Katri Pynnöniemi

Enemy number one: What Putin’s foreign policy speech says about Europe At this year’s Valdai club, Vladimir Putin gave his most anti-EU speech yet, citing his determination to see new anti-establishment politicians to come to power and improve Europe’s relations with…

Vladimir Putin has finally said the quiet part out loud. For the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has explicitly blamed Europe for the war, writes @abarbashin.bsky.social @ecfreuropeansec.bsky.social
https://bit.ly/46PIkhV

Віталій Кличко У результаті масованої атаки ворога, який бив по обʼєктах критичної інфраструктури України, наразі запроваджені екстрені відключення електрики в більшості областей країни. Київ пережив одну з найскла...

Hi from a candlelit apartment as power's out in Kyiv and emergency power outages have been introduced in most regions of the Ukraine...

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko warns another Russian attack expected in coming days, tells Kyivans stock up on water, food, charge power banks, gather warm clothes.

Reconstructing Kremlin strategic deception: the logic of disinformation narratives during the first phase of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine Official Kremlin rhetoric about the ‘special military operation’ produces clashing, often contrasting interpretations of reality. This article applies perspectives from Soviet ideological language ...

"(...)the narrative construction of Russia as a victim, draws attention from what Russia does, by way of creating a false image of a threat towards Russian territorial integrity and sovereignty"

Excellent analysis by @katri.bsky.social and @atolvin.bsky.social

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Easier Said Than Done: Hybrid Deterrence By Punishment This week, Minna Ålander turns to the question of how to move from defensive reactions to Russian hybrid warfare to an effective deterrent. (Spoiler: not easy)

Great new Europe Dispatch column by @alanderminna.bsky.social just appeared (all free). This week she discusses the challenges in implementing a Deterrence by Punishment policy towards Russia--though that of course does not mean it should not be tried. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Reconstructing Kremlin strategic deception: the logic of disinformation narratives during the first phase of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine Official Kremlin rhetoric about the ‘special military operation’ produces clashing, often contrasting interpretations of reality. This article applies perspectives from Soviet ideological language ...

From @katri.bsky.social and @atolvin.bsky.social

‘Kremlin strategic deception ultimately serves a key purpose: to legitimize Russian imperial expansion and de-legitimize Ukrainian resistance, allowing it to manipulate both foreign and domestic perceptions of the conflict’.

bitly.cx/9HgSR

Fantastic paper. Data by sector, geography, investor entity & distributional impact (in terms of wealth, race, education).
@gregorsemieniuk.bsky.social's conclusion below: "taxing incremental 2022 US profits as excess could've doubled clean energy investments or paid each US household $1,715".

How Russia Recovered What the Kremlin is learning from the war in Ukraine.

#Europe and #NATO, after several calls to wake up, are slowly yawning while sitting in bedside. Would they listen to Dave Massikotte thought? foreignaffairs.com/russia/how-r... via @foreignaffairs.com

Thanks a lot for reading, Keir!

Reconstructing Kremlin strategic deception: the logic of disinformation narratives during the first phase of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine Official Kremlin rhetoric about the ‘special military operation’ produces clashing, often contrasting interpretations of reality. This article applies perspectives from Soviet ideological language ...

"Understanding [Russia's] long-term patterns of strategic deception is essential in order to effectively counter" them. Important long read from @katri.bsky.social and @atolvin.bsky.social breaking down how Russia shapes outcomes through narratives over decades.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Uncle Vanya, Bison, San Sanych — who tortures Ukrainian prisoners of war? Ukrainians returning from captivity will undoubtedly never forget those who turned their lives in imprisonment into hell. Everything is known about some of the torturers. Others hide behind a call sig...

Lawyers of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group spoke with many #Ukraine warriors released from enemy captivity who have passed through several russian places of detention.

khpg.org/en/1608815159

The National Failure at the Heart of the Jeffrey Epstein Story It is a great challenge to pay sustained attention to any one of the onslaught of moral or legal indignities unfolding in this moment.

“The crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and those who participated in them is a decades long abdication of institutional and personal responsibility, brought to light by a handful of dedicated journalists and the breathtaking bravery of once isolated, ignored vulnerable women.”

slate.com/news-and-pol...

Republicans post fake image of Oregon protest – using photos of South America A federal judge had blocked Trump’s request to deploy California national guard to Portland

The Oregon Republican Party tried to help Donald Trump make the case for military intervention in Portland with an image of a fiery protest — but since Portland is calm, they had to fabricate one by merging old photos of police in Ecuador and protesters in Brazil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

⚡️ In recent days, Russia has destroyed 2 transformer substations that powered Kharkiv. And looking at the dynamics of the attacks, it is already clear that the coming winter will be the most difficult for Kharkiv in all the years of the war, — the mayor of the city.

Maailmankuulun brittitutkijan viesti Putinille: Historialla ei voi perustella nykyisyyttä Professori Mark Galeottin mukaan Putin joutuu perustelemaan Ukrainan sotaa historialla, koska hän on pettänyt lupaukset elintason nostamisesta.

