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."
1/2 This morning, not just Kyiv badly attacked.
In fact, at the moment, more people are known to have died in Dnipro then the capital and that's where I'll start.
5 killed and 25 injured there plus 3 more wounded in Kamianske in the wider region.
Hello again.
Day 1552. A holiday in many countries "Whit Monday" in most, Spring holiday in others (inc UK) and Memorial Day in the U.S
But after 4 years and 3 months, memorials are still being made in Ukraine because our leaders, collectively, let them down.
Here's the daily🧵
I'm still not quite sure where Saturday ended and Sunday began - the days merged into one for me.
What I do know is there were >120 new posts over the 48 hours, that's an average one story every 24 minutes, over the entire two days.
1/2 There are new murderous attacks by Russia already today in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Explosions have been heard in the city of Dnipro after an alert for ballistic missiles. Smoke can be seen, but no initial news of widespread damage, so hopefully air defence did its job.
Here we go again then. Day 1550 of Ukrainians wondering if they, their home, their relatives, will be bombed today.
About 16 million people have been born in the US and 15m in the EU since Russia started its full invasion of Ukraine.
Welcome to Saturday's daily🧵
Friday was a cracking thread, with vodka cheaper than a single tomato, legless Russians celebrating, Moscow claiming a college in occupied Luhansk wasn't housing Rubicon pilots and their drones and Ukraine causing more mayhem deep inside Russia.
#UkraineSanctions have been successfully employed again!
Lots of action in Russia last night, even before I closed the thread. Around 8am this morning another Ukraine strike in Perm' region, a distance of about 1700km.
Putin's gone from the expected capture of Kyiv before the end of Feb 2022 & annihilation of Ukraine's leaders & the country's culture, to begging China to keep it afloat & trying to quell dissenters at home as bombs fall!
The daily🧵
A quick reminder, everything I do is free. No extra content behind paywalls or subscriptions.
Every single day, documenting everything important about the war and about Ukraine. Still never missed a day. If you are able to support here's the link:
Wednesday 20 May is Day 1547 of Putin's catastrophic full invasion of its peaceful neighbour.
Russia has lost a large part of a generation of men - dead, dying or those who managed to emigrate. Reserves spent, economy collapsing.
Putin, not Zelenskyy, is Russia's biggest enemy
Let's start the daily thread in the traditional manner with the link for the start of Tuesday's thread.
A lot more destruction on both sides, as Putin grovels in China. Click, but remember to come back for today's news...
Welcome to THE daily thread on Day 1546 of the war.
Russia is showing small signs of desperation.
More economic woes, more Ukraine air attacks deep inside Russia, a desperation to strengthen ties with allies and having to make new nuclear threats.
All the news in one place:
Here's the link back to the start of Monday's thread for those catching up.
A day when Russia lost more equipment, including a helicopter, but also bombed the hell out of Dnipro, while the EU looks for a lead negotiator to meet Putin.
One thing I learned last night I'll repost here as very few people saw it last night, and for Ukraine watchers it's very interesting and potentially important.
Will Zelenskyi dare fire Zaluzhnyi so he has no platform in the run up to an election?