randomname

joined 4 months ago
 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3244156

Archived version

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated that Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions go beyond Ukraine, aiming to restore the influence of the Soviet empire — including in the Baltic countries and other territories.

“I think Russia, even though they are only gaining limited successes, [..] poses a very big threat. We see that they are continuously further building up their military capabilities: producing more weapon systems and recruiting more soldiers."

"What we also see is that they are not only doing this to continue their aggression in Ukraine, but are also already preparing for a potential conflict beyond Ukraine. We also see that they are replenishing their inventory levels in other parts of Russia as well."

"So, I think that is very concerning. We also know that Putin's imperialistic ambitions go beyond Ukraine and that he wants to reinstate the influence of the Soviet empire, for example, in the Baltic states and other regions. So, I think this is a very serious concern, and that is why I fully support the NATO military plans that are made not only to defend NATO territory but also to deter Russia,” Brekelmans said.

[...]

 

Archived version

Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans stated that Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions go beyond Ukraine, aiming to restore the influence of the Soviet empire — including in the Baltic countries and other territories.

“I think Russia, even though they are only gaining limited successes, [..] poses a very big threat. We see that they are continuously further building up their military capabilities: producing more weapon systems and recruiting more soldiers."

"What we also see is that they are not only doing this to continue their aggression in Ukraine, but are also already preparing for a potential conflict beyond Ukraine. We also see that they are replenishing their inventory levels in other parts of Russia as well."

"So, I think that is very concerning. We also know that Putin's imperialistic ambitions go beyond Ukraine and that he wants to reinstate the influence of the Soviet empire, for example, in the Baltic states and other regions. So, I think this is a very serious concern, and that is why I fully support the NATO military plans that are made not only to defend NATO territory but also to deter Russia,” Brekelmans said.

[...]

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 5 points 26 minutes ago

Where is the "dialogue" in the original title? Is this a propaganda piece by a .ml account?

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 4 points 28 minutes ago

Russia violated about 400 international treaties since 2014

You'll find a lot of sources in addition to my link on that subject.

 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3233480

Archived

Vladimir Putin has announced the launch of a Russian youth drone-flying championship, dubbed Pilots of the Future, to start in 2026, the Kremlin press service announced on Monday.

The championship will be run by the youth organisation the Movement of the First and Russia’s Drone Racing Federation, according to the Kremlin, while funding will come from the federal budget.

The championship will be open to children aged seven and over. Putin has instructed the Sports Ministry and the Drone Racing Federation to lower its age requirements, as both currently only allow children aged 10 or over to operate drones.

The announcement comes amid a marked shift towards drone warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with both sides continuing to launch drone strikes deep into each other’s territory.

...

Over the past several years, Russia has increasingly indoctrinated children about the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, everyday life on the front line and serving in the army. Novaya Gazeta Europe recently estimated that at least 40,000 military-themed events involving war veterans had been held in Russian schools since the start of the war for children as young as six since the start of the war.

As Ukraine's Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group noted on its site, "Russia has lowered the age to seven of activities aimed at teaching children, including in occupied Ukraine, to operate the drones it is using to slaughter Ukrainian civilians."

 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3233480

Archived

Vladimir Putin has announced the launch of a Russian youth drone-flying championship, dubbed Pilots of the Future, to start in 2026, the Kremlin press service announced on Monday.

The championship will be run by the youth organisation the Movement of the First and Russia’s Drone Racing Federation, according to the Kremlin, while funding will come from the federal budget.

The championship will be open to children aged seven and over. Putin has instructed the Sports Ministry and the Drone Racing Federation to lower its age requirements, as both currently only allow children aged 10 or over to operate drones.

The announcement comes amid a marked shift towards drone warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with both sides continuing to launch drone strikes deep into each other’s territory.

...

Over the past several years, Russia has increasingly indoctrinated children about the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, everyday life on the front line and serving in the army. Novaya Gazeta Europe recently estimated that at least 40,000 military-themed events involving war veterans had been held in Russian schools since the start of the war for children as young as six since the start of the war.

As Ukraine's Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group noted on its site, "Russia has lowered the age to seven of activities aimed at teaching children, including in occupied Ukraine, to operate the drones it is using to slaughter Ukrainian civilians."

 

Archived

Vladimir Putin has announced the launch of a Russian youth drone-flying championship, dubbed Pilots of the Future, to start in 2026, the Kremlin press service announced on Monday.

