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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · 1d

Putin is right about one thing—the root causes of Russia's war against Ukraine will not go away.
Now you can listen to my book on the war's origins, from what really happened in 2014 to the fateful steps leading up to the full-scale invasion. Sample here: rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

RBmedia | Putin's Revenge

Listen to the audiobook Putin's Revenge, written by Lucian Kim, narrated by David Lee Huynh.

rbmediaglobal.com

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · 1d

Putin is right about one thing—the root causes of Russia's war against Ukraine will not go away.
Now you can listen to my book on the war's origins, from what really happened in 2014 to the fateful steps leading up to the full-scale invasion. Sample here: rbmediaglobal.com/audiobook/97...

RBmedia | Putin's Revenge

Listen to the audiobook Putin's Revenge, written by Lucian Kim, narrated by David Lee Huynh.

rbmediaglobal.com

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · 6d

Join @crisisgroup.org for a 7-minute tour of Africa, from São Tomé and Príncipe to Libya and Mali, tracing the growing reach of Russia's Africa Corps (né Wagner). www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0yI...

MAPPING CONFLICT | Russia’s Growing Influence in Africa

YouTube video by International Crisis Group

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · 7d

My thoughts on the Quantico meeting

Trump’s Speech to Generals Was Incitement to Violence Against Americans

Military leaders’ quiet professionalism offers hope amid a maelstrom.

foreignpolicy.com

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Sep 5

Putin: I see little point in meeting Zelensky. And even if there's a deal on territory, it will have to be approved by referendum, which requires lifting martial law, meaning there can be presidential elections.
Translation: Regime change by hook or by crook. kremlin.ru/events/presi...

Пленарное заседание X Восточного экономического форума

Президент России принял участие в пленарном заседании юбилейного, десятого Восточного экономического форума.

kremlin.ru

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Sep 5

As someone who has covered Putin for 20+ years, I'm always surprised by how much speculation surrounds his intentions. Although Putin dissembles, he also says what he thinks—it's just that people don't want to hear him. Here's what he said today about Zelensky and a peace deal:

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Sep 5

"First they swarm us with drones and bomb drops. Then they come in to clear the position. We hear their voices, it's usually two of them, and the firefight starts."
Essential reporting on the Ukrainian troops holding the line, by @francisjfarrell. kyivindependent.com/behind-ukrai...

Behind Ukraine’s manpower crisis lies a bleak new battlefield reality for infantry

Editor’s Note: In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names and callsigns only. DONETSK OBLAST – Since he first v...

kyivindependent.com

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 27

President lifts golden weight bar in front of his applauding cabinet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Pd...

Turkmenistan's president lifts golden weight bar in front of his applauding cabinet

YouTube video by The Telegraph

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Olya Oliker aka Dr. Olga Oliker (she/her) @olyaoliker.bsky.social · Aug 27

Mid-August's flurry of news, speculation, & summitry made it hard to keep track of reality. To help, we've got last week's commentary from @crisisgroup.org's @luciankim.bsky.social & Oleg Ignatov on the underlying facts of the present stage of the Russo-Ukrainian war & attendant diplomacy. A 🧵. 1/12

Beyond the Ukraine Summits: Five Realities after Three Years of War | International Crisis Group

As the dust settles on two whirlwind summits, it is clear only that diplomacy aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine must meet a higher bar. Crisis Group experts offer observations about five realiti...

www.crisisgroup.org

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 27

President lifts golden weight bar in front of his applauding cabinet. www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Pd...

Turkmenistan's president lifts golden weight bar in front of his applauding cabinet

YouTube video by The Telegraph

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

Worth noting is Lavrov's remark that Putin recognizes Zelensky as "de facto head of regime" and is ready to meet with him—but that when the time comes to sign any agreement, there will need to be a Ukrainian representative deemed legitimate by the Kremlin. Remember that.

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

(Also, it is incorrect to say WW2, like all major conflicts, was settled by some kind of negotiation. Both Germany and Japan surrendered unconditionally and faced military occupation; their opinion did not count.)

