Norway Wants To Lead A "Viking Bloc" For Containing Russia In Northern Europe

"Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov gave a brief interview to TASS about bilateral relations. He warned that Norway is integrating new NATO members Sweden and Finland into the bloc’s regional plans. More American military bases and NATO facilities are

opening up there too. To make matters worse, 32,500 troops from 14 NATO countries in last March’s “Cold Response” military drills in Norway and Finland’s northern regions, which add to growing NATO threats to Russia from this direction.
NATO’s militarization of the Arctic, which also includes artificially engineered tensions over the demilitarized Svalbard Archipelago, is proceeding in parallel with its militarization of the Baltic.
Korchunov believes that this raises the risk of the bloc one day attempting to blockade Russia. He reassured his compatriots that the authorities will defend their country’s interests, however, including through military-technical means in an allusion to new naval escorts of some commercial vessels." ZeroHedge

NATO member’s government collapses after Ukrainian drone incident

"Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina has announced her resignation amid a government crisis caused by an incident involving Ukrainian kamikaze drones hitting an oil depot near the Russian border.
Silina announced the decision at a press briefing on Thursday. Just hours earlier, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis, a member of Silina’s liberal-conservative Unity party, stated that the prime minister has no intention of leaving office. Meanwhile, the opposition was planning a procedural maneuver to circumvent the five-day pause required under Latvian law before a request for a no-confidence vote is granted.

The crisis in the Baltic state was triggered by an incident last week in which two Ukrainian long-range kamikaze drones hit an empty oil depot near the town of Rezekne, around 40 km from the Russian border. No casualties were reported on the ground.

MP Andris Suvajevs, who leads the Progressives parliamentary faction, stated earlier in the day that the ruling coalition was certain to collapse if a no-confidence motion is put to a vote. The prime minister was expected to take part in a session of parliament, but instead invited the media to her office to announce her resignation. She blamed “political jealousy and narrow party interests” for the crisis.
Moscow has accused NATO nations of tacitly allowing Ukraine to use their airspace to conduct strikes on targets in northwestern Russia, particularly oil export terminals in Leningrad Region. Officials in several countries where incidents involving Ukrainian drones were reported since mid-March have expressed concerns with Kiev’s military planning.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said he told Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky that Helsinki regards Ukrainian aircraft entering its airspace as unacceptable. Estonian Defense Minster Hanno Pevkur said the Ukrainians should “keep their drones away from our territory [and] control their activities better.”

RT

Ukrainian drone crashes in Finland, Kyiv blames Russian electronic warfare

"Drones have strayed into Finnish territory. We are taking the matter very seriously. Security authorities have reacted immediately. The investigation into the incidents continues, and more information will be provided once the information is confirmed, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said. The drones were not intercepted and fell on their own, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said, adding that a Hornet fighter jet was sent to identify the objects. One unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was found north of the city of Kouvola, and another has been found east of the city, according to the Finnish Defense Ministry/" KI

Convicted Italian killer fled justice to join Putin’s army — ends up behind bars

"Gianni Cenni, 52, had a long criminal history before joining Russian forces.
According to reports cited by O2, he was convicted of murder in 1999 after killing a security guard in Milan and served around a decade in prison.

Years later, in 2022, he was accused of sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl and was convicted the following year.
Cenni fled Italy and reportedly moved through Finland and Spain before eventually arriving in Russia.
There, he worked in an Italian restaurant in the city of Samara and is said to have married a Russian woman.
He later signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry and was sent to fight in Ukraine.
In early 2025, Cenni was captured by Ukrainian forces near Kupiansk.
According to Italy’s ANSA news agency, he returned to Italy on March 25.
Upon landing at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, Cenni was immediately detained by Italian authorities.
He is expected to serve a sentence of seven years and two months." Dagenses

Three killed in Sweden as Storm Johannes sweeps across Nordic countries

"A powerful winter storm named Johannes swept across the Nordic countries over the

weekend, killing three people in Sweden and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity across Sweden, Norway, and Finland. 

