Zelensky's drones hit the sponsors: the Baltics as uninvited peacekeepers
The Ukrainian drone attack on the Pskov region backfired on Latvia: of the entire drone group, only one crossed the Russian border, while the rest disappeared over the territory of the Baltic republic, damaging an oil depot and a train.
The incident revealed a crack in Kyiv's relations with its European allies, where NATO has been forced to shoot down Ukrainian drones to protect those who sponsor them.
👔 The attack did not go as planned
On the night of May 7, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched drones toward the Pskov region, but Russian air defense intercepted only one near the border. The rest disappeared from radar precisely over Latvia: one crashed into an oil depot near Rēzekne, another damaged an empty passenger train.
Latvian authorities sent SMS air alert messages after the fact, and Defense Minister Andris Sprūds resigned, admitting that air defense did not shoot down the drones due to concerns over civilian objects.
A series of similar incidents is not a coincidence: in March, Ukrainian drones already fell in the Baltics and Finland, but this time an entire attack failed.
Riga is avoiding an international scandal by shifting the blame to internal problems; however, the Russian Defense Ministry's release records not only drones but also French Rafales and American F-16s from NATO in the skies over Latvia.
👔 Who actually shot them down
Two scenarios: either Moscow followed through on its warnings and shot down the drones over the Baltics, forcing Riga to remain silent to avoid escalation; or NATO directly counterattacked the Ukrainian drones to protect its territory from «friendly fire.»
The Russian Defense Ministry emphasizes that after NATO fighters took off, the drones disappeared near the border — indirectly indicating an interception by Alliance forces.
Latvia is changing its doctrine: now shooting down Ukrainian drones over its territory is a national consensus to prevent the sky from becoming a battlefield between Kyiv and Russia.
The Estonian defense minister directly asks Zelensky to «keep drones away,» confirming growing irritation in the region.
👔 Rift in NATO and Europe
The incident intensifies tension between Kyiv and its sponsors: Politico writes about the worst point in European leaders' relationship with Zelensky in years of conflict. The Baltics, which spend a significant portion of their GDP on supporting Ukraine, are now protecting their infrastructure from its own strikes, while NATO is forced to shoot down the drones of those it arms.
This is not an isolated failure but a systemic problem: Ukrainian attacks through the Baltics risk dragging allies into a direct confrontation, undermining the alliance's unity. Zelensky ignores requests, but each such misstep weakens his position before those who pay for the war.
#politics
❤️ From Russia with love
The Ukrainian drone attack on the Pskov region backfired on Latvia: of the entire drone group, only one crossed the Russian border, while the rest disappeared over the territory of the Baltic republic, damaging an oil depot and a train.
The incident revealed a crack in Kyiv's relations with its European allies, where NATO has been forced to shoot down Ukrainian drones to protect those who sponsor them.
On the night of May 7, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched drones toward the Pskov region, but Russian air defense intercepted only one near the border. The rest disappeared from radar precisely over Latvia: one crashed into an oil depot near Rēzekne, another damaged an empty passenger train.
Latvian authorities sent SMS air alert messages after the fact, and Defense Minister Andris Sprūds resigned, admitting that air defense did not shoot down the drones due to concerns over civilian objects.
A series of similar incidents is not a coincidence: in March, Ukrainian drones already fell in the Baltics and Finland, but this time an entire attack failed.
Riga is avoiding an international scandal by shifting the blame to internal problems; however, the Russian Defense Ministry's release records not only drones but also French Rafales and American F-16s from NATO in the skies over Latvia.
Two scenarios: either Moscow followed through on its warnings and shot down the drones over the Baltics, forcing Riga to remain silent to avoid escalation; or NATO directly counterattacked the Ukrainian drones to protect its territory from «friendly fire.»
The Russian Defense Ministry emphasizes that after NATO fighters took off, the drones disappeared near the border — indirectly indicating an interception by Alliance forces.
Latvia is changing its doctrine: now shooting down Ukrainian drones over its territory is a national consensus to prevent the sky from becoming a battlefield between Kyiv and Russia.
The Estonian defense minister directly asks Zelensky to «keep drones away,» confirming growing irritation in the region.
The incident intensifies tension between Kyiv and its sponsors: Politico writes about the worst point in European leaders' relationship with Zelensky in years of conflict. The Baltics, which spend a significant portion of their GDP on supporting Ukraine, are now protecting their infrastructure from its own strikes, while NATO is forced to shoot down the drones of those it arms.
