Holding a loaded gun in his quivering hand, and aiming it at the heads of his Russian oligarchs,
"Vladimir Putin has asked oligarchs to donate to Russia’s budget in a bid to stabilise the country’s finances as he presses on with his invasion of Ukraine, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The comments by Russia’s president to a large group of prominent businessmen on Thursday made it clear that he is intent on pursuing the war to a victorious end despite the growing strains on the Kremlin’s budget." (Max Seddon (right): Financial Times: 26 March 2026) (my emphasis)
The current war between Trump and the Ayatollah in Iran, and the effective blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, which has caused the price of oil to spike upwards of $100+, is not proving to be the "windfall" for Putin, as many expected.
"This "window" of of opportunity that Trump opened to Russians and Iranians when sanctions were 'temporarily lifted' will not save the Russian economy because the Ukrainian drones keep targeting Russia's export terminals just as the one in East Luga today, and Primorsk yesterday. And this is something that prevents Putin from saving his economy ..." (Anna From Ukraine: 26 March 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
Similarly, Konstantin Samoilov(left) explains why Putin's so-called 'windfall' is not all that it seems.
As he explains,
"But you know what, a very interesting phenomenon is happening. The volume of oil shipped from Rusia has actually dropped in the last month.
Reason number one. There have been attacks [by the Ukainian army] on Russian ports, and this whole [oil] supply chain has been disrupted. ... The Ukrainians have been disrupting it. " (Inside Russia : 26 March 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
Furthermore, he reports that,
"The untouchable shield [of Russian gold reserves] has been melted down ... [Russian] Gold is being turned into working capital, just to keep Russian [economic] machine breathing ..." (ibid Konstantin Samoilov)
Excerpts from : Inside Russia : 26 March 2026: YouTube
And as a panicked Victor Orban (left) of Hungary fears losing in the upcoming Hungarian elections by continuing to block EU financial aid for for Ukraine, and threatening to,
" ... stop sending natural gas to Ukraine until crude oil flows on the Druzhba pipeline resume ... " (Anita Komuves: Reuters: 25 March 2026) (my emphasis),
"A bipartisan pair of US senators viz. Jeanne Shaheen and Thom Tillis, are set to introduce legislation calling for sanctions to be imposed on senior Hungarian officials involved in obstructing aid to Ukraine.
If passed, the Block Putin act would require President Donald Trump to impose financial sanctions and visa bans on Hungarian government officials involved in the country’s purchases of Russian oil and gas, and who have sought to block support for Ukraine." (Financial Times: 26 March 2026) (my emphasis)
With the eyes of the world now focussed on the war between the US, Israel, and Iran, Anna Pruchnicka and Olena Harmash have just reported that,
" Ukraine and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement on defence cooperation that lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation and investments, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (left: with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman)said on Friday.
Zelenskiy, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, said the agreement was signed ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman." (Reuters: 27 March 2026) (my emphasis)
As I wrote in my previous blog entry (15 March 2026),
"... it is now ironic that Trump, and even Saudi Arabia and other Middle East Gulf nations are knocking on the door of Zelensky to help them defend themselves against Iranian/Russian drones. (cf: BBC News, AP News, France 24) ."
And Kathrine Frich(right) also reports that a staunch Putin blogger, Ilya Remeslo,
"... argued that internal divisions are deepening among Russia’s top officials. He pointed to tensions involving senior figures such as Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov.
He also noted that state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov has recently criticized key institutions, including the defense ministry and central bank.
“Every conflict drives a stake into the system, and I think the system will eventually explode,” the blogger emphasized." (Dagen.com: 25 March 2026) (my emphasis)
Which raises the question :-
"Why is Putin practically holding a gun to the heads of his oligarchs to save the Russian economy?"
In a recent interview on UATV English, Zelensky responded to the questioner who remarked on an air raid siren during the interview with the following :-
Quesioner: "So there's an air raid alert going on right now. How do you feel every time you hear that noise ...."
