NEW EPISODE - From Racially Segregated #Savannah to #NuclearMissile Crew #Commander Listen here 🎧🎧 coldwarconversations.com/episode426/

NEW: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump met at the White House on October 17 and discussed ongoing US support for Ukraine and efforts to the war Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 17, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar101725 Other Key Takeaways ⬇️ [🧵] (1/6)

An 18-year-old Russian singer, Diana "Naoko" Loginova, who recently performed anti-war songs on Nevsky Prospect in Russia's St. Petersburg, has been brought to court, in handcuffs.

4/ Dutch officials recently observed unidentified drones operating near a NATO military exercise in Poland that may have disrupted military-grade communication systems, marking the latest incident in a trend of drone incursions across Europe.

5/ Ukraine’s European partners announced new military assistance to Ukraine amid the October 15 Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein Format) meeting. European officials report that UK sanctions and NATO joint military operations are inhibiting Russia’s illicit shadow fleet.

NEW: Russian forces have conducted three company- and battalion-sized mechanized assaults in priority areas of Donetsk Oblast over the last two weeks, marking an inflection in recent Russian armor usage in Ukraine. 🧵 (1/5) Other Key Takeaways ⬇️

Autumn in Kharkiv parks 😍

NEW: Estonian authorities temporarily closed a section of road passing through Russian territory near the Russia-Estonia border on October 10 after Estonian border guards observed a small group of Russian military personnel without insignia in the area. 🧵(1/3) Read more: isw.pub/UkrWar101225

The RU defense industry is implementing long term efforts to increase T-90 tank production and recreate RU’s pre-war tank reserves, indicating that RU intends to present a long term military threat to NATO. (1/5) Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 11, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar101125

NEW: EU and NATO states continue to take steps to increase European defenses against covert and overt Russian attacks. FT reported on October 9 that four NATO officials stated that NATO states are discussing more forceful responses to Russia’s increasingly provocative actions. isw.pub/UkrWar100925

The United States facilitated a ceasefire between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on October 7 after fighting broke out between Syrian government and Kurdish forces in two Kurdish-dominated neighborhoods of Aleppo City. Full update: isw.pub/IranUpdate10...

My video on what 14 years of isolation did to Syria is now also on YouTube! youtu.be/NDHZTuPDnzg?...

Tonight's ISW's update with coverage of the October 5th Syrian parliamentary elections: isw.pub/IranUpdate10...

NEW: Russian President Putin continues attempts to deter the US from sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine by linking improvements in the US-RU bilateral relationship to concessions from the US on the war in Ukraine. (1/5) Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, Oct. 5, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar100525

NEW: German officials reported more unidentified drone sightings near airports and military facilities. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 4, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar100425 Other Key Takeaways ⬇️🧵

3/ Russia continues to escalate its destabilization efforts against Europe as European officials continue to report unidentified drones operating in their airspace. The Kremlin continues efforts to undermine Western-brokered peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, likely to divide and distract Europe.

4/ RU military intelligence is likely conducting hybrid ops in Poland, Germany, & Lithuania to sow fear & discord within NATO, after indications of a possible future RU false-flag op within Poland. UA & RU conducted a POW exchange in accordance with agreements reached during June 2 negotiations.

So glad to see @hamzehhadad.bsky.social and his colleagues back with the Iraqi Voices podcast after a long hiatus! Highly recommend if you're looking for calm, thoughtful conversations about Iraqi politics.

The #Damascus #Marathon kicked off this morning.

Due to fuel shortages caused by strikes on Russian refineries, gasoline sales in Crimea have been restricted. Motorists can now purchase no more than 30 liters per person, the head of the region announced. He urged residents not to stock up on fuel and to refuel their cars as usual.

Russia’s military rearmament, especially weapon production numbers, reveals much about its future plans. These numbers are usually hidden in classified documents, a problem Frontelligence Insight, with help from insiders, has solved. For the first time, we can share some of them:

Good evening zelensky called assad a douchebag

3/ The Russian offensive in Kupyansk is reportedly vulnerable due to the lack of sufficient forces to sustain simultaneous offensive operations against Kupyansk and several other areas along the frontline.

