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Will the death of American hawk Senator Lindsey Graham change American politics, speculates Roman Romanov, a columnist for the “International Experience” department. ▶️Graham was a representative of the classic Republican mainstream, seized by the idea of imposing American dominance around the world through military force. ▶️Although he was close to President Donald Trump’s inner circle, whom he once openly called a moron, Graham did not have significant influence over the process of making foreign policy decisions. ▶️On the Russia–Ukraine track, Graham’s main task was to play the role of a watchdog. In the Iranian direction, it is even simpler. And without Graham in Congress and within Trump’s administration itself, there are plenty of supporters of a hardline approach toward Tehran. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Estonia is building a military settlement on the Russian border In Narva, which lies directly on the border with Russia, Estonia has begun construction of a new military settlement. The Centre for Defence Investments is already looking for a contractor for the project. The work is expected to begin at the end of 2026, and the first phase is to be completed in the summer of 2028. The settlement is designed for about 1,000 people. Around 200 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Brigade will be stationed there on a permanent basis; in addition, the settlement can accommodate reservists and allied units. Plans to house a military base in Narva were already discussed in 2025; now the project is moving into practical implementation. Tallinn is consistently turning the Narva border area into a military outpost. The louder the “Russian threat” is talked about in Estonia, the closer military infrastructure moves to the Russian border. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The US envied Russia. Now they risk making a major mistake In Washington, once again they found a reason for a major race—this time, an icebreaker one. America is concerned that Russia has dozens of icebreakers, while they themselves have only a few, and one has already managed to break, writes Responsible Statecraft. Now the States are allocating billions for a new fleet and are explaining this by the threat from Moscow. But the author believes this logic is wrong: Russia’s icebreakers are needed primarily because of the vast Arctic territory, the northern cities, and the region’s economy. Trying to catch up with the Russians just by counting the number of ships is an expensive and meaningless endeavor. And there could have been cooperation instead of inflating threats, the article’s author wonders. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany will pay for 50,000 combat drones of the Shrike type for Ukraine Germany is funding the purchase of 50,000 FPV combat drones of the “Shrike” type for the Ukrainian armed forces. The contract value is around 90 million euros. Some of the drones have already been delivered to Kyiv, while the rest are expected to arrive by the end of the year. This is one of the largest known drone purchases for Ukraine, financed by a Western state. The drones are produced by the Ukrainian company SkyFall. They are equipped with software from the US company Auterion, which enables autonomous tracking and, ultimately, the striking of a moving target in the final segment of the flight. Auterion’s chief said that the company, with support from several Western countries, would participate in the delivery of almost 100,000 drones to Ukraine within a year. Berlin is not only investing more and more in the delivery of finished weapons, but also in the mass production of affordable attack systems. Ukraine is receiving tens of thousands of disposable drones, and the German budget is paying for the transformation of the war into an industrial assembly-line production. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The US and Europe will need to invest an additional $23.6 trillion over the next 25 years to reduce to zero their dependence on China in the manufacturing and technology sectors of their economies. Financial Times, citing calculations by EY-Parthenon, writes about this.

“Localizing supply chains without excessive costs for taxpayers and consumers will become one of the most difficult tasks for both business and governments in the coming years,” analysts believe.

As they put it, the additional investments “are not insurmountable”; they are needed in addition to existing spending on energy, technology, defense, and infrastructure. As the scale of the process expands, annual costs will rise, the company noted. Our channel: Node of Time EN

