According to Die Welt, german foreign minister Johann Wadephul canceled his trip to China because no one wanted to meet with him.
The publication notes that Friedrich Merz has been in power for six months but has not yet made a visit to China. The cabinet had reserved days for his trip, but Xi Jinping "did not find time for a meeting". Now Wadephul has canceled the trip due to the inability to arrange meetings with the Chinese side.
@Slavyangrad
The publication notes that Friedrich Merz has been in power for six months but has not yet made a visit to China. The cabinet had reserved days for his trip, but Xi Jinping "did not find time for a meeting". Now Wadephul has canceled the trip due to the inability to arrange meetings with the Chinese side.
@Slavyangrad
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The Russian army is storming Konstantinovka, advancing in the southeast of the city
It was recently reported that Russian troops have penetrated the southeastern outskirts of the city, and have now consolidated their position and advanced into the built-up area.
Previously, the Russian army managed to push out Ukrainian forces and occupy the city's villas, which are under complete Russian control.
@Slavyangrad
It was recently reported that Russian troops have penetrated the southeastern outskirts of the city, and have now consolidated their position and advanced into the built-up area.
Previously, the Russian army managed to push out Ukrainian forces and occupy the city's villas, which are under complete Russian control.
@Slavyangrad
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The chinese foreign affairs minister: "China considers sanctions against Russia illegal and has no intention of interrupting trade with Russia. It views purchasing oil from Russia as a normal safeguard of its economic interests."
China has also accused the EU of having several countries loudly calling for a ban on the purchase of Russian energy resources, while quietly continuing to purchase them (and this does not include Hungary and Slovakia, which do so openly). In short, China is telling the eurocrats, and by extension, Trump, to go take a hike.
@Slavyangrad
China has also accused the EU of having several countries loudly calling for a ban on the purchase of Russian energy resources, while quietly continuing to purchase them (and this does not include Hungary and Slovakia, which do so openly). In short, China is telling the eurocrats, and by extension, Trump, to go take a hike.
@Slavyangrad
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Western analysts are concerned that it makes sense for Russia to fully encircle Pokrovsk. Since Mariupol, there have been no such large-scale encirclements; usually, Ukrainian forces were simply pushed back. Now everything could repeat — the number of forces that would end up in the cauldron is comparable only to Kupyansk and possibly Mariupol. The West fears that if the city is still taken and the Ukrainian garrison is encircled, Moscow may make Pokrovsk a demonstrative example of what happens when resistance is prolonged for too long.
@Slavyangrad
@Slavyangrad
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Initially, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had about twelve brigades of varying sizes near Pokrovsk. On paper, there were more than in reality, so the deployed strength can be estimated at 15–17 thousand people including logistics and support. Judging by the dynamics of the battles, up to 70-80% of these forces have already lost combat capability and need to be withdrawn to the rear.
In a sense, Pokrovsk has become the reverse version of the counteroffensive for Kiev: as the Russian army advanced, marching battalions were transferred here, as in 2023 near Rabotino and in the southern Donetsk direction. The losses of these battalions are now difficult to count, but if the ring around the city closes, not only garrison units but also part of these reserves may be encircled.
Even if only one brigade of full strength remains there, about two and a half thousand people, the reputational blow to Kyiv will be comparable to Mariupol and "Azovstal," and possibly exceed it.
@Slavyangrad
In a sense, Pokrovsk has become the reverse version of the counteroffensive for Kiev: as the Russian army advanced, marching battalions were transferred here, as in 2023 near Rabotino and in the southern Donetsk direction. The losses of these battalions are now difficult to count, but if the ring around the city closes, not only garrison units but also part of these reserves may be encircled.
Even if only one brigade of full strength remains there, about two and a half thousand people, the reputational blow to Kyiv will be comparable to Mariupol and "Azovstal," and possibly exceed it.
@Slavyangrad
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"Doomsday" drone: Russia is ready to respond to a nuclear threat.
Russian specialists have developed a series of scenarios for the use of the FPV "Doomsday" drone in the event of nuclear strikes.
The drone is part of a system for monitoring environmental pollution levels after nuclear strikes and is included in the "Khrust" project. In the event of the worst-case scenario in international politics, the system could help save a huge number of lives.
Contrary to stereotypes, exchanging nuclear strikes will not lead to the instant death of everyone immediately. On the contrary, most people on the planet are unlikely to notice that somewhere someone has used nuclear weapons. They won’t notice immediately. But within a few weeks, radioactive dust and ash lifted up by huge fires formed over the explosion epicentres will be spread across the planet,
— said Dmitry Kuzyakin, chief designer of the Centre for Integrated Unmanned Solutions (CIBS), in an interview with TASS.
