Latest news with #DeepState
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Russia's summer offensive is ‘fizzling out'
Russia's summer offensive in Ukraine is faltering just weeks after it began, despite a record number of attacks across multiple fronts. Data analysis by The Telegraph shows Moscow is on track to break its own record, which was set last month, for offensive operations in June. Yet the sheer volume of assaults has not translated into meaningful breakthroughs on the battlefield. The offensive – launched in May but planned over the winter – stretches from the northern border regions of Sumy and Kharkiv to the front lines in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk, into which Russian forces are attempting to break for the first time. Moscow spent the winter months building up manpower, refining tactics and improving the co-ordination of missile and drone strikes. At first, there were signs it was paying off. In May, Russian forces advanced at the fastest pace seen since last November, gaining an average of 5.5 square miles a day – double the rate of April, according to DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source intelligence project that tracks territorial changes. Steady gains were made in the Donetsk region, especially between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, two of Moscow's key targets. But several weeks into the campaign, momentum is slipping. 'The capacity to start something new and distinct really isn't there for the Russians right now. The summer offensive is just going to be the continuation of what they've been doing in spring,' Angelica Evans, a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), told The Telegraph. In Sumy, Russian forces appear to have stalled entirely. Having re-entered the region in January and intensified their push this spring, Moscow's troops have failed to make further gains. Instead, Ukraine has recaptured some territory. Pavlo Narozhny, a Ukrainian military analyst from Sumy, told The Telegraph that Russia's main target in the region has been Yunakivka, which lies directly on the road that connects Russia to the centre of Sumy. Should Russia manage to take the town, it would then move on to nearby villages on the edge of a large forest. This, Mr Narozhny said, would be a 'disaster' for Ukraine, adding: 'The forest leads right up to Sumy city, so if they manage to bring in artillery to Yunakivka and into the forest, they can reach Sumy city with artillery.' Despite heavy fighting, Ukraine has managed to slow down Russia's advances in the region, according to the ISW, which said Russia was sending out thousands of poorly-trained soldiers to lead the advance – a pattern seen across the front line. 'The Russian offensive has broadly stalled … They have the advantage in manpower and drones but their infantry is very poorly trained, if at all,' a senior Ukrainian NCO, who is fighting in the Kupiansk direction in Donetsk, told The Telegraph. The campaign in Sumy is part of a wider Russian effort to establish a buffer zone along the border, aimed at deterring Ukrainian drones and cross-border raids. Kyiv used the region as a launchpad for its 2024 incursion into Russia's neighbouring Kursk region. Though the stated aim was to secure the border, Vladimir Putin hinted last week he may be aiming higher. Ukraine's top general said on Thursday that Russian progress in Sumy had been stopped altogether. 'The Russian advance in the Sumy border zone has been stopped as of this week, and the front line has been stabilised,' said Oleksandr Syrsky. Yet while Sumy is a symbolic and strategic target, it is only one part of the summer offensive. Ukrainian officials have said Russia is also trying to breach the border of the Dnipropetrovsk region and continue its push to secure the entire Donbas in the east. 'Russia has really been focused on what we call the Ukrainian fortress belt, which includes Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka and Sloviansk,' said Ms Evans. 