Thread 🧵 “There are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the 7 Oct attacks in multiple locations across Gaza periphery, including rape and gang rape, in at least three locations.” - new UN report concludes: The report comes from the office of the special representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in conflict. Pramila Patten and her team conducted a two and a half week investigation in Israel. Among their other findings:

🧵Excerpts from today’s report on Hamas’ sexual violence during and after Oct 7th from ARCCI submitted to the UN
“Analysis of the data reveals that sexual and gender-based violence systematically occurred in all arenas where the Oct 7th massacre occurred, as well as in captivity” “Several survivors of the massacre provided eyewitness testimony of gang rape, where women were abused and handled between multiple terrorists who beat, injured and ultimately killed them…

1/6 Putin's illegal war stretches far beyond Ukraine's borders:
"57% of the land in Ukraine was used for growing crops in 2019 — making it one of the most highly-cultivated countries in the world. By comparison, in the same year the US actively used 17%."
ig.ft.com/ukraine-war-fo… 2/6 "In India, 77% of the domestic supply of sunflower oil came from Ukraine in 2019. In China, it was 63%. Ukraine supplied 43% of the corn used in the UK in 2019, much of it to feed livestock."

1/ The Levada Center (an independent polling site in Russia now deemed a "foreign agent") released a new poll showing increased approval for Putin since the war began: from 69% in January to 83% in March.
bbc.com/russian/live/n… 2/ 69% of respondents believe things in the country are headed in the right direction, compared to 52% in February. Support for the State Duma has increased from 47% to 59%.

Zelensky in his first interview with Russian journalists: "I believe (Putin) was told that we (Ukrainians) are waiting for you with flowers and smiles, the situation is very bad, the current President (Zelensky) and party are not supported. I believe that 99.9%."

https://twitter.com/tikhondzyadko/status/1508051037412028417

Asked by @tikhondzyadko about who is in control of Mariupol, Zelensky says: There city is under Russian blockade, civilians cannot leave, and the port is mined. It's a humanitarian disaster. No food, medicine or water can be brought in given the continuous bombardment...

1/ A message from a source in Kyiv who asked that I share. I have translated from Russian: “It is very difficult to explain the mood of the population in short phrases - this is the pain of betrayal of neighbors - "friendly" Slavic peoples, and anger at the occupier, 2/ and the horror of what has been experienced and is being experienced, and fear of the uncertainty of the future. But, in 98% there is an unshakable faith in victory, in our army, in our own strength. Few remain detached from these events -

1/ Watching the Kremlin's propaganda machine - used to preplanned and scripted programming- have to improvise in real time to the Russian public...It's becoming increasingly difficult to explain how an operation "targeted just to the East", is not over yet? 2/ How do you explain where their sons are now? How to respond to even the most loyal viewer what their family members or friends in Ukraine are telling them? Sending them pictures of? Why is Russia bombing Kharviv? Kyiv? All of this can't just easily be dismissed as lies.

1/ Going after Putin’s inner circle and Oligarchs is an important step and one that many argue should have happened years ago. That having been said, Putin -to use Trump’s 🤷🏻‍♀️ description- is savvy enough to know he can’t be seen as beholden to anyone… 2/ This is why you saw that cringeworthy dressing down of one of his security chiefs Monday (which was prerecorded and could have easily been edited out). It wasn’t for a reason. He’s done the same in the past with Oligarchs like Oleg Deripaska (demanding he return a pen)….

.@SecBlinken to @tvrain: "A problem for any system that, like Russia, unfortunately turns into an autocracy (is that) few people tell the truth to those in power. I'm worried that President Putin doesn't necessarily get facts and truthful information." 1/
tvrain.ru/teleshow/veche… ..."If he believes that in Ukraine the Russian military will be welcomed with open arms, then I'm afraid he is deeply mistaken." 2/

1/Facing 15 ADDITIONAL years in prison on trumped up charges, @navalny is as determined as ever:
"I’m telling you now, employees of the Anti-Corruption Fight Fund, continue to publish facts. Find where Putin, his circle, relatives, put the stolen money..
tvrain.ru/teleshow/video… 2/...investigate all these United Russia ministers, publish, urge everyone else to distribute...I am fighting, yes, for to change the government in the country. I do not want these people to sit in the Kremlin, they have been sitting there for decades...

Some thoughts on what's likely to come next in Russia after Navalny is thankfully getting SOME treatment:
Yes, he has been finally given access to (likely ill-equipped) civilian doctors, leading to the end of his hunger strike.
BUT, here are the realities that lie ahead.. (1/10) Expect suppression of Navalny's colleagues and supporters at its highest level yet. In labeling them "extremists", officials have legal authority to treat them as terrorists. Early previews include colleagues who have been beaten, jailed for NO reason, and threatened. (2/10)

I’ve come across several explanations for Biden not mentioning @navalny (in either the read out of his call to Putin, or Thursday’s statement). They suggest it was done to avoid further enraging Putin and thus increasing the risk to Navalny’s life...(1/6)

https://twitter.com/biannagolodryga/status/1382801985120956418

Or perhaps a behind the scenes deal is being negotiated for a prisoner exchange. Here’s why I think both arguments are wrong:

1) Putin can’t be placated once he views someone as an existential threat/enemy (which is how he views Navalny). (2/6)

@navalny's team responds to Russian prosecutors seeking to declare them extremists:
"The darkest time is coming for free-thinking people, for civil society in Russia. Kremlin has just demanded that anyone who disagrees with it be recognized as extremists... (1/4)

https://twitter.com/navalny/status/1383099313962766340

I disagree with palaces and rising prices, raising the retirement age and corruption. Those who are ready to protest against this will now be declared extremists. It is clear that the Kremlin's new attack is linked to the upcoming rally and the elections in September. (2/4)

While today's IC report on Russia's effort to influence the 2020 election in Trump's favor is not surprising, a few things worth noting:
- Putin continues to rely on US social media companies to undermine US confidence in elections and "increase sociopolitical divisions"...(1/5) At the same time, the Kremlin is threatening to censor or even ban the same social media companies from inside Russia out of fear of @navalny and other Kremlin opponents gaining support from younger Russians disenfranchised with Putin (ahead of Sept. Duma elections). (2/5)

Another powerful speech from @navalny today as he returns to court in his libel suit involving a 95 year old veteran.
He brilliantly lays out the the hypocrisy and corruption surrounding the case and connects it directly to Putin’s government. (1/6)
zona.media/online/2021/02… Navalny: the government has provided the veteran with less than $150 in aid over 4 years. The cost of the investigation amounts to more than the veteran has received for all his life.
Contrast that with the opulence of Putin’s palace and his $675 toilet brushes (each) (2/6)

A visibly angry and defiant @navalny addresses the court (from prison):
I expected lawlessness, but not to this degree. To be detained after an impromptu hearing for one month?How is this possible?
"I expected Putin to come out and say, haha. Welcome back. It was a joke" (1/5) “No one understands why I'm here. I'm not even under arrest. I'm detained for a month. How is that even possible? Under criminal code, there are certain crimes where people can be held for 30 days. I don't meet any of them.” (2/5)