Good people everywhere want to see Ukraine defend itself against the brutal Russian invasion, but if the real goal of U.S. foreign policy is to oust Vladimir Putin, let&#8217;s hope the diplomats and spies have thought things through.
You don&#8217;t have to be a Russian stooge to worry about what could happen in a destabilized Russia, with Kremlin creeps and crooked oligarchs scrambling to fill a power vacuum. Putin might rock horns and a pitchfork, but as the saying goes, &#8220;better the devil you know than the devil you don&#8217;t.&#8221;
Instead of assuaging those concerns, we are told one of two things. The first is the denial that taking out Putin is the primary objective. The second is that his removal from power would be a good thing, and there is no need to worry. And the conversation seems to end there.
Consider that President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/was-biden-calling-for-regime-change-in-russia-after-sunday-mass-the-president-tells-reporters-no" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barked</a> in Poland last March, &#8220;For God&#8217;s sakes, this man cannot remain in power,&#8221; referring to the Russian president. The White House subsequently walked that statement back. Yet it seems Biden&#8217;s gaffe is actually a common sentiment in the Beltway by key players.
For example, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has never waivered from his insistence that Putin must be taken out. In March 2022, the South Carolinian called upon a member of the Russian government to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lindsey-graham-calls-for-russians-to-assassinate-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">assassinate Putin</a>. In May, he doubled down, adding that there is &#8220;<a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/watch-graham-says-there-is-no-off-ramp-in-war-lets-take-out-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no off-ramp</a>&#8221; to ending the war.
In turn, billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars and military aid were sent, and hundreds of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives were lost, with no end in sight.
Graham has continued to claim that the war will continue until the Russian president is out of office — one way or another.
Graham appears to be correct. This war could continue for at least the <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnRLottJr/status/1618296651994763265?s=20&amp;t=zdaSDmu5K6ZY057A4BLYJQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next year,</a> thanks to the new shipment of U.S. tanks.
So that means more bloodshed for everybody, an escalation that could turn into World War III, and a smaller chance for a peaceful resolution anytime soon.
Readers should know that Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda made it clear at the World Economic Forum that Ukraine&#8217;s military success and leadership turnover in Russia go hand-in-hand.
The Lithuanian president let it slip that he doesn&#8217;t know what exactly would come next, but at least the war will have ended.
&#8220;I have no illusions that it will be a democratic government replacing Vladimir Putin — probably there will be a long transitional period ahead and nobody knows what will be the outcome — but probably it would lead to the resolution of this crisis in Ukraine,&#8221; he explained.
Nausėda seems to be the most honest one out there.
He&#8217;s at least admitting that he has no idea what it means to have a Russia without Putin. But even he, like most leaders, has a cavalier attitude about shaking up the Russian government. Individuals heeding more caution are told to shut up and accept that diplomatic measures are a no-go.
Putin is undeniably a tyrant. His crimes in Ukraine are horrific, and most Americans want Ukraine to win the war — whether that&#8217;s through negotiations or outright winning. The data indicate a growing number of taxpayers want Washington to push Ukraine into peace talks.  In December, a poll <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/3763325-nearly-half-of-americans-say-washington-should-push-ukraine-to-reach-peace-deal-with-russia-poll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> that 47% of Americans wanted Washington to advocate diplomacy and end the war – up from 38% who held that position last July.
At a time when it seems like world leaders should be doing everything possible to wind down the war, we are doing the opposite. Meanwhile, officials are ignoring the potential dangers of an unstable nuclear power with a &#8220;transitional&#8221; government. Transitioning to what exactly? It doesn&#8217;t really matter, we&#8217;re told.
Yet those who want Putin gone should be careful what they wish for. They just might get it, and what comes next could be far worse.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

KYIV, UKRAINE – JANUARY 20: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY â MANDATORY CREDIT – “UKRANIAN PRESIDENCY / HANDOUT” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (4th R) meets with United States Senator Lindsey Graham (3rd R), Senator Richard Blumenthal (4th L) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (3rd L) in Kyiv, Ukraine on January 20, 2023. Head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Andriy Yermak (2nd L) and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba (R) also attended the meeting.

If Regime Change In Russia Is The Goal, Shouldn’t We Think About What Comes Next?

If Regime Change In Russia Is The Goal, Shouldn't We Think About What Comes Next?

