Day 165 of #Russia's illegal war on #Ukraine - welcome to my daily thread on events surrounding the conflict.
Of all the war crimes committed, the biggest was when #Putin decided to invade. Without this stupid, needless aggression, there would not have been one other war crime.
In case you missed anything last night, you can scroll back through the previous day's thread. I've been asked to include a link, so here it is.
Y'day evening we saw proof of Russia bombing #Donetsk, which it controls and the confirmed death of a traitor
It seems to have been a little quieter overnight than in previous days, but of course the regular hotspots on, or near, the front line have been hit including #Kharkiv and #Mykolaiv, more on that shortly in the thread.
The daily British update concentrates on #Russia's problems with its highest command.
London reports "at least" 10 Generals have died on the battlefield in #Ukraine and six Commanders have been sacked.
#Kosovo police arrested a Russian "journalist" at the border overnight at a time of heightened security. Dariya Aslamova was suspected of being a spy.
A Kosovan Minister said "many countries have proven she was engaged in espionage for #Russia."
However she's now been released.
I'm not a naval expert, but I can't understand what's happening with that first ship to legally leave #Odesa with #Ukraine corn.
The #Razoni is at anchor near where I reported y'day, just south of #Turkey, in Intnl waters. It's around 250km from Tripoli
Any idea @YorukIsik?
"Military priests" arrived in #Kharkiv, the propagandists of #Russia say.
Absolutely sick that these guys can live with themselves if they profess to be religious. Oh, I forgot, the Russian church is an extension of the FSB - now it makes sense again!
An MP calling a German journalist a Nazi + threatening to kill
An economist saying it's too expensive to feed prisoners, make families pay or let them starve
And the usual crap about Nazis in #Ukraine, the west.
Whos' fascist?
The dangers facing #Ukraine's farmers are manifold.
Recently we saw tractors battling to harvest before flames engulfed the crops.
Now a reminder of another danger. In #Kherson region a combine harvester was destroyed by a landmine.
1/2 #Kharkiv was hit by at least 4 rockets this morning, possibly six.
Authorities admit #Russia his "civilian critical infrastructure" in the Nemyshlyansky and Industrial areas.
No photos from there yet suggests perhaps a military target was hit.
#Russia's latest firing on the #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant at #Enerhodar hit directly next to the station's dry spent nuclear fuel storage facility according to Energoatom.
Three radiation monitoring sensors around the site were damaged due to enemy rocket attacks.
"Amnesty International deeply regrets the stress and anger caused by our press release about #Ukraine's military tactics" it said in an email to Reuters, but no statement on its website and no apology from @AgnesCallamard for saying we're trolls!
Bizarrely, #Russia's censors have today blocked the website "Grammarly"
Could backfire this one - it won't help the trolls write even half decent posts now!
A first close up look at what are said to be radar reflectors hanging on the sides of the Antonivskyi Bridge in #Kherson.
Many believe they won't work as #HIMARS operate through GPS and even scramblers may struggle to stop the US rocket systems.
#Ukraine's emergency services released video of the shelling in #Mykolaiv earlier.
One of he rockets hit the roof of a building in he Inhul district.
The Sierra Leone-flagged vessel carrying Ukrainian grain has changed its route.
It's apparently waiting for instructions on a new destination after its original destination from Tripoli in #Lebanon.
Still with #Ukraine's attack on the main road bridge in #Kherson.
A longer video now, which clearly shows a second hit on the #Antonivskyi bridge. One fire was already alight when the second explosion happens a few metres away and later you hear the sound wave.
The bad news for #Ukraine this evening comes in the central-western city of #Vinnytsia.
It's been confirmed there are casualties after missiles hit military bases. The local Governor says they're investigating why air defences did not work.
What a shame for #Russia that they forgot to tell #Ukraine...
Just this afternoon the occupiers proudly announced they'd destroyed the #HIMARS which had been firing on bridges in #Kherson region!
As Homer would say, Doh!
Unverified:
There is also a fire and explosion reportedly in #Chaplynka in #Kherson region.
This is occupied territory too, east of the city of #Kherson. Waiting for details, but could be a small warehouse on fire.
Also unconfirmed reports earlier in #Kherson that rockets may have hit the hydro electric power station. Personally I'm not so sure, nothing further written on this on news or chat sites for a while.
#Ukraine says 4 civilians were killed and six were injured by Russian shelling in #Donetsk today.
Day 166 of #Russia's war of choice. Yep, the monster in the Kremlin chose to start a needless, full-scale invasion of #Ukraine. Welcome to the daily thread for all the news
Sunday was quiet until an explosive evening - if you missed it, click here:
Hello, welcome to Friday and to Day 163 of #Russia's war on #Ukraine
Critical days after The Kremlin's tactic of carpet bombing the front line, then throwing 1000s of cannon fodder into the "grey zone" seems to be pushing Ukraine back in #Donetsk.
All the news, all day, here⬇️
The @TheStudyofWar last night reported #Ukraine "is likely seizing the strategic initiative and forcing #Russia to reallocate forces" due to threats in #Kherson.
However their maps don't include the news about #Avdiivka and #Bakhmut which I brought you in yesterday's thread
Also last night I showed the scenes in #Nikopol - and I'll tweet a new video in the next post
UK's MoD's update highlights the sheer recklessness of #Russia firing on Nikopol from a nuclear power plant in #Enerhodar, storing weapons there knowing #Ukraine can't risk firing there
2/2 The Red Cross statement says they had no access to prisoners in #Olenivka before the strike. This contradicts Russian propaganda channels which claimed they visited 4 days before.
US Intel concurs with my assessment Russia is delaying UN/ICRC visits to plant evidence.
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