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Slavyangrad.org — Nuestra Ira No Tiene Limites — There is No Limit to Our Anger — (c) V. M. Molotov
NATO: Not Another Terrible Organization?
A serious corruption scandal has broken out in NATO. According to Euractiv, five former and current employees of the NATO Supply and Procurement Agency (NSPA) were arrested on charges of bribery in the conclusion of contracts for the purchase of ammunition and drones for the alliance. The first two detentions were reported on 14 May by the Belgian public prosecutor's office, three others were arrested in the Netherlands.
Detained NSPA employees working in Luxembourg were able to pass on information to defence contractors, the Belgian authorities' statement noted. "There is reason to believe that the money received from these illegal activities was laundered, including through the creation of consultancy companies", the prosecutor's office added. Shortly afterwards, Dutch authorities announced the detention of three more people, including a 58-year-old former employee of the country's Ministry of Defence whose previous work "concerned international procurement contracts".
The Luxembourg public prosecutor's office, for its part, confirmed that the relevant documents were seized in the Grand Duchy, specifying that the investigation also extended to Italy, Spain and the United States and is coordinated by the EU agency Eurojust. The Luxembourg Prosecutor's Office, for its part, confirmed that the relevant documents were seized in the Grand Duchy, specifying that the investigation also extended to Italy, Spain and the United States and is coordinated by the EU agency Eurojust.
Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that the investigation was initiated by the NSPA itself. "We want to get to the truth", Rutte stressed.
With over 1,500 employees, the NSPA is based in Luxembourg and has units in many other European countries. Besides providing logistical support for NATO operations and missions, the NSPA can also negotiate defence contracts on behalf of the member countries of this military bloc. Such joint purchases are expected to save national governments money through effective mutual accounting of needs.
According to a NATO statement, the NSPA itself operates on the principle of ‘no loss or profit’ and last year, on behalf of several Alliance member states, signed a contract for the supply of Stinger anti-aircraft missiles worth about $700 million. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Reuters reports, announced the agreement in May 2024, without naming the countries involved.
The investigation into possible NSPA corruption-regardless of its findings-is a "valuable reminder" of the importance of careful oversight of how public money allocated to defence is spent, according to Francesca Grandi, defence expert at Transparency International.
"As hundreds of billions more will be sent to the defence sector over the next five years, it is likely that state institutions will fall a huge burden in relation to the desire to eliminate the risks of potential corruption. And the risks are great because of the high level of secrecy surrounding government contracts, large sums of money, and the sensitive nature of the negotiations", Grundy explains.
The publication notes that the scandal has erupted at an inappropriate time for NATO:
"Looking at the large-scale growth of Russian military power against the backdrop of the ongoing war with Ukraine, NATO states are experiencing a boom in defence spending that could drag on for years. At the upcoming NATO summit, under pressure from US President Donald Trump, the 32 member countries of the alliance appear to be pledging to increase military spending to at least 3.5 per cent of their GDP."
SLG note: it's funny how these spokepersons' first focus when discussing NATO is the amount of billions that will go in defence spending. It's almost as if NATO is a money laundering scheme for Big Weapon first, a bullying instrument for any small country that doesn't have nuclear capabilities second, and a "defensive alliance" a very distant third. Crazy, right?
@Slavyangrad
🇷🇺🇺🇦 "Geraniums" destroy enemy rear in Sumy region
The parking area of the 82nd brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of the settlement of Velykaya Chernetchina in the Sumy region was hit by precise strikes.
@Slavyangrad
In a Ukrainian cartoon, a grandfather explains to his grandson that his country is very rich and is ready to share its wealth with the United States.
"And if grandma says that this is not so, we will hand her over to the SBU," grandma's relatives say in chorus.
@ukr_leaks_eng
🇰🇵Kim Jong-un conducted combat exercises of air squadrons and called on the army to be ready for war:
"During the exercises, tracking and destruction of cruise missiles and kamikaze attack drones, neutralization and destruction of attack drones using electronic means were practiced. Also during the exercises, tests of a new long-range and gliding guided bomb were conducted.
