INSIDE RUSSIA
Russia Manages to Keep Pace With Competitors in AI, to Stay Ahead Of Curve – Putin
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia has succeeded in keeping pace with its competitors in the development of artificial intelligence technologies and advancing ahead of them, due in part to the efforts of the Sberbank team, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at a meeting with Sberbank CEO German Gref.
“You and the people you have gathered around you saw and continue to see the main promising areas in time, and you are quick to pick up on them and invest the necessary resources. Therefore, in these rather difficult times, we will not list all the reasons and everything that has accompanied us in previous years, including with the help of Sberbank, even if it was not directly part of your responsibilities, we still managed, with the help of Sberbank, to reach positions that allowed us not only to keep up with our competitors, but also to move forward, sometimes even ahead of them,” Putin said.
The artificial intelligence race continues, given that new AI models keep appearing every few months, and now Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank can present its own models, Gref said. They are quite competitive, too, and many of the bank’s customers are beginning to use them, he added.
The Russian President also expressed his gratitude to Gref for this work.
Russia Shoots Down US Scheme to Buy Out Commander Islands
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova castigated the idea of the United States purchasing the Commander Islands from Russia.
Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Fritz, who serves with the US Army’s Security Assistance Command in Estonia, proposed that Washington consider purchasing the Commander Islands from Russia. In an article for Breaking Defense, Fritz argued that these islands could be used by the US to monitor potential Chinese submarine activity en route to the Arctic.
“This is not even worth commenting on, since selling our Motherland is regarded—both legally and ethically— as one of the gravest crimes,” Zakharova told Sputnik.
“But if Fritz has that kind of money, he could make America great again by paying off at least part of the US national debt,” she noted.
As of March 24, 2025, the US national debt was estimated at $36.64 trillion.
Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Fritz, stationed in Estonia, proposed that the White House buy out the Commander Islands from Russia for $15 billion to track Chinese submarine movements.
“The proposal is that the United States pursue the peaceful and pragmatic purchase of the Commander Islands from the Russian Federation for $15 billion, in order to monitor potential Chinese submarine activity attempting to enter the Arctic Ocean,” he penned in his article for Breaking Defense.
According to the officer, the Commander Islands are strategically positioned along a potential route from China’s Jianggezhuang naval base to the Arctic. He advocates for the United States to acquire not only the islands themselves but also the surrounding exclusive economic zone, natural resources, and infrastructure. Such an acquisition would expand the US exclusive economic zone by approximately 3.8%, Fritz observed.
He believes that eventually the islands may either become part of the state of Alaska or be designated as a US unincorporated territory.
Russia ‘Takes Note’ of Trump’s 10–12 Day Ultimatum on Ukraine Peace Deal
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow has taken note of the statement made by US President Donald Trump on a new deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine on July 28, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
On Monday, Trump said that he may announce a new deadline for the Ukraine peace deal, ranging from 10 to 12 days, “tonight or tomorrow,” adding that unless the deal is made, he will introduce sanctions and secondary tariffs against Russia.
“We have taken note of president Trump’s statement yesterday,” Peskov told reporters, adding that Russia remains committed to the peace process to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and ensure its national interests.
Earlier in July, Trump said that he will impose 100% secondary tariffs against Russia if no deal on the Ukraine conflict is reached in the next 50 days.
Speaking about a a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Peskov said the question was not and is not on the agenda.
“This question [about a meeting between the two leaders] was not on the agenda and still is not on the agenda,” Peskov told journalists.
OUTSIDE RUSSIA
Transnistria Thanks Russia, Calls Peacekeeping Mission ‘Critical to Stability’
TIRASPOL (Sputnik) – Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky expressed gratitude on Tuesday to Russia on behalf of the republic’s residents for its peacekeeping operation and advocated for its continuation.
“In today’s context, it is critically important that the ongoing peacekeeping operation continues and its format remains unchanged,” Krasnoselsky said in his address, dedicated to the anniversary of the deployment of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Transnistria.
The Transnistrian leader recalled that 33 years ago, the deployment of Russian peacekeepers stopped the bloodshed “unleashed by the Moldovan leadership during their armed attack on the Transnistrian people.” Krasnoselsky added that Tiraspol remains committed to resolving the conflict exclusively through peaceful means and emphasized the need for mutual respect and constructive cooperation with Moldova.
“I am deeply convinced that Russia, as the guarantor of peace on the Dnister, has always upheld and continues to uphold the inviolability of the previously reached agreements underpinning the current peacekeeping format. Transnistrians are grateful to the Russian Federation for its contribution to strengthening security and stability,” Krasnoselsky said.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin also congratulated the peacekeepers in Transnistria on the operation’s 33rd anniversary, saying they had laid the groundwork for a peaceful settlement.
