Putin is disguising his fear of his imminent downfall

Putin and his 'siloviki' are popping the champange corks in the Kremlin as Trump threatens to invade, and annex, Greenland.

Andrew Weisman (right) outlines the international political and legal implications of Trump's threat to invade Greenland.

More significantly, he outlines that Trump's threatening
invasion of Greenland mirrors Putin's invasion of, and subsequent war with, Ukraine, which is playing directly into the hands of Putin.

In an interview with Nicolle Wallace (left), Weismann states that, 

"I'd like everyone to think about the message to Russia. Russia has engaged in an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The Congress heretofore has viewed that ... to defend Ukraine in the face of Russia.

But this is sending a message that what Russia is doing is what America is going to do, and what China could do with Taiwan. 

This "might makes right" view of the world, where you blow off the United Nations Charter, you blow off the sense of the Rule of Law internally, domestically, and internally, is what leads to 'global chaos' in a world that's not civilized at peace.'" (ms.now: 17 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

ms.now: 17 January 2026 (deadline-white-house) and ms.now : 17 January 2026 (11th-hour)

And against this backdrop, as reported by Dan Peleschuk (left),

" Two people were killed and dozens more wounded in a mass Russian drone attack across Ukraine overnight, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, as U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators hashed out a post-war plan in the latest round of peace talks." (Reuters: 18 January 2026) (my emphasis) 

And as reported by Bryony Gooch,Shweta Sharma and Maryam Zakir-Hussain (right), 

"Ukraine's peace negotiators arrived in the United States on Saturday for talks on details of a proposed agreement to end the four-year war with Russia, the head of the Ukrainian president's office said.
… 
During the talks, Zelensky said his team would seek clarity from the US on the Russian stance towards diplomatic efforts to end the war. Moscow has refused to budge on its maximalist demands for a peace deal. " (The Independent on MSN: 18 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

The Independent on MSN: 18 January 2026

Furthermore, as reported by Russell Myers (left),

"King Charles has reiterated the United Kingdom's commitment to Ukraine, telling the nation "we stand with you" amid the deadly ongoing Russian invasion. The monarch also spoke of his hopes for a lasting peace that safeguards its "security, sovereignty and prosperity". (The Mirror:  16 January 2026) (my emphasis) 

And whilst Putin and his 'siloviki' may be toasting Trump's threat to invade and annex Greenland, in the face of Greenlanders demonstrating against his potential actions, 

 

Guardian News: 17 January 2026: YouTube

Ivan Diakonov reports that,

"The Russian economy has found itself in its worst state since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to a steep decline in oil revenues and the depletion of reserves. Despite claims by US President Donald Trump about Russia's supposed "advantage" in the war, economists are predicting a banking crisis and a recession in Moscow as early as next year." (Yahoo Finance: 23 December 2025) (my emphasis)

And we now learn from Catherine Mackinlay (left) and Will Stewart (right) that,

"Vladimir Putin has suffered a massive blow after Ukrainian drones attacked his top-secret super-weapon testing hub, denting possible hopes of Russia launching its 'unstoppable' Oreshnik missiles. Specialist military site Militarnyi revealed that "Ukrainian drones attacked the 4th State Central Inter-Service Test Range Kapustin Yar in Astrakhan Region."
… 
One Russian aim in a new blitzkrieg on Ukraine could be a "genocidal" campaign to destroy the country's nuclear power plant substations in a bid to force people to surrender. Electricity transmission substations ensure the operation of the atomic power plants." (Daily Express on MSN: 18 January 2026) (my emphasis)

Putin's celebration of Trump threatening to invade and annex Greenland is a celebration that disguises his fear of his imminent downfall. 

 

 Redconomy: 16 January 2026: YouTube

  

 (to be continued)

Will Putin now arm an Oreshnik missile with a nuclear warhead to head off defeat in Ukraine?