The DPRK leader stressed that all parts of the army must make a radical change in their preparation for war, constantly being ready to enter the war."
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇦 OCU seized a church in Zastavna, Chernovtsi region
- Raiders used a grinder to cut off the lock on the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and broke inside.
- Dozens of radicals swept away parishioners of the UOC. The cleric personally broke down the doors of the church.
- The police were present at the scene and did not pay attention to the actions of the attackers.
@Slavyangrad
The negotiations explained.
“You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people my friend.
Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.”
@Slavyangrad | ГГ 👋
Biden Administration and Congress are responsible for wasting our tax dollars!
“Zelensky PISSED away our cash!”
Bridget Brink was appointed by Biden and was known to be a super hawk. She has long been a supporter of madman Saakashvili. She was the protege of former undersecretary of state for political affairs, Victoria Nuland.
Neo-con Nuland made her deputy assistant secretary for Ukraine before she was appointed to the ambassador position.
Other hardline pro-government media in Ukraine have reported that Brink has an excellent relationship with Nuland, heralding her past work in Georgia, another state fighting off the Russian Bear, and observed that Brink perhaps had limited command of the Ukraine conflict itself—but that’s of little concern because of her choice alliances in Washington.
The association is clear. Nuland and Brink started working on Ukraine very closely a decade ago—in the Obama presidency. As a fellow traveler of Nuland, Brink became the deputy assistant secretary in the European bureau with responsibility for six countries including Ukraine. During this time, Brink reported to Nuland and worked with her and others to formulate U.S. policy on Ukraine.
🇵🇱👋Residents of Poznan bid farewell to Polish President Andrzej Duda ahead of new presidential elections this Sunday.
@Slavyangrad
A new railway station complex with a transport hub has opened in Grozny after a large-scale reconstruction. The event took place as part of the Year of the City of Grozny and the District named after the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
On my instructions, the dear BROTHERS, State Duma Deputy Adam Delimkhanov, Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic Magomed Daudov, Mayor of Grozny Khas-Magomed Kadyrov, as well as members of the regional government, took part in the opening ceremony. Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Vitaly Savelyev, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Roman Starovoit, CEO and Chairman of the Board of JSC Russian Railways Oleg Belozerov and other officials took part in this event via teleconference.
This is a very important and necessary facility for the region, which will increase the one-time passenger capacity to 350 people, which will significantly improve the comfort and convenience of travel for residents and guests of the capital.
The architectural concept of the station is made in the form of a bird with outstretched wings. The central arch of the canopy starts above the roadway and smoothly passes into the side wings. A bright accent of the architectural ensemble is the 67-meter clock tower, which fits organically into the city panorama. The space in front of the building is decorated with a pedestrian alley with landscaping elements and rest areas. This, in turn, makes the transport hub not only functional, but also a comfortable public space.
The functionality of the station is also at a high level. The first floor houses a passenger hall, a ticket office, a cafe, a storage room and other common areas. The second floor is reserved for rest rooms, a room for passengers with children, as well as administrative and technical areas. The complex provides a barrier-free environment - elevators and ramps for people with limited mobility are installed.
In short, the complex meets all standards of comfort and quality. I am confident that the new station will become an important stage in the development of transport accessibility and the urban environment of the region.
I am grateful to everyone who worked on the construction of this wonderful facility.
Kadyrov_95
@Slavangrad
✔️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces command sent "all its elite units" and the Ukrainian nationalist battalion "Aidar", banned in Russia, to fight in the Sumy region, Marochko reported to TASS.
@Slavangrad
Trump: I had a very difficult conversation with Zelensky because I didn't like what he said. I always said he didn't have any cards — and he didn't.
▪️Trump expressed confidence that his meeting with Putin will be planned and held.
