Netflix on Tuesday announced February 23 as the premiere date for season 3 of its popular teen drama series Outer Banks, along with new stills and key art for the upcoming season. Chase Stokes, Madelyn Cline, Madison Bailey, Jonathan Daviss, Rudy Pankow, Austin North, Drew Starkey and Charles Esten will return for season three, along with Carlacia Grant, who has been promoted to series regular. Outer Banks, which follows a group of teens dubbed the Pogues as they embark on the treasure hunt of a lifetime, has been huge a hit for Netflix since its debut. Season two, which launched a year-and-a-half ago, held the top spot globally in Netflix’s Top 10 English TV list for the four weeks following its premiere…
Black-ish alum Tracee Ellis Ross will star alongside Coming 2 America star Eddie Murphy in the upcoming holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane, according to Variety. As previously confirmed by ABC, Murphy will also produce the film, directed by Oscar and Emmy-nominated Django Unchained and Boomerang producer Reginald Hudlin. Ron Howard and Brian Grazer‘s company Imagine is also involved. Candy Cane Lane, written by Kelly Younger, whose Muppets Haunted Mansion debuted on Disney+ in 2021, was reportedly based on the writer’s own holiday experiences. Further plot details are under wraps…
That ’70s Show and That ’90s Show star Debra Jo Rupp has been added to the cast of the Kathryn Hahn-led Disney+/Marvel WandaVision spinoff series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, sources tell Deadline. While details about Rupp’s role have not been revealed, she will likely be reprising her WandaVision role as Mrs. Hart, which she played in five episodes of the original series. Rupp joins Joe Locke, Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Sasheer Zamata and Patti LuPone in the spinoff. Emma Caulfield Ford is also rumored to be on board, reprising her character of Dottie from WandaVision. Disney is the parent company of ABC News…
Nearly a month after Sharon Osbourne was hospitalized due to a sudden “medical emergency,” she says the cause remains a “mystery.”
The former co-host of The Talk returned to the U.K. version of the show Tuesday to give an update on her condition, but had little to offer other than that she was “doing well.”
“It was the weirdest thing,” The Osbournes matriarch explained in a clip from the show posted to her Instagram. “I was doing some filming and suddenly they told me that I [passed out] for 20 minutes. And I was in the hospital, I went to one hospital, they took me to another hospital, and I did every test over two days, and nobody knows why.”
Shortly after the December 16 incident, Sharon’s son, Jack Osbourne, shared in a now vanished Instagram Story that his mother “has been given the all clear from her medical team and is now home.” He went on to thank “everyone who has reached out with love and support.” Jack added, “As to what happened to my mum — I’m gonna leave it to her to share about when she is ready.”
Sharon has had multiple health issues over the past 20 years, including colon cancer in 2002, for which she underwent surgery and three months of chemotherapy. In 2012, she underwent a double mastectomy after learning she had a genetic predisposition for developing breast cancer.
(NEW YORK) — For the past six years, the Mediterranean diet has won the title of best overall diet in U.S. News and World Report’s annual ranking of best diets.
The diet is endorsed by the American Heart Association for its cardiovascular benefits. The diet was shown to reduce the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth and stillbirth when followed in pregnancy, according to one study.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil and flavorful herbs and spices; fish and seafood at least twice a week; and poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation, according to U.S. News and World Report.
“Any plan that cuts out an entire food group or fruit or dairy for non-medical reasons is a red flag and it’s the reason the Mediterranean diet is always such a big winner,” Gretel Schueller, managing editor of U.S. News and World Report, told ABC News. “The Mediterranean diet is healthy, it’s sustainable, it’s a flavorful way to eat and it’s adaptable.”
If you’re looking to start the Mediterranean diet in the new year, here is what you need to know:
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is not one way of eating but a broad term used to describe the eating habits popularized in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, including Italy, Greece, Morocco, Spain and Lebanon.
The way of eating focuses on the quality of foods consumed rather than focusing on a single nutrient or food group, according to U.S. News and World Report.
There are no specific serving size recommendations or calculations with the diet, meaning the amount of food a person eats on the diet depends on their own needs.
Nutrition experts say there’s no one diet that will work for everyone. Certain diets may be more beneficial depending on your circumstances, and some may be harmful depending on your health conditions. Anyone considering changes to their diet should consult with their doctor.