In my last blog entry (4 January 2026) I wrote that,

"But it was Medvedev’s final message that sent shockwaves globally. Arguing that diplomacy has failed and international law is ignored, he claimed that only maximum military strength — including nuclear weapons — can protect a nation from foreign intervention. His closing words, “Long live nuclear weapons,” are now being interpreted as a veiled warning to the United States and its allies." (Times of India: 4 January 2026) (my emphasis)" (blog-entry 4 January 2026)

No longer is Mevedev's threat of nuclear armageddon a 'veiled warning to the United States and its allies".

By bombing Ukraine with the 'nuclear capable' Oreshnik missiles,
Mark Trevelyan and Andrew Osborn (right) report that,

"President Vladimir Putin's launch of an Oreshnik hypersonic missile appears aimed at intimidating Ukraine and sending a signal of Russian military might to Europe and the United States at a crucial juncture in talks to end the war.
... 

"It does appear that at this point Russia is using Oreshnik for signaling purposes, so the destruction is not necessarily the goal," Pavel Podvig (left), director of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project, told Reuters when asked if the use of dummy warheads would diminish the capacity of Moscow's action to intimidate Ukraine and its allies." (Reuters: 9 January 2026) (my emphasis)

The argument of Pavel Podvig that Putin is simply bombing Ukrainian civilians with the 'nuclear capable' Oreshnik missile for 'signalling' purposes simply holds no water.

  

 The Sun : 10 January 2026: YouTube

As  Nicolas Drummond (left) explains in the video above,

"If they are on their last legs, desperate people do desperate things (i.e. Putin).
… 
It's very much designed to intimidate, to force Europe to accept Russia's conditions for peace in Ukraine. (i.e. total surender)
… 
I think it's a strategy that will backfire.
… 
If a missile did land in Poland, Poland would regard that as a direct attack its own sovereign territory and would respond very robustly to that.
… 
Russia as lost out to avoid sanctions busting trade thanks to Venezuela um Maduro being taken out, and China's lost access to oil. So Russia is being pushed into a corner by that." (The Sun : 10 January 2026: YouTube)

And backfire it did. 

Already, as Kateryna Tyshchenko reports,

"The UN Security Council is set to convene an emergency meeting on 12 January at Ukraine's request to address Russian attacks, particularly the use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
… 
The meeting will address Russia's flagrant breaches of the UN Charter. We urge Security Council members to demonstrate unity of purpose by demanding an end to the aggression, protection of civilians, and unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty." (Ukrayinska Pravda on Yahoo News: 10 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 Furthermore, recall that, as Ivanna Kostina and Tetyana Oliynyk (right) reported,

"Members of the Coalition of the Willing, together with Ukraine and the US, have signed a joint declaration on security guarantees aimed at achieving a stable and lasting peace in Ukraine.
… 
Participants at a meeting in Paris on 6 January reaffirmed their commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter. They welcomed the progress made so far, including through discussions between American, Ukrainian, European and other international partners." (Ukrayinska Pravda: 6 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

Coalition of the Willing 

To the initial meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, Russia's standard respose was,

"Russia's Foreign Ministry has said that the Coalition of the Willing declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine is far removed from a peaceful settlement, and that Russia will view Western troops deployed in Ukraine as "legitimate military targets".

Members of the Coalition of the Willing signed a declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine on 6 January in Paris. According to Zakharova, the "document is extremely far from a peaceful settlement". (Khrystyna Bondarieva (left): Ukrayinska Pravda on Yahoo News: 8 January 2026) (my emphasis) 

However Putin and his Kremlin cohorts were completely taken by surprise by the military and financial commitments to Ukraine of the 'Coalition of the Willing', without the participation of the US.

As Mustafa Yildirim reports,

" ... Early this morning (10 January 2026), Central European Time, intelligence sources detected what they described as a co-ordinated series of announcements from European capitals that had clearly been synchronized to the minute. 

• At 0:900 Brussels time, the German Defence Ministry released a statement. 
• At 09:03, the French Ministry of Armed Forces followed.
• At 09:07 the Polish Ministry of National Defence.
• At 09:12 the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.

