U.S. secretary of defense #Austin and secretary of state #Blinken are now in #Kyiv meeting with Ukrainian president #Zelensky, said Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych in an interview on Ukrainian TV apnews.com/article/russia…
Some people apparently are questioning whether U.S. cabinet members #Blinken and #Austin have actually met with Ukrainian president #Zelensky in #Kyiv today. Here is a relevant update:
One of the first full reports of what was discussed and decided when U.S. secretary of defense Austin and secretary of state Blinken met Sunday with Ukrainian president Zelensky. Lots to unpack ... stay tuned. 3/ apnews.com/article/russia…
From the AP report about the #Blinken, #Austin & #Zelensky meeting in Kyiv:
U.S will provide #Ukraine with 1. $165 mill. worth of ammunition compatible with Ukrainian weapons 2. $713 mill. in financing to help Ukraine acquire additional weapons. 4/
Also from the AP report about the #Blinken, #Austin & #Zelensky meeting in Kyiv:
U.S. diplomats will be moving back to Kyiv, but the embassy there will remain closed for now.
Current U.S. ambassador to Slovakia, Bridget Brink, to be nominated to be new U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
Photos from the meeting yesterday that U.S. defense secretary #Austin and secretary of state #Blinken had with Ukrainian president #Zelensky.
Videos from the yesterday's meeting of U.S. secretary of state #Blinken, defense secretary #Austin, Ukrainian president #Zelensky and other senior government officials from #Ukraine.
Very positive words from #Ukraine Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov about the relationship between his country and the #USA after the meeting yesterday with U.S. secretaries #Austin and #Blinken and President #Zelensky.
Think about this: "Austin and Blinken traveled to and from Kyiv by train and crossed into Poland shortly before Russian missiles struck several railway lines — including one near the Polish border — according to people with knowledge of the visit." (from @Politico)
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There are reports of a fire today at an airbase in #Ussuriysk on the far eastern side of #Russia, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Vladivostok. This is an initial video. I'll use this 🧵 to track news and other information about it.
This is a map giving the general location of #Ussuriysk, #Russia, where there are initial reports of a fire today at an airbase.
There is an initial geolocation of the #fire at the #airbase in #Ussuriysk, #Russia based on FIRMS (heat-based satellite) data: 43.926833016066254, 131.93714760608663 (HT @BertvdLingen)
One or more fuel depots in #Bryansk, #Russia are on #fire after residents in the area reported hearing explosions. Bryansk is in the area of Russia near both the Belarus & Ukrainian borders (about 100 km from both). Will post more as furter info comes in.
1. "Russian forces continued to pressure Ukrainian defenders in the Azovstal facility in Mariupol." 2/
Key Takeaways (contd.):
2. "Ukrainian sources report that Russian troops are preparing to conduct renewed assaults on Azovstal that would likely prove costly - possibly to meet a Kremlin-imposed deadline to clear Mariupol - but ISW cannot independently confirm these reports." 3/
The New York Times yesterday published a long article about former German chancellor Gerhard #Schroeder, whose continuing close ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin have essentially destroyed his reputation in the West. 1/ nytimes.com/2022/04/23/wor…
Schroeder was interviewed for the lengthy Times article. One statement he made during the interview captures a key reason he's become a pariah: "I don’t do mea culpa," he told the Times. "It’s not my thing." 2/
Two things from the Times Schroeder article I didn't know.
1. Schroeder has two adopted children that originally are from Russia. 3/
It hasn't been discussed that much, but #Kharkiv in eastern #Ukraine has suffered enormous damage the past several weeks due to Russian shelling and missiles. Here are some links and thoughts related to what has been going on there. 1/
A quick thread with some perspective on the damage #Kharkiv has suffered has been put together by @Tomthescribe: 2/
The Wall Street Journal recently published a lengthy article by @yarotrof that described the devastation #Kharkiv has suffered and how residents there are coping with the destruction. The article includes numerous photos. wsj.com/articles/in-ob…
1. "Russian forces continued their pressure on the Azovstal facility in Mariupol." 2. "Russian troops drawn from the retreat from Kyiv are re-entering combat in eastern Ukraine." 2/
Key Takeaways (contd.):
3. "Russian forces from around Mariupol are redeploying to the vicinity of Donetsk City and are likely to enter combat again soon and without rest or refit." 3/