” (Гармония) a secret Russian underwater surveillance network of sonars and microphones designed to detect submarines, map undersea cables, and monitor enemy naval activity.
Investigators say the Russian buyers were front companies tied to the FSB (Russia’s domestic security service). Surveillance by German intel triggered the investigation.
Alexander S. claims he didn’t know the equipment was for the military. But emails and calls monitored by German authorities suggest otherwise. He now faces nine criminal charges for violating the Foreign Trade Act.
The US House of Representatives voted (353–76) to continue military aid to Ukraine. Amendment No. 116 by Marjorie Taylor Greene, which aimed to strip funding for Ukraine from the 2026 defense appropriations bill, was rejected.
ICYMI from Stars and Stripes: The U.S.-led NATO alliance must prepare for the possibility that Russia and China could launch wars in Europe and the Pacific simultaneously, with 2027 being a potential flashpoint year, the top American commander in Europe said Thursday.
U.S. European Command’s Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, speaking at a meeting of military and defense industrial leaders in Wiesbaden, said the situation means allies have little time to prepare. “We’re going to need every bit of kit and equipment and munitions that we can in order to beat that,” Grynkewich said.
If China’s President Xi Jinping makes a move on Taiwan, he likely would coordinate such an attack with Russian President Vladimir Putin, opening the possibility of a global conflict, he said. “That, to me, means that both of these things could happen together,” said Grynkewich, who also serves as NATO supreme allied commander.
“I’m not going to reveal to the Russians or anyone else the exact numbers of weapons that we’re transferring or when those will happen, but what I will say is that preparations are underway,” he said. “We’re going to move as quickly as we can on this,” he said.
The leaders also cautioned against viewing threats posed by Russia and China as separate challenges, arguing that deterrence requires a global approach. “Each of these threats that are out there cannot be viewed, in my estimation, as discrete challenges. We’ve got to think about how all of them are aligning,” Grynkewich said.
“Time is of the essence, and I intend to keep highlighting that and letting everyone know that we’ve got to move out and we’ve got to move quickly,” he said.
Erdogan, Putin discuss resuming Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian President Vladimir Putin that launching a third round of negotiations is important and that Turkey is prepared to host discussions in Istanbul once both sides agree on a date. (Mo: what for? These are useless exercises and waste time.)
Romania plans to build drones with Ukraine. The project would involve Romanian investment in a local factory, likely in Brasov, where Ukrainian and Romanian teams would collaborate on manufacturing drones based on Ukrainian designs developed through wartime experience.
Meanwhile in Russia & China…Chinese President Xi Jinping may hold a trilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as part of the celebrations marking the end of World War II, which will take place in Beijing on September 3, The Times reports , noting that Putin has already confirmed his participation in the celebratory event. The chosen date almost coincides with the end of Trump's ultimatum to the Kremlin: he had previously given Putin 50 days to end hostilities in Ukraine.
ISW: Select Russian officials are acknowledging the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy despite the Kremlin's efforts to disguise and dismiss such impacts.
The Moscow Times reported on July 17 that Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev recently told the Russian Federation Council that Russian oil companies are struggling to procure parts to repair refineries due to Western sanctions.
Russian Central Bank Chairperson Elvira Nabiullina notably stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 19 that Russia has exhausted many of its “free resources“ since the start of Russia‘s full-scale war against Ukraine and needs to think of a new growth model.
Russia's Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, stated at SPIEF that Russia is on the "brink of recession." Russia's ongoing sanctions evasion schemes, including via the PRC, are a key aspect of the Kremlin's strategy to offset Western sanctions and relieve pressure on the Russian economy.
Russia has created a network of actors to circumvent Western sanctions and is reconfiguring its economic policy and business models to withstand sanctions in the long term, although more extensive Western sanctions will complicate this effort.
These observations and comments do not point to Russia ceasing its war of aggression against Ukraine any time soon. Why? Read Madi Kapparov’s analysis below on how Russia may continue its war and where it will find resources. Degrading Russia’s economic fabric may not translate quickly into collapse. Much more action on our part is necessary.
Kapparov had predicted this: Duma deputy proposes nationalizing oligarchs' assets to fill budget
The wave of nationalization of private enterprises that began in Russia shortly after the invasion of Ukraine should be expanded to include the assets of the country's richest billionaires. This point of view was expressed to Abzats by Nikolai Arefyev, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy.
