Tymofiy Mylovanov Profile picture
Nov 27, 2022 17 tweets 6 min read Read on X
Good evening. Day 5 after the latest Russian attack on Kyiv. Day 277 of the war. I am president of the Kyiv School of Economics, a former minister of economy of Ukraine, and a professor of economics at the University of Pittsburgh. I left the US for Kyiv 4 days before the war 1/ Image
and stayed there, with some short trips outside of Ukraine for fundraising. Officially, I am on sabbatical leave from Pittsburgh this year. I guess not many people have field sabbaticals, here the field is a war. I left the US because I must lead the Kyiv School of 2/
Economics through the war. I hold a green card and can leave Ukraine at any moment. But I do not want to and will not do it. Now, back to my day. It was busy and I am tired. Shopping, looking and assembling things. In short, preparing for another likely Russian attack tomorrow 3/
We got our super warm winter hiking clothing out. Many people suggested that we can sleep in a tent in our bedroom. So we dug out sleeping bags and went to buy a tent. 4/ Image
The shops were open and it was Black Friday. Everything on sale. But when we were about to pay, the electricity went off. The shop had a battery and continued to run. They used Xmas lights to save electricity instead of their regular ones. It was very cozy. Here is a pic. 5/ Image
Many people suggested that when the electricity and heating go out, we use candles or gas / kerosine heaters to warm the apartment. We decided against it. First, it is not too safe for novices. Second, none are on the market or we could find. So, we drove to 6/
another store to get at least some wood and coal. The plan is to use an simple and small firewood oven that we can set up on our balcony if all else fails. How do you drive when there is no lights in the city, that is, no traffic lights? Traffic police come out! My respect! 7/ Image
We wanted to try the firewood idea, just to practice, when we get home. But we got exhausted bringing all this stuff to the 8th floor. So, we will try it another time. Will post the picture. Yet, my wife wanted some tea anyway. And also she wanted to get hot water 8/ Image
for the morning. She asked me to start the generator so she can use electric tea pot. I did and discovered another problem. The snow on the balcony has melted. And the generator was sliding towards the windows because of vibration. I need a way to fix it in place, but that’s 9/
for tomorrow. Anyway, the water is boiled and stored in thermoses. We have two, one liter each. Perhaps, we should get more. We can probably order them delivered. Here is a pic of a delivery man on a bike 90 mins before the curfew. 10/ Image
That’s a private service. Public services work too. Here is a tractor shoveling snow on a sidewalk. All pictures taken when we were driving back from a mall. 11/ twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
The mall looked normal too except for occasionally blinking light, shortage of products in electrical and heating departments, and occasional assignments by managers to their staff to remember to start generators for the night. There was even a sushi restaurant. A good one. 12/ Image
In the morning, we checked out a center of “nezlamnost”. These are shelters when people can get warm, get some tea, access internet, and power their devices. Here is a Starlinks set up for you :). Very cute! 13/ Image
The center is run by a charity organization “solomenski cats”. Solomenski is the place. Here is their logo. We proposed to them to equip 10 more centers like that and KSE Foundation will match / provide 50% of funding. The rest they should raise themselves 14/ Image
The centers are set up officially at the request / initiative of the president and mayors. There is some funding. For basics. They are set up in hospitals and schools. The problem is that often money is not enough. You should have organizational and procurement capability 15/ Image
This is where we will try to help. Finally, I posted separately about our students spending the last night at the university building (we have one, no dorm). Here are some pics. 16/ twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
We are ready for another attack. Russians often hit on Monday. That’s tomorrow. Every time damages get worse. No water and heat for days. But people are adapting. You can donate to KSE here. Thank you so much for your support!!!

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More from @Mylovanov

Oct 9
Russia deployed mounted soldiers in occupied Ukraine for the first time since the 1950s.

Videos confirmed that horses are now used to transport ammunition and equipment across muddy terrain where vehicles fail because of fuel shortages and damaged logistics lines, United24. 1/ Image
On October 4, Defence Blog released a video recorded by a Ukrainian FPV drone. It showed a Russian soldier on horseback attempting to hide behind the animal before both were destroyed by the drone’s explosion.

