Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid & Geopolitical News

"Send all funding and financing, pull out all military support, and we should apologize to Russia. I hope that you lose all your subscribers and supporters, you absolute dingbat. And that is way too polite for what I really think about you, Tim Pool. My goodness, you need an education. You need a geopolitical education."

Hello Team

🎦 00:00-00:18⏩

Jonathan welcomes everyone to another ATP Geopolitics video - Ukraine War News Update, the second part for 25th August 2024. He lets viewers know that he will be discussing the Pavel Durov arrest in this video rather than as a separate breaking news piece.

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Lithuania and Latvia Military Aid Update

🎦 00:19-01:12⏩

Lithuania has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine. This will include short-range air defence systems, missiles, anti-drone equipment and ammunition by September. Nearly 5,000 Lithuanian-made drones are expected to have been delivered to Ukraine by Autumn. €35 million will also be provided by Lithuania for Ukraine to purchase radars and demining equipment. Jonathan observes that Lithuania and Latvia are doing a "really good job" to support Ukraine.

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Lithuanian Military Aid: Drones and Air Defence Systems

🎦 01:12-01:26⏩

Jonathan provides more detail about the Lithuanian aid, stating that 5,000 drones and 10 short-range air defence systems will be provided to Ukraine by Autumn. The specific type of air defence systems is unknown. Anti-drone equipment and ammunition are also included. He notes that Lithuania will also be spending 0.25% of GDP on aid to Ukraine annually - something that Estonia had previously suggested would be a huge boost to Ukraine if all countries followed suit.

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Ukraine's New "Palencia" Missile

🎦 01:26-03:03⏩

Jonathan discusses the new Ukrainian-made missile, "Palencia", that Zelensky mentioned on Independence Day. It has been in development for 18 months and is significantly cheaper to produce than similar missiles. Its range and warhead are currently classified, but it's believed to be capable of reaching numerous Russian airbases from within Ukraine. Jonathan highlights the significance of this development given that the US has placed restrictions on the use of western-supplied equipment (such as ATACMS and Storm Shadows) being used to strike targets within Russia. Jonathan speculates about the missile's range and warhead, suggesting that cluster munitions would be ideal for targeting aircraft. He concludes by saying that this drone, whilst not ideal, will be "pretty useful". The key will be how quickly they can be manufactured. Protecting the civilian population by reducing Russia's offensive capabilities is the main objective and striking Russian airbases will be key to achieving this.

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Russia Adapts Yak-52 Trainers to Counter Drone Threat

🎦 03:03-05:46⏩

Jonathan reports that Russia is modernising its Yak-52 trainer aircraft to combat Ukrainian kamikaze drones. The aircraft will be fitted with electronic warfare systems and multi-functional displays and will be used to target both reconnaissance and attack drones. This information was reported by The Aviationist. Jonathan believes this is a good low-cost option for countering smaller drones. He goes on to discuss the range of countermeasures being deployed to tackle Ukrainian drones, including drone-on-drone, helicopters, and even prop planes armed with shotguns. He notes (and apologises for getting ahead of himself) that Ukraine has changed tactics, now using FPV-type drones to follow Russian drones back to their operators to gain intelligence and launch counterattacks.

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Poland's Significant Financial Contribution to Ukraine

🎦 05:46-07:10⏩

Jonathan states that Poland has spent 3.3% of its GDP on aid to Ukraine, amounting to a total of $26 billion. However, he then questions the accuracy of this figure, suggesting it might include other forms of support provided to Ukrainian refugees, such as education and welfare. He notes that Poland is expected to spend 3.3% of GDP on defence alone to fulfil its NATO commitments. He concludes that the figure quoted for direct military aid is likely to be incorrect.

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Motorbikes for Russia's "Bars" Reserve Unit

🎦 07:10-08:16⏩

Jonathan shares footage of a large consignment of motorbikes destined for Russia's "BARS" reserve unit, donated by a single individual. He comments that it must have been quite a task for the Russians to source all of them, noting that sometimes as many as 12 motorbikes a day are reported destroyed by Ukrainian forces. He questions the usefulness of motorbikes for defensive operations, suggesting that they are more of an offensive weapon and expressing doubt that Ukraine would make much use of them.

