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Glory to Ukraine, bravo Odesa

Glory to Ukraine, bravo Odesa

UPI04-06-2025

People inspect the site of a drone strike in Odesa in southwestern Ukraine on March 21 amid the war with Russia. Much of the damage from earlier Russian strikes appears to have been repaired. File Photo by Igo Tkachenko/EPA-EFE
ODESA, Ukraine, June 4 (UPI) -- Spending four days in Odesa has been remarkable for many reasons. The main purpose was to attend the Black Sea Forum, largely sponsored by the very successful English businessman and philanthropist Lord Michael Ashcroft. This is one of the few if any Black Sea conferences actually held on the Black Sea.
The forum was intended to inform as many people as possible about the reality of this illegal war started by Russia and the consequences, good and ill, for the Ukrainian people.
Odesa is an extraordinary example of the positive side of the war. Ravaged by Russian attacks in early 2022, it is the quintessential example of a city seemingly not at war. Virtually all the damage has been repaired, thanks largely to courageous efforts of its residents, aided by many contributions from outside donors and non-governmental offices.
The few signs are a couple of bombed-out buildings and the presence of plywood replacements where glass windows were shattered by shrapnel or blasts. The streets, unlike many in the United States, are immaculate. However, it is the spirit and morale of the Odesa public that are extraordinary.
While not necessarily a cross-section of Ukrainian society, the people we met outside the conference, from cab drivers and hotel workers to waiters and barkeeps in restaurants, showed no sign of faltering under the weight of relentless Russian aggression. How long this will last may be an open question. But if Americans saw this city and their inhabitants, it would be impossible not to be impressed.
Given this testimony to human resilience and the can-do spirit, unfortunately, reality must take hold. No matter the courage and endurance Ukraine shows, unless the West and the United States are to expand military and financial support, possibly by an order of magnitude, time and numbers favor Moscow.
While in Odesa, four Russian drones were shot down outside the city and Operation Spider Web was carried out against Moscow's strategic bombers deep inside the country. In tactical terms, this was the equivalent of Jimmy Doolittle's famous raid over Tokyo in April 1942 and the Special Air Services destruction of more Nazi fighters on the ground than had been shot down in the north African desert the same year.
Apparently, the operation was a year and one-half in planning and brilliantly carried out. No doubt it was more than a pinprick, and it damaged or destroyed a significant percentage of these bombers.
But make no mistake: Vladimir Putin will retaliate. The more likely time frame will be in the so-called Russian summer offensive likely to start within a month or two.
My concern is this: Despite Russian tactical and operational incompetence at every level, that cannot be assumed to be the norm. Russia has made enormous advances in drone technology and other forms of war. The use of extremely light fiber optics to control drones out to 10 miles or more is exceptional. And the Russians have innovated in many other ways regarding improving drone lethality.
If launched properly, this offensive could drive south from Nikolayev in the east through Odesa and then west. In such an attack, the port would be shut and merchant ships attacked. There is evidence that Russia has a drone weapon that can target the bridge and pilot houses of ships, thereby knocking out command and control and effectively disabling each vessel.
It is impossible to know what the United States and its allies are doing to prepare for this Russian offensive, if anything, and if and how this will affect the thinking and decisions of President Donald Trump, who is, as George W. Bush proclaimed about himself, the "decider."
At the conference, the mayor of Odesa showed a nine-minute film that graphically portrayed the initial destruction of the city in 2022 and its remarkable rebuilding.
Whether it would make a difference if the film could be presented to Trump and his advisers, it is compelling in the extreme. The audience of some 1,000 conference attendees was moved. This film would be a prime candidate for an Academy Award as best short documentary.
The war in Ukraine may be -- and may be is too strong a phrase, perhaps -- at a turning point with the forthcoming offensive looming. If the offensive does not falter as those in the past have, the United States and the West will have to decide: Is it "slava" Ukraine -- glory to Ukraine -- or "dasvidaniya," or goodbye?
I fear it will be the latter.
Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist; senior adviser at Washington's Atlantic Council, chairman of a private company, and principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. His next book, co-written with General The Lord David Richards, former U.K. chief of defense and due out next year, is Who Thinks Wins: Preventing Strategic Catastrophe. The writer can be reached on X @harlankullman.

