Russia Moldova Decree Stuns EU; Assembles Belarus Force; Brushes Off Zelensky Drones; Putin To China (Alexander Mercouris)

Ukraine launched its biggest ever drone strike on Moscow with nearly 600 drones, yet Russia's air defenses brushed off the attack while normal life continued in the city, exposing the growing gap in military effectiveness between the two sides. Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris on The Duran break down what Zelensky's defiant post on X really signals, why Putin's new decree granting Russian passports to citizens of Moldova's Transnistria region is sending shockwaves through the EU, how a massive Russian reserve force of 150,000 troops is assembling near Belarus, and what Putin's upcoming visit to Beijing means for the next phase of the conflict. Is the Ukraine crisis about to expand into a Moldova crisis, and are the Russian reserve armies being held back for a final decisive push?

00:00:00 Introduction and overview of today's program
00:00:35 Ukraine launches massive drone strike on Moscow
00:01:51 Russia's air defenses hold: comparing effectiveness
00:03:41 Moscow mayor confirms damage contained, life continues
00:05:29 Ukraine's drone strategy: a major misallocation of resources
00:10:07 Zelensky's post on X and what it reveals
00:12:54 Russian ambassador Polanski warns Europe: patience wearing thin
00:16:55 Why Zelensky launched the strike he wanted on Victory Day
00:22:53 Barova captured, Leman collapsing: front line update
00:28:34 Putin's Moldova decree stuns EU: passports for Transnistria
00:35:02 Is Moldova next? Russia prepares legal framework for intervention
00:38:07 Putin heads to China: what the Beijing summit means
00:46:22 Belarus buildup: 150,000 Russian reserve troops and what they signal
01:04:48 Russian economy update: inflation under control, growth ahead
01:08:44 Iran nuclear talks collapse and the Strait of Hormuz standoff
01:12:17 Taiwan tensions escalate after Xi warning to Trump
01:15:16 CIA director in Cuba: America's real diplomatic face
01:20:06 Final thoughts and wrap up



[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, May 19, 2026.]