'But they haven't really shown since the first few months of the war to make very rapid and widespread advances they would need to take these cities.' In Donetsk, if Russian forces were able to take Kostiantynivka, a critical Ukrainian logistics hub, it would then pave the way for attacks on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, taking Putin one step closer to controlling the entire Donbas region. But given the current pace of Russia's assault and the poor training of their men, this is unlikely. 'To take Kramatorsk they would need an additional 100,000 men,' the Ukrainian NCO said. 'They needed 40,000 to take Avdiivka, 70,000 to take Bakhmut, and that included some very well-trained and capable Wagner mercenaries.' Indeed, despite an apparent manpower advantage of up to 20 to one in some sectors, Ukrainian troops defending Kostiantynivka have held their ground. 'Our task is to block their actions,' Captain Filatov told The New York Times, claiming up to 15 Russian assaults are taking place every week. 'The Russians are in a tricky position given the level of attrition they're taking,' said Nick Reynolds, a battlefield expert at the Royal United Services Institute. 'They've been unable to sustain that pressure, due to their stock of refurbishable weapons, specifically artillery and armoured vehicles.' Troops have made some progress north of Toretsk, but urban fighting around the city has slowed the advance. In Pokrovsk, meanwhile, the tempo of attacks remains high but the results are inconclusive. On Thursday, more than a quarter of Ukraine's reported front-line battles took place around the city but no progress was made. 'The Russians haven't taken a city for sometime. They celebrate like Soviet-era wins over these small towns and villages, which don't have any real strategic value,' said Prof Michael Clarke, a security and defence analyst. And with Russia attempting to open up new major fronts in Sumy and Kharkiv, while also trying to push into Dnipropetrovsk, 'any benefit they would have in Donetsk is lost because their forces are overstretched,' he added. Spreading forces thin is a key aspect of Russia's approach, particularly as they fear the style of successful counter-offensives launched by Ukraine in 2022. 'The Russians are risk averse,' said Ms Evans, 'which whittles its way down from Putin.' Stretching their forces around Ukraine also forms part of Russia's 'operational theory of victory' – to achieve the 'systematic collapse' of the Ukrainian army by imposing intense pressure, rather than pushing for a major breakthrough, said Mr Reynolds, adding: 'The Russian forces seem to have accepted that this is just the way that warfare is, even though it's not true.' Despite a general lack of momentum, Russian forces this week have notched one notable success – the seizure of a valuable lithium deposit in western Donetsk. The mine, just outside Shevchenko village, was taken in recent days, according to geolocated footage. Though only 100 acres in size, it is one of Ukraine's richest known lithium reserves. Its loss will be a blow to Kyiv's long-term development goals, especially as it courts Western investment in post-war reconstruction. And while battlefield gains have been slow, Russia has launched a number of devastating attacks on civilians in recent weeks. At least nine people were killed in a Russian missile and drone attack in Kyiv on Monday, while 28 people were killed in a similarly devastating attack on June 17. Meanwhile, Russia launched a deadly missile attack on Dnipro on Tuesday, killing at least 19 people and injuring 300 more, and on Saturday morning a married couple were killed and 17 other people injured in a strike on a residential building in Odesa. Like Russia's tactical decision to spread its forces across Ukraine, rather than in one region, these attacks show that Russia's long-term aim is to take the whole country – not just the four regions it illegally annexed in 2022. 'We have seen a marked intensification of strikes since January 2025 and it's only got worse over the last six months. It's an effort to convince people to leave and to make it easier in the future to seize these cities,' said Ms Evans. 'What eventually we will see is a return to an acknowledgement to take all of Ukraine.'
