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The President's Daily Brief
November 7th, 2025: Russian Casualties SURGE Past 1.1 Million & RPG Armed Somali Pirates Return To Hijacking
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First up, a UK intelligence report is detailing the staggering losses that Putin's military has suffered in Ukraine, putting the number of casualties and at more than 1.1 million. But Putin's bloody war of attrition continues as his forces move closer to capturing the battered city of Pokrovsk. I'll have the latest details from the battlefield later in the show. In a major test of the Gaza ceasefire deal, the Trump administration is reportedly pressuring Israel to allow safe passage for up to 200 Hamas operatives currently holed up in a vast tunnel network, providing that the terrorists pledge to disarm. Plus, we're learning more about that ISIS inspired terror group that was behind a foiled plot in Michigan as authorities arrest two more suspects who were allegedly plotting a separate incident, a Boston Marathon style bombing attack. And in today's Back of the Brief, well, they're back for the first time in 18 months, Somali pirates remember them well. They've successfully boarded a commercial ship, reviving fears of a return to hijackings and one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. You would have thought that those pirates would have been watching the videos of boats being targeted and blown up in the Caribbean and I don't know, maybe thought about a different line of work. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. After three years of war, Russia has officially bled past 1.1 million casualties. And yet its war machine is grinding on. In Pokrovsk, Russian troops are clawing through the Ukrainian city's last defenders inching closer to capturing what the Kremlin hopes to be President Putin's biggest victory in years of war. Across the front line, the toll continues to mount. In a new report, the UK's Ministry of Defense puts Russian losses at about 1.14 million troops killed or wounded since its full scale invasion began in early 2022, according to data from Ukraine's General Staff. Around 350,000 of those have come this year alone, with daily losses hovering around 1000. It is a staggering figure that captures the scale of Russia's meat grinder tactics designed to overwhelm Ukrainian troops, and how dependent the Russian commanders have become on sheer attrition in order to sustain forward motion. That slow, grinding strategy is now on full display in the city of Pokrovsk, once a logistics hub for Ukraine's war effort linking much of the country's east, the city has become the centerpiece of the Kremlin's push to claim momentum in the Donbass. For nearly two years, Russia has been trying to take Pokrovsk. It's a fight that's now reached its bloodiest stage, as troops battle block by block and house to house through what's left of the city. As of now, Russian units are pressing in from multiple directions, tightening their grip on the city and a neighboring town, while further north, Russian forces are closing in on Ukrainian positions in the Kharkiv region, another area that Russian forces have long been trying to capture. Ukraine's defenders are still holding what's left of Pokrovsk, but they are badly outnumbered, roughly 8 to 1. So how close is the city to falling? Well, that depends on who you ask. Moscow claims a fight is turning in its favor, Russia's Defense Ministry said yesterday in a statement. Assault groups of the 2nd army continue to destroy the encircled formations of the Ukrainian armed forces. The ministry went on to add that its forces captured a total of 64 buildings in the city over the past 24 hours and repeatedly thwarted Ukrainian counterattacks. But Kyiv disputes those claims, insisting its troops are holding key sectors of Pokrovsk. Still, Ukrainian officials acknowledge the fighting in the city's east has grown increasingly difficult, with troops now under near constant Russian fire. But the fight for Pokrovsk isn't just about one city. Its capture would open a path toward two of the last major cities still under Ukrainian control in Donetsk, and for Putin, would offer proof that years of bloodshed was, at least in his mind, finally worth it. A researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv said Putin would use the city's fall to sway President Trump of the inevitability of victory and the futility of aiding Ukraine. For Moscow, even the appearance of momentum matters as much as the ground itself. Inside Perkrovsk, Ukrainian special operations units are still mounting counterattacks in what Kyiv says are attempts to relieve pressure and keep supply routes open. Ukraine's military intelligence service confirmed such operations are meant to stabilize the city's strongholds and buy time for a possible withdrawal. But that window to pull out is narrowing fast. Ukraine now faces a brutal hold the city at immense cost or fall back to stronger trenches and risk giving Moscow its first major propaganda win in nearly two years. I want to point out that by retreating westward, analysts say Kyiv could preserve Ukrainian manpower before winter, shorten defensive lines and avoid another drawn out siege. But politically, even a tactical withdrawal carries heavy weight, especially after the long battles for Bakhmut and Avdiivka, where holding out became a point of pride. And the capture of Pokrovsk would allow Putin to frame the war as turning in his favor. It's worth remembering that the Russian strongman urged Washington to pressure Kyiv in early ceasefire deliberations to cede the remainder of Donetsk. It's a move that would let him sell the war's enormous cost as vindication back home. But even if Pokrovsk were to fall, analysts say Russia's military isn't positioned for a sweeping breakthrough. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington based think tank, notes that Moscow does lack the logistics and manpower to push rapidly across Donetsk. Alright, coming up next, the Trump administration reportedly is pressuring Israel to allow safe passage of up to 200 Hamas operatives currently holed up in a tunnel network in Rafah. Plus, authorities apprehend two more suspects linked to the ISIS inspired terror ring that was behind a foil plot in Michigan. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let me take just a moment of time to talk about protecting your hard earned assets. Now, did you know that gold is up 40% this year? That's not speculation, it's just a fact. And if a portion of your savings isn't diversified into gold, well, you could be missing the boat. Here's the facts. 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They're trapped, reportedly on the Israeli controlled side of the Yellow Line, wedged dangerously close to IDF positions. It's worth remembering that the Yellow Line was established under the October ceasefire, and it's the Israeli military's withdrawal boundary, roughly marking Gaza's midpoint, separating areas under Israeli control from pockets still held by Hamas. But since its inception, it's become both a buffer and a fault line defining the uneasy peace. Under Washington's proposal, the trapped terrorists would surrender their weapons to US officials at the Civil Military Coordination center in Israel and either leave Gaza entirely or retreat into Hamas held areas to the west, where of course, they could then undoubtedly pick up new weapons. A source close to Hamas leadership did confirm the fighters presence in the tunnels, but wouldn't say more. While the IDF insists its troops have come under fire twice from tunnel operatives in Rafah since the ceasefire took hold, officials in Jerusalem warn that as long as the terrorists remain armed under Rafah and within range of IDF patrols, further exchanges of gunfire could collapse the truce and drag both sides back into combat. For Washington, that's precisely the scenario that it's trying to prevent. Mediators Egypt and Turkey have both been involved in the talks regarding the situation, but through different channels. Ankara's diplomats have coordinated closely with Washington and Jerusalem on possible frameworks in line with this ceasefire plan. Meanwhile, Cairo proposed its own version of a safe passage for the terrorists in exchange for their disarmament and the handover of detailed tunnel maps to Egyptian officials who would then destroy the network. So far, no one is saying yes to any plan. Israel has resisted letting all the fighters walk free, arguing that some were directly involved in attacks on Israelis and should instead face detention. Still, the idea comes straight from point six of the Trump administration's peace framework, a clause offering amnesty to Hamas members who disarm and pledge to coexist peacefully. You may recall Netanyahu endorsed that principle at the White House in September. But when the ceasefire was finalized in October, only the truce, hostage and prisoner swaps and humanitarian corridors made the cut. The safe passage question was left hanging. Since then, Netanyahu's office has gone on record saying Israel will not grant safe passage to Hamas. Still, negotiations on what to do about the underground group continued through late October, when Egyptian and Qatari mediators delivered a 24 hour ultimatum warning Hamas that the fighters must evacuate or risk elimination. But that Deadline lapsed. Without movement inside the Jewish state, the debate has grown even more complicated. Recent reports link the Rafah tunnel network to the remains of IDF Lieutenant Hadar golden, who was killed and captured by hamas during the 2014 Gaza war. The chief of staff of the IDF reportedly urged conditioning any safe passage deal on Hamas returning Golden's body. But the IDF later denied having evidence that Golden's remains were in the tunnels, though conceded that the underground Hamas fighters might know the body's whereabouts, backpedaling on talks of eliminating the group outright. For Washington, the trapped Hamas fighters represent a test of whether the ceasefire can secure disarmament of the terrorist group or if the situation will instead collapse into another round of conflict. Okay, shifting to the US the same ISIS inspired mentality behind the foiled Halloween plot in Michigan that we brought to your attention earlier this week has surfaced again, this time in New Jersey, where two 19 year olds were allegedly planning a Boston bombing style attack. The arrests, two teenagers raised in privilege, now accused of pledging themselves to the Islamic State. Tomas Khan, Jimenez Gazelle and Milo Sedarat from Montclair, New Jersey, grew up in comfort, surrounded by the kind of lives meant to keep them far from extremism. Ironically, Jimenez Gazelle's mother heads the UN's Women's Entrepreneurship Program. That's a global initiative promoting female empowerment. Sadarat's father, meanwhile, is an Iranian American poet and college professor. Yet inside their quiet suburban homes, investigators say the young men were spending nights in chat rooms swapping ISIS propaganda and fantasies of bringing Islamic extremism to America. When agents made their move, they did it fast. Sadara was arrested first at his father's three story home after federal monitors traced anti Semitic threats and purchases of tactical gear. They also found photos of him at a firing range. Of course, that's not illegal on its own, but viewed as evidence of preparation of an attack when combined with his violent messages. Acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey said Sadari's messages showed, quote, a pattern of anti Semitic threats advocating violence alongside images of knives and swords and other weapons. Hours later, another federal team closed in at Newark Liberty International Airport, where Jimin as Gazelle