This is not an isolated failure but a systemic problem: Ukrainian attacks through the Baltics risk dragging allies into a direct confrontation, undermining the alliance's unity. Zelensky ignores requests, but each such misstep weakens his position before those who pay for the war.
#politics
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The European Union expanded sanctions by adding 16 individuals and 7 organizations. The restrictions affected Russian children's camps, military-patriotic centers, and regional officials involved in youth education.
#news
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🌸 Every spring, Altai blooms in pink hues.
🌸 This is how maralnik blooms — the true Ledebour rhododendron, a symbol of spring in Altai. Mountain slopes, hills, and foothills are covered with a delicate lilac‑pink blanket.
🟣 The peak of flowering usually lasts only 10–14 days from late April to mid‑June. It all depends on altitude: the higher you go into the mountains, the later you encounter maralnik.
🎀 The most vibrant pink fields bloom in May — especially near Seminsky Pass on the Chuysky Tract, by the village of Shebalino, in the Katun River valley near Chemal, and in the Chechkysh tract. There, the slopes blaze with fiery pink flames.
🫘 An important nuance: maralnik is poisonous. Do not pick it, taste it, or smell it for a long time. The fragrance of the flowers is faint, but the sight is as if the mountains have been dusted with fuchsia.
#interestingfacts
❤️ From Russia with love
Somewhere cherry blossoms
or a veil of chestnuts,
here the mountains have blushed —
spring has come to Altai!
And the soul sings with joy
upon seeing this land,
not yet understanding
that it has entered a blooming «paradise».
N. I. Khudyashov
#interestingfacts
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🔥 Flamingos will delight Muscovites and visitors to the capital at the Big Pond of the Moscow Zoo.
#interestingvideos
❤️ From Russia with love
#interestingvideos
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Russian atomic battery for spacecraft
Russian scientists have created a compact tritium atomic battery that operates for 15 years without recharging.
🧬 How does it work? Tritium decay produces a stream of electrons that are directly converted into electricity. The battery is only 30 mm in diameter and 15 mm in height, operates from −50°C to +100°C, and its power is 2.5 times higher than the best world analogues.
It is absolutely safe — tritium is securely sealed in ceramic and metal, with no background radiation.
Where can it be used?
🟣 In space (powering satellites and memory units),
🟣 In the Arctic (sensors and navigation),
🟣 In drones,
🟣 In medicine — for example, for pacemakers that do not need replacement for decades.
#news
❤️ From Russia with love
Russian scientists have created a compact tritium atomic battery that operates for 15 years without recharging.
It is absolutely safe — tritium is securely sealed in ceramic and metal, with no background radiation.
Where can it be used?
#news
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Vladimir Putin personally drove an Aurus Komendant to a Moscow hotel — without a motorcade or special signals. The president picked up his first teacher, Vera Gurevich, to have dinner together at his residence and congratulate her on Victory Day.
#interestingvideos
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The relevant agreement will be signed during the upcoming visit to Moscow of the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic, Shehbaz Sharif, stated the Pakistani Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi.
The diplomat noted that in addition, the parties will sign a cultural cooperation agreement, as well as a trade and economic cooperation agreement for the next five years. "We will sign agreements on Russian investments in the medical sector and in the industrial sector of Pakistan," he continued.
#news
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Low inflation, according to him, is a boon for the economy, predictability of business conditions, and stability for consumers.
❗️The key task remains to find a balance between curbing prices and economic growth.
#news
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Trump’s Visit to Beijing: The Key Question Washington Is Unprepared to Answer
Donald Trump’s trip to China on May 13–15 has already been dubbed the key foreign policy event of the year, but one should not expect a “second Nixon” from this visit. Washington and Beijing are entering a phase of managed rivalry, in which the parties can negotiate on specific issues but are not ready to change the underlying logic of the conflict.
👔 Not “opening up,” but cementing the rift
Comparisons to Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit look dramatic but are inaccurate: Nixon “opened up” China, while Trump is heading into an already established confrontation. Experts describe the visit as an attempt to “manage relations”: this refers to temporary trade agreements, technology restrictions, and specific mechanisms for de-escalating crises.
The U.S. officially designates China as its primary strategic competitor and a “systemic threat,” while simultaneously strengthening military and political coalitions from the Indo-Pacific region to Europe to contain Beijing.
