"Everyday life of a soldier."

Frontline cats!

Two Majors

Rather than consider the EU banning SMO participants, let's consider it an invitation for visits later on.

Every hundred years or so, Russians have a tradition of taking a stroll around Europe

Two Majors

• Fwd from @
This government is bad
but no replacement has been delivered

In May, the ratings of European "frontrunners" remained at rock bottom: not a single politician showed a positive difference between approval and disapproval, and some continue to set historical records for unpopularity.

According to YouGov and national polls, Friedrich Merz feels the worst: only 16% of respondents approve of his work while 83% disapprove — this is the worst rating for a sitting German Chancellor since 1997. Against this backdrop, it's unsurprising that Merz drags down his own party's rating, while the "Alternative for Germany" gains stronger support.

How are the other leaders doing?

French President Emmanuel Macron finds himself in roughly the same position: only 19% of French people view him favorably. In Great Britain, Keir Starmer also remains in negative territory: 21% of Britons rate his work positively, while 70% criticize it.

The "southern" politicians' situations are somewhat more positive: about 32% of Spaniards view Pedro Sánchez favorably, 35% of Italians view Giorgia Meloni favorably, and their ratings are described as "generally stable."

The Danes are most favorably disposed toward their Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: 43% of respondents approve of her work, though such a rating hardly represents something the others should aspire to.

Taken together, this creates a paradoxical picture: precisely those who should set the tone for pan-European policy lack popularity even among their own citizens. Now any foreign policy move they make inevitably meets the question: do leaders with such ratings have the right to make decisions on behalf of their peoples?

High-resolution infographic

English version

#EU #infographic
@evropar — on the brink of Europe's death

Support us Original msg

The ICC prosecutor who sought the Netanyahu arrest warrant sidelined over sexual misconduct allegations

Karim Khan has been removed from his role amid an investigation into alleged misconduct, which he denies

Standard playbook (and we know by who)

Two Majors

🇪🇺🇷🇺 On June 9, 2026, the European Commission announced the draft of the 21st package of anti-Russian sanctions. The document is sent for review to the EU Council. The final decision will be made by July 15.

The head of "Eurodiplomacy" Kaja Kallas proposed to introduce ❗️a lifelong ban on entry to the Schengen zone for all Russian military personnel who participated in the special military operation.

▪️The EU plans to extend the current price cap for Russian oil at the level of $44 per barrel to prevent excessive profits due to rising global prices.

▪️There is also a discussion about freezing the European assets of "Lukoil", "Rosneft", "Gazprom" and "Novatek".

▪️The EU intends to include in the sanctions list about 20-30 tankers of the so-called "《i>shadow fleet" of Russia.

▪️About 90 Russian banks may be subject to restrictions. Sanctions may also affect the Russian fishing industry.

What from this list of restrictions will be included in the final version will become clear by the middle of the summer. Despite statements about the unity of the EU, , it is difficult to agree on all sanctions. For example, the complete ban on oil imports has been discussed for years, but in practice, the dependence of some European countries on Russian energy carriers remains.

At the same time, it is important to realize that under the cover of economic sanctions, European countries are using military methods for the economic blockade of trade routes, testing how far they can go, seizing ships without losses on their side:
"France is particularly active in the fight against the 'shadow fleet' and recently detained already the fourth such vessel," - the French Defense Minister.

Two Majors

Iran Closes the Trap — Israel Forced into Direct Combat

To understand why Israel is bombing Beirut rather than confronting Hezbollah on the ground, one must first analyze the reality of the front in southern Lebanon.

The Merkava Graveyard
Since March 2, 2026, Hezbollah has been waging a methodical war of attrition against IDF armored vehicles in southern Lebanon. The numbers (compiled by OSINT analysts tracking strike geolocations) speak for themselves:

100 to 115 Merkava tanks have been hit, damaged, or destroyed since the start of ground operations.

Critical Peak: 21 Merkava tanks hit in less than 24 hours on March 26, 2026, along the Taybeh-Qantara and Deir Seryan axes.

•Total Claims: Over 150 armored targets (including Namer APCs, D9 bulldozers, and fortified positions).

