glory to the armed forces of ukraine and death to the russian occupiers. throughout our broadcast, friends, we conduct polls. today we ask you about the following: are you ready for a tax increase in ukraine? yes, no, everything is quite simple on youtube. either yes or no, please write your opinion if it is separate from these two simple answers below this video, if you are watching us on tv, pick up your smart phone or phone and vote on the relevant numbers 0800-211-381 if you are ready before tax increases in ukraine and not (0800-211-382), all calls to these numbers are free, vote, at the end of the program we will tally up the results. of this vote, we

have our first guest on the phone, this is roman kostenko, people's deputy of ukraine, secretary of the parliamentary committee on national security, defense and intelligence, colonel of the sbu. mr. colonel, i congratulate you, thank you for joining our broadcast. i wish you health, i wish you. sir, mr. colonel, information appeared today that in ukraine, the first f-16 aircraft appeared and... even some of the public i have already told on the air, they even published some photo, they say, these fighter jets are already in the sky over odesa, do you know whether these planes are already in ukraine, or is this a military secret, and it can be made public only after these planes will be involved in the russian-ukrainian war. look, this is really information that is under the sin of the secret, and... let's put it this way, i would not like

to answer this information there, let these official answers be given by our supreme commander or representatives of the air force, and well confirm or deny this information. before that , information appeared, mr. colonel, that by the end of the year ukraine will receive no more than 10-12 f-16 fighters, this is due to the fact that there were only 24 pilots. are trained to fly f-16s, and they say that for each aircraft according to the technology, two pilots are available, and since there are not enough of these pilots, then, accordingly, ukraine will not receive more aircraft, what are the current needs of ukraine in f-16 aircraft, that is, how many aircraft do we need for that , in order to use them as much as possible in order to oppose russia federation? well here, you see, it's probably not how much

sometimes plays a role, how quality plays, if we say how many planes we need of the old modification, well, they are more suitable for uh , combating air targets, very well suited for combating shaheds, and let's say, it's a fact, er, and there are cruise missiles, but if it's an old modification, then they are very in... important for russian air defense and for russian aviation, if they will be them, well, if we try to cover with them , to support our troops, because there is an old woman the mod has weak radars that need to fly very close to the front line to make an impression, and the russian planes are modern, they have better radars, and of course they will hit the f-16 so we understand... so what anyway, when we

talk about the modern f-16 aircraft that we want to get, let's say this, which ones we trained pilots on, it's generally a model of the 70s, and they are of various modifications, there are older ones, and there are very new ones , which there is not changed module, which there already allows, the newest, allows to oppose or be on par with planes, specifically russian ones, so the question here is, we want and we will... for example, 100 planes with old modules, they will allow us to close the sky and maintain parity in the air somewhere in certain directions, for example, on the territory of ukraine, or or strike somewhere in a limited way while supporting the troops on the battlefield from some distance, if they are, let's say, more modern versions, this is a completely different direction, this is the securing of our advanced positions. from

cabs, which are now dominated by the russian federation, with the help of which it reaches there success in some directions, this is a completely different schedule, this is an impression on, let's say, ... targets on the territory of the russian federation, including, well, plus, a large role is still played by the range of weapons that will be transferred or transferred together with aircraft , this is also of great importance, well, plus their survivability of these planes, we understand that russia has cruise missiles that, in principle , cover all our airfields, and if they hit any bunker, even from... modern in in principle, there are 500 kg of explosives, for example, in caliber or in iskander, they allow you to destroy any plane that is in such a shelter there in the hangar, even a large concrete one there, so there is also a question here, if there are hundreds of them there, an important question will be, it is

