Tag: russia

Leaks expose secret British military cell plotting to ‘keep Ukraine fighting’

Leaked files show top UK military figures conspired to carry out the Kerch bridge bombing, covertly train “Gladio”-style stay-behind forces in Ukraine, and groom the British public for a drop in living standards caused by the proxy war against Russia.

Emails and internal documents reviewed by The Grayzone reveal details of a cabal of British military and intelligence veterans which plotted to escalate and prolong the Ukraine proxy war “at all costs.” Convened under the direction of the British Ministry of Defense in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the cell referred to itself as Project Alchemy. As British leadership sabotaged peace talks between Kiev and Moscow, the cell put forward an array of plans “to keep Ukraine fighting” by imposing “strategic dilemmas, costs and frictions upon Russia.”

The leaks obtained by The Grayzone expose a hidden hand behind Britain’s policy in Ukraine, showing in unusually granular detail how it aimed to engineer a long, grinding war through covert operations that stretched the bounds of legality.

Project Alchemy’s proposed schemes spanned every conceivable field of warfare, from cyber attacks to “discreet operations” to outright terrorism. The secret cell even put forward a plan to “aggressively pursue” and “dismantle” independent media outlets – including The Grayzone – through an aggressive campaign of legal harassment and online censorship, so they “would be forced to close.” The incendiary blueprints were fed to the highest levels of the British state and national security structure, where they were apparently well-received.

Founded by a senior British Ministry of Defence official, Project Alchemy is composed of veteran military and intelligence operatives united by a desire for all-out war between the West and Russia. Some have trained Ukrainian forces in clandestine sabotage tactics. 

Members of the national security cabal tacitly acknowledged that their proposed operations stretched the bounds of British law. Thus they suggested that London should be “prepared to creatively use the law” to meet its goals, and even be willing to erase “legal restrictions on UK deniable ops” against Russia. 

Some of Project Alchemy’s most extreme recommendations have already been implemented, often with calamitous results. These include the cell’s proposal to strike Crimea’s Kerch Bridge, which prompted a Russian escalation that saw punishing attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure. Alchemy also envisioned the construction of a secret, Gladio-style army of Ukrainian partisan fighters to carry out assassination, sabotage, and terror missions behind enemy lines. 

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Ukraine’s Zelensky Admits War More Likely To End Sooner With Trump In The White House

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told reporters that he firmly believes the war with Russia will “end sooner” with president Trump back in office than it would if the Democrats had won the election.

The BBC reports that the Ukrainian leader told Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne “It is certain that the war will end sooner with the policies of the team that will now lead the White House.”

“This is their approach, their promise to their citizens,” Zelensky further noted, adding that Ukraine “must do everything so that this war ends next year, ends through diplomatic means.”

Zelensky also stated during the interview that he had a “constructive exchange” with Trump during their phone conversation last week, noting that US law prohibits him from meeting with Trump until after his inauguration in January.

It was widely reported last week that Elon Musk was also present on Trump’s call with Zelensky, which lasted around 25 minutes, according to the sources who were briefed on its details.

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“We Don’t Have Enough…”: Russia Temporarily Limits Exports Of Enriched Uranium To U.S.

In news that will act as a headwind for the U.S.’s re-emerging nuclear industry, it was reported last week that Russia is temporarily restricting enriched uranium exports to the U.S., raising supply concerns for reactors that produce nearly 20% of the nation’s electricity.

Russia provided no details or timeline for its uranium export restrictions in a Friday Telegram statement, though utilities’ advance purchasing likely mitigates immediate effects, Bloomberg wrote in a report on Friday.

Amid global backlash over its war in Ukraine, Russia continues leveraging energy as a geopolitical tool, also cutting gas supplies to Austria—ending a 60-year agreement that fulfills 80% of its demand—citing a legal dispute.

Bloomberg noted that Russia’s move targets a key U.S. vulnerability in the nuclear fuel cycle, as it controls nearly half of global uranium enrichment capacity and supplied over a quarter of U.S. enriched fuel last year.

Chris Gadomski, head nuclear analyst for BloombergNEF commented: “We don’t have enough enriched uranium here. They should have been stockpiling enriched uranium in anticipation of this happening.”

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The Impact of the US Election For Ukraine- Can Trump do a Deal With Putin on Ukraine?

Trump’s plans and approach towards Russia’s war on Ukraine is already evident in his campaign speeches and psoturing. Trump has often boasted about his capacity to negotiate deals, positioning himself as a peacemaker who will bring an end to the war.

His approach would center on swift negotiations and most certainly involving controversial proposals for territorial compromises. However, it is war and unpredictability is a constant. So the specifics would depend heavily on the ongoing state of the conflict and geopolitical dynamics in early 2025.

1. Focus on Negotiation and Ceasefire

Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could negotiate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia within a short timeframe (sometimes stating 24 hours). His approach would center on bringing both parties to the negotiating table for immediate ceasefire talks. He’s already had phone calls with Zelensky and Putin who is currently pushing the strategic edge with Trump by calling for a Trump-led negotiation kick-off. In a way, Putin and Trump are already on same page but on same negotiation terms? That will have to be seen but it’s unlikely Trump will want to entirely go Putin’s way and be seen as bending over for Putin.