What types of foods are eaten on the Mediterranean diet?
Overall, the diet is mostly plant-based and focuses on healthy fats.
Healthy fats emphasized in the Mediterranean way of eating include virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts, salmon and sardines, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Red meat consumption is limited to a few times a month.
All types of vegetables and fruits are encouraged on the diet, as are non-meat sources of protein like beans and other legumes.
Fish is encouraged twice weekly and other animal proteins like poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt are encouraged in smaller portions, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
The main source of hydration should be water.
Mild to moderate wine consumption, often with meals, is typical of the Mediterranean diet but is considered optional. In this context, moderation in wine consumption is defined as one to two glasses per day for men and as one glass per day for women.
Are any foods prohibited?
No, the diet does not totally eliminate any foods or food groups.
Some foods though are encouraged sparingly on the diet, like desserts, butter, heavily processed foods like frozen meals and candy and refined grains and oils.
U.S. News and World Report describes the diet as leaving “little room for the saturated fat, added sugars and sodium that inundate the standard American diet.”
What are the health benefits?
According to U.S. News and World Report, “People who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have longer lifespans, report a higher quality of life and are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.”
The American Heart Association says the Mediterranean diet can “play a big role” in helping to prevent heart disease and stroke and reducing risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Consuming virgin olive oil, in particular, may help the body “remove excess cholesterol from arteries and keep blood vessels open,” according to the AHA.
Citing research, the Cleveland Clinic touts the Mediterranean diet as a way to help maintain a healthy weight, slow the decline of brain function, increase longevity, support a healthy gut and lower the risk of certain cancers.
Is the diet adaptable and budget-friendly?
In U.S. News and World Report’s 2023 ranking of best diets, the Mediterranean diet was not only best overall diet but also rated high in the categories of Best Family-Friendly Diets and Easiest Diets to Follow.
Schueller said the foods promoted in the Mediterranean way of eating are not only budget-friendly and easily accessible but also adaptable.
“Olive oil is one of the cores of the of the Mediterranean diet as a primary source of healthy fat, but you can replace that with a similar oil like grapeseed oil or sesame oil or another heart-healthy, fun saturated fat like nuts or avocado,” she said. “And you can take those principles and adapt them to other cuisines by adding the vegetables and whole grains from that country or region, lowering the red meat [intake] and eating more efficient plant proteins.”
She continued, “For example, if you prefer Asian cuisine, you can apply the Mediterranean diet principles and that might mean eating more brown or black rice instead of white rice, and seafood or tofu instead of meat.”
(NEW YORK) — If you have been in a gym recently and spotted a person walking steadily on the treadmill at a very high incline, they could be following a viral workout trend.
The “12-3-30” workout, the brainchild of social media influencer Lauren Giraldo, involves walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes at a 3 mph pace and on a 12% incline.
Giraldo first shared the low-impact cardio workout on YouTube in 2019 in a video about her wellness routine.
She told ABC News’ Good Morning America she figured out the formula through “trial and error” while trying to find a workout that was both motivating and doable.
“I was at a low point and the gym was always an intimidating environment for me. I wanted to find what worked for me and got me excited about remaining consistent,” she said. “Through this, I was able to play with the settings on the treadmill and found that the 12-3-30 combination was challenging, but fun.”
Giraldo said of her workout philosophy, “I think it’s important that when you’re building out your routine it’s one that makes most sense for you. I don’t believe in strict guides because we’re all different.”
Giraldo shared the routine again in 2020, this time on Instagram and TikTok in a video where she credited it with helping her lose 30 pounds. That video received more than two million likes on TikTok alone and made her 12-3-30 workout a viral hit.
The hashtag #12330 now has more than 81 million views on TikTok and the workout is tagged in thousands of posts on Instagram.
“We have cultivated a beautiful community of people that feel inspired,” said Giraldo. “It’s become more about how it makes us feel, and less the workout itself.”
Giraldo added that she believes the simplicity of the workout is what has made it so popular.
“I think we’re always told ‘you need to spend one hour in the gym to see results’ or ‘you need to go X amount of times per week to see results,’ but I think the world is tough enough,” she said. “We’re just looking for a moment with ourselves, and for me that was 30 minutes on the treadmill.”
