Categories The News And Times Blog #Russia’s Pivot #East: A Strategic Gamble My Opinion: #Putin made the major strategic mistake: he turned Russia’s pivot to the East Post author By Mike Nova Post date July 30, 2026 Listen to this article Articles and Tweets RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Briefing from Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Skybiuk, Yevhenii Khmara, and Pavlo Palisa. We discussed in detail the challenges we are facing now because of Russia’s tactics of ballistic missile strikes, and our ability to counter this tactic, both at the military and diplomatic levels. We identified solutions and technological steps, as well as asymmetric measures that can give Ukraine greater protection. There was a briefing on the situation at the front, primarily in the areas of Slovyansk and Kostiantynivka, and also on the situation with the maritime export corridor – what has already been done in this area and what action plan is still to be implemented. I am gr RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: An FT analysis of refinery layouts, photographs, satellite images and thermal-infrared data shows that damage at several major Russian refineries has persisted for weeks or even months after attacks RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🇺🇸🇮🇷🔥America’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) worth $1.6 million per launch has carried out major strikes across the iranian Mountain with heavy affecting iranian IRGC. 🚨US currently producing low-cost thousands of Precision Strike Missile, LUCAS drones, U.S. Patriot Interceptor to continue a long-war in Middle East. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🚨 BREAKING: 🇺🇸 U.S. President Donald Trump warned Russia, saying: From now on, you must not provide financial support to Iran, nor should you supply it with weapons. 🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin responded: We are not providing financial funding to Iran. We are only selling weapons, including advanced technology. That is our business because we also have to support our country’s economy, and we are not afraid of anyone’s threats. We will continue supplying weapons to Iran. 🇺🇸 Trump replied: If you continue making deals with Iran, we will cancel all our agreements with Russia. We will also impose a 100% tariff on all Russian products, which will pu RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🚨Alert: Yemen Houthi forces are now demanding toll payments from all ships that want to pass through the Red Sea. Only Chinese, Russian and Iranian ships can pass now. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🚨🇺🇸 Trump EXPLODED at his own national security team over Iran… and his advisers still can’t agree on what the war is even for. -Trump reportedly erupted during a meeting last week with top national security officials, yelling expletives out of frustration over his military options and his inability to close a deal, though Leavitt denies he lost his temper -The deeper problem is that nobody agrees on the goal: preventing an Iranian bomb, reopening Hormuz, or wiping out the missile and drone program, and without that answer the endgame planning has gone nowhere -One U.S. official’s blunt summary: “We have had a series of tactical victories, but are facing RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🇷🇺🇺🇦RUSSIA has positioned 13 strategic bombers fully equipped with Kh-101s cruise missiles for possible attack on Ukraine tonight. 📍6 Tu-95s stationed at Olenya Airbase 📍7 Tu-160M stationed at Ukrainka Airbase. Its unclear whether Russia will use all 13 bombers for the attack RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Sweden is creating a new civilian foreign intelligence agency, UND, modeled on Britain’s MI6 after its military intelligence misjudged Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The new agency will focus on political and strategic intelligence, reflecting a broader European push to strengthen independent intelligence capabilities amid growing security threats and uncertainty over U.S. support. Source: The Economist RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: The Wall Street Journal reports that President Donald J. Trump is weighing whether to resume major combat operations against Iran following Tuesday’s missile attack on U.S. forces, with CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper presenting an option for 10–14 days of intensive airstrikes aimed at crippling Iran’s remaining missile capabilities. According to the Journal, Cooper argues a larger offensive would reduce Iran’s ability to launch future attacks and lessen the long-term demand for U.S. air defense interceptors. By contrast, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine has warned that dwindling interceptor stockpiles increase the risks of a renewed campaign, though th #Russia’s Pivot #East: A Strategic Gamble My Opinion: #Putin made the major strategic mistake: he turned Russia’s pivot to the East; it comes and goes in waves. It feels that this latest backward wave will be short lived; it contradicts the main trend of the latest several centuries. Putin will pay for this historical blunder. Gemini: AI Mode: Russia’s “pivot to the East” represents one of the most significant geopolitical shifts in modern history, sparking intense debate among historians and foreign policy analysts regarding its long-term viability. Arguments #Russia’s Pivot #East: A Strategic Gamble My Opinion: #Putin made the major strategic mistake: he turned Russia’s pivot to the East; it comes and goes in waves. It feels that this latest backward wave will be short lived; it contradicts the main trend of the latest several centuries. Putin will pay for this historical blunder. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🇷🇺🇺🇦 All the latest reports keep focusing on the war itself, not on how Russians actually feel about it. Zelensky just told Sky News that Ukrainian intelligence shows Russia preparing a new mobilization wave of 300,000 to 500,000 men, likely after the September elections. The goal is clear: feed more bodies into the fight as current recruitment fails to keep up with losses. At the same time, Ukrainian drones scored another precise hit in occupied Crimea. They destroyed an S-400 launcher and its critical 96L6 radar just north of the Crimean Bridge. That system is one of Russia’s main long-range air defense assets. Taking out the radar helps blind the batter RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Benjamin Netanyahu tells Christian Zionists in America that his bloodline comes directly from the original Hebrews in Jerusalem. He says his bloodline provided the world with freedom and faith and is now under attack by antisemites. Netanyahu wants Christian Zionists to “fight, fight, fight” against the antisemites. “Attack back. That’s all.” RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: JUST IN: 🇹🇷🇨🇳🇺🇸 Turkey Could Turn to China’s J-35 if the U.S. Keeps the F-35 Off the Table Ankara is reportedly considering acquiring Chinese J-35 fifth generation stealth fighters if Washington refuses to approve the sale of F-35s. Reports also claim the deal could be settled in Chinese yuan instead of U.S. dollars, a potential geopolitical shift with major defense implications if confirmed. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🚨 Just in: TRUMP REACTS TO IRAN ATTACK ON USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN🚨 President Trump confirms: IRGC launched dozens of missiles at the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet USS Abraham Lincoln. Trump: “We had an attack. 100 missiles were shot by Iran at a very important thing that we had. I won’t tell you what it was for certain reasons.” The regime just poked the bear. America First response incoming. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu asserts that President Trump is calling the shots in the Iran war and denies that he is trying to persuade Trump to continue attacking Iran amid U.S. negotiations. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: According to a new Center For Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) analysis, the U.S. now has roughly 827 Patriot and 278 Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) interceptors remaining, down from an estimated 2,330 and 452, respectively. Analysts warn replenishing these high-end missile inventories could take years, despite expanded production efforts, leaving limited capacity for other major contingencies if demand remains high. CNN reports Pentagon sources say those estimates are close to internal figures. Source: RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🇺🇦👊🇷🇺🔥 Ukraine has reportedly overhauled its long-range strike strategy against Russia’s oil industry, shifting from broad refinery attacks to precision strikes on the most critical components, according to the Financial Times. Rather than targeting entire facilities, Ukraine is now reportedly focusing on high-value technological units whose destruction makes repairs significantly more difficult, more expensive, and far more time-consuming. 📍 The image shows the Moscow Oil Refinery, one of Russia’s key fuel production facilities and a potential example of the type of infrastructure vulnerable to this evolving strategy. The shift reflects a more sophisti RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: President Trump said his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Tuesday “was good,” and he said he asked Zelenskyy “to end the war.” “He’s out doing his thing. I’d like him to end the war. So, it’s very simple,” Trump said. “I get along with President Putin. I get along with President Zelenskyy.” RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: 🚨 Breaking War started: The Israeli military has announced for the first time that it is preparing 15,000 intercontinental ballistic missiles to respond to an imminent Iranian attack. Officially, if Israel is attacked, Russian bases and all of Iran’s interests across the Middle East—including Tehran—will be destroyed, and the entire world will witness the devastation. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: BREAKING: 🇺🇸🇪🇬 US LNG tanker was hit by a drone in Damietta Port, Egypt RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: The Kremlin’s global influence is fracturing. 📄📉 According to a new report from Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU), Russia has just received formal diplomatic protests from India, Azerbaijan, and Botswana—three nations where Moscow has historically fought hard to maintain ties. The SZRU notes that partners are increasingly turning their backs on Moscow due to its toxic international behavior. As the agency bluntly put it: “The world is distancing itself from its toxic partner, Russia.” When you manage to alienate long-standing, non-aligned partners like India, your geopolitical strategy is officially in freefall RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: JUST IN🇮🇱🇮🇷🔥 Israel says, Iran has recently produced more than 1,500+ ballistic missiles long-range (up to 2,500km) to reach Ukraine. RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: Hannity: “I think Europe, as a continent, is in massive decline.” Zelensky: “It’s a different Europe. I could never understand why Ukraine is not invited to NATO. We have one million army. We want to be strong. We want to stay strong with Americans and with Europeans. We are ready to support.” RT by @mikenov: RT by @mikenov: BREAKING: 🇺🇸 America’s Next Nuclear Giant Is Coming The U.S. has approved a $29.5 billion contract for five Columbia class ballistic missile submarines, the first batch of a planned 12-submarine fleet that will replace the legendary Ohio class. Expected to become among the most advanced ballistic missile submarines ever built, the Columbia ← The missile that hit a residential building in Kryvyi Rih and killed at least 6 was North Korean, a Ukrainian military source told Reuters. First one Russia has used in nearly a year. → IRGC: This morning, an attack on the U.S. air base at Ali Al Salem set fire to and destroyed two drone hangars and one fuel storage tank used for military aircraft and helicopters. The Muslim people of Kuwait should know that the punishment of the aggressor will continue until the plundering of Muslims’ wealth and national resources ends and the American occupiers and looters are expelled from the region.