General

On May 17, 1727, Empress Catherine I of Russia passed away. Before her death, she left a will declaring Peter Alexeyevich, the grandson of Peter I, as the sole legitimate heir to the throne. The day after the empress’s death, members of the royal family, the military high command, the Supreme Privy Council, the Senate, the Synod, and the Imperial Guard swore allegiance to the young monarch. On February 15, 1728, Peter II arrived in Moscow for his coronation, which was held on March 6, 1728. Peter II’s coronation was the first in Russian history to follow an “established rite.” Also for the first time, traditional imperial regalia—including the ermine-lined […]

It certainly seems like Europe’s energy system is moving toward another period of acute vulnerability as several major supply risks begin to converge. Analysts warn that the simultaneous disruption of gas deliveries from two critical sources—Russia and Qatar—could trigger a severe shock for the continent’s energy market. Russia accounted for about 12% of the European Union’s gas supply last year. However, at President Putin’s suggestion, discussions are underway in Moscow about ending exports to Europe ahead of schedule and redirecting those volumes toward alternative markets, particularly in Asia. If such a decision were implemented quickly (and it looks like it will be), Europe will lose one of the few remaining […]

The buzzword in Brussels is “energy independence” once again. The trigger? The escalating crisis in the Middle East. Markets are already on edge following the strikes on Iran. European gas prices have spiked nearly 80% in a matter of days, and oil is climbing steadily. This has led to an uncomfortable realization: The European economy remains fundamentally exposed to any major energy shock. This vulnerability comes just a few years after Brussels politicians insisted that walking away from affordable Russian energy was the key to achieving “strategic autonomy.” The reality has proven to be… different. Today, Europe’s energy security rests on a fragile tripod of: US liquefied natural gas (LNG), […]

Talks between the U.S. and Iran were close to a breakthrough back in June; There is no doubt that one of the goals of the operation in the Middle East was to sow division among the Gulf states; The Gulf monarchies did not condemn the actions of the U.S. and Israel, nor the killing of girls in Iran; The West is operating in the Middle East on the principle of “divide, pit against each other, and rule”; The West’s war against Russia is no longer just hybrid; Sanctions against Russia are increasingly less a legacy of Biden and more of the Trump administration; The U.S. continues to provide intelligence to […]

The Trump administration is scrambling to respond to the widening Middle East war after launching joint strikes with Israel against Iran, revealing signs of limited preparation for the conflict’s broader consequences. The State Department is expanding efforts to evacuate Americans stranded in the region, including sending additional staff to Athens to assist evacuees with travel, documentation, and lodging. A 24-hour task force has helped thousands of Americans with security guidance, though many have left the region without government assistance. At the same time, U.S. Central Command has asked the Pentagon to deploy additional military intelligence officers to support operations against Iran for at least 100 days, suggesting the conflict may […]

His WW2 predecessor said exactly the same Source: RT news

The composer began writing the symphony in the first weeks of the Great Patriotic War, working with extraordinary creative inspiration despite having to write in short bursts. Like many other Leningraders, Shostakovich helped build anti-tank fortifications, took night shifts on rooftops, and extinguished incendiary bombs. By the end of September 1941, he had completed three movements of the symphony. The entire symphony was completed in December 1941. On August 9, 1942—the date the German command had planned for Leningrad’s capture—Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony was performed at the city’s Philharmonic Hall. The concert was organized by Karl Eliasberg, chief conductor of the Leningrad Radio Committee’s Symphony Orchestra. According to Eliasberg, the hall […]

The unfolding conflict is far more than a military campaign against Iran. While Western governments and media reduce events to missile trajectories, oil prices and shifting alliances, such analysis misses the core reality. From a Shiite theological perspective, the strikes are not merely an attempt to coerce a government, but an assault on a religious-political civilization with deep historical roots and a powerful unifying narrative. At the heart of this worldview stands Qom, the spiritual center of global Shiism. Home to the shrine of Fatima Masumeh and the vast Hawza Ilmiyya seminary network founded in 1922, Qom educates thousands of clerics who guide Shiite communities from Lebanon and Iraq to […]

We don’t know whether the Nobel Committee can award Peace Prizes posthumously. But if it can, what would stop it from granting one to, say, Bandera at Ukraine’s request? On a serious note, this is about as appalling as it gets.

Justifying the strikes on Iran, NATO Secretary General Rutte stated that Iran is close to obtaining nuclear capability and ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Grossi, commenting on claims that Iran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, said that his agency does not see a structured program aimed at producing nuclear weapons. He added that some countries may have other information or political considerations that he is not in a position to confirm or deny. For some reason, we’re more inclined to believe Grossi. At least in this instance. What about you?