re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

Latest summary from ISW;

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Key Takeaways: Various US officials indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be willing to compromise on some war termination demands, but Putin's own statements and Russian official statements contradict these claims. It is unclear what Putin offered in his meeting with Trump beyond reiterating his demand for Donetsk Oblast and offering a limited ceasefire with no known timeframe in Zaporizhia and Kherson oblasts. Putin’s demand for all of Donetsk Oblast is the most clear and consistent demand coming out of the Alaska Summit. Ukrainian forces would not be able to conduct a safe and orderly withdrawal from unoccupied Donetsk Oblast in accordance with Putin's demand without a full ceasefire across the entire theater, however ISW continues to assess that a potential Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk Oblast would degrade Ukraine's defensive capabilities and defense industrial base (DIB) and put hundreds of thousands more Ukrainian civilians under Russian occupation. Ukraine would require robust international security guarantees and the immediate deployment of an international peacekeeping contingent to deter future Russian aggression. Seizing the remainder of Donetsk Oblast would likely be a difficult and years-long effort for Russian forces rather than a quick effort as Putin likely aims to portray, as Russian forces remain unable to secure operationally significant advances or advance faster than foot pace. Putin's reported rejection of a full ceasefire in Ukraine and the ongoing Russian offensives in Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts indicate that Putin intends to continue his war in Ukraine while negotiations are ongoing — a point that Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev welcomed. The Kremlin reportedly instructed Russian media outlets to present the Alaska summit as a meeting between two superpowers and to prepare Russian society for the possibility of a protracted war in Ukraine. Russian officials continue rhetorical campaigns designed to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and peace negotiations and to legitimize Russia's war in Ukraine. Ukrainian forces likely cleared several settlements within the Russian penetration northeast of Dobropillya. Ukrainian forces advanced near Pokrovsk and Velykomykhailivka. Russian forces advanced near Siversk.

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Still waiting to hear about all those hydrocracker reactor manufacturers along the Houston ship channel

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Yeah Cope. A bunch of leftist Eurotrash will come to the United States and boss around Trump. It’s like you’ve never paid attention, ever. Moron

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Yep, only Putin gets to do that!!!

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They are probably going to be unveiled at the same time your silicon valley tech will be

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It's already been used in Russia for pilings to build modern parts of Moscow (built on a marsh) it's just different application than hunter killer satellites

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Google “mfbarnes” on TexAgs. It’s a story of a poster there who for years posted the ins and outs of the oil industry. People got tired of his stories of grandeur and began digging in to it. Turns out it was all fake. To the point of photoshopping all his Facebook pics and photoshopping himself into oil field news articles and West Texas magazine covers I think he ended up getting sued. The original thread was like 1,000 pages long.

That’s CitizenK. The Cajun “mfbarnes”

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That's you in your "knowledge" of oil and gas from wellhead to products.

The last company to make hydrocracker reactors in Houston was Bise Welding but they were completed in Sulphur Springs and are tinker toy sized for a renewable fuels project in Oregon. Hydrocrackers were a European thing until a few decades ago. US refineries had FCC's instead because we needed higher ratio of gasoline to diesel than hydrocrackers produce. We definitely had mild hydrocracking to make base oil for lubricants, at a lower operating pressure to not fully crack the feedstock.

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Behold, a card.

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Putin really screwed up by not having this wrapped up under 2 weeks.

He has created a Ukrainian arms industry... among 1,000 other unfavorable repercussions in neighboring countries and former territories.

The Russian advantage is brute manpower. There's a lot of people (Ukraine, the Baltic States, Finland) now trying to use technological means to overcome that advantage. Their existence depends on it. I keep waiting for more advancements in land drones, and even robotic infantry, as well as things with drone swarms.

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The stakes? Nothing less than the future of Ukraine and Europe’s security.

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False. Drama bullshite

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and no NATO for Ukraine

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There is absolutely no reason for Ukraine to be in NATO

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Von der Leyen, Stubb, Macron, Merz, and Meloni are flying to DC to back Zelensky.

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Cool? These are all total weak losers.

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prevent another Oval Office ambush like the one in March

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Zelensky showed up, refused to negotiate, threatened the US and was promptly kicked out.

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Trump says he wants to “end the war,” but refuses to pressure russia

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More lies

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That “deal” mirrors Putin’s demands—territorial concessions and no NATO for Ukraine

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This will be the entirety of TACO's proposal. TACO's world is limited to zero-sum transactional real estate deals. And he's not even good at it.

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Kyiv fears being forced to surrender land while russia keeps fighting.

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A bit of hyperbole there. Kyiv will not surrender land. They may agree to a cease fire with troops in place, but will never surrender their land. This includes most especially Crimea.

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Trump’s stance now aligns with Moscow’s playbook.

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Of course, that's the Epstein Effect.

But now every leader in the world knows this and acts accordingly. Between European leaders, US arms manufacturers and GOP members of Congress running next year, TACO is gradually getting sidelined. They are kissing his arse and letting him run wild with the contradictory press conferences but meanwhile at the adult's table they are maneuvering him away from Putin's instructions.

Putin is under huge pressure now and is desperate. TACO is the only card he has left and no one takes him seriously now. His boy is getting managed out of pulling US weapons deliveries and applying sanctions relief as demanded and the Ukrainian drone attacks will soon become Ukrainian cruise missile attacks. All of which are aimed directly at Putin's circle of oligarchs and none of which Putin can stop.

The European leaders will hit TACO with a brick wall of peer pressure today and show him that Putin's demands are impossible. TACO will prevaricate for another two weeks while another six oil refineries go boom in Russia. Rinse and repeat.

Missile strike on Zaporizhzhia: three dead, 20 injured

18.08.2025 13:37

A Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia early this morning has left three people dead and at least 20 injured.

The head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, shared the update on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

“There are now 20 people injured following this morning’s Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia,” Fedorov wrote.

He confirmed that three people were killed and many of the wounded are in critical condition. Among the injured is a 17-year-old boy, and several victims are currently undergoing surgery.

Investigators, police paramedics, rescue workers, and city emergency services remain on the scene, responding to the aftermath of the strike.

A criminal investigation has been launched under Article 438, Parts 1 and 2 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which pertains to war crimes.

It was also reported that a man rescued from a crater caused by the missile strike later died in hospital from his injuries.

“The man who was pulled from the crater by rescuers, unfortunately, has died. Doctors fought for his life until the very end,” Fedorov wrote.

As reported by Ukrinform, Russian forces struck Zaporizhzhia this morning with two Iskander-type missiles. Seventeen people were injured. One of the victims, who suffered multiple burns, was rescued by police and emergency workers from a crater formed at the site of the Russian strike.

Ukrinform

Volodymyr Zelenskyy /
@ZelenskyyUa
·
10h
I have already arrived in Washington, tomorrow I am meeting with President Trump. Tomorrow we are also speaking with European leaders. I am grateful to @POTUS for the invitation. We all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably. And peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East—part of Donbas—and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called “security guarantees” in 1994, but they didn't work. Of course, Crimea should not have been given up then, just as Ukrainians did not give up Kyiv, Odesa, or Kharkiv after 2022. Ukrainians are fighting for their land, for their independence.

Now, our soldiers have successes in Donetsk and Sumy regions. I am confident that we will defend Ukraine, effectively guarantee security, and that our people will always be grateful to President Trump, everyone in America, and every partner and ally for their support and invaluable assistance. Russia must end this war, which it itself started. And I hope that our joint strength with America, with our European friends, will force Russia into a real peace. Thank you!