I examine the economic stresses surrounding Russia’s September 2026 Duma election and what Putin may do after securing the mandate he seeks. Reports this week pointed to fuel queues, the release of gasoline reserves ahead of voting, corporate-bond defaults reportedly up 63% year over year, and a 12% decline in Russian travel-agency demand.

I also look at the agricultural dislocation: sunflower prices have fallen amid a 50% export duty, while industry sources describe wheat exports as down at least 60%. The government’s proposed purchase of 3 million tons of grain is far below the 10 million tons analysts say may be needed in the south. Finally, I assess the reported transfer of Nestlé, Auchan, and other foreign subsidiaries to Lev Management, Aeroflot’s MC-21 delivery promises, and the pressure that economic hardship may place on recruitment and future Kremlin choices—from further seizures to mobilization or hybrid coercion.

00:00 Duma Election and Putin’s Post-Vote Choices

01:17 Fuel Queues and Election Optics

04:20 Financial-Market Strain and Gasoline Reserves

05:42 Marketplace Seller Losses and Grain Support

07:27 Wheat Export Collapse and Farm Pressure

08:51 Nestlé and Auchan Asset Seizures

10:23 MC-21 Promises and Wartime Recruitment

13:04 What Comes After the Election?

#RussiaUkraineWar #Putin #RussianEconomy #DumaElection #Mobilization

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I examine Ukraine’s reported Operation Vivaldi, including claims by the Third Army Corps that Shandrohovo and Derilov were liberated and Drobyshev is under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian and Russian military-blogger reporting points to pressure on the Russian salient along the Lomon axis, with potentially serious implications for Russian positions around Yampol, Kupyansk, and Moscow’s repeatedly delayed objective of taking the Donbas.

I also assess the larger strategic tension: Zelensky’s approval of expanded long-range operations, Poland’s warning that inadequate Ukrainian air defense leaves Russian drones able to reach its border, and Denmark’s new $275 million military aid package. As Putin casts Russia’s parliamentary election as a referendum on the war, I look at the gap between Kremlin messaging, reported battlefield reverses, expanding Russian weapons production, and questions over whether mobilization follows the vote.

00:00 Operation Vivaldi and Russian battlefield setbacks

02:53 Mapping Ukrainian gains on the Lomon axis

07:15 Europe’s political divide over Russia and NATO

08:59 Russian drones, Poland, and NATO air defense

13:03 Putin’s election messaging and the Ukraine war

14:48 Russian weapons production and mobilization questions

17:20 Trump, the GOP, and U.S. political consequences

19:45 After the election: mobilization and Putin’s next move

#UkraineRussiaWar #OperationVivaldi #Donbas #NATO #Deterrence

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I examine the reported large-scale Ukrainian strike on Moscow and the gap between the scale of the attack and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin’s claim that more than 1,600 UAVs were repelled. Monitoring sources estimated roughly 400 Ukrainian drones, while footage and reports indicated fires at the Moscow oil refinery and major damage at the Sofino logistics complex. The refinery reportedly processes about 11 million tons annually and supplies a significant share of Moscow’s fuel market.

I also assess the strategic purpose of a multi-layered operation reportedly involving FP-1, RZ-100, Lyutyi, Flamingo, and other systems. Beyond the refinery, the attack disrupted roughly 400 flights and coincided with reported strikes on a Buk-M3 system, a Nebo-U radar, UAV production, and command targets. The central issue is whether Russia’s dense defenses around its capital can reliably protect critical infrastructure—and what political or military response Putin may choose after election day.

00:00 Reported Large-Scale Strike on Moscow

03:04 Moscow Oil Refinery Fire

05:26 Sofino Logistics Complex and Airport Disruption

07:55 Other Reported Russian Military Targets

09:58 Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Civilians

12:01 Battlefield Losses and Air Defense Picture

14:16 What the Moscow Strike Means for Putin

16:40 Putin’s Potential Post-Election Response

#UkraineRussiaWar #MoscowRefinery #RussianAirDefense #Putin #UkraineDroneStrike #Deterrence

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I examine why Republicans could face severe pressure heading into the November 3, 2026 midterms while holding the White House and both chambers of Congress. The numbers voters see every day are stark: average gas prices are cited at $4.47 per gallon, up from $3.19 a year earlier, while ground beef reached $7.16 per pound in August—7.9% above 2025. I discuss the argument that the Iran war’s energy effects and Trump’s tariffs are turning kitchen-table costs into a political liability.

