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The Russian ruler Vladimir Putin stated that he is not preparing for any confrontation with Europe. He also mentioned that Moscow is observing violations of the rights of the Russian-speaking minority in the Baltic states. Similarly, the Kremlin chief spoke about Ukraine before launching the invasion. Before the full-scale aggression began on February 24, 2022, Moscow repeatedly denied that it was preparing to attack the neighboring country. Additionally, to justify the war, Putin also spoke, without evidence, about the "protection of Russian-speaking minorities" living in the Donbas. In recent days, warnings have increased regarding provocations from Russia in some of the North Atlantic Alliance states. According to European statesmen and intelligence services, hostile actions could take the form of sabotage, intensified hybrid attacks, or false flag operations. European states are also mentioning the threat of drone and missile attacks or a limited invasion by a smaller armed group into NATO territory. The latest warning came the day before yesterday from Danish intelligence services. They also mentioned the possibility of a ground invasion. However, according to the intelligence agency, the likelihood of this is very low – the Russian army has been engaged for over four and a half years in the attempt to capture two Ukrainian regions, whose independence Putin recognized before the invasion. Meanwhile, Russia is losing a huge number of personnel. Ukraine estimates it at over one and a half million. These figures cannot be independently verified; however, earlier this year, the Dutch intelligence agency and the American Center for Strategic and International Studies stated that losses have reached 1.2 million soldiers. The aim of hostile actions, according to increasing reports from European statesmen and intelligence services, is to test the cohesion of the alliance and sow fear in states supporting Ukraine. (translated)

