Still big problems for #Russia in the occupied south of #Ukraine. British Intel today highlighting the transport links which will hinder their attempts to fend off a Ukraine assault in #Kherson or counter attack here towards #Mykolaiv.
The #Ukraine land assault in #Kherson will come, but #Russia adding 1000s of extra (untrained) conscripts + Wagner mercenaries to the warzone, complicates matters
The extra cattle fodder pushed in to #Ukraine by the Kremlin, along with #HIMARS and other western weapons, has seen a big uptick in #Russia's soldiers.
The Ukrainian estimates don't even include Wagner mercenaries they say, but the figures are higher than most western estimates
1/2 #Kharkiv was shelled again overnight and this morning. Officials say S-300s were fired from #Belgorod.
In the city, several strikes hit infrastructure/industrial facilities in the Novobavarsky and Kholodnohirsky districts.
In #Kharkiv oblast, earlier in the night, Bogodukhiv and #Chuhuiv districts were hit.
In the former, warehouses of a farm and a private house were on fire. In #Chuguev a school outbuilding was reportedly struck. No photos of the damage yet
#Donetsk channels also published these photos from the Kalininsky district of the occupied city after shelling there. But not much damage from the look of things.
This is the view towards the railway station in the centre of the occupied city taken 20 minutes ago. Multiple plumes of smoke give testament to a concerted attack.
Another huge strike by #Russia on #Mykolaiv overnight; two videos just published.
In one district of #Nikolaev there are fires, while here multi-storey buildings, a supermarket, a pharmacy and other shops were badly damaged.
It's also reported they hit an equestrian school
2/2 The governor of #Mykolaiv says Russian agents and bots immediately started pushing false narratives which should be countered.
* The local govt/infrastructure don't work
* #Nikolaev is a catastrophe - will become another Mariuipol
* We need to negotiate with #Russia.
The sacked Prosecutor General seems set to become #Ukraine's Ambassador to #Switzerland.
There was controversy when @ZelenskyyUa during a purge of government removed @VenediktovaIV from the post.
Unconfirmed reports from occupied #Kherson region of more kidnappings by #Russia.
The Occupiers allegedly abducted Yuriy Sobolevsky, deputy of #Kalanchak council & Tetiana Tkachenko, director of a school.
Russians have real problems finding people willing to teach 🇷🇺 curriculum
The occupiers in #Kherson don't do much to encourage teachers! At the entrance to School 48 in the city, they now have to see the Soviet Union flag on the desk.
The #AZOV battalion was declared a Terrorist Organisation in #Russia's supreme court y'day. The only reason is propaganda & to be able to pass longer sentences against anyone it wants to accuse of being a member.
Today Azov replied in the best way: 9🇷🇺 vehicles gone in #Kharkiv
Oh what a surprise.
Two days ago #Russia hits a minibus of Ukrainian evacuees, killing 3.
Next day they deny, say it was #Ukraine. No one believes them.
Today they claim a minibus in #Donetsk was blown up by a "petal mine" dropped by #Ukraine
An unverified Ukrainian media report here on more cannon fodder from the far east of #Russia.
A team of around 60 so called "Buryat Cossacks" signed up as volunteers, with promises of cash. The youngest is 50. As volunteers, no compensation when they die
The "Amazon of #Russia" has suffered a huge blaze in what looks like sabotage.
The largest warehouse of the Ozon online store is still on fire in the town of #Istra (about an hour west of #Moscow). At least one person has died and 13 are injured.
The Ozon warehouse cannot be saved.
Losses are 10m rubles ($163,000)
Arson is the only cause being considered although a news agency in #Russia has just reported the ultra modern building did not have a fire inspection since opening last year.
The State owned giant is easily the biggest in #Russia, with approximately a third of all banking business.
#Russia says there have already been 27 separate prisoner exchanges and swapping of bodies, with #Ukraine.
Some more propaganda emerging as #Russia desperately tries to think of new ways to avoid being blamed for the massacre of #Ukraine POWs in #Olenivka/#Yelenovka.
Among the new lines, The Kremlin says Ukraine demanded Azov prisoners were taken to that specific jail.
🇷🇺💩
#Ukraine used to be awash with fakes or illegal copies. Times are changing as the country tries to reach western standards on all fronts.
Here 2,500 counterfeit @Apple products are burned by the Kyiv customs office.
#Russia has been at great pains to hide from view the goings on at the railway station. Huge losses were reported when #Ukraine attacked the station.
Days later in another incident Russians themselves accidentally set off munitions
What time is it?
Looks like #HIMARS are paying a visit to #Pesky just north-west of occupied #Donetsk.
Rich pickings for #Ukraine's defence forces by the look of it.
As a ship full of #Ukraine's legitimate food heads to #Lebanon, a court there has annulled previous court orders on a Syrian boat (#Laodicea) and allowed it to flee with its cargo, almost certainly stolen grain from #Ukraine.
It's reported tonight that finally the @UN has agreed to "launch a mission to establish the facts" of the shelling of the Prisoner of War prison in #Olenivka / #Yelenovka in the #Donbas.
50 #Ukraine captives were murdered, with most fingers pointing at Moscow.
Update on the massive fire in #Istra near #Moscow today.
Some media reports in #Russia say 20 people are missing, but official channels have said this is not confirmed.
Another update from the gloriously free #Russia which tries to "free" other countries.
News now that if kids are caught using a VPN in an attempt to find out what's really happening in the world, the parents will be jailed. That's the latest serious proposal aired on TV tonight!
Remarkably quiet in #Ukraine right now with no major attacks to report in any cities.
Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych this evening said "We are in a lull, real events will begin within a week."
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