Russian military liberates a dozen locations in Kursk Region

A Russian serviceman in the recently liberated village of Malaya Loknya, Kursk Region, Russia on March 11, 2025.
©Sputnik/Stanislav Krasilnikov

The Russian Defense Ministry has announced the liberation of 12 villages across Kursk Region, reporting a rapid advance against Ukraine’s invasion force in the area.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops have recaptured more than 100 square kilometers of land, the ministry said in its daily briefing on Tuesday. The liberated locations named by the military include the villages of Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovsky, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhailovka, Pravda, and Yuzhny.

The development suggests that Russian troops are advancing on the town of Sudzha from the north, east, and southeast, while Ukrainian forces are apparently fleeing southwest across the river of the same name. According to media reports, Moscow’s forces have already entered the town, which remains the largest settlement in Kursk Region under Kiev’s control.

Over the past week, things have rapidly deteriorated for the Ukrainian force in Kursk Region, with its northern flank effectively collapsing. It remains unclear whether Kiev’s troops will try to make a stand in Sudzha or retreat altogether.

The invasion force has long been experiencing logistics troubles, as the Russian military has gradually been cutting off its supply routes. Now, the remnants of the Ukrainian force are dependent on a single major cross-border road, which has been coming under constant drone and artillery strikes.

Kiev invaded Kursk Region last August, capturing Sudzha and multiple villages in its vicinity in a matter of days. The Ukrainian zone of control, however, has gradually been shrinking ever since, with the invasion force now having lost more than two-thirds of its initial gains.

The attack on Kursk Region has taken an extreme toll on the Ukrainian military, with the invasion force reporting up to 66,550 casualties during the operation, the latest estimates by the Russian Defense Ministry suggest. Nearly 400 Ukrainian tanks, more than 300 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 272 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and over 2,000 other armored vehicles were destroyed or captured in the hostilities in the area.

‘We burst out unexpectedly, like demons’: How Russia’s ‘pipeline operation’ crushed Ukrainian defenses in Kursk

The Russian army is conducting a major counteroffensive in Kursk Region, which was invaded by Ukrainian forces in August 2024. In just the past 24 hours, Russian troops have liberated 12 settlements and recaptured over 100 square kilometers of territory. This week, the industrial zone in Sudzha, the largest Russian city under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), was also retaken.

©RT/RT

Ukrainian forces are retreating. This was made clear by the AFU commander-in-chief, General Aleksandr Syrsky, who said that “units are taking timely measures to maneuver to favorable defense lines.”

The dramatic shift in the situation on the front can be attributed to the success of Russia’s top-secret Operation Potok (‘Flow’). A unit of 800 Russian soldiers walked several miles through an empty gas pipeline to infiltrate Ukrainian positions. Below are the details of this operation.

Preparing for the breakthrough

Prior to January 1, 2025, gas was transported from Russia to Europe via the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod pipeline, which passes through Ukrainian territory. Although Vladimir Zelensky halted gas transit, the pipeline remains. Russian fighters decided to utilize these pipes to secretly approach the fortified positions of the AFU near Sudzha.

Preparations for the operation took about four months. The mission itself started in early March and lasted just over a week. The primary goal was to conduct sabotage operations in enemy territory, compel Ukrainian forces to withdraw from occupied areas in Kursk and move toward Sudzha, where they would be met by Russian troops.

On March 1, oxygen tanks were delivered to the site of the operation. The following day, Russian soldiers entered the gas pipeline in small groups, and started moving toward Sudza.

This isn’t the first time that Russian troops have employed “pipeline tactics.” In January 2024, military scouts, along with the ‘Veterany’ unit, used an abandoned pipe to reach the rear positions of the AFU in a fortified area on the southern outskirts of Avdeevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Amid artillery and mortar shelling, which masked the sounds of the work, Russian troops cleared the two-kilometer-long (1.2-mile) passage and installed ventilation. This operation greatly helped Russian forces capture the Avdeevka fortress.

“This isn’t the first time they’ve used the pipes, that’s for sure. In Sudzha, they leveraged the experience gained from a previous mission in Avdeevka. From what I understand, some of the guys from the ‘Veterany’ unit who participated in the Avdeevka operation were also involved in [the operation in] Sudza,” says military blogger and volunteer of the Española Brigade, Alexey Zhivov.

However, this time, the situation was a lot more complex.

A week in the dark without oxygen

The soldiers spent several days in complete darkness, with limited access to fresh air. In such conditions, they had to navigate over 15 kilometers (more than 9 miles) through a 1.4-meter-wide (4.5-foot) pipe.

Numerous challenges arose during the operation. Although the pipe was wide, it wasn’t tall enough for the fighters to walk upright. Moreover, some leftover gas remained inside, so it was difficult to breathe. Engineering troops devised a ventilation system, drilling holes wherever possible to allow air to flow in.

Special protective gear was necessary to prevent poisoning. Carts were used to deliver water and other essentials. In an exclusive RT video, at 04:34, we can see a fighter showing one of these carts to reporters.

The soldiers moved in groups of five, maintaining a distance of about ten meters. When they paused, they spread out two meters from each other to breathe more comfortably.

“While they were looking for oxygen and preparing everything, many compromised their health. Our guys spent days hauling communications equipment, water, and living in that pipe,” military correspondents said about the operation.

The course of the operation

The entry into the pipe, conducted in small groups to avoid drawing the enemy’s attention and raising suspicions, stretched over four days.

It took several days to move through the pipe, and then the troops had to wait a few more days to receive orders for the assault. Near the exit points, special underground facilities were set up, and food, water, and ammunition supplies were stockpiled.

One of the key exit points was the bypass road north of Sudzha. By the morning of March 8, the fighters were ready for the assault. On receiving the appropriate command, they exited the pipe through pre-prepared openings and brought the necessary supplies to the surface. From there, they went on to execute their combat missions.

The large unit split up and dispersed across the area. Some fighters headed toward the industrial part of Sudzha, while others targeted nearby settlements. The operation caught the Ukrainian army off guard. Some Ukrainian forces attempted to resist but were swiftly eliminated; the rest fled, abandoning their equipment and resources.

“The enemy was taken by surprise; Ukrainians began shelling the pipe with cluster munitions approximately half an hour after the landing [of the Russians]. However, Russian troops had already infiltrated the area and secured their positions, causing panic among the AFU,” said military expert Evgeny Klimov about this phase of the operation.

To capitalize on their success and secure a foothold in the area, the Russians are deploying new units and divisions, backed by armored vehicles.

The fighters who took part in the operation attacked the enemy and also helped other units advance. The element of surprise led to the chaotic retreat of the AFU as the Ukrainians attempted to flee Sudzha and its surroundings. Meanwhile, the Russians attacked them by means of artillery and drones.

What the soldiers are saying Around 800 fighters from various units participated in the operation, including the 11th and 106th Brigades, the 30th Regiment, Marine Corps units, the Veterany Brigade, the Vostok Brigade, and the Akhmat special forces unit. All of them volunteered to take part, fully aware that this might be a one-way mission.

“Russian assault troops spent several days preparing for this operation, using precision-guided bombs to clear the area from which they would launch their assault on Sudzha,” sources familiar with the planning revealed.

“To make our way through the pipe, we had to pump out the gas and inject oxygen... Once we received the order, we got out, immediately entered the industrial zone, and took control of it, pushing back the enemy. The enemy was caught off guard, and this led to confusion and panic [in the AFU]. Thanks to this, we liberated many settlements: Cherkasskoye Porechnoe, Malaya Loknya, Martynovka, Pravda, Mikhailovka, Kubatkin, and many others. The enemy never anticipated such an offensive or that our forces could infiltrate its rear, 15 kilometers from the front lines,” recounted Boris, a fighter in the special forces.

A former PMC Wagner fighter who also participated in the operation reflected on its main challenges. “The first 72 hours were the toughest; we consumed a lot of painkillers. My lungs burned, and I had a splitting headache. Then came the fever, and tears flowed… There were moments of hallucination…”

“It was exhausting, yes,” said a fighter with the military call sign ‘Mowgli’. “It was tough, but we made it through.

We burst out unexpectedly, like demons – black, dirty, and exhausted. But we pressed on.”

“Our job is to go anywhere and at any time. We had to push ourselves beyond our limits. Panic set in due to the confined space and darkness. We had to crawl through the pipe. Imagine being two meters tall and having to bend down to fit into a pipe that’s only 1.4 meters wide. But that was minor compared to our goal: to show up where they least expected us and in such numbers that it would instill fear and send them running. And that’s exactly what happened,” explained a soldier with the call sign ‘Medved’ (‘Bear’).

After the operation, Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, showed the process of preparing the troops for the mission. During a motivational speech on the evening of March 1, he described the upcoming mission as pivotal and referred to all participants as heroes.

“When we accomplish this task, the course of this war will change completely,” he predicted.

The inevitable outcome

Russian military analysts believe that, thanks to this operation, the full liberation of Kursk Region is just around the corner. “Considering what’s happening across all fronts, the complete liberation of Kursk is just a matter of time. I think it’ll be a week or two – our soldiers are professional and highly motivated,” retired Captain Vasily Dandikin said in a recent media interview.

With rain expected this week, Ukrainian forces will struggle to navigate dirt roads. Meanwhile, Russian troops are encircling them, blowing up bridges, and have already liberated over ten settlements in just a few days. This rapid progress indicates a collapse in the enemy’s defenses, Dandikin explained. He noted the significance of liberating Malaya Loknya – a settlement near Sudzha which Russian fighters were able to reach through the gas pipeline. The circle around Sudzha is closing in, and when Russian forces advance along major routes, the Ukrainian army will be forced to flee.

“The enemy has no options left in this situation,” Dandikin concluded.

Chinese tariffs on U.S. farm products take effect as trade tensions mount

China's new tariffs come into effect Monday and see levies of 10% and 15% imposed on several U.S. farm products.

Chinese tariffs on a wide array of U.S. agricultural products took effect Monday as Beijing remains defiant in the face of U.S. pressure — while urging Washington to come to the negotiating table.

China’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 15 percent on products including corn, soybeans and beef starting Monday targets some of the United States’ most important exports to the world’s second-largest economy.

The retaliation against President Donald Trump’s move to raise tariffs on all Chinese goods to at least 20 percent marks another escalation in a mounting trade battle that has no end in sight.

Behind the rapid-fire actions and public bravado, however, Beijing is eager to strike a deal and has been scrambling to find out what Trump wants, whom to speak to and whether it can avert serious damage to its slowing economy.

“There’s just overall confusion about the Trump administration’s real intentions, whether it’s genuinely seeking a deal or simply going to escalate tensions,” said Patricia Kim, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, who has met with visiting Chinese academics looking to understand the new administration. “They want to know what kind of deal Trump is looking for and what his end game is.”

The problem for Beijing is that, under its highly centralized political system, only Chinese leader Xi Jinping could secure a deal to end the tensions.

But — unlike the leaders of Canada and Mexico — Xi has not had a conversation with Trump in his second term. That might be because Xi is unlikely to risk direct negotiations until he is certain of results, Chinese experts said — and Trump’s unpredictability makes that difficult.

China will be looking for “a sense of certainty in the negotiation protocols and concrete projects or deals” before engaging at the top level, said Zha Daojiong, a professor of international political economy at Peking University in Beijing.

“Neither side has really ascertained a go-to person for working-level conversations,” Zha said.

Wang Wentao, the Chinese commerce minister, said last week that he hoped his team could “begin communication as soon as possible” with their U.S. counterparts. Top Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have had initial calls with their Chinese counterparts.

But Beijing doesn’t appear to have found a direct line to the president, despite searching for what Chinese experts like to call a “new Kissinger.”

This is a stark contrast to the trade war of Trump’s first term, when China tried to reach a deal, in part using a back channel to Trump via his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

In the meantime, Beijing has sent unofficial delegations of academics and experts to Washington to parse Trump’s true priorities when it comes to China.

That’s a sign that reaching a deal is important to Beijing, said Bonnie Glaser, an analyst at the German Marshall Fund in Washington.

“Beijing likely wants to avoid more instability and unpredictability in the U.S.-China relationship that could have unforeseen consequences for Chinese interests,” she said.

In public, Beijing has struck a defiant tone, showing its readiness to match the United States blow for blow.

Monday’s tariffs target the United States’ agriculture sector. China is the largest market for American farm products, importing almost $20 billion in chicken, pork, cotton and the other goods that will be subject to the new tariffs last year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Beijing also placed export controls and trade restrictions on more than 20 U.S. companies. It moved to restrict imports of gene-sequencing technology from American biotech company Illumina and an investigation into whether an American fiber optics company was skirting Beijing’s earlier anti-dumping measures.

But despite these measures, China has relatively few cards to play given that it runs an enormous trade surplus — approaching $300 billion last year — with the United States.

Complicating matters further, China’s economy is also is struggling. In addition to weak spending and high unemployment, China is experiencing stubborn deflation. Data on Sunday showed consumer prices dropped further in February, falling 0.7 percent from a year earlier.

That worries many on the front lines of the trade war. Numerous Chinese exporters and manufacturers have bet heavily on selling to the United States, building their businesses around the particular needs of American consumers.

Nearly 15 percent of Chinese exports went to the United States last year, according to official customs data. While that was down from just over a fifth in 2018, the United States is still the largest single destination for Chinese products.

Analysts estimate that a major slump in U.S. sales could ripple through the Chinese economy and knock a few percentage points off growth, which has been struggling to meet Beijing’s annual target of about 5 percent.

The impact of the trade war is already being felt on the ground.

Tian Yong, the founder and chief executive of Foodie Pet, a Jinan-based maker of premium dog and cat treats, is bracing for a loss of American customers, who account for about a third of his sales.

Tian is determined not to cut prices. Instead, he plans to weather tariffs by moving faster to release dozens of products every year.

“Our pet culture is not so deep, but when it comes to innovation, the United States is not as good as us,” he said while in the capital this month to sell “grassland rabbit spareribs” and “chicken and orange” flavored chews to middle-class Beijingers.

There are more pet lovers in China today than when Tian started out three decades ago, but the United States remains his top target market.

Alex Zhu, who sells soft toys to major American brands, said the 20 percent duties have all but wiped out profits for his confirmed orders, putting 3,000 employees at risk.

While Zhu’s main concern now is remaining profitable while keeping costs low for American consumers, he fears major buyers will soon decide the political risks of manufacturing in China are too great.

“If the only consideration was cost, we would probably be fine,” he said, adding it would be “dangerous” for his business if U.S. companies give up on Chinese suppliers.

This pressure on exporters — and the wider economy — will make it ever more necessary for Beijing to reach a deal with the Trump administration, analysts say.

It has already offered some olive branches.

On the same day as hitting back against tariffs, Chinese authorities released a white paper claiming that law enforcement agencies were cracking down on the production and shipment of fentanyl-related substances — the main reason Trump says he imposed the tariffs.

That underscores Beijing’s carrots-and-sticks approach, analysts said.

“Of course, we want to make a deal, you know? I mean, we don’t like tariffs. We don’t like trade wars,” said Wu Xinbo, an international relations scholar at Fudan University in Shanghai. “However, if the U.S. wants to impose it on China, then we have to respond.”

Ukrainian forces pummeled in Kursk Region - MOD VIDEOS

The Russian Defense Ministry has circulated videos it says depict kamikaze drone strikes on the forces remaining from Ukraine’s incursion into Russia's Kursk Region.

Kiev launched the incursion last August, claiming it has military and political value, however its forces are widely reported to be on the retreat and are facing increased risk of being cut off entirely.

A video released on Sunday shows a stationary column of military vehicles being targeted by multiple first-person view drones. The convoy’s advance was seemingly halted after encountering a destroyed bridge, leading to soldiers abandoning their transport.

The ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops were “fleeing from Sudzha,” a city in Kursk Region that has served as a base for Kiev’s operations since the start of the incursion. On the same day, the Russian military announced the liberation of several settlements previously controlled by Ukrainian forces.

©Russian Defense Ministry

Another clip published on Monday showcased Russian drone strikes against various Ukrainian targets reportedly throughout the area, including soldiers, vehicles, and bridges, the latter aimed at “disrupting enemy logistics and cutting off retreat paths.”

©Russian Defense Ministry

Media reports indicate that Russian troops executed an infiltration operation, covertly moving hundreds of personnel behind Ukrainian lines via a gas pipeline before launching a surprise attack over the weekend.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has previously claimed the incursion into Kursk as a major tactical victory. He has asserted that it has thwarted a Russian offensive into Ukraine’s Sumy Region and would bolster Kiev’s position in potential peace negotiations. However, Ukrainian forces have reportedly sustained tens of thousands of casualties during the operation and are facing possible encirclement in the Sudzha area.

This week, senior Ukrainian officials are scheduled to meet with members of the Trump administration, which some media outlets describe as Ukraine’s final opportunity to repair relations with the new US leadership. Washington paused arms deliveries and intelligence sharing with Kiev after the American president accused Zelensky of refusing to compromise for a prospective US-mediated peace deal with Russia.

MinyakKita dijual di Atas HET dan Isi disunat 3 Perusahan Terancam ditutup

Menteri Pertanian (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman memperlihatkan takaran minyak goreng kemasan Minyakita yang tidak sesuai takaran saat melakukan inspeksi mendadak, di Pasar Lenteng Agung, Kelurahan Jagakarsa, Kecamatan Jagakarsa, Jakarta Selatan, hari Sabtu, 08/03/2025. ANTARA/Harianto

Menteri Pertanian (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman menemukan pelanggaran pada sast sidak di Pasar Jaya, Lenteng Agung, Jakarta Selatan, hari Sabtu, 08 Maret 2025, dalam distribusi minyak goreng Minyakita. Mentan menemukan Minyakita dijual di atas HET dan isi tidak sesuai takaran, yang seharusnya 1 liter tapi hanya terisi 750-800 mililiter.

Minyak tersebut diproduksi oleh PT Artha Eka Global Asia, Koperasi Produsen UMKM Koperasi Terpadu Nusantara (KTN), dan PT Tunasagro Indolestari. Selain volume yang tidak sesuai, harga jualnya juga melebihi Harga Eceran Tertinggi (HET) yang ditetapkan pemerintah. Meskipun di kemasan tertulis harga Rp 15.700 per liter, minyak ini dijual dengan harga Rp 18.000 per liter.

“Kami turun langsung ke pasar untuk memastikan pasokan dan kualitas pangan, salah satunya minyak goreng bagi masyarakat, tetapi justru menemukan pelanggaran. Minyakita dijual di atas HET, dari seharusnya Rp 15.700 menjadi Rp 18.000," kata Mentan Andi Amran Sulaiman, hari Sabtu, 08/03/2025.

"Ini adalah bentuk kecurangan yang merugikan rakyat, terutama di bulan Ramadhan saat kebutuhan bahan pokok meningkat," ujarnya, dilansirdari Antara, hari Sabtu, 8 Maret 2025.

Ia meminta agar perusahaan yang terbukti melakukan pelanggaran segera diproses secara hukum dan ditutup.

"Kami turun langsung ke pasar untuk memastikan pasokan dan kualitas pangan, salah satunya minyak goreng bagi masyarakat, tetapi justru menemukan pelanggaran," imbuhnya.

Selain volume yang tidak sesuai, harga jualnya juga melebihi Harga Eceran Tertinggi (HET) yang ditetapkan pemerintah.

Menanggapi temuan ini, Mentan menegaskan bahwa praktik seperti itu sangat merugikan masyarakat dan tidak bisa ditoleransi. Ia meminta agar perusahaan yang terbukti melakukan pelanggaran segera diproses secara hukum dan ditutup.

Menteri Pertanian (Mentan) Andi Amran Sulaiman melakukan inspeksi mendadak di Pasar Lenteng Agung, Kelurahan Jagakarsa, Kecamatan Jagakarsa, Jakarta Selatan, hari Sabtu, 08/03/2025. ANTARA/Harianto

b

Dia juga menekankan pentingnya pengawasan ketat terhadap distribusi minyak goreng di pasaran, agar kejadian serupa tidak terulang. Ia meminta Satgas Pangan dan Bareskrim Polri segera bertindak untuk menegakkan aturan.

Menurutnya, tidak boleh ada pembiaran mengenai praktik tersebut. Pemerintah berkomitmen untuk melindungi kepentingan masyarakat.

"Saya sudah berkoordinasi dengan Kabareskrim dan Satgas Pangan. Jika terbukti ada pelanggaran, perusahaan ini harus ditutup dan izinnya dicabut. Tidak ada ruang bagi pelaku usaha yang sengaja mencari keuntungan dengan cara yang merugikan rakyat,” katanya menegaskan.

Lebih lanjut, Mentan mengingatkan para pelaku usaha untuk menaati regulasi yang berlaku. Ia menegaskan bahwa pemerintah akan terus melakukan sidak dan memastikan produk pangan yang beredar di pasaran sesuai standar yang telah ditetapkan.

“Saya ingatkan kepada semua produsen dan distributor, jangan bermain-main dengan kebutuhan pokok rakyat. Jika ada yang mencoba mengambil keuntungan dengan cara tidak jujur, pemerintah akan bertindak tegas. Kami tidak segan-segan menutup dan mencabut izin usaha yang terbukti melanggar aturan,” katanya lagi.

Dalam sidak tersebut, Mentan Amran didampingi oleh Penyidik Madhya Pideksus Bareskrim Polri Kombes Pol Burhanuddin.

Burhanuddin memastikan bahwa pihak kepolisian akan segera menindaklanjuti temuan itu sesuai dengan ketentuan hukum yang berlaku.

“Kami dari Bareskrim Mabes Polri hari ini mendampingi Bapak Mentan Amran dalam sidak di Pasar Jaya Lenteng Agung. Kami akan melakukan penyelidikan lebih lanjut terkait temuan ini dan segera menindaklanjuti sesuai aturan hukum yang berlaku,” ujar Burhanuddin.

Dengan adanya temuan ini, pemerintah memastikan akan terus memperketat pengawasan terhadap distribusi minyak goreng di seluruh wilayah.

Masyarakat juga diimbau untuk lebih teliti saat membeli minyak goreng dan segera melaporkan jika menemukan produk yang tidak sesuai dengan ketentuan.

Elon Musk Is Making Republicans Sweat and Giving Democrats a New Target

Elon Musk has made himself a constant presence in Washington since President Trump’s inauguration. Credit...Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

His unusual governing arrangement with President Trump is opening Republicans up to being yoked politically to Mr. Musk, who polls show is broadly unpopular.

He held court in the Oval Office in a T-shirt and blazer with a child clinging to his shoulders. He takes private meetings on Capitol Hill, offering his phone number for senators to voice their complaints, as if they are his constituents. And last month, he brandished a chain saw as he promised to cut spending, to rapturous cheers from conservative activists.

Seven weeks into President Trump’s second administration, Elon Musk has not just upended the government. His omnipresence in Washington has also swiftly become an unpredictable factor that could reshape politics across the country.

Already, the billionaire’s signature slash-and-burn style and showy spending cuts have reverberated far beyond the Capitol, making even lawmakers from deep-red states begin to sweat. He has shown a willingness to shape elections directly, both by spending locally and by threatening to wield his fortune to stifle dissent within the Republican Party.

And he has given a glimmer of hope to Democrats in search of a message they can use against Mr. Trump, playing a starring role in new advertising for their candidates and by several of the party’s major campaign arms. Democratic operatives gleefully swap private polling suggesting Mr. Musk could prove a serious liability for the president.

Mr. Musk brandished a chain saw during an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., last month. Credit... Eric Lee/The New York Times

While many presidents have relied on family members or close friends as advisers, never before has the country seen an unelected billionaire and newcomer to electoral politics gain such a powerful and prominent perch in the White House.

Mr. Musk’s support for Mr. Trump — which came with close to $300 million in financial backing — may well have helped him win the presidency. But their unusual governing arrangement is opening Republicans to being yoked politically not just to Mr. Trump, but also to Mr. Musk, as his Department of Government Efficiency pushes for what could prove to be unpopular cuts to federal programs and government jobs.

Some Republicans are already acknowledging the potential political hazards, voicing a mild but notable word of caution about one of Mr. Trump’s biggest priorities.

“In my state, it’s always about jobs and the economy,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who said she had fielded anguished calls from constituents in West Virginia. “And anytime anybody loses a job, it has political risk for whoever’s in power, there’s no doubt.”

The risks for Republicans extend beyond the possible effects of his cuts on voters. Mr. Musk is an eccentric figure who has long been unrestrained by filter or convention, protected by his wealth and his elite status in the technology industry. In a single interview with Joe Rogan last week, he made puns about Nazis, speculated about A.I.-powered sex robots and slammed the idea of Social Security — giving Republicans who have long looked away from Mr. Trump’s more outlandish public statements something new to avoid.

Now, those ideas appear to have an open door to the Oval Office, through a partnership that is raising eyebrows even among some of their supporters.

“I don’t really know what that relationship entails, with he and the president,” Ms. Capito said. But, she added, she supported the idea of right-sizing government.

“I think we’ll just ride it and see, see what happens,” she said.

Democrats are eager to ride it, too.

Elected officials, strategists and activists across the party are embracing a Musk-first strategy as a way to rally their supporters, sway independents and establish an early line of attack against Republicans.

A Pew survey in late January and early February found that 54 percent of respondents held an unfavorable view of Mr. Musk. Credit... Samuel Corum for The New York Times

“It’s an easy story: Elon Musk and the billionaires have taken over government to steal from the American people to enrich themselves,” said Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a Democrat and one of his party’s earliest critics of Mr. Musk. “That’s the message. It’s true, it’s persuasive, and if we repeat it over and over again, they won’t win.”

Public polling suggests Democrats have reason for optimism. A Washington Post poll last month found that 49 percent of American adults disapproved of the job Mr. Musk was doing in the federal government, while 34 percent approved. A Pew survey released Feb. 19 found that 54 percent of respondents held an unfavorable view of Mr. Musk and just 3 percent had not heard of him. And a Marist College poll released Monday found that half of respondents had an unfavorable opinion of Mr. Musk. A slightly smaller share — 44 percent of respondents — had an unfavorable opinion of his department, but only 39 percent had a favorable opinion of it.

A survey released by the progressive-leaning Navigator Research showed that Mr. Musk is less popular than the president — particularly among Mr. Trump’s less educated and less engaged supporters — and better known than many in the administration. One poll by a Democratic organization in February found that Mr. Musk had significantly stronger name recognition than Vice President JD Vance.

Mr. Musk’s imprimatur alone makes the administration’s initiatives less popular, another private survey found: When his name was explicitly linked to his marquee effort, the Department of Government Efficiency, voters expressed a more unfavorable view of the program.

Mr. Musk has already become a big factor in political battles outside Washington. In Wisconsin, Democrats quickly seized on a $1 million donation by his political action committee on behalf of a conservative candidate running for a hotly contested State Supreme Court seat. Wisconsin Democrats are now framing the entire contest as “The People vs. Musk.”

In Virginia, Democrats in the House of Delegates are running advertisements featuring Mr. Musk’s face and accusing Mr. Trump of cutting benefits and driving up costs. Mr. Musk is also figuring in at least one high-profile Democratic primary. In the New Jersey governor’s race, candidates like Representative Mikie Sherrill frequently evoke Mr. Musk on the stump. Footage of Mr. Musk making a gesture that looked like a Nazi salute also appears in an ad by an outside group supporting Ms. Sherrill. She and Representative Josh Gottheimer, another contender, have also been attacked for receiving donations from SpaceX’s corporate political action committee in previous campaigns.

And House Majority Forward, a super PAC supporting Democrats running for the House, released ads this week targeting 23 vulnerable Republican lawmakers with a message that prominently featured Mr. Musk and made no mention of Mr. Trump. One of the ads says the Republicans would gut Medicaid, force the closure of rural hospitals and eliminate health insurance for low-income children to “fund massive tax cuts for Elon Musk and billionaires.” It ends with video footage of Mr. Musk shouting and waving a chain saw at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference.

In February, House Majority Forward advised Democrats running for Congress to focus on how Mr. Musk’s cuts could harm popular programs like Social Security and Medicare. “While we shouldn’t chide Musk, Trump and others for being rich, audiences should know that the programs working families and seniors rely on are in danger so those in the administration can get rich,” the group wrote.

Still, there are some signs that the politics around Mr. Musk are already shifting in Washington. Republicans on Capitol Hill have pressed him to help them better explain his actions, and some of them insist they are standing up for constituents worried that their jobs or their funding could be on the chopping block.

Mr. Trump said on Thursday that his cabinet secretaries, not Mr. Musk, had the authority to carry out cuts. Credit... Doug Mills/The New York Times

“We are making sure to elevate our voice and elevate, you know, the good work that’s being done in the state,” said Senator Katie Britt, Republican of Alabama.

Even that gentle pushback — which Ms. Britt bookended with praise for Musk and his cost-cutting effort — is rare in a Republican Party that has learned to march in lock step with Mr. Trump.

Other Republicans have expressed reservations about the role Mr. Musk might play in government budget talks — particularly with the possibility of a shutdown looming.

“Everybody, particularly Elon, needs to take into account how unproductive it is,” Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of a potential shutdown. In an interview, he said that most of what Mr. Musk was doing with the Department of Government Efficiency made sense, but that there were “unique characteristics to our democracy that don’t make all of the things work.”

There are some indications that Mr. Trump himself could be moving to rein in Mr. Musk. Though he showered him with praise during his joint address to Congress on Tuesday, Mr. Trump on Thursday said that his cabinet secretaries, not Mr. Musk, had the authority to carry out cuts.

“We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet,’” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media post.

But as his cuts affect the lives of a wider swath of Americans, Democrats are preparing to make their opponents pay a price, in this year’s elections and then in the midterms.

“This isn’t a debate about a bill in Congress that never passes and never actually impacts people,” said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist. “If you don’t get your V.A. benefits or your Social Security check, or your disease doesn’t get researched, they now own it.”

Even in an unpredictable political environment, Mr. Ferguson said, “Pottery Barn rules still apply.”

Jembatan Noyo Penghubung di Nias Barat Roboh, Bupati Minta Percepatan Pembangunan Jembatan Darurat

Hujan yang mengguyur sejak dini hari membuat Jembatan Sungai Noyo yang terletak di Desa Tawuna, Kecamatan Mandrehe, Kabupaten Nias Barat, Sumatera Utara, roboh setelah dihantam banjir pada hari Rabu, 05/3/2025.

Ambruknya jembatan tersebut melumpuhkan akses utama menuju 3 daerah yakni Nias, Gunungsitoli, dan Nias Utara, terputus total.

Menanggapi insiden ini, Pemerintah Kabupaten Nias Barat segera menurunkan tim tanggap darurat untuk memantau lokasi kejadian.

Menurut mantan Kepala Desa Tuwuna, Ama Marcel Zai, air sungai mulai naik sejak pukul 04.30 WIB, dan sekitar 30 menit kemudian, jembatan mulai rusak hingga akhirnya ambruk sebagian. Dengan panjang 90 meter, sekitar 60 meter dari jembatan ini hanyut tersapu banjir.

Lihat postingan ini di Instagram

Sebuah kiriman dibagikan oleh INFO NEWSANTARA (@info_newsantara)

Robohnya Jembatan Noyo bukan hanya menghambat akses transportasi, tetapi juga berdampak pada ekonomi warga.

“Saat ini, akses utama masih terputus, dan pemerintah daerah bersama tim teknis sedang melakukan asesmen untuk mencari solusi darurat,” kata Bupati Nias Barat Ellyunus Waruwu pada hari Kamis, 06/03/2025.

“Kami telah melaporkan kejadian ini ke Pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera Utara karena jembatan tersebut merupakan kewenangan provinsi. Kami mendorong agar segera ada pembangunan jembatan darurat guna memulihkan akses masyarakat sembari menunggu pembangunan jembatan permanen,” jelas dia.

Jembatan Noyo selama ini menjadi jalur utama kendaraan roda dua dan empat yang melintasi wilayah Nias Barat. Setelah roboh, jalur tersebut tidak bisa lagi digunakan, memaksa warga untuk mencari rute alternatif yang lebih jauh dan memakan waktu lebih lama.

“Sebagai langkah darurat, Polres Nias dan Polsek Mandrehe telah memasang garis polisi dan tanda peringatan agar tidak ada warga yang nekat melintas di jembatan yang rusak. Pihak berwenang juga telah berkoordinasi dengan dinas terkait untuk mencari solusi perbaikan,” kata Kepala Seksi Humas Polres Nias Aipda Motivasi Gea dalam keterangan tertulisnya, hari Kamis, 06/03/2025.

Tim dari Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) dan Dinas PUPR Nias Barat saat ini masih berada di lokasi untuk melakukan asesmen dan mencari solusi sementara.

"Kami berencana berkolaborasi dengan Pemprov Sumut untuk membangun jembatan darurat, sembari menunggu pembangunan jembatan permanen," tandas Ellyunus.

Polisi memasang police line di Jembatan Noyo di Kecamatan Mandrehe, Kabupaten Nias Barat, Sumatera Utara, Rabu (5/3/2025). Jembatan itu roboh karena diterjang banjir. (Dok Polres Nias )

Sementara itu, Kasi Humas Polres Nias, Aipda Motivasi Gea, menjelaskan bahwa robohnya jembatan menyebabkan aktivitas transportasi, baik kendaraan roda dua maupun roda empat, lumpuh total.