1/Russia’s aim now appears to be to destroy Ukraine’s energy system beyond repair not inflict blackouts like winter 22-23. They have focused their missiles on power stations outside of Kyiv. Kyiv currently being the only place with sufficient air defense

on.ft.com/3UaPybr 2/Ukraine has 11 thermal power plants: 3 in Kyiv and 8 outside of Kyiv. Russia targeted 7/8 thermal power plants outside between March 22-29 with barrage of missiles. The only one they didn’t target outside of Kyiv was Kurakove, on the frontline in Donetsk region.

I’ve left @guardian. I’m incredibly proud to have been the first Guardian Ukraine correspondent and want to say a huge thanks to my editors for their hard work and everything they have done for me, @wilsonjamie @DevikaBhat @SimonJeffery @PaulTOwen @olireports @alexolorenshaw I want to say thanks to my @guardian Ukraine colleagues for their hard work - countless memories @lorenzo_tondo @ArtemMazhulin @danielboffey @lukeharding1968 @_EmmaGH @dansabbagh @PjotrSauer @shaunwalker7 @Andrew__Roth @petersbeaumont1 @julianborger @AlessioMamo @mck_beth @EdR4m

Marko Bojcun has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Before he was a great scholar on Ukraine, Marko was part of a secret student movement born out of 1968 called Diialoh which wanted to free Ukraine from the Soviet Union and establish socialist-democratic Ukraine Though, as with many 60s movements, their dream was never realised. The efforts they poured into printing and distributing brochures about Ukrainian history, art, literature which they attempted to smuggle to Ukraine, themselves and via contacts, was nothing short of admirable.

1/ On Feb 24, there was only a platoon of paratroopers in Sumy city, they destroyed one column but then were ordered to move out, leaving Sumy residents to defend the city.

The armed civilians managed for 6 weeks.

Pictures @sia_vlasova

theguardian.com/world/2023/jan… 2/ The Sumy regional head appealed to the Ukr leadership on March 1, saying:

(Rough translation) ‘Small children to old people are being protected by NATO, not the countries but NATO - Our Fucking Amazing Territorial Defense Forces’

“НАТО – Наша А*уєнна Територіальна Оборона”

1/Yesterday, people were allowed to visit Izium, in Kharkiv region, for the first time since it was occupied by Russia in early March. It has often been described as a second Mariupol. 2/ Much of left bank of Izium was in ruins. The town’s residents have been living in abject poverty for the last six months. Apart for one period, they said they lived without electricity, some districts weren’t reconnected at all, which meant..

Our trip to Balakiia, formerly on the frontline of occupied Kharkiv region 1/ One of the most striking things was the ‘information vacuum’ and differences in perception of the last 7 months. Most people had no internet or TV for most of the period bc of power and internet cuts. 2/ No one we spoke to had heard about the atrocities committed by Russian forces against Ukrainians in other regions, or the events in Mariupol, where at least 20,000 people are estimated to have died.

50,000 have died in Mariupol, acc to one man coordinating the burials. Loved ones are rushing to find their dead before they're buried, unidentified in mass graves.

theguardian.com/world/2022/jun… Relatives are using Telegram to navigate the chaos of locating bodies and getting them buried or re-buried. In one group, they've confirmed over 1,200 deaths. Causes include hunger, lack of medical treatment, died while getting water, fire, airstrike

1/ The pictures from Bucha, Kyiv oblast confirm reams of eyewitness reports. Unfortunately, we're hearing almost identical descriptions from dozens of places under Russian occupation or seige. 2/ It's the same pattern, or rather tactic, (some of which they used in Syria). First comes the civilian infrastructure - cut off gas, water electricity