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Russian economy grew in the first half of 2025

President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia's GDP increased by 0.4% in July year-on-year, with a total growth of 1.1% over the first seven months of 2025.

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🤝US military observers at Russia-Belarus Zapad-2025 drills

American military personnel were among the observers at the joint Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 exercises, including US defense attaché Lt. Col. Bryan Shoupe.

Belarusian Defense Minister General Viktor Khrenin greeted the guests and ensured they got the best views offering full access to all areas of interest.

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Critical defense element sees price surge amid China’s export restrictions

🟠 The price of germanium has skyrocketed to a 14-year-high, reaching nearly $5,000 per kilogram on September 10, 2024, up from just over $1,000 in early 2023. This follows China’s decision to tighten export controls on dual-use items, including gallium and germanium, to the US.

📊 China, which dominates germanium production, plays a key role in manufacturing thermal imaging systems for military equipment. As Chinese supplies to the US fell by 40% year-on-year from January to July, industry leaders report that germanium supplies have "completely dried up," while demand, particularly from the US and Europe, continues to surge.

🔊 Experts warn that these restrictions have caused turmoil in the market, with no functioning spot market.

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🇷🇺✈️MiG-31s escort strategic bombers in simulated strike

🔊 Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, escorted and protected by MiG-31BM interceptors, have conducted a simulated strike drill as part of the Zapad-2025 exercises, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed.

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On the job: Russia boasts the lowest unemployment rate among G20 nations

📉 Russia's unemployment rate fell to 2.2% in June, down 0.1% from March.

🔶 That marks the lowest rate among all major global economies, according to national statistics.

🔹 The largest increase was recorded in Mexico, where the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 points over three months to 2.7%.

Other nations by comparison

👉Japan: 2.5%, remaining steady for the second consecutive quarter

👉South Korea: 2.6%, down from 2.9%

👉Turkiye: 8.4%

👉South Africa: 33.2% in June, up slightly from 32.9% in March

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West armed Ukraine with illegal cluster bombs as soon as conflict broke out - report

👉 A report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines indicates that, in addition to the United States, four Western-allied countries may have supplied Ukraine with cluster munitions since 2022.

🟠 The organization states that "Ukraine does not deny using cluster munitions in the conflict. The first Ukrainian use of cluster munitions in the conflict was reportedly in March 2022", adding that Ukraine continues to employ them despite the widespread international prohibition against their use in combat.

🟠 Ukraine may have acquired cluster bombs from Israel, Poland, Romania, and/or Türkiye, since these countries are not parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, according to the published document.

📍 The report further highlighted that “none have publicly admitted to transferring cluster munitions to Ukraine, and some have issued vehement denials”.

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Most US soldiers can’t operate drones – report

🔊 "Most American soldiers lack the know-how for fighting with unmanned systems, " CNN says, asking why the "most advanced military in the world" has to catch up with the now-commonplace tactics.

👉 The article says the US struggles to match other nations’ drone output due to reluctance to use foreign-made components in place of more-expensive domestic alternatives.

But US officials stress the importance of drones in warfare, conceding their failure.

💬 "This is not tomorrow’s problem. This is today’s problem," said US Army 1st Armored Division commander Major General Curt Taylor. "The first fight of the next war is going to involve more drones than any of us have ever seen."

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🚨 NATO no-fly zone over Ukraine: escalation or bluff?

🗣 As Poland pushes for a no-fly zone over Ukraine once again, experts ask if it is even possible.

💬 "It all comes down to the fact that there are no forces or resources to establish a no-fly zone,” says military analyst and retired colonel Anatoliy Matviychuk. “Only the US can do this, but even that would be with great difficulty."

📍 Russia will never accept a no-fly zone, with the West's intent crystal clear: "to give Ukrainian forces a breather, let them regroup and rearm without fear of airstrikes," adds the veteran of the Afghan and Syrian wars.

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The real agenda?

👉 Poland’s push for a no-fly zone is a tactic to prolong the conflict and weaken Russia economically, as victory on the battlefield is a lost cause, he points out.

💬 "Poland is a staunch advocate for war against Russia. The President, Defense Minister, Prime Minister and [Foreign Minister Radoslaw] Sikorski—they're all hardcore Russophobes dreaming of Russia's defeat," Matviychuk says.

