Since it's October tomorrow:

A reminder that October is the month where Russia usually conducts it's annual strategic nuclear forces exercise Grom and NATO usually runs the annual nuclear exercise Steadfast Noon.

Both are normal activities, as annual implies.

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi visited the front lines in Pokrovsk and Dobropillia. At a command post, he met with corps commanders to assess the situation and discuss further actions, with special focus on neutralizing Russian marines redeployed to press the offensive near Dobropillia.

🔺Baltic - Article of interest

Comment: Baltic Fleet Forces reinstated Cold War legacy comms, continue high levels of C3 training & can transition to higher states of readiness at extremely short notice. I concur with the Executive Summary.

My take ⬇️

jamesdroxford.substack.com/p/return-to-...

RFK Jr. has talked about finding the environmental causes of autism, all the while he is slashing divisions that actually research how the environment contributes to autism diagnoses. Great piece.
www.propublica.org/article/rfk-...

as evidenced by its leaders' one-sided declarations attacking Ukrainian and Western deterrence in the name of 'peace'. Therefore, including Orban in the negotiations, or raising his profile by holding a high-level meeting in Hungary, would be playing into Russia's hands. 2/3

Most Americans frequently use federal science information. But few are concerned that cuts to federal science spending could affect their access to such information, a new poll finds.

JD Vance finished off the Pope - Pope Francis, groundbreaking Jesuit pontiff, dies aged 88
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

On Kash Patel's jet-setting lifestyle as the FBI director, a sharp departure from his predecessors. He's used FBI/DoJ private planes to attend a UFC fight in Vegas and an Islanders game in New York
From Adam Goldman and (to a lesser extent) me
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/u...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared detailed information about strikes in Yemen to a second unclassified Signal group chat that included his wife and brother, people familiar with the matter said. nyti.ms/4jBQ1wV

Lil Marco is learning that diplomacy is difficult, despite the fact that his boss promised to end this war in 24 hours with one phone call & said it “wouldn’t even be that hard to do.” What he won’t say is this isn’t getting done because Putin WANTS war.

Russia’s Prosecutor General is requesting to legalize the Islamist Taliban movement in Russia. A lawsuit has been filed to lift the ban on the terrorist group’s activities. Terrorists legalizing terrorists—classic.

Wherever possible please buy your books directly from authors and/or publishers. Even ebooks (then Amazon can't delete them either). We make a better cut and you get the same thing or better, plus Bezos and ilk don't get richer. Win win win.

Believing that Tulsi Gabbard — longtime Russian asset and newly confirmed Director of National Intelligence — is acting in the interests of the United States requires an extraordinary level of self-delusion.

1/4
Danish Military Intelligence, FE, has released an updated assessment on Russia.

I see this as worst case scenario(s), and they are rather vague on assigning probabilities, but the preconditions they use are sensible IMO.

Former head of
The European Maritime Safety Agency Markku Mylly completely dismiss the thought that the numerous Baltic Sea cable incidents are accidents.

Calls such statements an insult to sailors.