I’ll leave the latest information on the German airport drone until after the outline of today’s events.

A drone exploded in Bulgaria near the Kardam border-crossing with Romania, coming within 1,000 meters of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline’s compressor station. [See Map]

Bulgaria’s defense ministry said the drone carried a ‘significant’ quantity of explosives and was of a type “widely used by the Ukrainian military.”  However, Ukraine has denied [::cough::] “intentionally” [::cough::] striking Bulgaria with one of their drones.

Yahoo: Ukraine on Saturday denied targeting Bulgaria after a drone exploded close to the strategic Trans-Balkan gas pipeline linking Turkey to Ukraine near the Romanian border.

Bulgaria’s defence ministry said the drone was of a type “widely used by the Ukrainian military”, and the foreign minister summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for a meeting on Monday in response, her office told AFP.

Kyiv said it was “in close contact with the Bulgarian side to clarify the circumstances” of the incident, the latest case of a drone straying into NATO airspace as Ukraine fights off Russia’s invasion.

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The article itself is weak sauce in the extreme, “according to new U.S. intelligence reports that posit possible scenarios” blah, blah, blah…  You know the routine.

However, that said, there is a general alignment of intent that tracks this narrative as expressed by the Wall Street Journal.

CTH doesn’t try to convince anyone. Convincing is an endless quest. However, if you just look at the datapoints that have surfaced since June 11th, there is a greater likelihood of some kind of western kinetic activity that can be carried out in order to stimulate more opposition to Russia.  Some form of false flag operation.

That approach would track with what we have witnessed in the past two months as Ukraine makes public claims in media that are expressly opposite of the action they are taking.  CTH has been pointing this out along the way.  It is prudent to notice things, particularly when those things can be consequential to the interests of EU-controllled intelligence.

WASHINGTON—Russian President Vladimir Putin could try to test NATO’s resolve with a limited assault on an allied country in the next few years, according to new U.S. intelligence reports that posit possible scenarios ranging from a cyberattack to a small-scale land incursion.

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If we cut to the chase, the greatest likelihood is the same intelligence unit responsible for the Nordstream pipeline bombing are the same intelligence unit responsible for the Leipzig Airport drones.  That would be Ukraine.

It appears the German government has learned its lesson from initially blaming Russia for Nordstream, as they now use the generic term “state actor” when describing the likely source.

BERLIN — German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has suggested a state actor was behind the explosive-laden drone that was found at Leipzig airport.

“We can’t rule out the possibility that foreign powers are behind this,” Dobrindt told public broadcaster ZDF Wednesday evening. “That will now be part of the investigation, but there are many indications pointing in that direction,” he said.

Dobrindt stopped short of naming Russia specifically in his statements but said that “a hybrid threat is evident” and that such threats do not originate from amateurs but are “often linked to foreign powers.”

[…] Leipzig Airport serves as a strategic hub for NATO, including for military transports to Ukraine. The airport is also international courier service DHL’s largest European air hub and serves as a temporary home for some Ukrainian Antonov aircraft, protecting them from Russian attacks. The armed drone was found just meters away from such a plane, said officials Wednesday. (read more)

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I’m just making a note on this story because it seems to align with other events in the ongoing Ukraine vs Russia narrative assembly, recently discussed.

The initial story, usually the most accurate {source}, stated that at an area within the Leipzig/Halle Airport complex in Germany, a small tour group noticed a drone flying low to the ground in/around the area where cargo planes are located.  Leipzig is used by NATO as a cargo airport to deliver weapons.

The driver of the bus got out, pushed the drone to the ground and called airport authorities to notify them.  The drone was located near the area where two Ukrainian Antonov aircraft were located.  The airport houses two Ukraine Antonov aircraft not being used, and three Russian Antonov’s’ grounded and stored since EU sanctions.

The drone was a quadcopter type, with limited distance capabilities. Inspection of the drone revealed it carried 800 grams of explosive material and a faulty detonator. The drone was taken into custody by airport authorities.

As the initial report was made the airport triggered standard security practices rerouting cargo planes.  A rerouted DHL cargo carrier then encountered another drone about 400 meters in altitude, which hit the nose of the plane.  The plane diverted to Hannover and landed without issue.

This quadcopter drone at Leipzig Airport happens on the same day that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accused Russia of attacking a street vendor in Kherson, Ukraine, with an almost identical drone.

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Olha Stefanishyna says she resigned. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says she was removed.  Regardless of which storyline is accurate, the Ukraine Ambassador to the United States is no longer in position.  There is no replacement.

Stefanishyna is also under investigation for her connection with financial irregularities involving the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, although she has not been formally charged, yet.

The Western narrative, which has continuously looked like an intelligence community shaping, says that U.S. relations with the government of Ukraine have never been stronger.  The reality seems to be something else entirely.

Aug 3 (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dismissed Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, in a decree published on Monday.

Stefanishyna had been in her job for nearly a year. Her departure had been expected for several weeks.

Her departure coincides with a shake-up in recent weeks of top officials, including the replacement of the prime minister and defence minister. A reshuffle of Ukraine’s diplomatic and ambassadorial appointments is also expected.