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Recruitment Drive in Kursk, Russia

🎦 08:16-09:08⏩

Jonathan reports that Russia has announced a recruitment drive in Kursk for their reserve unit, "BARS". The six-month contract offered is meaningless, with minimal requirements for potential recruits - only age (up to 65 years old) and a vague requirement to be "able to perform the tasks" are mentioned. High financial incentives are being offered, which Jonathan acknowledges will be costly but speculates, given the low barrier to entry, that it likely points to desperation in the ranks.

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Russian Missile Strike Targets Journalists in Kramatorsk

🎦 09:08-10:12⏩

Jonathan expresses his disgust at a recent Russian missile strike on a hotel in Kramatorsk that was known to be accommodating Ukrainian and international journalists. He highlights the significance of this event, noting that this is not the first time journalists have been targeted by Russia, citing a similar incident at a hotel in Kharkiv. Jonathan criticises the lack of international condemnation and media coverage of this attack on freedom of the press.

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Georgia's Ruling Party Moves to Ban Opposition

🎦 10:12-12:18⏩

Jonathan expresses concern over a report from Politico that Georgia is planning to ban all major opposition parties. He believes that if successful, this will signal the end of democracy in Georgia, scuppering its ambitions of joining the EU. Georgia's ruling party, "Georgian Dream" plans to implement the ban if it wins the upcoming election in October. The move comes after a period of strained relations between the EU and Tbilisi regarding human rights and the rule of law. Jonathan believes that the founder of "Georgian Dream", Bidzina Ivanishvili, is a "functional dictator" and hopes that the Georgian people will rise up and overthrow the government.

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Zelensky's Humorous Response to Duda's Comments

🎦 12:18-13:00⏩

Jonathan recounts a humorous exchange between the Polish president, Andrzej Duda, and Zelensky that took place during Duda's visit to Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day. Duda light-heartedly suggested that if Russia withdrew from Ukraine, he would be the first to urge Zelensky to show mercy. Zelensky retorted that his phone line would be busy - implying that Ukraine would pursue Russia's retreating forces. Jonathan finds the exchange amusing, particularly the language barrier, with Duda speaking Polish and Zelensky Ukrainian, highlighting the need for translation.

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Suspected Sabotage at Norwegian Airbase and Drone Activity in Germany

🎦 13:00-13:21⏩

Jonathan reports that a fibre optic cable has been cut at a Norwegian airbase in a suspected act of sabotage. This incident follows previous reports of suspicious drone activity at German military bases. Jonathan speculates that Russia, or pro-Russian entities, may be responsible.

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Australia Shows Support for Ukraine with Postage Stamp

🎦 13:21-13:32⏩

Jonathan expresses his appreciation to his Australian viewers for their support, giving them a shout out: "Flaming hoons. Bloody Awesome, mate!". He goes on to thank them for Australia issuing a postage stamp in support of Ukraine.

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Ukraine Rules Out Peace Talks With Russia

🎦 13:32-14:37⏩

Citing a report in Le Monde, Jonathan states that Ukraine will only engage in peace negotiations if Russia is excluded. Jonathan attempts a French accent, which he describes as "terrible", before explaining that secret talks planned between Ukraine and Russia regarding a partial ceasefire and the cessation of strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure were disrupted by the incursion into Kursk. He goes on to say that Zelensky has confirmed that the incursion has a political and military dimension, suggesting that it was intended to influence negotiations regarding territory exchange. Jonathan has previously released a breaking news video on this topic.

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested

🎦 14:37-16:47⏩

Jonathan discusses the arrest of Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, a social media platform similar to WhatsApp and Signal, but with suspected links to the Kremlin. The arrest is significant because the Ukrainian military has prohibited the use of Telegram for communication due to security concerns and the potential for the platform to be used to gather intelligence on Ukrainian troop movements. Russian military personnel, however, have been permitted to use Telegram. It's been alleged that Durov has refused to cooperate with moderators who have attempted to remove extremist content on Telegram, including content related to terrorism, drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking, and child exploitation. The arrest has sent shockwaves through Russia as Durov is believed to be a key figure in Russia's intelligence network. Jonathan shares several comments from high profile figures including Dmitry Medvedev, Vladlen Tatarsky, Anton Gerashchenko, and Yaroslav Yaniuk.