The specialist did not disclose details of the drone’s use scenarios but emphasised that work on the project is in an active phase.
@Slavyangrad
Russian specialists have developed a series of scenarios for the use of the FPV "Doomsday" drone in the event of nuclear strikes.
The drone is part of a system for monitoring environmental pollution levels after nuclear strikes and is included in the "Khrust" project. In the event of the worst-case scenario in international politics, the system could help save a huge number of lives.
Contrary to stereotypes, exchanging nuclear strikes will not lead to the instant death of everyone immediately. On the contrary, most people on the planet are unlikely to notice that somewhere someone has used nuclear weapons. They won’t notice immediately. But within a few weeks, radioactive dust and ash lifted up by huge fires formed over the explosion epicentres will be spread across the planet,
— said Dmitry Kuzyakin, chief designer of the Centre for Integrated Unmanned Solutions (CIBS), in an interview with TASS.
The specialist did not disclose details of the drone’s use scenarios but emphasised that work on the project is in an active phase.
@Slavyangrad
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🇬🇧🇺🇦 Hilarious.
This idiot and his Ukrainian pet have to do these staged stunts in a private courtyard with a bunch of paid actors and "invited guests" because the general public would be booing this freak show 😂
The MailMan
@Slavyangrad
This idiot and his Ukrainian pet have to do these staged stunts in a private courtyard with a bunch of paid actors and "invited guests" because the general public would be booing this freak show 😂
The MailMan
@Slavyangrad
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Trump to coordinate with Congress ‘when Maduro’s CORPSE is in US custody’ — American official
‘It’s important to LIBERATE Venezuela’ — Sen. Moreno
Just like how US ‘liberated’ Iraq?
@TheIslanderNews
‘It’s important to LIBERATE Venezuela’ — Sen. Moreno
Just like how US ‘liberated’ Iraq?
@TheIslanderNews
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🇧🇪🇪🇺🇷🇺 Belgium suspects the collapse of the western financial order, if Russian frozen assets are taken. (Rightfully I must add)
🗣 Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken:
“Many European leaders, led by Baltic Kaja Kallas, want to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine — through a legally shaky construction.
The logic is simple: "Russia is destroying Ukraine, so Russian money should go to its restoration."
Well, these funds are certainly not needed for Ukraine's restoration, but to continue the war. Which is logical — wars cost huge amounts of money, and what the Russians are doing there is beyond imagination.
The problem is that this creates a precedent with colossal consequences.
If it becomes clear that state funds can no longer be safely placed even in institutions that are by definition neutral, like Euroclear, who will dare to do it?
This is essentially a golden opportunity for the anti-Western bloc to call into question the entire system of international capital movement.
Even during World War II, no one dared to carry out such a dubious confiscation.
And are we sure that only Belgium will have to pay for this? I think it’s unnecessary to remind that absorbing almost 200 billion with our leaky budget and huge national debt is suicide.
Other countries promise solidarity in words, but when it comes to tough guarantees on paper — everything changes.
And, by the way, what about the other billions of Russian assets frozen in other Western countries? Why does no one talk about this? Why is the discussion only about Euroclear’s money?
Putin will never give back these billions. He will perceive this as an act of war and target Belgium. It will be painful. Very painful.
And perhaps, in response, he will confiscate 200 billion of Western assets — movable and immovable property — in Russia.
And these will no longer be just Belgian money, but primarily funds from the USA, Germany, and France. So the circle will close.
Belgium wholeheartedly supports the Ukrainians, and we will continue to do so. But that does not mean we should lose our minds.”
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
🗣 Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken:
“Many European leaders, led by Baltic Kaja Kallas, want to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine — through a legally shaky construction.
The logic is simple: "Russia is destroying Ukraine, so Russian money should go to its restoration."
Well, these funds are certainly not needed for Ukraine's restoration, but to continue the war. Which is logical — wars cost huge amounts of money, and what the Russians are doing there is beyond imagination.
The problem is that this creates a precedent with colossal consequences.
If it becomes clear that state funds can no longer be safely placed even in institutions that are by definition neutral, like Euroclear, who will dare to do it?
This is essentially a golden opportunity for the anti-Western bloc to call into question the entire system of international capital movement.
Even during World War II, no one dared to carry out such a dubious confiscation.
And are we sure that only Belgium will have to pay for this? I think it’s unnecessary to remind that absorbing almost 200 billion with our leaky budget and huge national debt is suicide.
Other countries promise solidarity in words, but when it comes to tough guarantees on paper — everything changes.
