More than 2 million people have signed the @Justice4Ukr petition calling for a Special international Tribunal to prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression. I encourage you all to add your name and share it with #SpecialTribunalNow.
A 🧵 on why this matters.
justice-for-ukraine.com ———
While you read these words, unimaginable horrors continue to unfold for over 40 million men, women, and children in Ukraine - from the Russian bombardment of families in their homes to the widespread killing, rape, torture, and deportation in Russian occupied territory.

brilliant by @OliverBullough in his latest newsletter on the new Register of Overseas Entities,

1. For decades, oligarchs and others bought U.K. properties via used anonymous offshore companies to hide their identities. 2. David Cameron, when he was prime minister, promised to do something about this as part of an anti-corruption drive.

@ajwsmall @JEyal_RUSI 1/x @owenmatth book chief point is that China doesn't like the war, and isn't helping Russia much. That chimes with what we know . However, as I point out in my article, there are other reasons (chiefly sanctions) for that. @ajwsmall @JEyal_RUSI @owenmatth 2/x But the US flipflop on MiGs was mystifying. China could well have said that this would mean they supplied more ammo or other things to Russia. So the book's claim is a plausible explanation
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Thread 1/11

Too little, too late

Londongrad just took a direct hit. Or did it?

Look at the measures that the government has announced.

Here’s a quick guide 2/11 One of the most influential Russian banks, VTB, faces a full asset freeze in the UK. Russian banks can no longer use sterling, or the British financial system, to make payments.
Verdict: this will inconvenience Russian bankers. They will find ways round it.

thread 1/13 Putin's risk appetite is far greater than we realised. We are deluding ourselves (I was too complacent and thought he wouldn't go this far) So forget the stirring talk about Western unity and a revived spirit of purpose in NATO. 2/13 Warm words and high spirits do not bring the dead back to life. As you read this, Ukrainians are huddling in bomb shelters, dodging bullets, and seeing their dreams of a free, prosperous, law-governed independent country destroyed.

Thread: 1/5 Putin has done a classic bait and switch: frightened us with one thing so that we accept another. The further dismemberment of Ukraine, and an avowed Russian military presence there: in effect, two more Crimeas. 2/5 We should have started sanctions months ago (years, really). Instead we have waited for a "trigger" event. Putin just has to calibrate his behaviour to be complicated (Donetsk Shmonetsk -- who's heard of these places anyway)? and sub-threshold.

For anyone thinking that Ukraine would benefit from "finlandisation" here are a few quick correctives. 1) Finland did not enjoy or consent to being "finlandized" -- it was the result of Soviet military pressure. 2) Neutrality is no defence -- Russia attacked Ukraine when it was neutral. 3) Russia already promised to respect neutral Ukraine's sovereignty & borders in 1994 Budapest memorandum.

Liz Truss's visit to Moscow (thread 1/12). I'm delighted by the government's words but infuriated by the lack of real deeds. Britain's (for now largely symbolic) military presence in the Baltics and Poland disguises a failure to deal with the real problem: Russian money in London 2/12 We've long known what needs to be done. First steps: Clean up Companies House. Insist on disclosure of beneficial ownership. No visas for Kremlin cronies — and probably also for their spouses, parents, offspring.

so -- starting a new thread for those who have just joined my discussion with my friend @ClarkeMicah, who is right on a lot of things, but not this. The story so far. He contends that it is "indisputable" that Estonia and Latvia have mistreated their "Russian minorities" I think a) that the term "Russian minority" needs further explanation before it can be used and b) that there is plenty of room for dispute.