1/ Less than a week after meeting Trump in Alaska, Putin spent more than $4 million to destroy ONE American consumer goods factory.
Here’s what proves it was a deliberate provocation to @realDonaldTrump ...🧵⤵️
Here’s what proves it was a deliberate provocation to @realDonaldTrump ...🧵⤵️
2/ At 4:30 a.m. on Aug 21, Russian Kalibr cruise missiles slammed into the Flex facility in fairytale Mukachevo, Ukraine—just 30 miles from the EU border.
A massive fire tore through the plant.
At least 19 people were injured. ⤵️
A massive fire tore through the plant.
At least 19 people were injured. ⤵️
3/ The factory belongs to Flex, a global electronics maker based in Austin, Texas, with 148,000 global employees.
The Mukachevo plant made consumer and lifestyle goods—e.g., printer cartridges. Nothing for defense.
So how do we know Russia's attack was deliberate? ⤵️
The Mukachevo plant made consumer and lifestyle goods—e.g., printer cartridges. Nothing for defense.
So how do we know Russia's attack was deliberate? ⤵️
4/ For more than 3.5 years, Russia left Mukachevo untouched.
A beautiful castle city tucked beyond the Carpathian Mountains, in Ukraine’s far west—about 30 miles from Hungary and Slovakia—it was safe.
Now—just days after meeting Trump—Putin chose to slam it. ⤵️
A beautiful castle city tucked beyond the Carpathian Mountains, in Ukraine’s far west—about 30 miles from Hungary and Slovakia—it was safe.
Now—just days after meeting Trump—Putin chose to slam it. ⤵️
5/ But Putin wasn't hitting the city itself.
The Flex factory sits at the city's edge.
The target was clear. ⤵️
The Flex factory sits at the city's edge.
The target was clear. ⤵️
6/ Russia sent not one, but two Kalibr cruise missiles—
each costing up to $2 million.
It could have used cheaper, less precise drones to send a mere message.
Instead, it made a bold statement—choosing major destructive devices definitively to hit an American factory. ⤵️
each costing up to $2 million.
It could have used cheaper, less precise drones to send a mere message.
Instead, it made a bold statement—choosing major destructive devices definitively to hit an American factory. ⤵️
7/ Flex isn’t a war company.
Its Mukachevo factory opened in 2012—long before the full-scale invasion. Flex cared for its Ukrainian workers.
Putin wasn’t even trying to pretend to aim for a military target.
He wanted it to be obvious that this was a hit upon AMERICA. ⤵️
Its Mukachevo factory opened in 2012—long before the full-scale invasion. Flex cared for its Ukrainian workers.
Putin wasn’t even trying to pretend to aim for a military target.
He wanted it to be obvious that this was a hit upon AMERICA. ⤵️
8/ Mukachevo is closer to Budapest and Bratislava than to Donetsk.
Just 30 miles from the EU border, in Ukraine’s far west, it is by some accounts the geographical heart of Europe.
Russia’s goal: intimidation. ⤵️
Just 30 miles from the EU border, in Ukraine’s far west, it is by some accounts the geographical heart of Europe.
Russia’s goal: intimidation. ⤵️
9/ Hours later, President Trump posted on social media that he would not act like Biden, who restricted Ukraine from fighting back.
You can't win if you can't strike the invader's soil, he said.
He was vague about what he might do—
but he said:
“Interesting times ahead!” ⤵️
You can't win if you can't strike the invader's soil, he said.
He was vague about what he might do—
but he said:
“Interesting times ahead!” ⤵️
10/ Now, @Flexintl is part of the massive global supply chain for AI and silicon chips—and maybe this was a move to show the USA that Russia and China want to control global tech.
Or maybe it was a way for jealous Putin to hit America, thinking he could get away with it? 🧵🎬
Or maybe it was a way for jealous Putin to hit America, thinking he could get away with it? 🧵🎬
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
