Why MAGA is turning on Russia | If You're Listening

Russian Missiles Fly Over Fishermen [0:00]

• In 2024, fishermen witnessed cruise missiles flying overhead.
• These missiles were launched from Russian warships in the Caspian Sea, targeting Ukraine.
• The Caspian Sea is nearly a thousand kilometers from Ukraine, making the Black Sea a more logical launch point, but it's no longer safe for Russian vessels.

  For a Russian warship to hit a Ukrainian target from the Caspian Sea, it's almost a thousand kilometre shot.

Black Sea Drone Warfare [0:31]

• Ukrainian sea drones have successfully struck and sunk Russian warships in the Black Sea.
• This demonstrates that Russian ships are not safe in these waters.
• Kiev claims to have downed over 80 Russian ships in the strategic Black Sea.

  This shows to Putin that he's not safe in the Black Sea at the moment.

Caspian Sea as a Russian Sanctuary [0:49]

• The Caspian Sea offers a safer haven for Russian ships compared to the Black Sea.
• Russia controls the only access to the open ocean via a Russian canal system.
• Other bordering nations (Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan) lack such canal systems, giving Russia naval dominance.

  The Russian Navy can essentially dominate that waterway, totally safe from Ukrainian attack.

Ukrainian Strikes Expand to Caspian Sea [1:12]

• Ukraine has begun targeting Russian naval bases and warships in the Caspian Sea.
• In late July, Ukraine attacked an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea, marking a new escalation.
• This attack directly linked the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

  Kiev's weekend drone attack on an Iranian ship and Russian targets in the Caspian Sea has marked the first direct link between the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

Russian-Iranian Collusion and MAGA's Shift [1:38]

• Ukraine alleges Russia and Iran supply each other with weapons via cargo ships in the Caspian Sea.
• Iran has provided Russia with Shahed drones since the war's first year.
• Simultaneously, a faction within the MAGA movement, previously anti-Ukraine, began shifting their views.

  Iran, from the first year of the war, gave new technology to Russia.

Laura Loomer's Transformation [2:17]

• MAGA influencer Laura Loomer, once critical of Ukraine and supportive of Putin, experienced a change of heart.
• After being deplatformed from social media, she engaged with Russian propaganda network RT.
• Loomer's views shifted after Russia began supporting her political opponents within the MAGA movement, particularly those critical of Israel.

  I've come to realize that I was bamboozled by Russian propaganda.

Factional Divide and Ukraine's Opportunity [4:05]

• A divide emerged within the MAGA movement between pro-Israel and isolationist factions.
• Russia, allied with Iran, supported the isolationist faction, which was critical of US military action against Iran.
• Loomer, aligning with the pro-Israel faction, recognized Russia's support for her opponents and began reconsidering her stance on Ukraine.

  RT was using its accounts on YouTube, X, and Telegram to boost the opinions of those in the isolationist faction, the same way that they'd boosted Laura Loomer's opinions in the past.

Ukraine's Strategic Pivot and Drone Advantage [6:01]

• Loomer's visit to Ukraine and meeting with President Zelenskyy marked a significant public shift.
• Ukraine highlighted its drone innovation, with plans to produce 8 million drones compared to the US's 300,000.
• This strategic alignment with US interests, particularly in countering Russian-Iranian collaboration, may influence Donald Trump's stance.

  I think that Ukraine is really leading the way in a lot of the drone innovation and a lot of the drone technology.