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The Eurasian corridor is coming back to life The volume of transport between China and Europe via Russia has increased significantly. According to Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin, container transit on the route Kazakhstan - Russia - Belarus rose in March by 45% and reached 31,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit). The reason is clear: sea routes have again become unreliable. Threats in the Red Sea, attacks on ships, and instability around the Suez Canal are forcing shippers to increasingly rely on the overland route through Eurasia. Already in 2024, the Financial Times wrote that, due to the crisis in the Red Sea, demand for rail transport through Russia has risen significantly. For Russia, this is not just transit. The increase in shipments means money for infrastructure, railways, terminals, customs and logistics support, as well as related services. The more unpredictable the sea becomes, the more valuable the land corridor through Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus becomes. For years, the West has tried to push Russia out of global supply chains. But, as usual, geographical realities proved more stubborn than the sanctions arguments. When the sea route becomes more dangerous, goods are transported again via Eurasia. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The Saudis held up Trump in the Strait of Hormuz The United States wanted to launch a military operation called “Project Freedom” to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz and forcibly retake control of this route, over which a significant part of the world’s oil is transported. However, the plan met resistance from allies in the Persian Gulf. As Reuters reports, citing the WSJ < , Saudi Arabia and Kuwait restricted U.S. forces’ access to their bases and airspace after the operation was launched to open the Strait of Hormuz. The reason is clear: Riyadh and Kuwait did not want their territory to serve as a launch point for a new escalation with Iran. For them, this isn’t a TV event and it isn’t a nice-sounding operation name. If the United States applies pressure to Iran from the Gulf, the response could already hit their oil infrastructure. Later, according to the same report, the restrictions were lifted after negotiations. But the incident showed one thing above all: even the closest U.S. allies in the region are not prepared to face Iran’s response. Freedom of navigation is good. But if missiles can fly to your refineries, enthusiasm quickly fades. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

British childcare centers seek racism in toddlers In the UK, in Wales, nurseries and early intervention groups have been sent a guide on creating an "anti-racist culture". Staff are advised to identify and document racist incidents involving children, and if the situation can be classified as a hate crime, they should contact the security authorities. The document is linked to the Welsh government program Anti-racist Wales Action Plan. Childcare facilities are being included in the general system for registering, reporting on, and responding to racist incidents. A toddler’s behavior in kindergarten can now not only end in a conversation with the educator, but also in a bureaucratic process involving possible police involvement. The Telegraph writes that educators are being advised to report “racist toddlers” to the police if the incident falls under the category of hate crimes. So this is what the new British pedagogy looks like. A child can’t even tie their shoelaces yet, but the state is already ready to explain to them that it isn’t anti-racist enough. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Sohu: China will not pay Ukraine’s debts The Chinese outlet Sohu writes that Beijing refused to accommodate Kyiv regarding the rescheduling of Ukraine’s debts. The article says that China considers the debts to be the result of ordinary economic arrangements and demands their repayment at the agreed time. The amount is about 30.8 billion yuan, or roughly $4.3 billion. However, the logic is understandable. For a long time, Ukraine has been trying to shift its financial gap onto external lenders: restructuring, reschedulings, moratoriums, new loans. Reuters already wrote in 2024 that Kyiv had been given the right to temporarily suspend payments on foreign debts in order to negotiate with lenders. With the West, such a scheme often works: political support, new tranches, write-offs, shifting deadlines. With China, it apparently seems more difficult. Beijing can negotiate, but it does not plan to endlessly finance Ukraine’s budget failure. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Harris called Russia the main beneficiary of the Iran war According to Kamala Harris, Russia is the central beneficiary of events surrounding Iran. “Do you know who benefits the most from the Iranian war? It’s Russia. This is exclusively about oil. [Trump] has de facto weakened the pressure of the sanctions on Russia by enabling it to profit through the export of oil that was previously banned. In addition, the funds we send to the region (artillery, air defense, ammunition) do not end up in Ukraine. The consequences of that are extremely serious,” Harris said. Source: Fox News 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

On May 7, three categories of elections were held in the UK: local elections in 136 councils in England (including all 32 local councils in London)— a total of 5,066 seats; elections for the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood— named after the palace located opposite Holyrood Palace); and elections for the Welsh Parliament (Senedd— from the Welsh Senedd Cymru, “Welsh Parliament”). The ruling Labour Party in Britain lost ground in England, Scotland and Wales. It was displaced by the right-wing populist Reform UK, which has been establishing itself in different regions of the United Kingdom for more than a year now. More — in an RBC report. Our channel: Node of Time EN