Int'l Business Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Claims the 'Deep State' Is Hurting the Housing Market
Sales of existing homes in the US fell to a 13-year low pace in September, said the National Association of Realtors Bill Pulte, the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who also serves as the chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, stated that "deep state" influence is actively impacting the housing ecosystem in an interview with former congressman Matt Gaetz. Pulte spoke about the issues that exist within the U.S. housing ecosystem during an appearance on the Matt Gaetz show, which airs on One America News Network. He told Gaetz that housing companies are run unethically due to "deep state" influences, and that the system needed to be changed. CHAIRMAN OF FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC EXPLAINS THE DEEP STATE INFLUENCE WITHIN THE HOUSING ECOSYSTEM Chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and Director of The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) @pulte explains the Deep State influence within the housing ecosystem to… — One America News (@OANN) June 28, 2025 "These companies are diamonds in the rough, but we've got to take out the unnecessary costs, and in some ways, I hate to say it, but the deep state that has existed within not just these companies but the whole ecosystem around them, and make sure that they're being run lean, mean, honestly, ethically for the benefit of the American people. Ultimately I think that will result in lower mortgage rates and more ability for people to finally get the American dream again like they got in the first Trump administration," said Pulte. "How does the deep state in Fannie and Freddie and HUD impair people's ability to get the best price housing?" Gaetz asked. "Well, it's been very disappointing Matt, because you go in and you hear about the deep state. I know that it exists in the agency that I took over, but it's been very disappointing to see it happen at Fannie and Freddie as well," he began. "You see it with just the deceit. You see employees telling you 60% but not telling you the rest of the 40%. If you withhold 40%, you're lying by omission," he continued. Social media users took to online platforms to cast doubt on Pulte's assertions, arguing that other factors were also making housing inaccessible within the U.S. "Meh. Lots of generalized statements. We need specific examples and details to form our own opinions," said one. Meh. Lots of generalized statements. We need specific examples and details to form our own opinions. — sean egginton (@crwdog) June 28, 2025 "Deep State? How about BlackRock buying up homes everywhere??" added another. Deep State? How about BlackRock buying up homes everywhere?? — Maryjo (@Maryjo105821) June 28, 2025 "I've been told the deep state doesn't exist....." said a third. I've been told the deep state doesn't exist….. — Genitor (@Asturcus) June 28, 2025 "Name names or it didn't happen. Transparency is what I voted for," wrote a fourth. Name names or it didn't happen. Transparency is what I voted for. — rkelly9102 (@rkelly91021) June 28, 2025 Originally published on Latin Times © Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Fox News
21 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Trump does UN's job on world stage, leads on peace while secretary-general earns more at anti-US body
Following President Donald Trump's successful brokering of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, India and Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, critics say the U.N. secretary-general, António Guterres, could do well to follow Trump's lead as a peacemaker. However, as American taxpayers still continue to pay billions to the United Nations, and while Trump outshines Guterres on the world stage, Guterres' base salary is more than the commander in chief's. At $418,348, Guterres earns a higher base salary than President Donald Trump while running a body accused of anti-American bias, corruption and waste. Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council special assistant to the president and senior director for International Organization Affairs, told Fox News Digital, "Frankly, we put [Guterres] on this plateau as being on par with a pope or head of state, when, in fact, he's really an employee, and he's the country club manager, not the father of the bride, but he's calling all the shots when it comes to the ceremony and who sits where. "You flatter him right away," Dugan said, when comparing Guterres with Trump, "when in fact he is one of the president's employees – in fact, the employee of all the heads of state. And to outearn [him]… is really indicative of managerial capture of the organization and of the Deep State U.N. on the books." The spotlight on the salaries and perks comes at a time when the world body is facing serious financial constraints. Not including expenses and extras, Trump receives some $18,348 less than Guterres at $400,000. The presidential extras include a $50,000 expense allowance and other benefits. Guterres' salary, provided to Fox News Digital by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, only includes his salary and multiplier. It does not include the considerable array of other benefits that Guterres enjoys. In an email to Fox News Digital, Dujarric said the "Net base salary as of Jan 2025 – $238,375 per year (reference resolution 58/265 adjusted in accordance with the same procedures as those applicable to staff in the Professional and higher categories). "Post adjustment as of February 2025 – $179,973 per year. Adjustments to salaries are based on geographic locations." The spokesman later confirmed to Fox News Digital that the U.N. chief's salary was $418, 348. Those earnings do not include some of the lavish extras he gets, such as a plush Manhattan residence and a personal chauffeur. While the U.S. doesn't directly pay the salary of the secretary-general, it does continue to fund around a quarter of the organization's budget, and critics continue to question outlays that they believe harm U.S. interests. Just last month, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Dorothy Shea issued a veiled warning to the world body upon vetoing an anti-Israel draft resolution at the U.N. Security Council. "Engaging in this performative process at a time when serious questions are being asked about the utility of the U.N., its funding and use of resources is shameful. This council should not be used in this way. This council must hold itself to a higher standard." A senior Republican congressional staffer who works on international organizations complained, "United Nations officials are the ultimate global elites. They earn lavish salaries and live in lavish New York penthouses, paid for largely with American taxpayer money. A large number of the U.N. organizations they lead are controlled by China. When they're not in New York, they spend their time and resources traveling all over the world attacking America and American allies. "The work of DOGE isn't done yet, and one step needs to be cutting off these officials from U.S. taxpayer money."
