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Independent researcher/writer based in Hong Kong since 1997. Reformed academic. My long-form, analytical articles are collected here https://laura-ruggeri.medium.com/ email: lauraru852@yandex.ru
🇬🇪 The Georgian Prime Minister does not expect the situation to escalate after the inauguration of President Mikheil Kavelashvili on December 29.
"I exclude the possibility that Salome Zurabishvili will not leave the presidential residence. Everyone knows perfectly well that this is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment. Who wants to take such a step? I am sure that no one will do such a stupid thing," said Irakli Kobakhidze.
(Source: Sputnik Georgia) @LauraRuHK
The US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the latest defense bill for the next fiscal year amounting to $895 billion, mentioned China 107 times, Russia is far behind. People's Daily writes:
The bill reads like a manifesto of Washington's increasingly paranoid agenda to confront China and lawmakers' blatant effort to safeguard the interests of American defense contractors.
Not only does the bill target sensitive sectors like lidar and semiconductor equipment, it also extends to more trivial areas, such as the import of Chinese garlic. This absurd inclusion reveals just how far Washington is willing to go to weaponize its regulatory powers under the pretext of national security. In reality, the mounting military expenditures serve the needs of special interest groups, rather than address real security threats.
The military-industrial complex -- a symbiotic relationship between government officials and private defense contractors -- has benefited from nearly every military conflict the United States has entered over the past few decades.
A report from the "Costs of War" project under Brown University shows that Pentagon spending has totaled over 14 trillion dollars since the start of the war in Afghanistan. One-third to one-half of that total has gone to defense firms, many of which have direct ties to former government officials.
This "revolving door" between government service and the defense industry is one of the most glaring symbols of the corruption at the heart of America's military policy
During the press conference at the end of the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council a journalist touched on a topic that is currently the subject of much speculation among analysts. Andrey Yunashev (Life magazine): Hello, Vladimir Vladimirovich, happy New Year!
You just said that you are constantly in touch with the commanders, both day and night. This means that you have the most complete information about the situation on the front line.
Vladimir Putin: The information I have is complete. Whether it's the most, or not the most complete – it's hard to say, but is extensive enough.
A.Yunashev: And since we noticed that you have a high intuition, what do you personally believe? Do you believe that in 2025 the conflict will end? Naturally, with our victory.
Vladimir Putin: I believe in God, and God is with us. @LauraRuHK
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says that it has foiled a Kiev-planned series of assassinations targeting high-ranking officials in the Russian Defense Ministry who participate in the special military operation and their relatives.
Four Russian nationals involved in the preparation of the assassinations have been detained, the FSB says, adding that criminal cases have been opened against the perpetrators, who now face a lifetime in prison. ▪️Ukrainian special services planned to assassinate high-ranking officials of the Russian Defense Ministry using bombs disguised as a power bank and a document folder, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says.
The device disguised as a power bank was to be placed under the car of a "high-ranking executive" in the ministry, while the one disguised as a document folder was to be delivered to another official by two Russian nationals recruited by Kiev, the security service adds. (RIA Novosti) @LauraRuHK
The US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) played up the alleged "China military threat" as an excuse to increase US military spending and maintain its hegemony. This grossly interferes with China's internal affairs and undermines world peace and stability. We are strongly dissatisfied with it and firmly oppose it,
France has approached Russia several times through closed channels to establish a “dialogue on the Ukrainian issue,” Lavrov stated.
Russia will respond to Ukrainian strikes on civilian facilities, but Moscow’s forces target only military-related sites, Lavrov has stressed.
“Striking civilian targets is not part of our rules,” he emphasized.
“Our Western counterparts will inevitably take part in a multipolar world but must overcome their psychological resistance to playing a less dominant role,” Lavrov stated.
The US must take the first step to restore dialogue with Moscow, the Russian foreign minister has stated.
Russia has noted signals from Trump’s team expressing interest in resuming dialogue, which is “reasonable and normal,” he said.
“All ideas less binding than the Minsk agreements aim to buy time for the Nazi regime,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
He also recalled that former Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko, former French President Francois Hollande, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted they never intended to implement the Minsk agreements.
Israel should not secure its safety at Syria’s expense, as the destruction of military facilities in the Arab republic will “sow a storm,” Sergey Lavrov warned.
Moscow understands Ankara’s concerns about security on the Turkish-Syrian border, Lavrov has stated.
