I examine a striking change in Russia’s commentary class: figures from sharply different political camps are openly describing the costs and failures of the war against Ukraine. Andrey Kovalev recalls expectations that Kyiv would fall quickly and calls the conflict a “horrific war,” while Leonid Gozman argues that Russian support for armed groups in Donbas after 2014 sustained the conflict from the start. Their comments expose the gap between Kremlin assumptions after Crimea and the reality of a resilient Ukrainian state.

I also look at Maxim Kalashnikov’s warning that a prolonged war, reserve mobilization, economic strain, and demographic losses could “ruin everything” for Russia—while Finland and Sweden have moved into NATO. I assess claims of anomalous turnout patterns benefiting United Russia and unpack Margarita Simonyan’s attempt to redefine what European leaders mean by “European values.” The strategic question is whether these voices reflect isolated frustration or a deeper recognition of Russia’s self-inflicted costs.

00:00 Russian Commentators Confront the War’s Costs

04:41 Leonid Gozman on Donbas and Russia’s 2014 Role

08:58 Pro-War Voices Warn of Russia’s Strategic Costs

12:10 United Russia Turnout and Election Anomalies

14:34 Simonyan’s Claim About European Values

17:28 Russia’s Growing Internal Debate

#UkraineRussiaWar #RussianPolitics #NATO #Finland #Sweden #RussianPropaganda

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

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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 RIA Novosti article that briefly appeared online describing a new “special military operation” against Lithuania and suggesting missile strikes with nuclear warheads. Removed within hours, the article is a revealing example of Russian state-media rhetoric: framing Baltic self-defense and possible nuclear deployments as a pretext for escalation. I connect it to reported Russian-linked drone incursions and sabotage concerns in Europe, and to the risk that Moscow could pressure NATO through airspace, missiles, and internal political strain rather than a conventional border crossing.

I also assess Ukraine’s reported intelligence on planned winter attacks against power generation, heating, water, and wastewater infrastructure. Kyiv says it has built more than 200 protective structures, but faces a $27 billion defense funding gap and urgent needs for drones, missiles, and air defense. I cover Patriot production licenses, shadow-fleet sanctions enforcement, Tether-linked procurement, North Korean POWs transferred to Seoul, and the diplomatic stakes surrounding Ukraine-Russia talks.

00:00 RIA Novosti’s Lithuania nuclear scenario

05:15 Russian drone incursions and Europe’s security concerns

10:24 Shell companies, Tether, and sanctions evasion

13:25 Patriot licenses, funding, and peace diplomacy

15:29 North Korean POWs and South Korea

18:28 Trump, Xi, and American leadership

20:39 Kyiv maternity hospital damaged in missile attack

#Ukraine #Russia #Lithuania #NATO #BalticStates #PatriotMissiles

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

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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

On September 25, I examine reports of a large Ukrainian long-range drone operation across Russia, including fires at Lukoil’s Perm oil refinery—some 1,500 kilometers from Ukraine—and strikes on the Iskra electronics plant in Ulyanovsk. Iskra is reportedly tied to semiconductor components for Kh-59 missiles, Pantsir air defenses, radar, and communications equipment. Reported targets also included the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, a synthetic-rubber facility in Voronezh, a logistics site in occupied Luhansk, and two radar stations in Rostov.

I compare this dispersed strike pattern with Russia’s overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including the deadly strike on a Kyiv residential high-rise and reported casualties in Kharkiv Oblast. I also assess airport disruptions, air-defense pressure, the earlier Kuibyshev refinery damage, and Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian logistics on the Zaporizhzhia front. The strategic issue is whether repeated, clustered drone raids can impose sustained costs on Russia’s oil, defense-industrial, and logistics networks.

00:00 Ukraine’s reported mass drone operation

03:12 Iskra electronics plant and industrial targets

06:11 Luhansk logistics hub, Rostov radar, airport closures

07:38 Zelensky’s account and refinery damage

10:32 Air defenses and battlefield indicators

11:31 Ukrainian pressure on Russian logistics

#UkraineRussiaWar #PermRefinery #LongRangeDrones #RussianOilInfrastructure #Kyiv #AirDefense

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

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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 2026 midterm picture through the polling figures cited in this video: Democrats at roughly +11 on the generic ballot, Nate Silver’s +8.8 likely-voter margin, and Trump’s net approval at -21 in that aggregate. I also address an unusual methodological problem: Trump’s net approval ranges from -10 to -34 across major pollsters even as their congressional-ballot averages remain far closer together. That gap deserves scrutiny, but it does not erase the broader electoral danger for Republicans.

I focus on the voters likely to decide close races—independents—and the cited shift in Trump’s approval among them from +15 after the 2024 election to -71. Affordability, tariffs, gasoline costs tied to the Iran war, Ukraine policy, and dissatisfaction within the Republican coalition all shape the stakes. The central leadership lesson is simple: a party that holds the presidency and Congress can overreach, lose persuadable voters, and turn its governing choices into a midterm backlash.