Global Politics

Lindsey Graham

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

World

The former president of Russia and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, warned on Thursday that if Russia loses its war with Ukraine, it might resort to using nuclear weapons.
Medvedev made his remarks on the eve of a meeting of Western allies with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday. The meeting is expected to discuss whether Germany will send Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine for its defense.
“Tomorrow, at NATO&#8217;s Ramstein base, the great military leaders will discuss new tactics and strategies, as well as the supply of new heavy weapons and strike systems to Ukraine,” Medvedev wrote in a <a href="https://t.me/s/medvedev_telegram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegram post.</a> “And this was right after the forum in Davos, where underdeveloped political party-goers repeated like a mantra: ‘To achieve peace, Russia must lose.’”
“And it never occurs to any of the wretches to draw the following elementary conclusion from this: the loss of a nuclear power in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war,” he continued. “That nuclear powers have not lost major conflicts on which their fate depends. But this should be obvious to anyone. Even a Western politician who has retained any trace of intelligence.”
Medvedev may be shooting to replace Putin if he dies or is forced from office; in late October, he visited Russia’s main tank plant in Nizhny Tagil, then <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/russias-medvedev-threatens-defense-industry-arrests-during-tank-plant-visit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asserted,</a> “The production of weapons and special equipment of all types is increasing manyfold: from tanks and guns to high-precision missiles and drones. Brace yourself!”
He then threatened arms manufacturers who did not deliver missiles and tanks promptly for the war in Ukraine, snapping, “The goal has been set for a scrupulous execution of the government’s defense contracts in all of its key parameters, [and] prevention of disruptions in the supply of equipment. Attention has been drawn to the fact that all contractors could be held to account, including on criminal charges&#8230; Supervision over the execution will continue.”
On Thursday, Ukraine pushed for Western allies to quickly send tanks and air defenses to Kyiv; “We have no time, the world does not have this time,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, stated. “The question of tanks for Ukraine must be closed as soon as possible. Just like the questions of additional air defense systems. We are paying for the slowness with the lives of our Ukrainian people. &#8230; It shouldn&#8217;t be like that.”
Great Britain, France, and Poland have already pledged to send tanks to Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the Sirius Ice Hockey World Cup Sochi 2019

Former Russian President, Putin Ally: If Russia Loses, Nuclear War Could Result

Dmitry Medvedev

Nuclear war

Ukraine

As Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly mentioned the possibility of nuclear war in recent months, some scientists conducted a study to determine the safest place to shelter in a “moderate damage zone” – the area where concrete buildings don’t collapse – in case of a nuclear attack.
“As for the idea that Russia wouldn’t use such weapons first under any circumstances, then it means we wouldn’t be able to be the second to use them either – because the possibility to do so in case of an attack on our territory would be very limited,” Putin<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/07/europe/putin-ukraine-russia-nuclear-intl-hnk/index.html"> stated</a> in December. “Nevertheless, we have a strategy… namely, as a defense, we consider weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons – it is all based around the so-called retaliatory strike. That is, when we are struck, we strike in response.”
In mid-September, Putin issued a frightening <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/putin-russia-ukraine-war/card/what-did-putin-say-today--5rIxBBdt5oRNjCDoWzvS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, saying, “Russia will use all the instruments at its disposal to counter a threat against its territorial integrity—this is not a bluff.”
 Researchers at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, who used computer modeling to simulate a nuclear blast explosion of a 750 kT atomic warhead, stated in their <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0132565" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a>, “Obviously, near the nuclear bomb detonation, the devastation would be widespread, and the fatality rate would be practically 100%. However, outside of the severe damage zone (SDZ), the effect of the blast reduces and survivability increases.”
“The force hitting a standing person indoors is equivalent to several g-forces of body mass acceleration and could lift a person off the ground and throw them to the walls,” the study states.
In case of a nuclear attack, people should stay inside a concrete building, and if in a corridor, hide in a corner rather than the middle of the corridor, the researchers advise, writing, “The supersonic shock waves arising from the blast undergo expansion as they enter a room through an opening leading to channeling effects. The results show that most of the air is directed toward the corridor rather than through the opposite room&#8217;s door, leading to high airspeed developed in rooms further down the aisle,” the researchers <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0132565" target="_blank" rel="noopener">note</a>.
“If people see the explosion from far away they have to take shelter ASAP,” author Dimitris Drikakis told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11643911/How-survive-nuclear-explosion-Scientists-reveal-safest-places-shelter.html">The Daily Mail</a>. He also stated, “Before our study, the danger to people inside a concrete-reinforced building that withstands the blast wave was unclear.”