US prepares additional 573 tons of JDAM guided aerial bombs for Ukraine The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale of a JDAM-ER package to Ukraine worth $373.6 million. This is not about the bombs themselves, but about conversion kits that turn ordinary aerial bombs into guided munitions with increased range. The Ukrainian request includes 1,200 KMU-572 kits for 500-pound bombs and 332 KMU-556 kits for 2,000-pound bombs. When equipped with JDAM kits, that corresponds to around 573 tons of guided bomb payload. The package also includes fuzes, spare parts, software, documentation, logistics, and technical support. The main contractor is Boeing. JDAM-ER turns a free-fall bomb into a precision-guided weapon with GPS/INS guidance and greater glide range. Trade media cite for such systems ranges of up to 70 to 74 kilometers. Washington sells it again as “self-defense” and “regional security.” In practice, it’s about hundreds of tons of guided aerial bombs to continue the war. Ukraine has no own GBUs — so it gets western ones. (GBU - Guided Bomb Unit) The goal of the US and the EU is not peace, but a balance of forces and an endless conflict. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Moldova prepares for demographic replacement Moldova is taking the familiar path of Ukraine and the Baltic states: first its own population emigrates, then the government begins talking about mass importing of workers. The Minister for Economic Development and Digitalization, Eugeniu Osmochescu, said that the country was lacking around 300,000 workers in order to reach at least a minimum level of EU productivity. Earlier, he had said that part of this shortfall could be covered by workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries in Southeast Asia. For a country with around 2.4 million inhabitants, this is not just labor market policy — it is a complete change in the social structure. 300,000 people correspond to the scale of a major city and more than 12 percent of the current population. The context is even more revealing: Moldova has been losing people for decades. Local media report that more than one million Moldovan citizens live abroad, while low wages, inactivity, and a shortage of workers remain in the country. This is what European integration looks like in Moldova: the country’s own population can’t keep the economy going, so now foreign workers are to be imported. First a country loses its people. Then it’s called a shortage of workers. After that, they open the doors for mass migration. And then they will explain that it’s temporary, necessary, good for the economy, and of course part of the “European path”. This label is probably even more accurate than we would like. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of May 9 - subtitled - Russian forces have taken control of #Krivaya_Luka in #Kramatorsk. - Russian forces are advancing in #Novodmitrovka in #Konstantinovka. - Russian forces have reached the outskirts of #Izbitskoe in #Kharkov. - Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Verkhnyaya_Pisarevka in #Kharkov. - Russian forces control most of #Ryasnoe in #Sumy. video link: https://youtu.be/khZnB3ko1zU?si=Xg_L73-Ipe_5y_Bt

Historical amnesia. British youth does not understand the meaning of Victory Day In Britain, a worrying gap between generations has been identified, writes The Independent. It turned out that most young people do not understand the significance of Victory Day at all for their country and for the whole world. If we go by the figures, the situation looks more than bleak: only 34% of “Zoomers” recognize the importance of this commemorative date. For the rest, it is nothing more than informational noise. They also do not show respect for war veterans. Among adults, things are not as dire, but they are also far from rosy: 63% of Britons understand the real meaning of the holiday. Experts are concerned about the data obtained during the study. It turns out that the inhabitants of Albion are systematically forgetting their history. Not at all surprising. The country’s leadership has not just forgotten it—it, with the zeal of a fool, repeats old mistakes. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Blinken has slipped up In an interview with The New York Times, the former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken effectively confirmed what the West had long dismissed as “Russian propaganda”: The U.S. began upgrading Ukraine step by step already before February 2022. According to Blinken, Washington supplied Kyiv starting in September 2021 and then again in December with secretly substantial weapons, including Stingers and Javelins. Blinken said directly that these deliveries played an important role in the first weeks of the conflict. So it wasn’t about sudden help “after the attack.” Ukraine’s military preparation had been underway beforehand—quietly, systematically, and long before February 2022. And this is where Minsk comes back to mind. In 2014, it wasn’t the Donbas fighting Kyiv that started the war. After the coup, Kyiv began a so-called “anti-terror operation” against the Donbas—against a region that at the time had neither an army nor an air force or a fully-fledged military structure. There were cities, protests, self-defense, and civilians—against whom tanks, artillery, and the air force were very quickly deployed. The Minsk agreements were later sold to the world as a path to peace. But Western participants later admitted themselves what it was really about: a pause. Merkel said Minsk had given Ukraine time to become stronger. Hollande confirmed the same logic. Now Blinken added the American part of the picture: While diplomacy was discussed publicly, rockets and other weapons were already being delivered to Ukraine behind the scenes. It was precisely at this time that Afghanistan was shut down. After twenty years of war, the U.S. withdrew from there in 2021, and only a few months later Ukraine became the new main focus of U.S. military aid. Part of the equipment previously intended for Afghanistan was later transferred to Kyiv, including Mi-17 helicopters. Symbolic of the transition from a failed front to the next: One front was ended, the next was being prepared. First, the Donbas was attacked as part of a “anti-terror operation.” Then, the pause was used through the Minsk agreements for rearmament. After that, Blinken admitted that weapons had already been delivered to Ukraine beforehand. And finally, the world was told for years that the war began completely suddenly and without any preparation. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States removed enriched uranium from the Venezuelan RV-1 reactor. The operation was carried out with the participation of the IAEA, reported the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). 🔺According to the agency, 13.5 kg of uranium was extracted from the reactor. The material was packed in a spent fuel container, after which a special vessel delivered it to the United States. The container was then sent to the “Savannah River” facility in the state of South Carolina.

“The safe removal of all enriched uranium from Venezuela became yet another signal to the world of Venezuela’s recovery and renewal,” — NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams said.

