UPRISING in Moscow: Putin was TOLD TO STOP! Russian factories have been BLOWN UP

Added: 2026-05-24

[00:00:02]What were she and Putin deciding in Beijing?

[00:00:05]We'll tell you about the first results of their meeting.

[00:00:07]Drones attacked major oil refineries in the Nizhny Novgorod region and the Azot chemical plant in the Stavropol territory. The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, warned about a possible Russian offensive from Belarus. And in the Russian State Duma, they're calling to end the so-called special military operation, believe it or not. Yakutia is suffering from flooding due to abnormal amounts of snow and ice drift on the Lena River.

[00:00:30]Hello, friends. This is the In the Crosshairs project. I am Alexander the Reverend. Let's begin.

[00:00:44]As you know, Putin arrived in China for a two-day visit. The ceremony for his arrival, that is, for this dictator, was similar to the one Beijing held last week for Donald Trump.

[00:00:55]Well, there was an honor guard and a crowd waving flags. But Putin was greeted by a current member of the Politburo, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, while Trump was met by a high-ranking official, Han Zheng, who is not a member of the Politburo.

[00:01:09]Right in front of Putin's plane, a long red carpet was rolled out. And on both sides of it, many young people stood in very neat rows, while proudly holding both Russian and Chinese flags.

[00:01:21]Let's take a look.

[00:01:43]In general, you know, this two-day visit by Putin is taking place after a large-scale drone attack on Moscow and the disgraceful parade on May 9th. You have to admit it's an unusual visit.

[00:01:53]And by the way, Beijing actually ignored May 9th.

[00:01:57]So, the dictator came to bow before Xi during one of the most difficult periods of his rule.

[00:02:03]Let's recall the country's growing economic problems caused by Western sanctions are increasing Russia's dependence on China.

[00:02:11]On top of all that, there's the decline in trade turnover with China and the uncertainty surrounding power of Siberia 2.

[00:02:18]Against this backdrop, Putin makes a gesture towards Xi declaring unprecedented relations with China.

[00:02:24]It's actually kind of funny, isn't it?

[00:02:25]But in fact, all of this is just the beginning.

[00:02:28]During negotiations with the chairman of the PRC in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Putin used a Chinese proverb. Let's listen.

[00:02:37]The honorable Mr. Chairman, President Xi Jinping, and my dear friend, it would be appropriate to use a Chinese proverb.

[00:02:47]As far as we know, in China they say, "We haven't seen each other for a day, but it feels like three autumns have passed."

[00:02:55]Xi noted that Russia and China are now jointly determining the direction of development for their bilateral relations based on respect and mutual benefit.

[00:03:03]And of course, the Russian dictator continued to flatter his Chinese counterpart. He recalled how last year they celebrated May 9th together at the parade in Moscow.

[00:03:12]This year, Putin has nothing left to boast about.

[00:03:15]Putin once again emphasized that the relations between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level.

[00:03:21]Following the meeting, Putin and Xi agreed to extend the Treaty of Good Neighborliness, Friendship, and Cooperation between China and Russia.

[00:03:28]The chairman of the PRC stated that the agreement signed 25 years ago laid the foundation for long-term friendship and comprehensive strategic coordination.

[00:03:39]The parties also discussed energy cooperation, the situation in the Middle East, and the war in Ukraine.

[00:03:45]The Kremlin stated that they hope for the resumption of the peace process and called on the United States to continue its mediation efforts.

[00:03:53]By the way, before Putin's trip to Beijing, there was a publication in the Financial Times, which we discussed with you. I would like to remind you that during a conversation with Donald Trump, comrade Xi allegedly remarked that Putin might still come to regret invading Ukraine.

[00:04:07]Beijing was quick to call this article a fabrication.

[00:04:10]What did Xi Jinping and Trump actually talk about and how will this affect Putin's visit? Let's take a look at the report prepared by my colleagues.

[00:04:20]Chinese leader Xi Jinping believes that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may come to regret the war he started in Ukraine.

[00:04:27]According to the Financial Times, the Chinese leader said this to US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Beijing.

[00:04:34]According to sources, the issue of Ukraine was raised during the negotiations.

[00:04:39]Sources from the publication note that Xi Jinping's comments regarding Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion were significantly more pointed than before.

[00:04:48]According to a source familiar with the meetings between Xi and former President Joe Biden, although the leaders had very frank and direct conversations about Russia and Ukraine, Xi did not express his personal opinion about Putin and the war.

[00:05:02]At the same time, according to sources, during the summit with Xi Jinping, Trump proposed that the US, China, and Russia join forces in opposing the International Criminal Court, stating that their interests align.

