Ukraine a Western-backed ‘Zelensky concentration camp’ – Moscow

Kiev has descended into complete repression at home and “outright terror” against Russian civilians, the UN envoy has said

Published 25 Aug, 2026 01:4

Ukraine has been transformed into a “Zelensky concentration camp” with Western assistance, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia,has said, accusing Kiev of suppressing dissent at home and increasingly resorting to attacks on civilians in Russia.

Nebenzia made the remarks at a UN Security Council meeting onMonday marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s Declaration of Independence.The session was requested by the council’s five European members – Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, and the UK – which reiterated their full support for Kiev.

The Russian diplomat questioned whether Ukraine has anything to celebrate, arguing that successive governments have run the country “into the ground” and that Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky accelerated the process.

“With the most active involvement of the countries of the collective West,which claim to be ‘civilized’ and ‘democratic,’ Ukraine has morphed into a ‘Zelensky concentration camp,’ where any dissent or opposition is completely prohibited and those who find the courage to voice an alternative point of view are thrown behind bars without trial or due process, or physically eliminated,” he said.

Nebenzia described the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the glorification of Nazi collaborators, and the suppression of shared history and the Russian language – including a ban on a popular Russian cartoon – as a “vivid illustration of the sheer wretchedness of Kiev’s rulers.”

Amid a growing crackdown on dissent and a deteriorating battlefield situation,Kiev has now slipped into “outright terror against Russia’s civilian population,” Nebenzia said.

“Terror has become the last resort for Kiev in its attempt to reverse the situation that is not currently in its favor,” he added. “At the same time, Zelensky continues to beg his Western patrons for new shipments of weapons and ammunition, which are then used to hit Russian cities, residential areas, and civilian infrastructure.”

The envoy said at least 475 Russian civilians were killed or injured in Ukrainian attacks from August 10 to 16 alone, with 69 fatalities, including children. He highlighted a strike on Nizhnekamsk that killed 13 people and wounded 78, as well as attacks in Novorossiysk, Rostov Region, and a number of towns in Donbass, which Kiev claims as its territory.

“It appears that Ukraine’s Western patrons, not to mentionZelensky himself, still harbor the dangerous illusion that further escalation, strikes deep inside our territory and terror against civilians will somehow force us to accept an ultimatum that is being pushed under the guise of peace.”

Nebenzia said Russia retains the battlefield initiative and rejected calls for a temporary ceasefire that would give Kiev time to regroup and its Western sponsors time to rearm it. He warned that there would be no meaningful diplomatic process as long as Russia is confronted with ultimatums and threats while the reality on the ground is ignored.

https://www.rt.com/russia/644609-zelensky-concentration-camp-nebenzia/

South Carolina Special Election: Ralph Norman -vs- Darline Graham, Polls Close at 7:00pm ET

August 25, 2026 | Sundance |

The special election in South Carolina to fill the seat of Senator Lindsey Graham is today. The polls close at 7:00pm ET in South Carolina and for President Trump there is a significant stake.

The opposition media are hoping that Ralph Norman defeats President Trump endorsed candidate Darline Graham so they can write about articles about how Trump has lost his political strength and now suffers election embarrassment. President Trump not only endorsed Darline Graham, but he also held a rally for her last Friday and instructed his SuperPAC to fund her campaign heavily.

No one is sure how this special election is going to turn out. What I find interesting is the lack of publicly displayed and discussed polling over the past week. That doesn’t mean polls were not conducted, it only means conducted polls were never made public. This one will be super interesting to watch unfold this evening.

NYT Election Results Here

AP Election Results Here

Should Darline Graham win she retains the entire staff of her deceased brother, Lindsey Graham, who have been guiding her as an interim appointed senator. The South Caroline old guard GOP also has a stake in this race as the professionally republican political class are not very supportive of President Trump and the MAGA coalition.

Consider this an open discussion thread for anything that relates to the special election and South Carolina politics. There is also voting in primary voting in Georgia and Oklahoma. We will pin this thread to the top of the page until the final results are complete.

