Thanks Bakes
Charlie Kirk once questioned if Ukraine would try to kill him
11 Sep, 2025 09:52
Slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk had claimed he received death threats on a daily basis for speaking out on issues including Washington’s funding of the Ukraine conflict.
He said at least one assassination threat from a Ukrainian spokesperson could have targeted him personally.
The outspoken 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA was fatally shot during a public event at Utah Valley University, when a lone shooter opened fire from a rooftop before fleeing the scene.
The killing, widely viewed as politically motivated, has elicited broad condemnation, including from US President Donald Trump.
Kirk often used blunt language when discussing topics that mattered to him, such as the hundreds of billions of dollars in US aid sent to Kiev.
In 2023, as Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky prepared to visit Washington to seek more support, Kirk bristled at comments he viewed as a Kiev-sanctioned threat against American critics of the country.
Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, a US transgender woman who at the time was leading the Ukrainian Territorial Defense’s English-language outreach program, vowed to “hunt down” those she called “Kremlin propagandists,” adding that a strike against an individual favored by Russian President Vladimir Putin was imminent.
“Are they going to murder, or try to murder Steve Bannon or Tucker Carlson, or myself?” Kirk asked in response, referencing other conservative American media personalities.
“None of us are Putin puppets or Russian propagandists, but The New York Times calls us that, Twitter calls us that,” Kirk said on his show. “And that person, who is funded by the US Treasury, says: we are gonna come murder you.”
Whether the US government was paying Ashton-Cirillo became a point of public debate in the country after her statement went viral. She was swiftly removed from the Ukrainian forces.
Kirk has remained a persistent critic of Zelensky, whom he labeled “an ungrateful, petulant child,” a “go-go dancer” undeserving of a single US tax dollar, and “a puppet of the CIA who marched his own people into a needless slaughter.”
Also in 2023, Kiev’s Center for Countering Disinformation accused Kirk of “spreading Russian propaganda points.”
The following year, the Ukrainian media outlet Texty.org.ua placed Kirk and TPUSA on a blacklist of 386 individuals and 76 organizations in the United States that opposed funding for Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/news/624491-charlie-kirk-ukraine-threat/
https://twitter.com/HumanEvents/status/1702728245416800666
Nepalese protesters propose new interim leader
10 Sep, 2025 20:50
The youth leaders of Nepal’s protest movement have proposed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to serve as the country’s interim prime minister, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing the secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
The decision followed a nearly four-hour virtual meeting in which between 300 and 400 participants of the protest movement took part, according to local media.
Karki, 73, is the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nepal and the only woman to have held the post.
Speaking to India-based CNN News18, Karki said the immediate focus of the interim government would be to honor those who died in the protests and address the protesters’ demands, including tackling corruption.
The development comes after K.P. Sharma Oli resigned as prime minister on Tuesday amidst violent protests across the Himalayan nation.
During the two-day demonstrations, hundreds of protesters stormed the Prime Minister’s Office, set fire to the Supreme Court and Parliament buildings, and vandalized the homes of several senior leaders.
The Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal on Wednesday stated that the death toll has risen to 30. According to the ministry, 1,033 people were injured during the nationwide protests.
Authorities in Kathmandu said anarchists and criminal elements had infiltrated the protests, engaging in arson, looting, property destruction, targeted violence, and attempted sexual assault.
“Any criminal activities carried out under the guise of protest will be prosecuted, and security forces will take strong action against offenders,” the Nepalese Army said in a statement.
Meanwhile, young volunteers took to the streets on Wednesday morning for a cleanup campaign – hours before the army’s curfew announcement, local media reported. The cleanups are being organized and promoted via online platforms.
During the curfew, only essential vehicles – such as ambulances, hearses, fire engines, and those used by health workers and security personnel – will be permitted. The army urged citizens needing assistance to coordinate with local security officials.
Nepal’s international airport officially reopened on Wednesday morning after being closed for two days, according to a notice from the civil aviation authority.
https://www.rt.com/news/624441-nepals-protests-ex-chief-justice/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF8qRC-zcfg
Trump vows to hunt down those funding ‘radical left’ violence
11 Sep, 2025 01:31
President Donald Trump has vowed to pursue not only the assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk but also those he accused of funding and fueling “radical left” political violence across the United States.