And, by the way, what about the other billions of Russian assets frozen in other Western countries? Why does no one talk about this? Why is the discussion only about Euroclear’s money?
Putin will never give back these billions. He will perceive this as an act of war and target Belgium. It will be painful. Very painful.
And perhaps, in response, he will confiscate 200 billion of Western assets — movable and immovable property — in Russia.
And these will no longer be just Belgian money, but primarily funds from the USA, Germany, and France. So the circle will close.
Belgium wholeheartedly supports the Ukrainians, and we will continue to do so. But that does not mean we should lose our minds.”
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
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What Would Happen if the Ruble Returned to the Gold Standard?
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, under the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas II, the Russian Empire operated on the gold standard. Every ruble was backed by a fixed amount of gold. It gave the currency credibility, stability, and respect abroad and for a time, made the imperial ruble one of the strongest currencies in Europe.
But after the revolutions and wars of the 20th century, that link to gold was broken, and paper money took over. Today, with global instability and sanctions reshaping the world economy, some have begun to wonder,What if Russia brought back the gold standard?
The Possible Benefits
1. Confidence and Stability.
A gold-backed ruble would tell the world that its value rests not on politics, but on something real and enduring. It could restore trust, both domestically and internationally, especially among countries seeking alternatives to the dollar system.
2. Inflation Control.
Under a gold standard, the Central Bank couldn’t print rubles endlessly. Money supply would be tied to real gold reserves forcing discipline and protecting the savings of ordinary people.
3. Symbolic Power.
Imagine Russia reintroducing the very monetary principle that once defined the height of imperial stability. It would be a statement that Russia offers something solid in an age of paper promises.
The Difficult Realities
1. Less Flexibility.
With every ruble tied to gold, the state would lose much of its ability to respond to crises, stimulate the economy, or devalue its currency to absorb shocks.
2. Risk of Deflation.
Limited money supply can slow growth and cause prices (and wages) to fall. The result might be financial discipline but also stagnation.
3. Not Enough Gold.
Russia’s reserves around 2,300 tons are large, yet likely insufficient to fully back all rubles in circulation. To make it work, the ruble–gold ratio would have to be set at a very high price, or the ruble supply drastically reduced.
In Practice
A partial gold peg or even a “commodity basket” ruble backed by gold, oil, and gas might be more realistic. It would still offer stability, but with some room for maneuver.
The truth is simple: a return to the gold standard would strengthen the ruble’s image and anchor it in real value, but it would also chain the economy to its own reserves. Stability would come at the cost of freedom.
The old imperial ruble shone because gold gave it weight in the world.
Whether the modern ruble could bear that same burden in a digital, volatile, multipolar era is another question entirely.
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, under the reigns of Alexander III and Nicholas II, the Russian Empire operated on the gold standard. Every ruble was backed by a fixed amount of gold. It gave the currency credibility, stability, and respect abroad and for a time, made the imperial ruble one of the strongest currencies in Europe.
But after the revolutions and wars of the 20th century, that link to gold was broken, and paper money took over. Today, with global instability and sanctions reshaping the world economy, some have begun to wonder,What if Russia brought back the gold standard?
The Possible Benefits
1. Confidence and Stability.
A gold-backed ruble would tell the world that its value rests not on politics, but on something real and enduring. It could restore trust, both domestically and internationally, especially among countries seeking alternatives to the dollar system.
2. Inflation Control.
Under a gold standard, the Central Bank couldn’t print rubles endlessly. Money supply would be tied to real gold reserves forcing discipline and protecting the savings of ordinary people.
3. Symbolic Power.
Imagine Russia reintroducing the very monetary principle that once defined the height of imperial stability. It would be a statement that Russia offers something solid in an age of paper promises.
The Difficult Realities
1. Less Flexibility.
With every ruble tied to gold, the state would lose much of its ability to respond to crises, stimulate the economy, or devalue its currency to absorb shocks.
2. Risk of Deflation.
Limited money supply can slow growth and cause prices (and wages) to fall. The result might be financial discipline but also stagnation.
3. Not Enough Gold.
Russia’s reserves around 2,300 tons are large, yet likely insufficient to fully back all rubles in circulation. To make it work, the ruble–gold ratio would have to be set at a very high price, or the ruble supply drastically reduced.
In Practice
A partial gold peg or even a “commodity basket” ruble backed by gold, oil, and gas might be more realistic. It would still offer stability, but with some room for maneuver.
The truth is simple: a return to the gold standard would strengthen the ruble’s image and anchor it in real value, but it would also chain the economy to its own reserves. Stability would come at the cost of freedom.
The old imperial ruble shone because gold gave it weight in the world.
