1. Today Russian insurgents attacked from NE of #Kharkiv and engaged and destroyed Russian amor that was lured into an engagement with infantry supported by tanks of the #RussianVolunteerCorps. 
2. The reports conflict but it appears the two tanks in support of mounted infantry entered Russia west of where the insurgent forces attacked on Thursday when the insurgents attacked Russian FSB forces at a border control point south of #Shebikino.
3. Thursday Russia moved in and insurgents withdrew back into Ukraine but successfully fixed the Russian mechanized forces for today's attack. With the Russian mechanized forces near of #Shebekino, rather than attack the border control point again, the insurgents
4. attacked 2.5 km SW and on other the other side of the #SiverskyDonetsRiver with two tanks and several trucks with infantry forces. The Russian armored forces moved to engage from the other side of the river. Reports vary but it appears that one insurgent tank was
5. damaged but was able to withdraw while the remaining insurgent forces destroyed three Russian tanks and moved into the settlement of #Tavolzhanka. There were reported insurgent artillery strikes on #Shbekino that was put into panic. Amid growing fears in #Shbekino
6. the insurgents hacked the local radio and broadcasted there will be a referendum Sunday and called for support for establishment of #PeoplesRepublicOfBelgorod that sent Russians fleeing in panic and abandoning the city. In addition, insurgent forces threaten attacks in
7. the area to the west attacked on 23 May and in #Valuyki that is 170 km to the east. This could be a feint but it caused Russian forces to deploy to try to cope with the two possible new areas of insurgent attacks. Russia appears poised to lose its first city.
8. I find Thursday's big European leaders' meeting in #Moldova particularly interesting and satisfying in the context of today's developments and the news about the #PeoplesRepublicOfBelgorod. Moldova shares a recent history of Russian aggression with #Ukraine.
9. Over seven years ago Putin's threatened Moldova and Odessa with creating the Budjak republic.
10. 🇲🇩🇺🇦✌️
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