Sweden’s Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issued widespread alerts for strong winds as the system moved north. The storm, known as Hannes in Finland, also caused major travel disruptions, grounding flights and halting rail and ferry traffic." W

2,200 NATO Troops Amass At Russian Border After Finland Launches ‘Northern Strike’

"Finland

has launched its biggest winter military exercise ever, and it's happening just 100
kilometers from Russia's border. Over 2,200 troops and 500 pieces of military equipment, including cutting-edge Polish rocket launchers, have gathered in the frozen region of Lapland for what's called Northern Strike 225.
This massive military drill represents a dramatic turning point for NATO's readiness in the Arctic, raising serious questions about stability in the region and how Russia will respond. The exercise takes place at the Rovajärvi training ground in early winter conditions, testing artillery systems and command networks in harsh Arctic weather." msn

EU Leaders Want 'Drone Wall' Protecting Eastern Flank From Russian Incursions

"European Union leaders are mulling a joint "drone wall" to boost Europe's defenses,

according to European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier from Brussels.
He previewed that EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius will participate in meeting representatives of seven frontline EU member states, listed as Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania - as cited in Bloomberg. The Ukrainian government is also expected to send representatives to the meeting." ZH

Trump Joint Meeting with EU Leaders, Zelensky Push for Trilateral Meeting with Russia

"European leaders descended on Washington, DC, on Monday in an expression of solidarity

with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of peace talks with U.S. President Trump. However, critics noted that despite the bluster from Brussels, Europe sent more money to Russia for energy than it did to Kyiv in aid last year.....multiple European leaders hastily organised trips of their own, with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen all landing in Washington on Monday." Breitbart

"It Went Very Well" - Trump Sees Imminent "End To The War" After Two-Hour-Call With Putin

 "Confirming the optimistic readout from the Kremlin, President Trump just posted on TruthSocial stating that his call with Putin "went very well." 

Just completed my two hour call with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
I believe it went very well.

Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.
The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.
The tone and spirit of the conversation were excellent. If it wasn’t, I would say so now, rather than later.
Russia wants to do largescale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic “bloodbath” is over, and I agree.
There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country.
Negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will begin immediately.
I have so informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, President Emmanuel Macron, of France, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, of Italy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and President Alexander Stubb, of Finland, during a call with me, immediately after the call with President Putin.
The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations.
Let the process begin!" 

ZeroHedge

Zelensky arrives in Finland

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accompanied by First Lady Olena Zelenska, has arrived in Finland for an official visit." ZeroHedge

Trump is right, NATO chief reacts to US claims on Greenland

"NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte agreed with US President Donald Trump regarding

Greenland, particularly on the issue of defense, Bild reports.
"When it comes to defense in the Arctic, Trump is right. What I think is very good is that the Prime Minister of Denmark immediately began negotiations with President Trump. Essentially, it was about the high relevance of defense in the far north," he said.
According to Rutte, this applies not only to Greenland but also to Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Canada.
"We all need to work together to protect these territories. And Trump is right," emphasized the NATO Secretary General." MS

NATO Sends Two Ships To Guard Baltic Sea Infrastructure From Russian 'Hybrid Warfare'

"NATO is strengthening its military presence in the Baltic Sea in response to the Christmas Day severing of the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia.

A month prior to that incident, in November, two other submarine telecommunication cables, the BCS East-West Interlink and C-Lion1 fiber-optic cables, were damaged.
Soon after the alleged sabotage the West charged that a Russian 'shadow ship' intentionally dragged its anchor on the sea bed in order to damage the vital telecoms links. The vessel in Finnish custody is the Cook Islands-flagged Eagle S.
Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced that the NATO military alliance is sending "two vessels and we are also increasing other activities and presence in the area." ZeroHedge

Russia rehearses attack on Finland and Baltic states

"Russia has rehearsed an attack on Finland and the Baltic states. The media outlet writes that the Russian attack would allegedly be a simultaneous operation of several different units of the Russian army. The attack would have involved tens of thousands of Russian soldiers.
In the north, the 14th Army Corps would attack the Norwegian coast from Murmansk by sea, land and air. The Russians will land in Finnish Lapland. Russian missile troops deployed on the Kola Peninsula will also invade Finland." MS

Finland Boards Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tanker in Connection With Damage of Undersea Electric Cables

"Finnish commandos boarded and seized an oil

tanker Thursday that is believed to have
temporarily disabled the Estlink-2 power line connecting Finland and Estonia. The vessel in question, the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S, was traveling from St. Petersburg to Port Said, Egypt. The Eagle S is thought to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" that smuggles Russian crude oil to market." RedState

NATO warships surround Chinese ship suspected of sabotaging undersea internet cables — ship allegedly dragged anchor 100 miles

"Two undersea internet cables connecting Finland and Sweden to Central Europe were cut last week, with authorities suspecting sabotage. According to the Wall Street Journal, investigators suspect that the Yi Peng 3, a Chinese bulk carrier traveling to Egypt from Russia and loaded with fertilizer, deliberately dropped its anchor in Swedish waters to sever the BCS East-West Interlink cable connecting it to Lithuania and then did it again the following day to damage the C-Lion1 cable between Finland and Germany. In total, they suspect the ship dragged its anchor for over 100 miles.