Trump’s main pitch would likely involve pressuring both sides into halting hostilities temporarily, setting the stage for further discussions on territorial disputes. Trump will argue that continued conflict is a lose-lose situation especially for Ukraine- a claim he already repeated, insisting that Ukraine is losing and Russia is winning and has hinted ending US aid, and he isn’t known to back down from his position even when proven wrong. Leveraging economic interests with Russia as an appeal to ending the war is also key for him.

2. Compromise in the name of “Peace”

Trump has shown a willingness to consider compromises that will involve territorial concessions, at least implicitly. This position is contentious for many reasons and would be met with strong resistance both in Ukraine and among Western allies.

Trump might propose a referendum-based approach, especially so as key members of his team support this.

Elon has repeatedly pushed similar ideas, suggesting that disputed areas such as Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk hold internationally supervised referendums to determine their status. Like it or not, Trump will take it as great if Elon says it’s good. This idea could be framed as a democratic solution, though it would be heavily criticized given Russia’s strong political/military control and occupation over those areas, especially so as millions of Ukrainians has fled those areas leaving their homes and livelihood behind.

Another possible angle could involve Trump advocating for a federated model in Ukraine, where regions could have greater autonomy- hasn’t worked in the past due Russia’s persistent interference. This might include proposals to give the Russian-occupied areas special status or increased autonomy while remaining under nominal Ukrainian sovereignty. It would be an attempt to satisfy both parties without a full land concession. But with Russian interference, it will be Moldova all over again. Some will argue that’s better if it stops the war now. Ukraine however much prefers a solution that contains Russia now and in the future.

3. Pressure on Ukraine to Compromise

Trump has often criticized the extensive military aid provided to Ukraine, arguing it prolongs the conflict. Trump’s Republican Party blocked aid to Ukraine for more than nine months from October 2023 to April 2024, forcing Kyiv to deplete its wartime budget, while the EU scrambled indecisively, mostly due to limited wartime capacity, leading to the loss of some of Ukraine’s most capable fighters and territorial gains for Russia. In a second term, Trump will leverage US support to push Ukraine towards a compromise, by conditioning future aid on entering negotiations with Russia and possibly demanding territorial concessions.

This stance would clearly be met with strong opposition from Ukrainian leadership, who have maintained a firm line on not ceding any territory.

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Developments in Kursk Region: Ukrainian fighters suffer losses, face charges in Russia

Ukrainian forces lost more than 100 servicemen in the Kursk area over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The enemy’s losses during the hostilities totaled more than 32,680 troops, according to the ministry.

The Main Military Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Ukrainian soldiers suspected of shelling the Dmitrievskaya church in the Sudzha district.

TASS has put together the key developments.

Progress of operation to destroy Ukrainian forces

– Units of the battlegroup North continued their offensive and struck Ukrainian formations in the areas of the settlements of Daryino, Leonidovo, Malaya Loknya, Maryevka, Nykolayevo-Daryino and Plekhovo.

– Strikes by army aircraft and artillery fire inflicted damage to clusters of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the Kursk Region.

– Tactical aircraft and rocket forces struck at enemy concentration areas and reserves in the Sumy Region.

– The operation to destroy Ukrainian formations is pressing on.

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Kiev admits its forces collapsing as Russia advances fast in Donbass

Ukrainian officials acknowledge that Russian forces are advancing in Donbass faster than at any time since the conflict escalated, while at the same time, Kiev says its defences are collapsing due to a shortage of fighters, the Financial Times reported. The news only deepens problems for the Kiev regime, especially following the announcement that Mike Pompeo, who is sympathetic to Ukraine, was confirmed not to have a position in the incoming Trump administration.

The newspaper said Ukrainian military officials and international experts expect the conflict to enter a critical phase in the coming months as both sides jockey for territorial advantage ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025 with a key “[battle] shaping up in Russia’s Kursk region,” parts of which Ukraine invaded in August with some of its best-equipped units. Russian troops ultimately held off that invading force.

According to the Financial Times, while Kiev is directing resources to reinforce its incursion into the Kursk region, Ukrainian defences in Donbass are “crumbling” due to a shortage of fighters and ammunition. Russian troops have intensified attacks in recent months, where Ukrainian troops have been unable to hold the front line.

“The average age is already above 40 in various brigades and there doesn’t seem to be enough reinforcements arriving on the frontline,” said Franz-Stefan Gady, a military analyst and fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, to the outlet.

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European Lackeys in Panic Mode as Trump Signals Detente With Russia

It’s early days yet. However, there are signs that President-elect Trump is moving toward a detente with Russia over Ukraine.

