The consequences of the Oreshnik strike on Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske gas storage facility in Stryi (Lvov, Ukraine)... and the end of NATO?
Unrest and Internet blackout in Iran + The dissolution of Yemeni STC
The consequences of the Oreshnik strike on Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske gas storage facility in Stryi (Lvov, Ukraine)... and the end of NATO?
Following US seizure of two “shadow fleet” tankers, one of which (Marinera, previously Bella 1) under a “temporary Russian flag” a few days ago, I expected the subsequent days to be crucial in the relationship between Russia and the Outlaw US Empire, as I wrote in my article on Wednesday 7th January 2026. Well… I got it right: in the night between Thursday 8th and Friday 9th January 2026, Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack against Ukraine (see figure below with the missile and drone trajectories across the country), including an Oreshnik1 that hit and destroyed the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske gas storage facility in Lvov, which is considered the largest gas storage site in Europe.
Analysts, commentators and pundits have already discussed this strike, see for instance Simplicius The Thinker and Larry C. Johnson. So, I will not go into the details of this attack. What I would like to point out here are two things that (may) have been omitted until now (from what I have seen so far, at the time of publishing):
first of all, this attack is a response not to US naval warfare (though it may have played a role in expediting it), but to the drone attack carried out by Ukraine on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai at the end of last year (2025), as stated by the Russian Ministry of Defense in this post (in Russian) on its Telegram channel (all formatting original):
🎖🎖 Tonight, in response to the terrorist attack by the Kiev regime on the residence of the President of the Russian Federation in the Novgorod region, carried out on the night of 29 December 2025, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive strike with high-precision long-range land- and sea-based weapons, including the Oreshnik mobile medium-range ground-based missile system, as well as strike unmanned aerial vehicles against critical targets on the territory of Ukraine.
✅ The strike objectives were achieved. Facilities producing unmanned aerial vehicles used in the terrorist attack were destroyed, as well as energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.
❗️ Any terrorist actions by the criminal Ukrainian regime will continue to be met with a response.
As it has been said elsewhere, it is clear that this precision strike in Western Ukraine, not far from the Polish border, is a clear message to NATO, the Outlaw US Empire and its European vassal states, particularly the so-called “willing” ones who insist on putting boots on the ground in Ukraine in case of a ceasefire that Russia will never accept: “try again and next time we will hit farther West, i.e. NATO bases”.
the strategic significance and value of the Bilche-Volytsko-Uherske gas storage facility in Lvov. This has been explained very well in this post (in Russian) on the KARNAUKHOV Telegram channel (all formatting original):
🔵 Underground gas deposits located in western Ukraine are of enormous interest to the United States. The American side hopes to include these facilities in the regasified LNG2 transport corridor, which is expected to stretch from south to north and separate Europe from Russian energy resources. By increasing LNG supplies to the European market, the United States is seeking to economically acquire the gas transport infrastructure that has been built over decades for Russian gas supplies to European consumers.
🔵 This is the largest complex of natural gas storage facilities. Their volume (25 billion cubic metres) accounts for about three-quarters of the total volume of all Ukrainian UGS3 facilities (32 billion cubic metres). Ukraine was the first of the USSR4 republics to extract gas. Most of the current Ukrainian UGS facilities are former gas fields, which are now used as storage facilities.
UGS facilities are a rather complex engineering infrastructure.
🔵 Why is this so important for the United States? LNG supplies are delivered to Eastern Europe through terminals on the southern coast (in Croatia and Greece) and northern coast (in Poland and Lithuania). The US goal is to connect these terminals with a gas transport network in a vertical corridor, which will stretch from north to south and provide access to both the UGSs in western Ukraine and the Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) in Baumgarten, on the border between Austria and Slovakia. This is the main gas trading platform in Central and Eastern Europe, through which Russian gas flows in transit to Southern and North-Western Europe passed.
This requires expanding the existing infrastructure and, where necessary, creating new “north-south” gas transport infrastructure in Eastern Europe to enable the physical reflux of gas supplies.
➡️ The interests of several countries are intertwined around the UGSs:
🟦 The United States’ goal is to promote its own LNG, which is more expensive for consumers, in Europe, replacing it with lower-priced Russian gas supplied through pipelines.
