Former Estonian prez Ilves also noted: "From my experience as foreign minister and prez, Jagland was the most pro-Russian European leader other than Tuomioja/Halonen in Finland and Mogherini in Italy."
"A new form of money, on a world wide basis" is especially interesting: Russia was pushing cryptocurrency hard in the 2010s, and there are Russian figures behind some key crypto projects in the west.
And of course crypto is an extremely useful tool for Russia in the context of sanctions.
Russian strongman Vladimir Putin reneged on his deal with President Trump to briefly pause the war in Ukraine, killing at least five and injuring more than a
When the war in Ukraine broke out, and Europe was hesitant in the first year, I thought alright, this is a surprise to everyone and of course we need time to prepare.
Now 4 years have passed, and we are 450 million EU and 69 million UK citizens still standing on the sidelines, telling 38 million Ukrainians they should fight 133 million Russians on their own.
We could end this war. Instead we keep pretending that it is fine to let Ukraine take all the punches.
EA-War and Politics 24 VideoCast: “Incompetent” #Witkoff Amid Uncertainty and Concern Over #Ukraine-#Russia-US Talks (Scott Lucas w Daniel Tkiie and Sofia Nazarenko)
Firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian strike on a residential building in Kryvyi Rih on Jan. 29, 2026. The attack killed one person and injured three others. (Ukraine’s State Emergency Service / Telegram)
Trump claims Putinagreednot to strike Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities ‘for a week.’ “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week,” Trump said. “And he agreed to do that.”
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Russia’s war against Ukraine
Firefighters extinguish a fire after a Russian strike on a residential building in Kryvyi Rih on Jan. 29, 2026. The attack killed one person and injured three others. (Ukraine’s State Emergency Service / Telegram)
Trump claims Putinagreednot to strike Kyiv, other Ukrainian cities ‘for a week.’ “I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week,” Trump said. “And he agreed to do that.”
Ukrainerepatriatesbodies of 1,000 fallen soldiers. Russia confirmed that it had handed over 1,000 bodies to Ukraine under the Istanbul agreement in exchange for 38 bodies of fallen Russian soldiers, Kremlin-controlled news agency TASS reported on Jan. 29.
‘Without power, without heat’ — EUallocatesover $170 million for Ukraine amid Russian attacks on energy. The funds will support protection assistance, shelter, food, cash aid, psychosocial services, and access to water and healthcare for Ukrainians affected by the attacks.
Ukraine’s central bankcutsinterest rate in first change in 10 months. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) voted on Jan. 29 to cut its benchmark interest rate to 15%, the first change since March last year, as inflation cools and a new aid package from Europe eased pressure on the country’s finances.
Defense Ministry working with SpaceX tosolveRussian use of Starlink on drones. Ukraine says it is working with SpaceX to stop Russian drones from using Starlink, after reports that satellite-connected UAVs are extending their range to strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainedistributesboilers from Italy to support heating for up to 90,000 homes. Ukraine has distributed industrial boiler equipment delivered by Italy among communities in 10 regions as part of a broader support program aimed at strengthening the country’s heating infrastructure, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said on Jan. 29.
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‘They don’t consider their work heroic’ — 4 energy workers die amid Kyiv repairs following Russian attacks
As Kyiv’s repair crews scramble to keep the lights and heat on after repeated Russian strikes, the work has become punishing — and, in recent weeks, deadly.
Photo: Oleksandr Magula / AFP via Getty Images
Learn more Ukraine war latest: ‘The enemy is likely preparing an offensive’ — Ukrainian forces report more aerial strikes in Pokrovsk sector
Russian troops have stepped up aerial bomb attacks in the Pokrovsk sector of Donetsk Oblast, which could signal preparations for an offensive, Yuliia Stepaniuk, head of communications for the 117th Separate Mechanized Brigade, told Suspilne on Jan. 29.
Germany’s Merz says UkrainejoiningEU in 2027 ‘not possible.’ The comments come after President Volodymyr Zelensky set 2027 as the target date for Ukraine’s entry into the bloc.
Estonia warns Russian veterans couldfloodEurope after Ukraine war, urges EU entry ban. “We have close to 1 million combatants in Russia. They’re mainly criminals; they are very dangerous people,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. “We have information that most of them will come to Europe after the war.”
EU plans toimpose20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 24, Kallas says. The European Union aims to impose a 20th sanctions package against Russia on Feb. 24, the day marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters on Jan. 29.
Chinadenieshelping Russia produce Oreshnik missiles. The news comes after the Telegraph reported that China has sent Russia tools used to build Oreshnik warheads.
‘Repression cannot go unanswered’ — EUsanctionsIran over protest crackdown, Russia support. European foreign ministers also agreed to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s chief diplomat.
Lukoil agrees tosellmost of its foreign assets to US investment group. The Carlyle deal does not include Lukoil’s assets in Kazakhstan and is still subject to approval by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Russian energy giant said. This newsletter is open for sponsorship. Boost your brand’s visibility by reaching thousands of engaged subscribers. Click here for more details.
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The Carlyle deal does not include Lukoil's assets in Kazakhstan and is still subject to approval by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Russian energy giant said.
This is also a major issue on Wikipedia at the moment: Russian trolls have been trying to change the birthplaces of Baltic figures to Estonian/Latvian/Lithuanian SSR — which, if successful, means that Wikipedia is recognising an occupation as legitimate (which major Western nations, including the US, did not even do at the time).
Serbia’s president has confirmed that Russia is prepared to sell its controlling stake in the country’s only oil refinery and that Hungary’s MOL has been
Romania's defence ministry announced that the navy will conduct a controlled explosion of a mine discovered along its Black Sea shore. The operation is
In just 4 years Rheinmetall multiplied its production by 10 , and by next year it will be producing more artillery shells than the United States. They went from 70,000 to a million and a half! Rheinmetall's is not the only defense enterprise in Europe having such success! #Eu #EuropeanDefense #EUWeCan #Germany #France #UkraineWar Dès 2027, l’allemand Rheinmetall devrait produire 1,5 million d’obus d’artillerie par an, soit plus que les États-Unis legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2026/01…
En à peine quatre ans, Rheinmetall a multiplié par 10 ses capacités de production d’obus d’artillerie, et sera en mesure dès l’an prochain de sortir 1,5 million d’obus de ses usines chaque année — soit plus que la production des États-Unis.
Employees at a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike on Ukraine, November 13, 2025 (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) Monday’s Coverage: Zelensky — Document on US Security Guarantees “100% Ready” UPDATE 1131 GMT: Slovakia has joined Hungary in…
#Ukraine energy provider DTEK on #Russia attack on #Odesa: "The destruction is colossal, and repair work will require extended time to return equipment to working condition"
Employees at a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike on Ukraine, November 13, 2025 (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) Monday’s Coverage: Zelensky — Document on US Security Guarantees “100% Ready” UPDATE 1131 GMT: Slovakia has joined Hungary in…
A heavy Russian drone bombardment of Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa injured 23 people, including two children and a pregnant woman, officials said Tuesday
French defense firm EOS Technologie has delivered its first Rodeur 330 loitering munitions to Ukraine, marking a new addition to Kyiv’s long-range strike and
According to data from Radio Liberty’s Belarusian service, several hundred volunteers from Belarus are currently taking part in the war on the side of Ukraine.