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Trump tariffs live updates: Bessent suggests pause extension, US-China trade framework takes shape
Trump tariffs live updates: Bessent suggests pause extension, US-China trade framework takes shape

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Trump tariffs live updates: Bessent suggests pause extension, US-China trade framework takes shape

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While the US-China truce framework is awaiting final word from US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lutnick added, "Both sides are really positive." The agreement is largely viewed as reestablishing the "handshake" that US and Chinese officials reached in Geneva last month, as details on a larger trade pact remain scant. Trump posted on social media this morning that the US has imposed 55% tariffs on China, a number that does not include any new tariffs but instead comprises some preexisting tariffs, Trump's fentanyl tariffs, and 10% "Liberation Day" tariffs. Lutnick touted that, as a result of the two-day talks, the US will gain access to rare earths and magnets, while the Chinese delegation sought to remove the US's export controls. He added that the trade deficit remains an ongoing issue, stating, "We're going to examine how China can do more business with us." May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed inflation pressures eased on a monthly basis despite investor concerns that President Trump's tariffs would accelerate the pace of price increases. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.1% on a monthly basis in May and 2.4% on an annual basis, a slight uptick from April's 2.3% gain. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. I would keep an eye on consumer names off the news of a trade deal with China floated by President Trump this morning (see our prior post below). Seeing upticks premarket in heavily China-exposed retailers such as Nike (NKE), Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). The premarket gains here aren't mind-blowing in part because tariffs appear to still be in place. Trump posted on Truth Social: OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!" A variety of market observers quickly weighed in hours after Tuesday evening's unveiling to suggest that the deal may not have a lot of meat on the bones — but at least relations are no longer moving in the wrong direction. The talks perhaps underscored how unlikely a comprehensive trade deal is anytime soon, noted AGF Investments Greg Valliere, "but at least relations may not worsen as talks continue throughout the summer." Both sides promised additional talks in the weeks or months ahead, but none have yet been scheduled. Veronique de Rugy, a professor at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, suggested the talks continued to show China's leverage. "China is hurting, yes—but they still hold the upper hand on critical resources, and they know how to use them." Any lessening of tensions — and freer flow — of these mineral resources in China would be a significant boost to the global economy with China holding outsized leverage in both the reserves and processing capacity of these key building blocks for everything from computers to electric vehicle batteries to medical devices. Likewise, the US offering concessions on export controls would be a significant move after years where successive US administrations have wielded these controls — especially around the design and manufacture of semiconductors — by saying they need to be tight on China for national security reasons. Read more here. May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report will be released on Wednesday and its expected to show that prices rose a bit faster than in April. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal breaks down what to look out for and how President Trump's tariffs are impacting what consumers are now paying for goods and services. Read more here. Now that the US-China trade truce is back on track, both sides are keen to ensure it stays that way. China's Vice Premier He Lifeng said both sides need to now 'show the spirit of good faith in abiding by their commitments and jointly safeguard the hard-won results of the dialogue.' Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. Despite the US-China trade truce resuming the pain from President Trump's tariffs remains in China, especially among small exporters. Reuters reports: Read more here. Japan warned Wednesday that tariffs threaten its economic growth, the government said in a monthly report. Reuters reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. A federal appeals could said on Tuesday that President Trump's sweeping tariffs can continue for now. This is a significant win for Trump, who introduced tariffs back in March and declared "Liberation Day," as he saw them as a way to free the US from what he called unfair trade practices. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Early summer sales for Inditex, the owner of fashion retailer Zara, came in weaker, as the company missed expectations for first quarter sales on Wednesday. President Trump's tariffs have impacted consumer demand in the US and other major markets. Reuters reports: Read more here. After weeks of back and forth, the US and China have agreed on a framework to implement the Geneva consensus that helped ease tariffs. The breakthrough came after two days of talks in London, including a marathon session on Tuesday. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said both sides had to "get the negativity out" before making progress. 'Now we can go forward to try to do positive trade, growing trade,' he said. As part of the deal, Beijing has promised to speed up shipments of rare earth metals, a crucial component for global auto and defense industries. Washington will ease export controls. This marks the first sign of movement on key issues. The proposal will now be presented to President Trump and China's Xi. Still, the discussions also did little to resolve a long-standing issue: China's trade surplus with the US. 'Markets will likely welcome the shift from confrontation to coordination,' said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets. 'We're not out of the woods yet — it's up to Trump and Xi to approve and enforce the deal.' The meeting was set up after a phone call between the two leaders, following weeks of each side accusing the other of breaking the Geneva commitments. Both countries had used chips, rare earths, student visas and ethane as bargaining tools. Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor at East China Normal University, said trust, not money, has been the biggest casualty of the trade war. 'We've heard a lot about frameworks,' he said. 'But the fundamental issue remains: Chips versus rare earths. Everything else is a peacock dance.' Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Sign in to access your portfolio

Russia sends its most valuable planes as far away from Ukraine as possible
Russia sends its most valuable planes as far away from Ukraine as possible

Yahoo

time32 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Russia sends its most valuable planes as far away from Ukraine as possible

