Something Broke in Russia

It had to Happen eventually. After nearly Four Years of Grinding Warfare, Russia’s Strategy of Overwhelming Ukraine with Manpower, is Collapsing under its Own weight.

Deaths are Rising Faster than Recruits can Replace Them, turning the War into a Demographic and Military Crisis Moscow can No Longer Ignore.

With Drones Driving Unprecedented Kill Rates and Recruitment Faltering, Russia is approaching a Tipping Point.

But the most Dangerous Consequences may only Now be Beginning. Since Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine began, a Trail of Atrocities has Followed, from Missile Strikes on Civilians to Torture, Executions, and Banned Chemical Attacks. But many of the Commanders responsible believed they could Disappear and Live in Safety.

Ukrainian Intelligence has Tracked, Hunted, and Eliminated, Key War Criminals, using Precision, Patience, and Cutting-Edge Tactics. From Assassinations to Covert Strikes, justice followed them Home. And it’s far from Over: Using Military Strategy, Military Developments, Military Analysis, and Military Advancments, show this War isn't Over yet.

Russia's Economy is under Significant Strain, with Experts Warning that it could Face Bankruptcy, due to Dwindling Financial Reserves, Increasing Corporate Bankruptcies, and the Impact of International Sanctions.

Depleting Financial Reserves: Experts Predict that Russia could Run Out of Liquid Financial Reserves by the fall of 2026. The National Wealth Fund, which is Crucial for the Country's Financial Stability, has seen its Liquid Assets Decline Dramatically, from $117 billion in 2021 to Approximately $31 billion by Late 2024. This Depletion is Largely Attributed to Iincreased Military Spending and the Effects of Western Sanctions.

Surge in Corporate Bankruptcies: There has been a Notable Increase in Corporate Bankruptcies in Russia, with Reports Indicating a Rise of Over 50% in the First Two Months of 2024 Compared to the Previous Year. This Trend is Expected to Continue as Companies Struggle with Refinancing Issues and Rising Debt Burdens Due to High-Interest Rates.

Economic Challenges: The Russian Economy is Facing a Multitude of Challenges, including Falling Hydrocarbon Revenues, Inflation, and a Labor Market Shortfall. The Central Bank's Decision to Raise Interest Rates to 21% has Exacerbated the Situation, making it Difficult for Businesses to Service their Debts. Over 20% of Manufacturing Companies are now Paying Interest Costs that Exceed Two-Tthirds of their Pre-Tax Profits.

Long-term Risks: Analysts Warn that Without Significant Policy Changes or External Financial Assistance, Russia Risks Entering a Sstate of Bankruptcy. The Country's Reliance on Energy Exports makes it Vulnerable to Global Price Fluctuations, further Complicating its Financial Outlook.

Conclusion: In Summary, Russia is indeed Facing a Precarious Financial Situation that could Lead to Bankruptcy. if Current Trends continue. The Combination of Dwindling Reserves, Rising Corporate Bankruptcies, and the Impact of Sanctions Creates a Challenging Environment for the Russian Economy. Without Substantial Changes, the Outlook Remains Grim, as the Country Navigates these Economic Pressures.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NY Governor Will Allow State Lawsuits Against ICE Agents

NEW YORK Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Tuesday, Endorsed Legislation that would allow New York Residents to Sue Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents in State Court for Civil Rights Violations, an Escalation of Efforts by Democratic-led States to Rein in the Agency following a Woman’s Fatal Shooting in Minneapolis, Last Week.

During Her Annual State-of-the-State Address in Albany, Hochul said “protecting New Yorkers” was Her Top Priority and that now includes “standing up to ICE agents who abuse their power. Power does not justify abuse, and if someone’s constitutional rights are violated here in the state of New York, I say they deserve their day in court.” Hochul said.