Poland’s goal is to become a distribution centre for American LNG supplies from the north to Central and Eastern Europe.
Bulgaria’s goal is to become a similar distribution centre for American LNG from the south to Eastern Europe.
The common goal of all players is to exclude Russia from the European market, which is why the United States needs to increase LNG supplies and infrastructure. This is where the main game is being played.
Building a new pipeline network from scratch from LNG receiving stations on the coast to the interior of the EU is too expensive, as the main supplies come from the east.
❕Therefore, the US’s goal is to acquire existing networks. The Americans need to enter the European market from the east, slipping into the Russian supply system from the north and south. In this way, they want to solve two problems: cutting Russia out of the European market and not investing in the construction of new pipeline infrastructure, but exploiting the existing infrastructure.
The strike against this UGS engineering complex upsets the plans of all the players listed above and other players in the gas market.
I think this is Russia’s most painful response to everything the United States is doing in our area of interest.
I hope that this makes clear the HUGE blow that this strike dealt to both the Outlaw US Empire and its European vassal states, which - by the way - were quick at blaming Russia for their own sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines, but now are quiet because they realize how bad this blow is for them! It is no coincidence that yesterday morning Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated (source: SkyTG24 - see picture below):
I think it is time for Europe to talk to Russia.
Good morning, Giorgia! Yes, I think it is high time that Europe stops warmongering and starts serious peace talks with Russia.
I believe that it is no coincidence that the Outlaw US Empire released the Russian citizens in the crew of the tanker “Marinera” yesterday (9th January 2026), as stated by Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in this post (in Russian) on her Telegram channel (all formatting original):
⚡️ Comment by the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, M.V. Zakharova, on the development of the situation with Russian citizens in the crew of the tanker “Marinera” (9th January 2026)
🔊 Audio comment by M.V. Zakharova
💬 In response to our appeal, US President D. Trump decided to release two Russian citizens from the crew of the tanker “Marinera”, which was previously detained by the American side during an operation in the North Atlantic.
We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the US leadership.
We are proceeding to urgently work out all issues related to ensuring the speedy return of our compatriots to their homeland.
It is also worth reporting the following statement issued yesterday by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia in this post on his Telegram channel (all formatting original as in the post on his Russian Telegram channel):
The year got off to a turbulent start.
Above all, its opening will be remembered for the abduction of Maduro. This, of course, was an utterly vile act of thuggery—or, to put it more elegantly, a full-blown catastrophe for international relations.
As things stand, there are only two possible scenarios. Either the United States quietly releases the kidnapped Venezuelan president under some face-saving pretext—which is unlikely—or he turns into the Latin American version of Nelson Mandela. The latter seems more probable. In that case, his name will be etched into South American history right alongside Bolívar, Miranda, and Chávez. And even if Trump, out of sheer stubbornness, refuses to pardon Maduro later, public pressure will almost certainly force Vance or another successor to do so.
Yes, oil is the key factor here. But even with oil, nothing is simple. What if the current Venezuelan authorities don’t feel like sharing it with the gringos over the long term? What then? Is Trump really prepared to launch a ground operation? That would absolutely require approval from Congress, and it would be far bloodier than the brazen kidnapping of [Nicolas] Maduro. Moreover, the Senate has just tightened the leash on Trump, curbing his militarist impulses. And does the current administration even need such a war? Highly doubtful.
One more thing, and I noted this immediately as the Yankees were pulling off their little stunt: following something like this, America’s elites—Republican and Democrat alike—should permanently shove their long tongues back into their scrawny backsides and simply acknowledge the legitimacy of Russia’s Special Military Operation.
The sanctions Trump announced against Russia, which he says he “hopes he doesn’t have to use.”
Everything here is perfectly clear, with no room for illusions. America’s sanctions policy will continue regardless of circumstances. Russia will be pressured to make compromises on security guarantees and territorial issues that are completely unacceptable to us. And then the ringleader of the White House will be “forced” to impose sanctions under the law authored by the aging, degenerate Russophobe [Lindsey] Graham. Unpleasant. But nothing new. We will weather it this time as well.
The episode involving the tanker from the so-called shadow fleet.
