Thread by @TWMCLtd

St George's 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Day in England, Day 59 in #Ukraine of the devastating war brought by #Russia.

Here's the daily thread with the most relevant news and analysis of the situation, updated in real time.

Starting with the territorial news and almost no change to the front lines anywhere in #Ukraine in the last 24 hours.

That is going to turn up the pressure on #Russia with Victory Day in just 16 days. It could lead to the invaders stretching themselves and taking too many risks

Attacks intensified around #Sloviansk as the #Donbas region remains the focal point of most fierce fighting.

Further south in #Donetsk region, just west of the city itself, the villages of Mar'inka and Novomykhailivka are bearing the brunt of Russian attacks and street warfare.

To the north in #Luhansk oblast, the town of #Popasna is pretty much destroyed. Street fighting has been happening for weeks with almost constant shelling.
Most civilians fled but three more died when residential buildings were struck.

#StandWithUkraine
#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

The only villages, towns or cities where #Russia visited which have avoided catastrophe, executions etc., are the ones quickly occupied. Anywhere the invaders have to fight they destroy civilisation.

Such as #Moshchun as seen in this video by Ihor Zakharenko (TG feeriatravel)

Of course the Kremlin is capable of precision bombing and even shelling, but chooses to use terror tactics, while pretending everything is targeted.

#Russia's Defence Ministry today releases this video of Ka-52 attack helicopters launching raids on #Ukraine military equipment.

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Now I'm sure you're all waiting for the latest instalment of Russia's "disasters" after 2 huge fires and the collapse of a dam in the last couple of days.

Well today I bring you news of something that seems totally unconnected with the war, or sabotage (probably)

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Three people have died in #Orenburg after an explosion in a mine. State authorities say safety regulations being "violated" plus inaccurate data from gas meters were the cause.

However just 3 days ago in Orenburg anti-terrorist "drills" at a fuel and energy complex🤔

#Azov soldiers in #Mariupol' have produced a new video from within the surrounded Azovstal steel plant.

It proves there are many women and children sheltering from the Russians there, deep underground in the complex.

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

A reminder satellite photos have unveiled what look like two mass graves in #Mariupol' so far.
With mobile crematoria also being used, it's just too grim to think of how many citizens have been murdered by #Russia. Even local authorities' claims of 21,000 could be underestimated

In #Kharkiv region contrasting news.
#Russia is piling in more troops and heavy artillery near #Izium - #Barvinkov is hell right now.

However north of #Kharkiv, close to the Russian border, #Ukraine seems to have reclaimed the villages of Bezruky, Slatyne and Prudyanka

A number of explosions were reported in #Mykolaiv overnight. However head of the city, Vitaliy Kim, reports only minor damage, windows shattered and no injuries from one rocket attack.

#Nikolaev #SaveUkraine #StandWithUkraine️ #StopRussia

Ukraine's authorities issue a warning for people trying to flee #Mariupol' today. Last night I reported there will be "green corridor" buses to Ukrainian held #Zaporizhzhia.

However it's now reported #Russia has organised its own evacuation, direct to Russia to confuse locals

Hopefully not connected with the war, but extraordinary CCTV footage from #Ternopil' in west #Ukraine.

During the night a woman drove her car into the city's Cathedral. There were no casualties, but some historic things were damaged

The @ICRC says it's had to stop work in #Mariupol'

The situation is apparently too dangerous. Yesterday Russia said life was getting back to normal and most streets were calm!

Meanwhile @SkyNews again parroting the Kremlin trope about many Nazis in Azov.
Where's the proof Sky?

308 #Mariupol citizens, incl 90 kids, have arrived in Vladivostok, far east #Russia. That's a journey of almost 10,000 km.

It's strongly believed many of the refugees did not know they were going to Russia, let alone 150km from the North Korean border.

credit: TG andriyshTime

#Ukraine's Intelligence service says virtually all of the People's Militia of the illegal "Donetsk Republic" has been wiped out.
Many were unprepared for real war and became cannon fodder in the battle for #Mariupol' with 1,000 believed to have died.

t.me/DIUkraine/393

I was a little sceptical of no reported injuries in #Mykolaiv overnight considering the amount of explosions heard and reported on social networks.

Now Anna Zamazeeva of #Nikolaev's city council has admitted 8 people were wounded.

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1517779760004440065

News just coming in... a missile has hit a building in #Odesa.

Some reports saying it's a high, possibly residential building, others saying "infrastructure"
#Odessa

#StandWithUkraine #StopRussia

From what I can tell so far, there have been 4 explosions in #Odesa. More have been reported, but some seem to be missiles intercepted by air defence.

One high-rise has been struck: cars, windows damaged.
Also a fuel dump may have been hit with dark smoke visible.
#SaveUkraine

This is thought to be one of the missiles in #Odesa which evaded air defence heading in to the city

#Odessa #StandWithUkraine #StopRussia

I have seen a video from #Odesa with masses of smoke and what looks a very big explosion at the block of flats.

There was an air raid warning for #Odessa, but very surprised if everyone survived this blast.
I'm not permitted to post the video yet, but here's a screenshot

Here's a close up of the #Odesa apartment block on fire immediately after the strike

This follows #Russia's usual pattern - fire loads, one or two at residential targets, claim they went off course because they were shot down, or "a mistake"

#Odessa now
#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

Lots of videos being published from #Odesa now including by #Ukraine news groups, so here's some of what I've seen:

#Odessa attack. #SaveUkraine #StandWithUkraine

#Odesa #Odessa now
#UkraineUnderAttaсk #StopRussia
#PutinIsaWarCriminal

A wider photo now of the scene of the big explosion in #Odesa/#Odessa

Remember this is just one of a number of strikes on the port city this afternoon.