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Elon Musk's Support for Telegram Raises Concerns

🎦 16:47-19:06⏩

Jonathan discusses the reaction to Durov's arrest, highlighting a comment from Yakov Yankovsky, who suggests that Elon Musk might be worried as there is now a precedent for arresting individuals for failing to remove extremist content from social media platforms. Jonathan expresses his dislike of Elon Musk due to his poor management of Twitter. He observes that Musk's decision to remove Twitter's moderation team has led to the platform being used for disinformation purposes by Russia. He is particularly annoyed by Musk's plan to amplify content from smaller accounts which he believes will allow Musk to control the narrative and create an echo chamber of his own views.

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Adam Kinzinger's Analysis of the Democratic National Convention (DNC)

🎦 19:06-22:37⏩

Jonathan discusses Adam Kinzinger's (a Republican) observations from the recent DNC. Kinzinger, who is highly critical of Trump and his pro-Russia stance, believes that the Democrats are now the party of national security and defence. He notes that Kamala Harris's strong stance on these issues will attract traditional Republican voters. Jonathan believes that the Democrats are now in a strong position to win the election and that a Biden/Harris victory would be good news for Ukraine, given their vocal support. The Republicans, by contrast, rarely mention Ukraine and when they do, it's usually in a negative light.

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Tim Pool's Pro-Russia Stance Condemned

🎦 22:37-26:10⏩

Jonathan plays a clip of Republican commentator, Tim Pool, making derogatory remarks about Ukraine, stating that Ukraine is America's enemy, responsible for the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, and calls for the US to apologise to Russia. Jonathan is furious, calling Pool a "delusional loser", "propagandist", "dingbat" and an "absolute moron". He brands Pool's suggestion that the US apologise to Russia and Putin "disgusting", pointing out that Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine. He accuses Pool of being "deep in manure" for believing Russian propaganda.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Pro-Russia Views

🎦 26:10-28:52⏩

Jonathan moves on to discuss Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who, he says has dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump. Jonathan believes this is because both men are pro-Russia. He plays a clip of Kennedy praising Putin for winning an election with 88% of the vote and then draws a false equivalence between this and the DNC's decision not to endorse his candidacy - implying that this is somehow undemocratic. Jonathan plays another clip of Kennedy claiming that the West is to blame for the war in Ukraine. Kennedy also states that 600,000 Ukrainians and 100,000 Russians have been killed and that Europe's industrial base has been destroyed, which Jonathan strongly disputes. Jonathan calls Kennedy "delusional", a "liar" and a "propagandist" and suggests that he needs to visit Ukraine.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Associates with Convicted Sex Offender Scott Ritter

🎦 28:52-29:07⏩

Jonathan expresses his disgust that RFK Jr. has been associating with convicted sex offender, Scott Ritter. He shows images of Kennedy and Ritter together, including one of them eating burgers. He points out that Ritter is a Russian propagandist and that Trump has accepted Kennedy's endorsement. Jonathan agrees with a comment from "Jake Bro" who says "These guys don't even try to hide the fact they all work for Russia.

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US Denies Seeking to Reset Relations With Russia

🎦 29:07-30:22⏩

Jonathan returns to the topic of the US position on providing long-range missiles, reiterating that despite the article in Politico, many commentators, including Daniel Freed, have dismissed the suggestion that the US is seeking to reset relations with Russia after the war. Jonathan agrees that the suggestion is "BS", noting that he has not heard anything to suggest that this is the case. He believes that Russia is a "pariah state" and that this is unlikely to change in the near future. The only way Russia could be rehabilitated would be through regime change or if the Republicans win the election and lift sanctions.

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Wrap up

🎦 30:22-31:05⏩

Jonathan concludes the video, saying that he needs to stop ranting as he could go on for a long time on this topic and signs off.

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