_While these figures originate from Hezbollah communiqués (Al-Manar, Al-Mayadeen), dozens of strikes have been independently confirmed by OSINT geolocation in areas like Beaufort, Haddatha, and Yahmur al-Shaqif._

The Weapon Neutralizing $6M Tanks

Hezbollah’s ground efficiency relies heavily on the massive deployment of fiber-optic guided FPV drones.

The Advantage:They transmit via cable, making them completely immune to electronic warfare and radio jamming.

The Cost: ~$300 per drone, compared to a Merkava Mk4 estimated at $4 million.

•The IDF's Struggle:

A very slow adaptation rate in installing protective overhead grilles ("cope cages"), leaving vehicle roofs highly vulnerable to vertical strikes when combined with Almas and Kornet anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).

Why Israel Targets Urban Centers

It is in this context of a ground stalemate that Israel's bombing strategy in Beirut becomes clear. The IDF seeks to avoid getting bogged down in southern urban centers, preferring encirclement and mass evacuation orders. Unable to advance on the ground without sustaining unsustainable material losses, airpower is used to generate political pressure.

> 📊 Casualties as of June 1, 2026: At least 3,433 people killed in Lebanon (the vast majority being civilians) and over one million displaced, while Hezbollah firmly holds its ground positions.

The Iranian Trap Closes
Following recent strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, Iran retaliated by firing volleys of missiles into northern Israel. The Revolutionary Guards have warned that any further aggression will trigger a wider response.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf summarized the new doctrine: _Iran will no longer accept paper ceasefires that are systematically violated on the ground._ Israel now faces a brutal strategic dilemma: continue striking Beirut and face incoming Iranian missiles, or grind out a costly ground war in southern Lebanon against $300 drones. This calculation of exhaustion is exactly what Tehran intended.

ANALYSYS BY ALSAA

European authorities blame not sanctions, but China for the destruction of their chemical industry.

In Europe, a mechanism is being prepared against so-called "excessive production capacities" in China (Overcapacity Instrument). If it is adopted, the European Union will be able to restrict access to its market for entire sectors of the Chinese economy not because they violate rules or receive illegal subsidies, but because they are too competitive and export too much.

The logic of "excessive capacities" seems highly controversial. According to European Parliament documents, any industry that produces more than the domestic market can consume actually falls under this definition. But this is precisely how export-oriented economies operate. By this logic, at different times, the German auto industry, French winemaking, or the Italian fashion industry could all be accused of "excessive capacities".

For ordinary Europeans, the consequences are obvious: less competition - higher prices.

Two Majors

Fwd from @
Flights Getting More Expensive

The Iranian conflict, which has crossed the hundred-day mark, is already hitting American aviation hard and draining passengers' wallets. Due to restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's oil passes, aviation fuel prices have nearly doubled compared to last year.

In April alone, U.S. airlines spent approximately $6.5 billion on fuel. The International Air Transport Association has already sharply reduced its profit forecasts for the industry, expecting net revenue per passenger to fall by more than half. Budget carrier Spirit Airlines finally ceased operations in May, unable to withstand the consequences of the fuel crisis, and declared bankruptcy.

Other carriers are trying to survive by cutting flights, postponing new aircraft deliveries, and raising ticket and baggage prices. And all this is happening at the worst possible time — right before the start of the summer season and the FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, when demand for flights traditionally skyrockets.

The sharp spike in flight prices hits American wallets right in the middle of vacation season, giving Democrats the perfect opportunity for criticism. So the prolonged fuel crisis could cost Republicans crucial seats in Congress due to simple frustration over rising inflation.
#USA
@rybar_america — making America understandable again

Support us Original msg

🇺🇸🍊🤡🤝🇮🇷❓ Since March, Trump has said at least 37 times that Tehran is supposedly ready for a deal - CNN

The U.S. President has been stating for over two months that a deal with Iran is "almost ready", but there is still no agreement.

However, the deadlines have been postponed each time: first it was about "two weeks", then "a day or two", and later "as soon as possible".