In a video statement posted Wednesday night on Truth Social, Trump described Kirk, 31, as a “patriot” and a “martyr for truth and freedom,” praising him for inspiring young Americans through debates on college campuses nationwide.
“Charlie was the best of America, and the monster who attacked him was attacking our whole country,” Trump said.
“An assassin tried to silence him with a bullet, but he failed, because together we will ensure that his voice, his message, and his legacy will live on for countless generations to come.”
The president linked Kirk’s murder to the rhetoric used by the left, warning that “violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year.”
“For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals.
This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today. And it must stop right now,” Trump declared.
He promised to use the full weight of his administration to investigate not only perpetrators but also “the organizations that fund it and support it, as well as those who go after our judges, law enforcement officials, and everyone else who brings order to our country.”
Trump cited other incidents he attributed to left-wing extremism, including the 2024 assassination attempt against him in Butler, Pennsylvania, the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise in 2017, attacks on ICE agents, and the recent killing of a healthcare executive in New York.
“This is a dark moment for America,” Trump said, urging unity around “the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died – the values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and patriotic devotion and love of God.”
https://www.rt.com/news/624448-trump-radical-left-violence/
https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1965946655188070750
Vance names two issues preventing Russia-Ukraine peace deal
11 Sep, 2025 10:44
Talks on resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have been narrowed to two major sticking points, centering on territorial issues and security guarantees, US Vice President J.D. Vance said on Tuesday.
Moscow has called for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict but warned it will continue military action until the root causes are addressed.
It insists that a settlement must include Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarization, and recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions, which joined Russia following referendums, as Russian territory.
In an interview with One America News Network, Vance said talks to end the conflict have “at least narrowed it to a couple of core issues.”
“One issue is territorial,” Vance stated, adding: “The Russians want about 6,000 or so square kilometers that they have not yet conquered through military force. That’s what the Russians want.”
Vance said Ukraine, for its part, is pressing for security guarantees “whether from the Europeans or somebody else.”
He added: “They want confidence that if they cut a deal, the Russians aren’t going to come back in a few months or a few years asking for more.”
Russia has long stressed it has no intention of occupying Ukraine in full. President Vladimir Putin reiterated this when the conflict escalated in 2022, and again later when Russian troops reached Kiev but then withdrew.
Vance said negotiations have made “incredible progress,” but the key question is whether “the Russians and the Ukrainians are going to walk through that door of peace.” “We continue to work hard at it,” he added.
“And I do think that eventually you’re going to come to a peaceful settlement. The question really is whether it lasts another year or another month, whether you have another 100,000 or another million, God forbid, people die in the process.”
Last week, Putin struck a cautiously optimistic note about the prospects for peace, saying “there is light at the end of the tunnel” given the US shift to mediation.
Putin and US President Donald Trump met in Alaska last month. Although the summit produced no breakthroughs, both sides described it as a positive step.
https://www.rt.com/news/624500-vance-russia-ukraine-peace-talks/
Did you notice America has had 5 assassination attempts in a year?
10 Sep, 2025 22:16
The United States has entered a disturbing cycle of political violence. In the past year alone, several high-profile assassination attempts have shaken the country.
Here’s a comprehensive list of the incidents:
Attacks on Donald Trump
On July 13, 2024, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump narrowly survived an attempt on his life during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The attacker, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple rounds, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee and injuring several others.
The shooter was killed by a counter-sniper team that returned fire, though the incident was later branded “foreseeable and preventable” by a US Senate inquiry.
Just two months later, on September 15, Trump was allegedly the target of a second assassination attempt when a heavily armed pro-Ukraine shooter was spotted outside the US president’s golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The suspect, Ryan Routh, was apprehended by the Secret Service and has since chosen to represent himself in court and challenged Trump to a game of golf.
Minnesota House Speaker assassination
Minnesota Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead at their home on June 14, 2025. State senator John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in a related attack the same night and barely survived.
The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old with military experience and a past as a private contractor, was apprehended and taken into custody after a two-day manhunt.