U.S. Navy nuclear test, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands

Researchers Advise Safest Shelter In Case Of Nuclear Attack

Study Advises Safest Shelter In Case Of Nuclear Attack

Nuclear Weapons

Defense Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said Tuesday that Ukrainian troops would begin training at Fort Sill in Oklahoma on the Patriot Air Defense System as soon as next week amid ongoing aerial attacks from Russian forces.
Ryder told reporters the training would prepare approximately 90 to 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate, maintain and sustain the defensive system over a training course expected to last several months.
&#8220;Once fielded, the Patriot will continue to contribute to Ukraine&#8217;s air defense capabilities and provide another capability to Ukrainian people to defend themselves against Russia&#8217;s ongoing aerial assaults,&#8221; Ryder said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
PENTAGON PRESS SEC: &quot;I can confirm that training for Ukrainian forces on the Patriot Air Defense System will begin as soon as next week at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gFDK1HbPsL">pic.twitter.com/gFDK1HbPsL</a>
&mdash; Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1612932809944965120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ryder further noted the Patriot would contribute to the air defense capabilities of Ukraine as part of a broader effort by the United States and the international community to provide Ukraine with the air defense capabilities that it needs to defend its population and its armed forces.
&#8220;It&#8217;s something that will enable them to take down &#8230; ballistic missiles, adversary aircraft; [it&#8217;s] really up to them on how they employ it,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3264235/ukrainian-troops-headed-to-us-for-patriot-missile-training/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
The announcement comes less than a month after the Biden administration said it would provide another $1.85 billion in military aid to Ukraine, which included the Patriot air defense system that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserts the country needs to defend itself from Russian attacks.
Zelenskyy said in a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/3784508-zelensky-to-us-lawmakers-your-money-is-not-charity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> by The Hill that U.S. aid would go towards funding weapons &#8220;crucial&#8221; to help Ukraine against Russia and serve as &#8220;the turning point to win on the battlefield.&#8221;
The Patriot, which stands as an acronym for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, as reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-is-patriot-missile-defense-system-2022-12-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>, is an advanced U.S. air defense system built by Raytheon Technologies Corp with theater-wide surface-to-air missile defense.
While the manufacturers designed the system to intercept aircraft and ballistic missiles, Reuters writes it could also strike down &#8220;kamikaze&#8221; drones Russian forces have frequently used to destroy Ukrainian critical infrastructure.
Raytheon reported Patriot systems have intercepted over 150 ballistic missiles in combat since 2015.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ukraine-russia-training-patriots-air-defense-rcna65142" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Russian President Vladimir Putin called the system outdated last month and said Russia would &#8220;knock down&#8221; the Patriots.
With over 240 systems built by Raytheon and used in 18 different countries, it usually contains a radar, control station, power generator, launch stations, and support vehicles.
Military forces first used the Patriot during the 1991 Gulf War, with batteries protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel. Officials used it again in Iraq in 2003.
Pentagon officials report the United States has funded Ukraine with more than $24.2 billion in security assistance since its war with Russia began on Feb. 24, 2022.

3-2 Field Operations

Pentagon Press Sec. Says Ukrainian Forces To Start Training On U.S. Air Defense System On American Soil Next Week

Biden Administration

Department of Defense

U.S.

Volodymyr Zelensky

Another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russian-oligarch-recorded-on-secret-audio-revealing-serious-disease-vladimir-putin-is-allegedly-battling-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian tycoon</a> who may have criticized the invasion of Ukraine has died under mysterious circumstances.
Sausage magnate and politician Pavel Antov, who last summer denied being critical of the Kremlin, was found dead Sunday at a hotel in Rayagada, in India’s eastern state of Odisha, after apparently falling from a window. Antov, who was worth an estimated $140 million and was celebrating his 65th birthday, died just two days after a friend who had accompanied him died.
Russian media reported that Antov’s pal, Vladimir Budanov, died of a stroke at the hotel on Friday. Odisha Police Superintendent Vivekananda Sharma said Antov &#8220;was depressed after [Budanov’s] death and he too died.&#8221; An official from the Russian consul in nearby Kolkata reportedly told the Tass news agency police do not suspect criminal activity.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Russian sausage tycoon Pavel Antov dies in Indian hotel fall <a href="https://t.co/2S6vPM18ab">https://t.co/2S6vPM18ab</a>
&mdash; BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCWorld/status/1607720716572434433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
But Odisha police official Sunil Kumar Bansal <a href="https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/russian-oligarch-dies-from-falling-out-of-his-hotel-window-in-odisha" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the National Herald of India</a> both cases are under investigation. He said Antov may have accidentally fallen or committed suicide, but that police are also looking into other possibilities.
&#8220;We have registered an unnatural death case and are conducting an investigation,” he said. “The post-mortem has been done. The Russian authority in Kolkata is in touch with us. We are extending all support they want in this case.&#8221;
In June, Antov, a local politician in the city of Vladimir, where he owns a meat processing plant, denied criticizing the invasion after a message appeared on his WhatsApp account. Antov appeared to respond to a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, writing, “It&#8217;s extremely difficult to call all this anything but terror.&#8221;
Shortly afterward, the message was deleted and Antov insisted he was a &#8220;patriot of my country&#8221; and supported the war. He claimed the message had been written by someone else and accidentally posted.
Antov is the latest of several high-profile Russian businessmen who have died under mysterious circumstances since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/every-russian-oligarch-who-has-died-since-putin-invaded-ukraine-full-list-1700022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsweek has kept track</a> of the most prominent deaths:
<ul>
<li>Ravil Maganov, head of Russian oil giant Lukoil, fell from a window in Moscow hospital Sept. 1.</li>
<li>Also in September, Anatoly Gerashchenko, a scientist who had once headed the Moscow Aviation Institute, fell down a flight of stairs and was declared dead at the scene.</li>
<li>Ivan Pechorin, a 39-year-old oil and gas executive and expert on Arctic resources, drowned on September 10 near Cape Ignatyev in Vladivostok.</li>
<li>Sergey Protosenya, former head of Russian energy giant Novatek, was found dead along with his wife and daughter on April 19 in a rented villa in Spain</li>
<li>Vladislav Avaev, former vice president of Gazprombank was found dead along with his wife and daughter in their luxury Moscow apartment on April 18.</li>
<li>Billionaire Vasily Melnikov was found dead along with his wife and two sons in his Nizhny Novgorod apartment March 24. Police said they all died from stab wounds.</li>
<li>Oil and gas billionaire Mikhail Watford, who had changed his surname from Tolstosheya when he moved to the United Kingdom, was found dead hanged in the garage of his mansion in Surrey on Feb. 28.</li>
<li>Gazprom Deputy General Director Alexander Tyulyakov was found dead in a cottage near St. Petersburg on Feb. 25. Police said the oligarch had hanged himself.</li>
<li>In December 2021, Yegor Prosvirnin—the founder of the nationalist website Sputnik and Pogrom—died after falling out of a window of an apartment tower in Moscow.</li>
</ul>