to disperse them in this way and cover the airfields for that , so that the russians do not give the impression that they use the same roads to raise them, which are adapted for this, that is, a lot. many challenges, of course it would be better if our partners would allow us somewhere for our aircraft to be, for example, so here the question is precisely the armed forces and the air force will look at how many of them are handed over to us, how many of them we can accept, where they can defend themselves, when we need them, what tasks they should be involved in so that they do not disappear there in one battle our air combat capability is to deter the enemy, because the enemy is at the moment no matter how much they give us. quickly we will not increase it, because you are right, there are not enough pilots trained and not so many in europe there and in the military world bases that can quickly train pilots, and russia already has an advantage in modern su-34, su-35, 31 aircraft, they already exist and they are already

working with them, so we will gradually build up, say that the planes will come there now and we we will immediately get an advantage in the air, it is not, but in this direction. it is necessary to move at least to parity, so that russia does not feel so free on the line of confrontation, and of course, the issue of covering our skies from massive strikes of shaheds, as tsenichi was, or cruise missiles. well, by the way, the wall street journal, in parallel with according to bloomberg, the united states of america will arm f-16s, which will be supplied to ukraine with american missiles. according to them, citing their unnamed sources, but they cite sources, it is about surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, high-precision bomb guidance kits and small-diameter bombs, these weapons will be able to be used on the territory of the russian federation, as the wall street

journal writes, in response to attacks from abroad. you have already mentioned, mr. colonel, about the massacre attack by shock bi-pilots on the night of the 31st. july - this is not the biggest mass attack in the last six months, in the last one, well , in particular, in kyiv there was on the night of january 1 , 2024, 89 drones that night, attack drones, one kh-59 missile was shot down by our defenders, how did they manage to achieve such effectiveness in shooting down strike drones. organized systematic work of all means and planning of all our air

defense means that are and are being used in our country. there was no f-16 or air, i understand, because the impression is that we've got some kind of... a weapon came out that allowed 89 drones, the ones that were launched, they were all shot down, we're doing well, you see, we're learning, i hope that answers the question, why, why so, everything happened, or should we expect, in parallel with how yesterday the russians launched these attack drones and tested their strategic aviation, long-range. strategic aviation, but which was not involved in the shelling of ukrainian territory, that in the next few days we will see some kind of combined attack on ukraine, and these strategic bombers were tested in

order to strike an even greater blow on the territory of the ukrainian state? yes, this is a tactic of the russians, with the help of the shaheds , they... try to detect our air defense equipment, when the shaheds fly, that's where it starts, well, it's a military system, let's say, the technical system works, they. they look at where our radars work, where our anti-aircraft defenses are activated, they notice for themselves there with the help of special special means , they notice for themselves in order to then ask more massive strikes and more, let's say that, with cruise missiles that are expensive there, or let's say ballistic ones, well, i don't know what they will do after this massive strike, after, well, they were all... practically the shaheds were successfully shot down and there is a big thanks to our, let's say, air

force, that they worked so comprehensively, and now whether russia will launch a missile attack in the near future, i think they will think carefully, firstly, but we have to expect it, it will depend on of what data they are filmed during the period when these strikes were carried out, when we were destroying, how they looked at the placement, how they assessed... uh, the capabilities of our air defense, and now it will follow from this what decision they will make, or strike, that they are able to pass our air defense forces there by other routes, or they will do something to exhaust it, so that the missiles reach their goals there, it will depend on their planning and on the conclusions they made, but i will say it again, we've been pretty successful, i think they'll have something to think about, sir colonel, come on... let's talk about what the situation is like around time

yar and on the front in general, since most military experts are talking about a creeping offensive of the russians. oleg kalashnikov, the head of the press service of the 26th artillery brigade named after general khorunzhy roman dashkevich , reported on the espresso broadcast about the tense situation on the northern flank of chasovoy yar, but, as he says, there is no direct threat to the city's surroundings from... according to him, today let's hear what oleg kalashnikov said. in in the future, there can always be any threat, in that case also refinement, but today the enemy does not seem to carry out these plans, these are his very first plans, when he was just starting the offensive at the time, he had such a thing, to really enter from the flanks , to besiege the city under fire control, but he did not succeed and was forced to storm. the city of vlov. today, he continues to carry out exactly this plan,