Zelensky: "I don't have much time to feel .... It became the part of our life ... I hope we will have peaceful time No.. I'm sure that we will have peaceful time ... It depends on what alllies will be ready, and how they are ready to support us... " (UATV: 12 March 2026) (my emphasis)
"Middle east is always trying to balance because of the long history of economic relations withe Russians. They try to balance ... yes .. They understand ... that this [Russia] is an agressor. ... Now they begin [to understand] what does it mean to live under attacks [from Iran]. They [are now] attacked by Iranians and Russians.... Even [by] "Shaheeds" ... My intelligence showed me images where we see this [Shaheeds] is made in Russia ...." (ibid UATV English)
Furthermore, in my last blog entry I reported that,
"Sources tell CNN that Russia is aiding Iran's war effort by providing intel on US military targets. When President Trump was asked about this, this is how he reacted :-
Reporter: It sounds like the Russians are helpig Iran target and attack Americans now.
Trump: That's an easy problem compared to what we're doing here. But .. but .. Can I be honest. It's just ... I have a lot of respect for you ... You've lways been very nice to me ... What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time ... We're talking about something else..." (CNN: 7 March 2026) (my emphasis)
And 5 days ago (10 March 2026), Rachel Maddow(left) reported that,
"Iran has been getting help in targetting American personel and military ... help from a sophisticated ally [Russia] in targetting American personel and US military capabilities all over the Middle east. ... "Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces in the Middle east". (MS Now: 10 March 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
She went further on to report just how Iran's closing of the Straits of Hormuz is affecting the economies of, amongst others, Pakistan, Japan, Bangladesh, and the the Phillipenes.(ibid Rachel Maddow)
But as the BBC News reported on the 13th March, 2026,
"The UK says it will not follow the US in easing sanctions on Russian oil after Washington authoried sales of Russian oil in an attempt to reign in soaring energy prices caused by the US/Israeli war with Iran.
Reacting in Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman said Russian and US interests were aligned on the need to stabilise oil prices, but the European Union said, "It is deeply concerned by that decision". (BBC News: 13 March 2026) (my emphasis)
"Donald Trump has urged the UK and other nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help secure the key shipping route out of the Middle East. … "Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a nation that has been totally decapitated." (BBC News: 14 March 2026) (my emphasis)
Now bear in mind that,
"Trump's message came a week after he said the US did not need the UK to send aircraft carriers to the region and accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of seeking to "join wars after we've already won".
He also told the BBC's US partner CBS that he "couldn't care less" whether allies could do more to assist with the war, adding: "It's a little bit late to be sending ships, right? A little bit late."(ibid Maia Davies)
Now whilst Putin, his Kremlin propagandists, and his "siloviki" are "cock-a-hoop" over Trump's "easing of sanctions" on Russia, Konstantin Samoilov(right) paints a rather different picture about whether Trump's easing of sanctions against Putin will be the "windfall" that Putin now expects to re-fill his empty economic coffers.
As he reports,
"Russia's economy is now so battered, so distorted, by war and sanctions, that it can only breathe when the Middle East is on fire.
That's not strength. That is dependency.
And when this panic fades, the Kremlin goes back into the hole. Only a way deeper one." (Inside Russia: 11 March 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
And it is now ironic that Trump, and even Saudi Arabia and other Middle East Gulf nations are knocking on the door of Zelensky to help them defend themselves against Iranian/Russian drones. (cf: BBC News, AP News, France 24)
It is therefore no wonder, as Antonia Langford(left) reported earlier,
"Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to help Gulf states counter Iranian drones if they can convince Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.
The Ukrainian president said he would send his top military experts to the Middle East in a long-shot offer after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia were all hit by Iranian drones." (The Telegraph on MSN: 8 March 2026) (my emphasis)
So the "cock-a-hoop" excitement of Putin and his cohorts about Trump lifting sanctions against Russia, and thereby re-filling Putin's empty economic coffers, may be very short-lived indeed.
And we should be reminded what Zelensky said in his recent interview with UATV English,
"It's understandable that this is the biggest risk when the world had during this year, during the last years, because it can be World War Three [WW3] ...
If this war in the Middle East will not stop, like the West had to stop Putin at the very beginning [in his war with Ukraine] .... It can be long war .... It can be world war ..." (idid UATV English)
Putin is now frantically biting his nails that the war in Iran continues to be his economic saviour.
