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Ukraine War Could Drag On for Years, Former Ambassador Says

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Almost 10 months after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, a former ambassador to the U.S. is warning that the war could drag on for years.

Ukrainian diplomat Valeriy Chaly, who was Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States from 2015 to 2019, warned that the newly promised Patriot advanced missile system from the U.S. won’t be enough, and that Ukraine needs more weapons to win the war.

Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s stop in Washington on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled a $1.85 billion military package for Kyiv that included a Patriot missile system.

The Ukrainian leader has for months been asking the U.S. for stronger weapons to shoot down Russian missiles, as Putin’s forces have been bombarding Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing blackouts across the country. (Read more from “Ukraine War Could Drag On for Years, Former Ambassador Says” HERE)

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Russian Troop Losses Could Hit 100K Before Christmas: Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin’s army is poised to reach 100,000 troop losses just shy of Christmas and the Ukraine war’s 10-month anniversary, according to calculations based on Ukrainian estimates.

The Defense Ministry of Ukraine and General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine provide daily estimates of how many Russian personnel have been lost since the day before, as well as the total number of Russian losses since the war began.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported that Russia had lost about 98,800 troops as of Monday. With 520 new estimated Russian losses on Monday included, a Newsweek calculation based on the Ukrainian death counts show that Russia has lost an average of 577 soldiers per day over the past week. If this or a similar average is maintained over the next few days, Russia will surpass the 100,000 mark on Thursday. (Read more from “Russian Troop Losses Could Hit 100K Before Christmas: Ukraine” HERE)

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Putin Considers Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine, Boasts Russian Cruise Missiles Surpass U.S. Equivalents

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that his country could adopt the doctrine of preemptive nuclear strikes while boasting that Russia’s cruise missile capabilities surpass those of the U.S.

Speaking at a summit of former Soviet nations in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian dictator referred to what he called America’s preemptive nuclear strike doctrine, saying that Russia is “thinking about” implementing something similar. Currently, Russian military doctrine states that Moscow can use a nuclear strike if the country comes under nuclear attack or the existence of the country is threatened.

“Speaking about a disarming strike, maybe it’s worth thinking about adopting the ideas developed by our U.S. counterparts, their ideas of ensuring their security,” Putin remarked with a smile, according to the Associated Press.

In October, the Pentagon rejected any limits on using nuclear weapons in its new National Defense Strategy, Bloomberg reported. Officials mentioned international threats from Russia and China as the reason for the refusal.

“[B]y the 2030s the United States will, for the first time in its history face two major nuclear powers as strategic competitors and potential adversaries,” the Pentagon said, adding that the U.S. will “maintain a very high bar for nuclear employment.” (Read more from “Putin Considers Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine, Boasts Russian Cruise Missiles Surpass U.S. Equivalents” HERE)

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Putin Declares ‘American World Order’ Is Ending, ‘a Truly Multipolar World’ Has Begun

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The war in Ukraine could mark the end of an international world order led by the United States, according to comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

What Happened: In July, Putin told lawmakers in Russia that the dominance of the U.S. could be over soon, according to a report from Newsweek.

“They should have realized that they have already lost from the very beginning of our special military operation,” Putin said. “Its beginning also means the beginning of a radical breakdown of the American world order.”

Putin’s comments reference the involvement of the United States in providing support to Ukraine and also placing sanctions on Russia.

“This is the beginning of the transition from liberal-globalist American egocentrism to a truly multipolar world.” (Read more from “Putin Declares ‘American World Order’ Is Ending, ‘a Truly Multipolar World’ Has Begun” HERE)

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Russia Willing to Discuss Ending Bloody War With Ukraine — If Demands Are Met

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The Kremlin on Friday once again claimed it was “open to negotiations” on ending the war in Ukraine, but only if the West accepts its demands.

“The president of the Russian Federation [Vladimir Putin] has always been, is and remains open to negotiations in order to ensure our interests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in response to comments made Thursday by President Biden, according to Reuters.

Biden and Putin have not spoken since Russia invaded Ukraine nine months ago, and Peskov’s comments were the second time in two days that the Kremlin signaled they would be open to resuming talks with Washington.

