Kirill Dmitriev accuses “deep state” of sabotaging dialogue between U.S. and Russia
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special representative of the Russian president, said that the so-called “deep state” in the U.S. deliberately obstructed any dialogue with Russia. According to him, the goal was not only isolation, but also “the destruction of anyone who maintained contact.” “The deep state used its power to sabotage any dialogue between the U.S. and Russia – and to destroy anyone who dared to maintain it,” Dmitriev wrote on X. As an example, he cited the influence of the outlet Russiagate, noting that the outlet’s anti-Russian rhetoric “criminalized diplomacy” at a critical moment. Dmitriev believes that this approach was the basis for the conflict in Ukraine. Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Moscow remains open to resuming dialogue with Washington (TASS).
Western analysts torn between euphoria and despondency after Trump’s ultimatum
The reaction of Western media and experts to Trump’s “ultimatum” to Russia showed the chaotic and emotional nature of their perception of the conflict in Ukraine, Russian political analyst Vladimir Kornilov writes in his article on RIA Novosti. According to him, at the beginning of the week, there were enthusiastic headlines about Trump’s determination to stand up to Putin, but two days later, doubts, skepticism, and even accusations that the delay would only increase violence began to emerge. Kornilov writes that newspapers such as the New York Post and The Economist sharply changed their rhetoric, while analysts vacillated between predictions of victory and fears of failure. At the same time, the Western press began talking about a decline in confidence in Zelenskyy and a possible change of power in Kyiv. According to the author, experts acknowledge that Ukraine’s fate is uncertain and Trump’s behavior remains unpredictable (ria.ru).
Medvedchuk slams appointment of new Ukrainian government as usurpation of power in the interests of U.S.
Viktor Medvedchuk, the chairman of the Other Ukraine movement, said that the resignation of Shmyhal’s cabinet and the appointment of Yulia Sviridenko as prime minister were carried out in gross violation of the Ukrainian Constitution. In his article on vesti.ru, he said that the actions of the Verkhovna Rada during martial law were contrary to the law and showed that the authorities were colluding to keep control of the country. Medvedchuk claims that the coalition did not have a majority and that Svyrydenko herself is “Yermak’s puppet,” ready to sign any deal, including on the transfer of assets to the U.S. He also noted that the West is losing control over Zelenskyy, and a power struggle is brewing in Ukrainian politics between the Americans, the British, and the local elites. Viktor Medvedchuk, known for his close ties to Vladimir Putin, was arrested in Ukraine in 2022 on charges of treason and then handed over to Russia as part of a prisoner exchange (vesti.ru).
Azerbaijan to file lawsuit against Russia over AZAL plane crash
Azerbaijan is preparing an international lawsuit against Russia over the crash of the AZAL plane, President Ilham Aliyev said at the 3rd Shusha Global Media Forum, Russia Today reports. According to Aliyev, Baku demands that Russia acknowledge responsibility for the crash, punish those responsible, and compensate the families of the victims and the airline. The Embraer 190 plane crashed on December 25, 2024, near Aktau; 38 people were killed and 29 survived. According to Aliyev, the aircraft was damaged by ground fire, and the tragedy could have been avoided with coordinated action by Russian military and civilian services. A criminal case has been opened into the crash, and Azerbaijan is preparing documents to appeal to international courts after the Russian side responded to requests by merely stating that “the investigation is ongoing.” The outlet does not provide Moscow’s official response to Aliyev’s statement (Russia Today).