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Day: December 20, 2024

Putin and Putinism

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin says he should have invaded Kyiv earlier – The Independent

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin says he should have invaded Kyiv earlier The Independent
Putin says Russia is ready to compromise with Trump on Ukraine war Reuters
I should have invaded Ukraine earlier, Putin tells Russians in TV marathon BBC.com

Russia and Ukraine

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Dec. 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/LIZbjWe8qs

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Dec. 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/LIZbjWe8qs

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) December 20, 2024

Weapons for Ukraine

Ukraine is gonna ask for Tim Pool’s music in the next weapons package. Russia wil have to declare war

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Ukraine is gonna ask for Tim Pool’s music in the next weapons package.

Russia wil have to declare war https://t.co/KyZaTRd1YK

— Sumo (@SumoOrange1776) December 20, 2024

Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine is gonna ask for Tim Pool’s music in the next weapons package. Russia wil have to declare war

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Ukraine is gonna ask for Tim Pool’s music in the next weapons package.

Russia wil have to declare war https://t.co/KyZaTRd1YK

— Sumo (@SumoOrange1776) December 20, 2024

Russia and Ukraine

Can Liking Russia Get You a Gas Deal?

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Hi, this is Daniel Hornak in Bratislava and Daryna Krasnolutska in Kyiv. Welcome to our weekly newsletter on what’s shaping economics and investments from the Baltic Sea to the Balkans. You can subscribe here.

Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin says he should have invaded Kyiv earlier

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Putin says he is open to talks with Donald Trump, saying ‘we will have things to discuss’

Weapons for Ukraine

@DeeleyMark @BRICSinfo Why a mile? The dragonfire can hit things up to nearly 4km away and isn’t designed for use against a hypersonic missile. We gave Ukraine other weapons for that.

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Why a mile?

The dragonfire can hit things up to nearly 4km away and isn’t designed for use against a hypersonic missile.

We gave Ukraine other weapons for that.

— FluentInWiggaScript (@TurinBestShroud) December 20, 2024

Russia and Ukraine

@DeeleyMark @BRICSinfo Why a mile? The dragonfire can hit things up to nearly 4km away and isn’t designed for use against a hypersonic missile. We gave Ukraine other weapons for that.

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

Why a mile?

The dragonfire can hit things up to nearly 4km away and isn’t designed for use against a hypersonic missile.

We gave Ukraine other weapons for that.

— FluentInWiggaScript (@TurinBestShroud) December 20, 2024

Weapons for Ukraine

@omarslopezarce @JackPosobiec the USA and the West made a promise to Ukraine back in the 90s that if they give up on their nuclear weapons, Ukraine would be guaranteed security. also, in Eastern Europe NOBODY likes Russia for historical reasons. Russia has always been an imperialist power.

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

the USA and the West made a promise to Ukraine back in the 90s that if they give up on their nuclear weapons, Ukraine would be guaranteed security.

also, in Eastern Europe NOBODY likes Russia for historical reasons. Russia has always been an imperialist power.

— LH21 (@LevisHogea21) December 20, 2024

Weapons for Ukraine

I really underestimated Ukraine’s military for these last few years. Collapse on the front line was always “imminent”, but they’ve done well relative to the sheer size of this war. Ukraine is still in Kursk, receiving food, weapons, tanks, etc. that’s pretty remarkable…

Post author By Mike Nova
Post date December 20, 2024

I really underestimated Ukraine’s military for these last few years. Collapse on the front line was always “imminent”, but they’ve done well relative to the sheer size of this war.

Ukraine is still in Kursk, receiving food, weapons, tanks, etc. that’s pretty remarkable…

— Michael (@xp0sr) December 20, 2024

Mike Nova 2

Podcast by Mike Nova 2

Epstein files and Trump
https://gemini.google.com/share/520bda4c204b

As of early February 2026, the relationship between Donald Trump and the Jeffrey Epstein files has entered a major new phase following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in late 2025.

The situation is currently defined by a massive document release, intense political debate over redactions, and new details regarding Trump’s inner circle.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act (2025)
In a rare moment of bipartisan unity, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025. President Trump signed the bill on November 19, 2025, which legally mandated the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all investigative files related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump’s Reversal: Initially, Trump dismissed the push for the files as a “Democrat hoax” and “pretty boring stuff.” However, facing a near-unanimous House vote, he shifted his stance, urging Republicans to support the release and claiming he had “nothing to hide.”

The “Final” Release: On January 30, 2026, the DOJ released its largest tranche to date—over 3 million pages, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche (a former personal lawyer for Trump) stated this fulfilled the government’s legal obligations.

Key Findings Regarding Donald Trump
While the millions of pages have not produced evidence of criminal activity by Trump, they have shed more light on his past social ties:

Frequent Mentions: Trump’s name appears over 3,000 times in the latest documents. Most references are in news articles Epstein collected, correspondence between other parties, or unverified tips sent to the FBI.

Unverified Allegations: The files include previously unsealed FBI tips and “sensationalist” claims made shortly before the 2020 election. The DOJ has explicitly defended Trump against these, labeling them “unfounded and false.”

Specific Incidents: One document contains an allegation that Epstein introduced a 14-year-old girl to Trump at Mar-a-Lago in the early 2000s, though no charges or corroborating evidence of misconduct were provided.

Trump’s Response: On February 1, 2026, Trump told reporters that the files actually “absolve” him and prove the claims against him were a “radical left” fabrication.

Inner Circle & Wider Connections
The 2026 release has been notable for revealing that members of Trump’s circle remained in contact with Epstein longer than previously known:

Steve Bannon: The files show text and email exchanges between Bannon and Epstein as late as 2019, including a discussion about Epstein’s private plane.

Elon Musk: Emails from 2012 show Musk inquiring about “wild parties” on Epstein’s island. Musk has defended these on X, stating Epstein “hounded” him and that the release is an attempt to “smear” him.

Howard Lutnick: The Commerce Secretary also appears in the files, though his representatives state his interactions were limited and social.

Current Controversies
Redaction Failures: The DOJ faced a massive backlash after it was discovered that “blacked-out” text could be revealed by simply copying and pasting it. This accidentally exposed the identities of dozens of victims, leading to a legal battle between survivors’ attorneys and the administration.

“Cover-Up” Claims: Democrats, led by Representative Jamie Raskin, have accused the Trump administration of a “full-blown cover-up,” arguing that only half of the 6 million responsive documents have actually been released.