Ukraine’s Zelensky, Wife Pose for Vogue While Their Country Is Invaded

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By Breitbart. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife, First Lady Olena Zelenska, posed for a special digital cover for Vogue magazine while their country continues to be invaded by Russia.

Zelensky and Zelenska were photographed by famed American photographer Annie Leibovitz for the Vogue digital cover which has been promoted across the fashion magazine’s social media platforms.

The cover, featuring Zelenska, reads “Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska” on the steps of the presidential office compound in Kyiv, Ukraine. Zelensky, who posed alongside his wife, can be seen chatting with Leibovitz in a behind-the-scenes video posted by Vogue.

While Zelensky and Zelenska pose for Vogue, American taxpayers have footed the bill for tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine even as inflation and skyrocketing gas prices cripple working and middle class American families and the United States heads toward a recession.

In one portion of his interview with Vogue, Zelensky shrugged off the crushing economic realities facing American taxpayers as they help fund his country’s war with Russia — plunging the U.S. further into inflationary pressures.

(Read more from “Ukraine’s Zelensky, Wife Pose for Vogue While Their Country Is Invaded” HERE)

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Zelensky Responds to Americans Unhappy With Spending to Support Ukraine

By Newsweek. Ukraine’s President Volodymr Zelensky said that Americans balking at the cost of U.S. support for Kyiv’s fight against Russian aggression should keep in mind “we are fighting for absolutely communal values.”

In an interview with journalist and broadcaster Piers Morgan, Zelensky was asked whether he was worried that Americans might be concerned at the amount Washington was spending in its military support for Kyiv’s forces. . .

But Zelensky said the war that Washington was helping Kyiv fight was “still the war against those values that are professed in the United States and in Europe.”

“As long as we are resisting it, the integrity of the United States will continue, therefore we are giving our lives for your values and the joint security of the world,” he told the New York Post. (Read more from “Zelensky Responds to Americans Unhappy With Spending to Support Ukraine” HERE)

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Experts: Putin Might Be Saving Aerial Firepower for Attack on NATO

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NATO released a report Wednesday suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin might be saving his aerial firepower amid the war in Ukraine for a potential attack on NATO nations.

The NATO Defense College’s brief, “Russia’s military after Ukraine: down but not out,” outlines Russia’s resources amid losses in its current “special military operation” in Ukraine.

“Russia has not utilized its full military potential in the attack against Ukraine,” the analysis read. “It did not order general mobilization. Maintaining the ability to engage, if needed, in operations against NATO may explain some of the characteristics and ‘surprises’ of the Russian war against Ukraine, for example the limited use of airpower, gradual deployment of older and less precise weapon systems, or what appear to be subdued attacks in cyberspace.

“The official Russian narrative is almost always defensive, but the essence of Moscow’s approach is to change the status quo. In this context, an attack against a NATO country remains a possibility.”

Military experts have long warned that Putin’s designs on Ukraine might extend to other former Soviet Union nations, including those that have already been given defense assurances through NATO. (Read more from “Experts: Putin Might Be Saving Aerial Firepower for Attack on NATO” HERE)

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Who Is the ‘Merchant of Death’ Arms Dealer Biden Offered Russia in Prisoner Swap?

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Stashed away in a federal penitentiary deep in the bowels of Illinois sits a notorious Russian arms dealer named Viktor Bout, a man the Biden administration is rumored to be eyeing as a bargaining chip to procure the release of two American prisoners.

Bout has gone by many names over the years, such as the “Merchant of Death” and “Sanctions Buster” — titles he earned for his alleged ruthless and savvy arms dealing from Eastern Europe into Africa and the Middle East following the collapse of the Soviet Union. His black market exploits inspired the Nicolas Cage flick Lord of War and ultimately led to his arrest in 2008 for conspiring to kill Americans.

“All that remains is for the U.S. government to have the courage to admit the obvious — get what we can for Viktor Bout,” Bout’s lawyer Steve Zissou said, per the Washington Post. “The alternative should be obvious — no Americans will be exchanged unless Viktor Bout is sent home along with them.”