He emphasized that Türkiye's legitimate security interests must be addressed while preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.
Russia maintains contact with the new Syrian authorities, discussing the safety of Russian citizens and the embassy in the country, Lavrov has said.
He emphasized Moscow’s interest in dialogue with Damascus on other bilateral issues as well.
Russia is also ready to assist in organizing elections in Syria to ensure they are universally recognized and raise no concerns, the foreign minister added.
Lavrov has called the West’s demands for other countries to sever ties with Russia absurd. Moscow is ready to engage with any Western representatives open to mutually beneficial agreements, he said.
He cited Hungary and Slovakia as examples, noting that other EU members are also beginning to lean toward this approach.
Russia is ready for consultations with the President-elect Donald Trump’s administration on Ukraine and hopes the White House will delve into the root causes of the conflict, Lavrov stated.
A truce in Ukraine would currently lead nowhere, stressing the need for reliable agreements.
He clarified that Russia is not setting any preconditions for negotiations but insists on the fulfillment of existing agreements.
The foreign minister added that future agreements on resolving the Ukraine conflict must include a mechanism to prevent violations. https://swentr.site/russia/609970-russian-fm-lavrov-holds-online-briefing/
The company that owns the Russian bulk carrier Ursa Major stated that the vessel sank as a result of a terrorist attack.
On December 23 three explosions occurred on the starboard side of the Ursa Major while it was in international waters between Spain and Algeria. @LauraRuHK
Merry Christmas to all those who are celebrating today. Warmest wishes from Hong Kong.
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A Russian cargo ship, Ursa Major, sank in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria as a result of an explosion in the engine room. At the time of writing the cause of this explosion hasn't been ascertained yet.
Two crew members are missing, and the remaining 14 people were taken to the Spanish city of Cartagena by a Russian military vessel, whose crew took over the rescue operation. Several fishing vessels in the area took part in their rescue.
The Ursa Major, a cargo ship operated by a subsidiary of the Russian defense company Oboronlogistics, left the port of St. Petersburg and was heading to Vladivostok. According to Maritime Executive two large crawler cranes were on deck and the holds were empty. @LauraRuHK
Here is an example of indirect anti-Russian propaganda i have just come across on social media. Highlighted comments steered the conversation into the desired direction: Russia is waging war instead of supporting her people. ▪️Pictures taken out of context are an ideal tool of emotional manipulation, even before AI enters the equation. Let's assume the picture hasn't been manipulated. How do you know this woman was "delivering food while caring for her two children"? She might have just picked up her kids from nursery/kindergarten at the end of her shift, or borrowed her husband's delivery bag to carry her groceries. ▪️In Russia mothers receive very generous subsidies. Masks suggest the picture was taken during the pandemic - in 2020 mothers were entitled to 466,617 rubles. That sum has increased considerably to encourage families to have more children. In 2024 maternity capital for the birth of second and subsequent children in Russia is 833,000 rubles. For the first child is 630,400 rubles. @LauraRuHK
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A travesty of democracy - The citizens of EU countries can vote but their votes don't matter. French President Emmanuel Macron endorsed a new cabinet, with key ministers keeping their posts.
Jean-Noel Barrot retained his job as foreign minister, and Sebastien Lecornu also remained defense minister. Bruno Retailleau stayed on as interior minister.
Colonial subjects aren't allowed to fundamentally change the direction of their colonial administration. In EU countries we see a combination of both direct rule and indirect rule contingent upon the governing context. Direct rule can be defined as an imperial power that takes direct control over the executive. Indirect rule refers to a system of colonial governance in which pre-existing local power structures are utilized. In both cases colonial rulers impose their ideology and cultural values onto the ruled masses, including the implementation of cultural assimilation. @LauraRuHK
Maia Sandu, the puppet president of Moldova, intends to seize GRES, the power plant located in Transnistria near the border with Ukraine, the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia said.
"The Moldovan president demanded to prepare a forcible seizure of the power plant," the SVR said.
Sandu wants to establish control over Transnistria and eliminate the Russian peacekeeping presence in the region.
According to the Russian intelligence, the European Union opposes the timing of action rather than the plan, and does not know how to rein in the unhinged Moldovan leader.
The EU would not mind creating a new crisis for Russia, but is not yet ready for it; no one can guarantee that Sandu will not unleash a regional war since Moscow could take action to protect Russian peacekeepers...and those Oreshnik ballistic missiles can't be intercepted.
It must be pointed out that Sandu is not an independent player. Everything she does is coordinated with representatives of the Democratic administration in Washington.
She has supervisors from both the EU and NATO. @LauraRuHK
Romania - Klaus Iohannis, the illegitimate president who refuses to step down at the end of his mandate, nominated Marcel Ciolacu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to form a new government. Presidential elections were cancelled by a NATO coup. @LauraRuHK
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The US continues to look for any pretext to impose more sanctions on Hong Kong. The "2024 Annual Report" issued by the United States (US) Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), made a series of smearing remarks against Hong Kong authorities accusing them of human rights violations, and criticized the National Security Law. The HKSAR Government rebutted these claims in a statement, expressing its disapproval of the CECC's repeated tactics to interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong through the so-called annual report. The HK government pointed out that the US report completely ignored the severe national security threats posed by the riots and the Hong Kong version of “colour revolution” in 2019 - it was thanks to the implementation of the National Security Law that life returned to normalcy. Safeguarding national security is an inherent right of all sovereign states. Many common law jurisdictions, including the US, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, have enacted similar laws to safeguard national security.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202412/21/P2024122100449.htm?fontSize=1
US citizen Gene Spector, convicted in Russia, handed over data to the Pentagon for the creation by the US of a high-speed genetic screening system of the Russian population, the Russian Federal Security Service says.
On December 24, the Moscow City Court sentenced Spector to 15 years in prison for espionage and upheld the fine of 14 million rubles (around $140,000) imposed by a previous verdict. ▪️Russian experts have long noticed the interest of the American military in the biological materials of Russians. In particular, in 2021, Mikhail Kovalchuk, president of the Kurchatov Institute, said that the United States, as part of a separate program, collected samples of synovial (articular) fluid from Russian residents.
And back in 2017, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that the special services had information that some emissaries and non-governmental organizations had collected biological material from representatives of various Russian ethnic groups. https://ria.ru/20241227/spektor-1991603303.html
The Japanese government approved a draft budget for fiscal year 2025, amounting to 115.54 trillion yen ($732.23 billion), with a record 8.7 trillion yen ($55.4 billion) marked for defense spending, Kyodo news agency reports.
The upcoming defense budget reportedly includes spending on the development of long-range missiles to improve the country's military capabilities to target enemy bases. The plan also provides for boosting the ability to strike adversaries outside of their attack range and increasing drone capabilities. (Source: RIA Novosti) @LauraRuHK
Russia’s gas production rose by 7.9% from January to November, driven by rising exports and domestic consumption, Kommersant writes, citing sources familiar with the Energy Ministry’s statistics. The Gazprom gas giant has been the main driver of increased output this year.
Notably, Russia remains one of the leading gas suppliers to the European Union, in terms of both pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG), with the country’s share standing at about 15%.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced earlier that Russia’s overall gas exports to EU countries would exceed last year’s levels by 18-20%. For now, Gazprom continues gas transit via Ukraine and through the TurkStream pipeline, which enables the company to maintain production. However, Ukraine gas transit is expected to cease on January 1, 2025, which could result in Russian gas supplies being halved.
Vitaly Yermakov of the Higher School of Economics expects gas output to grow by 54 billion cubic meters, reaching 691 billion cubic meters by the end of 2024, which is 54 billion cubic meters higher than in the previous year.
The expert attributes the growing production to increases in exports and domestic demand. According to him, exports are rising primarily due to supplies to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline. Russian pipeline gas exports to China are expected to reach 31 billion cubic meters by the end of the year. https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/7403586
Finland-Estonia underwater power cable cut: Helsinki claims sabotage possible
Finland is weighing the possibility of sabotage following damage to an underwater power cable between the Nordic country and Estonia on December 25, which resulted in a disruption of electricity supply, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.
At least two vessels were spotted in the vicinity where the cables are located, claimed Arto Pahkin, the head of operations of the Finnish electricity grid.
The EstLink 2 cable, which transmits electricity to Estonia, experienced a power cut, as confirmed by Fingrid. This left only the EstLink 1 cable operational, but with a reduced capacity of 358 megawatts compared to the 658 megawatts being transmitted prior to the disconnection.