but to say that today he can surround the winger's time and take it like this in a half-ring, well, it would not be untrue. sir colonel, how do you assess the situation of the development of events at the front, will this be a continuation of the creeping, creeping offensive of the russians, or the nature of the hostilities may... change, well, it will again depend on the decision of the russians on their further actions, now strategically they have this, we have already talked about it many times, the decision has not changed, it is to take full control of the donetsk and luhansk regions, so they are now throwing all their resources in order to gradually, we see in one direction or another, try, advance where, as they say subtly, they then they begin to develop now, well, there is success. we are fighting, we see there the lymansky direction, the kupyansky direction, er

, the toretsk direction, the pokrovsk direction, and the enemy is trying to advance there, these are creeping offensives, there really is nothing strategic there, i am watching a formation there with a force of five people, they are attacking ten, somewhere there are a few units of equipment, there are no such mass attacks by battalions, but artillery is widely used, in which they have a sufficient advantage. the same cabs, planes, as we said, striking ours territory, on our advanced positions, drones are also used massively, but, let’s say, advances there by 100-200 m, but our defenders cause them, well, let’s say, very heavy losses, there, sometimes one to three, to four, if proportionally, then well, they bear really big losses, well, we have the advantage that we are on the defensive, they have... the advantage, of course, is that they have a

much greater variety of armed artillery and aviation, they can afford and use it chaotically, as much as they need, that's why the donetsk direction is it it is the most difficult, and of course, now, let's say, all the attention of our leadership of the country's army is attached to it - on the zaporizhzhia direction, there is basically such a verenitsky direction, the fact that i... in short, i look at the enemy's attacks practically no, no attacked there only the most actively, if we take the zaporizhia direction as this... robotino's performance, where the enemy there conducts such offensive actions, active actions, trying to regain lost positions, displace our defenders there, this is a quieter direction as far as the enemy is concerned, well, relatively yes, we are now, if we compare it with donbass, and the kherson direction, here we will say, again

, the specifics, the river, there are remnants, there is a bridgehead. on the left bank, but the basis is now artillery duels and combat operations on the islands, which are located between the right and left banks of the dnieper, where, by the way, the enemy is advancing little by little, trying to seize all the islands, take them under control, and if he will do, well, then there may be a threat that, theoretically, the enemy can create a mirror... well, try to create bridgeheads somewhere on our territory, there in in the kozatsky district or in the area of ​​other settlements, this task is now up to the command located here to prevent this as much as possible, and as always , to do all this in conditions of limited resources, first of all artillery, there aviation and everything, unfortunately, in all our commanders carry out combat

tasks in the majority of conditions of limited resources. mr. colonel, is russia ready for a protracted war, that is, do they have enough opportunities to increase the pace and in the conditions of a war economy to create more tanks, more armored vehicles, more weapons, after all, they also have a ceiling above which they simply cannot jump and everything will develop in the way that they will have enough resources, finances and opportunities. which are somehow tied to international sanctions? there are, of course, but russia is a resource country, and you know how economic, as a rule, markets can be rational, more than we are solvent, so the situation there can worsen, but, for example, russia can

reach the edge there, and in our situation, because we have fewer resources, less money, and we have our own there is a situation happening inside the country, then of course russia has more opportunities to wage a protracted economy, well, a protracted war, what are we, if our partners will not help us, no matter what, we have to say no directly and look at things realistically, that we depend specifically on our partners for the majority of aid and the conduct of war, even the fact that we are given aid now, even... when those 60 billion were voted, we say that aid, artillery, shells began to flow, there is a variety and different nomenclature, i'm there all the time every week, i look at what comes to us and what the ministry of defense reports to us, but you watch a lot of it there, but when you start to watch it in parts, well, let's say, it would be