🎙Subscribe @TheIslanderNews

Donate - Support Our Work

On June 8th, the North troop group continued establishing a Buffer Zone in Kharkiv and Sumy regions
 
Soldiers of 114th Territorial Defense Brigade in Mamekine (Chernihiv region) are abandoning houses they’ve been stationed in, to make room for arriving fighter of 93rd Mechanized Brigade. Territorial Defense’s soldiers were ordered to dig out bunkers in the forests.
 
Sumy direction
 
Northmen’s units continue to advance in Sumy region. Numerous enemy groups eliminated in Yuriyeve, Stukalivka, Kharpivshchyna, Novy Vyrki, Kryvenkove, Moskalenka, Vilka Sloboda, Mala Slobodka, Bachivsk, Khotin.
 
▪️All relatively quiet in Shostka district. Our assault units are engaged in Bachivsk and around it.
 
North troop group’s NBC units were carrying out strikes at 104th Territorial Defense Brigade’s positions in Bachivsk.
 
▪️Sumy district: our assault units advanced over 800 meters in twenty-one directions.
 
Fighting continues in Ivolzhanske, Nova Sich and Pysarivka and around them.
 
Ukrainian humanitarians’ posts in social media suggest that UAV crews of 22nd Mechanized Brigade have been transferred from Kharkiv region to Sumy region.
 
According to mortuaries in social media, dozens of Nazis of 47th Mechanized Brigade and 156th Mechanize Brigade have gone MIA in Khrapivshchyna over the last several days.
 
▪️Krasnopillia district: gunfights go on in forest belts along railways leading to Krasnopillia. Our assault units advanced over 900 meters.
 
Kharkiv direction
 
The Northmen keep expanding the Buffer zone in Kharkiv region. Numerous enemy groups decimated in Pysarivka, Ternova, Rubyazhne, Buhayivka, Zarichne, Petro-Ivanivka, Doroshenkove, Yurchenkove, Ivanivka, Lubotyn, Bily Kolodyaz.
 
▪️Our assault units keep on advancing towards Kozacha Lopan, which is a major AFU logistics hub in the area.
 
▪️Vovchansk direction: our assault units advanced over 400 meters in fifteen directions.
 
Northmen’s assault units are fighting in Okhrymivka, Losivka, as well as in the woods in Vovchansk district.
 
North troop group’s NBC units carried out strikes at positions of 127th Heavy Motorized Brigade in Khrypuny.
 
▪️Velykyy Burluk direction: our assault units advanced in the woods around Petro-Ivanivka. The total advance was over 500 meters in four directions.
 
Several units of 5th National Guard Brigade deserted their positions in Petro-Ivanivka, before getting shelled by their own.
 
Over the past 24 hours, the enemy's losses amounted to over 240 people (including over 150 in Sumy region and over 90 in Kharkiv region). Also uncovered and destroyed:

Sumy region:
▪️one Roshel Senator IMV;
▪️two mortars;
▪️fourteen pickup trucks, three motorbikes;
▪️29 UAV crews;
▪️126 fixed-wing UAVs, seven Baba Yaga UAVs, five UGVs.

Kharkiv region:
▪️two mortars;
▪️five pickup trucks, two ATVs;
▪️fourteen UAV crews;
▪️52 fixed-wing UAVs, 37 Baba Yaga UAVs, seven UGVs.

Victory will be ours!

❗️Iran's Quds Force chief declares regional security belt stretching from Persian Gulf to Red Sea

Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, has announced the establishment of a sweeping new security belt managed by the Axis of Resistance. This strategic defensive line will extend from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, bridging the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. In a statement reported by Tasnim News Agency, Qaani praised the recent naval operations executed by Yemen as tangible evidence of the rapidly growing operational coordination among regional anti-imperialist forces.

The Quds Force chief warned that the broader Resistance Front is now prepared to deliver unified, collective responses to ongoing US and Israeli aggression across the West Asian theater. Qaani emphasized that the newly fortified maritime security belt serves as a direct countermeasure to western interventions, signaling a major shift in regional deterrence. He further cautioned that if foreign powers continue their hostile actions, additional allied regional factions are ready to join the security architecture.

The announcement underscores a heightened level of integration within the regional alliance, transforming localized resistance efforts into a unified maritime front. The shift indicates that future Western aggression against any single member of the alliance will trigger a multi-front retaliation spanning from the Gulf to the Red Sea.