[00:05:15]According to official statements from the Trump administration about the summit in Beijing, there was no mention of discussions about Putin or the war in Ukraine.

[00:05:24]As is known, shortly after Trump's visit on Tuesday, May 19th, Putin will arrive in China for a meeting with Xi Jinping.

[00:05:32]According to Bloomberg, one of the main topics of the negotiations in Beijing will be the construction of the new Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline.

[00:05:41]According to the publication's sources, Russia hopes that the turmoil in energy markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East will prompt China to show greater flexibility in negotiations over the gas pricing contract for the planned pipeline project.

[00:05:56]It is noted that the Chinese have expressed interest in speeding up the negotiations, although so far no significant progress has been made.

[00:06:04]Yury Ushakov, advisor to the Russian dictator, also stated that Putin and Xi Jinping would be discussing the gas pipeline.

[00:06:12]We are seriously committed to discussing it. I believe that the leaders will discuss this topic in detail. At the same time, Bloomberg emphasizes that progress in reaching any agreement depends on the head of China. And so far there is little to suggest that Russia will be able to easily reach an agreement with China.

[00:06:31]Residents of the Irkutsk region have also decided to appeal to Xi Jinping.

[00:06:35]They are asking the chairman of China to build them a school, and if he finances the construction, they are ready to learn Chinese.

[00:06:42]The creators of the video reproach Putin for building schools in Tajikistan, while the authorities have no money at all for the residents of the Berezovy neighborhood near Irkutsk, Russia. Let's listen. We are sending this genuine collective appeal to the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

[00:06:59]Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, we, the residents of the Berezovy neighborhood of the Markovskiy municipal district in the Irkutsk region, have repeatedly and regularly appealed to you over the past 5 years regarding the construction of a secondary school in our neighborhood. In the event that the Russian Federation is unable to complete the construction of the school in our neighborhood, we ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov, to appeal to the chairman of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, with a proposal to finance the construction of our school within the framework of ethnocultural diversity and the active development of cultural ties with China.

[00:07:34]We are ready to start learning Chinese as we believe that it is truly very necessary for us.

[00:07:39]The active development of cultural ties with China is the only possible path of development for us, given that the priorities of our country seem to be focused somewhere on building new metro lines in Moscow and new schools in Tajikistan.

[00:07:51]Friends, subscribe to Union. Stay informed about the main events and analyze them together with us.

[00:07:57]Meanwhile, drone strikes continue in Russia. In the morning, drones attacked Kstovo, which is in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Local residents report explosions and in fact write about this in their video messages.

[00:08:08]According to preliminary information, one of Russia's leading oil refineries, Lukoil Nizhny Novgorod Nefteorgsintez, was attacked. By the way, this is one of the main plants targeted by drones, which are currently attacking, including in this Nizhny Novgorod region.

[00:08:22]Local residents are writing about this.

[00:08:25]At night, explosions were heard in Novomoskovsk, which is in the Stavropol region. As a result of the attack, a fire broke out, likely on the territory of the Azot chemical plant. The head of the city reported an aerial battle and the operation of air defense systems.

[00:08:37]Let's listen.

[00:08:38]Dear comrades, I ask each and every one of you Once again, confirm the coordinates for me. I understand. I am asking all of you to leave the streets and seek immediate shelter.

[00:08:48]There is an aerial battle going on. Air defense systems are currently in operation.

[00:08:53]And there is an attack on our city.

[00:08:56]A day earlier in Yaroslavl, drones attacked the sixth largest oil refinery.

[00:09:01]Sirens sounded in several regions this night.

[00:09:04]Yes, the war is returning to its home harbor, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the Russians.

[00:09:10]Let's take a look at our journalist's report to see what was hit and where.

[00:09:16]On the morning of May 19th, sirens and explosions were heard in Yaroslavl, Russia.

[00:09:21]The city was attacked by drones and air defense systems were also in operation.

[00:09:25]According to Telegram channels, drones are attacking the Slavneft YanOS oil refinery, which is the sixth largest in Russia and processes about 15 million tons of oil per year.

[00:09:35]The sounds of powerful explosions were captured on video.

[00:09:43]The governor of the Yaroslavl region, Mikhail Evraev, stated that debris from drones shot down while repelling air attacks in Yaroslavl landed on an industrial facility.

[00:09:54]Early this morning, our region was subjected to an extensive and massive enemy drone attack.

[00:10:00]Most of the drones were shot down, but one did manage to strike an industrial facility. Special services are extinguishing the fire. There are no casualties.