was waiting to board a flight to Turkey. Turkey Prosecutors say he quietly pushed his travel date up from 17 November, a decision he made just after the news broke of the ISIS cell in Michigan being arrested. Agents say Jimenez Gazelle's phone contained plans for what he called a, quote, Boston bombing like attack, as well as photos of himself posing before an ISIS flag, knife in hand. Yeah, those are all clues. Prosecutors alleged that from Turkey, he was heading to Syria to join ISIS fighters. He now faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Those charges can carry up to 20 years in prison per count and a $250,000 fine. Both suspects appeared in federal court in Newark and were held without bail. According to court filings, the Montclair teens were active in the same chat group as a five men arrested in Michigan. That group had discussed staging coordinated Halloween attacks codenamed Pumpkin, referencing the Boston Marathon bombing, Columbine, and the Christchurch mosque shootings as inspiration. The Michigan cell dismantled just days earlier had allegedly planned to attack LGBTQ friendly bars in Ferndale, outside of Detroit. Federal agents there recovered three AR15 rifles, two shotguns, four pistols, and more than 1600 rounds of ammunition and tactical vests from storage units in Dearborn. Investigators say the Montclair suspects were in direct contact with that Michigan ring and planned to flee abroad after the attacks to join ISIS overseas. U.S. attorney Jerome Gordon Jr. Credited the FBI's New York Field Office and the NYPD Intelligence Unit for uncovering what he called a multi state terror network. He said, quote, we will not stop. We will follow the extremist tentacles where they lead and continue to stand guard with the FBI against terrorism. End quote. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, Somali piracy makes an unwelcome comeback after 18 months of relative quiet. I'll have those details when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here with an important message for, well, dudes everywhere. Look, have you ever felt awkward walking into the pharmacy and picking up a prescription for something personal? 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The sweat and downy rinse fights stubborn odors in just one wash when impossible odors get stuck in in today's Back of the brief, the pirates of Somalia have returned to the high seas for the first time in 18 months, Somali pirates have successfully boarded a commercial ship, reviving fears of a return to hijackings in one of the world's most vit maritime trade routes. The attack happened Thursday morning southeast of the port town of aiel, a notorious hotspot along Somalia's coast near the infamous Pirate Alley. That's according to a report from the Financial Times. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center said unauthorized personnel stormed a Malta flagged oil tanker traveling from India to South Africa, opening fire with rocket propelled grenades before boarding. The pirates reportedly approached using a hijacked Iranian Dhow, a small cargo vessel often repurposed as a floating base for attacks, according to Maritime Intelligence Group EOS Rysk. As the pirates boarded, the ship's 24 member crew locked themselves in the vessel's fortified citadel. That's a safe room designed to protect sailors during hijackings. A Spanish warship was subsequently dispatched on Thursday, but was more than a day's sail away when the distress call went out. Experts say the pirates are now likely racing against the clock to capture at least a hostage before the warship arrives, Martin Kelly, AOS Risk's head of advisory, told the Financial Times. The pirates will be acutely aware that a naval response has begun and they don't want to be there without a hostage, he added, quote, if they can't force entry into the Citadel and take the crew hostage. Then they'll probably leave the ship and look for another target. The assault follows two failed boarding attempts earlier this week, including one off Mogadishu, suggesting the pirates of Somalia are gearing their operations back up. As I mentioned, it's the first successful takeover of a merchant vessel in a year and a half, marking what could be the end of a long lull in Somali piracy. It's a period of calm credited to international naval patrols and improved onboard defenses. For several years, Somali piracy had nearly vanished entirely as global coalitions patrolled the waters around the Horn of Africa. But those forces have thinned in recent years as attention shifted north toward the Red Sea, where the Yemen based Houthi rebels have targeted commercial shipping since the war in Gaza ignited. That lapse may now be opening the door for old threats to return. Maritime analysts agree that regional instability, weak coastal governance and the diversion of Western naval assets toward the Middle east have left the shipping lanes increasingly exposed. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Friday 7th November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and remember to synchronize your watches for 10pm this evening when the latest episode of our extended weekend show, the PDB Situation Report, hits the airwaves on the first tv. You can also catch it over the weekend on our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief and of course, podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Lowe's knows that saving is always top of mind, especially this season. That's why we've picked some great deals Early Black Friday. Get free select dewalt, Kobalt or Craftsman tools when you buy a select battery or combo kit. More tools? Why not? Plus we've got select pre lit artificial Christmas trees starting at $59.98 because it's never too early to think Christmas. Get Black Friday prices without the crowds Lowes we help you save wall supplies. 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