"We have quite a lot of reserves that can be used in difficult times," he said. According to Arefyev, the oligarchs "accumulated $25 billion" last year alone.
"If we nationalize the sources of income used by the oligarchic elite, this money will be enough to solve economic problems," the deputy said.
According to Forbes, there were 146 dollar billionaires in Russia as of March 2025. Over the year, their number has increased by 21 people, and their combined wealth has increased by $48 billion. Its total size - $625.5 billion - is almost equal to the Central Bank's gold and foreign exchange reserves, which at the time of Forbes' assessment amounted to $632.35 billion.
Sergey Karaganov is one of Russia’s most prominent political scientists and a founding member of the Valdai Discussion Club, which Vladimir Putin has attended regularly for more than two decades. In a recent report, subtitled “The Ideological Foundations of Russia as a Civilizational State,” Karaganov lays out his argument for introducing a state ideology and indoctrinating Russians from childhood in a new “Citizen’s Code.” He describes Russia as an “Asian-style empire,” best governed through a “leadership democracy” with autocratic features, and Russians as a “God-bearing people” capable of saving humanity from the “cult of consumerism.” At the heart of Karaganov’s Russian ideology is devotion to the state and its leader. Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev explores what Russia might become if decision-makers embraced this vision.
Kazakhstan has begun to independently implement a project to build combined heat and power plants (CHP) in three cities of the country, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reported. Astana initially agreed with Russia on the construction of the facilities, which was estimated at $2.7 billion, the head of government recalled.
“We have not yet received precise information about the provision of guaranteed, low-cost financing from the Russian side, so in Kokshetau we have already begun to build on our own, without turning to anyone,” Bektenov said at a press conference in the government.
Regarding the other two thermal power plants – in Semey and Ust-Kamenogorsk with a capacity of 360 MW each (in Kokshetau – 240 MW) – Kazakhstan is still awaiting a response from the Russian side, the prime minister noted. “If there is no response in the near future, we will also consider options for independently implementing these projects,” he said, noting that the authorities cannot afford a long wait, since “both heat and electricity are needed.”
Banning Whatsapp: With some 97.4 million users, WhatsApp is Russia’s most popular messaging service. But according to Meduza’s sources, it will most likely be banned in the near future. This comes after Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin, the deputy head of the State Duma’s Information Policy Committee, said Friday that the Meta-owned messenger should “prepare to leave” the country.
According to Gorelkin, the messaging app is “very likely” to be added to a list of software from “unfriendly” countries that the government is compiling on President Vladimir Putin’s orders. Although sources were unsure when WhatsApp would be blocked, they stated that the security forces are the ones lobbying for the ban. One source even suggested that the campaign is part of a wider crusade to restrict access to online information that could fuel further social discontent.
Henri Proglio, a top manager at the French defense concern Dassault Aviation, which supplies fighter jets and air defense systems to Ukraine, does business in Russia. Moreover, as The Insider has found out , he is on the board of directors of the company ABR Management, a structure that manages the assets of the so-called "Kremlin common fund" created by Vladimir Putin's closest associates.
In February 2022, Belgorod resident Nadezhda Rossinskaya (also known as Nadine Geisler) began working to help Ukrainian refugees and victims of the occupation. But within months, her efforts drew threats and pressure from the Russian authorities, which eventually prompted her to leave the country for a year. Then, in late June 2025, a Moscow military court sentenced her to 22 years in prison and a 320,000-ruble ($4,100) fine, convicting her of treason, “aiding terrorist activity,” and “publicly calling for actions that threaten the country’s territorial integrity.”
The procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship has been simplified for residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Applicants for Russian citizenship from Abkhazia and South Ossetia will not need to comply with requirements for permanent residence in the Russian Federation, knowledge of the Russian language and Russian history.
As the " Caucasian Knot " reported, Abkhazian President Badra Gunba, at a meeting with the Russian President, which took place a few days after the second round of elections in Abkhazia, asked to extend the electricity supply, launch a dual citizenship program, and postpone the requirement for Russian driver's licenses. Putin responded with agreement on the first two points and promised to speed up the issuance of licenses.
Paul Goble: Moscow Beginning to Assess Possibility US May Become More Directly Involved in Zengezur Corridor
Suggestions that Armenia might be open to having a US company help regulate transit between Azerbaijan proper and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchevan or even that the US might play an even larger role and run that corridor through Armenian territory for a century are beginning to spark discussions among Russian analysts.
