1/ Harrowing story of how Russia turns Ukrainians from occupied territories into soldiers for its army.
Pavlo, once a Ukrainian soldier, was forced to fight for Russia and is now a POW. 2/ Pavlo, from Kalanchak in the Kherson region, fought for Ukraine in Donetsk region in 2019, where he was badly wounded. Living with a disability, he never returned to the army.

📸 Pavlo in 2019, shortly after his injury.

🧵1/ As a Ukrainian, let me explain why people are protesting across Ukraine in the middle of a full-scale war. 2/ Most of these young, bright people were born in a free Ukraine — never under dictatorship. They’re standing up for the country we want to live in.

Without corruption.
Where the law applies to all.
Where justice is real and fair.

Ukraine’s position before negotiations: 🧵

1️⃣ Ukrainians survived the winter despite constant Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. No blackout disaster, no collapse—Russia failed. 2️⃣ Ukraine has held the Kursk enclave for 8 months under heavy Russian pressure. Despite the odds, it’s still standing.

1/ Why do I feel like we’re living in two separate realities?

One - where Russia is failing to achieve any meaningful military goals in Ukraine and resorts to mass terror, like today’s missile strike on Odesa.

And another—where people still pretend there’s a “quick diplomatic solution.” 2/ Russia bombs Ukrainian cities daily. It targets civilians, critical infrastructure, and historic landmarks. Today, a missile hit near the Bristol Hotel in Odesa. Tomorrow, it’ll be somewhere else.

And yet, some still talk about “both sides” and “negotiating with Putin.”

1/ 🧵 Ukraine’s largest strike on Russian soil yet hit critical military and strategic targets deep within Russia, from Bryansk to Tatarstan. Here’s what happened and why it matters: 2/ 🇺🇦 Key targets included Engels oil depot, struck again after previous fire burned for five days, chemical plant in Bryansk producing ammunition and missile components, as well as oil depots in Saratov and Tatarstan.

Ukrainian sabotage operations are getting bolder and hitting deeper into Russian-occupied territory. In a daring two-stage mission, Ukrainian forces destroyed a train carrying 40 fuel tanks. 1/ 2/ First, saboteurs blew up railway to stop train in its tracks. Once immobilized, HIMARS strikes hit main and tail cars, making it impossible for Russians to save any part of the cargo.

While waiting out an air raid because of another swarm of Shaheds, here’s a thread with insights from a night spent with one of Ukraine’s mobile air defense groups in Sumy. It’s a key area where many drones pass on their way deeper into Ukraine. 🧵 1/ 2/ November set a record for drone attacks, with an average of 83 Shaheds (Geran) launched daily. Russia is also using Gerbera drones—cheap styrofoam decoys that overwhelm Ukrainian defenses and can double as reconnaissance tools when equipped with cameras.

Spent the weekend with Ukrainian military in the border area of Sumy. Here are some key highlights from the Kursk operation:

- Ukrainian morale is high, and troops are eager to push forward.
- Many young Russian conscripts are surrendering fast, and they’ve also captured Kadyrovites, who are said to ‘never surrender.’ All POWs are treated with full respect.
1/👇🏻 - One commander mentioned that the Kursk operation is moving forward thanks to weapons supplied by Ukraine’s partners, who trust in Ukraine’s ability to defend the country.
- F-16s are helping a lot, but Ukraine definitely needs more to keep advancing. 2/👇🏻

Zaluzhny's 1st presser was a punch to the gut. His strong and frank words expose the brutal realities in Ukraine & make the need for aid crystal clear 1/ ▪️"The evolution of military technology constantly transforms the nature of war. To win AFU must adapt to these changes. The war in 2024 not only may be different from the war in 2023, it must be different.