Pavel Antov

Russian Sausage Tycoon Whose WhatsApp Account Criticized Ukraine Invasion Dies In Fall From Hotel Window

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> president Vladimir <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Putin</a> will not hold his typical yearly press conference for the first time in at least ten years.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked about the event during a call with the press. When <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-cancels-annual-marathon-year-end-tv-news-conference-2022-12-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> if there was a date for the “big news conference,” Peskov said, &#8220;No, there won&#8217;t be one before the new year.”
Peskov added that Putin would have other methods of speaking with reporters, and said he had conducted other press conferences, including during his foreign travels. He also said that the Kremlin would later provide information on when Putin’s yearly speech to the Russian parliament would be held. Peskov <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/vladimir-putin-press-thyroid-cancer/2022/12/12/id/1100156/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> that Putin will not host a New Year’s event, either.
Putin initially <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/world/europe/putin-news-conference.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carried</a> out the conference in 2001, after coming to power at the end of 1999. During the time he was prime minister from 2008 to 2011, he did not conduct one, but they were restarted after he was re-elected president in 2012. He did not hold one in 2005 when he was president.
Some discussed the reasons behind Putin’s withdrawal, with speculation revolving around recent struggles in the war in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine</a>. Outlets have also pointed out that Putin’s personal <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-health-rumors-cancels-event-1766422" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health</a> has been a topic of <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-cancels-christmas-address-first-time-in-10-years-russia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conversation</a> over the course of the year, with questions swirling about whether or not the Russian president is well.
Tatiana Stanovaya, the founder of the R.Politik political analysis group, wrote about the announcement on her Telegram channel.
“I don’t think that Putin has nothing to say, especially as he’s said so much recently,” she <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/12/no-year-end-press-conference-for-putin-amid-russias-faltering-war-in-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “More likely he has a psychological unwillingness to ‘explain himself,’ to answer boring and routine questions, to waste time on preparations, play the role of the kind father and so forth.”
“For the foreign audience, he can say everything he deems necessary, he’ll find an occasion,” she continued. “As to the domestic audience, he doesn’t see the point. Let his subordinates handle it.”
Last year, the press conference was held on December 23, around two months prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, Putin <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-ukraine-started-targeting-energy-infrastructure-first-russia-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> in a video speaking about the situation in Ukraine. He was holding a glass of sparkling wine and some on social media considered that he was drunk as he moved back and forth while speaking to the camera.
“There’s a lot of noise right now about our strikes against the energy infrastructure of the neighboring country,” Putin said about Ukraine.
“Yes, we are doing it, but who started it? Who struck the Crimean bridge?” he added.

85652F5E-E58C-4437-9AD6-417F089902BA_1_201_a

Putin Won’t Hold Annual Press Conference For First Time In Ten Years

Russian President Vladimir Putin Won't Hold Annual Press Conference For First Time In Ten Years

Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> said Friday that his country could adopt the doctrine of preemptive nuclear strikes while boasting that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a>’s cruise missile capabilities surpass those of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-calls-u-s-aid-to-ukraine-an-immediate-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.</a>
Speaking at a summit of former Soviet nations in Kyrgyzstan, the Russian dictator referred to what he called America’s preemptive nuclear strike doctrine, saying that Russia is “thinking about” implementing something similar. Currently, Russian military doctrine states that Moscow can use a nuclear strike if the country comes under nuclear attack or the existence of the country is threatened.
“Speaking about a disarming strike, maybe it’s worth thinking about adopting the ideas developed by our U.S. counterparts, their ideas of ensuring their security,” Putin remarked with a smile, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-moscow-strikes-united-states-government-russia-95f1436d23b94fcbc05f1c2242472d5c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press.
In October, the Pentagon rejected any limits on using nuclear weapons in its new National Defense Strategy, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-27/us-still-may-use-nuclear-weapons-against-non-nuclear-threats-pentagon-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Officials mentioned international threats from Russia and China as the reason for the refusal.
“[B]y the 2030s the United States will, for the first time in its history face two major nuclear powers as strategic competitors and potential adversaries,” the Pentagon said, adding that the U.S. will “maintain a very high bar for nuclear employment.”
During the summit, Putin also claimed that Russia has already commissioned hypersonic missiles capable of carrying out a preventative strike and that Russia’s cruise missiles surpass their U.S. equivalents. Later, he upped the direct warning about his country’s nuclear capabilities.
“I assure you, after the early warning system receives a signal of a missile attack, hundreds of our missiles are in the air,&#8221; Putin <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/putin-says-one-missile-trigger-hundreds-warheads-stark-message-nuclear-deterrence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, according to a Russian news outlet. &#8220;It is impossible to stop them.&#8221;
&#8220;There will be nothing left of the enemy, because it is impossible to intercept a hundred missiles. This, of course, is a deterrent — a serious deterrent,&#8221; he added.
The comments from the Russian leader, who is currently overseeing his country’s invasion of a sovereign nation, disturbed White House advisers, who called the words “saber-rattling,” the AP reported. Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine has slowed in recent months as Ukrainian forces have successfully <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/good-decision-for-them-to-run-russian-forces-retreating-as-ukraines-counteroffensive-sees-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed back</a> in key areas on the war&#8217;s eastern front.
Earlier this week, Putin admitted that the war could be a &#8220;long process,&#8221; adding a stark warning that &#8220;the threat of nuclear war is growing,&#8221; Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-putin-says-ukraine-war-could-last-long-time-insists-he-has-not-gone-mad-nuclear-weapons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