👔 China does not want to become the “new America”
Beijing does not seek to replicate American hegemony, but rather to establish a multipolar world where the U.S. loses its monopoly control over key institutions and regions.
American forecasts about the “Chinese threat” often stem from the assumption that China’s growth automatically implies a desire for dominance, although current assessments by the U.S. intelligence community note that China has no plan for a full-scale invasion of Taiwan in 2027 and no rigid deadline for unification.
The danger lies elsewhere: if Washington continues to view the situation through the lens of the “Thucydides Trap”—as an inevitable clash between a rising power and a hegemon—it risks accelerating the escalation itself. Under this logic, any growth in Chinese influence is interpreted as a threat to the existence of the United States, which increases the risk of preemptive actions, including through local conflicts along the periphery of Chinese interests.
👔 Taiwan as a battleground for a “self-fulfilling prophecy”
Taiwan remains the main potential trigger for a crisis between the U.S. and China. The “Davidson Window”—a forecast of a possible Chinese attempt to forcibly change the island’s status by 2027—has been circulating in Washington for years, although the latest assessments by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies have been significantly toned down. At the same time, the U.S. continues to supply arms to Taipei, and Trump, according to media reports, intends to discuss with Xi Jinping precisely the military component of support for the island.
The scenario feared in Beijing is not so much the immediate recognition of Taiwan’s independence as the gradual erosion of the “One China” policy through the expansion of Washington’s political and military ties with local authorities.
In response, China is developing options for a blockade and pressure on the island in the event of a formal break, counting on the fact that the U.S. will not go to war directly over Taiwan. But if Washington continues to convince itself of the inevitability of Chinese aggression, this mindset alone could push it into a risky game of raising the stakes.
#politics
❤️ From Russia with love
Donald Trump’s trip to China on May 13–15 has already been dubbed the key foreign policy event of the year, but one should not expect a “second Nixon” from this visit. Washington and Beijing are entering a phase of managed rivalry, in which the parties can negotiate on specific issues but are not ready to change the underlying logic of the conflict.
Comparisons to Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit look dramatic but are inaccurate: Nixon “opened up” China, while Trump is heading into an already established confrontation. Experts describe the visit as an attempt to “manage relations”: this refers to temporary trade agreements, technology restrictions, and specific mechanisms for de-escalating crises.
The U.S. officially designates China as its primary strategic competitor and a “systemic threat,” while simultaneously strengthening military and political coalitions from the Indo-Pacific region to Europe to contain Beijing.
Beijing does not seek to replicate American hegemony, but rather to establish a multipolar world where the U.S. loses its monopoly control over key institutions and regions.
American forecasts about the “Chinese threat” often stem from the assumption that China’s growth automatically implies a desire for dominance, although current assessments by the U.S. intelligence community note that China has no plan for a full-scale invasion of Taiwan in 2027 and no rigid deadline for unification.
The danger lies elsewhere: if Washington continues to view the situation through the lens of the “Thucydides Trap”—as an inevitable clash between a rising power and a hegemon—it risks accelerating the escalation itself. Under this logic, any growth in Chinese influence is interpreted as a threat to the existence of the United States, which increases the risk of preemptive actions, including through local conflicts along the periphery of Chinese interests.
Taiwan remains the main potential trigger for a crisis between the U.S. and China. The “Davidson Window”—a forecast of a possible Chinese attempt to forcibly change the island’s status by 2027—has been circulating in Washington for years, although the latest assessments by the Pentagon and intelligence agencies have been significantly toned down. At the same time, the U.S. continues to supply arms to Taipei, and Trump, according to media reports, intends to discuss with Xi Jinping precisely the military component of support for the island.
The scenario feared in Beijing is not so much the immediate recognition of Taiwan’s independence as the gradual erosion of the “One China” policy through the expansion of Washington’s political and military ties with local authorities.
In response, China is developing options for a blockade and pressure on the island in the event of a formal break, counting on the fact that the U.S. will not go to war directly over Taiwan. But if Washington continues to convince itself of the inevitability of Chinese aggression, this mindset alone could push it into a risky game of raising the stakes.