The Kremlin has long called for Bout’s release since he was first detained by authorities in Thailand back in 2008 upon the request of the United States. And now, there are two U.S. nationals being held in Russia, Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, whom the Biden administration has been keen to set free.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. offered a “significant proposal” for their release — a proposition CNN reported to be Bout’s release in a prisoner swap, as had long been rumored. (Read more from “Who Is the ‘Merchant of Death’ Arms Dealer Biden Offered Russia in Prisoner Swap?” HERE)

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McDonald’s Revenue Takes Hit After Russia Exit

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McDonald’s exit from Russia in April sparked a revenue drop at the fast-food giant despite US sales that were goosed by higher prices amid surging inflation.

The company’s overall revenue dipped 3% to $5.8 billion in the second quarter largely because McDonald’s closed its company-owned eateries in Russia and Ukraine after the war broke out. Profits fell by nearly half due to a $1.2 billion charge related to the sale of the Russian business, the company said Tuesday.

Russia was one of the company’s largest international markets, with McDonald’s reporting that it owned 84% of its 847 restaurants in the country.

At the same time, menu price increases fueled a 9.7% increase in global comparable sales including a 3.7% increase in the US but excluding stores that were exited in Russia. (Read more from “McDonald’s Revenue Takes Hit After Russia Exit” HERE)

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Another Catastrophic Biden Failure: Russia Rolling in Cash Due to Ukraine War, Sanctions

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Despite repeated assurances from President Biden and other Western leaders that “the toughest economic sanctions in history” would cripple Russia’s economy and starve its war machine, that hasn’t happened. Russia’s current account, which measures global trade in goods and services, was strong in the second quarter of this year when its trade surplus rose to a record $70.1 billion. The ruble, too, has exhibited remarkable resiliency, ranking as the strongest performing currency so far this year, rising to its highest level against the euro since 2015 and making major gains against the dollar.

What accounts for Putin’s bulging coffers? The simple answer: high commodity prices and Russia’s continued ability to export oil, gas, grain, and even gold to non-Western countries.

The economic picture isn’t as rosy for the countries sanctioning Russia. Europe is struggling to meet its energy needs, driving up inflation and forcing countries at the vanguard of the green movement to backpedal. Germany, for example, whose minister of economic affairs and climate action comes from the Green Party, was forced to reactivate seventeen coal-fired power plants it previously had shut down. President Biden, with inflation sitting at a forty-year high, recently begged Saudi Arabia’s leaders—a regime it had been shunning—to come to the rescue by pumping more crude to help bring down gas prices and ease the inflationary pressure high fuel prices are placing on other goods.

. . . The combination of sanctions and war disrupted energy and grain supplies, creating an economic opportunity that Russia has exploited. Indeed, according to the Helsinki-based Center for Energy and Clean Air, Moscow earned $100 billion in revenue from oil, gas, and coal sales in the first three months of the war alone.

While the Biden administration was drawing down the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to increase available supplies and lower gasoline prices—plunging America’s emergency reserve to its lowest level since the mid-1980s—Russia’s oil exports had bounced back to pre-war levels by May. (Read more from “Another Catastrophic Biden Failure: Russia Rolling in Cash Due to Ukraine War, Sanctions” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

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Canada Joins The Netherlands In Declaring Climate-Crazed War On Farmers

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In his latest bid to amass greater control of Canadian society, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to move forward with his government’s plan to reduce nitrogen emissions by limiting fertilizer use among Canadian farmers.

The revelation came following a Friday meeting between Trudeau and Canadian provincial ministers, where the prime minister unexpectedly announced his decision to cap fertilizer emissions by unilaterally targeting the country’s agricultural sector.

“Fertilizer emissions reduction was not even a topic on the agenda of the annual meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial ministers of agriculture,” a joint Alberta-Saskatchewan government press release reads. “Provinces pushed the federal government to discuss this important topic, but were disappointed to learn that the target is already set. The commitment to future consultations are only to determine how to meet the target that Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Bibeau have already unilaterally imposed on this industry, not to consult on what is achievable or attainable.”