‘Nothing Left Of The Enemy’: Putin Considers Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine, Boasts Russian Cruise Missiles Surpass U.S. Equivalents

Putin Considers Adopting Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine, Boasts Russian Cruise Missiles Surpass U.S. Equivalents

nuclear missiles

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-unleashes-fierce-border-to-border-missile-blitz-on-ukraine-following-bridge-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> fell down a flight of stairs and soiled his pants earlier this week, prompting more rumors about his deteriorating health, according to a Telegram channel that claims to have sources close to the Russian president.
The 70-year-old leader reportedly took the tumble at his official residence in Moscow Wednesday night, <a href="https://t.me/generallsvr/241" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Telegram channel</a> General SVR, which is allegedly operated by an ex-Russian spy. The account said Putin, whose health has been the subject of speculation since he ordered the Russian army to invade Ukraine in February, fell down five steps and landed on his tailbone.
“Three bodyguards helped the president get to the nearest couch and summoned medics, who are on duty at the residence,” the report claimed. “Nothing critical, the president’s condition closer to nighttime was stable, he can get around on his own, with pain in the coccyx area while sitting being the only thing that bothers him.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Russian President Putin ‘Fell Down Stair At Home, Soiled Himself’, Report Says | Sahara Reporters <a href="https://t.co/mNlpc2uwky">https://t.co/mNlpc2uwky</a> <a href="https://t.co/PIrYvrb1lP">pic.twitter.com/PIrYvrb1lP</a>
&mdash; Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaharaReporters/status/1598656963428159488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Putin has appeared bloated and shaky in numerous videotaped meetings over the last year, often gripping his chair or a table in an apparent bid to steady himself. Some Kremlin watchers have attributed Putin’s puffy appearance to cancer treatments, although Moscow has not confirmed any health issues besetting the KGB agent-turned strongman.
General SVR claimed that the fall caused Putin to “involuntarily defecate” due to “cancer affecting his stomach and bowels.” The report also said a special investigation was being conducted to determine why Putin, who reportedly wears special shoes designed to keep him steady, had fallen.
On Thursday, Putin was seen touring a science facility in Moscow, none the worse for wear.
In July, Putin raised eyebrows during a visit to Iran when he got off a plane and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-putin-hobbles-down-red-carpet-with-arm-hanging-limp-on-iran-trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">walked strangely</a> with one arm hanging by his side as he swung the other wildly. He hobbled along the red carpet and did not appear to shake hands as top Iranian officials greeted him, sparking wild speculation about his health.
A month earlier, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-has-advanced-cancer-u-s-intelligence-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. classified intelligence report</a> stated that Putin had undergone treatment in April for advanced cancer. The same report also stated that an assassination attempt was made on Putin in March.
As recently as October, a Kyiv Post reporter tweeted screenshots of Putin greeting soldiers in the Ryazan region, fueling observations he may have had IV track marks on his hands.
“Putin’s oncology is progressing and, despite adequate treatment lately, the pain is not always completely relieved,” General SVR claimed.

