Opinion Editor @MoscowTimes | Also reporting on Russia-related security matters | Get in touch at [email protected] | Ex-@business | My views
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NEW: Vladimir Putin spent most of his call with the leaders of Finland and Norway ranting about Slavic history, underscoring Europe's tough task backing Ukraine in peace talks.
The planned 20-minute call dragged on for 90. A ceasefire barely came up:
ft.com/content/a384acd1-c90c…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
Opinion: Experiencing captivity both as the American Evan and the Russian Vanya, Evan Gershkovich's account of life in a Russian jail is a compelling addition to the lineage of testimony that includes Solzhenitsyn and Ginzburg, writes @drpollyjones.
themoscowtimes.com/2026/10/2…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
At least six Russian political prisoners have died in custody so far this year, according to rights advocates.
For relatives, fellow activists and supporters, preserving the memory of those who died has become an act of solidarity and resistance.
themoscowtimes.com/2026/05/2…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
Alexander Kondratov was best known for his work as an art and production designer for the 2007 post-World War II detective drama “Liquidation.”
themoscowtimes.com/2026/10/2…
These blokes who’re chuffed with their full freezers will be in for a shock when the power goes out for several days
The government has published new advice on being ready for emergencies, including stockpiling enough food and water to last three days.
Sky correspondent @ShingiMararike asked members of the public if they are stockpiling ⬇️
Read more: trib.al/GBnLYng
Charlie Hancock retweeted
❗️Officials in regular contact with President Vladimir Putin have told Vlast that the Russian leader increasingly believes military escalation and intensified air attacks will force Kyiv to make concessions in the coming months.
“Our attacks are far more painful for Ukraine than their strikes are for us,” said a senior government official. “Everything could be over by winter; they won’t hold out. They will have to make concessions.”
Link – see thread ⬇️
Charlie Hancock retweeted
There persists a very strong belief in HMG that speaking to the nation about threats and risks will create fear and panic in a way that is somehow 'bad politics'. It's born of the same culture that underpins the continued belief in a just-in-time economy, our lack of stockpiles.
The national resilience moment that very nearly barely happened:
A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to plan for the "Be Ready" rollout, which was first trailed during the dying days of Sir Keir Starmer's government.
Andy Burnham inherited the project as well as leadership of the much-promised but minimally-delivered national conversation on defence.
Yet he appears to have chosen not to speak out on the launch of the new readiness campaign despite its national significance.
Even Dan Jarvis, the security minister, who is leading on resilience, stayed away from journalists on Thursday, instead just publishing his ministerial statement and sending out a written post on social media.
This lacklustre approach was met privately with disappointment among members of the resilience community.
The concern - rightly or wrongly - is that it creates the impression that preparing the country (every post code!) for the possibility of any crisis, up to and including war, is not a top priority for the government.
news.sky.com/story/be-ready-…
When, oh when, will a minister doing the rounds to talk about resilience give a serious answer to a journalist asking the *extremely obvious* question of what they've done to repair?
If our leaders think it's a joke, what's the public supposed to take from that?
'What does your back up look like?'
Treasury minister James Murray was asked on #BBCBreakfast if he'd followed the advice from the Defence Secretary to be more aware of emerging risks facing the UK and make plans to deal with them by stocking up on food, bottled water and first aid supplies
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwd0…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
A shipment of Russian uranium destined for Germany has arrived in Rotterdam
The plant in Lingen, owned by a subsidiary of Framatome (France), is launching nuclear fuel production under a license from the Russian company TVEL, a Rosatom structure.
theins.press/en/news/298638
Charlie Hancock retweeted
Surveillance and 'constant paranoia': Western diplomats tell BBC of life in war-time Moscow bbc.in/4zLwSRc
Charlie Hancock retweeted
The national resilience moment that very nearly barely happened:
A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to plan for the "Be Ready" rollout, which was first trailed during the dying days of Sir Keir Starmer's government.
Andy Burnham inherited the project as well as leadership of the much-promised but minimally-delivered national conversation on defence.
Yet he appears to have chosen not to speak out on the launch of the new readiness campaign despite its national significance.
Even Dan Jarvis, the security minister, who is leading on resilience, stayed away from journalists on Thursday, instead just publishing his ministerial statement and sending out a written post on social media.
This lacklustre approach was met privately with disappointment among members of the resilience community.
The concern - rightly or wrongly - is that it creates the impression that preparing the country (every post code!) for the possibility of any crisis, up to and including war, is not a top priority for the government.
news.sky.com/story/be-ready-…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
NEW: Trump called Musk and asked him to lift restrictions on a military-grade version of Starlink in Ukraine that the SpaceX chief had throttled, U.S. officials said.
The system was working more normally Thursday, shortly after their conversation, per Us and Ukrainian officials
Charlie Hancock retweeted
"Top officials in the State Department made clear that only candidates who voted for President Donald Trump would be eligible for the mid-to-upper level foreign service roles. They also told candidates that their campaign donation history would be examined and any donation to Democrats would be disqualifying."
SCOOP: The State Dept has started asking career diplomats up for promotion if they voted for Trump in 16, 20, 24.
Federal law prohibits politically based hiring for career staff.
State tells @washingtonsun it's screening for "fidelity" and execution of the president's vision👇
Charlie Hancock retweeted
Up to 12,000 North Koreans work under conditions of forced labor at Russia’s Alabuga drone plant, @CSIS report says
They are paid around $2.50 an hour, with the regime in Pyongyang confiscating between 70% and 90% of their earnings.
theins.press/en/news/298555
Charlie Hancock retweeted
***NEW*** The Burden of Putin’s War Is Mounting on Russia’s Oil Giant
Big Bloomberg News story out today on Rosneft. Free to read with this link
This is why Putin needs Trump to stop Ukraine’s refinery strikes: bloomberg.com/news/features/…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
💥A fake Israeli think tank linked to Kremlin disinformation was promoted by real experts and Israeli media—and its founder lobbied lawmakers. My colleagues have uncovered ties to a suspected Russian spy. One promoter admitted taking cash, then backtracked.vsquare.org/journalist-admit…
Charlie Hancock retweeted
1/2 The number of confirmed air defense towers and ramps in Alabuga, the main production facility for Russian strike drones, has reached 33, as a new @planet high-res image taken today, Oct. 21, shows. Ukraine hasn’t attempted to strike the site since June 2025.