Galeottin kirjan rinnalla, suosittelen lukemaan kotimaisen klassikon: Pertti Luntisen: Venäjä sodassa, sota Venäjällä. Siitä on vaikea laittaa paremmaksi...

yle.fi/a/74-2018560...

“Russia has no interest in kinetic confrontation but is eager to weaken our collective ability to think, act and mount a defense.”

DN Debatt. ”Våra underrättelser visar sanningen bakom Putins siffror” DN Debatt. Finansministern: Internationella finansiella institutioner hjälper Ryssland att sprida propaganda.

Good by Sweden's Minister of Finance, who battle propaganda about Russian economy.
Main points:
* RU inflation about 20%
* Liquid part of RU welfare fund not enough for deficit
* Intl inst (IMF et al) and media should not use data from RU
* All RU data likely false.
www.dn.se/debatt/vara-...

Russia Deliberately Cut Power to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, Greenpeace Finds Greenpeace report concludes no military strikes near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, suggesting intentional disconnection from Ukraine's power grid.

⚡️ Greenpeace says Russia deliberately cut off power to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, raising fears of a disaster.
united24media.com/latest-news/...

Putin read a poem earlier today in Valdai. It was the first third of Pushkin's "Borodino Anniversary," which he published in 1831 as part of his pro-imperialist opposition to Poland's "November Uprising." The poem celebrates Russia's defeat of Napoleon as a warning to future European intervention.

First time I’ve seen this reported in the press after rumours among experts: BILD reports/confirms there was a “mothership drone” over Germany which sent out smaller drones.
Which a) really points to a capable actor and
b) is concerning because it increases possible reach of these drones

Defending the national identity: exploring the links between a multidimensional national identity concept and the willingness to defend one’s country How does national identity affect the willingness to defend one’s country? In this paper, we demonstrate that in order to answer this question, we must take into account the multidimensionality of ...

What makes citizens willing to defend their country?

At least in Sweden & Denmark, "uncritical patriotism" has a *significant NEGATIVE* effect... and seeing one's country as *culture* has a significant POSITIVE effect.

Very interesting results here.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

DHS doing night raids to bring GWOT home.

Not Business as Usual: Why Trump’s War Department Rhetoric Matters Much of the language coming out of the gathering of US military leaders this week could be dismissed as political spectacle. But international partners of the US should take seriously the US Administr...

'Partners will need to be prepared for the use of US military power in a way that is deeply uncomfortable' writes @mtsavill.bsky.social in the latest RUSI Commentary.

Romania to develop joint drone production with Ukraine to protect NATO's eastern flank, Romanian FM says Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed on Sept. 30 Bucharest's plans to partner with Ukraine to produce drones under a European Union-funded defense initiative.

⚡️Romania to develop joint drone production with Ukraine to protect NATO's eastern flank, Romanian FM says.

Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu confirmed on Sept. 30 Bucharest's plans to partner with Ukraine to produce drones intended to protect NATO airspace.

Varautuminen, päivän sana. Vaientamiseen pyrkivä ja mustamaalaava tutkijoiden häirintä ei ole marginaalinen ilmiö vaan kansainvälisesti tunnistettu uhka tieteen vapaudelle. 1/x suomenkuvalehti.fi/mielipide/an...

Asserting a License to Kill: Why the Caribbean Strike is a Dangerous Departure from the “War on Terror” An absence of credible legal basis for the Caribbean strike suggests the Trump admin is asserting a prerogative to kill outside the law.

Given today's speech, a reminder that POTUS has asserted a prerogative to use of the US military to kill outside the law—a prerogative without any clear limiting principles.

www.justsecurity.org/120568/carib...

Speakers included French far right philosopher Alain de Benoist; French-Swiss conspiracy theorist and far-right thinker Alain Soral; and Alexander von Bismarck, who has publicly supported Germany’s far right. The event started with a minute of silence for Charlie Kirk… truly Far Right International

It really does not get more explicit than Trump telling top active-duty military generals that they will need to participate in occupations of large cities run by his political opponents as part of his "war from within"

Next level.

Kremlin plans record spending hike on law enforcement and security agencies According to Russian budget documents, federal spending on police, the National Guard, and other law enforcement and intelligence services is set to rise 13% year-on-year to a record 3.91 trillion rub...

⚡️Kremlin plans record spending hike on law enforcement and security agencies.

According to Russian budget documents, federal spending on police, the National Guard, and other law enforcement and intelligence services is set to rise 13% year-on-year to a record 3.91 trillion rubles ($47 billion).

Europe 'no longer at peace' with Russia, Germany's Merz says "Let me put it in a sentence that may be a little shocking at first glance ... we are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 29.

⚡️Europe 'no longer at peace' with Russia, Germany's Merz says.

"Let me put it in a sentence that may be a little shocking at first glance ... we are not at war, but we are no longer at peace either," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sept. 29.