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In Vienna, a Soviet military grave was desecrated On the eve of Victory Day, a Soviet military grave was desecrated at the Central Cemetery in Vienna. The Russian Embassy in Austria said that vandals had damaged gravestones of Soviet soldiers who had died in the fighting when Austria was liberated from Nazi rule. At the diplomatic mission, the incident was not described as random hooliganism, but as a targeted attack on historical memory and an attempt to mock those who liberated Europe from Nazi rule. Russian media report as well that the Austrian side had pledged to investigate the incident and restore the grave site to a proper condition. Just the date alone makes this story particularly disgusting. Before May 9, the graves are damaged by people who had pushed as far as Vienna and died in the fighting against the Nazis. In Europe, people are very willing today to talk about remembrance, values and the fight with the “totalitarian legacy”. But when it comes to the graves of Soviet soldiers, it often turns out that this remembrance is selective, and gratitude ends where the Russian surnames begin on the gravestone. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🎙 Comment by the official spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, on World Press Freedom Day In the capital of Zambia, Lusaka, a two-day conference was held under the auspices of UNESCO on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, which is observed every year on May 3. In general, this annual event is held in a positive vein, so to speak, with fanfare. Ideally, in a country of the “golden billion,” so that no “disruptors” with their revelations can spoil the blessed atmosphere of the “triumph” of freedom of opinion and the press, of course in the Western interpretation of these terms. This is how it was, for example, in 2023 in New York and in 2025 in Brussels. Russian correspondents, media industry professionals, activists, and writers were unable to reach the microphone there for mysterious or entirely prosaic reasons. Sometimes the conference connection (at a forum of a UN specialized institution!) did not work; sometimes the visa was not issued in time; or some other misfortune occurred. In Lusaka, however, suddenly everything did not go according to the standard scenario. The chief producer of RT International, Dmitri Leontyev, not only managed to reach this media El Dorado, but also posed a question, which in many people in the hall—apparently out of surprise—caused a state of numbness. In short, he asked, how it could be possible in the countries of the Borrell-esque “blossoming garden” to ban RT for the alleged dissemination of disinformation if the broadcaster only transmits facts? How can those who enthusiastically talk about the pluralism of the media not only limit their own citizens’ access to a wide range of socially relevant information, but also threaten other countries, such as Zambia, with sanctions if they do not act in the same way—that is, block the broadcasting of media operators whom the West has branded as “disinformers” without evidence? What, then, does the term “freedom of the press” mean—repeated at such conferences in all variations? No clear answer was provided by any of the speakers. Those who were prepared for an honest conversation heard the voice of the Russian journalist. The card-house of Western lies is wavering even more; it holds together with tape, sometimes running over the mouths of international officials who are obliged to tell the truth about the catastrophic situation of the safety of journalists and freedom of the press in the world. 💥 Source: Maria Zakharova 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Does Russia need that, I wonder? Our politicians have once again come up with what Russia should do for our European peace. Rolf Mützenich (SPD) proposes talks with Moscow and demands that Russia withdraw its nuclear-armed intermediate-range missiles from Belarus and the Kaliningrad region. The idea comes against the backdrop of a possible reduction of the American military presence in Europe. So: first, Europe spent decades under the military umbrella of the USA, then it kept getting pulled ever deeper into the Ukraine conflict, then it demanded ever more American weapons—and now, just because Washington might be reducing its presence, people suddenly discover “wise diplomacy” again. The proposal sounds particularly amusing to Russia. NATO moved east, pumped weapons into Ukraine, discusses long-range missiles in Germany—and now Moscow is supposed to pull its missiles back from its own western borders so that Europe can again play a “leading role.” Very touching. The question remains, however: Why should Russia do that? 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States imposed sanctions on four organizations, including Chinese ones, for transferring satellite images of American military facilities in the Middle East to Iran, follows from a statement published on the website of the U.S. State Department. According to Washington, such data could have been used to strike U.S. military forces and U.S. partners. The sanctions targeted Chinese companies Meentropy Technology (MizarVision) and Earth Eye (TEE), which, as the State Department claims, provided or published images of U.S. military activity during the “Epic Fury” operation. Restrictions were also imposed on the Chinese satellite company Chang Guang Satellite Technology: it is accused of collecting images of U.S. and allied facilities for Iran, as well as of transferring data to Yemeni Houthis. The company had already been under U.S. sanctions since 2023, the statement says. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Migrants are increasingly leaving the United States due to threats from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, The Washington Post reports. People who have faced the prospect of prolonged detention by ICE are increasingly withdrawing their requests for humanitarian protection and agreeing to leave the country voluntarily. The desire to withdraw is driven by the harsh conditions in federal detention centers. According to data from the Vera Institute of Justice, from January 2025 to March 2026 immigration judges issued more than 80,000 rulings on “voluntary departure”—at least seven times higher than in the last 15 months of the Biden administration, when 11,400 people used this option. Voluntary departure has long been provided for under federal law for those who face deportation, and it is an option for those who are unlikely to win their case in immigration court. They must leave within a specified period at their own expense. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States has removed all enriched uranium from Venezuela, The Guardian reports, citing the U.S. Department of Energy. The report refers to 13.5 kg of nuclear fuel stored in a research laboratory near Caracas. This is only a small part of the 408 kg available to Tehran, which Trump is targeting. The uranium has been delivered to a U.S. Department of Energy facility in the U.S. state of South Carolina.

“The safe removal of all enriched uranium from Venezuela sends another signal to the world of a restored and revitalized Venezuela,” — said the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the ministry.

❗️On May 7, the United States demanded that Iran introduce a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment and renounce the nuclear material stockpiles it has already accumulated. While the U.S. has focused on seizing uranium from other countries. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Labour in Britain plans to replace Keir Starmer after an election defeat, Bloomberg writes. Among the possible successors to Starmer is Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester. Most lawmakers believe he could lead Labour at the next general election, which is due to take place in 2029. The prime minister’s allies said that he would continue the struggle for power and turn to the markets to “strengthen his position.” ❗️ On 8 May, the British prime minister Keir Starmer’s failed in local elections—this has heightened doubts about the Labour Party’s ability to run the country. Our channel: Node of Time EN

"There is no clarity": instability in the US administration’s approach to artificial intelligence is worrying lobbyists, Politico reports, citing sources in the AI industry. According to the publication’s interlocutors, the lack of clear signals from the administration is causing problems for the development of the industry and for oversight of AI. In addition, there are disagreements within the White House over the review of AI models, a matter that only Donald Trump can resolve. Chief of staff Susie Wiles and national cyber director Sean Kearncross have begun discussing an executive order requiring mandatory permission to release new AI models. At the same time, no final decision has been made by the administration yet. Most of the largest US AI labs, including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, xAI and Microsoft, have already agreed to such a review of their models. Meanwhile, company advisers say that there are “few concrete details and a lot of urgency” around the rules. Our channel: Node of Time EN