What we know at this hour is that European leaders have announced a comprehensive military support package for Ukraine valued at over eighteen billion euros, structured specifically to operate independently of United States approval or participation" (Mustafa Yildirim: 10 January 2026: YouTube)

Mustafa Yildirim: 10 January 2026: YouTube 

 

These announcements of financial and increased military support for Ukraine follow Putin's continuous bombarment of Ukraine civilians with missiles and drones, which has also drawn the ire of  church leaders.

As Maira Butt (right) reported, 

"Church leaders have branded President Vladimir Putin the ‘Anti-Christ’ after the Russian leader said his war with Ukraine was part of a “holy mission”.

Putin called Russian soldiers “warriors” who were acting “as if at the Lord's behest” in a speech marking Orthodox Christmas on Wednesday.

“Trying to do this with power and violence, which is not about love, not about Christian values is more like the Anti-Christ in the Christian world,” the Rector at the Paris of the Protection of the Holy Mother of God in central London told The Independent." (The Independent on MSN: 9 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

The Independent on MSN: 9 January 2026 

As the Russian economy continues to fall into the abyss of complete collapse, and the people of Russia revolt against the continuing economic decline that is impoverishing them, how far into the economic abyss will Putin descend before he arms an Oreshnik missile heading for Ukraine with a nuclear warhead?

  

 (to be continued)

Putin has finally reached a dead-end in his war with Ukraine.

The international 'political' tsunami that is now engulfing the world, with the arrest of Venezuelan president Maduro through the military invasion of Venezuela by Trump, has upended the international political strategies of Vladimir Putin, Ayatollah Khamenie, and Xi Jingping (left).

Just three weeks ago, as reported by the Moscow Times,

"Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reaffirmed his support to Venezuela in a 
phone  call with longtime ally President Nicolás Maduro, the Kremlin said.
...
Russia has fostered warm ties with Venezuela and Maduro visited Moscow earlier this year, attending an annual military parade and signing a broad partnership agreement with Putin.

In a phone call on Thursday, "Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people," the Kremlin said in a read-out. (Moscow Times: 11 December 2025) (my emphasis)

 

Excerpt from Times Now World: 3 January 2026: YouTube 

And in the wake of Trump's arrest of Maduro, and transferring him to a US prison for trial as a 'drug trafficer' smuggling drugs into the US, Sabrina Penty (left) reports that,

"Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested Vladimir Putin should now be detained - after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country in an extraordinary military operation. 

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with European national security advisors on Saturday, the Ukrainian president was asked about Donald Trumps' military action against Venezuela. 

'How should I react to this? What can I say?', Zelensky said with a wry smile. (Daily Mail: 4 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

Daily Mail: 4 January 2026

Furthermore, as Thea Felicity reports,

"President Donald Trump has warned that the United States is 'locked and loaded' and ready to intervene in Iran if the regime continues violently suppressing peaceful protesters.
...
The warning comes over ongoing protests across Iran, where citizens have been taking to the streets to oppose economic hardship, with several deaths reported already." (Internatioal Business Times: 2 January 2026) (my emphasis)

 

 The Indian Express: 3 January 2026: YouTube

And, as per usual, Putin's 'glove puppet', Dmitry Medvedev (left), once again threatens 'nuclear armageddon'.

As the Times of India reports,

"Russia’s reaction to the U.S. strike on Venezuela has taken a dramatic turn. Dmitry Medvedev, a senior Russian security official and close ally of President Vladimir Putin, issued a blistering statement condemning Washington’s actions and accusing the United States of abducting a legally elected leader. 

But it was Medvedev’s final message that sent shockwaves globally. Arguing that diplomacy has failed and international law is ignored, he claimed that only maximum military strength — including nuclear weapons — can protect a nation from foreign intervention. His closing words, “Long live nuclear weapons,” are now being interpreted as a veiled warning to the United States and its allies." (Times of India: 4 January 2026) (my emphasis)   

Yet the very words of Medvedev that, 

" ... diplomacy has failed and international law is ignored, he claimed that only maximum military strength ...  can protect a nation from foreign intervention" 

is precisely what Ukraine is doing against the illegal invasion by Putin of Ukraine.

