Thread by @TWMCLtd

Hello again and welcome to the daily thread covering the #RussiaUkraine war for Weds 12 April, which is Day 413 of the illegal invasion by Moscow.

All yesterday's news is just one click away, right here:

https://twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1645667275540684806

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Let's start with strange "goings-on" in #Russia overnight.

It started with what some residents in #Yekaterinburg thought was a missile, but could well have been a meteorite.

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In #Yekaterinburg strange "fire circles" reportedly developed at the site of impact. Officials in #Russia say it's all a fake for "Cosmonauts Day"

In #Moscow there was definitely something unidentified floating above the capital yesterday evening.

A spike in the number of invaders killed in #Ukraine takes #Russia's total losses to over 180,000.

Add on permanently wounded/disabled at a ratio of at least 2:1 and we're talking about well over half a million men (almost all are men) whose families lives are changed forever.

Flawed defence? Britain's daily Intel update questions #Russia's much vaunted new defensive lines in Occupied #Ukraine:

#RussiansGoHome

Yesterday in the thread I showed the supposed beheading of a #Ukraine soldier by #Wagner forces. Now, as CNN reports here, a second video has emerged of a similar event. Even hands have been cut off.

Every day new war crimes by #Russia.

edition.cnn.com/2023/04/11/eur…

Quelle surprise! Another company based in #France allegedly eager to gorge in the trough of blood money.

@absolutvodka may pride itself as a vodka from #Sweden but it's owned by @pernot_ricard, and this paper reports they've resumed exports to #Russia.

kristianstadsbladet.se/kristianstad/a…

oops @Pernod_Ricard in last tweet.
Apologies for my typos each day - in my defence I write a lot, and some are autocorrects when trying to tweet on my phone, others I have only myself to blame!

"How easily these beasts kill" - President Zelenskyy reacts to the execution videos.

Two such clips are circulating showing #Russia's "soldiers" beheading captured #Ukraine troops.

When are western leaders going to say: #RussiaIsATerroristState?

https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1646067913932132352

#Serbia's Defence Minister has denied another of the stories from the U.S. Intel "leaks"

Miloš Vučević categorically denies that the Serbs have already given, or are planning to give, weapons to #Ukraine.

He says it's designed at destabilising Serbia.

#Ukraine will receive more Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles from America.

The news suprisingly came from the Polish PM during a press conference in Washington following talks with USA VP Kamala Harris.

ukrinform.ua/rubric-polytic…

Meanwhile a press agency in #Poland is alleging that #France is blocking the EU's unanimous decision to finance the supply of ammunition for #Ukraine.

It claims France wants refunding for ammunition or rockets which Ukraine doesn't even ask for, or use.

pap.pl/aktualnosci/ne…

Now even #Russia admits the US Docs Leak could be an intentional operation by Washington.

RU Dep FM Sergey Ryabkov told AP
“It’s probably interesting for someone to look at these documents, if they really are documents or they could be a fake or it could be an intentional leak.”

Surely the question has got to be asked?
Surely @antonioguterres has to do something?

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1646055701318365184?t=leLJOxv9rkCDZozbwMsS8g&s=19

Victory Day parades in Occupied #Crimea and #Sevastopol have been cancelled.

Almost all cities in #Russia hold some sort of 'celebration' of victory in World War II.
However you will still only see 1941-45 on the posters - conveniently forgetting the collaboration with the Nazis

Victory Day parades in Occupied #Crimea and #Sevastopol have been cancelled.

Almost all cities in #Russia hold some sort of 'celebration' of victory in World War II. However you will still only see 1941-45 on the posters - conveniently forgetting the collaboration with the Nazis

University lecturers in #Omsk are being forced to "voluntarily" pay for #Russia's war.

Employees of the Dostoevsky State University are told to donate a day's earnings to support those killing Ukrainians.

#RussiaIsATerroristState

The UK starts the promised crackdown on oligarchs' "financial enablers", helping them to move money and evade sanctions.

Travel bans have been handed to two men based in #Cyprus, alleged to be providing services to Abramovich and Usmanov.

https://twitter.com/FCDOGovUK/status/1646102302292410368

This story has been around for a while now, but #Ukraine's govt has flagged it up again today - saying #Russia may be preparing to leave the occupied nuclear power plant in #Enerhodar.

It's based around imported workers being told of evacuation plans:

sprotyv.mod.gov.ua/2023/04/12/oku…

Another schoolkid has been detained in #Russia for posting the flag of #Ukraine on social media.

11 year old Varvara Zholiker was reported to police by a teacher.

Remember, this is the "freedom" Putin wants to export to the world.

rferl.org/embed/player/0…

It's reported that in #Russia there are huge queues at border checkpoints, chaos in ports, cargo at a standstill after a huge hack of the Russian Customs service.

Ukraine Online says Customs Officers are now forced to switch to paper documents. No-one has claimed responsibility.

This is how the agricultural company "Radhosp Bilozerskyi" in #Kherson region looks after being targeted by #Russia

But there's more to the story. A #Ukraine TG channel accused the company of deliberate bankruptcy.
Foodstuff should be used to pay wages, but it's all being ruined

Video from #Ukraine's called "DaVinci Wolves"

The battalion is fighting to keep open the only supply road to #Bakhmut, in almost unbearable conditions.

#StandWithUkraine

The #USA has joined the UK in issuing sanctions against those who evade, or help others evade, restrictions.

Among those on the long list is Hungary's (Russian owned) International Investment Bank (IIB) and Hungarian execs.

home.treasury.gov/news/press-rel…

#Ukraine's border service issues another update of an important small victory in #Bakhmut

Specific details of how #Wagner tried to covertly break through defensive lines, but troops from the Border Guard spotted & counter attacked, killing 7, injuring 12

dpsu.gov.ua/ua/news/U-Bahm…

#Spain says 6 Leaopard-2 tanks will be shipped to, and in #Ukraine before the end of April.

Four more are being repaired and will also be sent soon.
#StandWithUkraine

A well known writer and former Putin "confidant" has died aged just 48🤔

Eduard Bagirov apparently suffered multiple organ failure and was in a coma for the last week, but no underlying reason has been stated.

Writer of "Guest worker" and TV scripts, he remained a propagandist.

The Government in exile of the Chechen Republic of #Ichkeria has given President Zelenskyy two of its highest honours.

The Honour of the Nation and the Order of Jokhar Dudayev were presented by Intel chief Kyrylo Budanov on behalf of Ahmed Zakaev.

president.gov.ua/news/prezident…

Seen in #Berlin... street art commemorating the murdered #Ukraine Prisoner of War Oleksandr Matsievskyi.

Oleksandr was gunned down for saying "Slava Ukraini" when captured on the frontline.
This artwork is on Schwedter Strasse in the German capital.

Thanks @NeneOriginal.

#Kherson is under attack again this evening.

Aerial bombs are likely being used with #Russia's jets active again. Explosions already reported (unconfirmed)

#Ukraine needs better air defence NOW!

Former Wagner mercenary identifies his former colleagues in "beheading video"

I've just seen the video (in Russian) with human rights activist Vladimir Osechkin, thankfully Meduza already wrote the story in English!

meduza.io/en/news/2023/0…

A quiet evening so far in #Ukraine 🙏

Good night everyone - back during the night or morning with a new thread!