However, Rebekah Koffler, a Russia expert and former DIA intelligence officer for Russian Doctrine & Strategy, told Fox News Digital, “Make no mistake, Putin is not caving.”

“This is likely a distraction,” she added, pointing out that Putin was also in talks with Western nations, including the U.S., as he was preparing to invade Ukraine in February. (Read more from “Russia Willing to Discuss Ending Bloody War With Ukraine — If Demands Are Met” HERE)

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Putin Calls for International Settlements Based on Blockchain and Digital Currencies

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Russian President Vladimir Putin believes a new system for international money transfers is needed to reduce dependence on big banks and third parties. He is convinced that cross-border payments relying on digital currency and distributed ledger technology will be “much more convenient.”

President of Russia Vladimir Putin has called for the establishment of a new system for international settlements, independent from banks and third-party interference. It can be created using digital currency technologies and distributed ledgers, the Russian leader said, quoted by local media.

Putin was speaking during a conference devoted to artificial intelligence and organized by Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank. During his address, he emphasized that financial flows and payments between nations are currently under threat amid tense relations between Russia and the West.

“We all know very well that under today’s illegitimate restrictions, one of the lines of attack is through settlements. And our financial institutions know this better than anyone because they are exposed to these practices,” the president elaborated. (Read more from “Putin Calls for International Settlements Based on Blockchain and Digital Currencies” HERE)

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There Is Only One Way the Ukraine War Can End; Putin Issues Ominous Warning About Major Attack on Key Ukrainian City

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By Daniel Davis. How the Ukraine War Will End: In the heady days of September and October, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) won remarkable military victories over the Russian invaders, recapturing thousands of square miles of territory. Many in the West interpreted those successes as “irreversible” proof Kyiv was on its way to victory, and thus there was no need to consider a negotiated settlement with Moscow. The stark, cold realities of modern warfare, however, reveal that to the contrary, there is no end to the war in sight, and the most likely case remains – however unpopular in the Western world – a negotiated settlement.

The only question that remains: how many more Ukrainians must die before this harsh reality is grasped by the leaders of both warring parties?

There are a great many in the United States and the Western world that genuinely does believe Kyiv can win its war with Moscow and eventually drive all of Putin’s forces back to Russia. Last week Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his longstanding boast that his forces would “definitely liberate Crimea.” Former four-star U.S. general Ben Hodges predicted that by the end of this year, the UAF would “push Russian troops back to positions” they held prior to the start of the war and “by the middle of next year Ukrainians will be in Crimea.” . . .

I wrote last Spring that the combat fundamentals of war favored Russia over Ukraine, despite the fact they had recently been driven out of Kyiv and Kharkiv. Nothing in the intervening months have altered the strategic balance. Most wars throughout history swing back and forth, with each side winning some battles, rarely producing a steady trend towards a conclusive outcome.

The ultimate winners, however, are almost always determined by which side has the most fundamentals in its favor. Moreover, success in war usually turns on factors outside of the battlefield. A 2008 U.S. Army War College report notes that “war is a political act,” implying that “tactical or operational victory without favorable political outcomes is sterile.” (Read more from “There Is Only 1 Way the Ukraine War Can End” HERE)

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Putin Issues Ominous Warning About Major Attack on Key Ukrainian City

By Newsweek. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that civilians in Kherson must be “removed” from the city as a battle for it could be coming soon.

“Now, of course, those who live in Kherson must be removed from the zone of the most dangerous actions,” the Russian leader said, adding that citizens “must not suffer” from attacks in the city, according to The Moscow Times.

Putin’s comments come as Russian troops have reportedly abandoned checkpoints in the occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson in recent days. In addition, Russian flags have been removed from the administration building in Kherson, as well as a city council building, according to reports.