“It’s extremely unlikely that the captain would not have noticed that his ship dropped and dragged its anchor, losing speed for hours and cutting cables on the way,” said one of the investigators handling the probe. What’s more concerning is that the crew allegedly turned off the ship’s transponder during this time, making it impossible for the Automatic Identification System to track its movement. After the ship hit the second undersea cable, the investigators said that it zigzagged, raised its anchor, and continued underway.
Open maritime tracking sources put the Yi Peng 3 in international waters between Denmark and Sweden. However, it’s currently stopped and surrounded by NATO ships as the investigation is underway. According to one source, the ship’s anchor and hull have damage consistent with dragging and cable damage.
At the moment, Reuters said that Swedish authorities are talking with Ningbo Yipeng Shipping, the ship's owners, to sail it back into Swedish waters. However, since the Yi Peng 3 is anchored in international waters, NATO cannot force it to sail into any port under international maritime law for further investigation." MS

NATO Kicks Off Largest Artillery Drills In Finland, On Russia's Northern Doorstep

"The US Army Europe and Africa on Monday launched what are being described as NATO's largest artillery drills, dubbed Lightning Strike 24, and held in Finland's northernmost region of Lapland.

The exercise involves over 5,000 military personnel from the US and 28 Allied and partner nations, and will feature over 130 weapons systems, aimed at showing off the alliance's field artillery capability. But ironically this comes at a moment many Western nations have complained that their artillery shell stockpiles are dwindling to due supplying them to Ukraine over the past 2+ years of war." 

ZeroHedge

Russia Condemns Finnish Military Drills Near Its Border as NATO Provocation

"Military exercises in Finland near Russia's borders are part of NATO provocations to contain

Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Andrey Nastasin said on Wednesday.
"We view the Finnish military maneuvers held from July 21-26 near the Russian state border with the involvement of approximately 1,700 personnel and 300 vehicles as an integral part of NATO's comprehensive provocative actions to contain Russia, including within the framework of Finland's continuing accelerated integration into the North Atlantic Alliance," Nastasin told reporters." Sputnik

These NATO States Are Embracing Conscription, Eyeing Future War With Russia

"Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has insisted, “Today, we have 500,000 troops on high readiness, combat-ready battlegroups in the eastern part of the Alliance for the first time.” But the bloc is struggling to meet its goals of assembling 300,000 soldiers prepared to be activated within a month and another half a million in six months. There is also a

question of whether the bloc can filed a military fit for a protracted war akin to the Ukraine conflict.
This year, for the first time since it was abolished in 2006, Latvia reimplemented its draft. Male citizens are subject to conscription within a year of turning 18 years old. Additionally, Norway has unveiled a long-term plan to increase its ranks of mandatorily conscripted troops, employees, and reservists by 20,000 as well as double the military budget. In 2015, Lithuania brought back mandatory military service in 2015, each year drafting 3,500 to 4,000 men between the ages of 18-26 for a nine-month period. Although the Finnish Defense Forces employ only 13,000 people during peacetime, Helsinki claims it has the ability to activate over 900,000 reservists with 280,000 combat-ready troops. Sweden conscripts both men and women, Stockholm drafted 7,000 its citizens and the military expects to conscript 8,000 next year. The Swedes have had conscription since 1901." ZH

Putin said he would send more troops to Russia’s border with Finland

"Russian

President Vladimir Putin said he would send more troops to Russia’s border with
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine." AlJazeera

Finnish Mercenary Reported Dead in Ukrainian Conflict

"A Finnish mercenary fighting on the side of the Kiev regime has been killed in the Ukrainian conflict, Ilta-Sanomat has reported.

According to the tabloid, the mercenary who used the call sign “Samson” traveled to Ukraine in December and perished after being mortally wounded during a Russian airstrike near the city of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
An unnamed Brazilian mercenary was also reportedly killed in the same airstrike that claimed Samson’s life." Sputnik