From an American volunteer on the front lines outside of Kyiv:
"Sitting close to the frontline, the last safe mode of transportation leaves for greener pastures. A core group of about 30 foreign fighters remains out of around 200 people who were here just minutes ago..." 1/
"The base we came from was struck by rockets in the early morning hours. People we lived with for a couple days are confirmed dead. It is only a matter of time before our location is targeted. We are about to be cut off by a Russian tank column any day now..." 2/
"Food, water, and ammunition dwindle slowly. The mood is somber, people are sending their last messages to friends and family." 3/
"Where is NATO? Where is the supposed good of western civilization?" end
An important note: this American is a special ops veteran who completed combat deployments to Afghanistan. He came to Ukraine before Russia's full-scale war on Feb. 24. He is an experienced, well-trained soldier who gave up his lucrative career in the US in order to help Ukraine
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One of the hardest parts of this past year has been the amount of time my wife and I have spent apart. The prolonged separation from Lilly because of Russia's invasion has added an entirely new layer to my understanding of war, and all its hardships. 🧵/1
As an Air Force pilot, I learned about the combatant's experience. As a journalist, I bore witness to war’s toll on civilians and soldiers alike. /2
Now, as a man who lived in a war zone with his wife, I truly understand the struggles of innocent civilians, caught in the crossfire, whose lives are upheaved and sometimes destroyed by war. /3
In Kyiv — I just heard several explosions. Not sure the source but loud from where I am in the city center. We’re under an air raid alert.
More sounds of explosions just now, sounds like air defenses. Ukrainian Air Force reports a ‘massive’ Russian cruise missile attack is ongoing.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko just announced on his telegram channel: ‘There may be power outages in Kyiv. Charge phones and other devices. Stock up on water.’