Hochul’s Support for related Proposals in the Legislature, comes as Democratic Governors and Lawmakers from around the Country are seeking ways to try to Blunt what they consider Overly Aggressive Federal Immigration Tactics under Trump (R). The Work underway in States such as: Illinois, Maryland, and New Jersey, Includes Efforts to Ban ICE Officers from Wearing Masks, and Bills that would Bar them from Later Securing Employment in State or Local Police Departments.

If Approved, Hochul’s Push to Open ICE Agents to Civil Liability would almost certainly be Challenged by the Trump Administration. Tricia McLaughlin (R), a Spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said Hochul was trying to “smear law enforcement who are simply enforcing the rule of law and putting their lives on the line to remove violent criminals from New York.”

“DHS law enforcement officers follow the law and the U.S. Constitution,” McLaughlin continued, saying Federal Agents were being Attacked, Harassed, and Threatened as they try to Carry-Out their Dduties.

But the Governor’s POosition Underscores how Democratic Politicians are becoming Increasingly Emboldened to take on ICE, especially after an ICE Officer Killed Renée Good, a Mother of Three, during a still Expanding Operation in Minneapolis. Watch the Slides in Slow Mmotion. The Shotter is Bdhind the Agent who touched the Car Handle as the Driver Pulls Away.

“When boundaries are crossed, accountability matters,” Hochul said. “No one from the president on down is above the law.” New York Assembly Member Micah Lasher (D-69th District), who introduced Legislation similar to Hochul’s Proposal in 2025, said the Legislation would bring New York in line with policies already in effect in several states, including California, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Lasher said the concept is based on a theory known as “converse 1983.” It maintains that federal officials should be liable in state courts should they violate federal civil rights laws, just as Section 1983 of the federal code made state and local officials liable in federal court should they violate those statues. The section was enacted in 1871 in part to give Black Americans additional protections against the Ku Klux Klan.

“I think it’s important both as a concrete matter and as a matter of moral clarity for state governments to do everything they can to push back and protect people from egregious overreaches of ICE under the Trump administration,” said Lasher, who represents Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighborhood. “And by creating increased legal exposure for individual ICE agents, it is the hope that this legislation will be at least something of a deterrent.”

Perry Grossman, a supervising attorney for the New York Civil Liberties Union, said the changes are needed because the U.S. Supreme Court has made it exceptionally difficult for citizens to hold federal agents accountable under federal law. The court has carved out broad qualified immunity protections for government officials, he noted, though they are still bound by the U.S. Constitution.

“All this is really doing is giving New Yorkers an opportunity to sue for violations of their constitutional rights,” Grossman said. “The state is not regulating federal officers. The United States Constitution is regulating federal officers, and the state is simply saying, ‘Here you can use our court to vindicate those federal constitutional rights.’”

Lasher Conceded that the Premise of State Lawsuits against Federal Officials, carrying out Federal Laws, remains Untested. He said He is Unaware of Anyone who has brought a State Civil Suit against an ICE Agent in any of the States with a Law already in Effect.

“I believe the private right-of-action itself would be pretty hard to challenge,” He said. “But you are going to see cases where federal agents try to move their case to federal courts.”

Hochul on Tuesday, also Announced Plans to Strengthen the State’s Policies by Banning ICE from Conducting Enforcement Raids in “Sensitive Locations” without a judge’s Sign-Off. “We will not allow masked ICE agents to storm our schools, our day care centers, our hospitals, our houses of worship for civil immigration raids unless they have a judicial warrant,” She declared.

New York State is Not a Sanctuary State. New York City is a Sanctuary City. It was Created with its Own Charter, before NY became a State.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Resignations at DOJ Civil Rights Division

Several Career Prosecutors in the Justice Department's (DOJ) Civil RightsIDivision, announced they are Leaving, shortly after they Learned there would be No Civil Rights Probe into the Fatal Shooting of a Minneapolis Woman by a Federal Lmmigration Agent. At least Six Prosecutors, most of whom are Supervisors in the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section, will be Leaving their Jobs. Their Decision to Depart was Announced in a Meeting to Staff on Monday.