Vladimir Putin Visits Armenia

Putin Reportedly Tumbles Down Stairs, Soils Himself As Health Concerns Spiral

Over 40 years after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which led to the taking of U.S. hostages, relations between the U.S. and Iran are as tense as ever.
Iran’s advancement of its nuclear program and support for terrorist groups has frayed the relationship between the two countries, and Iran officials’ recent violence against demonstrators has stretched the tension further. The protests against the government came after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-will-hold-public-trials-for-at-least-1000-detained-protestors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the death of Mahsa Amini</a>, a 22-year-old Iranian who was arrested by the morality police in September for what the government called “unsuitable attire.”
As a result, the U.S.<a href="https://u12097671.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=9rudYHeevExQpJ5A1h-2BA7ena96JJ6-2FsMIZ5Zwq2lLW463IMlR7Ob3QBAwfgJ-2FZ8fmK3ZYY55NyM53MjGf14U91e2thzsYhgjpIfL4DEU99mhDwpyocZ7A-2BgsrYS8-2FzzxxsId_Gve9-2FwzDyZqlYopf90xcK6vaL50XNW-2FieHYjlbLgpVU8SJNEnO2oM2OigyqqIApHv2SaVD-2F0OmROVUn1sHOinM1IBecz8PVh9GrF3L195VYRsJNFxsUlLTWNXC7O53cF5EO4x-2BrZmmrp4Rim1mfTdqxtQXn3yfaUttw9AWu6gQYLjP6HhJLqIYKxCflMMGVQ75yFLMobCl0ua3YBOg8-2Bm-2BxY-2B1vHGN7RqsQZC2lopKEepONtM0d7bMntp9-2B1etnrTiF6qvQV23Q4OjdUkkVHoUhYIjyHCltk1JUdLXCLhhxDXWH-2Fl8MrXa9GF6twzrtP62eP01r7C1lZ9ZTpJpx8uLiAxugJWwxv6GZwEFL-2FgvGqIhKleH7pgMQCfC6RuKd-2BILAxJUwmpuNKjGldbe4gZyTovG0iR5cvreklFtQjJyaWbuhDIhMPidhnOi1kIAofOmkNzzYZKrf-2F-2BCDxdxZ-2BaMeOo3V4jMW6K-2Fy7KUfd2UPJdhx4Z7o8a0K67KpjAJHOK8FsdlL01CkvRmRqjRNU8stWdoTRJDgjcFRgcypz6pQmW3lbmhESzUu3LGZ2V7cp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> announced sanctions</a> against Iranian officials, and at the same time is trying to revive a nuclear deal with Iran. In the ever more dangerous world in which we live, it’s important for the U.S. government to lead the free world in applying pressure against governments that threaten the world order and their own citizens.
<h3>A History Of Oppression</h3>
The Iranian regime has been oppressing its people for many years and has spread terrorism and fear throughout the Middle East. It has supported terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi in Yemen as well as militias in Iraq. And it also supported Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who’s responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in Syria and crimes against humanity.
The economic situation in Iran is poor, in part because the regime spent tons of money on supporting terrorist organizations. The Iranian people deserve a better government, one that doesn’t spend money on terrorists but rather on their own people to improve their lives.
Uprisings among the Iranian people asking for democratic changes have been met with an iron fist. Iranian authorities have ruthlessly cracked down on anti-government protests with excessive and lethal force. Videos have shown security forces using shotguns, assault rifles, and handguns against protesters who were gathering peacefully, and hundreds have been killed and injured.
It is time for concerned governments to come together and increase pressure on Iran. One route they could take would be a United Nations-led inquiry into the serious abuses the government committed during the protests, with the goal of holding those who were responsible to account.
<h3>Pressure Works Better Than Compromise</h3>
What does the United States need to do to support and push for democratic changes in Iran? It has to deal with Iran the same way it has dealt with Vladimir Putin in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – no compromising, no appeasing the current extremist regime. The U.S. imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and has done so against Iran in response to its nuclear program and Iran’s support for terrorist organizations.
The U.S. should put as much pressure on the Iranian government as possible, while also being mindful of the Iranian government’s support of Putin during the Ukraine war. Iran supplied him with drones that have been used against the Ukrainian people. If leaders in the U.S. government think they can break the alliance between Putin and Iran, they are dreaming.
The U.S. took the lead in the accountability context against Russia during a trip to Ukraine by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland last summer, when he announced the creation of a new War Crimes Accountability team. It will assist Ukrainian officials in identifying and apprehending Russian war criminals. 
It’s an encouraging initiative, but the Department of Justice shouldn’t limit its efforts to Ukraine’s borders. In my home country of Syria, Putin’s intervention to support and keep in power the murderous dictator Assad has enabled the regime to torture and slaughter tens of thousands of political prisoners. Holding those torturers and executioners accountable isn’t just the right moral thing to do, it’s also essential in the fight against Putin’s assault on the international order. And, it’s necessary to wipe out Assad, who is a threat to U.S. global influence and a clear danger to American national security.
And then there’s Iran’s connection with Assad, which I touched on earlier. Iran has provided military support to Assad since the beginning of Syria’s civil war. And Assad has allowed Iran to use Syria as a safe harbor from which to attack other countries in the Middle East, including Israel and Jordan. Hezbollah has sent thousands of fighters to assist Assad, and he has returned the favor by funneling Iranian weapons to the group.
These are forces the U.S. must reckon with one way or the other, and for freedom to prevail, taking a strong stand for human rights in volatile places like Iran is non-negotiable.
Dr. Tarek Kteleh is a medical doctor who established Rheumatology of Central Indiana in 2018. He is the co-founder Citizens for Secure and Safe America (C4SSA), an organization whose mission is to promote security for the U.S. in the Middle East and to see democratic changes in Syria. He has led advocacy efforts for a variety of causes in the U.S. Congress, at the White House and in the Indiana Statehouse. He is the author of the Amazon bestseller, <a href="http://www.sixpillarsofadvocacy.com">The Six Pillars of Advocacy</a>: Embrace Your Cause and Transform Lives.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-TURKEY-IRAN-WOMEN-RIGHTS-PROTEST

For Freedom To Prevail In Iran, America Must Take A Hard Line Stance Against The Regime

