What's evident in #Russia's mobilisation is the "Animal Farm" principle. All areas are equal, but some are more equal than others
The regions supplying the most new call-ups are the ones which already suffered most deaths such as Dagestan, Buryatia and other south/east republics
#Ukraine's Air Force says it shot down 4 Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drones at once with two medium-range anti-aircraft guided missiles. This happened over #Mykolaiv region.
Putin's support is strong in remote areas of #Russia, but he knows it's the main cities which hold his fate in their hands. If quotas for mobilisation are very low in St Petersburg & Moscow, most of the middle-class will be comfortable, not on the streets
The "rush" to vote in the illegal referenda is underway. As you can see here, voting halls are full - but of journalists not residents.
Considering the majority have fled in some regions, it'll be funny to see the turnout figures which #Russia seems set to say is 90-95%
In #Melitopol' locals report Russians have been brought by bus from #Crimea for the cameras. They say some are being interviewed by "polling" stations while others drive cars with Russian flags.
#Ukraine's forces say they have regained some ground in #Bakhmut (RU: #Artemovsk). Advances have been made south of the town in #Donetsk, but #Russia still advances slowly from the east.
Meanwhile Ukraine has regained the village of Yatskivka.
1/2 #Odesa - a couple of videos now from the southern port city
Quite some activity there today. Many of the new #Iran drones have been attacking the city. The second wave seems to have just finished. At least six drones have been shot down by air defence today. #Odessa#Ukraine
2/2
Here's the aftermath of the kamikaze drones which landed in the port area of #Odesa a little earlier.
A reminder that one person died in this attack by #Russia.
Children reportedly injured in a school in #Mariupol' today when a mine exploded.
This happened at School #45. The occupiers clearly failing to demine either their own, or a #Ukraine explosive. Russians have not released exact details of casualties.
📷TG channel: mariupol
Thanks to Theresa, Iain and Nina who've all donated in the last couple of hours.
£2,158 raised so far to help #Ukraine's soldiers. If you can help at all, please see the pinned tweet on my profile. Thank you and #SlavaUkraini
Following the widespread drone attacks today, #Ukraine has revoked the accreditation of #Iran's ambassador in #Kyiv.
Iranian has repeatedly flown cargo planes to Moscow in the last fortnight, believed to be full of kamikaze and other drones.
Day 1530 of the war in Europe.
After almost going through the night, it's a late start for me today, but details are now in from another dramatic night.
More civilians murdered in Ukraine, more Russian drones in NATO territory and more Russian ships hit.
Lots to catch up on..
We fell well short of 15k views yesterday despite a very long thread.
We ended with late night drone waves by Ukraine, while earlier on Saturday Russia was hitting buses and trains in another big daytime attack as Putin gets increasingly desperate.
The morning after the night before. A dreadful 24 hours for Ukraine as Terrorism rained down on all four of 🇺🇦's biggest cities.
Russia acts with impunity. Putin & his commanders have got away with war crimes for 4 years, so what will change?
Here's the🧵for Day 1513
As I type, BSky is down, which causes problems as it's much easier to simul-post than go back & repost everything later.
So, like the old days before fascism took over here, I'm on X (itter) only.
But these problems are infinitesimally small compared to 1000s in Ukraine today.
A pretty astonishing 24 hours of round-the-clock day and night attacks from Russia. Trying to exhaust Ukraine's air defence missiles and also exhaust the operators too, no doubt.
Many, many civilian deaths and injuries.
This is how it unfolded..
You've found the start of another daily thread and Friday is Day 1507 of Ukraine's heroic struggle to keep alive its independent statehood.
Since Bohdan Khmelnytskyi's uprising in 1648, Ukraine has never had 35 years of freedom. It's about to accomplish that, but at what cost?
All the important stories, throughout the day, every day. It's all fact-checked; I'm a real, trained journalist with vast experience and knowledge of Ukraine.
What's not to love?😆
Catch up on yesterday's thread here:
This is the beginning of the daily Ukraine thread on Day 1491.
The day started with an attack a major Russian port, which I was still reporting on during yesterday's🧵at 03:15 GMT/05:15 Kyiv
More details on that coming up.
The aerial fightback at the end of the day (start of today) came after Russia broke every record in the book for drone numbers during a cowardly attack on less protected city centres in the west of the country.