50% more, then if you are talking about a war of such a scale, about the capabilities that russia has, they... are building up, they are building up, well , as a rule, at the base of theirs, they have built up ammunition, well, of all calibers, they have enlisted the support of their, let's say, satellites, partners, there is iran, north korea, which gives them ammunition, but not that one quality, but it gives them, they leave the equipment at the expense of repairs, which are removed from the storage bases, but they have them. and you know, if they are there using t-72s, they have a lot of them there, yes, they need to be repaired, but not from scratch, yes, they are not modern tanks, but they are tanks, so then they have another 62- and then already at some echelons they even see 55-54, and they still have this nomenclature, they can

use it, so russia can wage a protracted war, the question is whether it will need it when we ask... her losses, she will understand that she is losing her combat capabilities not just in the war with ukraine, but she is weakening not before ukraine, but before the whole world, which is watching this, and what will happen to russia when she loses her combat capabilities, yes, there are nuclear weapons, but everyone understands that this is a game, let's say, that has no winners, so once again russia has the opportunity to wage a long war, will it have a negative effect on it, yes, are they ready to tolerate it, well.. . with you we see that they are patient and i think they are ready for some time to endure, so we should also not speak now and not, let's put it this way, not hope that we have autumn here. and that's all , the war is over, we have to set ourselves up for a long way in the struggle for independence, build up the defense-industrial complex, train soldiers, prepare our replacements,

let's say this, her resource, who will continue to do so that ukraine remains sovereign, independent state, because i say once again, we are fighting a strong enemy, with whom, well , i don't know, ukraine, which could, let's say, quickly cope with him. thank you sir colonel, thank you for the conversation, it was... roman kostenko, people's deputy of ukraine, colonel of the security service of ukraine. friends, we are working live on the espresso tv channel, as well as on our youtube and facebook platforms, for those who are currently watching us live there. please don't forget to like our streams and broadcasts, and most importantly, take part in our survey. today we ask you about the following: are you ready for a tax increase in ukraine? well, it seems like a rhetorical question, hardly anyone is always... ready to the tax increase, but this story about the tax increase may unfold literally before our eyes in the near future, so it's not on youtube, are you ready or not

, if you have a personal opinion, you can share it in the comments below this video, well, you can vote on the air, if you watch us on tv, with a smartphone or a phone 0.800 211 381, you are ready for a tax increase, it does not scare you and... 0800 211 382 are not ready for a tax increase, vote, at the end of the program we will here are the results of this vote, below we are in touch with ivan stupak, military expert, former employee of the security service of ukraine. mr. ivan, i congratulate you, thank you for being with us today. congratulations, congratulations, thank you very much for inviting me today. well, first of all, let's talk about the participation of ukrainian special services or special forces in the territories of other states against the russian occupiers. in addition to little history, which has literally been alive for several days, and the possible participation or involvement of the main intelligence department of the ministry

of defense of ukraine in the special operation to destroy wagnerites on the border of mali and algeria, there was also information today that gur hit the russian base in syria, and the kyivpost newspaper learned about it today, they refer to sources in the special service, it is meant. to the main intelligence department of the ministry of defense, the gur khimik special unit struck at the end of july another attack on the positions of the russian federation troops in syria, this time on russian equipment at the kuveres airfield, east of aleppo. according to the publication , the attack was carried out on july 25, the day after putin's meeting with bashar assad, that is the president of masyria, the ukrainian sources say that the russians use the airfield for training and sending foreigners. mercenaries for the war against ukraine, mr. ivan, please tell me, it is the ukrainian special services that have more opportunities

to work on foreign territory against the russian occupiers, and we are now watching how gur and other special units of ukraine can and do fight against the russian occupiers on the territory of other states, what is this connected with, well, a little more time appeared free and... i'm joking, of course, we have something to do, of course, let's do it, what you have shown in the video, so far in the last time, this is the only verified confirmation that ukraine is present, well, in the last, let's say, six months, is present outside of ukraine. last year, there were reports about sudan, where the special agents of the gur, also chased the wagnerites with dirty towels, but somehow it was not very strongly confirmed. literally on this week it was. video, i'm sorry, the photo is a small one, which seems to be standing there toaregs with the ukrainian flag, but literally yesterday, this version was shot and