On Friday, CareerPprosecutors in the Section had Offered to Drop-All of their Work to Help Investigate the Minneapolis Shooting, but they were told there would be No Criminal Civil Rights Investigation. The ICE Officer who Shot and Killed Good, has been Identified as Jonathan Ross.

Although the DOJ Department Contemplated Treating the Investigation as a "Color-of-Law" Civil Rights Investigation into the Excessive Use-of-Force, it Later Changed Course, Two Sifferent Sources Briefed on the Matter. Now, the Investigation is being Treated as an Assault on a Federal Officer, in which Ross, as Opposed to Good, is seen as the Victim of a Crime.

At least Six Ccareer Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office in Minnesota, have also Resigned from their jobs. Their Resignations come as the Office faces Pressure from Senior Department Leadership to Treat the Investigation as an Assault on a Federal Officer, rather than a Civil Rights Investigation.

"There is currently no basis for a criminal civil rights investigation, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch (R)e said in a Statement. A Justice Department Official Confirmed that Leadership in the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section gave Notice they were going to Depart under an Early Retirement Program, and said they sought to Participate "well before the events in Minnesota." "Any suggestion to the contrary is false," the Official added.

While most of those Departing in the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section are taking the Early Retirement Option, the Timing of the Events in Minneapolis factored into their Decision to make the Announcement this week. Video Footage shows the Officer, Identified in Court Records from the Prior Incident as Ross, Fired Three Rounds at the Car as Good Started to Drive Away.

The Video also Appeared to Depict the Officers did Not take immediate Steps to Ensure that Good Received Emergency Medical Care after the Shooting took place. A separate Video from the Scene showed Officers Stopping a Man who Claimed to be a Doctor from Moving toward Good. Senior Officials in the Trump (R) Administration, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem (R), have Publicly sought to Cast Blame on Good, Alleging She was trying to Assault Ross with Her Car.

But Legal Experts say the Video Evidence shows that the Car was turning Away from Ross, and that is Sufficient to Justify Investigating the Case as a Civil Rights One. "Just looking at the totality of the evidence that I see, which is limited, there is enough there to make a criminal inquiry to determine whether there was deprivation of Ms. Good's rights under color of law," Julius Nam, a former Federal Civil Rights Prosecutor in Los Angeles.

The Civil Rights Division has already faced a Mass Exodus in its Ranks since 2025, after Political Leadership Drastically Altered its Mission of Historically Protecting the Country's most Vulnerable Populations. Until now, the Criminal Section had Lost Fewer Attorneys compared with the Division's other Sections, which Collectively Lost approximately 75% of their Staff in 2025. The Departures, which include that of the Section's Chief, were Not solely Driven by Minneapolis, but also by Frustrations at how Political Leaders in the Division were Handling other Cases and Sidelining Prosecutors.

Last year, Political Leadership in the Division Intervened in a Pending Sentencing of a Former Louisville Police Officer who was Convicted of Violating Breonna Taylor's Civil Rights and Assigned a New Prosecutor to the Case, who then Asked a Federal Judge to Sentence Him to Serve just One Day in Prison. The Judge Ultimately Sentenced Him to serve 33 Months.

Then in November/2025, the Division abruptly Filed a Motion to Dismiss a Case that was just about to go to Trial against Two Officials in a Local Sheriff's Office in the Middle District of Tennessee, who were Facing Charges for using Excessive Force and Trying to Hide their Alleged Misconduct. Officials in the Section were recently Offered a Chance to Retire Early, and Several of them Decided to take it, several of the Sources said. The Lack of an Investigation in Minneapolis, was a Breaking Point for some of them, and Helped Factor into their Decision to Announce it in a Staff Meeting.

The Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section is responsible for Prosecuting Hate Crimes, as well as Cases against Law Enforcement, such as Excessive Use-of-Force, Aexual Misconduct, making False Arrests or showing Deliberate Indifference to serious Medical Needs.