00:00 2026 Midterms: The Generic Ballot

02:00 Why Trump Polls Differ by 24 Points

04:20 Independent Voters and Electoral Risk

06:41 Affordability, Iran, and Voter Backlash

08:24 Ukraine, Russia, NATO, and Nikki Haley

10:05 What the Midterms May Reveal

11:03 Ukraine Support Bridge

#TrumpPolling #Midterms2026 #IndependentVoters #Ukraine #NATO

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

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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

Zelensky has a warning for Moscow: if Russia keeps targeting Ukraine’s electricity and heating, Ukraine will make winter painful for Russia too. Could Russia’s historic ally—“General Winter”—turn against it?

I examine that warning, Ukraine’s struggle to secure scarce missile interceptors, and Poland’s direct message to the Russian delegation: you can kill more people, but you cannot win.

I also discuss the reported return of U.S. troops to the Baltics, concerns about sabotage and drone operations in Europe, and the competing arguments over inviting Putin to the G20. Zelensky sees a potential opportunity—but would Putin actually attend?

Finally, I examine Trump’s welcome for Xi Jinping, Michael McFaul’s criticism of U.S. foreign policy, and why Taiwan deserves close attention as Washington and Beijing negotiate.

Throughout, I distinguish reported developments, official statements, and my own interpretation.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Zelensky’s winter warning to Russia

01:35 Ukraine’s race for missile interceptors

02:52 Ex-prosecutor reportedly relocates to Austria

03:33 Ukraine diplomacy and European funding

04:48 U.S. troops and Baltic deterrence

06:54 Poland confronts Russia at the UN

09:15 Fire at a Polish Starlink ground station

10:15 French politics and trade with Russia

11:10 Sanctions relief and the hostage precedent

11:49 Reported warning about Russian drone operations

12:15 Putin’s G20 invitation: opportunity or mistake?

15:04 Alleged Russian ownership of a Pentagon supplier

15:26 Trump welcomes Xi—and McFaul pushes back

18:28 U.S.–China negotiations and Taiwan

19:25 Immigration protections for Ukrainians

19:41 Xi says partners, not rivals

21:25 McFaul’s response to criticism

22:07 Viewer comments and closing thoughts

#Ukraine #Russia #Zelensky

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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

If Putin already controls the outcome, why go this far to manufacture a landslide? I examine the reports, voter accounts, and statistical anomalies behind Russia’s election—and what the result could mean for Ukraine.

I break down Russia’s 2026 State Duma election, United Russia’s official victory, and how the Kremlin is presenting that result as support for its war. I examine allegations of ballot stuffing, coerced voting, and electronic voting fraud, then explain Novaya Gazeta Europe’s estimate of roughly 34% for United Russia versus the official result near 58%. I also discuss the estimate’s limitations, why authoritarian governments still stage elections, and competing assessments of whether another mobilization could follow.

0:00 How Rigged Was Russia’s Election?

0:43 What United Russia’s Supermajority Means

2:54 Turning an Election Result Into Support for War

4:18 Opposition Exclusion and Allegations of Fraud

7:03 Kadyrov’s Result and Voters’ Accounts

9:21 The Numbers Behind the Official Landslide

11:56 What the Statistical Estimate Can—and Cannot—Show

13:15 Mobilization Fears and the Ritual of Power

15:13 The Struggle Over Who Controls Domestic Politics

16:00 Final Takeaways, Viewer Comments, and Supporting Ukraine

#Russia #RussianElections #Putin #Ukraine #ElectionFraud

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

Russia election 2026, Russian election fraud, Putin, United Russia, State Duma elections, ballot stuffing, electronic voting, Novaya Gazeta Europe, Russian mobilization, Russia Ukraine war, Russian politics, authoritarianism, Kadyrov, Kyiv Independent, Professor Gerdes, Gerdes, Professor Gerdes Explains

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

***** 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.

Here is the direct link to the Ukraine Support Bridge: https://ukrainesupportbridge.com/

🇺🇸 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 stark contrast between Ukraine’s limited overnight strikes on Russian military targets and Russia’s large-scale barrage across Ukraine. Ukrainian forces reportedly struck Kasta and P-18 radar systems, an attack-UAV launch site, artillery, and vehicles—targets that support Russian battlefield surveillance and drone operations. Russia, meanwhile, launched 282 drones and missiles; Ukraine reported downing 219 drones, but ballistic missiles still reached Kyiv and other regions.