The army broke free from its chains. The president covered everything up, the media is silent. Řehka, Foltýn, Hofírek, Veverka, and also Pavel? The biggest scandal in the history of the Czech Republic Army has been swept under the rug. In Group D, the interesting issue is not the escapade with drones and today's investigation. The courts are deciding whether a 48% gross margin on a charitable collection is legal and whether the proceeds from the fund could legally justify the purchase of four SUVs, Mercedes, and BMWs. It's audience-grabbing, but the real scandal lies elsewhere. In Group D, Otakar Foltýn, Karel Řehka, Radek Hasala, Jan Veverka, and other media-known faces meet, Milan Mikulecký or Ondřej Vetchý. The real brain behind the association is Jan Veverka. An active army reservist, co-owner of the billboard company BigBoard, and a very wealthy - also very dangerous - man. The association is connected to the company FPV Space, which is officially owned by the Poul couple. Zdeněk Poul is a former member of the Military Police and was subordinated to Otakar Foltýn, the main figure of the collection. Radek Hasala is the chief of staff of Petro Pavel's army, and Karel Řehka holds the highest position in the army. What could possibly go wrong? The Group D association was formed just two days before the company FPV Space was established. They were founded in the same notary's office and are interconnected. Without Group D, FPV Space would have no customers, as the courts concluded. These events have already been described to the public. The company used the proceeds from the collection to purchase four SUVs averaging 2 million crowns each, rented commercial space from Jan Veverka, and sent the rent to his former partner. What's important is what the media has largely ignored so far. The connections to the Czech Republic Army and the cover-up of the collection's members by President Pavel and Karel Řehka, today's candidate with STAN's support for the Senate. Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter. Jan Veverka said in an interview that the cooperation between the army and the non-profit sector is common - even that is questionable. However, it is definitely not common for the non-profit sector - according to courts, a very profitable one - to integrate directly (!!) into the Czech Republic Army and act in its activities in the name of armed (!!) forces. Miroslav Hofírek, colonel, later general and director of special forces, issues Jan Veverka a diplomatic passport at the turn of 2023 and 2024, without any (!!) authorization for such a fundamental act. Throughout the year 2024, Group D makes several trips to Ukraine, not as a private association, but under direct orders (!!) from General Hofírek. The official justification is "Protecting the security of diplomatic missions and information assurance." Thus, Group D does not transport drones to Ukraine in the name of a non-profit organization, but travels under the direct order of the Directorate of Special Forces of the Czech Republic Army. Participants in the trips include not only Jan Veverka but also an unspecified number of members of the 601st group from Prostějov, which falls directly under Miroslav Hofírek. From later statements by Jana Černochová, it appears that she was not aware of the trips of Czech special forces members at all. They were fulfilling an order in a war zone, which Ukraine undoubtedly is. However, Hofírek did not have the authority to issue such an order without authorization. This authorization had to be issued by Karel Řehka, or the trip must have been expressly approved personally. Here, the situation becomes even more complicated. Jan Veverka, who was issued a diplomatic passport by the army without authorization and sent soldiers to Ukraine with him, was very generous to Řehka. In May 2024, Karel Řehka announced his separation from his wife and according to his own words, moved to a military barracks in Plzeň. Just a few days after Řehka's announcement, Jan Veverka buys a house. He renovates it and rents it to Karel Řehka and his new partner, Michaela Opltová from the STAN movement. The Řehkas have been living in the house ever since. Hofírek issued diplomatic passports not only to civilian Jan Veverka, turning him into a soldier during his travels to Ukraine, but also to other members of special forces who were in Ukraine with Jan Veverka. That was too much even for Jana Černochová and although Hofírek's actions - with the probable knowledge of Řehka - were scandalous until now, what happened next is interesting. Jana Černochová cancels all diplomatic passports issued by Hofírek and introduces a new process where the issuance of documents is directly approved. She cancels business trips for Řehka and files a proposal for Hofírek's dismissal. Here, Petr Pavel intervenes. He explicitly rules out the dismissal of the army general and tells Černochová to stop questioning the authority and integrity of the army. According to available sources, Černochová was not only seeking to dismiss Hofírek but intended to remove Karel Řehka from his position as well. "The support for Ukraine is seen as correct. If anyone helps Ukraine, it is commendable. An extraordinary situation requires extraordinary measures." Without the president's consent, it is not possible to dismiss Hofírek or Řehka. Illegal deployment of special forces in support of Jan Veverka's private initiative and issuing diplomatic passports without authorization, however, is not enough reason for Petr Pavel to endorse Černochová's intervention. The only remaining option for the minister is the Military Police. They begin investigating Group D and uncover significant discrepancies in asset management. These include the already mentioned payments to Veverka's former partner, SUVs costing 8 million crowns, and other connections. However, the media do not address the "cowboys from Prostějov." Their attention is focused on Jana Černochová, questioning her authority to intervene against an army that approves its own missions without the knowledge of politicians. The media blitz after Pavel's intervention escalates in favor of the army. It doesn't so much address the practically scandalous arbitrariness of the army but bombards Jana Černochová - she is supposed to prevent Jan Veverka's group from helping Ukraine. President Pavel stated, for example: "On the other hand, I consider it absolutely non-standard and harmful when new information and speculation are constantly introduced into such a case during an investigation. It damages the good name of the army, the ministry, and unfortunately also the whole Czech Republic," said Pavel. Karel Řehka admitted to only "minor administrative mistakes" in the same text for ČTK. However, Jana Černochová spoke differently again for ČTK. Petr Pavel allegedly explicitly denied that he was "addressing" Hofírek and in his eyes, everything was fine. Arbitrary deployment of special forces members has not yet been punished. Karel Řehka, who had sole authority to authorize Hofírek to deploy forces, has never been disciplined. Jan Veverka is not charged, and the Military Police is investigating only Zdeněk Poul and his wife. Miroslav Hofírek still commands special forces. Otakar Foltýn, who sharply opposed Jana Černochová and trivialized the issue of arbitrary deployments of soldiers to war zones, currently holds a position at Prague Castle. A total of 48 million, which the Military Police did not seize from Group D, was sent by Jan Veverka to the non-profit organization Memory of the Nation. This organization is financed by Jan Dobrovský, the largest sponsor of the STAN movement, with whose support Karel Řehka is running in Plzeň. That Jan Dobrovský, who is supposed to have significant influence over President Pavel together with Petr Kolář. That Jan Dobrovský, who employs two brothers of Janku Kroupa, a leading investigative journalist at Seznam Zpráv. And again, that Jan Dobrovský, who has a regular podcast on Seznam Zprávy with Jindřich Šídlo, where criticism of STAN can only be sought with a molecular microscope and just as fruitlessly. If anything were to happen to the special forces members and Jan Veverka during their trips to Ukraine, the Czech Republic would have to admit the following. The individuals were sent into a war zone without the knowledge of the country's political leadership, on illegally issued diplomatic passports - without the Ministry of Defense's authorization - and likely for purposes unrelated to the army and to a private collection. The cowboys from Prostějov were not in Ukraine with Group D for the first time; such cases of arbitrariness can be found in the Czech Republic Army in significant numbers. So maybe next time. Shalom. (translated)

Patriotism, in my opinion, is not recognized by how many Czech flags one displays. It is recognized by what one is willing to do for their country. 🇨🇿 I'm home again after a week of service with the 72nd Mechanized Battalion in Přáslavice. 🪖 A week in the rain, discomfort, and physical strain. A week of intense training, the purpose of which is actually quite simple – to be prepared to defend our country, our loved ones, and our allies if necessary. And it is precisely in such moments that I realize again why service in the Active Reserve means so much to me. Being part of a collective of true patriots, who do not just demonstrate their relationship with this country through words, but by voluntarily sacrificing their time, comfort, and energy for its defense, is an extremely positive and energizing experience. 🫡 The week also included a ceremonial parade of the entire 72nd battalion. We commemorated Czech Statehood Day, the battles at Dukla, and the legacy of Major General Josef Buršík, whose name our battalion carries. At the same time, soldiers were recognized and promoted for their service. And for me, there is something else that is important: at the parade and during the service, we stand side by side with our professional soldier colleagues as equal partners of one battalion. Not "professionals and reserves," but soldiers with a common task, common responsibility, and the same insignia on our shoulders. This is how I believe the Active Reserve should function. Tradition, patriotism, and defense of the country are not empty words if they are backed by specific people and specific actions. And if anyone is wondering whether service in the Active Reserve makes sense: it does. The army needs people who are willing to dedicate part of their lives to keeping our country safe and free. 🇨🇿 Freedom is not a given. And its defense is the responsibility of us all. 🫡 Give it a try ➡️ https://t.co/PfZAw1hv2i "Light against darkness!" 🕯️ (translated)

