The Real Politick with Mark Sleboda

'CRIMEA CRISIS' PROPAGANDA: LARGELY A DISTRACTION FROM BATTLEFRONT My latest discussion with @RachBlevins 30/06/26 https://youtu.be/gfqWzb_kr4Y?si=2XiBoSa_UqAJLNHX

🇷🇺🛢 BLOOMBERG: Russia's seaborne crude exports hit an all-time high in June 📈Four-week average shipments reached 4.13 mln barrels per day (b/d) through June 28 — the highest since before the 2022 invasion. Total crude at sea has climbed roughly a third from its mid-April low, with a visible cargo buildup forming off Egypt (Mersa el-Kabir) and near Singapore (Riau archipelago), signalling placement difficulties. 💬Ukrainian strikes on refineries in Ufa, Yaroslavl, Slavyansk-na-Kubani and two hits on the Moscow refinery — likely offline for the remainder of the year, according to Bloomberg — have knocked out domestic processing capacity, forcing raw crude onto export markets instead. Putin has publicly acknowledged a domestic fuel supply squeeze. 📉Export revenues have fallen to their lowest since March. Urals (Baltic/Black Sea) trading around $63/bbl; ESPO (Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean pipeline) around $74 per barrel. 💲Baltic Urals is now priced at roughly half their early-May levels. Asia absorbed 3.98 mln b/d — China 1.08 mln b/d, India 0.74 mln b/d — with another 2.13 mln b/d still without a declared destination. ➡️With Chinese demand sluggish and Persian Gulf volumes beginning to return through Hormuz following the US-Iran interim deal, Bloomberg expects Moscow will need to offer steeper discounts to keep its crude sales going. 🔴 @DDGeopolitics | Socials | Donate | Advertising

🔥🇷🇺 The Black Sea is under Russia’s watch Russian forces have destroyed 5 Ukrainian unmanned surface vessels in the northeastern Black Sea, shows the footage released by the Ministry of Defense. NATO’s Breeze exercise, led by the Bulgarian Navy, kicked off in the western part of the Black Sea on July 30. 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇷🇺 Battle for Konstantinovka In the battle for Konstantinovka, assault troops of the "South" group continue advancing through city blocks, suppressing pockets of Ukrainian Armed Forces resistance. Our UAV operators are methodically destroying enemy signal repeaters and remote antennas. @Slavyangrad

🇷🇺 Storming of Krasny Liman: Russian Army Advances Toward Center from South and Northwest ▪️ In Krasny Liman, assault units of the 25th Army are advancing westward and destroying AFU formations, the Defense Ministry reports. ▪️ Forces of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division are pushing from the northwest, while units of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division are advancing from the south. @Slavyangrad

🇮🇷🇮🇱🇺🇸 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the U.S. to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them. Any threat against our People and Leadership will receive Immediate Powerful Response.

🔴 @DDGeopolitics | Socials | Donate | Advertising

🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES ⚡️ UKRAINSKOYE IN THE KHARKOV REGION LIBERATED ⚡️ KOPANI IN THE ZAPOROZHYE REGION LIBERATED With the capture of Ukrainskoye, the Russian military can now expand its security buffer zones in the borderline regions. By liberating Kopani, Russian forces now have the capability of laying the groundwork for further advances towards Orekhov. ◻️ The Black Sea Fleet destroyed two unmanned Ukrainian sea boats ◻️ Russian air and missile firepower obliterated Ukrainian energy, transport and defense infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces ◻️ Air defense superiority: seven guided aerial bombs and 602 drones were shot down over the past 24 hours ◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,430 troops killed or wounded Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE 📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇪🇺🇷🇺🇺🇦 European Union European Union must not be allowed at the negotiating table on Ukraine, stated Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev in an interview with TASS. @Slavyangrad

🔥🇷🇺 Russia surges into world's top two ranking for fastest-growing household wealth Over the five years leading up to 2025, Russia climbed to second place globally in household asset growth, according to the 2026 UBS Global Wealth Report. Wealth, as defined in the report, is the total value of financial and real assets minus all outstanding liabilities, with all figures adjusted for inflation and calculated in national currencies to reflect true purchasing power. Russia posted a 37% rise in inflation-adjusted wealth per adult during the period, placing it second globally. Only South Korea recorded a greater increase, with wealth rising by 55%, while Croatia came in third with 29% growth. 📌 Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🔥🇷🇺 Russia keeps hammering Ukraine’s energy grid In retaliation, Russian forces are launching high-precision strikes on Ukrainian fuel depots, supply stations, and railway hubs, crippling the enemy’s logistics, one link at a time. Recent targets include: ▫️ 25 petrol stations in a number of eastern Ukrainian cites, including Berislav, Shostka, and Kherson ▫️ A gas distribution station near Panyutino in eastern Ukraine’s Zaporozhye region ▫️ A logistics center of the Ukrainian army on the outskirts of Zaporozhye ▫️ Railway infrastructure in eastern Ukraine’s Kharkov region ▫️ A petroleum, oil and lubricants depot (POL) of Ukraine’s Kantserovka oil refinery. ▫️ A logistics center in the Kharkov region, used by Ukrainian troops to store weapons, drones, and components. ▫️ a POL depot in the Dnepropetrovsk region. 📌 Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Peter Thiel's Lab Experiment basically admits that the MOU with Iran is meant to restock and then... 🔴 @DDGeopolitics | Socials | Donate | Advertising