The official added that the collective peacekeeping operation that launched on July 29, 1992 and included Russia, Moldova, and Transnistria remains “unique and relevant to this day.”
Transnistria, where 60% of residents are ethnic Russians and Ukrainians, sought independence from Moldova before the USSR’s collapse, fearing Moldova would join Romania amid nationalist sentiments. In 1992, after Moldova’s failed attempt to resolve the issue by force, Transnistria became a territory beyond Chisinau’s control.
This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the start of the peacekeeping mission. Russian military personnel, alongside Transnistrian and Moldovan military observers, maintain peace in the conflict zone. The peacekeepers are stationed at posts and checkpoints positioned across key sections of the security zone.
Russian Space Agency Chief Bakanov Arrives in US – Roscosmos
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Bakanov has arrived in the United States to meet with NASA management and the crew of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which includes Russian Oleg Platonov, the state corporation told journalists.
“Dmitry Bakanov arrived in Houston as the head of the Roscosmos delegation to meet with NASA management. This is the first face-to-face meeting of the heads of Russian and US space agencies in eight years,” the statement said.
It is noted that first, he and the leadership of the US space agency will visit the structural divisions of the Johnson Space Center and get acquainted with their work.
In addition, the Russian delegation plans to visit the Boeing production unit, where reusable manned transport spacecraft CST-100 Starliner is being developed, and hold talks with the management of the company’s space program.
“On the eve of the launch of the Crew-11 mission, which is scheduled for July 31, Dmitry Bakanov will meet with the crew of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov as part of the cross-flight program. For the Russian, this will be the first flight into space,” the Russian space agency added.
At the John F. Kennedy Space Center, the head of the state corporation will take part in events related to checking readiness for the launch of the next mission to the International Space Station.
US Media Owes Putin Apology
Major US media played a “starring role” in amplifying the Russiagate plot against Donald Trump, Greg Gutfeld has said
The US media need to make “serious” amends to many people, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, for their active role in spreading the Russiagate hoax following the 2016 presidential election, according to popular Fox News host Greg Gutfeld.
The political commentator, comedian, and author was responding to recent revelations made by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who released a trove of documents she described as “overwhelming evidence” of a coordinated effort by senior Obama-era officials – allegedly led by Barack Obama himself – to politicize intelligence and falsely accuse Donald Trump of colluding with Russia to win the election.
“We cannot let this go. They need to make serious amends because we are still living with the aftermath,” Gutfeld said on his latest show, which aired last weekend. “People lost jobs, careers, friends. There need to be consequences.”
They owe a lot of people an apology. Hell, they even include Putin.
According to Gutfeld, major American news media outlets “played the starring role in amplifying the subversive plot against the president of the United States.” He dismissed recent claims by the press accusing the Trump administration of trying to “rewrite history,” calling them an “attempt to shift culpability away from themselves and hide the lie they perpetuated for almost a decade.”
Earlier this month, a similar assessment was made by former CIA Director John Ratcliffe. In an interview with the New York Post, he cited an internal review suggesting that American public opinion had been manipulated through repeated media leaks and anonymous sources quoted by the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other major outlets.
Allegations of “Russian collusion” persisted in mainstream media coverage even after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation found no evidence to support the claims. Moscow has repeatedly denied interfering in the US election.
Gabbard described the Trump-Russia probe, widely referred to as Russiagate, as “a years-long coup” against Trump. The US president himself, who has consistently dismissed accusations of ties to Russia as fabricated, praised Gabbard for “exposing” the alleged plot and urged her to “keep it coming.”
Germany Plays Leading Role in ‘Hysterical Russophobia’
Germany does everything to portray Russia as the enemy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said
The German leadership is stoking anti-Russian hysteria in Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, commenting on recent statements by senior German government and military officials.
Berlin adopted a hardline stance toward Russia after Chancellor Friedrich Merz took office in May. Earlier this month, he declared that diplomatic options in the Ukraine conflict had been “exhausted” and reaffirmed his commitment to arming Kiev. He also demanded that Russia pay at least €500 billion ($540 billion) for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Asked to comment on recent statements by German officials, Peskov said: “Germany is… whipping up hysterical Russophobia,” and “tries to play a leading role on the European continent” with regard to demonizing Russia. “They are doing everything to create the image of an enemy out of our nation.”