It is obvious why it sought refuge under a “temporary Russian flag”: facing the threat of seizure, it was looking for protection from illegal American sanctions. That said, the method chosen was far from ideal. Yes, what happened was a clear violation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. But it bears recalling that the United States never ratified that convention. In this context, granting temporary authorization to fly the Russian flag to a vessel that—albeit unlawfully—is being pursued by our principal geopolitical adversary, an adversary currently in unstable condition, was a move with entirely predictable consequences. This, of course, does not diminish the undeniable fact that the actions of the increasingly brazen Americans amount to the criminal seizure of a civilian vessel. And the response to this should lie wholly outside the framework of the Convention on the Law of the Sea—especially since, as one prominent legal scholar has noted, international law is of no relevance to him anyway. In any case, it must be understood that since the beginning of the year, international relations have descended into outright Bedlam. We must act accordingly: there are far too many unhinged actors around. And it should be recognized that such patients are never calmed by the gentle admonitions of kind psychiatrists—only by orderlies with massive fists and impassive expressions.
Dangerous psychotics require either a straitjacket or a timely injection of haloperidol—just as happened last night in the west of the Banderite Ukraine.
Finally, before moving to the Middle East, it is worth mentioning that Trump’s latest moves may have brought NATO closer to its end. In fact, just two days ago, Clémence Guetté, Vice-President of the National Assembly of France and Head of the La France Insoumise party, tweeted the following statement on X, saying that she is submitting a proposal to withdraw her country from NATO:
If France gets out of NATO, I suspect that other countries will follow suit, Viktor Orbán’s Hungary and Robert Fico’s Slovakia on top of the list, while Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey is already “seeking to join the defense alliance between Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan”, as reported by Bloomberg:
Unrest and Internet blackout in Iran
Moving to Iran, the situation with protests and riots has become more and more intense, so much that the government has shut down Internet in order to stop dissemination of propaganda from the outside world (but mostly from Israel and the West) and to avoid photos and videos of riots to be used by Western intelligence as an expedient for direct USraeli intervention. In fact, I have lost access to all major news media outlets (e.g. IRNA and Mehr, whereas Tasnim came back online this morning) since last Thursday evening, making reporting quite difficult, as I have to rely mainly on Al Mayadeen. Please do NOT rely on alleged Iranian media such as Iran International, because it is NOT a local news media outlet, but a propaganda outlet, as demonstrated by the fact that its website works fine and by the banner at the bottom of its webpages:
In fact, according to Wikipedia, Iran International is funded by Saudi Arabia and headquartered in London. For a list and overview of reliable Iranian media, please refer to this article by L’Orient Today. But let’s go back to the situation in Iran…
Last Thursday night Al Mayadeen reported on the killing of 2 members of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) during confrontations with “separatist groups” in Kermanshah province, in western Iran, as well as on the arrest of 7 individuals accused of inciting unrest and in possession of firearms. The day before 2 people were killed and 30 injured “after armed rioters opened fire on Iranian law enforcement officers in the city of Lordegan, located in Iran’s Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province”, with Fars News Agency reporting that “several rioters carrying firearms shot at police during the height of ongoing demonstrations”.
Yesterday morning Al Mayadeen reported on “overnight protests in Tehran and several other cities, accompanied by incidents of vandalism and violence targeting both public and private property”, with “multiple vehicles, including private cars and motorcycles […] set on fire, while public infrastructure, including metro stations, buses, and fire trucks, were also damaged”. Yet, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged “maximum restraint” in handling the protests, to avoid giving a pretext to USrael to intervene directly, as US President Donald J. Trump threatened at the end of last week (as I reported here). Trump should stop interfering in internal affairs of Iran and start thinking about the recent actions of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis and Portland (see here for instance)!
A more extensive report on the ongoing riots in Iran can be found in this Al Mayadeen article, from which I have extracted the videos below (see also this Tasnim article for additional photos):
Bear in mind that most likely Western governments are supporting these actions, including “ISIS-style attacks, among them the burning alive of a security officer and the killing of a three-year-old girl who was shot while in her father's arms”, with taxpayers’ money… of course, without our consent and knowledge!
On the other hand, yesterday morning, on the occasion of the anniversary of the 1978 uprising of the people of Qom against the oppressive Pahlavi regime, the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, gave a speech condemning recent violent acts, as reported by Tasnim, Al Mayadeen and Al Manar. Here are some highlights (all emphasis mine):
The US president has the blood of more than 1,000 Iranians on his hands.
