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The President's Daily Brief
July 30th, 2025: Armed Vigilantes Take Over Russian Streets & Britain’s Palestine Shift
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- [00:01]
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- [00:31]
Mike Baker
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Unknown
Foreign.
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Mike Baker
It's Wednesday, the 30th of July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start in Russia, where reportedly Russia's war in Ukraine is hollowing out its police force. Now armed nationalist vigilantes are reportedly taking over the streets and the Kremlin apparently isn't stopping them. Later in the show, the UK Becomes the latest European nation that says it may recognize a Palestinian state. The news comes as Washington slams a UN Conference on the two state solution, calling it a dangerous stunt that empowers Hamas and derails peace talks. Plus, months after a terror attack pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of war, India says it has eliminated the terrorists responsible for the slaughter. And in today's back of the brief, Taiwan's president delays a US Stopover as Washington and Beijing try to keep trade talks on track. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. We'll start things off today with reports of a new trend emerging across Russia, one that suggests the war in Ukraine is causing the government to possibly lose control of its own streets as the war drags on. Russia isn't just facing a manpower crisis on the battlefield, it's apparently facing one in its police force. Local law enforcement across Russia is being gutted, with some cities missing as much as 40% of their patrol officers. The Interior Ministry recently admitted that more than 33,000 officers left the police force last year alone. Now, to put that in context, the city of New York's entire police force is roughly 31,000. As you would imagine, that's led to a surge in crime, some Cities have reported double digit increases in assaults, thefts, and property crimes. And in many rural areas, local say police simply don't show up anymore. The reason for this is simple. The pay at the war's front lines is better. A patrol officer in a Russian city might earn the equivalent of just a few hundred dollars a month, but military recruiters are offering signing bonuses worth more than a year's entire salary. For many, especially in poorer or rural areas, the choice is leave the streets behind and head to the front. But the Kremlin's response to this law enforcement vacuum is raising alarm bells. Instead of rebuilding police forces with better pay and benefits, the Russian government is leaning on armed nationalist vigilante groups, either by turning a blind eye or in some cases, offering quiet support as these groups dispense their own version of justice. One of the largest and most active organizations is called Russkaya Obschina. That's a Russian community in English. The far right group was founded back in 2020 and has quickly grown to include 150 regional chapters across all 11 Russian time zones. The organization has become the face of unofficial law enforcement in many towns. For comparison purposes, picture the far right patriot front, for example, in the US Being entrusted with urban law enforcement that's traditionally reserved. Well, actual law enforcement videos posted online show Ruskaya Obschina members, often in tactical gear, breaking up drunken brawls, detaining people accused of petty theft, and raiding the homes and workplaces of migrants. They've also targeted private LGBTQ gatherings, capturing and humiliating attendees on camera and then posting the footage online. In some cases, they've even marched civilians to military enlistment offices, effectively carrying out forced conscription. These groups claim they're simply stepping in. Oh, they're just stepping in to restore order while the police are away. Hey, we're just trying to be good citizens. But their actions go well, well beyond community policing. And in many cases, they have the quiet backing of local officials or Kremlin connected oligarchs. In Siberia, a group called Russian Druzhina is patrolling the streets with the support of conservative businessman Konstantin Malofiev. Now, Molofev is a pro Kremlin media mogul and ultra nationalist financier who's been sanctioned by the US and EU for supporting separatist movements in eastern Ukraine. In Russia's Far East, a regional governor has organized an official quote, tiger unit that sounds very tough. Made up of war veterans to enforce law and order, that group draws from Veterans of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade, one of the Russia's most heavily deployed units in Ukraine. The name Tiger isn't accidental. It's a nod to the Amur Tiger, a regional symbol of strength and aggression. Now, if you're a listener to the show, you should see an irony here. For years now, Vladimir Putin has been waging his war in Ukraine under the narrative of denazification, claiming that it's necessary to fight fascists and ultranationalist forces in Ukraine. However, the Kremlin is now counting on those ultra nationalist forces in Russia to maintain orders, while the regular police quit their jobs to chase fat stacks on the front lines. Analysts warn that this could backfire. By empowering nationalist paramilitary groups, the Kremlin risks undermining its own monopoly on maintaining order and controlling the population. And in a country with nearly 200 ethnic minorities, this surge in vigilante justice could inflame ethnic tensions and destabilize local communities. If this continues, Russia could face a scenario where rival regional warlords and nationalist militias begin competing for control. Not unlike post Soviet Chechnya or even modern day Iran with its layers of parallel security forces. As one human rights lawyer in Moscow put in a normal country, those enforcing the law shouldn't be political or ideological. But in Russia today, the line between law enforcement and extremism is vanishing. End quote. Now, before we go to break, a quick reminder. If you like what you're hearing and you want to listen to the show completely ad free, well, all you have to do is become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief. It's that simple. Simple. Just head to PDB premium.com to sign up. In addition to the ad free feed, you'll get access to our weekly newsletter, the PDB Intelligence Checklist, and a monthly Ask Me Anything episode. July's AMA is just about ready to launch, by the way. Again, you can sign up@pdb premium.com alright, after the break. The UK signals support for Palestinian statehood, the so called two state solution that the US derives as a pro Hamas theater effort, and India takes out the militants behind April's deadly Kashmir attack. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me ask you a finance question, shall I? Well, all right. What if you could delay your next two mortgage payments? That's right. 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Mike Baker
