Mueed Al Mahmud

At a higher altitude - with the flag unfurled. Head of Business Development at BD GROUP, Bangladesh.
Aberystwyth MBA, NSU & NDC Alum.
RT ≠ Endorsement

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

NEW: US President Donald Trump expressed willingness to introduce additional sanctions targeting Russian oil and secondary sanctions against buyers of Russian oil if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not make progress towards a general ceasefire, including a ceasefire for land warfare in the near future. ⬇️

▪️ Trump stated during a phone call with NBC News on March 30 that he is "angry and pissed off" at Putin for disparaging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy as the leader of Ukraine.

▪️ Trump stated that if the United States and Russia are unable to "make a deal" – possibly referring to a general ceasefire or long-term peace in Ukraine – then the United States will place secondary sanctions on all "oil coming out of Russia." Trump stated that the United States will put a "25 percent tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all [Russian] oil."

▪️ Trump stated that the United States will not allow companies or countries that purchase Russian oil to "do business" in the United States and that the United States could begin imposing secondary sanctions within the next month if Russia, Ukraine, and the United States do not conclude a ceasefire agreement. Trump stated that he will speak with Putin at an unspecified time later this week.

Putin reiterated long-standing Russian claims that Zelensky is the illegitimate leader of Ukraine on March 28.

ISW previously noted that the Kremlin's ongoing effort to characterize the Ukrainian government as an illegitimate negotiating partner casts serious doubt on the Kremlin's willingness to negotiate in good faith about a settlement of the war and sets informational conditions for Russia to violate any future peace agreement on the grounds that the Ukrainian government had no legal right to conclude it.

[NASA @NASA]

Our #Crew10 explorers are launching to the @Space_Station this evening. Come watch with us!

Crew-10 is scheduled to lift off atop a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:48pm ET (2348 UTC). Share your questions with #AskNASA and we'll answer a few on stream! https://t.co/o3onJBNTe9

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

NEW: The United States and Ukraine agreed on March 11 to an immediate 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine contingent on Russia's agreement, and the United States reportedly restarted intelligence sharing and military aid. Details⬇️

▪️ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the ceasefire would encompass a cease in combat operations along the entire frontline, a moratorium on long-range missile and drone strikes, and the cessation of operations in the Black Sea and would begin as soon as Russia agrees to the US proposal.

▪️ US Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded during a press conference on March 11 to a question about a deadline for Russia to respond, stating that the deadline is "as quickly as possible," that the United States will inform Russia about the ceasefire proposal through multiple diplomatic channels, and that the "ball is now in [Russia's] court.

▪️ Russian ultranationalist voices, including a Russian State Duma deputy, largely rejected the ceasefire proposal on March 11. Russian milbloggers, including Kremlin-coopted milbloggers, rejected the ceasefire proposal because the United States and Ukraine will allegedly "abandon" peace "at the first opportunity" and the war in Ukraine is existential for Russia.

▪️ The Kremlin has not officially responded to the ceasefire proposal as of this publication, and Russian state media is attempting to frame earlier official Russian statements about bilateral US-Russian negotiations as responses to the ceasefire proposal. Russian state media is likely attempting to portray the immediate Russian reaction as moderate for domestic audiences until Kremlin officials make public statements and provide a framing for broader Russian media coverage of the proposal.

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

Six notable Iraqi Sunni politicians called on December 14 for a “comprehensive national dialogue” to address political and economic grievances.

Senior Iraqi political and security officials appear to have rejected the recent calls.🧵

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

NEW: Russian forces recently advanced in northwestern Toretsk following several weeks of higher-tempo Russian offensive operations and gains in the area. 🧵(1/6)

[Visual Capitalist @VisualCap]

Which U.S. Companies Receive the Most Government Subsidies? 💸

https://t.co/owwxGnv0mI

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

NEW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Russia's demand that Ukraine renounce its right to sovereignty and territorial integrity as a precondition to start peace talks, indicating that Russia is not interested in good faith negotiations. 🧵(1/5)

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

Donetsk 🧵(1/3)

Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in central Chasiv Yar.

Ukrainian and Russian forces recently advanced amid ongoing clashes in Toretsk.

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

In Kursk Oblast, Russian forces recently advanced in northeastern Makhnovka and seized Cherkasskaya Konopelka (both southeast of Sudzha), although likely not within the past day. (1/3)

[SpaceX @SpaceX]

Watch Falcon 9 launch 21 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities https://t.co/xqzatf2IYA

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

A truly reusable orbital heat shield has never been made, but I think SpaceX has a decent chance of solving it in 2025 and solving it well in 2026

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

US intelligence had warned that Russia may fire a second "Oreshnik" ballistic missile at Ukraine in the near future, likely in a continued effort to dissuade the West from providing further military assistance to Ukraine. 🧵(1/5)

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Preparing for Starship 7

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

3/ ISW has previously observed reports of similar trends and statistics in the Russian economy, indicating that Russia's economic trajectory is unsustainable in the mid- to long-term and will increasingly strain its capacity to wage war against Ukraine. https://t.co/4tTEobukFX

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

MORE: The Kurdish-controlled, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) may face increased challenges governing Arab areas in northeastern Syria due to the emergence of the HTS-led transitional government as a viable alternative to the SDF. (1/3)

[Visual Capitalist @VisualCap]

With food prices soaring, what we eat—and how we keep it affordable—is more crucial than ever. 🥙

Our partner, @CorpPotash, reveals what Americans eat and why potash is the key to stable food supplies.

Grab your FREE potash investor guide to learn more: https://t.co/IhU9h7KMMl

[Critical Threats @criticalthreats]

NEW | Russia may redeploy Africa Corps units to Syria to reinforce the Assad regime in Syria.

A scenario in which Syrian rebels toppled the Assad regime would harm the Kremlin’s strategic objectives in Africa and surrounding waterways such as the Mediterranean and Red Seas. 1/7

[Visual Capitalist @VisualCap]

Ranked: U.S. Fast Food Chains by Drive-Thru Time 🍟

https://t.co/IucJ4MESjR

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

The Israel-Lebanese Hezbollah ceasefire continued to hold for the fifth day since it went into effect on November 26. Hezbollah has conducted no attacks into Israel, and the IDF and Hezbollah have engaged in no ground combat.

[Institute for the Study of War @TheStudyofWar]

It remains unclear whether the Kremlin will be able to deploy additional assets to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime given the high tempo and operational requirements for Russia to continue conducting operations in Ukraine – the Kremlin’s priority theater.