This is the start of the daily 🧵for Day 386 of #Russia's war of choice in #Ukraine.
For all Wednesday's news, including US pilots volunteering for Ukraine, assassination plot against an EU figure and an unexplained fire on occupied #Berdyansk, click⬇️
I'll start today with #BakhmutHolds.
No big changes to report. #Wagner troops have advanced right into the centre, but it's constantly changing as the cattle get slaughtered and retreat.
Speaking of slaughter of Russians, the number of invading soldiers killed in the last 24 hours tops 1,000 again. A large number of #Russia's troops died in an attack at #Nevelske 20km from #Avdiivka
High numbers of tanks + artillery systems too, plus the aircraft I noted y'day.
Oooh, the British update today is genuinely interesting and newsworthy!
I hadn't mentioned #Vuhledar (RU: #Ugledar) for a couple of days and here's why. Plus, we know now what RAAM is.
More explosions in #Russia's border territory of #Belgorod last night.
The Governor claims two #Ukraine missiles were shot down in the early hours of this morning. Some residents say debris fell near a thermal power plant in the city.
#Russia continues to deny a new mass mobilisation, but MobilizationNews channel has now counted at least 40 regions where registration papers have been sent out.
The Kremlin says it's just to check details are up to date, but no-one believes it. Fear is growing.
The Pentagon has just released the video of the moment its MQ-9 Reaper drone was downed over the Black Sea.
Two of #Russia's Su-27 fighter jets do indeed spray fuel on the UAV and then the second one appears to clip the Reaper.
The Kremlin denied its jets hit the drone
#Thailand says it has concluded an extradition agreement with #Russia.
Fighting crime is great yeah. Except I wonder if the Thai people have been told in the Russian constitution they won't extradite anyone. So Thailand is being used. Who's taking the Russian rubles in Bangkok?
Curioser and curioser. This is verbatim a statement from a state news agency in #Russia:
"Law enforcement agencies are checking reports of a possible appearance of an armed group of people in one of the districts of the #Oryol region.
The Emergency Services are still trying to eliminate the fire at the FSB Border Service building. They claim the blaze was started by faulty electrical wiring.
A fire broke out this evening at a steel structure plant in the Leningrad region.
Emergency crews went to the village of #Fedorovskaya, about 300km east of St.Petersburg, saying there was a threat of gas canisters exploding.
In #Kyiv today a tribute to those massacred in #Mariupol
It's exactly one year since one of #Russia's worst war crimes when they deliberately bombed the city's theatre which was being used as a bomb shelter, and which had the word "deti" (children) written outside.
It's Alaska Day, or a couple of half-baked Alaskas meeting later as Russia hopes to carve up Ukraine, with Trump's approval.
That's much later on Day 1269 of Putin's war.
As I start this thread at around 02:30 GMT, 05:30 Ukraine, there is a big attack on Russia.
Let the🧵begin
In a rush to get to sleep, so let me waste no further time in giving the link to yesterday's thread.
Both X and BSky have been a bit crappy scrolling through threads. One thing you can do is click my profile and then "replies", click one + scroll up
Whoever said 7 days is a long time in politics was dead right.
An about turn from tough guy & threats to TACO queen & Putin's poodle. And the next 7 days is now set to bring another cosy meet between a felon and an indicted war criminal.
It's Day 1263 of THE Ukraine thread:
A later start to Saturday's thread because of a crazily late finish to the last🧵
Fewer than 20,000 views for the first time in weeks on such an important day🤨🤔
So much effort and so little impact some days 😢
If you're one of many to miss it, click⬇️
Day 1261 - the White House thinks the war in Ukraine is coming to an end.
Especially as the Kremlin has this morning announced Putin and Trump will meet in the coming days.
But is the war criminal just duping the US Pres again and buying more time?
Follow me & today's thread:
Much of Wednesday was taken up with the politics surrounding US envoy Wirkoff's latest chummy chat with Putin.
But then it turned dark, literally as the sun went down, but Ukraine looks to have had the better of the drone exchanges.
Catch up here:
1/2 The big story since the last couple of hours of y'day's thread has been Ukraine's multiple successes in breaching Russia's air defence at military targets.
The Kremlin says it destroyed 93 drones, 60 over the Black Sea. There's no mention of how many they missed!
Exhibit A:
Even the most ardent peaceniks are realising one side doesn't want to stop fighting. At least until, as a state new agency said recently, all Ukrainians are killed.
Each + every day you'll find all the news here in one handy🧵
Let's go!
If you missed anything of yesterday's developments, well not as much to catch up on.
Click the link to review, things only really started going late at night..
Trying to compile threads on a train, using mobile only so far, is a nightmare. My first typo was rather important. It's Day 1256, so the observant don't need to message me 😊
Family day out today, going to see "Evita"
But always a thread and as up to date as I can be.
"White rabbits" is what I have to say to you this morning.
An old British custom is to say 'rabbits' or 'white rabbits' (often 3 times) at the start of a new month to ensure good luck for the month ahead
August is the 43rd month of Russia's war.
Today is Day 1255. Here's the🧵
Yesterday was a depressing day.
Not just Russia's horrific attacks on Kyiv, but the general lack of response and condemnation. The world just shrugs its shoulders.
2 weeks ago I said things could move quickly on air defence. One system had reportedly already been delivered to Ukraine
Remember Switzerland's order was bumped down to give priority to🇺🇦?
Now Germany says 2 more Patriots will be sent by October, starting with launchers in days