Welcome back to the PDB it seems that momentum is building behind France's push to recognize an independent Palestinian state as international outrage grows over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. And now the British government is throwing their hat into the ring. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer surprised many observers when he gave Israel a blunt ultimatum. He demanded that Israel agree to an immediate ceasefire and commit to a two state solution or he'll formally recognize the state of Palestine this September. At the UN's General Assembly, Starmer said he was revolted by reports of mass hunger, surging malnutrition and an increasing number of civilian deaths deaths in the enclave, particularly among children, as reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza. He recalled his Cabinet from summer recess on Sunday for an emergency meeting over the situation in Gaza, telling them that the deteriorating conditions on the ground and the diminishing prospects of reaching a two state solution through ceasefire negotiations demanded that they up the diplomatic pressure on Israel. The Cabinet quickly agreed to back his roadmap for peace in the region, Starmer said Tuesday. I can confirm the UK will recognize the state of Palestine by the UN General assembly in September unless the Israeli government takes meaningful steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long term sustainable peace. Reviving the prospect of a two state solution. Additionally, Starmer demanded that Israel pledge not to annex the long disputed west bank, parts of which are governed by the Palestinian Authority. As for Hamas, the Prime minister called on the terror group to agree to a ceasefire, release the remaining Israeli hostages and accept that it will have no role in governing post war Gaza. Oh, easy peasy. Simple as that. That should do it. Starmer's pivot on the issue of statehood comes after French President Emmanuel Macron declared last Thursday that France will officially recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General assembly in September, making them the first G7 nation to do so. Last week, it appeared Britain would tow the line of other G7 members, which include the U.S. canada, Germany, Japan and Italy, and postpone any calls for a two state solution until after the war in Gaza ends. But Starmer has been under increasing pressure from within his Labor Party to take a tougher line on Israel. Starmer explained his reasoning, telling reporters on Tuesday, the reason we've announced this in the way we have is precisely because I want to ensure that this plays a part in changing the conditions on the ground. He added, of course it will also keep the opposition off my back, end quote. Okay, I made up that last little sentence there. French officials lauded Starmer's shift towards statehood. Of course they did, as did Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry and officials with the Palestinian Authority. But Israel's Foreign Ministry quickly condemned the announcement, saying they fundamentally reject Britain's attempt at diplomatic coercion. In a statement, Israeli leaders said, quote, the shift in the British government's position at this time following the French move and internal political pressures constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages. President Trump was softer in his criticism, but echoed Israel's sentiments, telling reporters that France and Britain are essentially rewarding Hamas. Trump said that Starmer and Macron are saying the same thing and that's okay, but you know, it doesn't mean I have to agree. Starmer made the announcement after holding talks with Trump in Scotland earlier this week, though Trump stressed that the issue did not come up in their discussions. Starmer's announcement, or threat, depending on your view, also came amid the backdrop of a UN Conference being held this week in New York City that's focused on a two state solution, one that Israeli and US Leaders have decried as a publicity stunt that profits Hamas and undermines real world efforts to achieve a lasting peace. The conference, organized by France and Saudi Arabia and attended by dozens of countries, because, you know foreign diplomats love nothing better than partying in New York City for a few days, seeks to build a consensus around a two state solution as the only viable means of securing long term peace in the region. Officials from Luxembourg hinted on Monday that they may soon join France in recognizing an independent Palestine, and French officials hope other nations will soon follow suit. But officials with the U.S. state Department blasted the conference as an unproductive and ill timed stunt that will prolong the war and bolt holden Hamas and reward its obstruction. A spokesperson for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also singled out Macron, noting his announcement last week was welcomed by Hamas and greatly undercuts our diplomatic efforts to end the suffering in Gaza, free the hostages and move the whole Middle east towards a brighter and more prosperous future. Meanwhile, the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have all but collapsed and Jerusalem is considering expanding operations in the enclave to up the pressure on the terror group Group now here's the thing. While Western countries stepping forward and announcing that they now support a two state solution may not actually lead to peace, well, particularly if Hamas continues to insist that it maintain a governing role. It does have the benefit though of making those Western nations feel righteous and morally superior. Never ever underestimate the power of acting self righteous, even if it's just performative art. Okay? Turning to India, the government claims its security forces killed three Pakistani nationals that were behind April mass killing of tourists in the disputed region of Kashmir. That attack triggered one of the bloodiest cross border escalations between the two nuclear armed nations in decades. In a fiery speech to Parliament on Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the trio was gunned down Monday during a firefight in a wildlife reserve in India administered Kashmir. The Monday ambush was part of a targeted special operation dubbed Operation Mahadev. Indian forces say they recovered one