Stefanishyna, writing on Facebook, said the decision to leave her post was “my own decision, driven by personal circumstances … ” and said she had accomplished much during her time in the post. (read more)

I am not going to belabor the points, because I’m told by most my review of the data is incorrect. However, once again, I would simply point out the distinct difference between the preferred Western narrative and the reality of events as they unfold.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat down with Fox News Lara Trump for an extensive discussion on his role and responsibilities in the Trump administration.

In the second segment, Rubio actually touched on something many have been curious about regarding his changed perspectives and positions.  It is still annoying that no one has ever asked him directly, ‘why have your views changed so dramatically in the past two years, and/or are you just playing a role.‘

The two video segments and transcript are below:

[Transcript] – QUESTION: Secretary, great to have you back. Thank you so much.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Glad to be back. It’s been a while.

QUESTION: Yeah. There’s so much to talk about, but I want to start with Cuba.

SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah.

QUESTION: This has been of particular interest to the State Department right now. You guys released a 100-page report on Cuba, calling it, “The Capital of 21st Century Communism.” And this report talks about the fact that Cuba’s goal essentially is to erase the United States from the Earth. It also details a Cuban spy network that’s been undermining American interests. How did we get to a place where Cuba has become so much of a threat – it feels like again – to the United States?

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From independent reporting on the ground, CTH has established an upscale Italian dining restaurant in Moscow, Balzi Rossi, was hosting a private dining event (at least in most of the facility) when a female Ukrainian terrorist attempted to gain entry carrying a bomb.

The woman terrorist was intercepted by a security member and denied entry to the facility; however, during the stop the woman detonated the IED which was filled with nails and ball bearings.  The bomber and the security guard were killed instantly as well as one of the people attending the venue.

Dozens more people were injured by the shrapnel, nails and ball bearings. The security guard is being heralded as a hero for stopping what would have been a much more deadly attack. Reports are now beginning to surface on western media outlets.

MOSCOW – A bomb detonated at a restaurant Saturday in ‌central ⁠Moscow killing at least three people, including the bomber, Russian state media said, citing local officials.

At least 21 people were also injured when the explosive device detonated at the restaurant on Kudrinskaya Square in Moscow, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said, quoted by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

An unidentified woman who attempted to carry the explosive device into the restaurant died in the blast as did a security guard and a patron, the news agency said.

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The Security Assistance Group (SAG) is a unit of NATO command operated in Germany that specifically focuses on the military training and development in support of Ukraine.  The U.S. is transitioning out of SAG leadership and handing the responsibility to Europe or Canada.

EUROPE – Another NATO member will eventually take over running the Security Assistance Group, according to a U.S official and three people familiar with the plan, which has played a central role in equipping and training Ukrainian troops since the full-scale Russian invasion began. But the removal of U.S. leadership from a pivotal program on the continent reinforces the extent to which America is distancing itself from European partners.

The move will mean the U.S. no longer helps shape what Ukraine’s future military will look like. It follows a swath of changes the Trump administration has made to the decades-old alliance. The Pentagon has reduced the number of American officers running commands in Europe and canceled some rotations. Officials are reassessing troops stationed on the continent and warning countries they won’t receive assistance unless their defense spending increases.

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CTH is very happy to see President Trump pause his consideration of giving Ukraine Patriot and Tomahawk missile system technology and licenses.  As noted by President Trump there is always a possibility of those systems being used against the USA if the conflict shifts and Ukraine becomes our enemy.

Germany and Ukraine have been asking for Tomahawks (offensive missile systems), while mostly Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been requesting the Patriot (defensive) missiles.  Both systems are closely guarded, held and maintained by strict security protocols in the U.S. military arsenal.

President Trump responded to the question during his Camp David cabinet meeting (prompted):

Zelenskyy likely did himself no favors when he announced his intention to build missile and drone factories in the U.K.  No doubt several Trump administration officials noted that statement and contrast it against Zelenskyy’s requests.

It would be exceptionally risky for the USA to allow Patriot and Tomahawk systems to be built in the U.K. as the secrecy behind the technology would certainly leak and our strategic advantage lost.  It should be remembered that both the U.K and Ukraine were part of the political system attempting to remove President Trump from office.

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Well, well, well.  There it is. Even if it is clouded in Reuters News doublespeak and coded language, the answer to the big question about why Zelenskyy fired the most effective military leader is right there.  The key words are, “military procurement system”; or in common language “military spending.”

It never made sense; the 35-year-old Defense Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, was heralded as turning the tide of the war in favor of Ukraine through his adaption of technology, specifically drones, and his very close relationship to Alex Karp of Palantir, a military contractor.  Fedorov was young, smart, strategic and exceptionally capable.  Yet, Zelenskyy fired him.

Now the real motive for dispatching Mykhailo Fedorov surfaces in his interview with Reuters.  Fedorov had taken control of how the military funding was being spent, and as a result, all of those Ukraine government officials and military generals who were pocketing money, redirecting funds, giving indulgences to their families and stealing resources were blocked.

The corruption is so widespread, Zelenskyy had no choice except to eliminate the guy taking control of the payments, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

(July 29 – Reuters) – Former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, in an interview published on Wednesday, said his efforts to overhaul the military’s procurement system were the main reason behind his dismissal this ​month in a military and political shake-up.

Fedorov, a technical expert seen by many ‌as an agent for change in the nearly 4-1/2-year-old war against Russia, told the media outlet Ukrainska Pravda that the proposed changes met resistance from officials inside and around the ministry.

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