I assess the reported damage to a Kyiv maternity clinic, postal infrastructure, homes, and vehicles, alongside damage to a hospital, school, apartment blocks, and other civilian sites in Odesa region. Zelensky’s UN appeal for more interceptors underscores the central strategic problem: air defense can blunt mass drone attacks, yet ballistic threats demand scarce, capable interceptors. I also cover 277 reported combat engagements, ISW’s estimate of just three square kilometers of Russian gains last week, claims around the Vivaldi counteroffensive, and why Delta Combat System architect Artem Martynenko’s appointment matters for Ukraine’s drone-enabled asymmetric advantage.

00:00 Ukraine’s Overnight Strikes on Russian Military Targets

03:38 Kyiv Attacks and Reported Damage

07:00 Air Defenses, Interceptors, and Civilian Consequences

09:39 Battlefield Activity and Unusual Loss Figures

11:48 Oleshky, Liman, and the Vivaldi Counteroffensive

13:41 Zelensky at the UN: Russia’s Costs and Strike Campaign

16:40 Delta Combat System and Ukraine’s Asymmetric Advantage

17:34 Ukrainian Resolve, Leadership, and Strategic Stakes

#UkraineWar #Kyiv #AirDefense #Zelensky #RussianMissileStrikes

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 the U.S. invitation to Vladimir Putin for the December G20 summit near Miami and the central strategic dilemma it creates: could access to Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky, and other leaders produce a monitored ceasefire, captive returns, or a halt to energy strikes—or would it rehabilitate Putin while Russia continues the war? Zelensky argues that Putin needs visible victories for his domestic audience, while Moscow still says no prerequisites exist for a real peace track.

I also assess Ukraine’s proposal for a reciprocal halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, its urgent request for Patriot interceptors ahead of winter, and Zelensky’s warning that North Korean personnel are learning drone operations through Russia’s war. Beyond Ukraine, I look at Baltic funding requests to counter Russian drone incursions, Finland’s renewed civil-defense testing, Mark Rutte’s deliberately ambiguous Article 5 threshold, sanctions pressure, and the new Greenland defense agreement with Denmark.

00:00 Zelensky: Putin Fears His Own Public

03:42 Leadership, Accountability, and Crimea

06:11 Trump, Energy Ceasefire, and Patriot Air Defense

10:05 Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and NATO Deterrence

14:08 European Political Pressure and Russian Propaganda

18:08 Putin’s Miami G20 Invitation: Risks and Benefits

21:34 Greenland Defense Agreement and Closing Questions

#UkraineRussiaWar #Putin #Zelensky #G20 #NATO #Article5

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 Sergei Lavrov’s remarks at Russia’s fourth “Dialogues About Fakes” forum, where he renewed Kremlin denials surrounding the Skripal poisoning and Alexei Navalny’s Novichok poisoning, while dismissing reports of Russian drones in Europe. I contrast those claims with the problem of verification—and with Russia’s own pattern of battlefield assertions, including a reported false encirclement claim around Opryshky as cited by the Institute for the Study of War.

00:00 Russia’s Forum on “Fakes”

01:49 Mockery, Propaganda, and Cognitive Warfare

04:17 Lavrov’s Skripal and Navalny Claims

06:10 Russian Drone Claims in Europe

07:41 The Starobilsk Attack and Competing Narratives

09:01 Russia’s Messaging at the United Nations

11:51 Countering Russian Disinformation

12:32 Ukraine’s Stolen Children and the Strategic Stakes

#Russia #Ukraine #Lavrov #RussianDisinformation #Skripal #Navalny

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 Russian daylight drone attack on Kyiv near the Central Railway Station, where the Shibuya Market area caught fire during the morning rush hour. Reports cited damage to shopping and restaurant areas, a high-rise, and a university building, while Zelensky said many of the drones used against the capital were jet-powered. I also cover reported attacks in Donetsk, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kramatorsk, including a cargo-ship strike and a warehouse storing children’s toys.

I contrast those attacks with Ukraine’s reported strikes on Russian military and energy infrastructure: the industrial zone near Ufa’s oil refinery, UAV command posts, a Rubicon UAV depot, and fuel and material depots in occupied territory. Ukrainian claims that 28 of Russia’s 32 largest refineries have been hit—and that 45% of designated refining capacity is disabled—illustrate the economic and logistical pressure Kyiv is seeking to impose. The strategic question is whether this campaign can degrade Russia’s ability to sustain the war while Ukraine confronts continued attacks on civilian life.

00:00 Daylight Drone Attack on Kyiv

02:09 Claims on Russian Refining Capacity

03:38 Firepoint Strikes Across Crimea

07:03 Strikes in Donetsk, Odesa and Kharkiv

09:05 Targeting Contrast and Battlefield Claims

11:05 Ukraine’s Drone Innovation and Front-Line Activity

13:54 Ground Robots and Strategic Stakes

#UkraineWar #Kyiv #RussiaUkraineWar #RussianDrones #UkraineDrones #OilRefineries

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