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Russia captures village in eastern Ukraine near lithium deposit, Russian-backed official says
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian troops have taken control of a village in eastern Ukraine which is close to a lithium deposit after fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces, a Russian-backed official said on Thursday. The village of Shevchenko is located in Donetsk, one of four Ukrainian regions - in addition to Crimea - that Moscow has claimed as its own territory in annexations that Kyiv and Western powers reject as illegal. The Russian Defence Ministry announced earlier on Thursday that Shevchenko had been taken along with another settlement called Novoserhiivka. Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Open source mapping from Deep State, an authoritative Ukrainian military blogging resource, showed Shevchenko under Russian control. Soviet geologists who discovered the lithium deposit there in 1982 suggested it could be significant. It sits at a depth that would allow commercial mining, and Russian-backed officials have suggested it will be developed when the situation permits. "The village of Shevchenko, which is located on the border with the Dnipropetrovsk region, is another settlement that has a lithium deposit. This was one of the reasons why the Ukrainian armed forces sent a huge number of their soldiers to hold it," Igor Klimakovsky, a Russian-appointed official in Donetsk, was cited by the state TASS news agency as saying on Thursday. The Ukrainian Geological Survey says the deposit is located on Shevchenko's eastern outskirts and covers an area of nearly 40 hectares. Parts of the Russian press incorrectly claimed in January that the Shevchenko deposit had already been captured, confusing it with the seizure of another settlement of the same name elsewhere. Lithium is a coveted global resource because of its use in a host of industries and technologies from mobile phones to electric cars. Ukraine has reserves of about 500,000 tons, and Russia has double that, according to U.S. government estimates. (Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russia captures village in eastern Ukraine near lithium deposit, Russian-backed official says
MOSCOW - Russian troops have taken control of a village in eastern Ukraine which is close to a lithium deposit after fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces, a Russian-backed official said on Thursday. The village of Shevchenko is located in Donetsk, one of four Ukrainian regions - in addition to Crimea - that Moscow has claimed as its own territory in annexations that Kyiv and Western powers reject as illegal. The Russian Defence Ministry announced earlier on Thursday that Shevchenko had been taken along with another settlement called Novoserhiivka. Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Open source mapping from Deep State, an authoritative Ukrainian military blogging resource, showed Shevchenko under Russian control. Soviet geologists who discovered the lithium deposit there in 1982 suggested it could be significant. It sits at a depth that would allow commercial mining, and Russian-backed officials have suggested it will be developed when the situation permits. "The village of Shevchenko, which is located on the border with the Dnipropetrovsk region, is another settlement that has a lithium deposit. This was one of the reasons why the Ukrainian armed forces sent a huge number of their soldiers to hold it," Igor Klimakovsky, a Russian-appointed official in Donetsk, was cited by the state TASS news agency as saying on Thursday. The Ukrainian Geological Survey says the deposit is located on Shevchenko's eastern outskirts and covers an area of nearly 40 hectares. Parts of the Russian press incorrectly claimed in January that the Shevchenko deposit had already been captured, confusing it with the seizure of another settlement of the same name elsewhere. Lithium is a coveted global resource because of its use in a host of industries and technologies from mobile phones to electric cars. Ukraine has reserves of about 500,000 tons, and Russia has double that, according to U.S. government estimates. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