In a Statement, NAACP President Derrick Johnson said that if Incidents that are Visible like the Minneapolis Shooting "are not subjected to full, impartial investigations that genuinely seek accountability, we must wonder how many other cases go unreported, undocumented, or purposefully obscured by an administration that is no longer attempting to conceal its intent to intimidate and silence all who do not conform to its agenda."

Although U.S. Attorney's offices can also Conduct their Own Investigations into Excessive Force by a Law Enforcement Officer, the Incident in Minneapolis would likely be Deemed to be a Case of National Significance under DOJ Guidelines because it Resulted in Death. In Cases of National Significance, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division is Supposed to Coordinate with the Local U.S. Attorney's Office, the Justice Manual says.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

NRDC Suing Trump to Protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The Trump (R) Administration, is once again trying to Recklessly Auction Off the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, to Oil-and-Gas Drilling, putting One of the Last truly Wild Places on Earth, on the Chopping Block. Today, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is Suing to Stop their Destructive Plan.

Trump and Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum (R) Plan to Offer 1.56 million Acres of the Refuge's Coastal Plain to Fossil Fuel Corporations, Sacrificing a Pristine Wilderness for Corporate Profit.

For Decades, NRDC hasDdefended the Arctic Refuge, In-and-Out of Court. They worked to Prevent Reckless Drilling Schemes before, and There Ready to do it again, because the Stakes could Not be Higher.

Oil and Gas activity in the Arctic Refuge would severely Disrupt a Landscape that Spans over 19 million Acres and Serves as a Safe Haven for Wildlife found almost Nowhere else on Earth.

Polar Bears rely on it to Den and raise their Ccubs. Caribou Herds Migrate Across it. More than 200 Species of Migratory Birds Travel from All Seven Continents to Feed and Breed there each Summer.

The Arctic is Not Empty Land. It is a Living Breathing Ecosystem. It's a Carbon Sink that helps Stabilize Our Climate at a Moment when We can Least Afford more Pollution.

And make No Mistake: this is a Political Decision Driven by Fossil Fuel Greed, not Science, Not Public Interest, and Not the Will of the Indigenous People Who Call the Arctic Home.

NRDC is taking the Trump Administration to Court, because this Fight Demands the Strongest Tool we have: the Law.

To Donate Click Here










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

ICE Arrests NYC Council Employee at Immigration Appointment

A New York City Council Employee was Detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officers on Monday, as He attended a Routine Immigration Appointment at a Court on Long Island, Federal and Local Officials said. ICE in an emailed Statement Identified the Man as Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez.

He works as a Data Analyst for the City Council, Council Speaker Julie Menin (D) said at a News Conference. "He does not have a criminal record and is authorized to work in the United States until October", She said. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY, 10th District), Speaking at the same News Conference, said the Man was of Venezuelan descent.

“A law-abiding immigrant with work authorization who is allowed to be here does the right thing and goes to their required check-in at an ICE facility,” Goldman said, “and instead of getting rewarded for doing the right thing … he is arrested and detained, and likely on a path to removal”.

Tricia McLaughlin, a Spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Disputed those Remarks in an emailed Statement sent a few hours after the News Conference. She said the Venezuelan had a previous Arrest for Assault. The Washington Post could not Confirm whether He was Charged with or found Guilty of Assault. He also had No Work Authorization, McLaughlin added.

The Man “entered the United States on a B2 tourist visa in 2017 that required him to depart the U.S. by October 22, 2017,” McLaughlin said. Menin said earlier that She had spoken with a DHS Official who Confirmed that the Man was Attending a Routine Court Appointment but “was nevertheless detained.”

“They provided no other basis for his detainment,” Menin said. She expressed Frustration that there was No way to Reach the Individual, who was initially Detained at a Facility in Bethpage, near the Court, before being Moved to another Facility on Varick Street in Manhattan.