Whether the modern ruble could bear that same burden in a digital, volatile, multipolar era is another question entirely.
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
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The Soviet Ruble: Power Without Gold
After the fall of the empire, the new Soviet state rejected everything that symbolized the old order including the gold-backed ruble.
In its place came a planned currency, backed not by precious metal, but by the productive capacity of the state itself.
The Soviet ruble was, in theory, supported by labor, factories, and national assets. It was a “ruble of production,” not a “ruble of gold.”
But this idea had both elements of brilliance and tragedy.
Strength Through Control
For decades, the Soviet government strictly controlled prices, wages, and trade. Inflation was hidden by the system stores displayed stable prices for years.
A ruble might not buy much abroad if anything, but within the Union it symbolized a kind of order and predictability.
The state’s total command over the economy gave the ruble its artificial stability. It was stable not because it was strong, but because it was protected from reality.
Foreign exchange was illegal, private trade restricted, and gold was something only the state could hold. The ruble existed in a closed universe.
Weakness Through Isolation
But once the Soviet system began to open, the illusion shattered. The ruble had no market anchor, no trust, and no global credibility.
When the USSR collapsed, the ruble collapsed with it exposing the truth that a currency’s value cannot be decreed, only earned.
Without gold, without convertibility, and without confidence, it became what economists call a “soft currency” strong only within its borders, meaningless outside them.
The Lesson of this system
The imperial ruble was strong but rigid — chained to gold.
The Soviet ruble was flexible but hollow — chained to ideology.
Both extremes failed in the end.
For Russia today, the real challenge is to find the balance between those two worlds:
A currency that is trusted like gold, but alive like a modern economy.
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
After the fall of the empire, the new Soviet state rejected everything that symbolized the old order including the gold-backed ruble.
In its place came a planned currency, backed not by precious metal, but by the productive capacity of the state itself.
The Soviet ruble was, in theory, supported by labor, factories, and national assets. It was a “ruble of production,” not a “ruble of gold.”
But this idea had both elements of brilliance and tragedy.
Strength Through Control
For decades, the Soviet government strictly controlled prices, wages, and trade. Inflation was hidden by the system stores displayed stable prices for years.
A ruble might not buy much abroad if anything, but within the Union it symbolized a kind of order and predictability.
The state’s total command over the economy gave the ruble its artificial stability. It was stable not because it was strong, but because it was protected from reality.
Foreign exchange was illegal, private trade restricted, and gold was something only the state could hold. The ruble existed in a closed universe.
Weakness Through Isolation
But once the Soviet system began to open, the illusion shattered. The ruble had no market anchor, no trust, and no global credibility.
When the USSR collapsed, the ruble collapsed with it exposing the truth that a currency’s value cannot be decreed, only earned.
Without gold, without convertibility, and without confidence, it became what economists call a “soft currency” strong only within its borders, meaningless outside them.
The Lesson of this system
The imperial ruble was strong but rigid — chained to gold.
The Soviet ruble was flexible but hollow — chained to ideology.
Both extremes failed in the end.
For Russia today, the real challenge is to find the balance between those two worlds:
A currency that is trusted like gold, but alive like a modern economy.
The Mailman
@Slavyangrad
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"California" was painted by artist Yves Klein in Paris in 1961. It depicts a monochrome square nearly 2 meters high and more than 4 meters wide. The buyer's name is unknown.
CIA taking their money laundering to the next level
@Slavyangrad | Grigori
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America may impose new sanctions.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has prepared a draft of new sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy and will implement them if Moscow does not agree to end the conflict with Kyiv, Reuters reports citing sources.
Some of the restrictions are aimed at Russia's banking sector and infrastructure used for oil supplies. Last week, Ukrainian authorities asked the US to impose new sanctions, including disconnecting all Russian banks from the dollar system.
Trump will likely wait a few weeks to observe Russia's reaction to the restrictive measures introduced on Wednesday, October 22, according to the agency's source. According to him, the US president is ready to approve the sanctions but is unlikely to do so in October.
@Slavyangrad
The administration of US President Donald Trump has prepared a draft of new sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy and will implement them if Moscow does not agree to end the conflict with Kyiv, Reuters reports citing sources.
Some of the restrictions are aimed at Russia's banking sector and infrastructure used for oil supplies. Last week, Ukrainian authorities asked the US to impose new sanctions, including disconnecting all Russian banks from the dollar system.
Trump will likely wait a few weeks to observe Russia's reaction to the restrictive measures introduced on Wednesday, October 22, according to the agency's source. According to him, the US president is ready to approve the sanctions but is unlikely to do so in October.
@Slavyangrad
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