The championship will be run by the youth organisation the Movement of the First and Russia’s Drone Racing Federation, according to the Kremlin, while funding will come from the federal budget.

The championship will be open to children aged seven and over. Putin has instructed the Sports Ministry and the Drone Racing Federation to lower its age requirements, as both currently only allow children aged 10 or over to operate drones.

The announcement comes amid a marked shift towards drone warfare in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with both sides continuing to launch drone strikes deep into each other’s territory.

...

Over the past several years, Russia has increasingly indoctrinated children about the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, everyday life on the front line and serving in the army. Novaya Gazeta Europe recently estimated that at least 40,000 military-themed events involving war veterans had been held in Russian schools since the start of the war for children as young as six since the start of the war.

As Ukraine's Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group noted on its site, "Russia has lowered the age to seven of activities aimed at teaching children, including in occupied Ukraine, to operate the drones it is using to slaughter Ukrainian civilians."

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 0 points 19 hours ago

I am not surprised by your stance as something like this is widespread on Lemmy (which may also contribute to the fact that the Lemmyverse is still quite small imo, as not many people are willing to read this propaganda all the day long). What I still find irritating is that this comes from a moderator.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 6 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

@Zombie@feddit.uk

Unless China sides with Russia they haven’t a chance, and China doesn’t seem to have shown any form of intent in that regard. They sell equipment to Russia because there’s money to be made, in the same way they sell equipment to NATO countries.

Oh, no, this is just as China (and Russia) portray things as part of their propaganda. But it's false.

For example, China сuts drone sales to Ukraine and the West but continues supplying Russia.

China is everything but neutral, and it's also not just about money as your comment tries to suggest. The government in Beijing pursues its own agenda (and its own agenda only). It goes far beyond Europe.

According to Chinese state-controlled media outlet South China Morning Post, for example, China's Xi Jinping kicked off his state visit to Russia in May 2025 by thanking Moscow for supporting Taiwan’s reunification with mainland China.

In a signed article in Russia’s state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper ... [Xi Jinping wrote that Taiwan's] unification [with China] must be upheld as part of the post-war international order ... Celebrating the “enduring friendship” between Moscow and Beijing, he said the two countries had supported each other since World War II ...

Russia's war in Ukraine and China's aggression against Taiwan are closely linked, at least for China. Beijing wants control over Taiwan (and supposedly over the South China Sea and other neighbouring areas in Asia, including a part of Siberia which is currently Russian territory).

And there are also Chinese mercenaries fighting for Russia, hired by ads on Chinese social media. Unlike any 'pro-Western' content on China's state-controlled internet, these Russian conscription ads aren't get censored.

[Edit typo.]

 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3230887

Archived version

According to the latest estimates by the World Bank, Russia has caused significant damage to Ukraine by destroying at least 60 million square meters of residential property. The cost of restoring this housing is estimated to be at least 86 billion US dollars.

...

  • 60+ million m² – total area of destroyed or damaged housing (according to data from “Diia”, about 850 thousand applications have been received);
  • 4.6 million people have received internally displaced status;
  • 600 thousand people are waiting for housing;
  • 1 billion euros is allocated in the Ukrainian state budget until 2027 for the implementation of the “eRecovery” programs and providing housing for servicemen;
  • 110 thousand families have already received compensation under the “eRecovery” program.

...

 

Archived version

According to the latest estimates by the World Bank, Russia has caused significant damage to Ukraine by destroying at least 60 million square meters of residential property. The cost of restoring this housing is estimated to be at least 86 billion US dollars.

...

  • 60+ million m² – total area of destroyed or damaged housing (according to data from “Diia”, about 850 thousand applications have been received);
  • 4.6 million people have received internally displaced status;
  • 600 thousand people are waiting for housing;
  • 1 billion euros is allocated in the Ukrainian state budget until 2027 for the implementation of the “eRecovery” programs and providing housing for servicemen;
  • 110 thousand families have already received compensation under the “eRecovery” program.

...

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 16 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Interesting points.

An current example of how a war changes how people eat can be seen in Russia.

Russians Turn to Pasta and Bread Amid Record Potato Price Increases

Russian consumers are increasingly substituting basic staples for once-affordable vegetables amid surging food prices and shrinking household budgets.

The most striking example is potatoes, a longtime dietary cornerstone in Russia, whose average retail price rose by 173% year-over-year by the end of May, the steepest annual increase in the past 23 years ... Svetlana Misikhina, deputy director of the Center for Development at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, estimated that the affordability of potatoes has declined by nearly 45% over the past year.