it was found out by fact-checking that this ukrainian flag was added artificially, by photoshop, that is, it was unpleasant, but now syria has a hundred percent verification that the group's appointees were there , here is this piece of paper from... pomgur, that is, it does not allow us to interpret ambiguously whether they were or were not, they were clearly, here they show, clearly at least one unit of equipment was destroyed, it was called a radio electronic warfare system, after which the destruction of equipment began aviation at the airfield, and there is a video on the network, where it seems that the military is marching through the airfield, then the sound of the drone, an explosion and the video ... is interrupted, i do not know how effective the flight was, but it was definitely there, and maybe there tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, we will see or we will hear the first results, but in any case, the work is being done,

everything... is being done so that the russian mercenaries do not feel at ease, even far from ukraine, this is being done in order to reduce their political presence on the territory syria, by the way, bashar-assad has been the president for more than 12 years, 13, i'm sorry, in his position, precisely thanks to the intervention of the russian federation, in fact he should have fallen in 2011. well, by the way, this is... the story with the wagnerites, it happened there four years after the special operation to arrest the wagnerites failed, well, it all happened around the same time, and andriy yusov, the head of the press service the ministry of defense, the main office of the ministry of defense of ukraine says that ukrainian intelligence is checking statements by tuareg rebels from mali regarding their

willingness to surrender. ukraine captured mercenaries of the russian pmk wagner, let's hear what mr. yusov said. that the rebels got the information they needed, and not just the information that allowed them to conduct a successful operation against russian war criminals. well, the whole world has already seen it, in principle, it can be commented on. details, details, well, we certainly won't talk about it at the moment, let's say, the sequel too. will, mr. ivan, can we talk about what wagner, after how the leaders of this private military company, prigozhin and utkin, were killed, simply turned into another unit of the ministry of defense of the russian federation, and this is no longer the same wagner that he was before, most likely yes, look, before wagner was much stronger , precisely to his manager. yevgeny prigozhin

must be given credit, he as an organizer, he as an orator, he was really incredibly strong, so far, but a talented scumbag, and wagner was strong due to money, money that was allocated without measure from of the russian budget, i will remind your esteemed viewers that the concord company, which was part of the structures of yevgeny prygozhny and earned money by feeding the military, children in kindergartens and schools, earned 980 million us dollars in the 22nd year, just think about it, 980 million us dollars, this is purely catering, and a billion plus on top of this amount, this is a billion us dollars, not rubles, from the russian budget of direct subsidies, that is, only 2 billion us dollars, everything was in cash, and it was because of this that he was

strong and. yes, after the liquidation of prigozhin , there are no organizers, well, there are no good ones, neither utkin, nor prigozhin, they are gone, there is no money, wagner began to complain, at first he stayed there for a while in belarus, then he was also asked from belarus , a small group remained there, it rubs belarusian soldiers, so that they don't look like complete clowns, clowns, head-banging, flaming schipper, jumping through rings, burning, in a circus salei, and their last ... refuge is africa, there they earned money. let me remind you that this group in mali received monthly from i don't know, the malian budget, it earned 11 million american dollars, well, not bad, well done. let's move from mali from syria to the territory of the russian federation. aleniya airport, a well- known airport, we know that tu-22m3 and tu-90 aircraft take off from there. 105 and in

principle we know that this airfield is located in the murmansk region of the russian federation, in one of the northern points, actually near murmansk, and the same andriy yusov, a representative of the main intelligence department said that at a long distance our special forces damaged two tu-22 m3 strategic bombers, but we can see this distance on the map, you see. 1845 km, maybe i admit that maybe the impression happened not at such a distance, maybe at a shorter distance, they worked somewhere on the territory of the russian federation, but we are talking about the fact that two sides of the tu-22 m3 were hit, and we are talking about the sides number 33 and...