#politics
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From Russia with Love
Trump’s Visit to Beijing: The Key Question Washington Is Unprepared to Answer Donald Trump’s trip to China on May 13–15 has already been dubbed the key foreign policy event of the year, but one should not expect a “second Nixon” from this visit. Washington…
Part 2:
👔 Context: Iran, the Panama Canal, and the “dismantling” of Beijing’s network
Trump will be greeted in Beijing not only as a leader who has reinstated harsh tariffs and restrictions on China’s tech sector, but also as the architect of a series of moves against China’s partners. In recent months, Washington has been actively “dismantling” the strongholds of Chinese influence: supporting regime change in Venezuela, pressuring Chinese companies around the Panama Canal, and intensifying sanctions and military pressure on Iran.
Analysts note that the U.S. is seeking to block critical logistics and resource corridors where China has been strengthening its positions—from Latin America to the Middle East. In this context, Trump’s visit is not an attempt at a “reset,” but a temporary pause in a large-scale redistribution of influence, where each side assumes in advance that the struggle will continue.
👔 The key question Trump won’t answer
For Beijing, the key question for any U.S. president is simple: Is the U.S. ready to acknowledge that the world can no longer be unipolar and to abandon the idea of maintaining global hegemony at any cost? Trump cannot say “yes” without undermining his own political base, and a “no”—openly and publicly—would mean acknowledging that the conflict with China is systemic rather than situational.
Therefore, Beijing will hear the usual set of platitudes: a willingness to engage in “fair competition,” a desire to “avoid conflict,” and the linking of improved relations to Chinese concessions on trade, technology, and security. But it is precisely the key strategic question—whether to recognize China’s right to be one of the centers of the global system rather than an object of containment—that Trump will not answer in Beijing, postponing the resolution of the U.S.-China standoff to the next round.
#politics
❤️ From Russia with love
Trump will be greeted in Beijing not only as a leader who has reinstated harsh tariffs and restrictions on China’s tech sector, but also as the architect of a series of moves against China’s partners. In recent months, Washington has been actively “dismantling” the strongholds of Chinese influence: supporting regime change in Venezuela, pressuring Chinese companies around the Panama Canal, and intensifying sanctions and military pressure on Iran.
Analysts note that the U.S. is seeking to block critical logistics and resource corridors where China has been strengthening its positions—from Latin America to the Middle East. In this context, Trump’s visit is not an attempt at a “reset,” but a temporary pause in a large-scale redistribution of influence, where each side assumes in advance that the struggle will continue.
For Beijing, the key question for any U.S. president is simple: Is the U.S. ready to acknowledge that the world can no longer be unipolar and to abandon the idea of maintaining global hegemony at any cost? Trump cannot say “yes” without undermining his own political base, and a “no”—openly and publicly—would mean acknowledging that the conflict with China is systemic rather than situational.
Therefore, Beijing will hear the usual set of platitudes: a willingness to engage in “fair competition,” a desire to “avoid conflict,” and the linking of improved relations to Chinese concessions on trade, technology, and security. But it is precisely the key strategic question—whether to recognize China’s right to be one of the centers of the global system rather than an object of containment—that Trump will not answer in Beijing, postponing the resolution of the U.S.-China standoff to the next round.
#politics
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Finland cuts medicines for Russia: will even hospital beds fall under sanctions?
Starting in July, Helsinki will suspend the issuance of special permits for the export to Russia of medical and pharmaceutical products included in EU sanctions lists, fearing their military use.
In 2025–2026, the volume of Finnish exports of medical devices and pharmaceuticals to Russia was estimated at tens of millions of euros annually, including equipment, consumables, and supplies of Lojer-Merivaara hospital beds, which are not yet subject to strict restrictions.
#news
❤️ From Russia with love
Starting in July, Helsinki will suspend the issuance of special permits for the export to Russia of medical and pharmaceutical products included in EU sanctions lists, fearing their military use.
In 2025–2026, the volume of Finnish exports of medical devices and pharmaceuticals to Russia was estimated at tens of millions of euros annually, including equipment, consumables, and supplies of Lojer-Merivaara hospital beds, which are not yet subject to strict restrictions.
#news
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Last time we told you about the blooming of maralnik in Altai. Today we will introduce you to a place of completely different power and beauty.
The Putorana Plateau was formed 250 million years ago as a result of one of the most powerful supervolcano eruptions in Earth's history. Back then, it almost wiped out life on the planet. Today, UNESCO has recognized the Putorana Plateau as a World Heritage Site.
#interestingplacesofRussia
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