The Russian president promised continued retaliation against the Ukrainians and “full solidarity” with Iran.
Page A10From§Eachthe milkman edition — 2 September 2026
Putin pledges more strikes in Ukraine and support for Iran as US bombs Larak Island
When Putin promises to escalate strikes in Ukraine and help Iran, and the US bombs Iran’s Larak Island, it’s not a negotiation—it’s a contest of who can hit harder, farther, and with more plausible deniability. The receipts show both sides working overtime to prove commitment, but the chessboard is someone else’s home, and the pieces are living. The US says its bombings are routine, Russia says its support is defensive, and neither side admits the game is at the expense of the people who live there. The walk from the receipts to power is short: the show of strength is for the cameras, but the cost is paid in real blood and real budgets. The stakes are never spelled out on the front page, but the receipts don’t lie: escalation is the only plan, and the collateral is never counted until the bill arrives.
“Putin lines up more attacks in Ukraine, backs Iran, and the US drops bombs on Iran’s Larak Island. That’s two superpowers playing chess on someone else’s board; the pieces are people, and the bill lands here.”
“Both sides are just defending their interests. If Putin wants to help Iran and the US bombs Larak, that’s balance, not escalation. Did I say balance? I meant stability. I think.”
The receipts
On Aug. 31, 2026, the U.S. military bombed Larak, a small Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.