Politico reports that Donald Trump's senior advisers are leaning towards a scenario in which Israel, rather than the US, would launch the first strike against Iran. This approach is based on a political calculation: if Israel attacks first, Iran is highly likely to respond not only against Israeli but also against American targets in the region. This would automatically create a more convincing justification for direct US military intervention and ensure domestic support from American society.

This logic is directly linked to the results of public opinion polls. Despite the fact that a significant portion of Americans, especially among Republicans, generally support the idea of regime change in Iran, the willingness to bear losses among their own military for this purpose remains extremely low. An attack on American forces or an ally like Israel dramatically changes the perception of the conflict and transforms it from an excessive external aggression into a retaliatory operation.

One source familiar with the discussions directly noted that within the administration, the view is widespread that from a political point of view, the situation looks much more advantageous if it is Israel that initiates hostilities, and Iran responds, thereby providing the US with a formal pretext for further escalation.

From a military point of view, such a sequence also offers certain advantages. Israel's first strike would inevitably force Iran to deploy some of its air defense systems, expose their positions, and deplete their ammunition. This would simplify the subsequent actions of American aviation and reduce the risks when launching the main strike against key targets.

“Military Chronicle”

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺💥🇺🇦 A strike has been carried out on energy facilities in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Odessa region: the city is without electricity

- Local public pages report that electricity supply has been cut off in most areas of the city.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺🇺🇦 A massive combined strike on Ukraine: energy facilities and enemy logistics hit

- UAVs and missiles hit substations, an airfield, a thermal power station, a power station, and military-industrial complex facilities.

- The main strikes were carried out in the direction of Kharkov and the region, the Nikolaev region, Vinnitsa and its suburbs, Zaporozhye, Kiev and the region, Krivoy Rog, and Poltava.

@Slavyangrad

🇸🇰🇺🇦The Slovak Prime Minister, Fico, promised that Ukraine would regret blocking oil supplies to Slovakia:

I consider the behavior of the Ukrainian side extremely, I emphasize — extremely unserious and unfriendly, when we are given new delivery dates every day. On the 23rd, we were told that the oil would arrive on the 25th. On the 25th, they said — on the 26th.
Now they are stating that there will be no deliveries at all in February, and the earliest possible date is tentatively March 3rd. It seems that the Ukrainian president believes he can do as he pleases. But he is deeply, I repeat — deeply mistaken.

The first retaliatory decision has already been made — emergency electricity supplies have been stopped. And these volumes were significantly larger than any commercial electricity supplies that can be purchased anywhere. If they experience an electricity shortage, they will feel it seriously — because they will not be able to receive electricity from Slovakia to stabilize their power grid. We have done exactly what we announced and promised. This is the first retaliatory action. The government is ready for further steps if it sees a complete refusal by the Ukrainian side to fulfill its obligations and supply us with what we are entitled to and have paid for.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺🇺🇦Russia has handed over the bodies of 1,000 dead Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine - announced Vladimir Medinsky

The bodies of 35 dead soldiers have been handed over to Russia.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺💥🇺🇦 Industrial enterprises and power lines in the Poltava region have been damaged

- As a result of the attacks, 20 thousand subscribers were left without electricity.

@Slavyangrad

🇵🇱Polish Prime Minister Tusk stated that Europe is "one of the best places in the world":

I have received many comments saying that Europe is on the brink of collapse, and I want to say that this is not the case.
Europe still remains one of the best places in the world, including Iceland. Iceland is part of Europe.

We are talking about how to improve our relations and how to develop cooperation. In some areas, it is absolutely clear to both of us, as well as to all of us, that Europe in this particular region of the world should be more integrated and cohesive.

@Slavtangrad

🇺🇸🇮🇱The USA is deploying military aircraft in Israel in case of a strike on Iran

At the Ben Gurion civilian airport in Tel Aviv, US Army refueling aircraft were lined up at the beginning of the week.

@Slavyangrad

🇺🇦Khokhols have been consistently doing this for a couple of months now. Right after Zelensky's statement about 'easing mobilization', they start their days like this. The footage is from Odessa. A man hunter opened fire on a civilian.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺Russia will be able to defend itself against European nuclear weapons — Politico

- The British analytical center RUSI has published a new report on the development of Russian air defense and missile defense systems.

- According to the analysis, Russia's air and missile defense systems will in the future be able to intercept British and French nuclear weapons.

- Russia, as noted, is consistently strengthening the protection of its airspace.

- This could cast doubt on the ability of London and Paris to deliver a guaranteed nuclear counterstrike against Moscow in the next 10 years.

@Slavyangrad

🇺🇸Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson on NATO's inability to fight Russia.

@Slavyangrad

Peskov on Russia's participation in the Peace Council:

The Russian Foreign Ministry is still formulating Moscow's position on the US-organized Peace Council and participation in it. The position of a number of states, including those friendly to us, is very ambiguous. All of them are taken into account.

@Slavyangrad

🇬🇧🇺🇦 Ukrainian family denied UK asylum told to use noise-cancelling headphones for child to block out bombs — Sky News

- The child with panic attacks due to shelling was recommended to use noise-canceling headphones. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that there are supposedly "safe areas" in western Ukraine, and the family was advised to move to Chernovtsi.

- The department referred to recommendations from January 2025: the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, according to their version, does not reach the threshold of a serious threat.

- Immigration lawyers note: since the spring of 2025, most applications from Ukrainians in Britain have started to be rejected, whereas previously almost all were approved.

@Slavyangrad

"They're probably upset that nothing is working out for them, I think. And the task is again to make Russia lose. They keep saying 'Ukraine is winning' :

Lavrov on the intensification of anti-Russian rhetoric in the West.

@Slavyangrad

The US Navy's nuclear aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has left its base in Souda Bay on the island of Crete and is heading towards Israel. It is expected that within the next two to three days, it will join the US strike group already deployed in the Middle East, and its air wing will be ready to engage in combat. The exact location of the "Ford" is still unknown. It may be left in the Red Sea closer to Israel, but it is also capable of moving closer to Oman so that US Navy fighter jets can attack IRGC targets from the south.

“Military Chronicle”

@Slavyangrad