Homeland Security Officials “indicated that they are likely to move this individual” but Declined to “elaborate on additional information,” She said. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) said He was Outraged by the Incident. “This is an assault on our democracy, on our city, and our values. I am calling for his immediate release and will continue to monitor the situation,” He said in a Post on Social Media.

The Man “entered the U.S. on a B2 tourist visa in 2017 that required him to depart the U.S. by October 22, 2017,” McLaughlin said. Menin said earlier that She had Spoken with a DHS Official who Confirmed that the Man was Attending a Routine Court Appointment but “was nevertheless detained.” “They provided no other basis for his detainment,” Menin said.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Federal Judge Rules Trump Violated the Constitution

A Federal Judge Ruled on Monday, that the Trump (R) Administration’s Cancellation of Approximately $8 billion in Energy Grants Violated the Constitution, by Targeting Recipients Primarily based in Democratic-Leaning States. U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta issued a 17-page Opinion, Finding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grant Terminations Unlawful under the Fifth Amendment’s Equal Protection Guarantee. The Ruling Orders the Department to Restore Seven Specific Grants worth $27.6 million, that were Part of a Broader Cancellation affecting more than 200 Projects announced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought (R) on October 1st, 2025, the First Day of the Government Shutdown.

Mehta Concluded that “all the awardees (but one) were based in states whose majority of citizens casting votes did not support President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.” The Ruling establishes Constitutional Boundaries on Executive Branch Actions that Discriminate based on State Political Affiliation. According to NOTUS, the DOE’s Decision Targeted Grantees based in Blue States while Red-State based Groups using Federal Funding for Similar Projects, Largely Avoided Termination, creating a Pattern of Disparate Treatment across Hundreds of Projects Nationwide.

The DOE Terminated Grants following Vought’s October 1st, 2025 Announcement on X Dtating that “nearly $8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left’s climate agenda is being cancelled.” He Listed 16 States: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, none of which Voted for Trump in 2024.

The next day, Trump posted on Truth Social, that He had met with Vought to “determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a Political SCAM, He Recommends to be Cut” during the Shutdown.

The Termination Letters were initially sent Without Formal DOE Letterhead and Informed Recipients their Awards are “not consistent with this Administration’s goals, policies, and priorities.” A week later, Identical Letters were sent on Official Agency Letterhead. The Grants supported Environmental Projects including Electric Vehicle Development, Updated Building Energy Codes, and Methane Emissions Reduction.

According to NOTUS, the Administration Canceled $460 million for Minnesota Transmission Lines while Preserving $700 million for similar Montana Projects, and Cut Hawaii Wildfire Resilience Funding, while maintaining $160 million for Georgia Power’s Grid Resilience work. Of 17 Battery Recycling Projects, only Three were Cut, All Blue States, while the Remaining 14 in Red States or at National Labs Continued. The Disparate Treatment extended to Multi-State Programs: For the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership Program, “only projects in states that voted for Vice President Harris were cancelled on October 2, 2025, while similar projects in states that voted for President Trump were not.”

The City of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Eenvironmental Groups including Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Plug In America, ElevateEnergy, Southeast Community Organization, and Environmental Defense Fund filed suit. The DOE Defended its Decision by Claiming it Advanced Trump Administration Energy Priorities.

However, Mehta found “no plausible rational connection” between the Administration’s stated Energy Goals and Selectively Canceling Blue-State Grants. The Court Eemphasized that Defendants Conceded Plaintiffs’ Seven Terminated Grants are “Comparable” to Awards to Grantees in Red States that were Not Terminated, with the Only Identifiable Difference being “the grant recipient’s state’s political identity.”

The Defendants Stipulated that “a primary reason for the selection of which DOE grant termination decisions were included in the October 2025 notice tranche was whether the grantee was located in a ‘Blue State.'” The Court Rejected the DOE’s Argument that the Fifth Amendment does Not apply to Federal Funding Decisions, stating: “There’s no federal funding exception to the Equal Protection Clause.”