Rutte: Lavrov has been Foreign Minister of Russia since the birth of Jesus Christ, and nothing useful ever came out of his mouth. Let's not pay too much attention to Lavrov. 😁Fair point.

Every day in Russia more gasoline stations go empty and the price every Russian pays at the pump only goes up! How do you think this will end for Russia?

It cannot be that Russia “accidently” violates three times in two weeks European air space. Russia is testing European borders and probing our resolve. It will continue to provoke as long as we allow it. Extract of my statement at the UN Security Council ↓

If the Trump administration starts withdrawing the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops stationed in Syria, it will become more difficult for Damascus to prevent ISIS’s resurgence, warn Caroline Rose and Colin Clarke.

6/ Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area. Russian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk and in western Zaporizhia Oblast. isw.pub/UkrWar091725

Key points from the Ukrainian President’s interview with Sky News:

In April 1955, Syrian Army officer Adnan al-Malki was assassinated at a soccer match in Damascus. His death shocked the country. What followed reshaped Syria’s politics for decades. (🧵1/5)

3/ Ukraine continues to demonstrate its adeptness at innovating and fielding drones with increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) technology while maintaining accessible costs, significantly augmenting Ukrainian drone effectiveness.

2/ Ukraine’s ongoing long-range strike campaign targeting critical Russian energy infrastructure continues to degrade Russia’s oil and gasoline markets, likely affecting Russia’s long-term ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

NEW: The Kremlin is escalating its rhetoric, threatening NATO states in parallel with the kinetic escalation of Russia’s recent drone incursion into Poland. (1/) Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 15, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar091525 Other Key Takeaways ⬇️ 🧵 (1/x)

So, listen up, kids: When Russia deliberately launches dozens of drones against Poland and Romania, that is NOT warmongering and NOT a threat of war between Russia and NATO.

NEW: A Russian drone entered Romanian airspace on the night of September 13, days after a Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace on the night of September 9 to 10. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 14, 2025: isw.pub/UkrWar091425 Other Key Takeaways ⬇️ [🧵] (1/7)

2/ Poland authorized NATO reinforcements to deploy to Poland for Operation Eastern Sentry in response to the September 9 to 10 Russian drone incursion into Polish territory.

4/ Ukraine continued its long-range drone strike and sabotage campaign against Russian oil, gas, railway, and military infrastructure in Russia and occupied Crimea on the night of September 13 to 14.

5/ The Kremlin is facing a massive budget deficit and may increase consumer taxes to compensate for the deficit rather than decreasing funding for its war machine, passing the economic costs off as a sacrifice that the Russian population must accept to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.

2/ The international community continues to condemn the recent Russian drone incursion into Poland’s airspace. Russian and Belarusian officials continue to deflect responsibility for Russia's recent drone incursion into Polish airspace.

Poland launches Operation “Eastern Sentinel” in response to Russian drones. French A-400 delivers arms for Rafale jets stationed in Poland, boosting defense, per Polish General Staff.

NEW: Russian and Belarusian forces began the joint Zapad-2025 military exercises on September 12 for the first time since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Read more: isw.pub/UkrWar091225 Other Key Takeaways:

New: Polish officials provided additional clarification on the impacts of the September 9-10 Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace. (1/6) Read the full update: isw.pub/UkrWar091125

NEW: Russian drones violated Polish airspace on the night of September 9 to 10 in what NATO and European officials have suggested was an intentional Russian incursion. Read the full update: isw.pub/UkrWar091025

German Defense Minister Pistorius: There is definitely no reason to assume that [Russian drones violating Polish airspace] was a matter of course correction errors or anything of that sort. These drones were quite obviously deliberately directed on this course.

Last night in Poland we saw the most serious European airspace violation by Russia since the war began, and indications suggest it was intentional, not accidental. I am in contact with NATO Secretary General Rutte and Poland FM Sikorski. The EU stands in full solidarity with Poland. (1/2)