In this emergency news episode, I tear down the "Valdai Mirage." I look at the physics that make their claim impossible, the massive bureaucratic screw-up that exposed the lie, and the hilarious meltdown of the "Z-Bloggers" who are furious that their government can't even fake a battle correctly.

Happy new year, Comrades. This one's free for patrons, I've pressed the "Charge for this post" enough times this month already.

Please, if you can, donate to the Ukrainian army for the trucks that they need:

https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border

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While the Kremlin announces glorious victories, the true believers are writing the Empire’s obituary. Igor "Strelkov" Girkin writes from prison to expose the truth about the "liberation" of Kupyansk—and accuses General Gerasimov of lying directly to Putin’s face. At the same time, his best buddy Maxim Kalashnikov predicts a budget deficit until 2042 and compares Russia to a ship with broken masts fighting a race against American drones. Oh, and there's also a thing or two how they think Trump isn't dictatorial enough.

Please, pinch in for a car for Ukraine if you can:

https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border

(Also, this'll have a WAY more clickbaity title on YouTube, but I have to get the clicks in so that we get some more listeners for the episode.)

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Hi there, comrades! Here comes the promised episode by Evita (you asked for it yourself, kapish?) where she trauma-dumps, jokes and talks about her past in Russian-centered environment. And complains about Kristaps, a little bit. Also you can consider it a preview for future episodes about wild Russian pop culture lore.

Please, donate for Christmas trucks for Ukraine:

https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border/

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/theeasternborder.

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In this episode: the staggering hypocrisy of project leads who build "digital prisons" for Russians while living comfortably in Vienna, Austria. Also, from behind bars, Girkin warns that the current "Peace Plan" is a suicide trap, while Kalashnikov argues that the "Raw Material Empire" is collapsing and 2026 will look a lot like 1917.

Please, donate to the Ukrainian army for a truck here:

https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border/

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Today I'm back with an oldschool style episode, because I really needed a break from the news - so I give You the story of professor Igor Lipsits - if you remember, he was a guest on the show and talked about the Russian economy not so long ago - about how back in 1989, the Politburo tasked him with trying to save the financial health of the USSR.

And, please - if you can, donate for a truck for the Ukrainian army for the Christmas season:

https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-the-eastern-border/

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The Russian army is not the mighty empire we’re told to fear. It is a rusted, bureaucratic black hole where reality is sacrificed for paperwork, and human life is cheaper than a 700-kilogram winch.

I call it "The Fable of the Bridge." Because, in the end, it’s a story where the soldiers lose, the commanders lie, and the only things that work are the Ukrainian drones.

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The "peace plan" continues dominating the news feed. In this episode I look at the Z-vatnik take on it, how Putin has reacted to that non-document personally and a quite plausible conspiracy about this whole affair that's gaining traction in the Russian opposition circles. Also, bwah, I have to counter the doomsayers that consider that "all is lost" for Ukraine again.

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Well, the one good thing to come out of this peace deal thing is that it's yet another boost to European Union military efforts and unity. In all seriousness, it won't go anywhere as Putin will never sign it. Sure, it doesn't look good for the Ukrainians - and that's the only thing I've seen western media and experts cover - but it legitimately looks even worse for Putin.

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I recently made an episode about the horrific fascist ideas of Alexander Kharichev, the "Civil War 2.0"one. However, according to Girkin's buddies - club of angry patriots and Russian people's militia, who are setting up cells all over Russia, Kharichev was not only nowhere near hard enough. Their ideals are MUCH worse and they gave me a pause. Luckily for us, in this conversation they slipped up and unknowingly admitted that the West is right about the war.

This whole situation was such a mess - namely they say stuff that you just wouldn't believe me if I just posted it on audio. Therefore, we streamed it! The audio file is the first 40min of the stream, with the central point which shocked me - but, please, watch the whole thing. It also has Evita, reading Vatnik poetry at one point.

Link to recorded stream on YouTube:

https://youtube.com/live/bxLhkoh2Ylo

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The news episode that I wanted to release before the glorious civil war article plopped up. We have a lot of Igor Girkin to catch up to – but the main story ties with the ep. 17 marvelously. Because at this point, mainstream Russian economists, the same who called Lipsits a doomsayer, now have gone past fear and openly admit that an economic collapse is not just inevitable. It’s already happening.

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