Here are five questions answered about Giraldo’s “12-3-30” workout:
1. What does 12-3-30 mean on a treadmill?
The workout is an easy-to-follow formula that just involves two settings on a treadmill, done for a time of 30 minutes:
Incline: 12
Speed: 3
Giraldo said in her TikTok video she typically does the workout five days a week.
2. What are the pros of the workout?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, which the “12-3-30” workout can help fulfill.
In addition to being easy to follow, walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes at such a high incline is a solid and efficient workout, according to Dr. Marie Schaefer, a board-certified sports medicine physician at Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic.
“It gives you all the basic benefits of cardiovascular exercise. It increases your heart rate. It builds muscle mass,” Schaefer told Good Morning America. “And by putting you on that 12% incline, it’s actually going to nearly double your calorie burn and it can increase your heart rate a bit more.”
Walking on an incline can also help strengthen a person’s glutes and hamstrings, which is particularly beneficial for women, according to Schaefer.
“As people age they, especially women, lose their glute muscles,” she said. “This is a good exercise to keep that muscle strong and prevent it from atrophying.”
Schaefer noted that both walking and running, as opposed to other cardio exercises like cycling or swimming, are smart ways for women to increase their bone strength overall and lessen the risk of osteoporosis as they age.
“Weight-bearing exercises where you’re pounding your legs on the ground are good feedback to your bones to help keep them strong,” she said. “Walking on a treadmill is a way to do that, as is walking on the ground and as is running.”
3. Are there any cons?
People should check with a healthcare provider before beginning any new exercise routine.
In addition, Schaefer recommends that people know their baseline before starting a new routine.
For instance, before trying the “12-3-30” workout, make sure that you can go on a 30-minute walk on a flat, outdoors surface. Then, make sure you can complete a 30-minute walk on a treadmill.
Then, start adding in the incline and modify as needed, including lowering the incline and using the handrails for safety, according to Schaefer.
“The most biomechanically appropriate way would be to do this without holding on to the rails and having a really good arm swing,” she said. “But honestly, it can be too hard for some people to just start out from like walking on a flat ground to going at a 12% grade, which is pretty high.”
Schaefer added, “Starting with holding the handrails is OK and then as you feel more comfortable and as you feel more balanced and stronger in your posterior chain muscles, letting go of those handrails as much as you can will give you a better workout with good form.”
Schaefer also recommends mixing up the “12-3-30” workout with other physical activity during the week to avoid overuse injuries and to avoid hitting a plateau.
“There will be a time where your muscles kind of equilibrate and get used to this exercise and you do need to change the intensity,” she said. “Ideally you would add in strength training with a cardio type of workout so that you’re working other muscle groups.”
4. Are there ways to modify the workout?
The workout’s intensity could be increased by adding hand weights or adding running intervals, according to Schaefer.
Alternatively, the intensity could be lowered by decreasing the incline or speed.
5. What is a similar workout without a treadmill?
If you do not have access to a treadmill, the simplest way to mimic the workout outdoors is to walk for 30 minutes on a hilly route.
Alternatively, bicycling, tennis, swimming and walking or running outdoors will give you a similar, steady cardio workout, according to Schaefer.
(NEW YORK) — You may already be into Dry January, or you may be deciding to start now.
Either way, the challenges of giving up alcohol for the entire month are real.
Annie Grace, the author of The Alcohol Experiment, knows firsthand. In her mid-30s she was a high-level executive who drank two bottles of wine a night.
She gave up alcohol for 30 days in order to regain control of her life.
Grace, a mom of two, no longer drinks and has gone on to write two books sharing research-driven tips for giving up booze.
“My experience in taking a break from alcohol for 30 days was that it wasn’t always easy because I went into it with a mindset of ‘missing out’ or ‘giving something up’ for 30 days, which created the forbidden fruit syndrome in my mind,” Grace told ABC News’ Good Morning America. “Often, when I would take a break from drinking, I would think about drinking constantly and crave it even more during the time that I wasn’t drinking, which is ironic.”
Based on her own experience, Grace shared her three best tips for making sure giving up alcohol “serves you, rather than creating the forbidden fruit syndrome.”
Here are her tips, written in her own words:
1. Focus on the positive
The way you approach this month will be vital to your success. If you feel like it’s going to be awful, it probably will.
Your inner reality creates your outer reality.
Approach Dry January knowing you will get through it and be successful. There might be hard times, but you’ll be okay.
Make sure your perspective is on all of the positives you can gain from the experience. I suggest you make a list of everything you stand to gain and the positives you notice along the way.
If you’re sleeping better, write it down. Lost weight? Write it down. When you start to question your resolve, consult your list.
2. Stay firm
The firmer your decision, the easier this will be. That means that realizing while it may be hard, you’re committed to staying the course.
Alcohol is addictive and on top of that, we tend to have an emotional attachment to it as well. We associate it with everything from celebrations and relaxation to socialization.
That means almost every day is full of triggers that may cause us to question our decision. Rather than leaving the possibility of drinking on the table, commit to a full 31 days alcohol free and see what changes can take place in your life due to that resolve.
3. Don’t rely on willpower
Willpower is not the answer.
You can white-knuckle it through January and manage to force your way through to the end. The problem is that once Feb. 1 rolls around, nothing has changed.
It’s the forbidden fruit syndrome. We want the exact thing we can’t have. You feel deprived and upset that you can’t have it, so as soon as you lift the ban, you’re right back where you started.
Instead of giving alcohol this pedestal of importance in your life, get out of the willpower game.
What you need to do is change your thinking around drinking.
Examine the reasons that you drink. Make a list of all the reasons that you drink: To relax, network, to deal with anxiety, to socialize, etc. Now take those reasons, one at a time and examine them.
Take them apart, see where the belief originated and if it actually holds water. Does alcohol relax you? Why do you think that? Does drinking eliminate the issue that was causing your stress? Take those issues one by one and see if alcohol really does anything to alleviate them.
This — reshaping your beliefs based upon your experiences — will be more effective than willpower ever could be.
(NEW YORK) — Eating with the seasons is a great way to consume produce at peak freshness when it’s full of both nutrients and flavor. Plus, it supports local and regional growers.
Winter dishes and cozy recipes call for things like braised beans, stews full of carrots, onions and potatoes or even roasted squash, which are all at their peak this time of year.
From January through March, here’s a snapshot of what’s in season this winter:
(Make sure to check your local farmer’s markets or seasonal growing calendar because produce availability can differ by location based on harvest and yield.)
(NEW YORK) — In the hours after Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field Monday night, thousands of concerned fans showed their support via an online fundraiser created by the young NFL star previously, which has now gone viral and surpassed $6 million in donations.
Hamlin, 24, collapsed Monday evening moments after tackling wide receiver Tee Higgins during the first quarter of the Bills’ game against the Cincinnati Bengals. First responders administered CPR to Hamlin on-field before he was placed in an ambulance on oxygen and driven out of the stadium to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Concerned fans tracked the developments in real time, with many flocking to Hamlin’s 2020 GoFundMe campaign for “The Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive” to lend support.
The GoFundMe saw a resurgence in donations with more than $6 million raised, as of early Wednesday morning.
A spokesperson for the platform confirmed to ABC News’ Good Morning America on Tuesday that Hamlin’s 2020 fundraiser “is verified.”
“We’re grateful for the kindness, generosity, and empathy our giving community shows every day, especially in moments like these. The fundraiser has raised more than $4 million since last night,” the GoFundMe spokesperson said.
Hamlin’s family posted an update to the initial fundraiser, writing that it “was initially established to support a toy drive for Damar’s community” and now “it has received renewed support in light of Damar’s current battle and we can’t thank all of you enough. Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us.”
Prior to Monday evening, Hamlin’s fundraising campaign aimed at helping buy toys for kids in need, hardest hit by the pandemic, had raised $2,921.
“As I embark on my journey to the NFL, I will never forget where I come from and I am committed to using my platform to positively impact the community that raised me,” he wrote in the campaign’s initial post on GoFundMe. “I created The Chasing M’s Foundation as a vehicle that will allow me to deliver that impact, and the first program is the 2020 Community Toy Drive.”
The NFL issued a statement in the wake of Monday’s incident, stating that Hamlin “received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics” following his collapse, and that he was “transported to a local hospital where he is in critical condition.”
“Our thoughts are with Damar and the Buffalo Bill. We will provide more information as it becomes available,” the statement read.
Monday night’s game was officially postponed around 10 p.m. ET.
The league added that it had been in “constant communication with the NFL Players Association which is in agreement with postponing the game.”
Hamlin’s family also issued a statement on Tuesday morning, thanking the first responders and medical staff who assisted him, as well as the fans for their support.
“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time,” the statement read. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country.”
“We also want to acknowledge the dedicated first responders and healthcare professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who have provided exceptional care to Damar,” the statement continued. “We feel so blessed to be part of the Buffalo Bills organization and to have their support. We also want to thank Coach Taylor and the Bengals for everything they’ve done.”
The statement concluded, “Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us. Please keep Damar in your prayers. We will release updates as soon as we have them.”
(BOSTON) — William “Rick” Singer, the ringleader in a college admissions cheating scandal that spanned the country, is expected to be sentenced Wednesday by a federal judge.
The former college admissions consultant pleaded guilty in March 2019 to helping parents of dozens of well-to-do high school students cheat their way into elite universities.
His sentence will come nearly four years after his plea, as he helped prosecutors convict his former clients, including high-powered executives, fashion moguls and Hollywood actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin.
Singer, 62, pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of six years in prison — much more than the six-month maximum Singer’s lawyers requested.
His sentence all but marks the end of “Operation Varsity Blues,” the moniker for the prosecutors’ investigation that uncovered a cheating ring of approximately 50 defendants.
Among those prosecuted were parents who paid Singer more than $6 million, Ivy League coaches who opened sham spots on their rosters for Singer’s clients in exchange for bribes and test administrators who were paid to fudge applicants’ entrance exam scores.
Prosecutors said Singer was the mastermind of the decades-long scheme, which has since become the subject of at least four books, a Lifetime movie and a Netflix documentary.
He convinced wealthy clients to pay him bribes in order to give their children a leg up at schools such as Yale, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, prosecutors said. Singer then funneled the money through his charity he said would support disadvantaged youth, allowing his co-conspirators to write off their dues as tax deductions.
Singer was “exceptionally valuable” following his plea deal, according to prosecutors’ sentencing memorandum. He agreed to have his phone tapped to help indict his former clients and accomplices, allowing the government to secure the convictions.
Still, his cooperation was laden with missteps, prosecutors wrote. He met in person with at least six of his former clients to warn them about the investigation and was subsequently convicted of obstructing justice.
“He was the architect and mastermind of a criminal enterprise that massively corrupted the integrity of the college admissions process,” prosecutors wrote in the memorandum.
“Without Singer, the scheme never would have happened,” they added.
In his own memorandum, Singer wrote that he had forfeited his assets, including a sprawling mansion in Orange County, California, which he exchanged for a modest home in a Florida trailer park.
“I have been reflecting on my very poor judgment and criminal activities that increasingly had become my way of life,” he wrote. “I have woken up every day feeling shame, remorse and regret.”
(WASHINGTON) — Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy was dealt one defeat after another on Tuesday but insists he will not back down from his bid to for speaker of the House as the fight spills into a second day.
“Is it the day I wanted to have? No,” he told ABC News. But he insisted he still feels “very good” and confirmed there is no scenario where he is dropping his bid for speaker.
“Let’s take a different perspective,” the California representative said. “You’re sitting at 202 votes. So you need technically just 11 more votes to win. Is there anybody in the conference that can win? Okay, I don’t think that’s there. So we can go round and round. It’ll either turn out that someone will make a mistake and elect a Democrat or we’re going to find a way to work together to be able to govern.”
A fourth round of voting for the speaker of the House is expected to resume on Wednesday when the chamber gathers again at noon after members-elect adjourned shortly before 6 p.m. on Tuesday after three failed rounds of voting to elect a speaker.
McCarthy’s focus on pragmatism, however, still doesn’t get him to the 218 votes that he needs to take the speaker’s gavel and it appears he is hedging his bets that some of the Republicans who oppose him may either backtrack or vote present, which could help him eventually getting over the line.
Yet, there is no guarantee that will happen and no matter what perspective he takes, at the moment, he still doesn’t have the votes.
Hours after the House adjourned, McCarthy emerged from behind closed doors and admitted this wasn’t the day he had hoped for.
“I don’t really see it as a battle. I just — we’re not that far away. We only need 11 more votes to win,” McCarthy said. “I think everybody comes together so we’ll get that.”
McCarthy also said he spoke to former President Donald Trump on Tuesday night, telling ABC News that Trump reiterated his support for him during their conversation.
“He thinks it’s better that all the Republicans get together and solve this,” McCarthy said. “It doesn’t look good for Republicans, but we want to be able to solve it where we’re stronger in the long run, where what we went through today, in the end, becomes a positive that we’re actually focused united.”
The chaos that ensued on Tuesday as the 118th Congress convened is now set to spill into Wednesday — possibly beyond — and the House can conduct no other business until a speaker is chosen.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who changed his vote for speaker in the third round, said on social media that “continuous votes aren’t working.”
“Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps…but these continuous votes aren’t working for anyone,” Donalds wrote. “When the dust settles, we will have a Republican Speaker, now is the time for our conference to debate and come to a consensus.”
(KYIV, Ukraine) — There will likely be further strikes into Russian territory, Ukraine’s military intelligence head, Kyrylo Budanov, told ABC News in an interview from Kyiv, without specifically saying whether Ukraine would be behind them.
Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the Dec. 26 attack on Russia’s Engels Air Force Base, which is located more than 800 miles from the Ukrainian border, but Budanov admitted he was “glad to see it.”
He added the attacks would come “deeper and deeper” inside of Russia, but would only be able to comment on his country’s responsibility for the attacks after the war was over.
And when asked about attacks on Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, Budanov said, “Crimea is Ukrainian territory, we can use any weapon on our territory.”
In late December, Budanov made a public appearance in Bakhmut in Donetsk, the hottest point of the 800-mile front line. What he saw shocked him.
“Soldiers showed me a section where dead bodies are piled up like something you would see in a movie,” he said.
“There are hundreds of dead bodies just rotting away in the open field, in places they are piled on top of other bodies like makeshift walls, when Russian troops attack on that field they use those bodies for cover, like a shield,” he continued. “But it’s not working. There are actual fields of dead bodies there.”
Budanov said Russia’s weaponry is depleting, forcing it to resort to “cheaper,” more “plentiful” solutions, like the Iranian-made, self-destroying Shahed drones, which have sowed fear and panic in the population.
Tehran denies supplying drones to Russia, though the U.S. Department of Defense said Russia has bought hundreds of them.
Russia fired 84 drones at Ukraine in the first two days of 2023, all of which were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.
The U.S. announced it would supply a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine in late December, bringing the Biden administration’s total military aid for Ukraine close to $22 billion. President Joe Biden recently signed a $1.7 trillion government funding bill that includes $47 billion of additional aid for Ukraine.
“I want to express gratitude for all the help we had, and ask to continue to support Ukraine,” said Budanov, telling U.S citizens, “I promise it will not take too long now, and every taxpayer in the U.S. will be able to see where every cent went. We will change this world together.”
Budanov also said they are expecting U.S. Bradley Armored Fighting vehicles to be sent to Ukraine soon: “We are waiting for them. We’re looking forward to them very much. This will significantly improve the combat ability of our units.”
Budanov said he expects fighting to be the “hottest” in March, adding that Ukraine is planning a major push in the spring.
“This is [when we will see more] liberation of territories and dealing the final defeats to the Russian Federation,” he said. “This will happen throughout Ukraine, from Crimea to the Donbas.”
The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly said it will not give up an inch of territory.
“Our goal, and we will achieve it, is returning to the borders of 1991, like Ukraine is recognized by all subjects of international law,” said Budanov.
As for the future of Russia, Budanov said there are several scenarios in play, but the message is clear: “You should not be afraid of the transformation of Russia. It will only benefit the whole world.”
Putin’s regime “is a laughingstock for everyone,” Budanov said, adding the Russian troops are all but reduced to defending territories they still occupy within Ukraine — “and not for much longer.”
“Russia is not a military threat to the world anymore, just a tall tale,” he added.
The only issue remaining, Budanov said, is Russia’s nuclear arsenal “and the uncontrollable regime” that will lead “the whole world to realize the necessity of Russia’s denuclearization or at least an international overseeing of its nuclear arsenal.”
“A terrorist country swinging a nuclear bat at everyone and spewing threats is not a regime that has an ethical or political right to be in control of weapons of mass destruction,” Budanov added.
Moments after the interview ended, Budanov warned our team that rockets had been fired at Kyiv from the Black Sea. Hours later, Russia unleashed another massive aerial attack against Ukraine — ringing in 2023 with terror.