Prosecutors claim he planned and carried out the targeted political assassination and had a list of some 70 other targets.
Charlie Kirk killed in Utah
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a longtime supporter of Donald Trump, was assassinated on September 10, 2025 while delivering a speech at Utah Valley University.
The right-wing activist was shot in his neck and succumbed to his injuries in hospital shortly after the attack.
No details about the suspect’s identity or possible motive have been released.
Illinois violence
On December 18, 2024, right-wing influencer Nick Fuentes said a man armed with a pistol, a crossbow, and incendiary devices showed up at his house in Berwyn, Illinois, while he was live-streaming.
The individual turned out to be a triple homicide suspect, who was shot and killed by police following a chase, shortly after his encounter with Fuentes.
https://www.rt.com/news/624444-us-political-violence-list/
Russian drone operators avoid civilian cars
11 Sep, 2025 16:51
Russian FPV drone operators are carefully identifying their potential targets to make sure they do not hit civilians trapped in the combat zone of the Ukraine conflict, a new video that emerged online on Thursday shows.
Footage shot at an undisclosed location showcases multiple instances of Russian servicemen piloting fiber optic-guided FPV drones aborting their attacks after confirming the vehicle they spotted was carrying civilians.
Unmarked civilian vehicles are commonly used in the combat zone by soldiers for redeployment and logistics.
The abundance of civilian cars partially stems from heavy losses in military transport and partially from attempts to conceal the movement of troops.
One of the episodes featured in the video shows the drone chasing a heavily loaded white car speeding along a road.
Upon approaching it, the operator apparently realizes the car is carrying civilians, who were likely trying to escape the warzone with their belongings, and turns away from the vehicle.
Another car, carrying at least three civilians, stops when its driver spots the drone, the video shows.
The UAV approaches the vehicle as the occupants apparently get ready to bail out of it. The operator tilts the drone in greeting, and the driver waves at it before driving off.
Fiber optic cable-guided drones provide exceptional image quality, allowing their operators to carefully examine targets before making a decision to strike.
Unlike their radio-controlled counterparts, which are susceptible to electronic warfare jamming, interference, and signal loss during final approach, such drones enable their operators to abort the attack at any moment before hitting their targets.
Cable-guided drones are also frequently used in ambushes, as they are capable of idling for hours on the ground without draining their batteries or losing control.
Ukrainian drone operators have routinely struck civilian cars in Russian border regions and near the front line.
Such strikes appear to be an organized effort rather than isolated incidents, as Kiev’s forces have repeatedly targeted ambulances and other distinctively marked emergency vehicles, as well as civilian transport.
https://www.rt.com/russia/624519-drone-operators-civilian-vehicles/
Gaza aid ship targeted in ‘deliberate attack’ – Tunisia
11 Sep, 2025 13:23
The Tunisian Interior Ministry said on Wednesday that a recent attack targeting a Gaza-bound humanitarian ship docked in the port of Sidi Bou Said was premeditated.
The Alma vessel, which flies the British flag and belongs to the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), was targeted by a drone strike on Tuesday while anchored in Tunisian territorial waters.
The civilian fleet of around 20 ships departed from the Spanish port of Barcelona on September 1 carrying humanitarian supplies intended for Gaza.
Tunisia was one of the flotilla’s designated stops before it resumed its journey to deliver aid through a proposed humanitarian corridor.
In an official statement, the ministry described the incident as “a prepared attack.”
“The interests of the Ministry of Interior are responsible for conducting all investigations and research to reveal all the facts so that public opinion is informed, not only in Tunisia but in the whole world, about those who planned this attack, who colluded and who took over the implementation,” the statement read.
Surveillance footage from the scene reportedly captured individuals pointing skyward and chanting “fire” moments before the firebomb hit the ship.
The latest assault follows a similar one a day earlier involving the Family, another ship from the same fleet, sailing under the Portuguese flag.
That incident, which occurred late Monday night near the same port, was initially dismissed by Tunisian authorities. At the time, officials claimed the fire had been caused by the accidental ignition and denied any external attack.
GSF spokesperson Saif Abukeshek, speaking to RT, linked the attacks to efforts aimed at intimidating pro-Palestinian activists.
“They [Israel] want to scare people off. They don’t want people to continue trying. Of course, they don’t want any witnesses for the crimes that they are going to continue committing in Gaza …
We [the GSF] will continue with our mission,” Abukeshek stated.
According to its official website, the GSF is a nonviolent maritime effort to challenge what it describes as the illegal Israeli siege on Gaza.
The initiative, representing more than 40 countries, was launched in July by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Global Movement to Gaza, Maghreb Sumud Flotilla, and others.
https://www.rt.com/africa/624515-tunisia-confirms-attack-gaza-aid-flotilla/
Ukrainian drone disables rare Russian vessel patrolling Black Sea, intelligence says, shows footage
Updated: September 11, 2025 9:59 am
A Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) drone hit a multifunctional vessel of the Russian Black Sea Fleet off Novorossiysk on Sept. 10, inflicting costly damage, the agency reported.
The Project MPSV07 ship was tracked and hit while carrying out reconnaissance and patrolling Novorossiysk Bay near Russia's Krasnodar Krai, where the Black Sea Fleet is currently based, according to HUR.
The agency released black-and-white footage of a domestically produced aerial drone hitting the ship's bridge.
"As a result of the strike, the Russian vessel's electronic intelligence systems were destroyed, and the ship was disabled and sent for costly repairs," HUR said in its Sept. 11 statement.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
The targeted ship, with an estimated price tag of $60 million, was commissioned in 2015, HUR said without naming the vessel.
While the Ukrainian agency says that Russia has four vessels of this class, open sources list five operational Project MPSV07 multifunctional salvage ships, with the sixth one under construction.
One of them is Spasatel Demidov, delivered in 2015 and registered at the port of Novorossiysk. According to marine tracking services, its last known position was received 77 days ago, just north of the Russian Kola Peninsula in the Barents Sea.
A HUR spokesperson told the Kyiv Independent that the name of the targeted vessel is being determined.
The Project MPSV07 is equipped with diving systems, remotely operated vehicles, a side-scan sonar, and electronic intelligence equipment. Its output is 4 megawatts, and it can be used for seabed inspection, according to HUR.
Recent weeks saw HUR special forces ramp up attacks against Russian military assets in the Black Sea region, including occupied Crimea.
Most recently, two radar stations belonging to Russia's air defense system were hit on the peninsula, the agency reported on Sept. 9.
Using drone and missile attacks, Ukraine has allegedly destroyed or disabled one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet during the full-scale war, including the Caesar Kunikov landing ship, the Sergei Kotov patrol ship, the Ivanovets missile corvette, and multiple high-speed landing crafts.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-drones-strike-rare-russian-vessel-patrolling-off-novorossiysk-intelligence-says-shows-footage/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15087407/Warning-Putin-shoot-passenger-plane-Europe-Experts-say-Russia-accidentally-deliberately-destroy-civilian-jet-following-Poland-drone-incursion.html
Warning Putin could shoot down a passenger plane over Europe: Experts say Russia could accidentally or deliberately destroy civilian jet following Poland drone incursion
Updated: 12:05 EDT, 11 September 2025
Experts have issued stark warnings that Vladimir Putin could accidentally or deliberately shoot down a passenger plane flying through Europe following the incursion of Russian drones in Poland.
Airlines may review their risk assessments in Poland after the country was forced to shoot down drones in its airspace with the backing of military aircraft from NATO allies, the first time a member of the Western military alliance is known to have fired shots during Russia's war in Ukraine.
Following the incident, airlines operating flights in Poland may consider flying further west away from the Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian borders to avoid conflict zones, said Matthew Borie, chief intelligence officer at aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions.
They may even restrict operations to daylight hours only and carry extra fuel to cope with potential diversions, he said, similar to steps taken in the Middle East.
The worst-case scenario for airlines flying near a conflict zone is a plane being struck - either accidentally or deliberately - by weaponry.
Since 2001, six commercial planes have been unintentionally shot down, with three additional close calls, according to Osprey.
In one such incident, in December, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas day, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.
The plane was accidentally shot down by Russian air defences, according to Azerbaijan's president and Reuters sources.