[00:10:09]It was also noted that during the attack, traffic leaving Yaroslavl in the direction of Moscow was blocked for safety reasons.

[00:10:17]The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that on the night of May 19th, allegedly 315 drones were shot down over the territories of Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, and several other Russian regions, as well as over the temporarily occupied Crimea, and the waters of the Sea of Azov.

[00:10:41]Recently, Russians have increasingly been feeling the effects of the war against Ukraine started by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

[00:10:49]Drones attack various Russian military facilities almost every day. For example, on May 18th, drones attacked the city of Kstovo in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, near which there are oil refineries and oil pumping stations.

[00:11:05]But what caused the most panic among Russians was the massive drone attack on critical infrastructure in Moscow and the Moscow region.

[00:11:13]The defense forces carried out the largest attack on this region since the beginning of the war.

[00:11:19]At that time, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Moscow oil refinery, the Solnechnogorsk oil depot, and several microelectronics production facilities were attacked resulting in fires.

[00:11:34]Russians on social media complained about continuous explosions. I'm in such complete disbelief. I am currently finding myself experiencing this intense and overwhelming kind of fear for the very first time in my entire life, and it is a completely new sensation for me.

[00:11:49]The realization that Russia cannot protect its capital from Ukrainian strikes sparked a wave of disappointment and criticism among Z bloggers who demanded stronger air defenses and retaliatory strikes. As reported in the Institute for the Study of War's report, Russian military bloggers have consistently highlighted major failures in Russia's air defense and demanded the launch of retaliatory strikes as the Kremlin continually fails to adequately protect or strengthen Russia's vulnerable rear air defenses.

[00:12:20]At the same time, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has made it very clear that Ukraine's long-range sanctions will remain in effect until the aggressor the country, Russia, ends the war.

[00:12:32]He further emphasized that strikes on the Moscow region are completely justified responses to the prolongation of the war and attacks on innocent and peaceful Ukrainian cities and communities. The distance to the target, this time the distance to the targets is more than 500 km.

[00:12:49]This is especially significant because the Moscow region is the most heavily saturated with Russian air defenses.

[00:12:55]They protect their seat of power above all else.

[00:12:58]But Ukrainian long-range actions are already overcoming even this.

[00:13:02]Zelenskyy emphasized that Russians should be thinking about their own oil refineries and enterprises, rather than about how to ruin the lives of other nations in Ukraine or any other country.

[00:13:14]He added that the war is quite predictably returning to its home harbor, and this is a clear signal that it's not worth messing with Ukraine.

[00:13:24]The leaky Russian air defense, as usual, failed to cope with the drone raid. A drone that was headed for targets in Russia, but slipped through, was shot down by Estonia for the first time.

[00:13:33]There were reports of massive drone attacks in the northwestern regions of Russia.

[00:13:38]Airports in Pskov and St. Petersburg were not operating, and Russian authorities claim to have shot down drones in the Leningrad region. This is the subject of the report.

[00:13:48]For the first time, Estonia shot down a drone during an air raid alert. A drone entered the country, which, according to preliminary data, may have been heading for targets on Russian territory. A NATO F-16 fighter jet, which was patrolling the airspace in the Baltic region, shot down the drone over Estonia.

[00:14:06]Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur confirmed this.

[00:14:09]The drone was shot down over a lake in southern Estonia.

[00:14:13]According to Pevkur, it was most likely a Ukrainian drone that went off course due to jamming of its systems.

[00:14:20]This version was also separately confirmed by Marko Mihkelson, a representative of the Estonian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

[00:14:27]Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas provided a formal comment on this information before the Estonian Parliament, specifically noting that the downing of the drone indicates that they apparently are still able to effectively handle the current situation.

[00:14:40]There were no reports of civilian casualties or significant material damage.

[00:14:44]Around noon on May 19th, Estonia and Latvia issued an alert regarding drones over parts of their territory. It is noted that several Baltic and Scandinavian NATO member states have reported drone incursions in recent months as Russian aggression against Ukraine continues.

[00:15:03]In the northwestern regions of Russia, there have also been reports of massive drone attacks. The airports in Pskov and St. Petersburg temporarily suspended operations, and Russian authorities claim to have shot down a drone in the Leningrad region.

[00:15:17]Due to the attack, Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg was closed for the third time that day. As of 2:00 p.m., 17 flights at the airport were delayed by more than 2 hours, and another eight flights were canceled. Also, in the morning, mobile internet was shut off in St. Petersburg due to the UAV raid by the Ukrainian armed forces.

[00:15:36]Initially, he had been insisting on Kyiv's capitulation, but now the real question now is will the economy survive or not?