When Putin says that there will be no war, every reasonable person takes notice. The same statements from him (and other Russians) were heard in mid-February 2022. Just a few days before the Russian army started to roll towards Kyiv. And today we are not talking about a large ground operation. They have a different plan in mind. (translated)

The use of military force to defend territorial integrity does not constitute an act of war by Argentina against another country but rather a constitutional obligation of the Armed Forces. Only in Argentina is it necessary to obtain express legislative authorization. Not to mention that operationally there are hundreds of daily violations of both Argentine airspace and maritime space. To presume that each case must go to Congress is, let's say, impractical. (translated)

The United States opposes the out-of-control institution known as the International Criminal Court. We will never allow members of the U.S. armed forces, or anyone else, to be investigated or subjected to sham trials by an anti-American court that has no jurisdiction over us. They are a group of wicked people. I call on all member nations of the ICC to immediately withdraw from this institution that operates outside the law. Trump stated this Tuesday in his address to the General Assembly: "The United States opposes the out-of-control institution known as the International Criminal Court. We will never allow members of the U.S. armed forces, or anyone else, to be investigated or subjected to sham trials by an anti-American court that has no jurisdiction over us. They are a group of wicked people. I call on all member nations of the ICC to immediately withdraw from this institution that operates outside the law." (translated)

An ally of Flávio Bolsonaro called the archbishop of Aparecida a "bum" after Dom Orlando Brandes preached that "to be a beloved homeland, it cannot be an armed homeland." PROTECT MOTHER BRAZIL DEFEND APARECIDA NOBODY TOUCHES THE PATRONESS (translated)

The Polish army is planning to simplify the procedures for intercepting airspace intruders using positive identification, in response to threats from Russia, while also considering the production of missiles for the American Patriot missile defense systems on Ukrainian territory. (translated)

"China and the United States should not cross the line of conflict and confrontation." Xi has also claimed that the armed forces of both countries should maintain regular dialogue and improve their mechanisms to prevent crises, and has stated that Washington and Beijing can avoid their growing rivalry turning into an open confrontation. (translated)

In response to yesterday's article by Mr. Ondřej Stratilík on https://t.co/RWno59fhmq, I would like to clarify some information: The article "The EU's Chief Commander came to negotiate with the head of the Czech army. The meeting did not take place because of Zůna" No meeting with the EU's main military representative had been planned in advance or arranged over the long term. Upon arriving at the summit, he simply contacted me to say that he would like to greet me. It was a regular, informal contact. At that moment, I needed to negotiate with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, so I subsequently proposed the possibility of a short meeting. However, that didn't work out in terms of timing either, because we could not coordinate our schedules. That is all. It is not true that I canceled or missed a pre-arranged meeting because of negotiations with the minister. No such meeting was on the agenda. At similar international events, it is common for two people to want to greet each other or meet briefly, but due to busy schedules, their availability ends up not lining up. There is nothing more behind it. For the same reason, there was no reason for the Minister of Defense to know in advance about this informal possibility of a meeting. It was not a planned negotiation that would have been part of the official program. If the article creates the impression that Minister Zůna's actions caused a planned meeting not to take place, that impression does not reflect reality. (translated)

During NATO Days, I visited several significant Czech defense companies – DSS a.s., Colt CZ Group SE, Czechoslovak Group, Omnipol Group and also STV GROUP in Polička. I discussed current projects, the capabilities of the Czech defense industry, innovations, and the introduction of new technologies with the representatives of the companies. For the further development of our capabilities, it is important for both the army and industry to understand each other's needs well and to be able to respond to them in a timely manner. (translated)

Yesterday I reminded of the Czechoslovak mobilization in 1938. I was pleased to see how many people had the opportunity to experience their ancestors who participated in it and thus pass on their testimony. I was not surprised by the reaction of pro-Russian accounts, which again manifested as collaborators and started writing to me that they would definitely not fight for the Czech Republic. And that only Bolshevik Russia wanted to help us at that time. From history, we know well that Russian help is always just a synonym for occupation. One of the Russians who truly helped us not with words, but with deeds, Army General Sergej Wojcechovsky, was, on the contrary, taken away by Russians to their concentration camp and there tortured. On the contrary, I was surprised by a number of people I know who now wrote that the generals should not have obeyed Beneš and should have defended the republic. It's not that I disagree, but often they were the same people who, when @karel_rehka defended the army against the statements of the then Minister of Defense, were outraged that the army should be subordinate to politicians, and thus must remain silent and let itself be kicked. One keeps learning something new. (translated)

The chairman of the EU Military Committee arrived in Prague to personally meet with the new head of the Czech army. This is completely natural, after all. However, he did not meet with General Hlaváč. According to information from @Aktualnecz, Minister Zůna purposefully called him to himself at the same time. Zůna denies this. (translated)