American made M9 rifle and two AK47s from the scene. The weapons were rushed to a regional forensics lab where ballistic tests allegedly confirmed a match with shell casings found at the original terror attack scene. Shah told lawmakers six scientists have cross verified it. These are 100% the bullets that they had fired. As PDB listeners will remember, the attack took place back on 22nd April. Terrorists opened fire on unarmed Hindu pilgrims and tour in a Mountain Meadow, killing 26 civilians in front of their families. New Delhi wasted no time blaming Pakistan for harboring the terrorists and hit back with retaliatory strikes across a heavily contested border. Pakistan returned fire with drones and missiles and fighter jets and for four straight days the two nuclear rivals traded blows in what quickly spiraled into the worst cross border violence since the 1999 cargo war. Eventually, with pressure from the Trump administration, a ceasefire was put in place. Shah said the three terrorists were linked to Pakistani based Islamist terror groups, though only two were confirmed to have ties to Lashkar AY Taiba. That's a U. N. And U. S. Designated terrorist organization. The identity and affiliation of the third attacker remains unclear. According to Shah, the trio had been hiding in the region for several months and were located with the help of local residents who had unknowingly provided them shelter. The home affairs minister say, quote, we have voter ID numbers of two of them. We have weapons recovered from them. They killed our tourists and now they have been killed. End quote. But not everyone in parliament there in India is lining up to celebrate. Opposition leaders accused Shah of dragging his feet in finding the terrorists and failing to prevent the massacre. One lawmaker questioned why it took several months to eliminate the terrorists. Another lawmaker even demanded Shah take personal responsibility for a lack of security in the region. Shah pushed back against that accusation. He told lawmakers the case had been immediately handed over to the National Investigation Agency, which is India's top counterterrorism body, and that border crossings were sealed within hours of the attack to prevent the suspects from fleeing. Still, Tuesday's announcement marked the first official confirmation that the gunman had been killed. And so far, none of the Indian government's claims, including the firefight itself, have actually been independently verified. Islamabad has yet to issue any official response. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, President Lai of Taiwan postpones a US Trip, aiming to avoid diplomatic turbulence with Beijing. Stay with us. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let's take just a brief moment to talk about ways to protect your hard earned savings. Now, look, I know the personal finances talk isn't everybody's favorite, but it is critically important to your financial health. Look, one of the smartest ways to protect your savings is through diversification. And one way to diversify is with gold from the Birch Gold Group. Look, gold is up some 40% just in the past year. And central banks, well, they're buying up record amounts of gold in part due to global instability. Now, Birch Gold Group makes it easy to own physical gold, either in your IRA or like a lot of folks, just stored safely at home. Text BDB to the number 989898 and Birchgold will send you a free information kit on gold. There's no obligation. 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Bill O'Reilly
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- [20:14]
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Mike Baker
In today's Back of the Brief Taiwan's President Lai Ching Te has shelved plans for a high profile visit to the US In a move aimed at sidestepping direct provocation with Beijing while President Trump works to hammer out a trade deal with China. The decision, confirmed by three people familiar with the matter, delays what would have been Lai's first trip stateside since Trump's return to office. The tentative itinerary, which was never formally announced, had included a possible stopover in Dallas en route to visits with Taipei's Latin American allies of Guatemala, Belize and Paraguay. Lai's trip is now punted to later this year, citing multiple factors such as ongoing disaster recovery from a typhoon just this week and the timing of sensitive tariff negotiations between Washington and Beijing. On Tuesday, US And Chinese officials wrapped up two days of talks in Stockholm, with both sides agreeing to pursue an extension of their 90 day tariff truce. That's a fragile pause in a grinding economic standoff that Trump is eager to resolve before a possible autumn summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. When asked for clarity, a Taiwanese presidential office spokeswoman told reporters that Lai's itinerary would be announced when finalized. But she also acknowledged that considering typhoon disaster recovery efforts in southern Taiwan and the US Taiwan reciprocal tariff measures, the president currently has no plans for overseas visits in the near future. End quote. As our listeners know, China, which claims Taiwan as its territory despite the island's democratic self rule, has never ruled out the use of force to achieve unification and routinely lashes out at any foreign contact with Taiwanese leaders. Beijing has repeatedly condemned past US Stopovers by Taipei's president as sneaky and warned Washington against what it calls the creeping legitimization of Taiwanese sovereignty. Although the US does not formally recognize Taiwan, it remains the island's top international backer and chief arms supplier. However, under the Taiwan Relations Act, Washington is legally obligated to help Taipei maintain its self defense capabilities. Lai's visit would have signaled a sharper diplomatic posture by Taiwan at a time of heightened U. S China tensions, something the Trump administration officials appear intent on avoiding at least while trade talks are in motion. Still, the White House has maintained that these so called transits by Taiwanese officials are in line with past administrations and consistent with long standing U.S. policy. And that, my friends, is the President's daily brief for Wednesday 30th July. We are almost almost to the end of July. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the firsttv.com and finally, if you can carve out a couple of minutes from your busy day, well I hope you'll take the time to check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel. You can find that well on YouTube @ PresidentsDailyBrief. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.
- [23:49]
Bill O'Reilly
Just about.