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Ukrainian Intelligence and the Ukraine War
- Details
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Understanding the War of Disinformation Propaganda
On January 2, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Lt. General Kyrylo Budanov to the position of Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, replacing Andriy Yermak. Yermak had held the office since 2020, until resigning in November 2025 under suspicions of corruption. The office is considered the most powerful in Ukraine next to the President.
Budanov had been Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence for Ukraine since August 2020, which is generally considered the most powerful Ukrainian Intelligence Agency and reports to the Ministry of Defense rather than the Ukrainian military General Staff. The Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine is usually abbreviated to HUR, GUR, or DIU (English). The Russian equivalent is the GRU. The HUR is also roughly equivalent to the CIA and British MI6, which took over and reformed the HUR immediately following the Maidan Revolution and coup in February 2014. The CIA has been tightly linked to the HUR since 2014 and to Budanov at least since 2020. British MI6 provides personal security to President Zelensky. Zelensky’s presidential term expired in March 2024, but he has held power because of martial law declared in March 2022. Zelensky has also banned all opposition political parties and opposition media.
Eurobond Medicine for Ukraine
- Details
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Weimar Republic Economics
Shortly after the Russian Army crossed into Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the United States, NATO, and the European Union brought massive financial sanctions against the Russian Federation and froze approximately $300 billion in Russian financial assets held in allied banks around the world. Most of these assets are held in Euroclear, a major Belgian based clearing bank in Brussels, but smaller amounts are being held in Japan, Canada, the UK and the U.S.
The interest on these frozen financial assets is already being used to help Ukraine, but this has been opposed by many EU members, especially Hungary. Furthermore, the interest is only a drop in the bucket compared to Ukraine’s needs. The United States is now funding the Ukrainian government at close to $50 billion per year. Military costs run at least that much more. At this point, Ukraine is almost totally dependent on the United States, NATO, and the European Union.
Putin on the Russian Economy
- Details
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Reality versus the Western Narrative
On December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave his annual end-of-year press conference. Unlike most American and European press conferences, it lasted more than four hours. It was also much more open to both the public and international news media than is standard for American and European conferences. He answered questions from reporters there and ordinary Russian citizens by phone. His introductory remarks were a relatively brief summary of mostly economic statistics, but he went on for better than four hours answering questions not only from Russian media, but many international media organizations, including NBC.
Turkey May Be Slipping Away from NATO
- Details
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
A Briefing on NATO’s Second Largest Military Force
Turkey has the second largest armed forces in NATO numbering about 485,000, and its army alone numbers 350,000. The United States, with 1.3 million military personnel, has the largest armed forces of 32 NATO members. Poland is a distant third place with armed forces numbering 216,000.
It is difficult to compare the sizes of armies and armed forces. It is a matter of distinguishing active troops from various levels of reserves. France is presently at 200,000 active military personnel; Germany is at 182,000; Italy 166,000; Greece 143,000; and the UK is eighth largest with only 138,000. Spain is close behind with 133,000, and Romania is in the top ten with just over 81,000. By comparison, the Russians have recently increased from 1.1 million to at least 1.3 million. China has over 2.0 million, and India, now having the largest population in the world, has nearly 1.5 million. Remarkably, with a population of only 26.6 million, North Korea has an army of almost 1.3 million.
The Trump 2025 National Security Strategy
- Details
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Dated November 2025 and Released December 4
Selected Passages and Commentary
The Trump 2025 National Security Strategy is radically different from past annual National Security Strategy documents. Although it narrows core national interests, it is far more comprehensive on the economic and social environment necessary for renewed national energy and true national security. Immigration and the nation’s traditional family, moral, and spiritual strengths are rightly elevated to important aspects of national well-being and national security. Increased emphasis is given to economic, financial, and industrial strengths. It also rightly re-joins foreign policy and defense policy. Clausewitz (1780-1831), who wrote On War 1816-1831 and fought against Napoleon with the Russian Army at Borodino in 1812, would be pleased.
Mike Scruggs is the author of two books: The Un-Civil War: Shattering the Historical Myths; and Lessons from the Vietnam War: Truths the Media Never Told You, and over 600 articles on military history, national security, intelligent design, genealogical genetics, immigration, current political affairs, Islam, and the Middle East.
He holds a BS degree from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Stanford University. A former USAF intelligence officer and Air Commando, he is a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, and holds the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Air Medal. He is a retired First Vice President for a major national financial services firm and former Chairman of the Board of a classical Christian school.
Click the website below to order books. http://www.universalmediainc.org/books.htm.
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