I also assess reports that U.S. intelligence has identified a Russian online campaign aimed at undermining confidence in the election, Trump’s stated plan to bar CNN, Politico, and MS Now from White House access, and the controversy over Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding events. Finally, I look at a closely contested Kansas Senate race, Ken Paxton’s 63–36 defeat of John Cornyn in Texas, and Putin and Dmitry Peskov’s latest public claims.

00:00 Why Republicans Face Midterm Pressure

01:43 Gas, Ground Beef, Tariffs and Iran

03:23 Trump Approval Claims vs. Economic Fundamentals

04:47 Don Jr. Wedding Controversy

08:08 Russia’s Reported Election Influence Campaign

09:40 Kansas, Texas and Republican Electoral Risks

12:01 Source Triangulation and Ukraine’s Military Adaptation

14:01 Putin and Peskov’s Latest Claims

#USMidterms #RepublicanParty #IranWar #Russia #ElectionSecurity #KenPaxton

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

In this briefing, I examine why suspected drone activity near Luxembourg Airport, reports of drones targeting British military sites, and new resilience messaging in Switzerland and the UK matter beyond isolated disruptions. My central argument is a forecast, not a prediction: a European confrontation may be less likely to begin with a mass ground invasion than with hybrid attacks that spiral into missile exchanges. I weigh the Baltic posture—including French forces in Estonia, British forces in Latvia, and German forces in Lithuania—and why deterrence still depends on a credible response.

I also cover Zelensky’s approval of new long-range operations, Ukraine’s foreign-volunteer recruitment center, and the reported $2.68 billion U.S. air-defense package. Beyond Ukraine, I assess Lukashenko’s remarks on Belarusian sovereignty, reported Russian election manipulation, new U.S. sanctions authorities targeting Russian energy, defense, and shadow-fleet networks, and why Putin’s mobilization denials may reflect domestic political risk rather than a reduced military ambition.

00:00 Ukraine’s Long-Range Operations and Readiness

02:56 The Baltic Question and a Different Kind of War

05:02 Hybrid Threats Across Europe

07:14 Russia’s Political Pressure in Germany and Belarus

11:09 Belarusian Sovereignty and Russia’s Control Model

13:10 Russian Elections, Propaganda, and Donbas Claims

16:10 Russia-Iran Satellite Intelligence, Sanctions, and Air Defense

18:40 Greenland, Mobilization, and the Deterrence Test

21:20 What Russia’s Denials May Signal

#Ukraine #Russia #EuropeanSecurity #NATO #AirDefense

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I examine Ukraine’s reported leap in drone and missile-defense technology as Russia shifts toward Garand-4 and Garand-5 jet attack drones. Ukrainian unmanned forces reported 300 strikes on Russian air-defense, radar, and electronic-warfare targets during 2026, including a reported S-400 launcher loss. I also flag the uncertainty: some targets may have been decoys, and battlefield claims require caution.

The central issue is speed and industrial scale. Skyfall’s propeller-driven P-1 interceptor was credited with more than 5,500 Shahed kills, but its reported 370 km/h speed is inadequate against Garand drones reportedly cruising at 450–600 km/h. I assess Ukraine’s newly demonstrated jet-powered interceptor, Firepoint’s claimed FP1 refinery-strike results, and its planned Vojens, Denmark solid-rocket-propellant facility. Missile defense will depend not only on better interceptors, but on whether Europe can produce fuel and missiles at scale.

00:00 Ukraine’s reported air-defense strike record

01:45 Radar, Buk, and air-defense targets inside Russia

03:04 Firepoint FP1 and FP5 strike results

04:53 Refinery strikes and the reported S-400 loss

06:56 Denmark propellant plant and missile production

10:42 Ukraine’s jet-powered interceptor response

12:01 Why propeller-drone defenses are falling behind

14:30 Claims, uncertainty, and closing assessment

#Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar #AirDefense #DroneWarfare #NATO #MissileDefense

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I examine Russia’s claim that 344 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones targeted 16 Russian regions as three days of State Duma voting began—and why the apparent overnight lull is difficult to interpret. Ukrainian monitoring and Russian claims do not neatly match, so I separate confirmed Ukrainian strikes from figures that remain approximate. The reported targets included UAV command posts in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia, the Vyshtoshny training ground, logistics and ammunition depots, and an ADP-6 radar damaged in Russia on September 17.

