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.
A late start to today's thread on Day 1216 of Russia's war of choice, after another late finish due to the latest murderous attack on civilians by Putin's horde.
With all the important news, every day, this is THE best place for Accurate, Reliable, Honest analysis and reporting
Kyiv was again the target overnight, details at the end of yesterday's thread.
But a lot of important and interesting stories Sunday, including how the animal kingdom took revenge on one traitor, but more pain for Ukraine as a training ground is again hit
Zelenskyy is visiting my shores today, speaking with Sir Keir Starmer to discuss joint defence protection, which will probably see an agreement on manufacturing.
Ukraine's leader points out the hypocrisy of Russia, condemning the US strikes in Iran then hours later hitting Kyiv
Russia displayed outright Nazism + Fascism on Friday.
From killing in Ukraine, more utterings from the war-criminal in chief, to locking up young women and taking legal action against small independent new sites.
Thursday 19 June is Day 1212 of the conflict in Europe.
Russia continues to make ground, expending its soldiers at will for a few more metres as Ukraine fights for its existence having been shamefully let down by the USA.
I'm here every single day, so here's today's daily 🧵
Wednesday saw the death toll in Kyiv rise throughout the day, ending at double the number it started at. Then later Putin cynically told journalists they only hit military targets
Elsewhere another traitor to Ukraine met his fate - click here to catch-up
Trump is now 150 days late in promising "peace within 24 hours" of taking office.
It's also, as @andrii_sybiha points out, 100 days since🇺🇦 agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, as tRUmp demanded.
Russia did what it always does: delay, lie, kill.
No time to waste. Kyiv is under the most immense attack.
It's Day 1210 of Russia's increasingly desperate attempt to eviscerate Ukraine and all Ukrainians.
Here's the daily thread, continuing to document the night attacks...
Just gone 04:35 in Kyiv.
A hellish night is not yet over.
Apartment blocks, student dormitories hit.
6 districts of Kyiv city damaged, plus other injuries in the wider region
Here's the link for Monday's thread with all the last half showing the chaos:
If you're just waking up, here's an idea of what's happened to Kyiv while you were sleeping.
Ukraine's capital has not slept.
Many are without homes due to Russia's ongoing war crimes and one person, an American, has lost his life during the attack.
Hello again. Day 1203 of Russia's genocidal war in Ukraine
Anyone with a brain slightly larger than that of a chihuahua knows it. Russian history and Putin's own words spelt it out, but peaceniks, Naziniks and idiotniks are still in denial
More proof coming up in🧵for Day 1203
Yesterday's thread lasted well over 24 hours, but nothing to be proud of.
I know I'm crazier than you, and thankfully you all have lives to live. So you will be needing the link to the start of yesterday's thread so you can catch up on what you missed..