Iran is steadfast and will not back down from its principles. There are some rioters seeking to please the American president by damaging public property, and Iran will not tolerate foreign collaborators.
Whoever you think you are, once you become a foreign mercenary and work for foreigners, the nation will reject you, and the Islamic Republic will reject you as well, this is for the foreign backed rioters.
[Referring to Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, requesting Trump to intervene (see for instance this tweet)] And that man who sits there with hatred and arrogance, passing judgment on the whole world… He should know that tyrants and arrogant powers throughout history, like the Pharaoh, Nimrod, Reza Khan, Mohammad Reza, and others like them, were overthrown when they were at the height of their pride. He too will be overthrown.
Our unified people will bring down the enemies.
Yesterday afternoon the IRGC intelligence agency issued a statement condemning the riots and warning against their continuation (source: Tasnim), but stating Iranian people have…
a legitimate right to confront any attempts to destabilize security.
Protecting the achievements of the Islamic Revolution and maintaining societal security is a red line.
We will continue to stand alongside the Iranian people until the enemies’ plots are completely eradicated and citizens’ safety and stability are ensured.
…while Iran’s Interior Ministry Security Council announced that…
strict measures will be taken against armed saboteurs, those who disrupt security, and any attacks on military, security, or government facilities, in response to public demands for order and safety.
…as quoted by Al Mayadeen, which also reported on massive rallies taking place in several Iranian provinces, after Friday prayers, condemning the armed riots.
Iran’s Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei warned rioters that they will face decisive punishments for their actions (source: Tasnim), whereas Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) blamed the Outlaw US Empire for the civil unrest unfolding in Iran, as reported by Al Mayadeen, which quoted him as saying:
The involvement of the United States and the Israeli entity is clear in the protest scene… leaders of armed terrorist groups are seeking to ignite a civil war to pave the way for foreign interventions.
…and describing the the saboteurs and vandals storming military and law enforcement centers in attempt to acquire weapons as part of a “quasi-terrorist urban group”, as reported by Tasnim.
Tasnim also reported that Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), sent a formal letter to the UN accusing both the Outlaw US Empire and Israel of fuelling violence in his country, condemning…
the ongoing, unlawful, and irresponsible conduct of the United States of America, in coordination with the Israeli regime, in interfering in Iran’s internal affairs through threats, incitement, and the deliberate encouragement of instability and violence.
…as quoted by Al Mayadeen, which, in another article this morning, reported that riots in the capital Tehran had declined overnight, after the deployment of Basij forces (paramilitary volunteer militia within the IRGC) - see also Tasnim. According to another Al Mayadeen report this evening, “more than 100 individuals have been detained across several provinces in Iran in connection with recent riots”.
However, while the riots may be coming to an end, USrael is preparing to attack Iran again. In fact, USAF5 activity in the Persian Gulf region has increased and there are also unverified reports of the evacuation of foreign diplomats’ families from Israel, suggesting that the Zionist regime is indeed planning to continue the 12-day war that it started in June 2025. At the same time, Iran is preparing the country’s airspace for military action, issuing a series of aeronautical notices (NOTAMs6) and closing part of the country’s airspace, while the remaining area has been converted into a restricted military zone, indicating the intensification of air defence over key areas of the missile and nuclear programme, as well as along the northern and western borders of the country; interferences with GPS and navigation signals have also been noticed, meaning that Iran has activated electronic warfare systems to prevent drone attacks.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Lebanese officials in Beirut (Lebanon) yesterday, including his counterpart Youssef Rajji, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and President Joseph Aoun, to whom Araghchi expressed “Iran’s full support for Lebanon’s stability, unity, territorial integrity, prosperity, and development “, adding:
We aim to build the strongest possible relations with Lebanon in all areas, especially in political, economic, and social spheres.
…as reported by Al Mayadeen and Al Manar.
Araghchi and his delegation also met with Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem to discuss about the ongoing USraeli aggression on Lebanon and the Israeli non-compliance with the “ceasefire” agreement, as reported by Al Mayadeen and Tasnim. Sheikh Naim Qassem was quoted by Al Manar as saying:
The Israeli enemy will not achieve its goals by continuing aggression, given the people’s resilience, resistance, and commitment to liberating the land and returning to villages and cities in the South. We will continue to cooperate with the State and army to expel the occupation, stop aggression, free prisoners, rebuild, and build the state.