"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused European allies of seeking to "blackmail" Kyiv into reopening a pipeline transporting Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. … The EU has urged Zelensky to repair the [Druzhba oil] pipeline quickly and is asking him to allow inspectors in to visit the damage. Some EU officials fear Zelensky's resistance may help Orban win re-election." (BBC News: 15 March 2026) (my emphasis)
There is nothing more insidious than the EU shielding behind the threatening claim that, "Zelensky's resistance may help Orban win re-election."
In effect, the EU is asking the people of Ukraine :-
to "directly" start to re-fill the empty economic coffers of Putin; coffers that have been emptied by Putin's brutal and genocidal war in Ukraine
to continue, as they have for the last four years, suffer death and destruction in their homeland at the hands of Putin,
to help the people of Hungary rid themselves of Victor Orban, even though this will cause more difficulties for Ukrainians in ridding Ukraine of Putin's genocidal war against them,
and, finally, to in effect be the sacrificial lamb on the alter of Putin's continuing genocide in Ukraine because of the near-shutting off of 20% of the world's consumption of oil by Iran in its war with the US, and that passes through the Straits of Hormuz.
Zelensky is correct in stating that,
"How is this different from lifting sanctions on the Russians? Why can we in one case tell the United States that we oppose lifting sanctions, while on the other hand forcing Ukraine to resume oil transit through Druzhba – and at a political price that effectively pays for anti-European policies?" (ibid James Landale)
Must Ukraine save the world before it saves itself from Putin?
"Ukraine's [then] prime minister [Denys Shmyhal] has told the BBC there will be a "Third World War" if Ukraine loses its conflict with Russia, as he urged the US Congress to pass a long-stalled foreign aid bill. (BBC News: 18 April 2024) (my emphasis)
They further reported Denys Shmyhal (left) stating that,
"If we will not protect... Ukraine will fall," he added. "So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed... and all the world will need to find... a new system of security.
"Or, there will be many conflicts, many such kinds of wars, and in the end of the day, it could lead to the Third World War." (ibid Sumi Somaskanda & Holly Honderich)
Fast foreward to 22 February 2026 and, in an interview with Jeremy Bowen,
"Putin, Zelensky told me, has already started World War Three, and the only answer was intense military and economic pressure to force him to step back.
"I believe that Putin has already started it. The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him... Russia wants to impose on the world a different way of life and change the lives people have chosen for themselves." (BBC News : 22 February 2026) (my emphasis)
"Sources tell CNN that Russia is aiding Iran's war effort by providing intel on US military targets. When President Trump was asked about this, this is how he reacted :-
Reporter: It sounds like the Russians are helpig Iran target and attack Americans now.
Trump: That's an easy problem compared to what we're doing here. But .. but .. Can I be honest. It's just ... I have a lot of respect for you ... You've lways been very nice to me ... What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time ... We're talking about something else..." (CNN: 7 March 2026) (my emphasis)
"The US also has intelligence suggesting that China may be preparing to provide Iran with financial assistance, spare parts, and missile components, three people familiar with the matter said". (ibid CNN)
"Donald Trump has slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and praised Vladimir Putin as he discussed the Ukraine-Russia war. The US President told POLITICO the United States would help choose Iran's next leader, predicted the downfall of the Cuban regime, and attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the tech giant Anthropic." (Express: 5 March 2026) (my emphasis)
So Trump is "praising" Putin, who is helping Iran locate US army positions so that they can more precisely direct their bombs against US sodiers and equipment, whilst at the same time, as reported by James Landale(right), "The US has asked Ukraine for help defending Gulf allies against Iranian drones, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He said Ukraine's partners had been reaching out and there had been "requests from the American side".
Zelensky said he had given instructions "to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the necessary security".
Asked about the Ukrainian offer, US President Donald Trump said: "I'll take any assistance from any country." (BBC News: 5 March 2026) (my emphasis)
The confusion in Trump's mind by :-
"slamming" Zelensky on the one hand, and then
"asking Zelensky for help against Iran" on the other hand,
indicates not only "mental confusion" but, more dangerously, a state of mind verging on "mental incapacity".
Whilst Putin suffers from the "demented delusions" about re-creating an imaginary "Novorossiya" (Wikipedia) in his war against Ukraine, Trump likewise suffers from the "delusion" about "the United States helping to choose Iran's next leader".