Other key products are showing similar trends: the average price of onions rose 41% year over year, while butter became 34% more expensive. As a result, the affordability of onions and butter fell by 17% and 15%, respectively.

By contrast, the affordability of products like grains and pasta has improved by 12 and 14%, respectively, reflecting both relatively stable prices and increased consumer demand, Misikhina said.

Despite official attempts to frame this dietary shift as a choice for “higher-quality foods,” the data paints a picture of economic strain.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 1 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (3 children)

@Zombie@feddit.uk

No, there is no alternative as the aggressor here is Russia. It was Russia which started the war, and if the EU isn't willing to upgrade its defense capabilities, Russia will start the wars against other countries. Russia outspends the whole of EU in military built-up, there is much evidence for this as you can also read in this comm in the meantime.

Just to to Ukraine and experience the war yourself to see the alternative.

Addition:

Not long ago Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk offered US president Donald Trump the chance to live in his house for a week to experience the reality of the war in Ukraine.

If you think investing in defense is not worthwhile you may call Mr. Usyk, maybe he is willing to extend his offer to you. You can then see yourself what happens in Ukraine every day.

[Edit typo.]

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

@haui_lemmy@lemmy.giftedmc.com

I am not involved in this so far, but what does your statement mean? I'm just asking because it is somewhat irritating how many admins and moderators here on Lemmy support autocratic regimes by downplaying and sometimes even denying their crimes.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Do you have something that fosters that opinion?

For now it doesn't look like Germany would cut social welfare for military expenditure, the actual budget plans don't say that.

 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3229688

Archived

Russia handed over some bodies of its own soldiers to Ukraine under the guise of Ukrainian casualties during a recent exchange of the deceased, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced on June 19.

"Yes, we have facts. We have established the names of these soldiers and officers who are unwanted by their homeland," Klymenko wrote on Telegram.

The discovery was made after the handover of remains under an agreement reached during the June 2 talks in Istanbul. In total, Ukraine received 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers as part of the phased exchange. Russia, according to Kremlin aide and negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, took back 78.

One of the bodies returned to Ukraine, labeled No. 192/25, was dressed in a Russian military uniform and carried a Russian passport issued to Alexander Viktorovich Bugaev, born in 1974.

Alongside the passport, officials found a military ID indicating Bugaev had served in the 1st Battalion of the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.

According to Klymenko, Bugaev went missing during heavy fighting near Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast in March 2025. His family had been searching for him for months. Klymenko said Russia had located Bugaev's body but chose to "dump" it among the Ukrainian dead.

"This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its people with contempt, throwing their bodies onto the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers," Klymenko said.

...

Kyiv has consistently called for an "all-for-all" exchange of prisoners of war, but Moscow has so far refused to agree to a comprehensive swap.

 

Archived

Russia handed over some bodies of its own soldiers to Ukraine under the guise of Ukrainian casualties during a recent exchange of the deceased, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced on June 19.

"Yes, we have facts. We have established the names of these soldiers and officers who are unwanted by their homeland," Klymenko wrote on Telegram.

The discovery was made after the handover of remains under an agreement reached during the June 2 talks in Istanbul. In total, Ukraine received 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers as part of the phased exchange. Russia, according to Kremlin aide and negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, took back 78.

One of the bodies returned to Ukraine, labeled No. 192/25, was dressed in a Russian military uniform and carried a Russian passport issued to Alexander Viktorovich Bugaev, born in 1974.

Alongside the passport, officials found a military ID indicating Bugaev had served in the 1st Battalion of the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade.

According to Klymenko, Bugaev went missing during heavy fighting near Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast in March 2025. His family had been searching for him for months. Klymenko said Russia had located Bugaev's body but chose to "dump" it among the Ukrainian dead.

"This is yet another proof of how Russia treats its people with contempt, throwing their bodies onto the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers," Klymenko said.

...

Kyiv has consistently called for an "all-for-all" exchange of prisoners of war, but Moscow has so far refused to agree to a comprehensive swap.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 22 hours ago

Nah, let them migrate to Ukraine. Let's see how their views change when they experience the war themselves.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 4 points 22 hours ago (3 children)

Not long ago Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk offered US president Donald Trump the chance to live in his house for a week to experience the reality of the war in Ukraine.

All those who think investing in defense is not worthwhile like Mr. Sanchez may call Mr. Usyk, maybe he is willing to extend his offer to others. You can then see yourself what happens in Ukraine every day.

