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."
Saturday 27 December 2025 is Day 1403 of Russia's war of choice.
The day began with missile attacks on Ukraine shortly after midnight and the terrorism continued with drone strikes, may into residential areas, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of the damage.
Here's THE daily thread
Here's the link to yesterday's thread, which started with Russian murders, missiles on streets in Kharkiv and ended with the missile attack on Kyiv.
But there were also 'direct sanctions' taken by Ukraine on war criminals and military targets:
News is still coming in from Kyiv especially after the awful bombardment. Mayor of the city, @Vitaliy_Klychko has just issued an update saying 28 people have been injured, with 13 hospitalised
Although the city's had the air raid warning lifted, it's still affecting Kyiv region
Christmas Eve is another milestone as we mark the latest 100 days of war
Yes, it's Day 1400 of Ukraine's fight for its existence.
Coming up:
Zelenskyy accepts peace plan but are we really nearer peace?
A twist in Moscow's 2nd car bomb in 24 hours.
And all the news yet to happen
A very late start today - I apologise but it's Christmas time with things to do, places to go and also my body demanding enough sleep to survive!
So we start as usual with the throwback to yesterday for you to catch up, which included car bomb #2..
The seemingly random attack on police officers in Moscow last night, may have been a Ukraine targeted attack.
Two "traffic officers" died overnight on the same street where a Lt Gen was eliminated the day before.
Now it's reported the dead were in Ukraine and tortured civilians
This is the start of Tuesday's daily thread, with all the important news from, and relevant to, Ukraine in one handy place.
It's Day 1385 and I've still never missed a day of fact checking, analysing and reporting every aspect of the defence against Russia's illegal war.
Yesterday a lot of talking behind the scenes, but politicians were broadly tight-lipped on progress.
Russia did make more small gains on the frontline, but we also found a cat with burned whiskers + how Russian pilots' head-tennis went disastrously wrong
Pres Zelenskyy's whirlwind tour continues, arriving in Rome this morning to meet the Pope at Castle Gandolfo.
At Villa Barberini, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was welcomed by the vice-regent of the papal household, Augustinian Father Edward Daniang Daleng.
Day 1366 of the war in Europe is the start of two days of mourning in a small city in Ukraine which suffered over 160 killed and injured in a single Russia attack 24 hours ago.
As the war crimes mount, Trump approves a mad-hat simpleton's plan to end the war
Here's THE daily🧵
Here's the link for the start of Wednesday's🧵
I posted 65 stories - that equates to a post every 22 minutes throughout the entire 24 hours.
Psychologically a devastating day for Ukraine. Being murdered by Russia, being abandoned by the USA.
A reminder US officials are in Kyiv, due to meet Zelenskyy, when Ukraine's president knows he will have to tell the Americans to shove the surrender document up Witkoff's "White House pass"
Is Rubio undermining the WH plan?
It's certainly not realistic and without 🇷🇺concessions
Welcome to another daily thread covering all the important things happening in Ukraine right now, and therefore by (unwanted association) Russia too.
All things fact checked, analysed and explained.
The news you can rely on, every day, in one place.
It's Day 1361. I'm late!⏰
Well I had a lovely lie-in as, all things considered it was a relatively news-free morning
My "bitter enders" (those who make it through to the very end of the🧵) will know there was a big attack on Dnipro which kept me reporting late.
Missed it? click⬇️
One thing I've had to do is wade through Trump's interview on GB News. It's actually been worthwhile because it's a wonderful example I can use to train what NOT to do!
Main points being:
1'48" to ask a question is dreadful
Such simpering loses all credibility before you begin
The first few hours of Day 1360 of Russia's genocidal war started with Ukrainians in shelters. More innocent lives have been claimed by the Moscow horde.
The west unable or unwilling to stop the slaughter despite 1000s of war crimes.
We're not incapable, must not be unwilling.
One of the heaviest bombardments Kyiv has ever known dominated y'day's thread and the start of today's.
But Ukraine also continues to pick-off financial targets inside Russia
It all made for one of the longest🧵 so far - the least you can do is read it!