……….This does not mean, however, that Russia is in any imminent danger of losing Crimea, let alone of losing the war that it has illegally fought against Ukraine both overtly and covertly for a decade now. The importance of Crimea in this war was established long before the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022
In the shadows of two controversial elections and the worst European war since the defeat of Nazi Germany, one truth has emerged with brutal clarity: Donald Trump was never an agent of peace.
He was the delivery mechanism for Vladimir Putin’s blueprint to dismantle Ukraine, and along the way, the democratic alliances that once defined American strength.
traces back to Andrii Derkach — a U.S.-sanctioned Ukrainian ex–minister, wanted for treason, now sitting comfortably as a senator in Russia. This is the same Derkach who, in 2018–2019, was pushing Russian disinformation against the Bidens with Rudy Giuliani — the very man I warned Rudy not to touch. My sources are telling me that this so-called corruption evidence was essentially carried straight into that October Miami meeting by Kirill Dmitriev, pre-packaged out of the Kremlin, and dropped on the table as justification to go after Yermak and dismantle Zelensky’s inner circle — all under the banner of “reform,” but in reality as part of a pressure campaign for regime change.
Now Yermak is gone. A new configuration, led by Rustem Umerov, is put in charge of negotiating. They are flown across the ocean, to a billionaire’s private resort owned by the very man who helped shape the original deal with Putin’s money men.
Andriy Derkach was recruited by Russian forces in 2016, according to a testimony
Derkach set up several firms tasked with helping Russians enter Ukrainian cities
Derkach was also accused of attempting to help Russian forces take over Kyiv
Authorities in Ukraine said they have uncovered a Russian spy network that involved the participation of a Ukrainian lawmaker who was previously accused by the United States of being a Russian agent.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) said Friday that Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach was responsible for setting up a network of private security firms tasked with helping Russian units enter Ukrainian cities during the Feb. 24 invasion, according to a testimony from Ihor Kolesnikov, Derkach’s parliamentary aide.
And the ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine? Lev Parnas says:
And hovering over all of it: hundreds of billions in frozen Russian assets and the promise of reconstruction contracts that would turn Ukraine’s ruins into somebody else’s profit center.
Then Dean Blundell, on Substack points out:
According to a new bombshell Wall Street Journal report, Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner aren’t just in Moscow talking ceasefires and borders. They’re negotiating business deals – lining up U.S. companies (and Trump‑world donors) to cash in on Russia’s comeback and Ukraine’s reconstruction once the shooting slows down.
That’s not a peace plan. That’s a hostile takeover with air support.
Back to Lev Parnas:
Trump’s inner circle wants to trap Zelensky between two doors.
And robbing Ukraine of her future:
Russia sent abducted Ukrainian children to North Korea, officials say
Satellite images locate Ukrainian kids abducted by Russia: Laboratory
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People hold a banner reading “No peace treaty without the return of Ukrainian deported children”, during a demonstration in Paris, France, in August 2025.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:UkraineSummary
Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) used satellite imagery to locate Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
HRL found 210 re-education/military camps after Russians posted selfies with geolocation data, revealing camp locations.
The lab estimates 36,000 children have been abducted; data was shared with Ukraine and Europol due to funding cuts.
Lukoil gas station in Slovakia.Jozef Kotulič (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday extended authorization for Lukoil-branded gas stations outside Russia to continue operating, suspending some sanctions on the Russian energy giant
And Ukraine continues to hit the shadow fleet, even when they are sailing by Senegal:
Ukraine Hit Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers, Undermining Moscow’s Sanctions-Evasion Fleet
ByDavid Kirichenko,Contributor. David Kirichenko is a journalist focusing on war and technology.Follow Author
Nov 30, 2025, 09:57pm ESTNov 30, 2025, 11:58pm ESTShareSaveComment
Ukrainian Sea Baby naval drones struck two Russian oil tankers operating in international waters off Turkey’s Black Sea coast on November 28, marking a significant expansion of Kyiv’s maritime drone campaign targeting the Kremlin’s oil revenue.
The attacks targeted the Kairos and Virat, both vessels flagged under Gambian registry but identified by Western authorities as part of Russia’s shadow fleet designed to evade international sanctions. A source from Ukraine’s Security Service told the Kyiv Independent that the domestically produced drones disabled vessels capable of transporting nearly $70 million worth of oil.
Turkish maritime authorities continue firefighting and stabilization operations on two sanctioned tankers struck by Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea, while a separate incident involving another alleged shadow fleet vessel off Senegal’s coast has raised fresh concerns over Russia’s shadow fleet operations.
Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure confirmed that the fire aboard the tanker Kairos has been completely extinguished, with discussions now underway regarding towing arrangements. The 274-meter vessel, which was en route from Egypt to Russia’s Novorossiysk port when it suffered an explosion and fire approximately 28 nautical miles offshore, had all 25 crew members safely evacuated by Turkish coastal safety units
Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers.
In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
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