2/
The return of cavalry highlights the logistical crisis inside the Russian army.

With rising fuel scarcity, destroyed supply trucks, and heavy mud conditions, some frontline units now rely on horses and donkeys to move shells and food to their positions.

3/
Read 8 tweets
Oct 9
Russia has turned the war in Ukraine into a massive learning project, analyzing every failure, adjusting tactics, and rebuilding its defense system.
NATO must learn from this war too, or it will face an enemy that studies faster than it does, Dara Massicot in Foreign Affairs.
1/ Image
By early 2023, Moscow built a “learning-industrial complex” linking soldiers, defense firms, and universities. Over 20 commissions now collect frontline data, analyze battles, and push tactical and technical updates across the armed forces.

2/
The result: more than 450 revisions to combat manuals, new drone and missile tactics, and greater autonomy for junior officers. Russia’s Southern Military District holds regular cross-branch UAV workshops; artillery academies rewrote their doctrine in 2023.

3/
Read 9 tweets
Oct 8
Moscow now earns more naphtha revenue from Taiwan than from any other country.

The Guardian: Taiwan paid Russia $1.3 billion for naphtha in the first half of 2025 — six times its 2022 level.

The shipments supply feedstock for Taiwan’s chip and plastics plants. 1/ Image
Since 2022, Taiwan has bought 6.8 million tonnes of Russian naphtha worth $4.9 billion — about 20% of Russia’s total exports.

The trade gives the Kremlin steady income while Taiwan promotes itself as an ally of Ukraine. 2/
Taipei banned chip and defense technology exports to Russia but kept fuel trade open.

Local refiners buy discounted Russian cargoes because Taiwan imports 97 percent of its energy and lacks alternative suppliers. 3/
Read 6 tweets
Oct 8
We know that China has enabled Russia to fight Europe. Here are the receipts, by Bloomberg:

Beijing’s ships helped cut Baltic cables, its hackers hit European systems, and its disinformation now runs in sync with Moscow’s.

1/ Image
Western officials say this coordination is deliberate — a “below-threshold” assault designed to weaken Europe without open war.

2/
China builds its “silk curtain” from Greece to Hungary, courting illiberal governments and buying influence across the Balkans to split Europe’s south from its west.

3/
Read 8 tweets
Oct 8
Ukraine’s Flamingo missile changes the game.

The Economist: Ukraine’s FP-5 “Flamingo” cruise missile — 4× cheaper than Tomahawk. It can fly 3,000 km and carries a 1,150 kg warhead.

Ukraine already produces up to 3 Flamingos per day, and soon 7.

1/ Image
Almost half of Russia’s refineries have been hit by Ukraine’s DeepStrike campaign.

Damage to fuel plants and export terminals has cut diesel exports by 30% and caused fuel rationing across Russia. 2/
Ukraine’s strikes reach 1,500 km inside Russia, hitting refineries, depots, and pipelines.

Attacks make repairs harder and losses permanent, forcing Moscow to ban fuel exports. 3/
Read 5 tweets
Oct 8
Russia forces men from occupied Ukraine to fight — and die — for it

OR

Stories of who Ukrainians forced to fight for Russia

Igor Tkachenko, 21, from Melitopol, died last summer fighting for Russia. In old school was placed a “hero desk” with his name and image — The Times

1/ Image
At 13, Igor posted Ukrainian nationalist symbols and supported Ukraine’s army. After occupation, men in his region were pressured to register for service.

Those without Russian passports were denied services or given summonses at checkpoints, said Serhiy Danylov.

2/
When the process of “passportisation” ended, men aged 18–29 were called up for service.

Danylov said around 200 men from Kherson were conscripted last year — “this year they want everyone.” The autumn draft began October 1, calling up 135,000 men from Russia and occupied Ukraine.

3/
Read 6 tweets

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