#exclusive Russias missteps and lack of air superiority open door for Biden to use armed drones in Ukraine, sources tell me. newsweek.com/russian-misste…
Note, sources say these would not be manned US aircraft, rather unmmanned drones transferred to Ukraine and flown by US personnel. It would be next to impossible for Russia to definitively say who was flying them - aka plausible deniability.
This is vastly different than armed manned US aircraft setting up a no fly zone over Ukraine. Remember we have two decades of drone operations.
Maybe it’s because I lived through the end of the Cold War and remember as a child worrying about nuclear holocaust, but Putin’s escalatory nuclear measures have me shook. There is no room to downplay this or act like it changes nothing. Terrible moment in our history.
It’s that kind of night.
One more. But wow. Right back to the late 80s I go.
I was originally told by US intelligence sources that Kyiv would fall within 96 hours, of the invasion. The city seems to have always been Russia’s target.
Much of the feeling on Twitter supported by videos created a “Ukraine will win,” was not supported by those who saw Russias eventual incursion into Kyiv. It created this feeling on SM that was disconnected from what was really happening.
Again, there has been this “shoot the messenger” mentality here. I feel shattered personally for what is about to befall Ukraine. But I’m trying to report out what is actually happening, not what I hope is.
Morning round up. According to numerous reports, Russia has committed a majority of its invasion forces to the engagement. Their priority still remains the seizure of Kyiv. With Ukraines superior IO the govt and military, to Russias surprise, has not collapsed. 🧵
Officials and an analyst I spoke to say that Ukraines tactics appear to be engage quickly, and then withdraw and repeat. That the Russians used the promise of talks as a stalling tactic to build up forces in preparation for attack. The Russian advance has thus far continued.
There have been pledges to supply Ukraine with lethal aid, including Germany which had previously said no. However, there remains no easy way to get weapons to Ukraine and it would risk a confrontation with NATO and Russia. It’s also unlikely to stop Russia’s advance.
#breaking the US believes Russia intends to launch a full invasion of #Ukraine within 48hrs involving massive air campaign, land invasion, cyber, and even airborne ops, intelligence sources tell me. Developing story. newsweek.com/exclusive-us-w…
"Additionally," the U.S. official added, "reporting from aircraft observers indicates Russia violated Ukrainian airspace earlier today, flying possible reconnaissance aircraft for a short period over Ukraine."
"The President of Ukraine has been warned Russia will highly likely begin an invasion within 48 hours based on U.S. intelligence," the U.S. official with direct knowledge told Newsweek.
“The views expressed by the U.S. Army Reserve Soldier are hers alone and do not constitute an official statement by the U.S. Army Reserve.” @USArmyReserve spokesperson to me.
I suspect there is more to come in this story. Turns out people want to talk about her and distance themselves from her pro-Putin and anti-US, Biden, and Ukraine statements.
Update: her command, 1st Special Forces Command, has given me the following statement “Tulsi Gabbard’s comments made in her civilian capacity represent her views and not those of 1st Special Forces Command.”