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Dangerous path

🔶 Calls for a no-fly zone may be more about rhetoric than action, argues political and military analyst Sergey Poletayev, questioning Poland's military readiness and whether they can handle the escalation such a move would trigger.

🔶 Any NATO move to enforce a no-fly zone would drag them into direct conflict with Russia, Poletayev warns.

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🤔 Trump shooter's Ukraine links: Why are prosecutors staying silent?

👉 As the trial of Donald Trumps’ second would-be assassin begins on the anniversary of his attempt, here’s what we know:

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Ukraine trace ignored?

🔶 Few seem to care about Ryan Routh’s Ukraine connections. Early in the conflict he tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight against Russia. But when he mentioned Ukraine in court, the judge silenced him.

🔶 "Prosecutors, in the end, only want to bring a case forward that gives them the believability and confidence that they can win," Matthew Crosston, professor of national security at Bowie State University, tells Sputnik.

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Trump's Ukraine stance

🔶 Shortly before the attempted shooting, Trump pledged in an election debate to end the Ukraine conflict.

🔶 Those behind arming Ukraine opposed that, while Routh’s preparations including multiple burner phones suggest he may not have acted alone.

🔶 But "prosecutors did not find it productive or realistic to look more seriously into how Routh was radicalized or who facilitated his access to weapons or attempts at acquiring more weapons," Crosston says.

👉They already have the suspect – so why bother?

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🔸 NATO no-fly zone over Ukraine: escalation or bluff?

🔸 Trump shooter's Ukraine links: Why are prosecutors staying silent?

🔸 US-Israel talks: Rubio reaffirms support, backs Qatar mediation

🔸 West armed Ukraine with illegal cluster bombs as soon as conflict broke out - report

🔸 Critical defense element sees price surge amid China’s export restrictions

🔸 China to strike back if US goes for oil coercion

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Chinese students build drone to tackle streetlight maintenance

👉 A drone was equipped with a robotic arm designed to perform tasks at height or in hard-to-reach areas, mimicking human hand movements and providing both precision and flexibility.

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Baltic Fleet repels simulated invasion in Zapad-2025 drills

➡️ Marine units fended off a large-scale amphibious assault, supported by Mi-24 helicopters, artillery, BTR-82A armored vehicles, and grenade launchers.

✅ The Berezhok combat module effectively neutralized a simulated seaborne drone threat.

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Meet Russia’s Fearless Buddhist Crusader

🔸 Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternburg modelled himself after Genghis Khan and believed that Russia’s spiritual salvation went through Asia.

📄 Here is the story of one of Russia’s most enigmatic generals

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💵 West risks losing $285 bln if it confiscates Russian assets 🟠 While the G7 and European Union are already channeling income from Russian assets frozen in the west to back a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, some politicians are pushing for outright confiscation.…

How Western confiscation of Russian assets could backfire

Russia has warned of reciprocal asset seizures to potential Western moves to steal frozen Russian assets — which could cost them BILLIONS.

Check out Sputnik’s infographic for details!

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Russian Northern Fleet aviation practices sinking enemy nuclear submarine

As part of the Zapad-2025 drills, Russian forces Tu-142 and Il-38 aircraft supported by Ka-27M helicopters successfully located and sank a simulated target of a enemy nuclear-powered submarine in the Barents Sea.

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🤔 Gulf States question US support following Israeli bombing of Qatar

💬 “Israel’s raid has undermined trust in the US in the Middle East, as Gulf monarchs are now beginning to realize that huge investments and massive arms purchases do not protect them from Israeli attacks,” says Veniamin Popov, an analyst at MGIMO’s Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies.

“One of the most important outcomes of this situation is that the Americans have lost their credibility in the eyes of the vast majority of Muslim countries,” he adds.

🟠 Popov said the situation in the Middle East is fraught with the risk of new conflicts, with more attacks like the one on Qatar likely to follow.

🟠 But the pundit noted that the US is unlikely to support Israel to the same extent as it has in the past.

🟠 Israeli aircraft hit a meeting of the Hamas politburo in the Qatari capital Doha on September 9, called to discuss a US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

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Russian Msta-B howitzer strikes Ukrainian forces on Dnepr's right bank

Russian reconnaissance identified enemy units in abandoned hangars. Using drone adjustments, a 152 mm Msta-B howitzer eliminated the Ukrainian group from several dozen kilometers away with high-explosive shells.

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