This merely serves to indicate the near complete collapse of Putin's 'demented Novorossiya' arguments for his invasion of, and subsequent illegal annexation of, 

• Ukraine's Crimea in 2014,
• a swathe of Ukraine's Donbas and Lughansk in 2014, 
• and swathes of Ukraine's Zaphorizia and  Kherson provinces in 2022.

And Putin's recent 'missile' bombing of Kherson has somewhat infuriated Trump.

As reported by Josh Wingrove (right),

"President Donald Trump expressed fresh frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, bristling at the Kremlin’s ongoing military operations even as the US leader seeks to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.

“I’m not thrilled with Putin, he’s killing too many people,” Trump said Saturday during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
… 
Trump initially told reporters he was “very angry” about the purported attack on Putin’s residence, even as Ukrainian officials denied Moscow’s account and cast the allegations as an attempt to derail the peace talks.

Trump later signalled his skepticism over the Russian claims and his disappointment with the Russian leader with a social media post that shared a New York Post editorial. (Bloomberg on MSN: 3 January 2026) (my emphasis) 

Further drowning a sinking and flailing Putin in a sea of  'total political confusion and paranoia',  Anders Anglesey (left) reports,

"A Russian military blogger feared any US takeover of Venezuela's oil reserves could lead to a "nightmare" collapse of the country's economy which is reliant on energy exports.
…
Russians have been left in fear they will "starve to death" following the swift capture of Vladimir Putin's ally Nicolas Maduro.
… 
Fears have also seeped out from the Kremlin and have infected online spaces where Russians have shared concerns that oil prices will collapse and damage the country's economy which is reliant on energy exports. Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska (right) said American control of Venezuelan oil could have serious negative consequences." (Mirror: 3 January 2026) (my emphasis)

Putin has finally reached a dead-end in his war with Ukraine. 

  

 (to be continued)

Putin now dangerously balances over the edge of a "nuclear" Black Swan event.

On 25 December 2025 (Christmas Day) Trump's fired off 150 separate and  incoherent entries on 'Truth Social', ranging from 'conspiracy' theories to 'election fraud' to the 'Epstein' files now hanging over his neck.

 

MS Now: 27 December 2025: YouTube 

And today, 27 December 2025, there is international anticipation of the prospective meeting between Trump and Zelensky to discuss Zelensky's '20-Point Peace Plan' to end Putin's war with Ukraine.

As Yuliia Dysa (left) reports,

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wants to discuss territorial issues, the main stumbling block in talks to end the war, with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday, as a 20-point peace framework and a security guarantee deal near completion.

Announcing the meeting, Zelenskiy said "a lot can be decided before the New Year," as Washington drives efforts to end Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two." (Reuters: 26 December 2025) (my emphasis)

Yet Putin is adament that Ukraine must surrender to 'his' so-called '28-point 'Ukraine surrender' Peace Plan'.

As Ben Aris (right) reports, 

"So this is an explicit threat by Putin that, "If the talks don't go well, if you don't succumb to my demands, then I have the ability of blacking out all te large cities of Ukraine ... " (Al Jazeera English: 28 december 2025: YouTube)  

 

Al Jazeera English: 28 december 2025: YouTube 

This threat of Putin has to be viewed against his latest threat of using 'nuclear bombs'.