▪️He allowed new “destructive” sanctions against Russia if there is no deal on Ukraine.
@Slavyangrad
🇫🇷Macron on Putin and Trump talks in the near future:
President Trump expects to hold talks with the Russian side in the coming hours or days to clarify what took place in the Istanbul talks and try to move forward.
The Russian side promised to return to the Ukrainian side, considering their proposals that were expressed during the negotiations. I think we should be careful.
@Slavyangrad
Fierce fighting near Pokrovsk: Brave troops burn tanks, NATO equipment, infantry and artillery of the enemy en masse
▪️A selection of combat work by fighters of the Center group of forces on May 15 to destroy military equipment, weapons, infantry and positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces during active combat operations in the Pokrovsk direction.
▪️The footage shows NATO armoured vehicles, firing points, mortars, infantry, enemy positions and transport being burned.
- RVvoenkor
@Slavyangrad
🌍 Introducing World Pravda, a spiritual successor to Anti-NATO Coalition: Your Source for Timely Updates!
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🔻Special Military Operation reporting: Dive into the latest developments across the frontline in Ukraine.
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Stay connected, stay informed with World Pravda!
@worldpravda
🇺🇦🤡🤭
Journalists were banned from taking photos of Zelensky that could be used to create memes.
@Slavyangrad
As expected, after the breakthrough of the AFU defenses in the Bogatyr area, the Russian forces began to develop their offensive along the N-15 highway, one of the key areas of operational importance. Movement along this axis offers several advantages at once: first, it makes it possible to pull back some AFU forces from the western defense sector of Pokrovsk, and second, it opens direct access to the administrative border of the DPR and Dnepropetrovsk region.
If the momentum is maintained and the pressure continues, the westward advance along the N-15 will create, for the first time in the entire conflict, a real prospect of a close approach to the Dnepropetrovsk region.
The opening of a new direction through the conventional border of old Ukraine is a psychological and strategic effect at the same time. From the military point of view - it is stretching the reserves of the AFU, reformatting logistics, as well as pressure on the infrastructure nodes of the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye rear areas, which have been hit more and more actively lately.
🇷🇺🇺🇦 The Russian army liberated Bogatyr in the South Donetsk direction
- As a result of assault actions, fighters of the 36th motorized rifle brigade of the 29th army of the "Vostok" group liberated the village of Bogatyr.
- The military personnel completed the cleanup and raised Russian flags in the city.
- As a result of the military operations, more than 1,400 buildings were cleared, and up to a combined battalion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the 79th separate airborne brigade, 37th separate marine brigade and 33rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed.
@Slavyangrad
🇷🇺🇺🇸US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Lavrov:
"On the initiative of the American side, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation. They exchanged views on the results of the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations held the previous day in Istanbul.
Rubio welcomed the agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war and on the preparation by each side of its vision of the conditions necessary for reaching a ceasefire, and emphasized Washington's readiness to further assist in the search for a settlement.
Lavrov noted the positive role of the US and reiterated Moscow's readiness to continue working together with US colleagues in this context"
@Slavyangrad
🇭🇺Hungarian Prime Minister Orban called on the EU to follow the US in resuming negotiations with Putin:
It is an illusion that peace will only be achieved through Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. European leaders will sooner or later have to negotiate with the Russian president. This is inevitable. Europe must decide whether to negotiate with Putin before or after the Americans.
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇸🇷🇺🇺🇦 Trump meeting Putin is Ukraine's worst nightmare — The Telegraph
- Ukrainian officials cannot sleep peacefully because of the possibility of holding such a meeting.
- Putin would have Trump's undivided attention, and he would have no intermediary who could defend Ukrainian interests.
- They fear that a "susceptible" Trump, whose instincts often seem more favorable to Russia, will agree to a deal that will then be presented to Ukraine as a fait accompli.