Moscow “deeply regrets” the fact that Berlin pursues this policy and “spends vast resources” on it, Peskov added. “This is certainly not in the interests of the European people.”
Top German officials have recently stepped up their anti-Russian rhetoric. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned last week that Berlin plans to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons that can strike deep into Russian territory. Moscow has warned that these weapons supplies could lead to a major escalation.
Merz previously hinted at the possibility of providing Kiev with Taurus missiles capable of striking Moscow.
Earlier this month, Major General Christian Freuding, who oversees Germany’s military assistance to Ukraine, openly suggested that Kiev strike Russian airfields and weapons factories deep inside the country. He also called on Kiev’s Western backers to consider “where we can apply further pressure, particularly to limit Russian production capabilities.”
Commenting on the situation last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the EU has been using Goebbels-style propaganda to fuel anti-Russian “frenzy.”
SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
Losing Pokrovsk Would Be a Death Sentence for the Ukrainian Army
Russia is advancing slowly but steadily in this direction of the front. Here’s why it matters.
- Key Supply Hub
Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) is a major logistics center “for the entire southeastern part of Ukraine,” explains Swedish Armed Forces vet Mikael Valtersson.
Facing the prospect of the city’s loss, Ukraine’s army is “clinging” to Pokrovsk to “deny Russia access” for as long as possible.
- Strategic Stronghold
With Russian forces “methodically eliminating” hardened Ukrainian defenses on the southeastern front since late 2023, Pokrovsk is also now “the only real remnant” of what was once touted as an impregnable defensive line.
Once it’s liberated, Ukraine will have a hard time stopping large-scale Russian advances further westward.
- Gap in the Front
After the city is taken, “the small gap in the Ukrainian frontline that already exists will grow many times,” allowing Russian forces to launch operations behind heavily fortified lines in southern Zaporozhye, to the north around Kramatorsk, and eventually, possibly as far as Kharkov, Valtersson says.
- Impact on Morale
Pokrovsk’s fall “will greatly impact” Ukrainian morale, Valtersson predicts. It will show that Russia is on the advance, and that Ukraine’s choices come down to peace and loss of 25% of territory now, or continued war and the loss of 50% “a couple of years” from now.
MSM Mythmaking vs Reality
Admitting that Russian forces have already broken into areas of the city and are poised to take it by the fall, Western media have spun things to characterize the fight for Pokrovsk as a “yearlong, slow and grinding” slog soaked in Russian blood.
The truth, Valtersson says, is that Russian forces arrived at Pokrovsk’s outskirts only earlier this year, after the “elimination of most of the Ukrainian southeastern front from Velikaya Novosyolka in the west to Avdeyevka in the north,” and are advancing using “very small units” under drone cover, not “human wave” tactics.
INSIGHTS
Scott Ritter: Secret Talks on Ousting Zelensky Show Ukraine is Hostage of Foreign Powers
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service has published a report on a secret meeting between US and UK representatives with top Ukrainian officials to discuss the prospects for replacing Volodymyr Zelensky. Sputnik turned to prolific foreign and military affairs commentator Scott Ritter to sort through the details.
“If this turns out to be information that can be confirmed, this is damning, extraordinarily damning to Zelensky, to [presidential office head] Yermak, to [ambassador to the UK] Zaluzhny, to the United States, to Great Britain, to all of Ukraine,” the former US Marine Corps intelligence officer said, commenting on the SVR report.
“It demonstrates without a shadow of a doubt that the Ukrainian people are being held hostage by foreign powers who are willing to sacrifice the Ukrainian manhood, the Ukrainian economy, the Ukrainian nation, for interests that have nothing to do with the benefit of Ukraine,” Ritter stressed.
The report creates the impression that democracy is non-existent in Ukraine, and “that the president of Ukraine is hand-picked by foreigners to serve the interests of foreign governments.”
“I think that this report is designed to generate legitimate concern inside Ukraine, amongst the Ukrainian population, about their future,” Ritter said.
As far as Russia is concerned, the report signals that Moscow doesn’t see Zelensky as the legitimate president of Ukraine, “and that before any final agreement can be had between Russia and Ukraine about post-conflict realities, there has to be a legitimate leader in Ukraine.”
The SVR and its press service are “not a media outlet,” Ritter pointed out. “They’re not there to inform the public when they release information. It’s usually done to achieve an objective or purpose” – in this case signalling the desire to “inflict the most harm on Zelensky at a time when he is deemed to be most vulnerable,” and ramp up divisions within his government, and between him and Zaluzhny, the ex-top commander long considered to be gunning for his job.