…whereas Araghchi stated:
Iran wants to strengthen its relationship with Lebanon, like relations between friendly states. The accompanying economic delegation aims to enhance cooperation in various fields.
Despite the siege and sanctions on Iran, the State’s and people’s will has led to resilience and addressing the field reality. The government has taken measures that will have effects soon, God willing. Threats won’t work with Iran, depriving it of its right to peaceful nuclear energy and developing its defense capabilities. We will continue to strengthen Iran’s pride and power, led by Imam Khamenei, in facing challenges.
Yesterday evening, before leaving Beirut for Tehran, Araghchi spoke to the press commenting on the recent developments in Iran (source: Al Masirah):
A [USraeli] military intervention [in Iran], in our view, is very unlikely because it is a failed experience. When you repeat a failed experience over and over, you will not get a different result.
Both the United States and Israel have officially announced that they are involved and have a role in these riots, and they are trying to push peaceful protests toward violence and chaos.
[Referring to former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent tweet] His tweet is a very notable example—an admission that the Mossad is playing a role in these riots.
…and also gave an extensive interview to Al Manar.
The dissolution of Yemeni STC
Moving briefly to Yemen, it is worth reporting that yesterday the Southern Transitional Council (STC), backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), announced its own dissolution, along with its affiliated bodies, in preparations for the “Southern Dialogue” conference in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and acknowledging that the council has “not achieved its intended objectives”, as reported by Al Masirah and Al Mayadeen, citing Saudi state media.
Interestingly, this announcement came soon after Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the Emirati President, praised the firm and measured political stance of UAE on Yemen in a tweet on X, as reported by Al Mayadeen:
The wise political stance and consistent media position of the UAE toward recent developments in Yemen is a credit to the leadership and Emirati institutions.
Crises and challenges come and go, but steadfastness and the wisdom of the state remain.
Are we really moving towards peace in southern Yemen? I do not think so, considering that Saudi Arabia is still occupying it, not to mention the Israeli plan to establish a military base in Somaliland, just across the Gulf of Aden (see my previous articles on this topic here and here).
In fact, according to Yemeni political and military affairs researcher Mahfoudh Salem Nasser, this move is just in preparation “for an alternative southern entity subordinate to Saudi Arabia, replacing the UAE-beholden STC”, as per Al Masirah. He stated that the movements of the UN envoy, meetings of the US and Saudi ambassadors and groups present in Riyadh suggest that “the inputs and outputs of the so-called Southern-Southern Conference are pre-prepared”, while STC head Aidarous al-Zubaidi “was allowed to leave under the watch of Saudi intelligence, which deliberately let him move freely despite having the ability to arrest or eliminate him”, in order to avoid turning him into a “national hero” or “martyr” and, at the same time, to use him as a scapegoat and embarrass the UAE. In his opinion, the Yemeni governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahrah will probably be granted special autonomy, but directly under the Saudi guardianship, in preparation “for annexation through political, administrative, and security steps prepared via local figures and tools”, while armed forces and groups will be readied for new aggression on other Yemeni provinces.
I will conclude this article with the following caricature from Saba:
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Russian hypersonic Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) with Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV), first used in combat on 21st November 2024 against Ukraine's PA Pivdenmash facility in Dnipro - Wikipedia
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Thank you, Ismaele, for this clarification and the motivation behind the Oreshnilk strike and also the direction NATO may be going. It's so hard to know what's really going on without the information and history you're bringing in. I've not yet had time to read your second article, but much appreciation for this first one.
Yes, it's actually past time for Europe to "talk to Russia," they are doomed if they continue with expensive U.S. LNG. All this posturing against Russia is detrimental to everyone. Imposing more sanctions on Russia is pointless - what do they need foreign currency for? They don't BUY their war supplies, they are a self-sufficient NOT FAILING very-large nation lacking nothing (except respect).
On Iran. MOSSAD has admitted activity in the demonstrations, and why not admit it? Nobody can stop them. The zionist entity promised to attack Iran, they realize what their fate would be in a military attack, so connect the dots! This is a soft-power attack, a color revolution, again.