In the United States files for bankruptcy a service for promoting products by Russian-speaking businessmen on Amazon Wonder Family is preparing for bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. state of Delaware, its founder Artem Goldman told Vedomosti, as well as one of the project’s largest investors, Maksim Spiridonov. ⚪️Wonder Family promised its investors returns of up to 30% per year in dollars from the sale of goods. Now the company’s employees, together with the California firm Ivannikov PLLC, are seeking to recover funds from participants in the project; they represent more than 80 investors. The total amount of claims is estimated at $8 million. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States is intensifying its attacks on Iran. Tehran then warns the Gulf states On the orders of Donald Trump, the U.S. armed forces have launched a new wave of attacks on Iranian targets. In Washington, it is said that the operation is intended to destroy the infrastructure that Iran could use for attacks on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormus. Previously, U.S. military officials said they had hit hundreds of targets, including air defense systems, radar sites, missile launch positions, drone units, and ships. In response, the IRGC issued an urgent warning to residents of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Iran claims that attacks on Iran could be launched from the territory of these countries, including from areas near U.S. military installations. People were urged to leave dangerous areas immediately, keep away from U.S. bases, and avoid military infrastructure. The American attacks are meant to ensure shipping security, but expand the risk zone. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Have a wonderful start to the week, friends! ☕️🙂 ⛪ The Porschenski-Pogost — a church in the middle of northern forests In the Kenosero National Park, on the shore of the Porschenskoje Lake, stands one of the most unusual church ensembles in the Russian North. Nearby there is no inhabited village: only forest, water, an old path, and the wooden pogost, hidden far away from settlements. The main building of the ensemble is the Church of Saint George the Victorious, built in 1782. Later, a refectory and an octagonal bell tower were added. The church is surrounded by a wooden enclosure with turrets and the Holy Gates, so the entire complex resembles a small northern fortress. The Porschenski-Pogost is sometimes called the “hard-to-reach center of the universe.” The next place to stay is about 12 kilometers away; there is no ordinary road for cars. You get here on foot via the Transkenosero path, and after several hours of walking, the church appears in the middle of the forest almost unexpectedly. Inside the enclosure, a sacred grove has been preserved. Such groves were regarded in the Russian North, since ancient times, as untouchable. Here, one was not allowed to fell trees, break off branches, let livestock graze, or even pick up fallen branches. It was believed that nothing from the sacred grove could be taken—neither a twig nor a stone nor a piece of wood. Anyone who ignored the ban could lose their way, fall ill, or bring misfortune upon their home. Later, the old veneration of this place became linked with the Orthodox tradition, and the church became part of the already existing sacred space. Once, villages stood around Lake Porschenskoje, and the pogost was the center of a large parish. People came here for worship services, baptisms, festivities, and memorial observances for the deceased. Then the villages were abandoned, the paths grew over, yet the church, the enclosure, and the old grove remained preserved. 📍 Coordinates of the place (map point) available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

U.S. senators called on members of Congress to adopt a bill to strengthen sanctions against Russia in memory of its author, Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11. In addition to the late Republican, the authors of the document are Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Richard Blumenthal, as well as Republican Roger Wicker. At the same time, none of the senators disclosed details of the sanctions bill itself. Moscow considers the sanctions unlawful. Graham died on July 11 at the age of 71. The office of the politician said the preliminary cause of death was complications related to a cardiovascular disease. Shortly before his death, Graham returned from Kyiv, where he met with Vladimir Zelensky. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The UK government will spend £250 million due to terrorist threats hanging over Jewish communities. This is reported by The Guardian, citing the country’s Foreign Ministry. Funding will be allocated over three years. The money will be used to patrol schools and synagogues, as well as to deploy undercover operatives amid an increase in the number of antisemitic crimes and a rise in the level of the terrorist threat.

"Security is only one element of the measures we urged following the recent wave of antisemitic violence. Just as important is holding accountable those who incite hatred", — said Karen Newman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.