🇺🇦 AFU Commander-in-Chief Refutes Zelensky's Lie About Belarus Disabling Russian Drone Repeaters Syrsky stated that repeaters on the territory of Belarus, which, according to the Ukrainian side, are used to adjust the flights of Russian drones, have not been disabled. On the eve, Ukrainian military once again recorded their operation. Earlier, the drug-addicted clown, citing Ukrainian intelligence data, claimed that the repeaters had been disabled. At the same time, Syrsky expressed the opinion that the Belarusian side will not use such repeaters in the future, noting that he counts on the cessation of their work. @Slavyangrad

🇺🇦 Kharkov-Dnepropetrovsk highway M29: All fuel stations destroyed Bandera resources report that on the M29 highway, a primary route between Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk, no operational fuel stations remain. All have been knocked out by Geran drones. @Slavyangrad

☢️ Finland nuclear weapons ban is officially lifted Earlier in June, the Finnish parliament approved legislative amendments lifting the current ban on the import, manufacture, storage, and use of nuclear weapons in the country. Russia will take political and military-technical measures to respond to the lifting of the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Finland, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. 📌 Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🗣🇮🇷 Sanctions lifted: Iran selling oil 20% more expensive — Ghalibaf The chief negotiator confirms oil exports are flowing again, and Iran is selling at higher prices.

"Since the day we lifted the blockade, we have exported more than 40 million barrels of oil," he said during the TV interview.

Ghalibaf also rejected Trump's claim that the money can only buy US products. 

"The Central Bank can purchase any goods it needs, at any price and in any currency worldwide."

The Iranian Parliament Speaker vowed to "increase the prosperity of the Strait day by day," with plans to increase traffic and lower insurance fees. 📌 Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚔️ Poland halts MiG transfer to Ukraine amid worsening ties Poland will not send its remaining MiG‑29 fighter jets to Ukraine because it withdrew from a drone technology‑sharing agreement.

"There are no MiGs because there are no drones," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

On June 19, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Zelensky of Poland's highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, after he named a military unit after the OUN-UPA (organization banned in Russia). 📌 Subscribe to @SputnikInt

• 📝Offensive development near Vozdryzhenivka📝 In the East Zaporizhia direction, the intensity of combat operations is growing. Following the advance of the "Vostok" grouping near Novoselivka and its freeing, the enemy began conducting counterattacks there to restore lost positions. ➡️The fighters of the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade and 394th Rifle Regiment managed to exploit this by breaking through the front to the north, using Vozdryzhenivka as a foothold and freeing Lisne and Rovne respectively. Objective control footage with flags from here is not yet available, however reports of successes from this line have been coming in for some time, so there is little doubt about the advance. ➡️Trying to slow down the "Vostok" offensive, AFU formations continue attempts to infiltrate and drop new small groups into the forest belts toward the Haichur River. They are particularly active in doing this in the north. There is evidence of AFU presence in the vicinity of Prydorozhnе, as well as attempts to bypass Rozhdestvensky toward Dobropolya through forest belts. Due to this, the situation in the northern sector of the East Zaporizhia direction remains difficult. ❗️As in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk direction, the enemy uses the advantage of Starlink and octocopters to supply their small groups. This allows them to pin down Russian Armed Forces advances with relatively small forces. 📌Multiple rechecks of the same positions combined with sparse observation posts in conditions of "dirty skies" require considerable forces and time. And it is precisely for this reason that AFU formations continue to trade personnel for "markers" in the rear and drag out search operations by Russian forces. If you have updates on the situation, or want us to highlight the successes of your unit, you can always write to us via the feedback bot @rybar_feedback_bot 📍High resolution map 📍English version 📍Online maps available by subscription at map.rybar.ru #Huliaipole #digest #map #Russia #Ukraine ✈ RU | ✈ EN | ✉ MAX ✉️ VK | ✉️