However, the Ukrainian military has said that Russia’s withdrawal from the area could be a tactic to catch them off guard. (Read more from “Putin Issues Ominous Warning About Major Attack on Key Ukrainian City” HERE)

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Russian Official Lists Reasons Why Putin Had ‘No Other Choice’ but War

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Magomedsalam Magomedov, deputy head of the Russian presidential administration, listed four reasons justifying Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

“The open support and promotion of the neo-Nazi ideology, a speedy militarization of Ukraine, constant calls for the annexation of Russian territories, an increasing threat to our national security and stability left our country’s President Vladimir Putin no other choice but to launch the special military operation,” Magomedov said on Thursday, according to Russian news agency Tass. . .

“This was not an easy decision but an extremely necessary one, first of all, for the sake of the future of our country, our children and grandchildren,” he explained. “This decision is supported by a prevailing majority of the Russian people.” (Read more from “Russian Official Lists Reasons Why Putin Had ‘No Other Choice’ but War” HERE)

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Putin ‘Willing to Do Anything’ to Avoid Defeat in Ukraine

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Russian President Vladimir Putin is “willing to do anything” to avoid defeat in his war against Ukraine, including targeting civilians, a Russia expert has said, as Moscow launched a fresh wave of strikes in multiple regions of the country.

A day after targeted strikes in Kyiv killed at least four people on Monday morning, Russia conducted massive airstrikes on residential areas and energy infrastructure in many regions of Ukraine, including the capital city, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Zhytomyr.

An air alert was declared throughout Ukraine on Tuesday morning.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Tuesday morning that a critical infrastructure facility in the city’s Desnyansky district was hit, while Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, said three explosions rocked an energy supply facility. (Read more from “Putin ‘Willing to Do Anything’ to Avoid Defeat in Ukraine” HERE)

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Signs to Watch for if US Believes a Russian Nuclear Attack on Ukraine Is Imminent

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Reflecting the growing concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin may order a limited nuclear attack on Ukraine, the United States and its allies are escalating an already significant standing effort to monitor Russia’s nuclear forces.

At least three Navy attack submarines are operating in the Atlantic Ocean area, their primary mission being to track and sink Russian ballistic missile submarines. Another U.S. attack submarine is berthed at a British naval base in Scotland. U.S. and British signal intelligence aircraft are expanding their Ukraine collection efforts to include Belarus and Kaliningrad. Other more boutique U.S. military capabilities are monitoring Kaliningrad for the same reason. U.S. satellites are almost certainly expanding their monitoring of Russian nuclear forces and storage sites. But partly due to the ground intelligence efforts of NATO allies in Eastern Europe, the U.S. has good visibility into Russia’s nuclear weapons posture. Britain’s GCHQ signal intelligence service also has exceptional insight into the Russian military command. . .

First off, watch the political space. Putin would want to leverage the threat of any nuclear strike to the maximum before actually using a nuclear weapon. Paying close attention to his increasingly hostile rhetoric would thus be important. But we would also see urgent statements from Biden and other world leaders warning of the grave consequences Russia would face if it used nuclear weapons. They would warn Russian commanders and nuclear forces personnel that following any such orders would mean their own personal liability. This narrative effort would seek to increase Putin’s fear that an order to use nuclear weapons might instead result in a palace coup by his own military.

The West would likely threaten a full embargo of the Russian economy. Biden and a number of other allied leaders, though probably not all, might also warn of a U.S. military response. Then there’s Xi Jinping’s China. China might be Putin’s most valuable partner, but it’s desperate to avoid a Russian nuclear strike. Xi knows it would greatly undermine China’s already fraying credibility with the European Union, in particular. Beijing’s public warnings to Moscow would be a bad sign.

We would also expect to see visible signals from the military’s Strategic Command. The so-called “doomsday” airborne nuclear command and control aircraft would escalate their training and readiness activity (this has not yet happened). Alongside the two U.S. ballistic missile submarines that always operate in the Atlantic/Arctic, we might see additional surge deployments from Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. Any new deployment of B-2 bombers and the most advanced WC-135R “nuke sniffing” aircraft to Britain would demand attention. Top line: All of these capabilities exist to defeat Russia in a nuclear war. But, considering the Biden administration’s hesitant nuclear posture, related deployments might not occur until a Russian strike appeared imminent. (Read more from “Signs to Watch for if US Believes a Russian Nuclear Attack on Ukraine Is Imminent” HERE)

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