[00:15:43]Or have the long-range sanctions finally started to work? In short, State Duma Deputy Renat Suleymanov called for the gradual winding down and conclusion of the so-called special military operation, stating that the Russian economy is simply no longer able to withstand a prolonged continuation of the war against Ukraine.

[00:15:59]Let's listen and see where this will lead.

[00:16:03]For the first time, the Russian State Duma has stated that the country cannot withstand a long war in Ukraine and should bring it to an end. The Russian economy cannot withstand a prolonged continuation of the so-called special military operation, and therefore its swift conclusion is simply necessary, stated State Duma Deputy Renat Suleymanov. Suleymanov made this statement against the backdrop of a noticeable shift in political rhetoric ahead of the autumn elections in Russia.

[00:16:27]He noted, Officially, 40% of the federal budget goes to defense and security.

[00:16:34]What kind of development investment or capital expenditures can we even talk about?

[00:16:39]Neither tanks nor shells have any consumer value. The economy produces them, but they cannot be consumed by the population.

[00:16:47]In 2022, Suleymanov insisted on the capitulation of Kyiv and spoke about the need for mobilization. Now the State Duma Deputy has become an outspoken opponent of the war. Russian society is tired of restrictions, stated Sergey Novikov, head of the presidential directorate for public projects in April. Public opinion among voters and the declining approval ratings of the current government are forcing deputies to change their rhetoric. Meanwhile, Putin himself is trying to convince Russians that the The is nearing its end. But analysts at the Washington Post link such statements by the Russian dictator not to the Kremlin's readiness for peace, but to growing internal pressure on the Russian authorities.

[00:17:26]After more than 4 years of war, Russia is facing not only problems at the front, but also public discontent, economic difficulties, and a population weary of the conflict. A symbol of this situation was the scaled-down May 9th parade, which Putin could not hold due to fears of Ukrainian drone strikes, as well as the recent attack on Moscow.

[00:17:45]Kremlin officials are also finding it increasingly difficult to portray the war in Ukraine as a separate conflict that does not affect the lives of Russians, reports the Associated Press.

[00:17:54]The article notes that internet disruptions, reduced public events, and aerial incidents in the Moscow region are gradually changing the perception of the war within Russian society, making it more tangible in everyday life.

[00:18:08]Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack on the Moscow region as a justified and necessary retaliation for the unrelenting and persistent Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv and other cities last week.

[00:18:23]Russia continues to strike Ukraine. In Dnipro, as a result of a nighttime attack by Russian armed forces, two people were injured. Both were hospitalized in serious condition. As a result of a Russian attack in Konotop, Sumy region, part of a multi-story residential building collapsed.

[00:18:39]Authorities reported casualties.

[00:18:42]The mayor, Artem Semenikhin, reported three people injured. Let's watch the video.

[00:18:49]Right now, we've pulled out three people, took them took them there aren't enough ambulances, so we're taking them to the hospital in civilian vehicles.

[00:18:57]This is what's happening in the city right now.

[00:19:03]And the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has warned about Russia's plans to launch an offensive from Belarus. He stated that the threat from Belarus and an enemy offensive in the north are very real threats. In that case, the front line for Ukraine will become even larger.

[00:19:18]Here are the direct words of the commander in chief. Let's listen.

[00:19:22]Um We have 1,200 km of active front line.

[00:19:27]The enemy outnumbers us in brigades and regiments by two to one.

[00:19:31]We are constantly engaged in combat operations, and there is a trend toward the front line increasing. You know the latest intelligence data and the statements from our president, the supreme commander in chief, about the threat from Russia via Belarus and the possible operation in the north.

[00:19:47]Seriously.

[00:19:49]Let me also remind you that Belarus and Russia are conducting nuclear exercises these days. Earlier, Alexander Lukashenka stated that Belarus would prepare its armed forces for possible combat operations. The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reported that Russia is considering plans for operations from Belarus in the direction of Chernihiv and Kyiv, or possibly against one of the NATO countries.

[00:20:11]The so-called protection of the rights of Russian citizens abroad is, in fact, a painfully familiar pretext for invading a neighboring country. Now, Russia even has legislation, a law that allows it to do this. Previously, in order to deploy troops, Putin had to formally request permission from the Federation Council, which in 2022 did grant Russia permission to attack Ukraine. Let's take a look at the new Russian law and the Kremlin's ambitions in the following report.

[00:20:42]The State Duma of the Russian Federation has passed in both the second and immediately the third and final readings a bill allowing the use of Russian armed forces abroad to protect the rights of Russian citizens.