Judge Amit P. Mehta said in the Ruling: “There is no reason to believe that terminating an award to a recipient located in a state whose citizens tend to vote for Democratic candidates—and, particularly, voted against President Trump—furthers the agency’s energy priorities any more than terminating a similar grant of a recipient in a state whose citizens tend to vote for Republican candidates or voted for President Trump.”

Mehta emphasized the Narrowness of His Ruling: “By no means does the court conclude that the mere presence of political considerations in an agency action runs afoul of the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright (R) said October 2025, per NOTUS when Asked why Affected Projects were in States that Voted for Presidential Nominee Kamala Harris (D), Wright Denied Targeting Democrats and said: “More project announcements will come,” including in Red States.

The DOE must Restore the Seven Grants Specified in the Ruling, however the Administration could Appeal Mehta’s Decision to a Jigher Court.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Iranians Use Starlink to Skirt Internet Blackout

Some Iranians are still JUsing Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet Dervice, Despite a Nationwide Communications Blackout, the latest example of Starlink being used to Counter Internet Shutdowns in Geopolitical Flashpoints. Iranian Authorities have in recent days. launched a Deadly Crackdown on Nationwide Protests, including the Near-Complete Shutdown of Internet Service, which is provided through Fiber-Optic Cables and Cellphone Towers.

But Starlink, which Beams its Service directly from Thousands of Low-Earth Orbit Satellites, is still Working in some Places in Iran, despite being Banned by Authorities there, Three People using Starlink in the Country told Reuters. One of them, in Western Iran, said He knew Dozens of People using Starlink and that Users in Border Towns and Cities were Largely Unaffected. Alp Toker, Founder of Internet Monitoring Group NetBlocks, said He has heard from People in the Region that there is still some Starlink Access in Iran, though Service Appears Reduced. “It is patchy, but still there,” He said.

While it’s Not Clear how Starlink’s Service was being Disrupted in Iran, some Specialists said it could be the Result of Jamming of Starlink Terminals that would Overpower their Ability to Receive Signals from the Satellites. Starlink, which is part of Privately heldby U.S. Company SpaceX, didn't Respond to Requests for Comment.

The Communication Lifeline Starlink has Provided for some Protesters in Iran, is the Latest Sign of the Influence Musk and His Satellite Internet Service have in Global Conflicts and Unrest around the World. Starlink has been a Critical Tool for Ukrainian Forces since Russia's Full-Scale Invasion in 2022. In Myanmar, where the Military junta has Imposed Repeated Internet Shutdowns, Rebel Groups, Aid Organizations and Medics have used Starlink for Communications. In Sudan, Starlink has also been used by Both Sides in a Years-Long Civil War Due to Prolonged Blackouts.

Trump (R) said on Sunday, He Plans to Speak with Musk about Restoring Internet in Iran, Without Mentioning Starlink. Musk previously Shipped Free Starlink Terminals, which are Slightly Larger than a Laptop, to Ukraine and Offered Free Internet Dervice there. Standard Starlink Terminals Cost around $599, plus a Monthly Service Fee, making it Uunaffordable for Many Iranians.

Musk's Ability to Tip-the-Balance in Global Conflicts was Demonstrated when He Shut-Down Starlink as Ukraine Retook Territory from Russia in 2022, Reuters previously Reported. Starlink isn't Licensed to Operate in Iran, but Musk has Previously said that the Service is Active there. In December 2022, He Posted on His Social Media Platform X, that the Company was “approaching 100 Starlinks active in Iran," a Modest Figure given Iran's Population of 92 Million.

In June last year, in response to a Post on X, Calling for Him to Provide Starlink Access to Iran, Musk posted “beams are on.” Following the 12-day War between Iran and Israel in June, Iran’s Parliament Passed a Law formally Banning the Use of Starlink, introducing Severe Penalties for those who Use or Distribute the Unlicensed Technology, according to Iranian State Media.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker