WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US reopens Kyiv embassy after Ukraine firing of ATACMS missiles into Russia prompted potential strike threat

The United States said it had reopened its embassy in Kyiv late on Wednesday after it had shut for the day due to what it called the threat of a significant air attack, a day after Ukraine used American missiles to hit a target inside Russia.

Russia had described the strike by U.S. missiles as an escalation in the 1,000-day-old war, while Ukraine's military spy agency said Russia was trying to sow panic by circulating fake online messages about a looming missile and drone attack.

"@USEmbassyKyiv has resumed services following a temporary shelter-in-place suspension earlier today," U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink wrote on X.

"We continue to encourage U.S. citizens to remain vigilant, monitor official Ukrainian sources for updates, and be prepared to shelter in place if an air alert is announced."

The U.S. State Department had earlier said it expected the Kyiv embassy to resume normal operations on Thursday.

The initial State Department statement on the embassy's website said the embassy would be closed "out of an abundance of caution". Embassy employees, it said, were being instructed to "shelter in place".

"The U.S. Embassy recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced."

The Kremlin said it had no comment.

A U.S. government source said the embassy closure was "related to ongoing threats of air attacks". The Italian and Greek embassies said they too had closed their doors. The French embassy remained open but urged its citizens to be cautious.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said that "panic-inducing messages circulated today only help Russia", but warned Ukrainians to pay close attention to air raid alerts.

"However many brutal and treacherous attacks by Russia we have endured... it is always important to pay attention to air raid warnings," he said in his nightly video address. "We have a neighbour that is insane."

The GUR military intelligence body said: "The enemy, unable to subdue Ukrainians by force, resorts to measures of intimidation and psychological pressure on society. We ask you to be vigilant and steadfast."

Zelenskiy also expressed thanks for a new $275 million U.S. military aid package announced by the State Department focusing on ammunition, drones and missiles.

Ukraine on Tuesday used U.S. ATACMS missiles to attack an arms depot inside Russia, making use of newly granted permission from the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on the 1,000th day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has been signalling to the United States and its allies for weeks that if they give permission to Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory with Western-supplied missiles then Moscow will consider it a major escalation.

Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin said in an interview published on Wednesday that Moscow would retaliate against NATO countries that facilitate long-range Ukrainian missile strikes against Russian territory.

PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATION

In the early afternoon, the Ukrainian air force told people to seek shelter because of a missile threat. Senior officials told people not to ignore the alert.

That came shortly before the GUR spy agency issued a warning about a Russian psychological operation it said involved fake messages claiming to have been sent by the agency.

"A message is being spread via messengers and social networks ... about the threat of a 'particularly massive' missile and bomb strike on Ukrainian cities today," GUR said in a statement.

Two Ukrainian military personnel told Reuters they received messages informing them that Russia would launch more than 300 drones and also use warships, warplanes and ground-based systems to fire missiles in a huge salvo.

Reuters could not immediately determine how the messages were sent. One soldier said he received one from a friend.

The war is at a volatile juncture, with nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory in Russian hands, North Korean troops deployed in Russia's Kursk region and doubts over future aid as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

On Sunday, Russia staged a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine's national power grid that killed seven people and renewed fears over the durability of the hobbled energy network.

The GUR spy agency said earlier that a Russian military command post had been "successfully struck" in the town of Gubkin in Russia's Belgorod region, around 168 km (105 miles) from the border with Ukraine.

The statement did not specify who carried out the attack, when it took place or the type of weapon used. Ukraine has also used drones for deep strikes against targets in Russia.

Bloomberg later cited a Western official as saying Ukraine had fired UK Storm Shadow missiles into Russia. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his office would not be commenting on reports or operational matters. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

'PERSISTENT RUSSIAN ATTACKS'

The embassy in Kyiv urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to have reserves of water, food and other essentials such as required medications for the event of a "possible temporary loss of electricity and water" caused by Russian strikes.

"Persistent Russian attacks targeting civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine may result in power outages, loss of heating, and disruption of municipal services," it said.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks. Washington said afterwards it had not seen any reason to adjust its nuclear posture.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine has fired UK-supplied ‘Storm Shadows’ at Russia – Bloomberg

The Ukrainian military has launched UK-supplied ‘Storm Shadow’ missiles at Russia’s Kursk Region and Krasnodar Region, according to Bloomberg News.

The reported attacks come after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed to have received permission from multiple Western countries to deploy their long-range rockets against targets deep inside Russia. Moscow has warned that such attacks would amount to NATO’s direct involvement in the conflict.

“We as a nation and as a government are doubling down on our support for Ukraine and determined to do more,” British Defense Secretary John Healey said in Parliament on Wednesday.

London approved the use of ‘Storm Shadows’ in response to allegations from Kiev that North Korean troops had joined the fighting in Kursk Region, a “Western official familiar with the matter” told Bloomberg. The anonymous source said that the British government considered the alleged move to be an escalation by Moscow.

Multiple outlets reported over the weekend that US President Joe Biden had lifted the restrictions on Kiev’s use of American missiles. While the White House has neither confirmed nor denied this officially, a volley of ATACMS projectiles was fired at Russia’s Bryansk Region early on Tuesday.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on the reports of ‘Storm Shadow’ strikes. According to one Telegram channel, up to 12 missiles were launched at Kursk Region on Wednesday afternoon, but were intercepted by air defenses. Photographs making the rounds on social media showed purported fragments of the British-made missiles found in the village of Maryino, about halfway between the Ukrainian border and the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Kurchatov.

Another Telegram channel said that at least two missiles were intercepted over Yeysk, a seaport in Russia’s Krasnodar Region.

The US and its allies had placed certain restrictions on the use of the weapons they have supplied to Kiev since 2022, in order to maintain plausible deniability regarding their involvement in the conflict with Russia. Ukraine has been clamoring for lifting these limitations since May.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the use of Western long-range missiles by Kiev would change the nature of the conflict and make NATO a direct participant in the hostilities. Moscow has also revised its nuclear doctrine to encompass conventional attacks by proxies.

“Attempts by some NATO members to participate in the facilitation of possible long-range strikes with Western weapons deep inside Russian territory will not be left unpunished,” the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, said on Wednesday.

While the US and the UK appear to have given Kiev the permission Zelensky demanded, France has said it’s still considering the move. Meanwhile, Germany and Italy have publicly said that their weapons can only be used on Ukrainian soil.

Reuters/RT

Key Takeaways

• Dark social refers to sharing online content through private communication channels like email, instant messaging and encrypted apps.
• It's impossible to track dark social with traditional analytic tools, but it can generate significant traffic since content shared through trusted sources is more likely to be clicked.
• To effectively tap into this opportunity, businesses should tailor content specifically for dark social, leverage UTM parameters, provide more sharing options to their audience and utilize social listening tools.

Social media is a great way for entrepreneurs and small businesses to engage with their customers by sharing useful content, company updates, promotions and responding to questions. Most importantly, customers can easily share this information with their network of friends and family.

For many small businesses, this helps generate a significant portion (over 40%) of their annual revenue. While most social media platforms come equipped with tools and buttons for easy sharing, more and more consumers are turning to a practice known as dark social.

Dark social refers to sharing online content and social media through private communication channels like email, instant messaging or encrypted apps like WhatsApp. While you might think that all shares are equal, dark social is creating headaches for entrepreneurs trying to optimize their marketing efforts. Globally, about 70% of all social media shares happen through dark social channels by simply copying and pasting the link into messages. While traffic from these sources is great, it becomes impossible for traditional analytic tools to track.

Despite these challenges, dark social sharing can provide many benefits to the business. Since the links are being shared directly from a trusted source like friends or family, the recipients are more likely to trust the link and click through. For this reason, every small business owner must learn how to maximize the impact of tapping into this hidden audience. Here's how:

1. Create content specifically for dark social

Since the click-through rates are higher with dark social sharing, content should be tailored to encourage this level of private sharing with friends and family. First, dark social content must be mobile-friendly since the majority of online use now happens over mobile devices. The most successful content will include things that trigger emotions or stimulate discussion.

For example, content that brings back feelings of nostalgia may be popular with older audiences. Don't be afraid to think outside the box to make the content visual or entertaining. Short video reels (like TikTok videos) and infographics make great dark social content.

2. Leverage UTM parameters

Unfortunately, incoming traffic from links shared through dark social channels often registers as direct traffic, meaning analytic tools can't tell the difference between a visitor who clicked a link or typed the URL into their browser. One solution is to incorporate UTM, or Urchin Tracking Modules, parameters into your links. In a nutshell, these are small bits of code that are added to the end of a URL that provides additional information to the web analytic tools. These UTM parameters can be used to identify the source as a certain campaign or specific location on your website.

The only problem with UTM parameters is that the URL can become quite long. This increases the risk of the user not copying the full URL, leading to a broken link. To solve this, you can utilize tools like Bitly to shorten the URLand make it more user-friendly.

3. Provide more sharing options

In some cases, you can actively encourage dark social sharing by providing additional sharing options to your audience. For example, you can add a quicklink at the end of your content that makes it easy to email a friend with the link. Content that contains a clear CTA (call to action) directing the viewer to pass along the information or send to a friend is more likely to be shared.

Offering exclusive or limited-time offers is another way to foster an environment where people want to share your content. For example, some brands might offer a shareable discount code that encourages people to pass along the savings and promote the brand to others. This is especially powerful with gated content (such as eBooks or webinars) as it provides an exclusive feel.

4. Leverage social listening tools

The thing about private communication is that it's private. Understanding how consumers feel about your product and brands is difficult when their conversations happen "behind closed doors." To make the most of your dark social efforts, you sometimes need to get a feel for consumer sentiment.

While you can't track dark social directly, you can leverage tools like Brandwatch to help monitor trends, specific keywords, hashtags and brand mentions in real time. This can not only provide valuable insights into the types of conversations that are being held in private channels but can also be segmented into useful demographics and geography.

Dark social will continue to be a challenge for small businesses looking to leverage social media and understand their customers. But it doesn't have to be a roadblock. Since dark social is more impactful and meaningful than direct messages from the company through advertisements, embracing this trend can significantly boost your business's reputationand sales.

Entrepreneur

The Federal Government intends to dedicate a substantial portion of its budget to debt servicing from 2025 to 2027, exceeding the funds allocated for capital expenditures. This allocation is outlined in the recently approved 2025–2027 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, which estimates debt servicing costs at N50.39 trillion over the three years, surpassing the N48.93 trillion set aside for capital projects.

Key Metrics and Trends

Debt Servicing vs Capital Expenditure

- Total debt servicing (2025-2027): N50.39 trillion

- Total capital expenditure (2025-2027): N48.93 trillion

- Debt servicing growth: 26.7% (2025-2027)

- Capital expenditure growth: 0.18% (2025-2027)

Annual Breakdown (As % of Total Budget)

2025:

- Capital Expenditure: 34.44%

- Debt Servicing: 32.11%

2027:

- Capital Expenditure: 31.51%

- Debt Servicing: 37.20%

New Borrowing Plans

- Total planned borrowing: N31.24 trillion

- Domestic borrowing: N24.98 trillion (80%)

- Foreign borrowing: Remaining 20%

Critical Analysis

Structural Concerns

1. Inverted Priorities: The government plans to spend more on servicing existing debt than on developing new infrastructure, potentially creating a negative development spiral.

2. Growth Disparity: The stark difference between debt servicing growth (26.7%) and capital expenditure growth (0.18%) suggests a severely constrained fiscal space.

3. Infrastructure Gap: The minimal increase in capital expenditure will likely widen Nigeria's infrastructure deficit, potentially hampering economic growth and development.

Risk Factors

1. Debt Sustainability: The projected increase in debt servicing costs from N8.56 trillion in 2023 to N19.49 trillion in 2027 (127.7% increase) raises serious concerns about long-term fiscal sustainability.

2. Revenue-Expenditure Mismatch: Despite policies like subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, significant budget deficits persist, indicating structural revenue problems.

3. Domestic Market Pressure: Heavy reliance on domestic borrowing (80% of new debt) could crowd out private sector investment and impact monetary policy effectiveness.

Mitigation Strategies Proposed

1. Debt restructuring focusing on non-commercial long-term facilities

2. Extended loan tenors (10-50 years)

3. Significant moratorium periods (5-7 years)

Implications

Economic Impact

- Reduced capacity for infrastructure development

- Potential slowdown in economic growth

- Limited fiscal space for social services

Development Goals

- Risk to healthcare and education investments

- Possible delay in achieving development targets

- Increased vulnerability to external shocks

Recommendations

1. Revenue Diversification: Urgent need to expand revenue sources beyond traditional channels

2. Expenditure Optimization: Critical review of recurrent expenditure to free up resources for capital projects

3. Investment Prioritization: Focus on high-impact infrastructure projects that can generate returns and stimulate economic growth

As of September 30, 2024, Nigeria’s loan exposure to the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) reached $17.1 billion, making it the third-largest borrower from the institution. This marks a $600 million increase from the $16.5 billion reported at the end of June 2024, according to the IDA’s financial statement for September 2024.

The IDA, a key World Bank arm that offers concessional loans and grants to the world’s poorest nations, provides these loans with low interest rates and long repayment terms. These loans are intended to support economic growth, reduce inequality, and improve living conditions in developing countries. Nigeria is now ranked third on the IDA’s list of top borrowers, following Bangladesh ($21 billion) and Pakistan ($18.5 billion). India, which occupies the fourth position, owes $15.9 billion. Other countries on the top ten list include Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda, with all except India seeing increases in their debt levels.

In related news, Nigeria’s total public debt rose to N134 trillion ($88.34 billion) in Q2 2024, marking a 10% increase from the previous quarter. The country’s domestic debt was N71.22 trillion ($48.44 billion), while external debt reached N63.07 trillion ($42.90 billion). Projections suggest Nigeria’s external debt could hit $45 billion by early 2025.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised bank customers to be cautious about the use of fake SWIFT messages during foreign exchange (FX) remittances.

SWIFT messages are sent through the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication network to facilitate financial transactions between banks and financial institutions.

The CBN gave the warning in a statement signed by Hakama Sidi-Ali, its acting director of corporate communications department, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The apex bank said it had been inundated with claims by some stakeholders about the conclusion of foreign currency transfer to their Nigeria bank accounts.

According to Sidi Ali, stakeholders like private entities, individuals, law firms, and government agencies complained that foreign currency funds allegedly transferred to them by foreign entities have yet to be credited to their accounts with Nigerian banks.

“In some instances, the claimants alleged that the funds were withheld by either the beneficiary bank in Nigeria or the CBN and requested assistance towards releasing the funds to them,” She said.

“The requests are usually supported with fake documents such as SWIFT MT103, SWIFT Ack copy, etc.

“It has become imperative to state that the SWIFT ack copy and SWIFT MT103 that these claimants usually attach as evidence of remittance to beneficiary banks in Nigeria are not reliable.”

Sidi Ali added that the SWIFT messages are always not traceable on the SWIFT platform and the funds are not received to enable their application to the beneficiary’s account.

“In a situation where a fund transfer beneficiary receiving bank claims non-receipt of funds remitted by the foreign entity, the standard practice is for the sending customer to contact the sending bank.

“The purpose for the sending bank to send a tracer to trace where the fund is hanging and recall it.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state emphatically that the CBN neither provides correspondent banking services for Nigerian banks in foreign payments nor maintains accounts for private business entities.

“Consequently, petitioners’ claim that the alleged expected inflows for onward credit into the accounts of private business entities are trapped in the CBN is not only spurious but deceitful.” 

The CBN spokesperson urged the general public to be careful with such unauthentic SWIFT messages and documents containing spurious claims of non-application of substantial foreign currency funds allegedly transferred into the beneficiary’s account.

She also warned that the CBN would not hesitate to report any bank customer making unsubstantiated and illegitimate claims to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.

The Cable

Former Niger Delta militant leader and chief executive officer of Tantita Security Services Limited, Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, has alleged that the Nigerian Navy is aiding and abetting oil theft in the Niger Delta.

He disclosed that naval personnel had severally shot at his men, Department of State Service (DSS) officials, and men of the Nigeria Security and Defence Corps (NSCDC) while performing pipeline surveillance duties.

The shocking revelation is coming amid elation over Nigeria’s increased crude oil output to 1.8 million barrels per day.

He condemned the Navy for allegedly preventing the interception of a vessel allegedly used in oil theft in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently, and decried the faceoff between the Navy and Tantita.

Tompolo spoke when the national executive of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by their President, Afam Osigwe, made a fact-finding visit to Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, on issues surrounding oil theft and problems faced by oil producing communities in the Niger Delta.

Tompolo said the task of protecting oil pipelines made him step on the toes of oil theft barons, appealing to Nigerians, including government security agencies to support President Bola Tinubu’s effort towards improving Nigeria’s economy by ending the crime.

He warned that Nigeria may become an economic wreck if the sponsors of oil theft continue to have their way, and  solicited the support of the NBA, with regards to defending arrested suspects.

Responding, the NBA president stressed the need for all Nigerians to work towards the betterment of the Nigerian economy, calling on legal practitioners in the area, to see how they can work in this regard.

“As Nigerians, our fate are tied together. We have a common interest in seeing that the Nigerian economy works, a common interest in seeing that the commonwealth of Nigeria is protected for the well-being of every person, and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the economic loss we suffer as a result of oil theft, is combatted,” he said. 

“We also call on our colleagues in this community and, indeed, other communities to join hands with the NBA to see in what way, we can contribute in this regard, in getting a better Nigeria.”

He said that the NBA, at their recent National Executive Council meeting, took interest in the issue of oil theft because of its negative impact on Nigeria’s economy, the government’s inability to deliver the dividends of democracy, the impact on foreign reserves and Nigeria’s ability to meet its minimum Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) quota.

The Guardian

Netanyahu, in Gaza, says Hamas will no longer rule enclave

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to Gaza on Tuesday that Hamas would not rule the Palestinian enclave after the war had ended and that Israel had destroyed the Islamist group's military capabilities.

Netanyahu also said Israel had not given up trying to locate the 101 remaining hostages believed to be still in the enclave and he offered a $5 million reward for the return of each one.

"Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will have blood on their head. We will hunt you down and get you," Netanyahu said.

"Whoever brings us a hostage will find a safe way, he and his family, to get out," he said. "Choose, the choice is yours, but the result will be the same. We'll get them all back."

The comments were made in a video recording by Netanyahu during his visit to Gaza with Israel's defence minister and the head of its army, where he also received a briefing on operational activities.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine hits Russia with US ATACMS missiles for first time on war's 1,000th day

Ukraine used U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory on Tuesday, taking advantage of newly granted permission from the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on the war's 1,000th day.

Russia said its forces shot down five of six missiles fired at a military facility in the Bryansk region. Debris of one hit the facility, starting a fire that was swiftly put out and caused no casualties or damage, it said.

Ukraine said it struck a Russian arms depot about 110 km (70 miles) inside Russia, an attack that caused secondary explosions. Ukraine's military did not publicly specify the weapons used, but a Ukrainian government source and a U.S. official confirmed it had used ATACMS.

A U.S. official said Russia intercepted two of eight missiles and that the strike was at an ammunition supply point.

Biden gave approval this week for Ukraine to use ATACMS, the longest-range missiles Washington has supplied, for such attacks inside Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the use of ATACMS was a clear signal the West wanted to escalate the conflict.

Moscow has said such weapons cannot be launched without direct U.S. operational support and their use would make Washington a direct combatant in the war, prompting Russian retaliation.

The attacks came as Ukraine marked 1,000 days of war, with a fifth of its territory in Russian hands and doubts about the future of Western support as U.S. President-elect Donald Trumpheads back to the White House.

Russia's Defence Ministry also said air defence units destroyed 42 Ukrainian drones in at least eight southern and central regions between 9 p.m. and 11.55 p.m. (1800 to 2055 GMT) on Tuesday, including 32 in Bryansk region.

Ukraine has long deployed drones to hit targets deep inside Russian territory, including airfields and sites associated with energy. But the use of dozens dispatched over a short period of time was unusual.

At the United Nations in New York, Ukraine's U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, read a statement from his country and 42 others and the European Union, rejecting Russia's "attempted illegal annexation" of Ukrainian territory and demanding immediate withdrawal.

"One thousand days is a tragic reminder of the need to remain resolute in ensuring ... that international law prevails, not just in Ukraine, but wherever it is challenged," he said.

Military experts say using the U.S. missiles can help Ukraine defend a pocket of captured Russian territory in the Kursk region as a bargaining chip, but was not likely to have a decisive impact on the 33-month-old war, in part as the move comes far too late.

The missile's range of up to 300 km is much shorter than some that Moscow has used to strike Ukraine, including its hypersonic Kinzhal weapon with a reported range of up to 2,000 km.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new nuclear doctrine that appeared intended as a warning to Washington. It lowers the threshold under which Russia might use atomic weapons to include responding to attacks that threaten its territorial integrity.

Washington said the update to the nuclear doctrine was no surprise and rejected "more of the same irresponsible rhetoric from Russia".

Zelenskiy said the step showed Putin had no interest in peace: "Especially on this day ... they presented (a) nuclear weapons strategy. Why? They didn't present (a) peace strategy. Did you hear it? ... Putin wants war."

The Pentagon said the U.S. State Department has approved another potential $100 million sale of military equipment and services to Ukraine, while Denmark said it was making a new donation of about $138 million for development of Ukraine's arms industry.

TRUMP CRITICISMS OF AID

Trump has criticised the scale of U.S. aid to Kyiv and said he will end the war quickly, without saying how. Both sides appear to anticipate his return in two months will be accompanied by a push for peace talks, which are not known to have taken place since the war's early months.

The warring sides have been escalating to try to secure a stronger position at any negotiations. Zelenskiy says Kyiv must do everything for the war to end diplomatically next year.

"At this stage of the war, it is being decided who will prevail. Whether us over the enemy, or the enemy over us Ukrainians ... and Europeans. And everyone in the world who wants to live freely and not be subject to a dictator," he told parliament.

Dozens of civilians and soldiers gathered for a moment's silence at a candle-lit commemoration in the evening in Kyiv. Some sobbed.

"My life has been turned upside down. There is no life for me. I only want victory and to return home. I am grateful to all the men defending our country," said Yuliia, from the city of Mariupol which was captured by Russia in 2022.

U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric cited data from the UN Human Rights Office that more than 12,000 civilians had been killed and nearly 27,000 injured in Ukraine over the past 1,000 days, with more than 2,400 child casualties.

Over six million Ukrainians live as refugees abroad and the population has fallen by a quarter since Putin ordered the invasion that began Europe's biggest conflict since World War Two.

Military losses are huge, although casualty figures remain secret. Public Western estimates based on intelligence reports say hundreds of thousands have been wounded or killed on each side.

In the first year after the invasion, Ukrainian troops pushed Russian forces back from the outskirts of Kyiv and recaptured territory. Since then, relentless trench warfare has ground eastern Ukrainian cities to dust.

In a move described in the West as an escalation, Russia has deployed 11,000 North Korean troops, some of whom Kyiv says have clashed with Ukrainian forces in Kursk. Zelenskiy said Pyongyang could send 100,000 soldiers.

Russia for its part continues to advance slowly in eastern Ukraine, and said it captured another settlement on Tuesday.

With winter setting in, Moscow on Sunday renewed its aerial assault on Ukraine's power system, launching the biggest barrage since August.

There has been no public narrowing of negotiating positions. Kyiv demands a full Russian withdrawal from all occupied territory and Western security guarantees comparable to membership in NATO's mutual defence treaty to prevent future Russian attacks.

Moscow says Ukraine must drop all ambitions to join NATO and withdraw all troops from provinces Russia says it has annexed since its invasion.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia’s new nuclear doctrine (KEY POINTS)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially signed a new national nuclear doctrine that outlines the scenarios in which Moscow would be authorized to deploy its nuclear arsenal. Here are the key points of the updated document, as stipulated on the Kremlin's website.

State policy on Nuclear Deterrence is defensive by nature, it is aimed at maintaining the nuclear forces potential at the level sufficient for nuclear deterrence, and guarantees protection of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State, and deterrence of a potential adversary from aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies. In the event of a military conflict, this Policy provides for the prevention of an escalation of military actions and their termination on conditions that are acceptable for the Russian Federation and/or its allies.

The Russian Federation considers nuclear weapons as a means of deterrence, their use being an extreme and compelled measure, and takes all necessary efforts to reduce nuclear threat and prevent aggravation of interstate relations, that could trigger military conflicts, including nuclear ones.

The Russian Federation ensures nuclear deterrence toward a potential adversary, which is understood to mean any individual states or military coalitions (blocs, alliances) which see the Russian Federation as a potential adversary and possess nuclear arms and/or other weapons of mass destruction or conventional forces with a significant combat capability. Nuclear deterrence is also ensured toward any states which provide the territory, airspace, and/or maritime space under their control as well as resources for preparing and conducting an aggression against the Russian Federation.

An aggression of any single state from a military coalition (bloc, alliance) against the Russian Federation and/or its allies will be regarded as an aggression of the coalition (bloc, alliance) as a whole.

An aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies of any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state will be regarded as their joint attack.