I also look at the human and military stakes: Russia’s guided-bomb strike on a residential building in Sumy, its reported use of RM-48U training-target missiles to pressure scarce Patriot interceptors, and reported battlefield losses that pushed Russia past 50,000 destroyed artillery systems. Finally, I assess Ukrainian movement near Kupyansk and Operation Vivaldi’s reported impact on Russian drone units in northern Donetsk—evidence that pressure is being applied both deep behind the lines and at the front.

00:00 Overnight drone lull and Duma voting context

02:03 Ukraine’s reported strikes on Russian military targets

04:24 Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians

06:06 Russia’s effort to deplete Patriot interceptors

08:51 FPV drones and Ukrainian advances near Kupyansk

10:42 Operation Vivaldi and Russia’s drone-unit losses

12:09 Rescue mission and political context

16:09 Putin’s pre-election claims and mobilization warning signs

#UkraineRussiaWar #RussianDuma #UkrainianDrones #PatriotMissiles #RussianMilitary #Donetsk

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

The Republican revolt may be starting earlier than anyone expected.

I’m a conservative Republican, but the evidence of serious trouble inside the party is becoming difficult to dismiss. Republican officeholders are breaking with President Trump, longtime conservatives are refusing to support some Trump-backed candidates, and Republican voters increasingly sound frustrated with their own party. I examine the tariff backlash, María Elvira Salazar’s public break with Trump, Karl Rove’s Democratic endorsement, the Texas Senate race, and a devastating Fox News poll. The central question is no longer whether Republicans face a difficult midterm election. It is whether the struggle between conservative Republicans and MAGA populists has already begun.

00:00 The Republican Civil War May Have Begun

01:09 Tariffs Become a Midterm Liability

02:03 Republicans Begin Breaking with Trump

03:50 Conservatives Are Holding Their Noses

04:43 Prominent Republicans Start Defecting

06:22 Trump’s Unforced Error in Texas

07:48 The Fox News Poll Alarming Republicans

09:42 Vance Asks Voters for More Time

11:13 Republican Voters Begin to Revolt

13:11 The Rebellion May Be Larger Than Expected

#RepublicanParty #DonaldTrump #Midterms #GOP #USPolitics

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇦 I have partnered with Greg Terry for all donations to Ukraine. He has raised and delivered more than a quarter of a million dollars of aid to date. To directly support this effort of delivering necessary provisions to the front lines, click on these links (and then watch him give your donations to soldiers on the front lines on his channel): https://www.youtube.com/@GregTerryExperience

Amazon Shopping List USA/North America (Shop and send to UKRAINE AID c/o Bethel Life's Gift Registry Address)

https://a.co/iodWsUK

Amazon Shopping List for EU/UK

https://www.amazon.de/hz/wishlist/ls/...

Direct Link for Financial Giving via our 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible in the USA

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

Link for Greg's 501(c)(3) EIN Information

https://www.gregterry.org/donate.html

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

Something has changed in Europe. When one leader warns about sabotage, drones, or attacks on critical infrastructure, we can dismiss it as politics. But when leaders across Europe begin warning their citizens, strengthening defenses, convening security councils, and preparing their societies at the same time, we need to pay attention. Poland says credible intelligence suggests Russia may launch drones or projectiles into NATO territory, cause damage, and then call it an accident. Finland is preparing for sabotage. Germany says its military cannot defend the country without the public and industry. France is strengthening its defenses. Meloni says Putin is multiplying provocations. These leaders may not know precisely what will happen—but they clearly believe the danger is growing. So what are they seeing, and what do they think is coming?

In this video, I examine the extraordinary collection of warnings now coming from European leaders. Donald Tusk says intelligence indicates Russia may be preparing deniable strikes against NATO countries. Alexander Stubb says Russia is already waging hybrid warfare against Europe. Emmanuel Macron is responding to intensifying threats against France, while Giorgia Meloni argues that Putin needs provocations to distract attention from his failing war in Ukraine.

I also explain why the word “hybrid” may be giving NATO an excuse not to respond, how Robert Fico is exposing cracks within the alliance, and why military exercises, air-defense production, Ukrainian interceptor programs, European aid, Russian elections, and the new sanctions fight all point toward a more dangerous phase of this conflict.