As referenced in the press release, the targets set by the federal government include a bid “to reduce absolute levels of [greenhouse gas] emissions arising from fertilizer application by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030,” which the Trudeau administration previously announced in December 2020. While Trudeau has not publicly released specific mandates, the provincial governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan are blasting the prime minister for advancing the policy.

“We’re really concerned with this arbitrary goal,” said Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture David Marit. “The Trudeau government has apparently moved on from their attack on the oil and gas industry and set their sights on Saskatchewan farmers.” (Read more from “Canada Joins the Netherlands in Declaring Climate-Crazed War on Farmers” HERE)

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Myth of Democracy: Country Legalizes Gay Marriage Despite Population Voting Against It 3 Times

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Slovenia’s Constitutional Court has legalized gay marriage and gay adoption despite the country’s population voting against it in three separate national referendums.

The country became the first former communist eastern bloc country to legalize homosexual marriage, but it did so in complete violation of the democratic will of the people.

“On July 8, six judges voted to legalize same-sex marriages and adoptions, while three voted against,” reports Remix News.

“The majority argued that a ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional. According to Radio France, the ruling came after two gay couples filed complaints that they could not marry or adopt children.”

Slovenians last rejected gay marriage in a 2015 national referendum, with 60 per cent voting against it, the third such repudiation of the matter. (Read more from “Myth of Democracy: Country Legalizes Gay Marriage Despite Population Voting Against It 3 Times” HERE)

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UN Chief: New Ukraine-Russia Deal Is a ‘Beacon on the Black Sea’ for Food Crisis

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Ukraine and Russia have agreed a deal that would allow the resumption of vital grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at easing a global food crisis sparked by the war, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday.

Ministers from both countries signed an agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul.

The breakthrough followed months of negotiations, and promises to unblock ports on the Black Sea to allow the safe passage of grain and oilseeds — some of Ukraine’s most important exports.

Russia has so far been blocking maritime access to those ports, meaning that millions of tons of Ukrainian grain has not been exported to the many countries that rely on it. (Read more from “UN Chief: New Ukraine-Russia Deal Is a ‘Beacon on the Black Sea’ for Food Crisis” HERE)

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Deadly Distraction: Putin Could Be Facing Another War Front — This One on His Own Turf

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Russian President Vladimir Putin could be facing another war front, this time on his own turf, as one Chechen battalion prepares a second offensive against Moscow, a spokesman for the volunteer fighting force in Ukraine said.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, volunteer Chechen forces joined the fight in support of Kyiv — fueling the flames to a long-held animus towards not only Russia, but Putin.

“We know the enemy’s positions, where Russian military bases are,” Islam Belokiev, spokesman for the Sheikh Mansur Battalion, said in a video message obtained by Fox News Digital this week while announcing a plan to once again fight for Chechen independence. “We have divided the Chechen Republic of Icheriya into three fronts and 16 sectors.”

Chechen resistance to Russian rule dates back centuries, and calls for independence began more than 30 years ago following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Broad autonomy was granted under a peace treaty signed by then Russian President Boris Yeltsin after a brutal war devastated the republic from 1994-1996. (Read more from “Deadly Distraction: Putin Could Be Facing Another War Front — This One on His Own Turf” HERE)

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Russian Lawmakers Blame Losses on Experimental Ukrainian Super-Soldiers

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Russia on Monday outrageously claimed that its massive army has failed to deliver Ukraine to President Vladimir Putin because it is fighting against experimental super-soldiers, turned into “cruel killing machines” by US studies.

Two Russian lawmakers told reporters this week that the Kremlin is investigating the blood of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and has found “evidence” of experimentation, Russian outlet Kommersant reported.

Russian Senator Konstantin Kosachev told the outlet that the blood of Ukrainian prisoners contained traces of pathogens he claimed were “atypical” for Ukraine.

Kosachev claimed this was evidence of “experiments” being conducted on Ukrainian servicemen.

IrIrina Yarovaya, deputy chair of the State Duma, took the claims further, and said the supposed experiments were focused on the creation of more vicious soldiers. (Read more from “Russian Lawmakers Blame Losses on Experimental Ukrainian Super-Soldiers” HERE)

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