Joni Askola
@joniaskola.bsky.social
22K followers 460 following 6K posts
Finnish PhD candidate and geopolitical analyst. Trying to help Ukraine with the 69th Sniffing Brigade https://buymeacoffee.com/joni_askola
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joniaskola.bsky.social
Race against time
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/6 Russia and Ukraine are in a race against time.

Ground movements now matter less than long-range strikes.

The side that scales up missile and drone production faster will win this phase of the war, and it will be Ukraine.

Russia is in deep trouble
joniaskola.bsky.social
The result of nearly a decade of Trumpism
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/5 The Young Republican group chat leak is appalling.

Racist slurs, Holocaust jokes, praise for Hitler, and talk of rape as “epic.”

This is not an isolated incident but the result of nearly a decade of Trumpism.

The GOP today is unrecognizable from the party it once was
joniaskola.bsky.social
European countries need to step up
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/7 Finland has the most advanced total defense model in Europe.

It is not just for war. It helps in any crisis.

Government, businesses, civil society, and citizens all have roles.

Europe should treat this as a benchmark and start building toward it, not merely on paper
joniaskola.bsky.social
Just a classic post attacking the West on freedom of speech, by a totally neutral man holding Russian and Emirati passports. Any criticism of freedom of speech in Russia or the Emirates?
joniaskola.bsky.social
6/6 Europe must step up in many ways.

Help Ukraine scale production. Finance missiles and drones. Buy whatever Western systems are available.

This is Ukraine’s chance to end the war sooner. Let’s not waste it!
joniaskola.bsky.social
5/6 Russia’s problem is scale.

It has too much territory and too many targets to defend.

With enough drones and missiles, Ukraine can cause massive economic damage in the coming months
joniaskola.bsky.social
4/6 Tomahawks, Barracudas, more ATACMS or Storm Shadows could help.

But the key is Ukraine’s own production. It needs volume.

It needs to overwhelm Russian air defenses and deplete their interceptors
joniaskola.bsky.social
3/6 Ukraine is now producing cruise missiles with longer range and larger payloads.

Its strikes have been effective, hitting refineries and key infrastructure.

With US intel support, Ukraine is planning more. It hopes to get missiles from the US, paid by Europe
joniaskola.bsky.social
2/6 Ukraine has intensified its strike campaign in recent months.

Russia has too. Geran production is at record highs.

But Russia relies heavily on Shaheds, and Ukraine will eventually hit the Yelabuga drone factory
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/6 Russia and Ukraine are in a race against time.

Ground movements now matter less than long-range strikes.

The side that scales up missile and drone production faster will win this phase of the war, and it will be Ukraine.

Russia is in deep trouble
joniaskola.bsky.social
5/5 JD Vance’s response, mocking outrage, shows how deep the rot goes.

The party is not just tolerating this behavior. It is cultivating it.

And anyone still pretending this is politics as usual is helping it grow
joniaskola.bsky.social
4/5 This scandal is not about one group chat.

It is about a generation shaped by a party that rewards extremism.

The GOP is not drifting right.

It is sprinting away from democratic norms
joniaskola.bsky.social
3/5 Young Republicans grew up watching this.

They saw that racism, misogyny, and authoritarianism were not punished.

They saw that loyalty to Trump mattered more than integrity or truth.

Now they are mimicking what they were taught
joniaskola.bsky.social
2/5 Trump did not just change the GOP’s tone.

He changed its values. Lies, mockery, and cruelty became political tools.

The boundaries of acceptable behavior were pushed until they disappeared
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/5 The Young Republican group chat leak is appalling.

Racist slurs, Holocaust jokes, praise for Hitler, and talk of rape as “epic.”

This is not an isolated incident but the result of nearly a decade of Trumpism.

The GOP today is unrecognizable from the party it once was
joniaskola.bsky.social
Finally?
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/5 Zelensky has just revoked the citizenship of Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov.

The reason? He allegedly holds a Russian passport.

If confirmed, this could finally bring an end to the reign of one of Ukraine’s most corrupt and controversial leaders
joniaskola.bsky.social
Many ways to strike Russian oil refineries
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/6 Ukraine is building an arsenal to strike deep inside Russia.

The goal is to end the war by making it too costly for Moscow to continue.

Here is a non-exhaustive look at the long-range weapons Ukraine is using, developing, or hoping to get👇
joniaskola.bsky.social
Hope for the best but don’t expect too much!
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/5 With Gaza partially settled for now, Trump is shifting focus.

Zelensky is meeting him this week.

Ukraine wants Tomahawk missiles. Trump sounds more supportive than ever.

But don’t get fooled
joniaskola.bsky.social
7/7 Finland did not wait for disaster.

It built a system that works in peace and war.

Europe should follow that lead.

The next crisis / Russian invasion will not wait for us to catch up
joniaskola.bsky.social
6/7 Europe does not need to copy Finland overnight.

But it must start coordinating defense, resilience, and civil readiness more seriously and at a larger scale.

This is the only affordable way to prepare for war and survive future crises
joniaskola.bsky.social
5/7 Russia’s threats will not go away.

Hybrid attacks, sabotage, disinformation, and energy blackmail are part of its playbook.

Europe must be ready to defend not just borders, but entire societies
joniaskola.bsky.social
4/7 The war in Ukraine shows why this matters.

When Russia invaded, civil society stepped up.

Volunteers, businesses, and local governments filled gaps.

Total defense is not theory. it is survival
joniaskola.bsky.social
3/7 The military is backed by a trained reserve, strategic stockpiles, and legal obligations for civil preparedness.

No other European country has this level of integration.

It is the most complete deterrence system on the continent
joniaskola.bsky.social
2/7 Every big building has a bomb shelter.

Every sector has a contingency plan.

Every citizen knows what to do.

Finland’s model is built on realism, not illusions. It is quiet, practical, cheap, and effective
joniaskola.bsky.social
1/7 Finland has the most advanced total defense model in Europe.

It is not just for war. It helps in any crisis.

Government, businesses, civil society, and citizens all have roles.

Europe should treat this as a benchmark and start building toward it, not merely on paper