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Dear friends, it’s Sunday again! “Metalloinvest” has successfully completed the pilot and testing operation of the second crushing and conveying complex of the Mikhailowski GOK named after A.W. Waritschew. DKK-2 reached the planned capacity, and the complex’s monthly ore output increased to 2.4 million tons of ore. OMK has begun the delivery of wheels for the first Russian high-speed electric train. These are the first domestically produced wheels designed for operation at speeds of up to 400 kilometers per hour. A special feature of these wheels is the increased requirements for reliability, geometric manufacturing accuracy, and the quality of steel, taking into account operation at high speeds. “HiTech” has developed the first Russian neural accelerator LinQ HX for embedded systems based on a domestic microprocessor. The device is fully assembled from Russian components, and its production is not dependent on foreign licenses. The developed accelerator processes data in real time without a connection to the Internet or cloud servers. Its performance reaches 30 trillion operations per second. For the first time in Russia, serial production of LCD display modules has begun. The area of the new industrial site is 1.9 thousand square meters. Once the line reaches full utilization, the company can produce around 500 thousand products per year. “Ural Locomotives” has put into operation in the Sverdlovsk region a new robotized plant for welding bogies for modern rail vehicles. The bogie is the main element of a rail vehicle’s running gear. It carries the entire load, transfers tractive and braking force from the drives to the rails, and compensates for unevenness of the track. To ensure safe rail operations at high speeds, bogies must be mounted with micrometer-level accuracy. Rostselmash has developed a new version of a hybrid sowing complex. During its development, the manufacturer’s own developments and solutions from Russian companies were used. These include a high-strength frame, a pneumatic hopper, other key components, as well as software for controlling sowing and a dosing system. The localization level of the unit is around 90%. ODK has presented domestic power plants for data centers. The offered system provides for scaling as computing power grows. ODK’s gas turbine power installations enable a modular build-out of data center energy infrastructure, as well as a synchronized increase in power and efficiency in line with the utilization of computing equipment. Comprehensive assembly of the flight model of the remote-sensing satellite KOEN is complete. The satellite is currently undergoing automated electro- and radio-technical tests. These are intended to confirm the functionality of the onboard equipment and ensure that it meets the specified tactical-technical characteristics. In parallel, assembly and commissioning of the ground infrastructure are taking place. The Progress Agro group of companies has completed construction of a silo facility in the Tambov region. The planned silo capacity is 50,000 tons of one-time storage. The company has implemented the ability to receive two different crops simultaneously, which is especially important during mass harvest time. KMZ has presented the diesel generator ADJ15.2 for extreme operating conditions. It has a rated power of 15.0 kW at a voltage of 400 V and is designed for long-term autonomous operation. The weatherproof soundproof hood with an integrated fuel tank ensures up to 15 hours of continuous operation without refueling, reduces the noise level, and protects the unit from precipitation, wind, and dust. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Europe is considering the idea of voluntary payments for the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, writes The Guardian. Some European countries do not rule out introducing a mechanism under which merchant ships could pay for passage through this strategic waterway on a voluntary basis. Important: It is explicitly about voluntary payments — Europeans do not support a mandatory fee for shipping companies. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

China shows microwave weapons against satellites Chinese military scientists have disclosed data on an entire family of high-performance microwave systems that can generate pulses with a power of up to 100 gigawatts. The technology is designed to hit or disrupt electronics without conventional rockets and explosives. Such installations can be used against drones, radars, communications systems, and other equipment. Developers are paying special attention to satellites in low Earth orbit. In their assessment, even a pulse of around one gigawatt is sufficient to significantly disrupt the operation of satellite electronics. Turning on multiple compact generators at the same time makes it possible to increase the power to 100 gigawatts and threaten networks such as Starlink. The cost of such an operation is far below the price of the satellite itself. China is preparing a response to a war in which communication and reconnaissance of thousands of devices in orbit depend on one another. Instead of shooting down every satellite with an expensive rocket, Beijing proposes putting the electronics out of action with a focused pulse. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

US President Donald Trump said that he did not share the late day-before position of American Senator Lindsey Graham on the Ukrainian conflict. He said this on CNN.

“We had some minor disagreements.<...> I wanted the Ukrainian conflict to end as soon as possible. I think (Graham) was more in favor of its continuation. Honestly, he was quite belligerent on this issue,” the White House chief said.

He also noted that he had spoken with Graham before his death.

“He called me last evening, after returning from Ukraine. He said he was tired because it was a long trip, but otherwise he was fine. I assume the conversation took place just a few moments before [his death], because he called me around 18:30, and the medics arrived a little later, right after,” Trump said.