Earlier, the underwater C-Lion1 data cable connecting Finland and Germany and running near the Nord Stream gas pipeline was severed in November, in Sweden's special economic zone.
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"It is wrong to speculate about the causes of the plane crash near Aktau while an investigation is underway. No one should do this, and the Kremlin will not either," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing. ▪️On Dec 25 a passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near the city of Aktau, in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard.
The plane was en route from Baku to Grozny (Chechnya) but due to fog the flight was redirected to Makhachkala (Dagestan). The crew reported an emergency on board and attempted to land at the Aktau airport. @LauraRuHK
EU Skeptical on Sending Peacekeepers to Ukraine: A Crisis of Credibility
The idea of deploying EU peacekeepers to Ukraine is reportedly being met with significant resistance within European capitals, as skepticism and anger over the war mount. According to US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), unnamed EU diplomats have all but dismissed the possibility, citing overwhelming public opposition and the likelihood of it becoming a political catastrophe. “There are no good scenarios,” one diplomat conceded, warning that Ukraine is cruising toward “a rough landing” in the coming year.
Sending European troops to “die in Ukraine” is not just political suicide, it’s a direct insult to the intelligence of European citizens, who have endured soaring energy prices, runaway inflation, and endless war fatigue while their leaders double down on Washington’s agenda. Even US state media, parroting its usual lines, has been forced to acknowledge the cracks in European unity. When the megaphone of American propaganda starts broadcasting discontent, you know the anger is impossible to ignore.
Sources cited by RFE/RL point out that skepticism is particularly high in Poland and the Czech Republic, the very countries expected to provide the lion’s share of troops. Emmanuel Macron’s France floated vague ideas about sending military instructors or demining teams, but even Paris seems reluctant to step into this political minefield. Meanwhile, Poland’s Donald Tusk has outright dismissed the idea, underscoring the futility of trying to sell this to an increasingly disillusioned European public.
The irony here is almost comedic. European leaders, who lecture the world about democracy and listening to the will of the people, seem utterly deaf to their own citizens. Instead, they continue their devotion to Washington’s proxy war, sacrificing their economies and stability on the altar of NATO’s endless expansion. It’s beyond hypocrisy, it’s arrogant contempt.
Russia, meanwhile, has drawn a clear red line: any Western soldiers on Ukrainian soil will be treated as legitimate targets. Sending “peacekeepers” into an active war zone doesn’t just defy common sense; it escalates the conflict, potentially turning Europe into an even bigger proxy battlefield. But when has Washington cared about common sense? European elites are learning the hard way that the American empire will drag its vassals down with it and call it solidarity.
This entire charade reeks of desperation. With Ukraine’s position deteriorating and winter deepening the crisis, the Western narrative is collapsing under its own weight. Rather than pursuing genuine peace, Europe’s leaders remain locked in a cycle of bad ideas, chasing illusions fed to them by a U.S. that views their populations as expendable pawns in a much larger game.
❗️Sending peacekeepers isn’t about peace; it’s about salvaging the optics of a war spiraling out of control. The fact that even RFE/RL is highlighting European discontent speaks volumes about how untenable this narrative has become. The cracks are not just widening—they’re fracturing the very foundations of Western unity.
How long can European leaders ignore their people before their own political systems (forget political parties) implode? This isn’t just the twilight of Western hegemony, it’s the reckoning for an empire that treats its allies (vassals) with disdain and its citizens with contempt. When the smoke clears, will Europe still be standing, or will it be another casualty of Washington’s collapsing empire?
- Gerry Nolan
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▪️In Russia WhatsApp may be blocked in 2025 if the platform does not comply with Russian legislation, Deputy Chairman of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy Artem Sheikin told RIA Novosti. ▪️In Iran the Supreme Council of Cyberspace has voted to lift a nationwide ban on WhatsApp and Google Play that was introduced during a wave of civil unrest in 2022.