Iran

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps

Middle East

Readers Pass

U.S. Politics

U.S. Defense officials told Pentagon reporters Monday that military forces in Ukraine have restarted onsite inspecting Ukrainian troops to corroborate the $17 billion in weapons American officials have provided are used to defend its territory against Russia.
According to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-kyiv-europe-government-and-politics-weapons-inspections-4adab5d918690a569e396ce385c34348">The Associated Press</a>, the official who spoke did not say where U.S. troops are conducting such inspections and if it&#8217;s close to the battlefield but would go where &#8220;security conditions permit.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ll continue to work with our colleagues across the U.S. government and with our international partners to ensure accountability of security assistance now and in the future,&#8221; the official told reporters, according to <a href="https://gazette.com/news/us-world/u-s-resumes-on-site-inspections-to-keep-track-of-weapons-in-ukraine/article_6a3c9345-65ea-5533-9dd2-1099704adf35.html">The Gazette</a>.
A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Ukrainian government had committed to safeguarding and accounting for the weapons and there was no credible evidence they were being diverted.
Pentagon officials addressed the press after publishing a detailed series of steps the <a href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-plan-to-counter-illicit-diversion-of-certain-advanced-conventional-weapons-in-eastern-europe/">State Department</a> would take over the next two years to ensure the weapons provided to Ukraine were used on the battlefield by the Ukrainian military and security forces rather than sold on the black market.
A senior U.S. defense official said that Ukrainian officials committed to safeguarding and accounting for the weapons despite no credible evidence of weapons being diverted, The Gazette <a href="https://gazette.com/news/us-world/u-s-resumes-on-site-inspections-to-keep-track-of-weapons-in-ukraine/article_6a3c9345-65ea-5533-9dd2-1099704adf35.html">reports.</a>
According to the report — which includes short-, medium- and longer-term initiatives to bolster U.S. and Ukrainian accountability, strengthen border security, and build capacity with neighbor states — Ukraine must properly document and account for the weapons and monitor and investigate suspected weapons traffickers.
&#8220;Wars can provide opportunities for weapons to fall into private hands via theft or illicit sales, sometimes creating black markets for arms that endure for decades,&#8221; according to the report.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/27/us/politics/weapons-aid-ukraine-russia.html">reports</a> U.S. officials have remained confident that the weapons donated to Ukraine have made it to the front lines of battle, but lawmakers demand accountability.
&#8220;American taxpayers deserve to know that their money is helping Ukraine beat back Russia effectively,&#8221; Republican Senator John Kennedy (LA) said earlier this year, according to The Times.
Ohio Senate Republican candidate J.D. Vance said the United States would have to &#8220;stop the money spigot to Ukraine eventually,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/31/republican-split-on-ukraine-aid/">The Washington Post</a>.
Idaho Republican Sen. James E. Risch told The Washington Post that he supported the war effort and would not pull aid and weapons packages if he became chair of the Foreign Relations Committee if the GOP takes over after the midterms.
&#8220;Ukrainians alone must decide the future of Ukraine. I support their fight for freedom, which they are winning on the battlefield,&#8221; Risch said in a statement to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/10/31/republican-split-on-ukraine-aid/">The Washington Post</a>. &#8220;Any efforts to appease Putin are dangerous, irresponsible, and will only encourage Russia&#8217;s aggression.&#8221;
The Associated Press reports President Joe Biden has ruled out the possibility that U.S. military forces would engage in combat inside Ukraine.

Mass Blackouts In Kyiv, Ukraine

U.S. Military Restart Onsite Weapons Inspections In Ukraine

Military

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-military">U.S. military</a> forces have deployed one of the nation&#8217;s most elite groups of airborne division soldiers to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/europe">Europe</a> for the first time since World War II, vowing to fight alongside Ukrainian troops in the war against Russia, according to a report. 
CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-news-russia-us-army-101st-airborne-nato-war-games-romania/">reported</a> Friday that the U.S. Army&#8217;s 101st Airborne Division, a group trained to deploy anywhere in the world and fight within hours, deployed approximately 4,700 soldiers from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to Romania, where soldiers stand ready to reinforce NATO&#8217;s eastern flank on a moment&#8217;s notice.
&#8220;We&#8217;re ready to defend every inch of NATO soil,&#8221; the division&#8217;s Deputy Commander, Brigadier General John Lubas, told the outlet, adding their presence is necessary because of the group&#8217;s unique light infantry force capabilities.
 &#8220;We bring that mobility to our aircraft and our air assaults,&#8221; Lubas said.
Division soldiers, nicknamed the &#8220;Screamin&#8217; Eagles,&#8221; are now the closest American forces to the ongoing fighting in Ukraine since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched military operations there earlier this year. Since then, Russian troops have advanced on the Crimean Peninsula and scaled the Black Sea coast into the Kherson region, including Mykolaiv and Odesa port cities.
&#8220;We&#8217;re closely watching them. So we&#8217;re building objectives to practice against that replicate exactly what&#8217;s going on in Ukraine,&#8221; Colonel Edwin Matthaidess, Commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, told CBS. &#8220;It keeps us on our toes.&#8221;
U.S. soldiers and Romanian troops have been conducting air assault attacks to show Russian forces that NATO allies are fully prepared to cross into Ukrainian territory if ordered by officials.
&#8220;The real meaning for me, to have the American troops here, is like if you were to have allies in Normandy before any enemy was there,&#8221; Romanian Major General Lulian Berdila told CBS News. 
The move from U.S. forces comes after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia against using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict after the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were heavily damaged by underwater explosions in the Baltic Sea surrounded by Sweden, Germany, and Poland.
&#8220;All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage,&#8221; NATO said in a statement, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/attacks-against-nato-allies-critical-infrastructure-be-met-with-determined-2022-09-29/">Reuters</a>. &#8220;We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors.&#8221; 
&#8220;Any deliberate attack against the allies&#8217; critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response,&#8221; the statement added.
The Department of the Army <a href="https://www.army.mil/article/256658/army_announces_upcoming_unit_deployments_in_support_of_european_allies_and_partners">announced</a> last summer it would begin deploying troops to the region in &#8220;support of our unrelenting commitment to Europe and our NATO allies.&#8221;