One good sign is that Trump will not invite Mike Pompeo or Nikki Haley to join his cabinet when he is inaugurated as the 47th U.S. president on January 20. Both of these figures were rabid anti-Russia hawks during Trump’s previous administration. There were suggestions that Pompeo and Haley might return with senior posts in his second administration. But Trump has announced the pair will not be offered new positions.Murray N. Rothbar

Another positive sign is from people close to Trump’s inner circle who are letting the Kiev regime know – rudely – that the U.S. military aid spigot is being turned off.

Donald Trump has yet to hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin. But both leaders have already expressed a willingness to negotiate a peaceful settlement over the Ukraine conflict.

Another promising sign of potential detente between the United States and Russia is the sheer panic among European leaders. The news of Trump’s election last week has caused most European elites to scramble like scared children on hearing “boo!”.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron are consoling themselves by urging Europe to “come together” in the wake of Trump’s stunning election victory. The collapse of Germany’s coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is an early casualty of the Trump impact.

European leaders fear that if Trump pulls the plug on military aid to the Kiev regime they will be left holding the can to fund the proxy war against Russia, which the weak European economies have no chance of sustaining.

It’s no secret that the main European states were betting on Democrat candidate Kamala Harris winning the race to the White House. Harris would have ensured the continuation of NATO’s backing for the Kiev regime. With Trump becoming president, all bets are off.

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Will Trump End Washington’s Proxy War in Ukraine?

Donald Trump’s election as president is fueling speculation that he will terminate U.S. financial and logistical support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.  Trump himself has contributed to that speculation during his June 28, 2024 debate with President Biden when he said, “If we had a real president, a president that was respected by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, he would have never invaded Ukraine.”  Indeed, Trump has boasted that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours.

His critics, both in the United States and the other NATO countries, however, contend that he would likely do so by abandoning Ukraine and appeasing Russia.  Allegations that Trump was a “puppet” of Russian President Vladimir Putin cast a pall over his entire first term as president, and there are no signs that his opponents have abandoned that tactic.  It was an absurd accusation, since Trump’s policy toward Russia actually was more hardline than that of his predecessors.  Not only did he ship arms to Ukraine (a step that Barack Obama had refused to take) but he engineered the U.S. withdrawal from two major arms control agreements (Open Skies and Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) that Putin and other Russian leaders considered vital to their country’s security.  The Trump administration also continued NATO’s provocative expansion into Eastern Europe despite the Kremlin’s escalating warnings about such unfriendly moves.

The notion that Trump was “soft” on Russia during his first term was (and remains) a destructive, highly politicized myth.  Over the past four years, though, Trump and at least some supporters in Congress, the news media, and the foreign policy community seem to have gained an understanding that Washington’s current Russia policy has been disastrous and requires drastic reforms.  It is less certain whether he will muster the courage to ignore the smears and make the necessary policy changes to begin repairing relations with Russia.

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Russian Forces Liberate Voznesenka, Target Ukrainian Military Infrastructure

The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that the Tsentr battlegroup pushed deeper into Ukrainian defenses and took control of the settlement of Voznesenka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

“Units of the Tsentr Battlegroup continued their advance into the enemy’s defense and liberated the settlement of Voznesenka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the MoD statement said.

The Russian army also launched strikes on Ukrainian airfields and energy facilities which supply the defense industry. Air defense intercepted six HIMARS rockets and downed 78 drones.

“Operational-tactical aviation, strike drones, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces’ groups struck the infrastructure of military airfields, energy facilities supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, as well as concentrations of enemy personnel and military equipment in 142 locations,” the report stated.

Other Developments

The Sever battlegroup reported eliminating up to 80 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored fighting vehicles and seven motor vehicles while targeting units of the 71st Jaeger Brigade and the 113th and 120th Territorial Defense Brigades near Volchansk and Liptsy in the Kharkov region.

The Zapad battlegroup improved its tactical positions, neutralized personnel and equipment from seven Ukrainian brigades and repelled two counterattacks, inflicting up to 570 casualties. Destroyed assets included a US M113 armored personnel carrier, several artillery systems, electronic warfare stations and three ammunition depots.

The Yug battlegroup inflicted losses of up to 655 servicemen, three tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, and an armored personnel carrier in combat with formations of eight Ukrainian brigades in various areas. Destroyed equipment included Western-made artillery pieces, a Croatian multiple rocket launcher, electronic warfare stations and two ammunition depots.

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Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

The Ukrainian armed forces have lost up to 430 troops in the Kursk area over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

In total, the enemy has lost more than 32,580 troops since the fighting began in the region.

TASS has gathered the key news about the unfolding situation.

Operation to neutralize Ukrainian forces

– Russia’s Battlegroup North defeated six Ukrainian armed formations in the areas of the settlements of Daryino, Leonidovo, Malaya Loknya, Nikolayevo-Daryino and Novoivanovka.

– Russian tactical aircraft and artillery hit clusters of Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kursk Region.

– Operational/tactical aircraft and missile forces hit amassment areas and enemy reserves in the Sumy Region.

– The operation to destroy Ukrainian forces is ongoing.

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