Messaging and social media platforms have long been recognized as a tool of hybrid warfare since they are widely weaponized to affect people's belief system, perceptions, motivation and behavior. And of course they are used to gather intelligence. There is no level playing field on social media - those who control them have the power to make rumors, seditious content and disinformation go viral or make them inaccessible. @LauraRuHK
Mystery solved. The woman in question turned out to be a scam artist making money off the media portrayal of her "plight". When the picture was taken the delivery bag was empty and she was no longer working as a courier. Just pretending to. Four years later her picture is still being used by foreign agencies to peddle an anti-Russian narrative on social media. /channel/LauraRuHK/9516
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David Tobin "authenticated" Adrian Zenz's fanciful narratives of "Uyghur genocide and forced labour" for the UK-based Uyghur Tribunal. Despite his hippy look Tobin isn't your typical underpaid, overworked university lecturer. One of his side hustles is leading the International Network for Critical China Studies (that demonizes China and calls for sanctions) and writing for RUSI. Based in Whitehall, close to the Ministry of Defence, RUSI is the leading defence and security think tank in the UK.
Its largest funders are the EU Commission, US State Department, UK Foreign Office, the British army and arms corporation BAE Systems, arms manufacturers Lockheed Martin, Airbus, Leonardo, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, alongside the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy.
@LauraRuHK
During the annual Q&A with Vladimir Putin a Russian Youtuber with 80 million followers asked the president why YouTube should be blocked if Russian platforms are already doing well and are competitive.
Putin replied that "there are more issues on the side of YouTube and its owner, Google" than on the side of Russia and they arose, among other things, against the backdrop of Western sanctions. YouTube, like Google, must comply with Russian laws, and should not abuse the platform "to achieve the political goals of their government." Putin recalled that YouTube has blocked the channels of many Russian bloggers, artists and politicians. "Google has not officially operated in Russia for two years now, preferring the bankruptcy procedure of the Russian branch and stopping the support of its caching servers. This approach leads to a decrease in the quality of the video service," representatives of Roskomnadzor told Interfax." Since yesterday YouTube has become inaccessible in Russia. @LauraRuHK
🇮🇱❌🇱🇧 Mossad’s Global Terror Theatre: Exploding Pagers and Manufactured Chaos
In a chilling admission broadcast on 60 Minutes, a supposed ex-Mossad agent, dubbed “Michael,” brazenly detailed a terror plot involving explosive-laden pagers sold to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The result? A catastrophic blast that killed 12 people, including children, and wounded nearly 3,000 others.
The agent, shrouded in a balaclava and sunglasses, smugly described Mossad’s operations as “a global production company” where
“we write the screenplay, we’re the directors, we’re the producers, we’re the main actors. And the world is our stage.”
And at the end of their mandate they both refuse to step down. What a coincidence.
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China’s leading anti-spy agency has blamed foreign agents for comments on Chinese social media that distort history and slander revolutionary heroes.
“There are foreign spy agencies flooding online comment sections with unofficial and fake history about our country’s historical heroes, trying to discredit and slander our historical culture and heroic role models, and dispel people’s admiration for heroes and their identification with our historical culture,” the Ministry of State Security said on Monday. (Source: SCMP) @LauraRuHK
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million, in order to persuade Bratislava to support Kiev’s bid to join NATO.
Fico made the revelation at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, shortly after his behind-closed-doors meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of an EU leader’s summit.
The prime minister, who in March was shot multiple times by an activist who opposed his critical stance towards Ukraine, told journalists that Bratislava could consider “reciprocal measures” after Kiev refused to extend its gas transit deal with Russia, on which Slovakia depends for gas, and which is set to expire at the end of the year.
Ukraine has cited the ongoing conflict for the decision to block transit gas while Fico has emphasized the need for alternative solutions to avoid a crisis.
He recalled that during their talks, the Ukrainian leader declined to allow the transit of fuel, instead offering “absurd” proposals to settle the gas issue.
Fico claimed that, among other things, Zelensky “asked me if I would vote for NATO membership [of Ukraine] if he gave me €500 million from Russian assets” frozen in the West after the outbreak of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
“You know my opinion on Ukraine’s membership in NATO, and it is strange that he asked me such a question because he knows very well that Ukraine’s invitation to NATO is completely unrealistic,” he stressed.
Ukrainian opposition MP Artyom Dmitruk, who reportedly fled the country earlier this year fearing prosecution, said that Zelensky has again “disgraced” Ukraine in front of the whole world by trying to bribe Fico. (Source: RT) @LauraRuHK
The Kiev regime is desperately trying to escalate the conflict. The weaker it becomes on the battlefield, despite receiving massive financial and military support, the more it engages in terrorist activities. This morning it attacked high-rise buildings in three districts of Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan that recently hosted the BRICS summit. Several explosives-laden kamikaze UAVs were used to carry out the attack. /channel/tass_agency/292532
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