[00:20:53]This document grants the authority to Putin to unilaterally decide on the necessity of invading countries that attempt to arrest or legally prosecute Russian citizens, including on the basis of specific rulings by international courts in which Russia does not participate.

[00:21:08]Previously, in order to deploy troops, the dictator had to formally request permission from the Federation Council, which in 2022 authorized the Kremlin to attack Ukraine.

[00:21:19]We need to move forward in order to protect our country. That's all I have to say. Thank you. All right, thank you.

[00:21:25]The relevant committee of the Russian State Duma stated that the adopted document introduces conceptual changes to the federal laws of the occupying country regarding defense and citizenship.

[00:21:36]Experts claim that in this way, the occupying country is demonstrating its readiness for new escalations.

[00:21:42]Moreover, Russia's territorial ambitions are growing. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Baltic countries and Poland are now in the crosshairs, which poses a challenge to the entire NATO block.

[00:21:53]Putin's ambitions in particular include taking over the Suwalki Corridor, which could connect the territory of Belarus with the Kaliningrad region, the westernmost region of Russia, established on the territory of the former German province of East Prussia with its center in Königsberg.

[00:22:09]The threat from Russia also extends to Estonia. For several months now, an information campaign about the possible occupation of the city of Narva has been circulating in the media.

[00:22:19]Russia is also increasing its military presence on the border with Finland.

[00:22:23]The unrecognized Transnistria is another Russian enclave that Putin is afraid to let slip from his grasp.

[00:22:29]And his concerns are not unfounded.

[00:22:32]Moldova is preparing to restore control over Transnistria. The country has developed a plan for restoring unity, which provides for the gradual reintegration of Transnistria by peaceful means.

[00:22:43]According to the document, the plan includes the complete demilitarization and democratization of this region, where the so-called operational group of Russian forces is stationed. And in order to keep hold of the PMR, Putin signed a decree simplifying the process for residents of the unrecognized Transnistria to obtain Russian citizenship. For them, the requirements for 5 years of residence in Russia, proof of Russian language proficiency, knowledge of Russian history, and the basics of Russian legislation are waived. The decree states that the decision was made in order to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals and citizens.

[00:23:16]Another flood has occurred in Russia, this time in Yakutia. An abnormal amount of snow and ice drift on the Lena River led to flooding and the inundation of populated areas.

[00:23:26]Rescuers are currently carrying out emergency evacuations of residents in several districts.

[00:23:31]In Yakuts and its suburbs, temporary power outages have been introduced due to the threat of flooding at energy facilities, while tourists are enjoying the sight of an unusual natural phenomenon, a powerful ice drift.

[00:23:42]This is something you have to see.

[00:23:46]Yakutia continues to be flooded. Against the backdrop of the flood, some highways are completely closed. In Yakuts and its suburbs, temporary power outages have been introduced due to the threat of flooding at energy facilities.

[00:23:58]Meanwhile, there is active ice drift on the Lena River.

[00:24:16]The water level there has approached the critical mark. At the same time, according to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the flood on the Lena River is subsiding. Rescuers are working in enhanced mode. Just the day before, residents of the Yakuts settlement of Zhatay could reach their dacha plots by car. Now, Popovsky Island, where several cooperatives are located, has truly become an island. The high water has flooded the only road.

[00:24:40]Those who live here year-round have been cut off from the outside world. Many houses on the island are located in low-lying areas. It is these houses that have suffered from the flood wave. In just 1 day, the water rose to the level of the windows. The strong current knocked down fences, and supplies of firewood floated away in an unknown direction along with seeds prepared for the start of the gardening season.

[00:25:02]Floods happen here almost every spring, but there hasn't been one this large in a long time. On the opposite bank, the owners of the flooded properties have lined up for the rescuers boats.

[00:25:12]People are worried about the fate of their pets, which they didn't have time to evacuate because the disaster struck too quickly.

[00:25:19]The cause of the flood is an ice jam on the Lena River. These days a dense ice drift can be seen along the shores of the Republican capital Yakuts. As a result, several houses and dozens of homesteads in the coastal areas of Yakuts have been flooded. There are deep overflows on the roads.

[00:25:36]Passenger cars and public transport cannot get through them. Local authorities have organized an alternative traffic scheme.

[00:25:43]Meanwhile, this powerful natural phenomenon is attracting great interest from many residents of the republic and tourists.

[00:25:50]People are watching the ice drift.

[00:25:53]That's all the important news for now, friends. We're preparing the next episode. Take care of yourselves and subscribe to Union, so you don't miss it. Bye.

[00:26:03]>> [music] [music] [music]