Good morning. Here’s your Daily Situational Awareness for Thursday, 25 August 2022.
SAFETY SYSTEMS TRIPPED AT UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR PLANT: Safety systems were turned on at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine currently held by Russian forces. Russian state media reported loss of electricity in the region, including to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
PUTIN SIGNS DECREE TO INCREASE RUSSIAN FORCES: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to increase the size of Russia’s standing military to just over 2 million troops. The 137,000 increase equates to about 10 Division-sized units. The decision goes into effect on 01 January 2023.
GERMANY SWITCHES TO RAIL FOR ENERGY TRANSPORT: German parliament has released a 6-month decree forcing railway operators to prioritize the transportation of energy commodities and related equipment as water levels on the Rhine continue to fall. The decree grants priority over passenger and freight traffic to a variety of commodities, including mineral oils, coal, liquid natural gas, transformers, and equipment for power generation and transmission. Officials note that the decree is necessary to prevent economic disruptions over the winter as Eurozone officials warn of a dark, cold winter.
IN TODAY’S EARLY WARNING: Mike gives his weekly update on the economy and expectations for Fed activity’s effects on inflation. Get access to the full intel briefing here: https://forwardobserver.com/subscribe
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