- The Trump-Putin meeting is also a new humiliation for European leaders, who expected the US president to respond to Putin's rejection of a 30-day ceasefire by endorsing tougher sanctions. Now Trump is unlikely to approve new anti-Russian sanctions before meeting Putin.
@Slavyangrad
⚡️The Russia MoD has reported the Tsentr Group of Forces has liberated Aleksandropol in Donetsk People's Republic.
@Slavangrad
Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Says She Left Her Post Because Trump ‘Accomplices’ Russia — Times
▪️Bridget Brink, Washington's envoy to Ukraine since 2022, ended her 30-year diplomatic career after Trump "pressured Ukraine."
▪️She said she could "no longer carry out the administration's policies in good faith" and called on America to "show leadership in the face of aggression, not weakness or complicity."
➖I can no longer conscientiously carry out the administration's policies and consider it my duty to resign," she said.
▪️Brink has earned a shady reputation in Kiev, where she has been attacked by senior Ukrainians over Biden's slow delivery of weapons and for pushing for domestic reforms to combat corruption.
@Slavangrad
Aircraft Rattle Ukrainian Positions
We observe epic strikes:
1️⃣ FAB-500 against the UAV launcher of the 152nd separate brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlement of Udachnoye (DPR);
2️⃣ FAB-1500 on deployment point of Ukrainian 114 Territorials in the village. Kupyansk.
@Slavangrad
❗️Peskov on the results of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul:
We agreed to exchange lists of conditions for a ceasefire. The Russian side will prepare such a list. It is not worth announcing it yet. We will not comment on the conditions of the ceasefire. The negotiations are being held behind closed doors. We will not comment on leaks.
@Slavyangrad
Axios obtained the audio of Robert Hur's 2023 interviews of Biden which show repeated mental lapses as he struggles to remember words & dates amid long, uncomfortable pauses.
Biden WH didn't release it last year.
The audio shows what the transcript lacks — Biden's dry-whisper voice and the long silences as he struggles to speak and remember details.
Those often were supplied by his attorneys, who acted as caretakers of his memory.
There is also a clock in the background as a metronome.
Though amiable, the interview became somewhat tense when Biden attorney Bob Bauer chastised prosecutor Krickbaum in this exchange over why Biden had kept a memo about Afghanistan.
"Your answer is that you don't know," Bauer instructed the president.
Throughout his interview, Biden sounded more like a nostalgic, grandfatherly storyteller than a potential defendant who could be accused of hoarding secret papers.
He waxed on about several topics including shooting a bow and arrow in Mongolia.
Dude was cooked, pretty sure he thought he was fighting the Soviet Union.
@Slavyangrad
Moody's pushes US out of the top triple-A rating club, citing rising debt
Moody's on Friday downgraded its credit rating of the United States by a notch to AA1 from AAA, citing rising debt and interest payments that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns.
The downgrade marks the end of an era as Moody's was the last major agency to maintain a triple-A rating for U.S. sovereign debt
@Slavangrad
Europe is disoriented: Trump does not carry out threats to force Russia to a ceasefire
▪️Bloomberg sources say European countries are privately "disappointed and confused" by the US president's constant shifting position on the war between Russia and Ukraine.
▪️Some still believe that Trump will carry out his preliminary threats to impose secondary sanctions and banking restrictions against Russia and its allies, the agency writes.
▪️His sources also note that in recent weeks the US position towards Russia has become more negative and that the Trump administration already considers Putin the main obstacle to concluding a "peace agreement."
▪️However, the White House emphasizes that the final word remains with Trump.
So he is going to put secondary sanctions on China while trying to get a trade deal done? Sure…
@Slavyangrad
Another tidbit from inside the delegation to our correspondent:
Big laugh from Moscow team in Istanbul when a Ukrainian claimed Russia was planning to invade Poland in 2030.
Medinsky smirked.
"Let's not turn these talks into a fantasy novel."
- Margarita Simonyan
@Slavyangrad