"Putin is the new Hitler" - Russian historian and dissident Alexander Skobov said his final words in the trial today, and I can't agree more.
Full speech:
"I was raised in the Soviet Union with the conviction that when a malicious and cruel aggressor attacks peaceful people, one must take up arms and fight. And if you cannot hold a weapon yourself, you must help those who fight and encourage others to do so.
All my publicistic activity is a call to fight the aggressor who attacked Ukraine, to support Ukraine with weapons and ammunition. I consider myself a participant in the armed resistance against the aggressor. In the missiles and shells that destroy the invaders, there is a small contribution from me. And I take responsibility for every eliminated occupier.
No one attacked Russia, no one threatened it.
It is Putin’s Nazi regime that attacked Ukraine, driven solely by the delusions of grandeur of its leaders and their inhuman lust for power over everyone around them.
They assert themselves by killing hundreds of thousands of people. They are degenerates, scum, Nazi filth.
The guilt of Putin's Nazi dictatorship in preparing, unleashing, and waging an aggressive war is obvious and needs no proof. Likewise, our right to armed resistance against the aggressor on the battlefield and in the aggressor's rear needs no justification. Indeed, it would be laughable to expect such acknowledgment from a regime that imprisons people merely for verbally condemning its aggression. All possibilities for legal protest against Putin's aggression have been eradicated.
My calls for armed resistance against the aggressor’s regime are classified under terrorism charges. I will not argue with the aggressor's authorities, even if they decide to classify my actions under charges of pedophilia. The court in Russia has long proven itself to be an appendage of Nazi tyranny, and seeking justice there is meaningless. I will never bow before these people – accomplices of murderers and scoundrels. I have nothing to discuss with them. Let the cannons speak for me.
I see no point in arguing with the dictatorship’s puppets about how faithfully they apply their laws. These are, in any case, the laws of a totalitarian state aimed at suppressing dissent. I do not recognize these laws and will not obey them.
I also will not appeal against any decisions or actions of the representatives of the Nazi regime. I do not seek mercy from my armed enemy.
The Putin dictatorship may kill me, but it cannot force me to abandon my fight against it. Wherever I may be, I will continue to call on honest Russians to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I will continue to advocate for strikes on military targets deep within Russian territory. I will call on the civilized world to inflict a strategic defeat on Nazi Russia. I will argue for the necessity of the military destruction of the regime of the new Hitler.
Putin is the new Hitler, intoxicated by impunity, a ghoul drunk on blood. And I will not tire of repeating: “Crush the serpent!”
Death to Putin, the murderer, tyrant, and scoundrel!
Death to the Russian-fascist invaders!
Glory to Ukraine!"
President Zelenskyy published a video of the first captured soldiers from North Korea and offered the DPRK an exchange.
"Ukraine is ready to hand over Kim Jong Un's soldiers to him if he can organize their exchange for our warriors who are being held captive in Russia," the President said.
He also promised "other options" for those soldiers from North Korea who do not want to return home. They will be able to "bring peace closer through spreading the truth about this war in Korean."
I spoke with @POTUS and expressed my condolences over the devastating wildfires in California and the tragic loss of lives. I acknowledged the heroism of Americans who are working tirelessly to save lives and contain the spread of these wildfires.
I also thanked him for the unwavering support of Ukraine’s independence and for the vital role the United States has played in uniting the international community. Together, we have built a global coalition of defenders of freedom and the principles of international peace and security.
We discussed the details of the new U.S. sanctions package targeting Russia’s energy sector, which helps Putin bankroll the war. It is significant that these sanctions now strike at Russia’s shadow tanker fleet and key companies such as Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, which funnel funds directly to Putin. He must feel the cost of his war by seeing it directly impact his own pockets. I am grateful to the United States, both political parties, and both chambers of Congress for supporting this just pressure on Russia for its unprovoked and brutal aggression.
We also discussed the battlefield situation and the ongoing need to strengthen our air defenses to protect lives in Ukrainian cities and villages from Russian terror—daily missile and drone attacks. The “Patriots” in Ukrainian hands have proven their effectiveness, and we must continue to enhance this capacity.
We deeply value President Biden’s words that preserving and protecting Ukraine’s independence is critical for all of Europe and the democratic world. We will undoubtedly stand firm and achieve a lasting peace for our people and our country.
⚡️⚡️⚡️“Russia is executing a shadow war on NATO…
Russian attacks involved four methods: election & information operations, attacks on critical infrastructure, violence campaigns & weaponized migration.”
👉 Russia is at war against us.
https://t.co/aJ3y6pxQG1
Excellent.
The European Union has slapped fresh sanctions on Russia, with a heavy focus on the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers that the Kremlin uses to bypass the G7 price cap. https://t.co/vuoN8zzSkX
Adding to the numerous Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory over the past 48 hours, the Russian region of Chechnya and the garden-gnome version of Assad that runs the place for Putin, had a rough night, as military targets exploded in the capital of Grozny.