The Kavkaz-Uzel portal has surveyed several of them, and its findings are instructive. While no Russian analyst would be happy about either of these developments, all of them appear to believe they would be far less immediately apocalyptic than many Western observers might assume (kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/398623).
Such attitudes may mean that Moscow won’t actively oppose -- or has concluded it lacks the leverage to prevent -- one or the other of these arrangements and instead plan for ways to live with them, an attitude that could make it possible that one or the other could become a major step toward the achievement of a peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Sergey Boyko, a Russian analyst at London’s Adam Smith Research Center, says that many had assumed in the past had assumed that Russia would play a role in any arrangements concerning transit in the Zengezur corridor but that worsening relations between Moscow and the regional governments mean that they are looking elsewhere and to the US in particular.
“The achievement of an agreement on the corridor without involving the Russian Federation,” he continues, “marks an essential weakening of its position in the region and testified to its gradual squeezing out from the South Caucasus.” But keeping Russia out of any deal “significantly increases the chances” that a deal can be made.
Aleksandr Karavayev of Moscow’s Caspian Institute of Strategic Research (KISI), suggests that “the Zengezur corridor is for Russia a peripheral subject.” Moscow certainly won’t welcome any American participation, but it recognizes that even an agreement on that point won’t lead to any actions on the ground anytime soon.
Mo: Russia’s priority in terms of territorial integrity lies in the North Caucasus first and foremost. Although there seems to be much more of a Western imprint in the South Caucasus, Russia and China remain the main players in the region.
The Cipher Brief: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a report today warning of the threat from the multibillion-dollar scam industry backed by Chinese criminal groups. The report said U.S. losses from the China-linked fraud reached over $5 billion in 2024 — up 40 percent from the year before. Americans are targeted through text messages, social media, dating apps and jobsites. The commission warned that “fragmented and under-resourced” U.S. efforts to counter the issue leaves Americans vulnerable, especially as the criminal organizations behind the scams leverage new technologies to escalate attacks.
The Cipher Brief: This year’s iteration of Taiwan’s annual Han Kuang military drills ended on Friday. The 2025 exercises were the largest to date, involving over 20,000 reservists and lasting 10 days. In addition to live-fire and counter-invasion drills, Taiwan also tested civil defense components and simulated gray zone activity.
Experts say this whole-of-society approach is the best way for Taiwan to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told The Cipher Brief today that even more can be done — especially when it comes to cyber-enabled economic warfare and gray zone pressure. “In reality, the exercises for that can be done year-round without a significant Ministry of Defense exercise going on,” he said. “In fact, they should be done that way because the Ministry of Defense is only a small element of the overall effort of Taiwan to protect its societal resilience.”
Montgomery added that the Han Kuang drills can be improved by better factoring in the role of the U.S. in defending Taiwan. “The reality is Taiwan will only successfully counter the Chinese Communist Party if the U.S. forces — at a minimum — are alongside them,” he said. “So these exercises need to become bilateral, and they need to become bilateral fairly soon.” He suggested Marine Littoral Regiments and some of the Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force as examples of U.S. forces best suited to support, strengthen and train with Taiwan’s military in these exercises.
Hungary, a NATO and EU member, may have conducted a false-flag attack inside Ukraine. SBU previously caught Hungarian military intelligence officers operating there in Zakarapattia, on the border with Hungary.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó have seized on the recent arson of a church in Transcarpathia to accuse Ukraine of targeting its ethnic Hungarian minority – a narrative Kyiv says dovetails with Kremlin-backed disinformation.
On July 16, a fire damaged a Hungarian church in Palad‑Komarivtsi. Anti-Hungarian slogans such as “Down with the Hungarians” and “Death to the Hungarians” were reportedly sprayed on its facade. Ukrainian authorities said a suspect has been detained, with no injuries reported.
The incident came just days after Poland announced it was downgrading diplomatic relations with Hungary, pulling its ambassador from Budapest in protest of Orbán’s decision to grant asylum to a former Polish deputy justice minister wanted on corruption charges.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU), local police, and independent analysts warn the church incident bears all the hallmarks of a Russian-orchestrated false‑flag operation. According to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, the goal is to inflame ethnic tensions and discredit Kyiv – a play straight from Moscow’s hybrid warfare playbook.