Mr. Sanchez is also arguing in bad faith. There is no need to cut welfare spending for the sake of defense. Europe can afford both, and must. Once again, Mr. Sanchez doesn't appear to talk for his country and Europe but rather pursuing interests of others.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 6 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

@theacharnian@lemmy.ca @acargitz@lemmy.ca

What an absurdly derailed form of whataboutism is this? Russia is waging a war against Ukraine and preparing to invade other European nations (as you can see from the Kremlin's military spending). It was Russia which started this war and constitutes a threat to Europe, this has nothing to do with what happens in other world areas.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 2 points 22 hours ago

How much is Russia spending?

 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3196178

Archived version

Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said on Monday it had opened an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information.

...

The Italian regulator, which also polices consumer rights, said in a statement DeepSeek did not give users "sufficiently clear, immediate and intelligible" warnings about the risk of so-called "hallucinations" in its AI-produced content.

It described these as "situations in which, in response to a given input entered by a user, the AI ​​model generates one or more outputs containing inaccurate, misleading or invented information."

In February, another Italian watchdog, the data protection authority, ordered DeepSeek to block access to its chatbot after it failed to address its concerns on privacy policy.

...

As an addition:

What They’re Not Telling You: China’s New DeepSeek Censors Even More Than Old Models

  • China’s DeepSeek releases advanced AI model R1-0528, rivaling Western systems but heavily censoring political criticism and human rights issues.
  • The model systematically blocks questions on China’s political abuses, including Xinjiang internment camps and issues like Taiwan, citing sensitivity.
  • Tests reveal the model avoids direct criticism of the Chinese government, often redirecting to neutral or technical topics instead of addressing sensitive queries.
  • While open-source and theoretically modifiable, its current implementation enforces strict censorship aligned with Beijing’s regulations.
  • Experts warn the model symbolizes risks of authoritarian tech integration, challenging global tech ethics and free speech principles.
 

Archived version

Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said on Monday it had opened an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information.

...

The Italian regulator, which also polices consumer rights, said in a statement DeepSeek did not give users "sufficiently clear, immediate and intelligible" warnings about the risk of so-called "hallucinations" in its AI-produced content.

It described these as "situations in which, in response to a given input entered by a user, the AI ​​model generates one or more outputs containing inaccurate, misleading or invented information."

In February, another Italian watchdog, the data protection authority, ordered DeepSeek to block access to its chatbot after it failed to address its concerns on privacy policy.

...

As an addition:

What They’re Not Telling You: China’s New DeepSeek Censors Even More Than Old Models

  • China’s DeepSeek releases advanced AI model R1-0528, rivaling Western systems but heavily censoring political criticism and human rights issues.
  • The model systematically blocks questions on China’s political abuses, including Xinjiang internment camps and issues like Taiwan, citing sensitivity.
  • Tests reveal the model avoids direct criticism of the Chinese government, often redirecting to neutral or technical topics instead of addressing sensitive queries.
  • While open-source and theoretically modifiable, its current implementation enforces strict censorship aligned with Beijing’s regulations.
  • Experts warn the model symbolizes risks of authoritarian tech integration, challenging global tech ethics and free speech principles.
 

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3194360

Archived version

The EU and Australia announced on Wednesday they will start talks for a defence and security pact, with the bloc expected to strike a similar deal with Canada next week, a first step that could eventually allow both NATO allies to take part in the EU's €150 billion programme to boost military production.

...

Brussels and Canberra emphasised their cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, where China's military is increasingly active and assertive, and which has become a key pillar of Washington's foreign policy.

...

The EU and Australia are also currently negotiating a Free Trade Agreement but the talks for the SPD will remain separate.

A Security and Defence Pact (SPD) - like the one the EU signed with the UK last month - is one of the likely deliverables of the EU-Canada summit to be held on Monday in Brussels between European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, European Council president Antonio Costa, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

...

A second agreement, allowing for the third country's participation in SAFE, will also be required.

SAFE was approved by member states late last month and governments now have a few months to submit to the Commission the joint procurement projects they want to take part in. The EU executive could then start releasing money to fund these projects before the end of the year.

France announced on Tuesday that Bulgaria had joined its initiative for joint acquisitions of THALES radar intended to strengthen aerial surveillance.

"Other countries have already shown a strong interest in this approach and, with the support of the initial partner countries, are expected to join the cooperation in the near future," the French ministry for the armed forces said.

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