Day 321 of #Russia's war. There's been outright war in Europe for every month of the past year after the unprovoked aggression started with bombs and the invasion of #Ukraine last February.
Follow all the news around the war, updated here in this thread throughout the day⬇️
I'll start in the now traditional fashion by giving you the link for yesterday's thread in case you missed anything in the #RussiaUkraineWar
Everyone in #Ukraine is awaiting news from #Soledar on the eastern front. It's not looking good with supply lines possibly having been effectively cut - #Russia has fire control over the main route in to the town in #Donetsk oblast.
Russians are sacrificing 1000s but may succeed
Here's a photo of the car in which two people died in #Kramatorsk.
#Russia's rockets hit the car and road last night.
More details are being reported on the mystery of how and where #Ukraine hit a Russian boat yesterday.
Sources say it happened on the River Dnipro in #Kherson region, at Bilohrudove near to #HolaPrystan. The vessel was hit by artillery from the right bank.
Big media finally cover the disappearance in #Ukraine of volunteers Andrew Bagshaw and Chris Parry.
However, they're reporting that both are British. I wrote yesterday Mr Bagshaw, from Christchurch, is a New Zealander. But he does hold dual citizenship
In #Kherson the Council has released photos of damage from the latest attack by #Russia on a residential area of the city.
Deputy Chairman Yuriy Sobolevskyi says this lake is the crater from the explosion. "There are no military targets nearby. They're terrorists."
This is becoming far too common. #Russia gets to know where humanitarian aid distribution points are and looks to be deliberately shelling them. It cannot be coincidence. It can be called evil and terrorism.
One of the very few overseas politicians to visit east #Ukraine, she visited the badly bombed district of Saltivka and met medics during her tour alongside Kharkiv's Mayor +🇺🇦's FM
In occupied #Donetsk,rockets hit one of the city's mines.
Here is the damage to the Skochinsky mine in the Kirovsky district of the city.
It's reported that #Ukraine has captured a popular Telegram propagandist.
Anatoly Dryomov has amassed almost 50,000 subscribers to his Telegram channel while fighting for #Russia
Here is a screenshot of the man said to be him, being questioned plus earlier pics from his channel
#Russia refuses to admit the true losses and won't publish names of the dead
However Ukraine has just released another intercepted call where a woman says her husband helped transport 22 truck loads of bodies.
Unverified
#Russia's propaganda channels and war bloggers claim #Wagner mercenaries have entered the centre of #Soledar and captured the local Admin/Council building.
Obviously these are as yet unconfirmed reports which #Ukraine denies
Meanwhile here's a recent satellite photo of the town
Two Russians reportedly injured tonight in #Belgorod.
The local Governor says the border village of #Shebekino has been repeatedly shelled.
#Wagner militants released a short video claiming to have taken control of the administration building in the centre of the town.
Here's a screenshot and it was noticeable they shot very tightly, not showing surroundings.
2/3 Gunfire can also be heard in the clip so there is still fighting.
Also, thanks to Google, we can clearly see #Wagner were NOT at the main council building in the centre of #Soledar, which is shown here:
3/3 A few more searches reveals the old school number 14 was turned into #Soledar council buildings 3 years ago. It matches the facade in the video.
This WikiMapia photo was taken before the inscription was added.
Thanks @Chr39548346 for correcting me. School 14 is <200m away
Very sadly, the photos/news on Telegram about missing volunteer Chris Parry was a sick fake
The photos did not show up on image searches, but found the originals now - taken from Chris' instagram account when he had an op in 2016.
Chris and Andrew are still missing near Bakhmut
Russians write that they've given #Ukraine's troops in #Soledar a midnight deadline to surrender.
I doubt this is true and even if it is, there will not be a surrender. There is still a route out albeit now far more dangerous than a few days ago.
Explosions in #Kharkiv confirmed.
No further details yet.
#Kherson keeps getting shelled. Each day, each night
#Germany has eased the situation a little with the supply of 7 powerful generators. Head of Kherson Yaroslav Yanushevich posted this photo saying 3 are for water/sewage system, one for cancer care + 3 to help power in the city
The trend of slightly lower losses for #Russia continued yesterday. The data released by #Kyiv today show 430 more dead invaders and 5 more drones, but nothing especially noteworthy in the figures.
Tomorrow may be slightly higher after a number of hits reported on Russian bases.
Britain's daily update highlights a dilemma facing #Russia, while also confirming the hurried extra defensive actions taken to protect the northern "border" of occupied #Zaporizhzhia.
Shchaslyvoho Rizdva! Ukrainian for Happy Christmas.
I extend warmest wishes to those who still celebrate today in #Ukraine including those in Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and to all Russians who protest against the illegal war too.
It's Friday 6 January. It's Day 317 of the war. #Russia's illegal war on #Ukraine.
But remember it's almost the 9th anniversary of the initial invasion by #Moscow including the occupation and annexing of #Crimea against all international law.
Here's my daily news thread:
It's actually been a quiet start to the day as it was to end Thursday evening.
But I know quite a few of you (especially on non Euro time zones) like to catch up on what you missed with one easy to scroll through thread.
In three weeks it will be 6 months since the #Olenivka (RU: #Yelenivka) massacre.
I am shocked to hear @StephDujarric say the UN has given up trying to investigate. They were "not able" to visit the scene of the crime - an admission of guilt in my book
Welcome to yet another daily thread as #Ukraine moves one day nearer victory in its bid to liberate its land from #Russia's illegal invasion.
We've reached Day 316. All the news updated here throughout the day, so come back and scroll through later.
DMs open for tip-offs.💙💛
Wednesday ended in lively fashion after a quiet day. If you missed anything, the big news was from #Crimea where explosions/air defence were reported in two separate towns.