• 📝Offensive near Slavyansk📝 Units of the "South" grouping continue their offensive in the Slavyansk direction and have achieved tactical successes on several sectors. They are pushing back the enemy across a broad front by current standards, increasing the frequency of drone and aviation strikes. ➡️In the north, Russian units are conducting combat operations on the approaches to Piskunovka following the freeing of Mala Piskunovka, while simultaneously striking the populated area of Nikolaevka with multiple attacks. The urban-type settlement represents an important defensive node for Ukrainian formations. One-and-a-half and three-ton FABs with JDAMs rain down on it, reducing the number of enemy strongpoints in the built-up area. ➡️In the triangle of Yurkovka — Orekhovatka — Ray-Aleksandrovka, fighting continues in the hedgerows. Russian units are seeking to cut off counterattack routes for the enemy toward Ray-Aleksandrovka and simultaneously improve their tactical position on the southern approaches to Nikolaevka. ➡️Along the line Malynivka — Tikhonivka, there are also localized successes. Russian units have managed to advance significantly on the outskirts of Malynivka, establishing a foothold in the village. Fighting continued across much of the populated area until recently, and Russia's Ministry of Defense has already announced its freeing. So in the near future we can expect footage with flags. 📌The situation in the Slavyansk direction continues to develop favorably for Russian Armed Forces units. This is due both to a systematic approach to destroying enemy logistics and to a significant increase in strikes against the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk urban area, which reduces the enemy's ability to accumulate reserves for both conducting counterattacks and for current strengthening of positions in the urban area. If you have updates on the situation, or want us to highlight the successes of your unit, you can always write to us via the feedback bot @rybar_feedback_bot 📍High-resolution map 📍Russian version 📍Online maps available by subscription at map.rybar.ru #digest #map #Russia #Slavyansk #Ukraine ✈ RU | ✈ EN | ✉

• 📝Another attack on Russia📝 Ukrainian formations delivered another mass strike against Russian territory on the night of June 30. A total of 419 drones were shot down across 21 regions. ➡️One of the main targets was the capital region, where over fifty UAVs were launched. In Egorievsk, a drone hit a private house; a six-month-old child died on the way to the hospital, three others were hospitalized. In Dubna, according to the enemy's claims, a strike was delivered against a space communications station; debris was found in Ramenskoye and Kolomna; a private house was damaged in Fateevo. ➡️In Crimea and other regions of southern Russia, the situation was also tense. As before, the enemy attacked energy and logistics infrastructure facilities. Sevastopol is experiencing power supply disruptions, and seven unmanned AFU boats were destroyed off the coast of Novorossiysk. ➡️A significant number of drones were intercepted over western Russian regions. In Kaluga Region, 22 drones were destroyed; in Voronezh Region, 31 drones were shot down, with no reports of casualties. Based on the interception geography, most of the aircraft were heading "in transit" to Moscow, but air defense once again managed to intercept the overwhelming majority of air targets. 📌The enemy continues to increase the volume of drone launches against Russian regions and its critical infrastructure. Under these conditions, it is critically important not only to improve air defense, but to strike the enemy's production facilities, since in this case, acting on the defensive will not work. 📍High resolution map 📍English version #Russia #Ukraine #Map ✈️ RU | ✈️ EN | ✉️ MAX ✉️ VK | ✉️ RuTube | ✉️ OK | ✉️ Dzen 💸

• 📝Strike on the Tank Farm📝 New footage of Geran strikes deep in enemy territory raises questions again not only about strike range, but also about the quality of damage assessment. The farther the target from the front line, the more important it becomes to understand not just the fact of impact, but the real effect it produces. Evidence of the strike from June 28 on the tank farm again demonstrates the strong point of the new Geran modifications: this represents a different level of work against enemy rear infrastructure. The target can be seen, struck, and the result assessed immediately, rather than waiting for indirect confirmations through fires, satellite imagery, or reports from the ground. ➡️The impact itself looks successful: one of the elements of the fuel-logistics infrastructure was struck. For the enemy, such facilities matter not as individual tanks, but as part of the fuel storage, transshipment, and distribution chain. But this is precisely where the main question begins. One impact is good, but if the site retains working elements, supply routes, and the ability to quickly redistribute the load, the effect quickly diminishes. ➡️A nice picture does not replace systematic work. A strike for video—that's a media result. A strike with damage assessment, repeated strikes, and taking the facility out of operation—that's already a military result. The emergence of objective damage control for the Geran enables not stopping at the first impact: you can see what was struck, what continues to function, and where further pressure is needed. ❗️The main conclusion is simple: they began striking correctly, but they need to strike more and methodically. Enemy rear logistics do not collapse from one successful video—they are knocked out through series of strikes, damage assessment, and repeated strikes against those elements that still allow the facility to operate. 📌This is the value of the new Gerans: not in the nice picture itself, but in the ability to transition from sporadic impacts to proper work following the scheme "identify—strike—assess—finish." 📍High-resolution infographic 📍English version #Ukraine #Russia ✈ RU | ✈ EN | ✉ MAX ✉️ VK | ✉️ RuTube | ✉️