As Alice Scarsi (left) reports,

"One of the most prominent Russian propagandists (Vladimir Solovyov : right) advocated for nuclear holocaust in order to see Russia thriving. Vladimir Solovyov, a TV host and close ally of Vladimir Putin, lashed out at Ukraine in its radio show 'Full Contact'. " (Daily Express: 26 December 2025) (my emphasis)

Furthermore, as Will Stewart, Zahra Khaliq and Dan Grennan report,

"Vladimir Putin dispatched nuclear bombers to intimidate northern Britain with a long-range Christmas flight over the Norwegian Sea.
… 
NATO had no choice but to hastily deploy warplanes to keep tabs on the imposing Russian "Bears". The Christmas show of strength came amid high tension over the war in Ukraine." (Daily Star: 25 December 2025) (my emphasis)   

 

OneIndia News: 26 December 2025: YouTube 

 But as The Military Show reports,

"Here's what Putin doesn't want you to know, These increasingle desperate displays of nuclear saber-rattling and so-called "red-lines" that he dares nations to cross aren't signs of strength, Theyr'e symptons of a dying super power grasping at its last remaining card. " (The Military Show: 27 December 2025: YouTube) (my emphasis)

 

The Military Show: 27 December 2025: YouTube 

And it is against this backdrop that :-

• On 25 December 2025 (Christmas Day) Trump's fired off 150 separate and  incoherent entries on 'Truth Social', ranging from 'conspiracy theories 'election fraud' to the 'Epstein' files now hanging over his neck,

• and today, 27 December 2025, there is international anticipation of the prospective meeting between Trump and Zelensky to discuss Zelensky's '20-Point Peace Plan' to end Putin's war with Ukraine.  

There comes a time, however, when past threats come closer to reality that we expected. 

 

FRANCE 24 English: 27 December 2025: YouTube 

 

Putin now dangerously balances over the edge of a "nuclear" Black Swan event.   

UPDATE: 30 December 2025: GMT: 07:36    

Let us remind ourselves that in my blog entry of Tuesday, 17 July 2018 I wrote that, 

"In more ways than one, yesterday (16 July, 2018) Trump exposed himself internationally as a possible Manchurian Candidate during the Putin-Trump press conference, after their slightly more than two hour PRIVATE tête-à-tête in Helsinki, that is also euphemistically being called a 'Summit Meeting'.

Perhaps the most stunning expose of Trump was in his response to a question about Putin's meddling in the 2016 US Presidential election. 

 The US questioner asked,

"Just now President Putin denied having anything to do with the election interference in 2016. Every US intelligence agency has concluded that Russia did.

My first question for you, sir, is, "Who do you believe?"

My second question is, "Would you now, with the whole world watching, tell President Putin ...  would you denounce what happened in 2016, and would you warn him to never do it again?"

Trump then went out of his way to agree with Putin, and in the process threw the whole of his US intelligence agencies under the bus! (video below)

Fast forward to 2025 and, during Trump's 1 hour telephone tête-à-tête with Putin just prior to his meeting with Zelensky, Trump was asked, during a press conference about the alleged bombing of Putin's house by Zelensky.

 As Ben Meiselas (left) reports about Trump believing what Putin told him.

 

"Look, Putin told me that Zelensky tried to go after him personally so I believe Putin." (cf: video excerpt below)

 

Complete video: Meidas Touch: 29 December 2025: YouTube

Furthermore, as Amy Walker (left) reports,

"Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign policy aide, told reporters on Monday that during the call, Putin had pointed out the alleged attack on his residence happened "almost straight after what the US had considered to be a successful round of talks".
...
During a later press conference, Trump initially appeared to say he did not know about the alleged incident, but later told reporters that he was told about it by Putin and was "very angry" about it.

Asked if the US had seen any evidence supporting Russia's claim, he responded: "Well we'll find out. You're saying maybe the attack didn't take place - that's possible too, I guess. But President Putin told me this morning it did". (BBC News: 29 December 2025) (my emphasis)

Is it, therfore, any wonder that, as Amy Walker also reports,

"In a statement shared on Telegram on Monday, Lavrov (left) said all of the 91 drones he claimed were launched at Putin's residence were intercepted and destroyed by Russian air defence systems.

He added that there were no reports of casualties or damage as a result of the attack.

