Jessica Berlin

That’s a lot of wanker packed into one headline

Over the past 2 weeks I’ve met with defense tech and cyber whizzes, soldiers, officers, policymakers, diplomats, and security experts from countries across Europe and beyond. We have one message for Ukraine: You are not alone. We have one message for Russia: You are going down.

A huge amount of Germany’s intelligence comes from tips from our allies. Our intelligence agencies are notorious underachievers at, erm, gathering actual intelligence. Imagine how eager allies will be to share with us after this latest debacle.

Germany today in two headlines

Schröder. Maaßen. Now Hanning. These aren’t isolated scandals. It’s systemic and ongoing for decades: the German government and security establishment are compromised. This case was discovered by accident. Anyone who thinks we’ve found the last breach is kidding themselves.

Anyone still whining that we need more diplomacy with Russia, while the Russians respond to all diplomatic efforts by killing more Ukrainian civilians, is just helping spread the Kremlin’s propaganda.

Mit dem Treffen zwischen Lawrow und Wadephul stellt die deutsche Regierung wieder einmal ihre Strategielosigkeit und Selbsttäuschung zur Schau. Was sie als diplomatische Initiative betrachtet, wird vom Kreml als weiterer Beweis Deutschlands Schwäche und Leichtgläubigkeit gewertet.

Russia thinks they can scare allies from coming to Ukraine by attacking the trains to Poland. Nope.

Drones over Lithuania, flares fired at Danish aircraft, the Polish border strike. These attacks are a direct result of Europe’s weak response to Leipzig & all other provocations. It’s past time. The EU must ban Russian tourists. NATO must help defend western Ukrainian airspace.

Привіт Київ

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t Guatemala

It has taken nearly a month for the German government to state the obvious: Russia was behind the Leipzig airport attack. An announcement of what consequences Russia will face expected later today. Merz apparently not bothering to announce it himself so I doubt Putin is worried

Wie würdest du reagieren, wenn jemand dir eine Kaffeetasse der russischen Armee schenken würde? Und würdest du vergessen, wer das war?

Even if CIA Director Ratcliffe flew to Moscow to warn Putin against attacking Europe — so what? Then-CIA Director Burns flew to Moscow in Nov 2021 to warn against invading Ukraine. How’d that go? This changes nothing for Europe. We must deter Russia now — and arm Ukraine to win.

Fixed it for you

Russian airspace violations in Finland. A Russian bomb at a German airport. A bomb-laden Russian sea drone at a Romanian gas plant. Russia is attacking Nato by land, sea & air. Now, because we’re not ready. Our leaders must wake up & warn the people: Russia is at war with us.

Zur Klarstellung: Wer auf deutschem Boden Bomben legt, führt keinen „hybriden Angriff“ mehr – sondern einen Angriff.

Europe isn’t ready or able to defend itself against Russia. And we can’t rely on Trump’s America. But Nato-Europe has an ally more reliable than Article 5: Ukraine. If Russia attacks, Ukraine will come to our aid. Immediately, despite no treaty. They are our greatest defense.

Instead, we aim to be the belligerent, chaotic kerosene poured onto the West’s self-made civilizational dumpster fire.

Silver lining: if the Trump Administration can’t find you on a map, they can’t invade

Prime Minister @andyburnham said security would be his first priority — this appointment puts the Treasury where his mouth is. John Healey leading the Exchequer sends a strong signal to Europe, Ukraine, Washington, and above all the Kremlin: Britain means business on defence.

Last night, Russia attacked a European capital with over 40 ballistic missiles. That leads nowhere in European news headlines this morning. Russian terror, murder and destruction are simply taken in stride as a normal story.

As Americans, Lindsey Graham & I didn’t agree on much. But in Kyiv in 2022, that didn’t matter. He was there to aid a far greater cause & embraced all allies in it, even across deep political divides. His tireless commitment to Ukraine will remain an honorable part of his legacy.

Fixed it for you @theeconomist

Russia has turned the home front into the frontline. National defence needs to come home too. Future PM Andy Burnham can be a transformative leader on defence, if he applies his domestic political vision to it: resilience. My piece in the @theguardian.com t.co/ME74DNqzld

In a propaganda rant, former FSB head & paranoid Putin advisor Nikolai Patrushev called Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania "Baltic mice" pulling at a "cat with nuclear claws". Here, kitty kitty.

⚡️Russia is practicing the scenario of the Ukrainian naval landing in Crimea: the military command conducted staff exercises, — Russian media.

Russia can’t stop Ukraine from blowing up their weapons & oil infrastructure. So they blow up Ukrainian homes, playgrounds, cafes, hospitals, schools, museums, churches... Forget morals for a moment — do the math & tell me which side is winning. Now morals back on: Fuck Russia.

Russia’s ability to fuel and defend their occupation of Crimea is being degraded day by day. Bridges, roads, rail, air defenses, ammo, fuel depots, trucks all going up in flames. And Ukraine is still saving the best for last. The Kerch countdown is running.

Good night Moscow 🌙

Spotted in Moscow

Russia’s cover is blown. There is no unbeatable Russia. Just a dying empire madly trying to destroy what they can’t conquer. Political & business leaders worldwide who believed the ‘mighty Russia’ myth & thought Ukraine had no chance now watch Moscow burn. The tide is turning.

A senile octogenarian in orange face paint surrenders to Iran while Marco Rubio’s face just surrenders

Thank you for your attention to this matter

Ireland: occupied for centuries by imperial invaders who brutally suppressed their language & identity; endured torture, murder, sexual violence, hunger. They bravely resisted & live free today. More than anyone in Western Europe, Ireland should understand & stand with Ukraine.

In Feb. 2022 I dropped everything & paused my normal work to help Ukraine. Four years, 14 trips to 🇺🇦 & even two beautiful babies later, that ‘pause’ never ended. If you appreciate my work, you can buy me a coffee (or babysitter :) here: Paypal: jessica@costruct.co buymeacoffee.com/jberlin

Don’t just invoke Article 4. Inflict consequences.