(more…)

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/

8 pm result Graham ahead

ACE TO WATCH

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Last update 7:59 PM ET

South Carolina Senate Primary Special Runoff Results 2026

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SOUTH CAROLINA RACES

:

Senate Special

Republicans

Candidate

Votes

Pct.

Darline Graham

Incumbent

54,164

54.3%

Ralph Norman

45,660

45.7%

25.9% expected votes in (Est. remaining 286,000)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-special-elections/south-carolina-senate-runoff-results

White House Press Release: “Ending Canada’s Free Ride”

August 25, 2026 | Sundance1/2

Hopefully CTH readers have followed this story close enough to be able to predict where it ends.The White House has released an official and scathing press release outlining the lengthy and long-term issues with Canada and trade disputes.

• WHITE HOUSE – Canada has been ripping off the United States for decades — and President Donald J. Trump is done letting them get away with it. Last week, the U.S. offered Canada the most preferential market access of any country on Earth, with deep cuts on steel, aluminum, autos, lumber, and more. Instead of partnership, Canada chose unreasonable demands, walk-backs, and flat-out rejection.

The record of Canadian abuse is clear and deliberate:

FACT:Canada is joined only by the People’s Republic of China in choosing retaliation over negotiation. Their continued discriminatory treatment of U.S. commerce has burdened American workers, farmers, and businesses.

FACT:Canada alone imposed discriminatory 25% tariffs and company-specific quotas on U.S. motor vehicles — measures applied to no other country. As a result, U.S. vehicle exports to Canada crashed 22% over the last year.

FACT:Canada banned American wine, beer, and spirits in nearly every province and territory — while other countries have faced no such restrictions. As a result, U.S. alcohol exports to Canada collapsed 81% in a single year.

FACT:Canada locks out U.S. dairy with tariff-rate quotas far more restrictive than those given to Europe, plus over-quota tariffs of nearly 300% — rates so extreme they function as a near-total ban and rank among the highest agricultural tariffs in the developed world.

FACT:Canada has extracted a persistent average annual goods trade deficit of roughly $50 billion from the U.S. over the last decade — while refusing reciprocal access.

FACT:Canada targeted American aerospace manufacturer Gulfstream for years. They effectively prohibited the sale of its G500, G600, G700, and G800 models while shielding its own competitor — until President Trump intervened.

FACT:Canada’s protectionist barriers — discriminatory auto quotas, alcohol bans, and dairy lockouts — have hammered American companies. This has cost U.S. producers billions in lost sales, forced layoffs, and driven market share to foreign competitors who face none of the same restrictions.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/08/25/white-house-press-release-ending-canadas-free-ride/

>>24973320

2/2

FACT:Without the United States, Canada could not survive. Canada sends roughly three-quarters of all its goods exports to America — and the U.S. market is where Canada gets the overwhelming majority of its money and economic oxygen.

FACT:Canada’s failed trade policies are driving its own manufacturers south. A recent survey found 42% of Canadian manufacturers have already moved or are planning to move production to the U.S.

FACT:Canada is doubling down on tariffs targeting American workers. Canada just announced an additional $27.6 billion in tariffs on American businesses — including a 50% tariff on American steel and aluminum, a 25% tariff on American fish, and a 25% tariff on American tools.

FACT: The U.S. economy is approximately 13 times larger than the Canadian economy and home to over eight times as many people. The United States has the clear leverage.==

President Trump said it best: “Canada is easily the most difficult and unreasonable. They feel entitled, but they are not a State and will be entitled no longer!” Canadian leadership chose retaliation over partnership — and America is no longer willing to carry them.

Canada Matches US Tariffs Dollar-For-Dollar, Rate-For-Rate

Canada is matching new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. It's doubling existing counter-tariffs on US steel and aluminum products to 50%. American-made milk, furniture and other products will have new duties of 50% applied. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne spoke at a press conference in Ottawa with other leaders Tuesday. (Their arrogance is overwhelming, they think is just another dispute!)

1:25

https://youtu.be/4vWPcAhwvxY

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/08/25/white-house-press-release-ending-canadas-free-ride/

Carney and Canada’s arrogance will end when China send their main trinkets they make a, with no worth in America and what can Canada sell in China.

This is profoundly stupid by Canada!

D’oh Canada – Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc Outlines the Fracture Points and Makes Mark Carney Look Like an Idiot

August 25, 2026 | Sundance |.1/2

flag-canada-10.gifThere are many people in Canada demanding to see the rough draft proposals of the U.S-Canada trade agreement so they can judge for themselves the issues that Carney claimed were irreconcilable. For those people this interview today by Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will only embolden those requests.

Trade Emissary LeBlanc outlined the major fracture points that drove Prime Minister Mark to reject the deal. I’ll put the full interview below which everyone should watch because what LeBlanc outlined is rather funny. Carney was obviously looking for a reason to walk away, because the fracture points were ridiculously small.

Essentially, it boils down to four issues. !1) Removal of tariffs on Canadian assembled Semi-Trucks. (2) U.S. streaming services writing code for “search engines” in the French language. (3) Canada demanding 5% of gross revenues from U.S. tech platforms, and the last one is silly because it already exists: (4) the U.S. having a right to reject a trade deal made by Canada with a non-market economy, ie. CHINA.

Taking the issues one by one we start with ♦U.S. tariffs on Canadian Semi Trucks. Canada wanted tariffs on Big Rigs removed. The U.S. said no.

The reason is simple. Big Rigs assembled/built in Canada are falling apart in the USA. Why? Because they are full of cheap Chinese component goods and parts that wear out quickly. The U.S. wants two things on this issue. Either: (1) Make them in the USA, or (2) stop using cheap Chinese component parts. The parts that Canada are using are not even available in the USA because we tariff and reject them, so why should we accept them when Canada installs them? Either quit using Chinese parts (hence, the trade alignment against Chinese imports), or accept a tariff equal to the rate we would apply if the product was coming directly from China.

♦The Stupid French Language thing. The French language stuff was an ancillary aspect where the Canadian Cultural Police were demanding that all U.S. streaming platforms (YouTube, Netflix etc.) must have search engines using the French language so Canadian users can search for stuff to watch using the French language. A ridiculous issue that was not part of the trade discussion, but Mark Carney saw political value in blowing up the issue.

This is really stupid, because when you buy your hardware (TV, Phone, Computer etc.) it asks you what language or country during set up. If you live in France, you put France. The operating system does the rest. We don’t code search engines for French in FRANCE because the OS does it! But Canada was requiring U.S. tech companies (streaming services) to install search features in French [I guess so they can set up the OS in English but get some ancillary feature.] It was a stupid “side paper” in the Intellectual Property sector of the trade discussion.

https://youtu.be/o9WP1K5v-tQ

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/08/25/doh-canada-canadian-trade-minister-dominic-leblanc-outlines-the-fracture-points-and-makes-mark-carney-look-like-an-idiot/

>>24973443

2/2

♦Intellectual Property. Canada was demanding 5% of U.S. tech platform gross revenue (not profit, gross), they call it a tax. Canada then uses the “tax revenue” to subsidize Canadian media and information platforms that promote the approved government message. In essence, Canada demands that information providers pay them 5% of their revenue so that Canada can subsidize information providers they approve of. This is what the Canadian government calls “cultural protection.” In reality it is state-run mediausing a financial system that would make Vladimir Putin blush.

♦U.S. Right to Limit Canadian Trade Deals. This point is exponentially ridiculous for Canada to be upset about because the current USMCA/CUSMA already has that clause. The U.S (or Mexico) can exit the USMCA if Canada enters into a trade agreement with a “non-market” economy, ie China. [USMCA Sec 32:10]

1. At least 3 months prior to commencing negotiations, a Party shall inform the other Parties of its intention to commence free trade agreement negotiations with a non-market country.3. Upon request of another Party, a Party intending to commence free trade negotiations with a non-market country shall provide as much information as possible regarding the objectives for those negotiations. 4. As early as possible, and no later than 30 days before the date of signature, a Party intending to sign a free trade agreement with a non-market country shall provide the other Parties with an opportunity to review the full text of the agreement, including any annexes and side instruments, in order for the Parties to be able to review the agreement and assess its potential impact on this Agreement. If the Party involved requests that the text be treated as confidential, the other Parties shall maintain the confidentiality of the text. 5. Entry by a Party into a free trade agreement with a non-market country will allow the other Parties to terminate this Agreement on six months'

Canada was already in violation of the USMCA/CUSMA when they entered into a trade agreement with China and agreed to import Chinese EVs.This action triggered the U.S. to become more focused on the stuff Canada was going to import; hence, the renewed emphasis on the clause.