This is not an isolated claim. Similar incidents in western Ukraine – such as the 2018 arson at a Hungarian cultural center in Uzhhorod – were later traced back to far‑right operatives with Kremlin links, not Ukrainian ethnic groups.
Analysts warn this timing is too convenient: Szijjártó’s diplomatic offensive, the embassy summons, and the church fire form a coordinated attack reminiscent of Russian psy‑ops targeting EU and NATO cohesion
By framing Ukraine as an active oppressor of its ethnic Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, Budapest is crafting a narrative designed to erode Kyiv’s standing in both the EU and NATO, portraying Ukraine as intolerant and heavy-handed.
Marika Mikiashvili: This is Mzia Tabagari, a 63-year-old radio broadcasting specialist who currently works as a nanny and takes a bus and a metro to come to the Georgia Protests every single evening after work without interruption - then, she leaves protests at 11 pm so that she can catch the last public transport back home.
I had the pleasure to meet with and speak to this remarkable, tireless, unyielding lady. Why is she protesting and what's her message to the world?
"It is impossible for a normal functioning human to not have the sense of protest when very few uneducated, evil, Russophile, audacious, inhumane people have placed themselves at the top of the country and are dragging it with full force to the abyss," - Mzia says, noting that the sense of protest simply does not allow her to observe processes from the side.
Her message to the world is: "Protect small nations that totalitarian, terrorist states such as Russia want to swallow. If we don't win now, Russia will fully take over us for another 100 years, if not forever."
Her activity for freedom over the decades: She first protested when Soviet Russia attempted to take away the legal status of the Georgian language in 1978, then she miraculously escaped death with a Russian shovel during the April 9, 1989 massacre; however, the undisclosed gas used by them intoxicated her for months, like many.
Until quite recently, she lived near Rustaveli and always provided protesters throughout decades with warm blankets and food. She also always registered as an election observer to protect our votes (which the regime has stolen). Mzia sold her beloved home near Rustaveli to help fund her daughter's studies who has now graduated from the Juilliard School.
In Europe…ICYMI: UK lowers Russian oil price cap to $47.6 per barrel. "We're striking at the heart of the Russian energy sector alongside the EU," British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.
"GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens," UK foreign minister David Lammy said. The British government added that the GRU has “used Ukraine as a testing ground” for cyber capabilities now being unleashed on Europe.
UK sanctions Russian intelligence units involved in cyberattacks. The sanctions target operatives of Russia's military intelligence (GRU), responsible for widespread malicious cyber activity in the U.K. and Europe, the Foreign Office said.
The sanctions come as European governments increasingly sound the alarm on Russian gray zone warfare, from cyberattacks to sabotage. The European Union and NATO issued statements today condemning what they described as Russia's destabilizing hybrid operations. It’s a reminder that as Ukraine faces Russian invasion, the rest of Europe is also under siege.
UK Intelligence uncovers 18 Russian spies involved in covert operations against Britain: The UK Foreign Office has announced sanctions against 18 officers of the Russian General Staff’s Main Directorate.
ICYMI: The EU has agreed on a new round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The 18th package of sanctions include limits on Russian banks’ access to global transfers, and a ban on reviving the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany. The sanctions also lowered the G7’s price cap on Russia’s oil exports to $47.6 per barrel from $60. That cap will now be changed every three months to remain 15% below market price. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said on X, “We’re cutting the Kremlin’s war budget further” with these measures.
Jacopo Iacoboni: The list of 22 Russian banks that have been disconnected from the European payment system, with all transactions banned.
The EU lowered the threshold for sanctioning third-country financial, credit, and crypto-asset service providers that are connected to the Russian Central Bank’s System for Transfer of Financial Messages or generally supporting Russian sanctions evasion schemes.
The EU banned any transaction with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, its sub-funds and companies, and any companies investing in or owned by the RDIF.
The EU also banned the sale, supply, transfer, and export of software management systems and banking and financial sector software to Russia.
The EU sanctions target an existing vulnerability within the Russian banking and financial sector, decreasing Russia’s ability to maintain a strong presence in international trade and diversify its economy.
New EU sanctions could block Rosneft's Indian refinery sale plans, Bloomberg reports. The Russian oil giant has been trying to sell its 49.13% stake in India's Nayara refinery, but the EU's latest sanctions package could make such a deal too risky for buyers.