Now reported that one person died in this vehicle by the apartment block in #Odesa

Others are feared to have been killed in their homes after Russia's aerial attack on #Odessa.

Explosions reported too in #Dnipro and #Dnipropetrovsk region. Awaiting confirmation.

#UkraineUnderAttack #SaveUkraine #StopRussia

Today's planned evacuation of residents in #Mariupol' has been abandoned. At the shopping centre gathering point firing began.

Russia is blaming rockets fired from the Azovstal plant, occupied by #Ukraine's resistance.

Same tactic, same #Putin, same #Russia

If an opponent does not give in, attack the people.
Time and time again.

#Odesa #Odessa

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1517850557926580224

Another big funeral for the so called separatist Donetsk army

Commander of the Sparta Battalion, Sergey Agranovich was killed a few days ago in Avdiivka. Call sign "Vodyanoy" he served alongside the one called "Motorola" in the first Russian invasion in 2014

#StopRussia

3 thought to have died in the #Odesa attack now, including a 3 month old child.

The #Odessa council says 6 missiles were fired. Two were intercepted. Two hit residential buildings and the other two struck military targets.

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

Now to the attack in #Dnipropetrovsk region.

Hopefully no injuries - the rocket landing just outside a village and leaving this huge crater.

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

2 more Russian generals eliminated and a third critically injured in this attack in #Kherson region, which I reported last night.

The news comes from #Ukraine's Intelligence - translation of the announcement here:

#SlavaUkraini

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1517638728096833536

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Absolute fury with this "Russian deceit" in #Mariupol'

Evacuees were told to disperse by Russian troops because "there will be shelling" - there was none.

At about the same time Russian buses turned up just 200m away.

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1517853282219311105

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The #Mariupol' refugees boarded - only to be told after the buses departed, that they were heading to Dokuchaevsk, which is in occupied Donetsk region.

No-one was allowed off the buses which refused to stop until they reached their destination.
Another load of kidnappings.

The death toll in #Odesa has risen to 5.
Another 18 people are known to be injured in the Russian attack on two residential targets in #Odessa.

These figures are expected to rise as rescue workers continue to search the ruins.

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia #StandWithUkraine

Famous Russian actor Chulpan Khamatova was one of the main speakers at a rally in #Latvia

The "Russian Voice Against the War" protest was held in #Riga to show Russian speakers are not united behind Putin.

Note three flags - the 🔵⚪️ for Russia!

photo credit: @meduzaproject

It's now known that 11 people died in Thursday's fire at the Aerospace Defence building in the Russian city of #Tver

Five more bodies were recovered from the rubble today.

#StandWithUkraine #StopRussia

The sickening hypocrisy of the Russian church knows no bounds. One of its most senior figures, Vladimir Legoyda, is wailing about Ukraine "planning a provocation at Easter" - he was saying this shortly after Russia's ruthless and illegal attack on apartment blocks in #Odesa.

News just in - #Turkey has closed its airspace to Russian craft flying to/from #Syria.

This means difficulties for Russia getting extra troops back home for #PutinsWar on #Ukraine, and could also cause problems with supplies for Syria and maybe African operations.

#Ukraine President @ZelenskyyUa is giving a Press Conference with journalists from a metro station in central #Kyiv.

Earlier I wrote this tweet⬇️ on the basis of the report by authorities in #Dnipropetrovsk.

However, #Russia says there was much more damage as a result of the missile attack. They say they hit this factory which they claim was a military target.

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1517871989637238784

3 civilians have died in #Kharkiv region today according to the Governor of the region.

Oleh Sinehubov reported the deaths came in shelling on #Chuhuev and #Derhachi, while another 6 were wounded in the city of Kharkiv itself.

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia #StandWithUkraine

"They are stinking scum" says @ZelenskyyUa about Russia, "I have no other words, just scum."

Zelenskyy is answering questions from hundreds of journalists in #Kyiv, responding to the 7 missiles which killed 8 people in #Odesa including a one month old baby.

#PutinIsaWarCriminal

#Zelenskyy "We do not surrender. Ukrainians will not surrender. What they (Russians) are doing is Nazism... raping babies. This will enter history books, a new word "Rashism", but the same as the actions of Nazis 80 years ago."

#SaveUkraine #StopRussia

#Zelenskyy
"We will become one of the most powerful EU states, which will have the most powerful army. Not because we are special, but because we have no other choice. We live with this reality because we have such a neighbour. (Russia)"

#StandWithUkraine️

This evening thousands have been queuing at the border crossing between #Ukraine + #Poland. But this time they're waiting to get back IN to Ukraine

Around 1000 cars plus 150 trucks waiting in line - orthodox Easter tomorrow the main reason for people returning home to see family

Rumours tonight that #Russia is making plans to parade thousands of Prisoners of War from #Ukraine during the "Victory Day" parade on 9 May.

This would be yet another flagrant breach of the Geneva Convention.
Personally I doubt it will happen, but nothing's impossible with Putin

Two more Russian missiles have been shot down over #Odesa this evening.

These came hours after the murder of 8 civilians in Russia's last attack on #Odessa. The moment of impact was caught on one cameraphone

⚡️Breaking⚡️

The Consul of #Bulgaria in #Melitopol has been kidnapped by Russians

The news was given by the elected Mayor of the occupied city. Ivan Fedorov himself was the first person abducted (and tortured) by Russia following the invasion of #Ukraine
pravda.com.ua/news/2022/04/2…