As Putin's war with Ukraine becomes inextricably intertwined with helping Iran target soldiers and military equipment in their war with the US, and given Iran's goal of achieving "nuclear bomb" status, Zelensky may be correct is saying that,
"Putin ... has already started World War Three"
Will events in Iran, and his failing war in Ukraine, tip Putin over the edge into the abyss of triggering a "nuclear" assault against Ukraine?
UPDATE: 8 March 2026: GMT 20.14
According to the Sun, Russian tech has been found in an Iranian drone that hit the RAF base in Cyprus.
"The Iranian drone that hit a British airbase in Cyprus was equipped with Russian military hardware, it has been reported.
RAF Akrotiri was struck by an Iranian drone fired from Lebanon on Sunday, and it is understood to have contained a Russian-made Kometa-B navigation system.
The piece of technology was first seen in drones that were intercepted by Ukrainian air defences in December.." (Express: 8 March 2026) (my emphasis)
Just this morningWill Stewart (left), Charlie Bradley (right) report that, "The Kremlin has warned that “it seems to us that the end of the world is upon us” … Vladimir Putin’s spokesman hit out at a breakdown in “international law” - even though it was Russia that triggered such turmoil with its own illegal four-year invasion of Ukraine. … The doom-laden warning for the planet came amid massive US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which the Kremlin labelled a “perfect storm”.
Russia appears helpless to assist Tehran except possibly in providing intelligence on American and Israeli military positions." (Express: 9 March 2026) (my emphasis)
We have to ask ourselves,
"Will events in Iran, and his failing war in Ukraine, tip Putin over the edge into the abyss of triggering a "nuclear" assault against Ukraine, that has precipitated the Kremlin warning that, "it seems to us that the end of the world is upon us?"
The assasination of Ali Khamenei(Sam Woodhouse: BBC News: 28 February 2026), on 28 February 2026, in a joint airstrike operation by the United States and Israel, following on from the recent arrest in Veneuela of President Nicolás Maduro, and hisremoval toa prison in New York by US forces, must have caused Putin to sink into a puddle of absolute fear for his own life.
And as Namita Singh and Harriette Boucher(left) report, the repercussion on the US-brokered "Peace Talks" between the US, Russia, and Ukraine, is that it has been immediately postponed.
As they report,
"Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that US-brokered peace talks could be postponed due to the attacks throughout the Middle East. … The possible delay to talks comes after the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran on Saturday, provoking Iranian attacks throughout the region.
It follows Zelensky’s calls for the Trump administration to ramp up its efforts in ending Russia’s four-year-long invasion of Ukraine." (The Independent: 28 February 2026) (my emphasis)
And against this backdrop, the Military Show reports that on 23rd February 2026, Ukraine just wiped out a key and critical oil facility in Almtyevsk, Tartastan,
"... [the Kaleykino] oil pumping station, that is responsible for processing 30 percent of the crude oil that flows through the Druzhba oil pipeline, [and potentially earned for Russia $32.2 billion dollars a year]." (The Military Show : 27 February 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
"Ukraine's defence forces have regained 201 sq km of territory from Russian troops between 11 and 15 February, marking the fastest advance by Ukrainian forces in more than two and a half years. … The area of liberated territory is said to be almost equal to the total gains made by Russian forces over the whole of December 2025." (Ukrayinska Pravda on Yahoo News: 16 February 2026) (my emphasis)
"On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that it was “only a matter of time” before his country recovered all of its lost territory. … Ukraine recovered control of 400 sq km of territory, including eight settlements, in February, the head of the military announced on Monday. Those figures improve upon the 300 sq km of land that Zelensky claimed Kyiv’s forces had recovered only last week – and will more than cancel out the 389 sq km Russia was assessed to have gained in January." (The Independent: 25 February 2026) (my emphasis)
In light of what has happened to Ali Khamenei and Nicolás Maduro, is it any wonder that, as Kathrine Frich(right) reported,
"Putin builds 'parallel army' to protect himself, defense expert warns.