The Russian president did not say that Russia had shot the plane down, but apologised that the 'tragic incident' occurred inside his country's airspace.
In 2014, Russia downed Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people in board - including 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.
It wasn't until 11 years after the air disaster in May 2025 that the UN's aviation council ruled that Russia was responsible - a decision Moscow called 'scandalous'. The Kremlin has always denied any responsibility for the incident.
A Dutch court found three men - two Russians and a Ukrainian rebel - guilty of murder in absentia for their roles in shooting down the Boeing 777 in November 2022.
One of the men found guilty, Igor 'Strelkov' Girkin, is a former security service officer who served as one of the chief architects of Putin's annexation of Crimea, and then became a vocal proponent and military strategist amid the war in Ukraine.
In January 2024, the ultra-nationalist was sentenced to four years in jail on extremism charges prompted by his criticism of Putin and the Russian war effort.
1/2
In 2020, a Ukrainian passenger plane was mistakenly targeted and destroyed by Iranian air defence operators, killing all 176 people aboard. An investigation found that the missiles were 'fired due to human error', after Iran's Revolutionary Guards mistook the jet for a cruise missile.
'If this happens more often, you really have to understand what's happening… What might go wrong? I'm always saying, misidentification is your biggest risk,' said Eric Schouten, head of security consultancy Dyami.
The latest incursion of Russian drones in Poland has reignited safety concerns over the vulnerability of civil air transport in Europe, aviation and insurance.
Warsaw Chopin and Modlin airports, as well as Rzeszow and Lublin airports in the country's east, temporarily closed before resuming operations.
Countries bordering on Ukraine have reported occasional Russian missiles or drones entering their airspace since Russia's 2022 invasion, but not on such a large scale, and they are not known to have shot them down.
Proliferating conflict zones around the world have increased the burden on airline operations and profitability, adding to safety concerns and disrupting travel.
With airspace closures around Russia and Ukraine, throughout the Middle East, between India and Pakistan, and in parts of Africa, airlines are left with fewer route options.
Detours add to airlines' fuel costs and lengthen journey times. Eurocontrol, a 41-nation coordination agency, has said Ukraine's closed airspace has added to congestion in the region's skies.
Since October 2023, many international carriers have suspended flights to the region due to fears of missile and drone interference. Wednesday's drone incident followed Israel's attempt on Tuesday to kill the political leaders of Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha.
Worries about further disruption for the travel industry pressured airline stocks. Shares in British Airways owner IAG were down 4.1 percent, easyJet fell 2.2 percent to its weakest since April, while Lufthansa and Ryanair were both also 2.2 percent lower at the close of trade.
Flight disruptions were relatively limited because the drone incursion happened early in the morning, before many airlines had started flying.
Polish airline LOT redirected some flights to western Poland and said it expected cancellations and delays.
A spokesperson for budget airline Wizz Air, which operates in central and eastern Europe, said its security teams 'closely monitored' the situation and adjusted flight schedules after airports closed.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said no advisory was needed for the drone incursion due to its temporary nature, adding that Poland's aviation authorities were able to sufficiently handle the incident.
Aviation analysts say airlines are increasingly wary of the risks posed by incursions into civilian flight zones.
'This is a wake-up call, I think, for everyone in Europe that can expect this more often,' said Schouten.
Two senior aviation insurance market sources said the market was watching events in Poland and Qatar closely.
If the market got a sense either that Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace were becoming consistent and deliberate, or that Israeli airstrikes in the Middle East were likely to continue, it would pose serious questions for insurers, one source added.
LOT, Lufthansa, Ryanair, and airBaltic did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Poland's civil aviation authority and air navigation service did not respond to a request for comment on additional measures taken to ensure airspace safety.
2/2
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15089269/Poland-sends-40-000-troops-eastern-border-Europe-moves-closer-war-Russia-Putin-masses-forces-Belarus-huge-Zapad-2025-military-drills-following-drone-attack.html
Poland sends 40,000 troops to eastern border as Europe moves closer to war with Russia and Putin masses his forces in Belarus for huge Zapad 2025 military drills following drone 'attack'
Updated: 13:13 EDT, 11 September 2025
Poland has sent 40,000 troops to be deployed on its eastern border as it prepares for Russia and Belarus's huge spectacle of joint military drills called Zapad 2025.