"Given the final degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime, which has switched to a policy of state terrorism, Russia's negotiating position will be revised," he said." (ibid Amy Walker)

The re-emergence of that dyed-in-the-wool Soviet foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, points to a hardening of Putin's determination to ensure the total surrender of Ukraine to his 2014 demented idea of "Novorossiya". 

  

 (to be continued)

Does Putin Have A Death Wish? Dragging with him an enfebbled Trump into WW3?

The last two weeks has seen a flurry of diplomatic meetings on both sides of the Atlantic pond to try and secure a resolution of Putin's war with Ukraine.

The EU, UK, and international supporters of Zelensky and Ukraine have been pitted against
Putin's Kremlin 'siloviki' and Trump's 'politically ignorant' US Envoys i.e. Witkoff and Kushner,  to argue about the details of  the 'Putin 28-point surrender of Ukraine' to Putin . 

As Ferdinand Knapp (left) reports,

“There is no more important act of European defense than supporting Ukraine’s defense. The next days will be a crucial step for securing this,” [Ursula] von der Leyen (European Commission president) said." (Politico: 17 December 2025) (my emphasis)

Underscoring Ursula von den Leyen's, "There is no more important act of European defense than supporting Ukraine’s defense",  Emily Wright (right) reports that,

"With Ukraine facing a harrowing winter of cold and blackouts as Vladimir Putin's air campaign continues to target homes, hospitals and power stations, the UK has committed £600 million in air-defence capabilities, including cutting-edge turrets that are capable of shooting down Russian drones." (Daily Express on MSN: 18 December 2025) (my emphasis) 

As reported by The Economic Times,

"German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (left) has issued a stark warning, declaring that  decades of 'Pax Americana' are over for Europe. Speaking on shifting transatlantic ties, Merz said the era of US-led security guarantees is fading and urged European nations to strengthen their own independent defence capabilities. " (The Economic Times: 15 December 2025) (my emphasis)

   

DW News: 15 December 2025: YouTube

As Ben Meiselas (left) also reports,

"Finally Donald Trump is receiving the message from furious European leaders that Trump should have received a long time ago. Europe is done with Donald Trump. Europe is done with the United States as long as it is led by Donald Trump. The 'Pax Ameicana' ..... is over. (Meidas Touch: 16 December 2025) (my emphasis)

 

 Meidas Touch: 16 December 2025

Yet Putin is adament that Ukraine must surrender to him, and in this he is supported  by Witkoff and Kushner.

He continues to demand that Ukraine surrender the whole of the Donbas over to him, nothwithstanding the fact that Ukraine is still in control of a large portion thereof. 

 

WION: 18 December 2025: YouTube

He contiues to shake his puny fists at the UK and the EU in the hope that this will stem the emerging tide of the Russian people beginning to rise in anger against :-

• his failing Russian economy, and his
• use of the FSB to increase the suppression of the people of Russia. 

 

Inside Russia: 17 December 2025: YouTube

 

Times News: 17 December 2025: YouTube

 And emerging from wherever he has been skulking in Russia, Lavrov (left), that dyed-in-thr-wool Soviet Foreign Minister, repeated Putin's demented view of history on Iranian TV by stating that, 

"Now Europe, and until recently the Biden administration, is trying to do the same: to unite all European countries, pump Ukraine with money and weapons, and give it the Nazi flag. 
… 
And now, under the Nazi flag, with European money, with European instructors, with European and generally Western intelligence data, pumping Ukraine with more and more modern weapons, Europe is once again at war with our country with the hands and bodies of Ukrainians." (Karl Sanchez: Karlof1_Substack: 16 December 2025) (my emphasis)

Putin's desperation now knows no bounds.

He is inching towards WW3, dragging an increasingly enfeebled Trump along with him.

URGENT UPDATE!!: 18 December 2025: GMT: 15:17  

In the last two hours Putin had decided, once more, to throw down the gauntlet. The video below explains it all.

The question to be posed is :-

"Does Putin Have A Death Wish? Dragging with him an enfebbled Trump  into WW3?"

 

Times of India: 18 December 2025: YouTube 

  

 (to be continued)