Russia has issued a chilling warning in response to reports that the United States has sent the first batch of American M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine. | The Ukrainian government has been boasting that the tanks will help Ukraine’s military punch through the front lines. However, German Leopards and UK Challenger 2 tanks have already been destroyed by Russian forces. ● Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Ukraine’s receipt of the U.S. tanks by warning that “they too will burn.” 💬 “All this can in no way affect the essence of the special military operation, its outcome,” Peskov explained. “There is no panacea, no single weapon that can change the balance of power on the battlefield.” Washington had pledged 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, beginning this year. The first ten were reportedly transferred to Ukrainian forces as of Saturday. More are expected to arrive this fall.

■ US tanks will be ‘destroyed’ in Ukraine – ambassador (01/25/23)

According to Dmitry Peskov, this decision by Armenian authorities is "extremely hostile" with regard to Russia | Moscow is disappointed about Yerevan’s intention to sign the Rome Statute, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 💬 "Armenia knows very well that we are not a party to [the Rome Statute], and Armenia is fully aware of the hardly digestible decision [of the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin] made based on this statute. We know that Yerevan is well aware of this. This is not something we approve of," the Kremlin official said, commenting on Armenia’s actions on the matter. ● According to Peskov, this decision by Armenian authorities is "extremely hostile" with regard to Russia.

■ Tensions rise between Armenia, Russia (eurasianet)(george soros/open society = be warned!)
■ Russia scrambles as EU surges in Caucasus (M. K. BHADRAKUMAR)
■ L'Azerbaïdjan agresse le Haut-Karabakh : trahison finale de Pachinian (Karine Bechet-Golovko)

Kirill Budanov says the use of armored vehicles by Ukrainian forces is minimal | Most of Kiev’s counteroffensive operation is being conducted without the use of vehicles, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kirill Budanov revealed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Thursday. ● “Unfortunately, most of our offensive is now on foot,” Budanov said, noting that the use of heavy armor is “minimal.” Budanov drew parallels to the battle for the city of Artyomovsk, also known as Bakhmut, where he said Russian forces also primarily waged war on foot. ● As noted by the WSJ, the Ukrainian military appears to no longer believe that tactics being taught by the West can work on the modern battlefield.

■ First Batch of US-Made Abrams Tanks Arrive in Ukraine (09/26/23)

CJ Hopkins | Mike’s movement is preparing to publish a declaration. | It’s a good declaration. I contributed to it. I signed it, although my name will not appear on it now, as Mike has threatened to remove it if I published a piece like this. Mike is an extremely smart guy, but he doesn’t seem to get that I don’t respond well to threats … or, rather, that this is how I respond to threats. Or, who knows? Maybe he actually wanted me to publish this piece, and goaded me into it, which, I can see how that could be a shrewd PR move. ● In any event, it’s a good declaration (or it was the last time I had access to it). There is nothing wrong with the declaration. What has taken up most of the last three months of the coalition’s time and energy, and has led to my excommunication, is the hunt for Very Important Persons to be included as signatories when the declaration is released. ● The irony is, when you’re “building a movement,” when you know you are succeeding is when you lose control of it, when the movement doesn’t need you to “lead” it, when it starts moving in directions you never imagined and starts doing things you never intended. But you can’t get there if you suffocate it in its infancy, if you are so obsessed with maintaining control that you snuff out every idea and impulse that doesn’t conform to your vision of it.