But
after internal unrest, elite tensions and the shock of the 2023 Wagner
mutiny, analysts say the Russian president may be increasingly focused
on safeguarding his grip on authority. … William
James Dixon, a fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI),
told the Kyiv Post that a recent Kremlin decree appears to bolster Russia’s National Guard, known as Rosgvardia. … According to his analysis, Rosgvardia now operates under “general operational control” of its director, Viktor Zolotov, who reports directly to Putin.(Dagens.com UK: 21 February 2026) (my emphasis)
The $64 question now is,
"How will the unfolding events in Iran affect the people of Russia in their attitude towards Putin and his war in Ukraine?"
Will they forever resign themselves to suffering the increasing loss of their 'freedoms' and their increasing poverty that Putin's 'demented' and 'cruel' war in Ukraine continues to heap upon their shoulders?
Will Putin now finally push the 'nuclear button' to save himself?
"Russia is raising the level of informational panic and dis-information with 'nuclear scare stories'. (Inside Russia : 28 February 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
Excerpt from : Inside Russia : 28 February 2026: YouTube
But are these simply "scare stories" ... "nuclear blackmail" ?
"Huge numbers of underage males were removed from school in early 1945, and sent on what were essentially suicide missions. Hitler Youth activities often included learning to throw grenades and dig trenches, bayonet drills and escaping under barbed wire under pistol fire; the boys were encouraged to find these activities exhilarating and exciting." (Wikipedia)
"Russia's Minister of 'emergency situations', Alexander Kurenkov, stated that the units of the Federal Fire Service are staffed by only 65 1/2%. The situation is most acute. ... 105 thousand firefighter jobs not filled.
Kurenkov also said that military service conscripts (18-year olds) will be used by the Ministry of Emergency Situations as firefighters."(Inside Russia: 23 February 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
Excerpt from: Inside Russia: 23 February 2026: YouTube
"[Ukraine Army Chief] General Oleksandr Syrskyi (right) said that they killed or wounded 32,000 Russians alone last month. ... At the moment, that is MORE THAN Russia's recruitment rate"(Frontline and Times News: 21 February 2026: YouTube) (my emphasis)
"This
is an economy that in order to continue expanding on the military and
on the war have to extract money not just from the ground, but from the
people ... from its future.
So it's a kind of mortgage war ... and it is
consuming itself. And this is why Russia is struggling to replenish the
troops ... " (The Economist: 21 February 2026; YouTube) (my emphasis)
"Russian President Vladimir Putin is creating the informational conditions for the resumption of limited, staggered conscription of reservists. In this way, Russia is trying to compensate for its losses in the war against Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Analysts note that a series of recent decisions by the Russian authorities indicate preparations for the conscription of reservists." (RBC-Ukraine: 19 February 2026) (my emphasis)
Liliana Oleniak goes on to report that,
"The Kremlin is likely pressuring Ukraine to immediately concede to Russia's long-standing demands in peace talks in order to secure its military objectives without having to make uncomfortable sacrifices." (ibid Liliana Oleniak)
The demonic daily bombardment by Putin of Ukraine's civilains and its energy infrastructure, even as the so-called 'peace talks' between Ukraine and Russia are taking place, is a poweful indicator of just how paranoid Putin is, and how fearful he is of totally lossing power and, in the process, possibly his life.
Is it any wonder that, as Kathrine Frich (left) reports,
"Putin builds 'parallel army' to protect himself, defense expert warns.
But after internal unrest, elite tensions and the shock of the 2023 Wagner mutiny, analysts say the Russian president may be increasingly focused on safeguarding his grip on authority. … William James Dixon, a fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), told the Kyiv Post that a recent Kremlin decree appears to bolster Russia’s National Guard, known as Rosgvardia. … According to his analysis, Rosgvardia now operates under “general operational control” of its director, Viktor Zolotov, who reports directly to Putin.(Dagens.com UK: 21 February 2026) (my emphasis) As with the implosion of Trump's "tariff " Foreign Policy, Putin's 'parallel army' is now all that protects him.
The comments by Russia’s president to a large group of prominent businessmen on Thursday made it clear that he is intent on pursuing the war to a victorious end despite the growing strains on the Kremlin’s budget." (Max Seddon (right): Financial Times: 26 March 2026) (my emphasis)
Similarly, Konstantin Samoilov (left) explains why Putin's so-called 'windfall' is not all that it seems. 
And as a panicked Victor Orban (left) of Hungary fears losing in the upcoming Hungarian elections by continuing to block EU financial aid for for Ukraine, and threatening to,