The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear arms and/or other weapons of mass destruction against itself and/or its allies, as well as in the event of an aggression against the Russian Federation and/or the Republic of Belarus as constituents of the Union State using conventional arms, if such an aggression creates a critical threat for their sovereignty and/or territorial integrity.

The decision to use nuclear weapons is taken by the President of the Russian Federation.

Reuters/RT

Michael Gibbings

According to research from the Workforce Institute, 63% of employees and leaders believe that trust needs to be earned. Building trust is the backbone of a strong relationship. However, what if you’ve tried everything—open communication, assuming good intent, even actively supporting your colleague— and yet all these efforts fail? 

Whether you don’t trust the colleague because they take credit for your work, they’ve let you down in the past, gossip too much, play the political game, are unreliable, or something else, you still need to find a way to work together. Taking a strategic approach puts you in a stronger position. 

ACCEPT THE REALITY 

Acknowledge your feelings of mistrust. It’s okay to feel this way. It’s a natural response to past experiences. However, don’t let these feelings affect your judgment or professionalism.  

Emotional intelligence is crucial in managing complicated relationships. It involves recognizing your emotions, accepting your feelings, and understanding their impact. With strong self-awareness, you are better placed to determine how to respond wisely rather than letting your emotions dictate your actions. Remember, you’re at work to do a job, and success requires you to find ways to navigate complex and challenging relationships. 

OWN YOUR PART 

Your approach starts with challenging yourself to examine how trustworthy you are in the context of this relationship. For example, do you deliver on your commitments in a way that makes you reliable? Do you own up to your mistakes so that you are accountable? One issue might be that your colleague views you as untrustworthy. Consequently, improving the relationship starts with uncovering, acknowledging, and accepting the part you have played and what you might need to do differently. 

ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES 

Don’t wait for your colleague to set the boundaries for your work relationship. Be proactive. Start by identifying what is most important to you. This step helps you determine the boundaries that align with your values and goals. This approach isn’t about isolating or excluding the other person. Instead, it’s about defining what’s okay and what’s not okay.  

For example, if your colleague is constantly dumping work on you at the last minute, remember that you can decline requests that don’t align with your priorities or exceed your capacity. Be clear on why you are saying no and deliver the message positively. You might say, “Thanks for thinking of me. I’d love to be involved, but I don’t have the capacity at the moment. Can I get involved later?”  You want to position the boundaries clearly and professionally while keeping the door open for future involvement. 

STAY FOCUSED AND CONSISTENT 

When trust is lacking, it’s easy to get caught up in personal feelings. Instead, shift your focus to the task at hand and concentrate on the shared goals and objectives. For example, if you are jointly working on a project, specify what each of you will do to complete the task. Being clear on the task and what’s required can help create a sense of purpose and direction, reducing the emphasis on personal differences. 

In all your interactions, strive for professionalism and consistency. If you constantly shift your behavior and are inconsistent, it sends a message to your colleague that you’re hard to trust. 

SEEK THE SIMILARITY 

Despite your differences, there’s likely to be some common ground. It could be a shared interest or a mutual acquaintance. When you find common ground, you start to recognize the similarities rather than focusing on differences. This approach elevates connection, making it easier to work together. 

LEVERAGE THIRD-PARTY SUPPORT 

If, after continued effort, you find the situation deteriorating, you can consider seeking help from a third party. This could be a supervisor, an HR representative, or a professional mediator.  

The benefit of a third party is they can provide an unbiased perspective, help clarify misunderstandings, and guide the conversation constructively toward a mutually beneficial resolution. When leveraging the support of a third party, the goal is not necessarily to rebuild personal trust but to establish ways that the two of you can work together professionally.  

ALWAYS THINK LONG-TERM 

Sadly, not everyone plays nice at work, and politics is a reality of the workplace. Don’t let a colleague’s behavior and approach negatively impact how you feel and show up at work.  

Your reputation is one of your most essential career assets. Treat it as such by staying true to who you are and not sidestepping your values. When you gossip, play politics, or are overly negative, your reputation can slide. Always think long-term. In an era where you can never be sure where your career will land, you don’t want to find your career ambitions thwarted by something you did many years ago when you weren’t paying close attention to your reputation. 

Working with someone you don’t trust is challenging but possible. Your strategic approach isn’t about changing your colleagues but finding a way to work more effectively together. After all, in the professional world, results matter, which means getting the job done means working with people you don’t necessarily trust. 

Fast Company