Russia has scattered its most valuable warplanes to a remote airbase in the far east of the country, after a surprise Ukrainian drone attack devastated its strategic bomber fleet last Sunday. Two Tupolev Tu-160 planes have been moved 4,000 miles from the front lines to the remote Anadyr airbase, which can only be accessed by air and sea, satellite imagery showed. Located on the desolate Chukotka Peninsula, the airfield is around 410 miles from Alaska and was set up during the Cold War to defend Russia from potential US attacks. The supersonic Tu-160 bombers can carry nuclear weapons and are by far the most expensive in Russia's inventory, with a price tag of around $500 million per unit. By comparison, the B-52 Stratofortress, the mainstay of the US's bomber fleet, has an estimated value of roughly $94 million. In addition to being expensive, Tu-160s are rare. Russia is thought to have only 16 operational airframes, and Ukraine said it damaged some in last Sunday's attacks. Prof Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow for air power at the Royal United Services Institute, told the i newspaper that imagery from the Anadyr base could suggest Moscow was trying to reduce the risk of more drone attacks. Dubbed 'Operation Spider's Web', the June 1 strikes were the result of 18 months of meticulous planning by Ukraine's security service (SBU), which on Wednesday released a video detailing how the strikes played out. Agents smuggled 'cheap drones' into Russia, 'right under the nose' of the Russian security agency, captions from the video read. These drones were placed inside modified wooden cabins mounted on the back of lorries, then driven to locations near their targets by drivers who were seemingly unaware of their cargo. Once near the airbases, the cabins released the drones to attack aircraft on the bases. 'Everything was planned down to the second,' the video explained. 'It happened simultaneously in three different time zones, involving 117 drones.' 'The SBU's web was to entangle all of Russia,' it said. The SBU planned to attack five airfields, although only four were hit, as drones exploded prematurely while en route to a base in Russia's far east. Admiral Pierre Vandier, Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, lauded the operation, saying it was a reinvention of the 'Trojan horse method', with new 'technical and industrial creativity'. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, on Wednesday said Moscow's nuclear deterrence 'has not suffered significant damage', and that the affected equipment 'can and will be restored'. Experts, however, said it would take years for Russia to recover from the assault, which Ukrainian officials estimated caused $7 billion worth of damage. Several Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers are believed to have been destroyed in the operation. Kyiv said last week that Russia had used a Tu-160 to launch a cruise strike against Ukraine. It claimed this indicated a shortage of Tu-95s and Tu-22s, as Moscow usually uses these older models for strikes rather than the more expensive and scarce Tu-160. Both the Tu-95 and Tu-22 are no longer produced. Russia does assemble new Tu-160s, however only two are thought to have been completed since 2022. Though the Tu-160 is a Soviet-era design, in 2018 the Russian ministry of defence ordered 10 new airframes at a cost of 160 billion roubles. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.

Poll reveals how Americans feel about Trump sending troops into LA over ICE protests
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Yahoo

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As President Donald Trump has deployed the National Guard and the United States Marines to Los Angeles in the wake of violent protests over federal immigration raids, Americans have soured on the president's response as Angelenos continue to take to the streets. Forty-five percent of adults disapprove of Trump deploying the California National Guard, while 38% approve, according to a YouGov poll released on Tuesday. The poll also shows that 17% of Americans are not sure about the deployment. Another YouGov poll released Tuesday showed that more Americans disapprove than approve of the Pentagon sending the Marines to Los Angeles, with 47% disapproving and 34% approving. There are 19% — about 1 in 5 — who are unsure. Conducted on June 10, the YouGov poll surveyed 4,309 U.S. adults. Since protests began on Friday, June 6, Trump has repeatedly defended his actions. On Monday, he took to Truth Social to suggest that Los Angeles would be 'completely obliterated' if he did not send in the National Guard. 'If I didn't 'SEND IN THE TROOPS' to Los Angeles the last three nights, that once beautiful and great City would be burning to the ground right now, much like 25,000 houses burned to the ground in L.A. due to an incompetent Governor and Mayor,' Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. Gov. Gavin Newsom did not approve or consent to Trump's deployment of the National Guard and has attacked the president's actions since last week. When Trump and White House border czar Tom Homan floated the idea that Newsom should be arrested for not approving, Newsom dared them to arrest him. Among several elected Republican lawmakers who have criticized Newsom and the developments out of Los Angeles, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the governor should not be arrested. But he offered an outdated alternative. 'I'm not going to give you legal analysis on whether Gavin Newsom should be arrested but he ought to be tarred and feathered, I'll say that,' Johnson told reporters. Newsom saw this and replied in an X post. 'Good to know we're skipping the arrest and going straight for the 1700s style forms of punishment,' the governor wrote Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, Trump ordered the deployment of over 4,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Pentagon also deployed 700 U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton, with a military convoy heading from Twentynine Palms toward the City of Angels. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered an 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. curfew on Tuesday, but 25 people were arrested in connection with violating the curfew, the Times reported. Colombian fugitive living 30 years in Mass. deported after deadly secret uncovered Mayor Wu seeks transparency on ICE arrests, 'secret police tactics' Can Trump deploy the National Guard to stop protests? Here's what the law says What Gov. Newsom said after an Ala. senator called LA 'a third world country' Mass. labor groups rally against ICE arrest of California union leader Read the original article on MassLive.

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