It comes as Europe is still on high alert following the unprecedented intrusion of Russian drones into Polish airspace this week, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warning that the West is at its closest to open conflict since World War Two.
He dubbed the upcoming military exercises 'very aggressive' and has closed the country's border with Belarus in anticipation of the intimidating display.
'Poland has been preparing for the Zapad-2025 exercises for many months,' Poland's Deputy Minister of National Defence, Cezary Tomczyk, told Polsat News television late Wednesday.
'Polish and NATO soldiers are needed to adequately respond to Zapad-2025,' he said, adding: 'This is where the war in Ukraine began. Therefore, the Polish army is preparing for this. In the coming days, we will have about 40,000 soldiers at the border.'
The Kremlin will hold its sabre-rattling Zapad 2025 exercises with Belarus near Poland and Lithuania from Friday until next Tuesday, September 16.
The drills come around roughly every four years. The last, in 2021, led to a massive buildup of forces in Belarus that were used to attack Ukraine several months later.
A former NATO official warned this year's drills 'could serve as a cover' for a military build-up, with tens of thousands of troops expected to attend.
Germany's chief of defence Carsten Breuer said that NATO would 'be on our guard' around the drills as NATO chief Mark Rutte said Russia was rapidly rearming.
Rutte warned that coordinated attacks from Russia in Europe and China in Asia could trigger World War Three, Putin distracting NATO with an assault in Europe.
Zapad - meaning 'West' - is formally a defensive drill. Troops are expected to prepare repelling an attack, including airstrikes and sabotage, per official reports.
But Russia is expected to bring potentially tens of thousands of troops to rehearse, among other things, using its new nuclear-capable missile on Europe's frontier.
Some of the drills will take place just a few miles from NATO borders.
Poland is still scrambling to respond to an incursion of 19 Russian drones that crossed over into its airspace overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tusk invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty for the 8th time since NATO's inception on Wednesday.
It serves as a starting point for major operations and will pave the way for consultations around the perceived threat to territory, independence or security.
The U.N. Security Council will also hold an emergency meeting at Poland's request to discuss the drone incursion, the Polish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
Moscow denied responsibility for the incident, with a senior diplomat in Poland saying the drones had come from the direction of Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022.
Russia's Defence Ministry said its drones had carried out a major attack on military facilities in western Ukraine, but it had not planned to hit any targets in Poland.
With the spectre of war looming over Europe, the Zapad drills come at a precarious time.
Zapad's organisers say that their drills will not exceed 13,000 personnel, and Belarus has said it will be inviting observers from NATO countries this year.
The actual number of troops is likely to be far higher than 13,000, analysts have already warned.
The Zapad-2021 drills, a prelude to the war in Ukraine, was expected to host 12,800 servicemen; it ended up closer to 200,000, according to Russian authorities.
Satellite images provided by Planet Labs also indicate the construction of a potential military facility in Belarus, according to military analysts.
A site near Minsk, previously used to house Soviet nuclear weapons, appeared in late August to be under redevelopment.
Experts told RFE/RL that they could be used to store 'strategic level equipment', including - perhaps - the Oreshnik missile.
'It is probably going to be nuclear-armed or it will probably be a nuclear component attached to it because they are using the facilities that were already used to house such…equipment during the Cold War,' Konrad Muzyka, director of the security analysis firm Rochan Consulting, told the outlet.
1/2
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Lance Landrum, CEPA Fellow and Former Deputy Chair of NATO's Military Committee said that this year's exercise should be compared with the events leading up to the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
'I do think it could serve as a cover. Now we have to look and see what exactly they do in this upcoming exercise, because we have a lot of historical intelligence on previous exercises, and we can compare that,' he said.
Lt. Gen. Lance Landrum (Ret) added that there would be 'a lot to be learned here'. For NATO, the drills will offer a window into Russian capabilities and strategies.
An absence of drone activity, crucial for both sides in the war in Ukraine, could indicate Russia lacks the personnel and equipment to train at scale after three-and-a-half years of war.