The Recon Clash-22 Military Competition In Poland

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NATO

U.S. Army

Politico Europe credited Russian President <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/key-bridge-spanning-russia-crimea-blown-up-in-likely-suicide-bombing-on-putins-birthday/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> for forcing the world to move toward green energy alternatives when he invaded Ukraine.
The outlet <a href="https://www.politico.eu/list/green-28-class-of-2023-the-ranking/vladimir-putin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published a list</a> referred to as the &#8220;Green 28,&#8221; naming the 28 most influential European figures in the ongoing push to address climate change by adopting renewable energy sources — and Putin topped the list, although it was clear that his influence was far less intentional than many of the others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
It took a war criminal to speed up Europe’s green revolution.
Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has forced Europe to finally break its fossil fuel addiction.
For this reason, he has topped our inaugural <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/POLITICOGreen28?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#POLITICOGreen28</a> list.
Read more here: <a href="https://t.co/JRDcxqQTG7">https://t.co/JRDcxqQTG7</a> <a href="https://t.co/3AuZDs8RVn">pic.twitter.com/3AuZDs8RVn</a>
&mdash; POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) <a href="https://twitter.com/POLITICOEurope/status/1580221617463971841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It took a war criminal to speed up Europe’s green revolution. Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has forced Europe to finally break its fossil fuel addiction,&#8221; the outlet tweeted. &#8220;For this reason, he has topped our inaugural #POLITICOGreen28 list.&#8221;
&#8220;By invading Ukraine and manipulating energy supplies to undermine European support for Kyiv, Russian President Vladimir Putin has achieved something generations of green campaigners could not — clean energy is now a fundamental matter of European security,&#8221; the article began.
It went on to detail how Russia&#8217;s late-February invasion of Ukraine had first driven gas prices upward and then driven the political conversation toward a dramatic pivot to green energy alternatives.
The issue — which former President Donald Trump had warned European leaders of while he was in office — was that the European energy sector was heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas. That dependency made them intensely vulnerable to price spikes in the near term — but also put lives at risk if Putin were to decide some winter month to cut off the supply.
Simone Tagliapietra, a research fellow at the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, agreed that Russia&#8217;s invasion had at least sparked the turning point, saying, &#8220;We will look back at this situation in 10 years time and see, OK, that was the moment where we really got serious about the green transition and we really had the big green acceleration.&#8221;
Putin&#8217;s overall influence on the change was rated 19/30 — 9/10 for power, 10/10 for reach, and 0/10 for vision — &#8220;Putin stands as a monument to the epic effect of unintended consequences,&#8221; the article concluded.
But not everyone agreed with Politico&#8217;s assessment.
David Harsanyi, senior editor at The Federalist, responded, &#8220;Germany just shut down its most effective &#8216;clean&#8217; energy source, nuclear, and ramped up its coal use. What are you even talking about?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Germany just shut down its most effective &quot;clean&quot; energy source, nuclear, and ramped up its coal use. What are you even talking about? <a href="https://t.co/oIkjdfJL6k">https://t.co/oIkjdfJL6k</a>
&mdash; David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidharsanyi/status/1580269618706276353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Writer Robert Bryce suggested a retraction — and an apology — was in order, saying, &#8220;Hey @POLITICOEurope: Putin on your &#8216;green&#8217; list is odious. Repulsive. Revolting. Deceitful. Disgusting. &#8216;It took a war criminal&#8217;? It’s also wrong: Europe isn’t quitting FFs. It’s burning as much coal as it can. See below from @IEA A retraction and an apology is in order.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/POLITICOEurope?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POLITICOEurope</a> : Putin on your &quot;green&quot; list is odious. Repulsive. Revolting. Deceitful. Disgusting. &quot;It took a war criminal&quot;? It’s also wrong: Europe isn’t quitting FFs. It’s burning as much coal as it can. See below from <a href="https://twitter.com/IEA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IEA</a> A retraction and an apology is in order. <a href="https://t.co/eEphelaCX4">https://t.co/eEphelaCX4</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jh1hWcaoX5">pic.twitter.com/Jh1hWcaoX5</a>
&mdash; Robert Bryce (@pwrhungry) <a href="https://twitter.com/pwrhungry/status/1580268090272555008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
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