2/ #Putin loves symbolism and to leave calling cards.
It's no coincidence that he ordered the murderous strikes on an apartment block and two leisure complexes in #Odesa region with exactly the same delivery as #Kremenchuk - three X-22 missiles fired from Tu-22 strategic bombers.
3/ Now an 18th person has died in the cowardly attack by #Russia on the #Odesa region. Three children are among the dead, another is in a coma.
The main hits were in Belgorod-Dniester region of #Odessa. One missile destroyed a 9-storey residential building.
The information about the oil refinery in #Lysychansk does seem to be a little outdated.
One more small boat was added to #Russia's list of war losses.
A small craft was lost during the last #Ukraine attack on Snake Island and the ensuing evacuation by the Kremlin's forces, along with a Ka-52 helicopter which I wrote about last night.
There were also rocket attacks in #Mykolaiv region overnight.
#Ukraine's authorities there claim #Russia used outlawed cluster munitions again yesterday, while fresh grads already arrived this morning.
This is a video of the scene of one strike on a business in #Nikolaev
Today, the #EU flag has symbolically been installed in #Ukraine's Parliament.
The President of the European Commission @vonderleyen spoke via video link to The Rada. President @ZelenskyyUa pledged to fulfill all requirements to allow🇺🇦 to move from candidate to full 🇪🇺 member
Haunting
This poster recalls being sent to summer kids' camps at #Serhiivka, in #Odesa region, where many died today.
"Instead of children's laughter and fun, just death and ruin... #Russia will take everything if you don't stop them."
There is no hope now of ever knowing the real extent of the campaign of murder by #Russia's army in the southern port city. Crimes, like bodies, are hidden, burned.
#Russia's Foreign Ministry has just said "NATO starts an arms race"
It's unbelievable - having bragged about its new "Sarmat" nuclear capable missile which was tested in April, plus the Zircon from Submarine and the previous triumphant broadcasts of its new hypersonic weapons.
Often trolls write to me about Russia just supporting Donetsk's right to be free
Obviously it's baloney, Russia fomented trouble, while Putin brutally put down Chechnya's Independence bid.
Now no support for Karakalpakstan, huge demos, as it hopes to cede from 🇷🇺ally #Uzbekistan
US Ice Hockey team @NHLFlyers has lost its goal-tender.
Ivan Fedotov was trying to leave #Russia to start his new NHL contract in #Philadelphia when he was detained. Fedotov is suspected of evading the army and has been taken to the military registration and enlistment office.
* WARNING * Graphic video *
I cannot verify this, but it's said to show young victims of the #Odesa bombing.
In the early hours this morning #Russia attacked a resort in #Odessa, killing 20 and injuring many others.
A fire in the mayor's building at #Krasnoyarsk
All employees evacuated the building. Authorities say the blaze broke out in a technical room on the 6th floor.
Although this looks interesting, it doesn't look like obvious sabotage.
It's Alaska Day, or a couple of half-baked Alaskas meeting later as Russia hopes to carve up Ukraine, with Trump's approval.
That's much later on Day 1269 of Putin's war.
As I start this thread at around 02:30 GMT, 05:30 Ukraine, there is a big attack on Russia.
Let the🧵begin
In a rush to get to sleep, so let me waste no further time in giving the link to yesterday's thread.
Both X and BSky have been a bit crappy scrolling through threads. One thing you can do is click my profile and then "replies", click one + scroll up
Whoever said 7 days is a long time in politics was dead right.
An about turn from tough guy & threats to TACO queen & Putin's poodle. And the next 7 days is now set to bring another cosy meet between a felon and an indicted war criminal.
It's Day 1263 of THE Ukraine thread:
A later start to Saturday's thread because of a crazily late finish to the last🧵
Fewer than 20,000 views for the first time in weeks on such an important day🤨🤔
So much effort and so little impact some days 😢
If you're one of many to miss it, click⬇️
Day 1261 - the White House thinks the war in Ukraine is coming to an end.
Especially as the Kremlin has this morning announced Putin and Trump will meet in the coming days.
But is the war criminal just duping the US Pres again and buying more time?
Follow me & today's thread:
Much of Wednesday was taken up with the politics surrounding US envoy Wirkoff's latest chummy chat with Putin.
But then it turned dark, literally as the sun went down, but Ukraine looks to have had the better of the drone exchanges.
Catch up here:
1/2 The big story since the last couple of hours of y'day's thread has been Ukraine's multiple successes in breaching Russia's air defence at military targets.
The Kremlin says it destroyed 93 drones, 60 over the Black Sea. There's no mention of how many they missed!
Exhibit A:
Even the most ardent peaceniks are realising one side doesn't want to stop fighting. At least until, as a state new agency said recently, all Ukrainians are killed.
Each + every day you'll find all the news here in one handy🧵
Let's go!
If you missed anything of yesterday's developments, well not as much to catch up on.
Click the link to review, things only really started going late at night..
Trying to compile threads on a train, using mobile only so far, is a nightmare. My first typo was rather important. It's Day 1256, so the observant don't need to message me 😊
Family day out today, going to see "Evita"
But always a thread and as up to date as I can be.
"White rabbits" is what I have to say to you this morning.
An old British custom is to say 'rabbits' or 'white rabbits' (often 3 times) at the start of a new month to ensure good luck for the month ahead
August is the 43rd month of Russia's war.
Today is Day 1255. Here's the🧵
Yesterday was a depressing day.
Not just Russia's horrific attacks on Kyiv, but the general lack of response and condemnation. The world just shrugs its shoulders.
2 weeks ago I said things could move quickly on air defence. One system had reportedly already been delivered to Ukraine
Remember Switzerland's order was bumped down to give priority to🇺🇦?
Now Germany says 2 more Patriots will be sent by October, starting with launchers in days