NATO may also glean insights about Russia's capacity for electronic interference and jamming.
Russian and Belarusian forces are expected to practice planning to use the new Russian Oreshnik nuclear-capable missile systems.
Russia's intermediate-range ballistic missile was used in Ukraine's Dnipro for the first time last year in what President Vladimir Putin called a 'test'.
Oreshnik is expensive and makes little sense in Ukraine, where troops are often dispersed across a wide and open front line.
But it does pose a threat to compact targets like air bases - likely first targets in a war with NATO in Europe.
NATO said it will monitor Russia's activity 'very closely', adding 'we do not see any immediate military threat against any NATO ally' but 'we remain vigilant'.
The comment was published days before a drone incursion into Polish airspace overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday pushed tensions to a recent high.
Poland's prime minister said that the country had identified '19 violations and shot down at least three drones', accusing Russia of a deliberate intrusion.
For its part, Russia denied the drones was Russian. The Kremlin said it was a matter for the defence ministry, and accused Warsaw of spreading 'myths' to escalate the war in Ukraine. It also offered to hold 'consultations' with its Polish equivalent.
Poland was resolute in its assessment. Donald Tusk said there was 'no doubt that this provocation is incomparably more dangerous … than any previous ones'.
'This situation brings us all closer to open conflict, closer than at any time since the Second World War,' he said.
Poland subsequently invoked NATO's Article 4, under which any member can call urgent talks when it feels its 'territorial integrity, political independence or security' are at risk.
The U.N. Security Council will also hold an emergency meeting at Poland's request to discuss the matter, Poland said.
'(We are) drawing the world's attention to this unprecedented Russian drone attack on a member of the UN, EU, and NATO,' Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told local radio.
'I have appeared before the UN (Security) Council in the past, and it seems to me that our arguments have been convincing.'
The West is also holding its own military drills this month. It says the exercises are a 'response' to Zapad.
'Poland will respond to the Zapad 2025 exercises … in an appropriate manner on the Polish side,' Tomczyk told broadcaster RMF in April.
Iron-Defender-25 will see some 30,000 troops from Poland and NATO allied countries equipped with some 600 units of military hardware take part in exercises by land, air and sea in the Baltic region.
The drills 'will jointly test their ability to deter and effectively defend the territory of Poland', a press release from the Polish government says.
Poland's Armed Forces General Command said the drills began on September 1, a day after the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation drills began in Belarus.
2/2
Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania issue joint statement on Russian drone incursion
Thursday, 11 September 2025, 13:34
The foreign ministers of Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania, part of the Lublin Triangle format, issued a joint statement following the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones on the night of 9-10 September.
Details:
The ministers noted that only coordinated joint actions can ensure the safety of citizens in the three countries.
The ministers emphasised Ukraine’s readiness to share all available intelligence and operational information with Poland, Lithuania and other partners to build an effective early-warning and protection system against Russian missile and drone attacks.
They stressed the need for better coordination and operational cooperation among the relevant structures of the three states responsible for airspace security.
The statement said that such coordinated actions should aim to prevent the negative consequences of Russia’s provocative actions and, ideally, improve the effectiveness of air defence measures.
The ministers called on partners to urgently strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and support Lithuania and Poland in securing NATO’s and the EU’s eastern flank, noting that only a decisive response can prevent further escalation.
They also urged the people of the three countries to remain vigilant and aware of Russia’s malicious attempts at disinformation.
The ministers characterised the recent Russian drone incursion into Poland as a deliberate and coordinated strike, marking an unprecedented provocation and escalation of tension.
Background:
Earlier on the morning of 11 September, debates were held in the European Parliament regarding the drone incident.
