The Tanker Seizure:
American Coast Guard and navy forces (assisted by the UK) undertook a boarding operation to grab considered one of Russia’s shadow fleet tankers, the Bella 1, within the north Atlantic. This vessel was sanctioned by the U.S. below its counter-Iran sanctions, aimed toward stopping Iran from fueling instability within the Center East by means of the income of unlawful oil gross sales and was linked to worldwide terrorism and crime together with Hezbollah. But that is debatable. The ship went by means of the Suez Canal and a ship of this dimension might solely accomplish that if it was empty.
The USA with the help of the UK simply boarded and seized a Russian-flagged vessel on the excessive seas. Russia did nothing however the US agreed to ship the 2 Russian crew members to Russia. This was clearly a strong-arm tactic in opposition to Russia. John Healey made the dumbest bullshit excuse I’ve ever heard in 50 years. How does an empty tanker on its technique to Russia threaten Britain and the British folks? That is probably the most absurd excuse I’ve ever heard. Then any empty tanker on its technique to to or from Russia on the excessive seas threatens the British folks?
The Strategic Message: Weak point Disguised as Energy
NATO is now claiming that Putin fired an Oreshnik at Lviv—a metropolis lower than 70 kilometers from the Polish border and NATO territory. The message was imagined to be: “We now have hypersonic nuclear-capable missiles and we’re prepared to make use of them near NATO borders. Be afraid.” They’re spinning this as Russia wanted to reveal navy functionality as a result of its credibility had collapsed throughout a number of theaters concurrently. Venezuela, Syria, Iran—each Russian shopper is falling or below extreme strain. The shadow fleet is being seized. Ukrainian drones are shutting down Moscow. NATO insists that their navy analysts are skeptical of Oreshnik’s precise battlefield worth. Whereas Putin retains warning about nuclear battle, they insist that that is all hype and pay no consideration as a result of they’ll take Russia with one hand tied behind their again.
The Oreshnik strike is the navy equal of shouting “I’m nonetheless related!” whereas everybody watches Putin lose affect globally. NATO wasn’t impressed. EU international coverage chief Kaja Kallas mentioned the strike exhibits that “Putin doesn’t need peace” and referred to as it “meant as a warning to Europe and to the U.S.” Kallas is as ruthless as Zelensky. She represents why there can NEVER be any peace with Russia.
The U.S.-led efforts to finish the battle in Ukraine have entered a pivotal stage and is exposing that there’ll NEVER be peace between the EU abd Russia. That is important. Peace negotiations are at this level pointless for the EU is in search of to put in NATO troops into Ukraine below the pretense of peace-keeping when the truth is it was Kiev that began this battle 0 not Putin nor Russia.
John McCain, the godfather of Neocons, was there advocating the revolution in 2014 and lied to the folks telling them this was about them and no one else and it was in regards to the peace that they deserved. There was peace with Russia. I consider McCain hated Russians as a result of he was captured in Vietnam and was damaged studying propaganda for the Vietnamese.
Robert McNamara admitted earlier than he died that they assumed Russia was behind Vietnam however they had been flawed. This has contaminated the Neocons who’ve grown up hating Russians all on a false assumption. That is what coloured the Chilly Warfare and it’s to this present day warning that the European Union is in search of World Warfare III due to folks like Kallas who’re wrapped up in private hatred that she can’t see that she is condemning Europe and this EU experiment to its ultimate destruction.
The Bigger Sample: The Cycle of Escalation
Russia used the Oreshnik missile on Lviv in a single day January 8-9, 2026, hitting an underground gasoline storage facility within the first ballistic missile strike on Ukraine’s western area. This marks solely the second use of Russia’s latest intermediate-range weapon system.Lviv is critical as a result of it’s Ukraine’s westernmost main metropolis—lower than 70 kilometers from the border with the European Union. Hitting it with a nuclear-capable missile sends an unmistakable message to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania: You’re inside vary regardless of NATO saying don’t fear.
However don’t be distracted by the technical capabilities or the psychological warfare. Deal with the strategic context: Russia deployed this weapon after struggling humiliating failures in Venezuela, Syria, and even Moscow itself. The strike represents Russia responding to the Donald Doctrine. NATO desires to say that is an act of desperation or weak point. However that is boasting their power and want to invade Russia as quickly as they’ll.
NATO insists that the arithmetic present that Russia’s international place is weakening throughout a number of theaters concurrently. Its shopper states are falling. Its deterrence is failing. Its financial warfare by means of shadow fleets is being countered. And its response is to fireplace costly, irreplaceable missiles at gasoline storage services to show it’s nonetheless harmful.
Nonetheless, if we assume that Russia is now weakened dramatically, then the conduct of a declining energy making an attempt to persuade everybody—together with itself—that it nonetheless issues is much worse. Like a wounded animal, it is going to struggle to the demise and is most harmful when cornered. There are two sides to that coin.
The cycle suggests additional escalation is coming. NATO likes to undertaking Russia is only a injured fly to be swatted. When Kallas tried to threaten China to desert Russia, Wang Yi respectfully acknowledged that China had no intention of standing idly by and watching Russia lose. He acknowledged that China believes that if Russia had been defeated, the EU and NATO would activate China subsequent. This concept that the EU and NATO can destroy and break up Russia with no different influence is the linear pondering of madmen.
The NEOCONS have gained. They used Ukraine to revive the Chilly Warfare that they wish to make RED HOT. This has all been forecast by our pc and it’s definitely nothing I want to see. This isn’t my OPINION. I’ve lengthy hoped that if I scream loud sufficient then maybe I might forestall it. That has been a idiot’s dream. I’ve by no means been capable of defeat the pc but.
Watch the subsequent days fastidiously into February after which April adopted by June/July. If peace talks usually tend to break down, and I’d anticipate extra Oreshnik strikes or related escalatory strikes. I simply discover it curious that NATO retains claiming Russia is weak and there’s no menace. They appear to be speaking out of either side of their mouth.