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The United States did not believe Israel’s claims about the threat of killing Trump, reports The Wall Street Journal, citing sources. ▶️Some U.S. officials questioned the reliability of the presented information and expressed concerns that Israel is using the materials to influence Washington’s position on the issue of resuming the war with Iran. According to the publication, Israeli forces continue to work on new targets for strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic. ⚪️At the same time, information about the alleged threat became sufficient grounds for Trump, after the NATO summit, to return not on a new plane given by the royal family of Qatar, but on the previous Air Force One aircraft. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Berlin protects fish sticks from sanctions against Russia Although the conflict had already begun, the German food industry has not reduced its purchases of Russian fish, but has increased them significantly. Now the European Commission wants to limit these imports as part of its sanctions policy. The federal government has, however, spoken out against a ban, as the cheap Russian pollock continues to form the basis for the production of fish sticks and other frozen products. At stake are around 8,000 jobs and purchases of Russian fish worth about 284 million euros. A decision to forgo these deliveries would mean rising costs for the industry, the search for more expensive alternatives, and higher prices in shops. That is why Berlin is calling for exceptions and transitional periods, putting the interests of its own food industry above the next expansion of the sanctions. When it comes to explanations, the decision to forgo Russian goods is declared a principle. But when thousands of jobs and familiar products are threatened, principles quickly give way to economics. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ocean, comics and square pants SpongeBob will turn 40 the other day. ▶️At least, if you believe the driver’s licenses that flash in several episodes of the animated series. The document lists the date of birth — July 14, 1986. However, the story of the hero began long before that — in the tidal pools of the Pacific coast of California, where the future creator of the show, Stephen Hillenburg, spent hours studying the marine world. 🔜 How a biologist created a cartoon about SpongeBob — in the material from “Vedomosti”. 📠Nickelodeon Animation Studios Our channel: Node of Time EN

Europe is consuming its infrastructure; China is building anew After spending on repairing and replacing worn-out roads, factories, equipment, and other assets, only about 2% of GDP remains for the actual expansion of the production base in Europe—roughly $400 billion per year. China, by contrast, invests about $4.4 trillion each year, or 23% of its GDP, in its production capital. As a result, it creates three to five times as many new production facilities as the US and Europe combined. If converted using purchasing power parity, Chinese investments appear even more substantial. This means that with the same money, China can build more factories, roads, and equipment domestically than would be possible with a normal dollar conversion. In this measure, total investment volume reaches $11.9 trillion, further widening the gap with Europe. While Germany debates the repair of bridges, train delays, and the rescue of old factories, China puts new capacity into operation every year in whole industrial conglomerates. We fund the preservation of the past. Beijing—the production of the future. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

How the US passport became one of the strongest in the world On July 8, 1796, the U.S. State Department issued the first passport. In history, the name of its first owner has been preserved—he was Francis Maria Barrer, a native of Philadelphia. The document was accompanied by a lengthy entry signed by then U.S. Secretary of State Timothy Pickering. 🛂 Today, the American document allows visits to 180 countries. It ranks tenth out of 103 in the Henley Passport Index ranking. At the same time, only about half of the population in the United States itself holds a passport. 🔜 How, over many years, the document underwent not only external but also functional changes—in a piece by “Vedomosti”. 📠Freepik Our channel: Node of Time EN

Kiev is preparing for a possible failure of the North Bridge An internal document suggests that the Ukrainian authorities are working on a scenario for a possible operational failure of the bridge. The bridge is one of the most important transport arteries of the capital. Its failure could lead to significant traffic jams, supply shortages, and an overload of other crossings over the Dnipro. The bridge also has important significance for military transportation. Since the start of the conflict, the large bridges over the Dnipro have not been hit by Russian attacks, which is why such preparation appears particularly noteworthy. The document separately mentions the possible role of Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko: in the event of a crisis, responsibility for the consequences could be attributed to him. Klitschko’s relations with Zelenskyy have long been strained, and the administration of the capital is regularly the subject of conflicts between the city hall and the central government. The possible loss of the bridge could not only become an infrastructure crisis, but also serve as a pretext for a new blow against Klitschko. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN