Thread by @skudelia

After roughly 30 hrs of fighting in Ukraine Russia still lacks control over any major towns or oblast centers in the areas that were under initial assault. Here is the latest from local sources on most contested towns. THREAD

SOUTH: 1. Henichesk, town of 20K on Azov sea, earlier reported captured, but UA govt and other services operating as of this morning; 2. Melitopol, town of 100K on route to Zaporizzhia, shelled overnight,reported RU vehicles passing through, but UA municipal govt in place.

3. Odesa - no reports of shelling or fighting outside the city; UA govt in full control; stores function normally, but major industries/port suspended operation;

NORTH: 1. Sumy, oblast center of 250K, earlier reported captured, but UA city gov operational; 2. Hlukhiv, town of 32K, earlier reported captured, but UA gov in control. 3. Chernihiv, oblast center of 285K, fighting on the outskirts, RU mil columns moving around the city to Kyiv.

Konotop, town of 85K in Sumy oblast, heavily shelled overnight, civilian casualties reported, local resistance groups organized, communal services and industries still operate; city mayor joined self-defense and called on others to follow; transferred exec powers to his deputy.

EAST: Kharkiv, oblast center of 1.4 mln, under curfew, shelled overnight;fighting reported on the outskirts; Chuhuiv, town of 30K, earlier reported captured, internal resistance groups formed; city mayor announced joining self-defense group, exec power transferred to the deputy.

DONBAS: RU tanks reported 15 km from Mariupol, but city under UA control. Oblast centers, Kramatrosk and Severodonetsk, under UA municipal govt; no new towns ceded to RU.

The thrust of todays RU assault directed at Kyiv. This indicates RU plans to capture capital city and central govt sites first; expects other towns in the East/South to surrender though domino effect once Kyiv falls. END