Blow the Truth

A war-torn Ukrainian cityscape As the Russia-Ukraine conflict stretches into its fourth year, 2025 has brought a mix of intensified military actions, diplomatic tensions, and domestic challenges for Ukraine. Drawing from recent reports, this blog post provides a concise overview of the latest developments in the war, highlighting key events, their implications, and the ongoing human toll. The situation remains fluid, with both sides entrenched in a grueling struggle. ### Escalating Violence and Drone Warfare The war has seen a sharp escalation in drone and missile attacks, with both Russia and Ukraine targeting each other’s infrastructure. On August 3, 2025, a Ukrainian drone strike ignited a major fire at an oil depot in Russia’s Sochi , underscoring Ukraine’s strategy of hitting Russian economic assets in retaliation for attacks on its territory. Meanwhile, Russian forces have intensified airstrikes on Ukrainian cities like Kyiv , Mykolaiv, and Sumy. A devastating Russian drone an...

Speech by the President of Russia President of Russia Vladimir Putin : Mr Lukashenko , friends, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, Before taking the questions, I would like to join my colleagues in greeting all participants of the Eurasian Economic Forum ’s plenary session. I would like to note that several hundred representatives of Russia’s major, medium-sized, and small businesses have come to Minsk. They are directly engaged in developing business ties with the EAEU countries and know from their own experience the advantages offered by integration and what else should be done to improve the conditions for mutual trade and investment. I am aware that today – at least our colleagues said so – workshops were held as part of the forum which addressed a variety of issues, including the ones I just mentioned. I would like to emphasise that your Russian colleagues will take into account all valuable ideas, recommendations, and proposals and use them in our further work to strengthen the E...

Anti-Semitic riots at Makhachkala Airport  Russia Police conducted home searches and confiscated phones to identify those who took part in the storming of an airport in the southern Russian region Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the arrest of 83 people in connection with Sunday’s anti-Semitic riots at Makhachkala Airport in the Republic of Dagestan . Police have warned that any attempts to provoke further unrest in the Muslim-majority region will be suppressed.  In a statement on Telegram on Monday, the ministry said officers had conducted over 50 searches and had seized mobile phones and other equipment to be used as evidence against those suspected of organizing and participating in the riot.   The investigation is being led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD), the Federal Security Service (FSB), and the Investigative Committee (SK). The MVD described the “operational situation” in Dagestan as being under control but warned against any at...

China Rail Photo YouTube Russia is committed to building railroads to China, as the two countries are boosting business ties and mutual cargo flows are growing rapidly. Two railway corridors – from Kemerovo Region and Krasnoyarsk Region – are part of the strategy for economic development of Russia’s Siberian Federal District , according to a document that was published on the government’s website on Monday. One of the proposed lines will see the construction of the North-Siberian railway , which would run through Altay Region to Urumqi – the capital of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region . Feasibility studies, including an investment assessment, are due to be completed in 2025. Earlier this month, presidential aide Igor Levitin said that the North-Siberian line would connect the Eastern Polygon , which is part of the Trans-Siberian Railway transport corridor between Europe and Asia, passing through Siberia, with the Northern Sea route . The estimated cost of the planned 1,9...

Vladimir Putin delivered his Address to the Federal Assembly. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Members of the Federation Assembly – senators, State Duma deputies, Citizens of Russia, This Presidential Address comes, as we all know, at a difficult, watershed period for our country. This is a time of radical, irreversible change in the entire world, of crucial historical events that will determine the future of our country and our people, a time when every one of us bears a colossal responsibility. One year ago, to protect the people in our historical lands, to ensure the security of our country and to eliminate the threat coming from the neo-Nazi regime that had taken hold in Ukraine after the 2014 coup, it was decided to begin the special military operation. Step by step, carefully and ...

Putin meets with sad mothers   Vladimir Putin met with mothers of military personnel – participants in the special military operation. The meeting took place in Novo-Ogaryovo. President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon once again. As you know, the day after tomorrow Russia marks Mother’s Day. It is not some pompous noisy celebration but a day that is filled with special, very warm meaning and emphasises the attitude towards mothers inherent in all the peoples of Russia: respect, reverence, admiration. In this regard, of course, I would like to remember this. But I understand perfectly well that you, as well as so many other women in Russia whose sons are in the zone of hostilities, of course, have a different attitude to this event – not something that would be festive, but, most likely, associated with anxiety and w...

Vladimir Putin President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon. Today’s agenda focuses on the situation in the aviation industry. We have long wanted to discuss these issues holistically, and today we will talk about it in more detail. However, I would like to begin with something we discussed last week. Today I signed an Executive Order establishing the rules for trading Russian natural gas with so-called unfriendly states. We have offered our counterparties from these countries a clear and transparent procedure. To purchase Russian natural gas, they will have to open ruble accounts with Russian banks to be used to pay for gas distribution starting tomorrow, on April of this year. If no payment is made, we will consider this a default on the part of the purchaser – with all the ensuing consequences. No one sells us any...