Gergiev turned an opera into a weapon of war. A campaign began to bring a stop to Gergiev’s presence at the Festival del RE, which will be held in Caserta very soon and in other Italian cities. Gergiev will also hold concerts in Spain. The campaign has focused on the fact that Gergiev is a chief player in Putin’s information warfare machine, and also acts as his wallet for particular operations as published on E-Stories. Gergiev is subject to sanctions levied by the UK, Canada, and the United States.
The governor of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca, doesn’t seem to want to budge on this issue, doubling down on his defence of allowing such a figure to perform in Caserta and refusing to understand the true entity of Russia’s use of ‘artists’ to advance its foreign policy goals.
Video: A Heated clash between European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani over Putin-aligned conductor Valery Gergiev.
New reporting by Max Coccia reveals that “while Minister Giuli attempts to block the arrival of Putin's director at the Royal Palace, a triangulation of interests is unfolding between the Campania Region, the Undersecretary of Culture, and the manager Ariosi. Meanwhile, Gergiev is being targeted by the Netherlands and Ukraine for inclusion in the next package of European sanctions: he risks having his assets seized and his citizenship revoked.”
Behind the concert, an increasingly explicit power struggle is unfolding between Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli and Undersecretary Gianmarco Mazzi. At the heart of the conflict is the management of the international image of Italian culture and the appropriateness—or otherwise—of legitimizing compromised figures like Valery Gergiev. Giuli would have liked the Royal Palace of Caserta, in accordance with its code of ethics inspired by the UN 2030 Agenda, to formally ask Gergiev to step aside.
A clear position, also supported by European partners and international allies: the Netherlands and Ukraine have formally requested that Gergiev be included in the next European Union sanctions package, precisely because of his active role in Russian propaganda in support of Vladimir Putin's regime.
In CanadaCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney: “In a crisis, you focus on what you can control — so we’re taking action to protect our steel industry and our steel workers.
In other news…WaPo: Prosecutor Maureen Comey was fired on Thursday. She had worked on the criminal cases of Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. She is also the daughter of former FBI director James B. Comey, whom Trump fired in his first term. Maureen Comey wrote a memo to her colleagues hinting that her firing may have been politically motivated.
“If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. Do not let that happen. Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought. Instead of fear, let this moment fuel the fire that already burns at the heart of this place,” she wrote. “A fire of righteous indignation at abuses of power. Of commitment to seek justice for victims. Of dedication to truth above all else.”
Trump ramps up talk of firing the head of the Federal Reserve. Trump floated this idea to Republicans in Congress. Jerome H. Powell leads the nation’s central bank, which operates independently of political influence.
Yet Trump wants Powell to lower interest rates to help the economy — something the Fed has been unwilling to do as it watches inflation rise and prices go up as Trump’s tariffs settle in.
The president probably can’t legally fire the Federal Reserve chair except in extreme cases, and even some Republican lawmakers thought firing Powell would be a mistake, saying it would create turmoil in the financial markets.
“The markets expect an independent, central bank,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) said. “And if they thought for a minute that he wasn’t independent, it would cast a spell over the forecasts and the integrity of the decisions being made by the bank.”
Official Dept of State Readout: President Trump made clear that his administration will hold accountable foreign nationals who are responsible for censorship of protected expression in the United States. Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s political witch hunt against Jair Bolsonaro created a persecution and censorship complex so sweeping that it not only violates basic rights of Brazilians, but also extends beyond Brazil’s shores to target Americans. I have therefore ordered visa revocations for Moraes and his allies on the court, as well as their immediate family members effective immediately.
Trump’s $10bn lawsuit over the Wall Street Journal’s report that he sent Jeffrey Epstein, the late sex offender he socialized with for at least 15 years, a birthday letter with a lewd drawing in 2003 focuses relentlessly on one fact: that the Journal did not publish an image of the letter. That’s because, according to the suit, “the letter was fake and nonexistent”.
Dick Durbin, the senior Democrat on the senate judiciary committee wrote to attorney general Pam Bondi to ask about the work of the 1,000 FBI personnel who reviewed approximately 100,000 Epstein-related records in March. “My office was told that these personnel were instructed to ‘flag’ any records in which President Trump was mentioned”, Durbin wrote. “What happened to the records mentioning President Trump once they were flagged?” he asked.
Wonderful reporting. Thank you!