That’s it.

Prime Minister Mark Carney blew up the trade discussion based on his demand that: Canada should be allowed to make any deal they want with China; that Chinese component parts be allowed in Canadian assembled Semi Trucks; that streaming services install a French language search engine;and that tech platforms pay him to censor information and subsidize official narratives.

In other words, Mark Carney was looking for an excuse/justification not to make a trade deal, and make a political statement that would appeal to the uber leftist French Québécois and his partners in Beijing.

Clear enough?

Here’s Dominic LeBlanc:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/08/25/doh-canada-canadian-trade-minister-dominic-leblanc-outlines-the-fracture-points-and-makes-mark-carney-look-like-an-idiot/

Canadian Minister LeBlanc on retaliating against Trump tariffs: ‘We’re not waiting by the phone’

Dominic LeBlanc, Canadian Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the breakdown in trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, his thoughts on social media posts from President Trump, state of U.S.-Canada relations, and more.

9:53

https://youtu.be/o9WP1K5v-tQ

>>24973479

Yes and China will just send junk and trinkets. Canada is overexuberant that they can shit on the U.S. let’s see what happens in six months.

>>24973455

It was stupid and their trade rep acted like a diplomat twisting the truth. His insinuations about Trump seemed like he didn’t understand the outcome will be terrible for Canada.

If Carney thinks he’s getting a good deal from China, makes him believe China will trade ethically with them.

Canada’s arrogant position will not be good for their economy

CIA Director John Ratcliffe Visited Moscow

August 25, 2026 | Sundance |

CIA Director John Ratcliffe made an unexpected visit to Moscow, Russia, today.

According to flight data and new media reporting Director Ratcliffe flew into Latvia and from Latvia into Russia on a C-17 military transport plane.

• VIA CBS – CIA Director John Ratcliffe is in Moscow, Russia, for meetings, sources familiar with the situation told CBS News on Tuesday.

• News of his trip comes after a U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport plane was spotted at a Moscow airport,along with a U.S. diplomatic motorcade. Neither the U.S. nor Russian governments has commented on the identity of the U.S. official in Russia or the purpose of the visit.

• The CIA did not immediately comment.

• It appears to be Ratcliffe’s first known trip to Russia as CIA director, though he has maintained contact with Russian intelligence counterparts. (more)

VIA AXIOS – CIA director John Ratcliffe is visiting Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials, two U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: This is Ratcliffe’s first trip to Moscow since he took office and the highest-level visit by a Trump administration official to Russia since January.

Ahead of Ratcliffe’s trip, the U.S. told Ukraine that a senior delegation was traveling to Moscow and asked it to suspend strikes until it leaves, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. (link)

We shall not speculate too much on the purpose and intent of the visit;however, overall, the direction points to intelligence sharing or notification.

Recently the British announced they would be sharing “storm shadow missile” technology with Ukraine in order for Ukraine to build them for themselves. The Storm Shadow (also known as SCALP-EG in France) is a Franco-British, long-range, air-launched cruise missile used for precision deep-strike attacks against high-value targets.Essentially, the Storm Shadow missile is the U.K version of the Tomahawk cruise missile.

Ukraine would be building those missiles with money provided by the EU from the confiscated Russian sovereign wealth fund. Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin likely doesn’t appreciate that very much.

According to Visegrad, “President Putin had a major event scheduled for today, with hundreds of people preparing for it. The eventwas canceled due to the visit of the CIA director, according to Kremlin pool journalists.” CIA Director John Ratcliffe is now returning home from Moscow.

(My thought was the U.S. wanted Putin/Russia to assist Iran to negotiate with the U.S., but it might be something different. The row with Russia doesn’t come from the U.S. I think we have more friendly ties than many countries assume.)

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/08/25/cia-director-john-ratcliffe-visited-moscow/