0:00 Something Is Brewing in Europe

1:01 The First Shot May Not Look Like War

2:18 The Dangerous “Hybrid” Euphemism

4:54 Poland Warns of a Russian “Accident”

7:27 Germany Prepares the Whole Society

9:20 France Responds as NATO Cracks Appear

11:51 Preparing for Attack Is Not Escalation

14:02 Europe Rapidly Strengthens Its Defenses

17:59 Russia’s Elections and Propaganda Surge

20:39 Sanctions, Trump and Putin’s Next Test

#Ukraine #Russia #Europe #NATO #HybridWarfare #DonaldTusk #EmmanuelMacron #GiorgiaMeloni

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR

I watched this speech three times because it explains something the West still refuses to confront: Russia has found ways to wage war without forcing us to recognize that we are under attack. Strategic adviser Avi Shahar argues that expressions such as “hybrid warfare” and “below the Article 5 threshold” disguise what Russia is actually doing. The Kremlin manipulates political divisions, changes how we understand Western values, and simultaneously persuades parts of the left to reject patriotism while convincing parts of the right that Putin defends traditional values. I examine his argument, where I believe he is right, and why the Kremlin benefits every time Western leaders substitute carefully worded statements for meaningful consequences.

Source video:

https://x.com/EerikNKross/status/2100688952218853842

CHAPTERS

0:00 The speech I had to watch three times

0:24 Russia’s false claim to traditional values

2:39 Why “hybrid attack” is dangerous language

3:21 Starting a war we refuse to recognize

3:38 Who is Avi Shahar?

4:13 Russia benefits from Western euphemisms

5:21 Russia stole the dictionary

6:44 Undermining the values required for defense

8:51 The authoritarian strategy of gradual destruction

9:26 How Western institutions became targets

10:47 The Kremlin’s real objective

12:07 Manipulating both the left and the right

13:36 There is no “hybrid war”—only war

14:45 Is Shahar’s argument correct?

15:26 Putin is waiting to see what the West will do

15:55 Final thoughts and Operation Summer Strength

Facts over noise. Context over headlines. Truth over talking points. Principle over partisanship.

#Putin #Russia #NATO #Ukraine #HybridWarfare

Fundraisers video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTs6amkGUg and Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/ - Ukrainian Refugee M's Room and Board is covered for this year. It is not for the rest of her time at CSU. I will be pushing on the other fundraisers for now, but if you still wish to give to make that whole (Aprox 48K total), here is the direct link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ms-journey-at-charleston-southern-university?attribution_id=sl:2708fb35-6c96-49b9-a5f9-6b7567483de6&lang=en_US&ts=1786462653&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

***** To support me as as I provide Ukraine war context: *****

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProfessorGerdesExplains

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/professorgerdes

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/professorgerdes

YouTube Channel Membership: https://www.youtube.com/@Professor-Gerdes/membership

🇺🇸 Contact the White House to express your support for Ukraine

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

*****IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE DIRECT AID TO UKRAINE: *****

🇺🇸 Alternatively, you may choose to donate to Samaritan’s Purse:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/ukraine-response/?utm_source=FY22UkraineResponseVanityURL&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=m_YUKR-22L3&utm_content=Ukraine-Response-Redirect%20%20

🇺🇦 If you wish to support the Ukrainian Army, give directly to United 24. Follow this link: https://u24.gov.ua/

***BUY SOMETHING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ***

🇺🇦 If you purchase from Saint Javelin with my link below, a cut of the proceeds will go directly to humanitarian aid for soldiers (bandages, tourniquets, etc.). I don't get the revenue. It goes to buy medical supplies from UnitewithUkraine.com. Use this link: https://www.saintjavelin.com/en-us?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Gerdes

🇺🇸 This is the absolute CHEAPEST THING YOU CAN DO to support Ukraine (This is NOT MY SITE) https://amzn.to/4aPtwQr - Just support the war effort somehow.

🇺🇦 I wrote a book about Ukraine's president Zelenskyy which I have updated for the first 4-5 months of the war in Ukraine: It is free if you have Amazon Kindle Unlimited or $9.99 otherwise: https://amzn.to/3Q2wnyE

🇺🇦 If you cannot give or buy, you can like, share, and pray for the people of Ukraine.

🇺🇸 Please leave comments and tell me how I can help you gain more perspective. You can contact me @Dr_Gerdes on Twitter or email [email protected]

#UKRAINE #UKRAINERUSSIAWAR #UKRAINEWAR