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

JD Vance boils disagreement down to security guarantees (critical to Ukraine) vs. borders (critical to Russia).
Yes for Kyiv, no for Moscow. Putin doesn't want new territories per se; he wants to revassilize Ukraine—that is the crux of the conflict. www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-pre...

Meet the Press – August 24, 2025

Vice President JD Vance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Monica Alba, Matt Gorman, Fmr. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, and Amna Nawaz

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

Almost no news in NBC's 50-minute Lavrov interview, an avalanche of Kremlin talking points ("2014 coup", "Nazis") and denials "no civilian targeting", "no Bucha"). Lavrov seemed uncharacteristically nervous, twisting a paper clip for a good part of the interview.

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

(Also, it is incorrect to say WW2, like all major conflicts, was settled by some kind of negotiation. Both Germany and Japan surrendered unconditionally and faced military occupation; their opinion did not count.)

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

JD Vance boils disagreement down to security guarantees (critical to Ukraine) vs. borders (critical to Russia).
Yes for Kyiv, no for Moscow. Putin doesn't want new territories per se; he wants to revassilize Ukraine—that is the crux of the conflict. www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-pre...

Meet the Press – August 24, 2025

Vice President JD Vance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Monica Alba, Matt Gorman, Fmr. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, and Amna Nawaz

www.nbcnews.com

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

Worth noting is Lavrov's remark that Putin recognizes Zelensky as "de facto head of regime" and is ready to meet with him—but that when the time comes to sign any agreement, there will need to be a Ukrainian representative deemed legitimate by the Kremlin. Remember that.

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

Almost no news in NBC's 50-minute Lavrov interview, an avalanche of Kremlin talking points ("2014 coup", "Nazis") and denials "no civilian targeting", "no Bucha"). Lavrov seemed uncharacteristically nervous, twisting a paper clip for a good part of the interview.

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 25

I'm reminded of the curse during the Bosnian war: "May your house appear on CNN." Now they're showing Dobropillia, the hometown of my best Ukrainian friend, on BBC. People always think war is someone else's misfortune until it comes, as always, uninvited. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Inside Donetsk as residents flee attacks on Ukrainian region Putin wants to control

Quentin Sommerville follows volunteers carrying out evacuations in eastern Ukraine as drone attacks rage.

www.bbc.com

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

Kremlin may provide more information, but initial readout from Putin adviser Ushakov is spare and not cause for optimism: "The presidents discussed the idea to study the possibility of raising the level of Moscow and Kyiv representatives in talks." ria.ru/20250819/raz...

Трамп созвонился с Путиным

Президенты России и США Владимир Путин и Дональд Трамп провели телефонный разговор, американский лидер проинформировал коллегу об итогах переговоров с... РИА Новости, 19.08.2025

ria.ru

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Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

Interesting details in Trump's readout of his call with Putin: He's now aiming for a meeting between Zelensky and Putin, followed by a crowning "trilat" he will attend.
And he delegates Vance, Rubio and Witkoff to deal with Kyiv and Moscow—but not Kellogg. truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

Question 2: How likely is a trilateral summit? Putin disdains Zelensky, who defied him by staying alive and fighting back. The Europeans' support for a "trilat" seems to be one way of getting behind Trump and heaving the ball back into Putin's court after Anchorage.

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

Trump's biggest problem is that he's in a rush—that's why he's so bendy on an immediate ceasefire before talks. You can hear Putin in Anchorage saying: "But you don't just want a ceasefire, you want an end to the war, just like I do!"

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

In the big meeting, the Europeans' investment in Trump is paying off. Trump is gracious and warm, no trace of the hostility that caused panic in Europe in February, even as Vance and Hegseth sit in the wings.

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Reposted by Lucian Kim

Lucian Kim @luciankim.bsky.social · Aug 18

Credit goes to Europeans—especially Starmer, Rutte, Stubb, Macron, Merz—not only for coaching Zelensky but also for giving Trump a crash course on the value of allies, even if they had to package it as "NATO is now buying US weapons."

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