1/3 #Soledar - what is going on? The most frequent question right now.
I've been studying all reports I can find and spoken to people I know.
#Ukraine claimed a fightback re-taking the railway station and a mine. Much as I want to believe it, I cannot find any evidence of that.
2/3 @CNN claims to regularly speak to one of #Ukraine's soldiers in #Soledar. The latest communication looks incredibly bleak and makes for tough reading.
Officially Ukraine says they still hold Soledar, but it's looking increasingly unlikely. Hopefully the troops can get out.
3/3
I've been surprised there were so few gloating pics or videos from #Russia's Wagner mob in #Soledar.
But there have been some, geolocated by 🇺🇦channel DeepState. Its map shows they are in the centre.
There's likely #Ukraine fire from the rear, possibly inc tochka missiles
#Soledar
Another potential blow tonight too, but this is totally unverified.
Wagner claims its troops in 🇺🇦colours managed to walk into the 17th Tank Brigade's base and opened fire on officers and soldiers.
However, there has been so much malicious disinfo, don't believe it yet
Meanwhile an example of #Russia starting to tear itself apart?
Russia's Defence Min said we also had troops there.
Tonight Wagner produces a video with guys saying they're in those Russian units admitting they were not involved in battle of Soledar
Over 200 #Ukraine soldiers arrived in #Spain for training.
They were warmly greeted by Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles.
"It is a great honour for me to welcome.. Spain feels very close to the entire Ukrainian people since February 24,"
Rumours this morning that USA shared a secret report among NATO partners which claims a second wave of mobilisation in Russia will start at the end of February.
#Russia's Defence Ministry plans to forcibly call-up 400k-500k, believing this is enough to defeat #Ukraine.
Relatives told to keep quiet, social media posts deleted, anger simmering among relatives as funerals continue in #Russia's Samara region after the strike on #Makiivka almost two weeks ago.
Not content with using prisoners as cannon fodder, the ones who don't "volunteer" will likely be forced in to slave labour anyway, according to today's UK intelligence update.
Deputy Defence Minister of #Ukraine says the army is "defending bravely" in #Soledar
In her morning statement, Hanna Malyar repeated that the "enemy threw almost all the main forces into #Donetsk. This is a difficult stage of the war, but we will win. There is no doubt about it"
Locals in occupied parts of #Kherson and #Zaporizhzhia report being detained because their phones have the #Ukraine state app "Diya"
It's a multi purpose app which also includes digital version of the passport. The Russians don't seem to comprehend documents can be digital!
Tony - thanks for your inspiring words!
One of my biggest supporters he's just tipped me again and coffees are coming my way this morning!
Cheers💙💛
In #Belgorod a T-72 tank was being repaired. For #Ukraine it was a great repair. Probably someone started smoking? Ammo inside the tank detonated.
-1 tank. 2 others tanks damaged but survive
#Russia's again deliberately hit civilian targets in #Kherson city.
This time the Terrorist State hit a bus park. 16 public transport vehicles were damaged. One guard was injured.
Shell fragments also damaged the power grid - engineers are now trying to restore electricity.
Early in today's thread I reported Russian war channels openly saying Wagner mercenaries use #Ukraine colours, even uniforms to trick defenders.
The Centre of National Resistance confirms this also saying #Russia plans operations under foreign flags to discredit Ukraine/NATO.
More falling out among the Russians.
One of the official #Wagner mercenary channels, supposedly Prigozhin's own, publishes a statement (translation⬇️) from one of its leaders, strongly criticising the so-called #Donetsk republic leadership.
Despite #Putin's anger at #Russia not being able to manufacture aircraft quickly enough, if at all. Despite shortages of many items in the shops, not least medicines, #Hungary's PM claims "the sanctions failed, they miscalculated" referring to Germany and the EU.
Another small advancement of society in #Ukraine:
Surkis and Shufrych have been expelled from the country's National Olympic Committee.
There was a scandal in November which had forced the pair to initially resign.
Fairly sure a few NATO members will not be too pleased at this headline or the words within.
But I almost agree with @oleksiireznikov, though of course one hopes NATO would be quicker to react when Estonia or Poland is invaded if Russia is not stopped
Putin today made a rare trip out of the bunker, for a funeral of a regional leader.
Looks like the Mayor of #Ufa was told to announce this "assassination attempt"
This will make the public have sympathy for the great leader and they'll understand when he stays Tsar of the bunker
The Guardian's Defence Editor writes that #Ukraine expects pledges of tanks from both the #UK and Germany next week.
The British announcement is expected on Monday, heaping pressure on #Germany to release the Leopards.
In #Berdyansk a car burns in what appears to be an attack by #Ukraine partisans in the Morozov area of the city.
But #Russia's occupiers say the target, the imposed 'Head' of the city Aleksey Kichigin, survived.
He "noticed a suspicious object" under his car - 1kg of explosives
The squabbling lovers look to have patched things up today...
#Russia's Defence Ministry posted a statement acknowledging #Wagner group's role in the attack on #Soledar.
Operations were carried out by a “mixed group of Russian troops" but Wagner led the “direct assault.”
1/2 I've been toying for hours whether to highlight Ryan's account & grievances with some of #Ukraine's leadership.
What is written is damaging for Ukraine, but either way it needs @oleksiireznikov to investigate urgently and take action or say it's fake
1/2 #Ukraine is still hurting #Russia in #Soledar even if they're likely outside the city. I've trimmed this video to fit on Twitter. Drone operators track newly arriving recruits to their digs, and then blast it away.
So how is an army "in control" still getting hit so easily?
2/2
I've been told that the terrain is tough and #Russia's Wagner group has almost not bothered advancing artillery, just sending the convicts to fight to the death, hence the massive death toll and no protection for their advance troops.
Everything I've seen confirms this.
The most powerful tweet of the day. We can always learn from history.
Sadly, sometimes out leaders take too long to work it out.
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!
Hello again, thanks for visiting my Ukraine thread on Day 1353
Views/likes are down on both sites I post on: possible war fatigue
It's exactly what Putin wants from the world - to wear us down so we accept a deal to stop the killing
This will embolden Putin & hasten war v NATO
Here's the link for Thursday's thread.
It was a day which saw Ukraine inflict a fair amount of damage on Russia's energy sector and the crisis is nearing for Putin as it cannot export oil.
The energy crisis for Ukraine is about people surviving winter:
Welcome to November, which becomes the 46th different month to see fighting in Ukraine
And yet Russia is nowhere near its aim of Kyiv in 3 days.
Indeed 1,344 days behind schedule as we start today's thread on Day 1347 of the full invasion
Please think about sending a KoFi💙💛
Friday saw a lot of damage in Russia, an attempted counter-attack in Pokrovsk, Trump blank Orbán, power cuts in Moscow and so much more.
Clicking here⬇️will take you to the start of yesterday's🧵. Scroll through, catch-up then remember to come back here
Hello again, on Day 1346 of the war.
Russia's genocidal war, that's both the intent and the reality as Ukraine fights to keep not only democracy, independence and freedom but also to avoid its culture and language being eradicated.
This is THE daily thread. Happy Hallowe'en
Due to various different events, I am still awake & instead of adding to y'day's thread, I thought it best to start a new one, then get some sleep.
First, the link for Thursday's🧵which started with Russia's mass missile attack but ended with🇺🇦 attacking