The Polish Foreign Ministry reported that the UN Security Council, of which Russia is a permanent member, will convene to discuss the violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/09/11/7530364/
WATCH: IDF destroys dozens of terror tunnels in Gaza
September 11, 2025
IDF Division 36 wrapped up operations in Khan Yunis after months of heavy fighting—eliminating hundreds of terrorists, destroying Hamas tunnels and infrastructure, and securing the ‘Magen Oz’ axis.
https://worldisraelnews.com/watch-idf-destroys-dozens-of-terror-tunnels-in-gaza/
https://www.youtube.com/@Atar-Tzahal
https://www.timesofisrael.com/34-said-killed-in-gaza-strikes-on-thursday-as-idf-expands-operations-in-gaza-city/
34 said killed in Gaza strikes on Thursday as IDF expands operations in Gaza City
September 11, 2025 8:51 pm
Israeli strikes were said to kill 34 people across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, most of them in Gaza City, where the military is forging ahead with preparations for an offensive to conquer the northern Gaza city that has left many of its residents unsure of where to turn to next.
According to medics and the Hamas-run health authorities in the Gaza Strip, 22 people were killed in Gaza City, and an additional 12 in the central and southern parts of the enclave.
Seven of those killed were searching for food when they were hit, health officials said. The Hamas figures could not immediately be be verified and do not differentiate between civilians and gunmen.
On Thursday morning, Palestinians in the relatively unscathed Al-Naser area of Gaza City were having to decide whether to stay or go, after the IDF dropped leaflets warning that troops would soon take control of the western neighborhood.
The warning came less than a day after the military said it would increase its strikes on Gaza City in the coming days with the intention of “targeting Hamas’ terror infrastructure, disrupting its operational readiness, and reducing the threat to our forces as part of preparations for the next stages” of the offensive.
As part of its preparation, the military has ordered the roughly one million people residing in Gaza City to evacuate the area.
On Thursday, as some families continued to stream out of their homes, heading either westward towards the center of the city and along the coast, or south toward other parts of the shattered enclave, others were either unwilling or unable to leave.
“It has been almost two years, with no rest, no settling down, not even sleep,” said Ahmed Al-Dayeh, a father, as he and his family prepared to flee the city in a truck pulled by a motorcycle, laden with some of their belongings.
“Our life revolves around war,” he said. “We have to go from this area to that area. We can’t take it anymore, we are tired.”
“We don’t have enough money, enough to flee. We don’t have any means to go south like they say,” said Abu Hani, who was attending the funeral of a friend who was among those killed in Thursday’s strikes.
1/2
Amid its preparations for the offensive, the IDF said on Thursday that it has expanded its operations on the outskirts of Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and the Kafr Jabalia area in recent days.
During the operations, the 162nd Division’s forces located and destroyed dozens of Hamas sites, including booby traps, weapon depots, and two tunnels spanning hundreds of meters, the military said.
In addition, the IDF says dozens of terror operatives were killed by the forces and in strikes, including a platoon commander in Hamas’s Sheikh Radwan Battalion and the commander of a Nukhba Force cell who invaded Israel during the October 7 onslaught.
In total, five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, are set to participate in the Gaza City offensive, the army has said.
Among those is the IDF’s 36th Division, which the IDF said on Thursday had been withdrawn from Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, after several months in order to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
In an overview of the division’s activities, the military said its forces had demolished dozens of kilometers’ worth of Hamas tunnels; razed hundreds of Hamas military infrastructures; established the so-called Magen Oz corridor splitting east and west Khan Younis; and eliminated hundreds of terror operatives, including some who participated in the October 7 onslaught.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a high-level meeting on Thursday to discuss the possible “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel learned from one of the attendees.
Among those attending were senior defense officials and cabinet ministers. The forum was discussing a plan presented by the defense establishment that would enable Gazans to begin leaving the war-torn Strip as early as October by air and sea, Channel 13 reported.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.
Channel 12, publishing what it said were leaks from the meeting, said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was skeptical about the prospects of any countries agreeing to take Gazans in, and argued that the plan was not worth spending money on if the Gazans would be back home in a year.
Netanyahu responded that Israel wouldn’t spend much on the plan, but that Israel should move it forward. “Do it,” said National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. “It’s the mission of the hour.”
Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel reportedly argued that Israel should push Egypt to take in the Gazans. “You try,” responded Netanyahu dismissively.
Defense sources told Channel 13 that Israel was in talks with a number of African countries about receiving Gazans, but that no agreement has been reached as of yet.
Last month, Israel was reported to be in talks with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, although Juba denied that this was the case, calling the reports “baseless.”
2/2