Moscow, We Have a Problem

"Ukraine’s unexpected and rapid advances in the north — as documented by these Russian
sources — have engendered a palpable frustration from writers usually known for their pro-Moscow drumbeating....one Ukraine soldier posted a photo of himself in the just-liberated village of Ivanovka — complete with a menacing message for any Ukrainians who collaborated with the Russians." PJM

Ukraine's Top General Doesn't Rule Out "Limited" Nuclear War

"Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Gen. Valery Zaluzhny stated "There is a direct threat of the use, under certain circumstances, of tactical nuclear weapons by the Russian armed forces." He wrote this in an op-ed published by state run outlet Ukrinform, with the alarming words being picked up by The Washington Post and others." ZH

Assassinations Of Russia-Installed Officials On the Rise in Occupied Ukraine

"Alexei Kovalev was found Sunday shot to death in his home in the Russian-occupied

Ukrainian town of Hola Prystan. 

Nearby lay his girlfriend, reportedly badly injured with stab wounds to her neck, and a Mossberg pump-action shotgun. 

Prior to Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February, Kovalev was a deputy in the Ukrainian parliament and a member of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People party — but, after much of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region was seized by Russian troops in the first weeks of the invasion, he switched sides. 

As well as a politician, Kovalev was also closely involved in the agricultural business for which southern Ukraine is famous, reportedly playing a key role in arranging shipments of Ukrainian grain to Russia after the invasion. 

Kovalev met top Kremlin official Sergei Kiriyenko, who oversees occupied Ukrainian territory, in June, after which he posted on Facebook: “Russia is here seriously and forever!” Two weeks later, he survived a car bombing. 

Perhaps the most exotic assassination attempt so far, took place in early August when the Moscow-appointed head of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo — Kovalev’s boss — was apparently poisoned." MT

Queen Elizabeth II Dead At 96 - Double Rainbow over Buckingham Palace Attributed to Queen and Her Husband

"A double rainbow which appeared in the sky over Buckingham Palace on the day Queen Elizabeth II passed away has been attributed to the late monarch and her husband, Prince Philip. 

The Queen, who has passed away aged 96, bid a final farewell to Prince Philip, her husband of over seven decades, just last year. 

BBC confirms the new King will be known as "King Charles III." ZH

 

Ukraine Retakes Ground Near Kharkiv as Russia’s Defense Wobbles

"Russian forces appeared to be struggling to contain a Ukrainian counteroffensive around the
northeastern city of Kharkiv on Thursday amid claims that Kyiv’s forces had advanced as far as 50 kilometers in a breakthrough involving tanks and artillery.  Russian forces sustained 76 equipment losses Wednesday, according to open-source analytical project Oryx, an estimated 70% of which happened in areas around Kharkiv." MT

EU demands ‘mandatory’ energy rationing

 "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has asked EU member nations to
implement “mandatory” energy rationing policies, calling on the bloc to “flatten the curve” of demand during a press conference in language reminiscent of the darkest days of the Covid-19 lockdowns." RT

Italian journalist ‘rescued after triggering mine’ in Ukraine

"Mattia Sorbi was rescued by Russian forces after a car he was traveling in towards the
frontline triggered a mine, the ministry said in a statement. It claimed that the people from the Ukrainian side who had helped the Italian reach his destination had deliberately set him up, hoping that his death could be blamed on Russia." RT

Blinken In Surprise Visit To Kyiv Unveils $2BN More Aid Amid 'Successful' Counteroffensive

"US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has traveled to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on a
surprise visit where he met with government leaders, visited a children's hospital, and unveiled yet another major military aid package. This new package includes $2 billion in aid for not just Ukraine but other surrounding NATO countries." ZH

U.N. Inspectors Call for Security Zone Around Nuclear Plant

"The International Atomic Energy Agency calls for a ‘safety and security protection zone’ at
the Zaporizhzhia plant." NYT

California declares ‘energy emergency’

"California’s power grid operator has declared an energy emergency, warning that it may
institute rolling blackouts to curb a surge in demand, which has hit all-time record highs as residents crank up the AC to escape an unprecedented heat wave. “If needed, ISO could order utilities to begin rotating power outages to maintain stability of the electric grid,” the agency said, adding that Tuesday’s peak electricity demand is expected to exceed 52,000 megawatts, “a new historic all-time high for the grid.” RT

Russia to buy North Korean artillery shells, rockets

"Russia is buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea, according to
newly declassified intelligence reports from the United States." AlJazeera

Moscow doubles down on energy supply warnings

"Russian officials continue to threaten to cut Russia’s energy supplies to the West, with
Moscow warning it might ship more oil to Asia when a price cap planned by the Group of Seven comes into force.

Meanwhile, a top Gazprom official has said that natural gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline will not resume until Siemens Energy repairs faulty equipment." CNBC

China recently denounced "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources...

"Chinese state media is reporting based on Syrian war monitors that the Pentagon has
expanded its presence inside Syria by establishing a new hub of operations in the northeastern province of Hasakah this past weekend.

"The new military base was set up in the village of Naqara, 3 km southwest of the city of Qamishli in Hasakah province, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights" - as cited in Xinhua.

The biggest, and main US base in Hasakeh province remains at Syria's al-Omar oil fields,...While President Joe Biden has rejected this overt rhetoric focused taking energy resources, the past month witnessed multiple alleged instances of coalition forces ferrying oil across the Iraq border in tanker trucks.  

Another major American base, but which is not in Hasakah, is at al-Tanf. US special forces at the base are there ostensibly in support of Arab and Kurdish anti-Assad fighters. The base's location is strategic, given it is near the three-way border between Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Despite the Pentagon for years touting its "counter-ISIS" mission in Syria, the main US target has clearly remained both the Assad government and its Iranian allies.  

China's foreign ministry denounced the "appalling" US actions of "plundering" Syrian resources..." ZH

Russia Jails Journalist Safronov for 22 Years on Treason Charges

"A Moscow court sentenced reporter Ivan Safronov to 22 years in prison Monday, Russia’s first treason conviction for a journalist since 2001. Safronov, a defense journalist at top Russian newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti who went on to work for state space agency Roscosmos, was convicted of collecting secret information about the Russian military and handing it to spies for the Czech Republic." MT

Putin visits major international war games

"Putin is touring a military range in the country’s Far East, which is hosting the international Vostok 2022 drills. Vostok 2022 is part of a series of strategic military training exercises held by Russia each year. It is hosted by one of its military districts on a rotating basis. This year, the Eastern Military District welcomed 13 foreign nations, which sent troops and observers to Russia.

Over 2,000 foreign troops joined 50,000 Russian soldiers and officers for the drills, the Defense Ministry told journalists. The countries taking part include Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Tajikistan." RT