🧵By my initiative, veteran organizations of Ukraine have issued an appeal to members of the U.S. Congress, which you'll see in this thread. Dear Members of the U.S. Congress! For the past ten years, Ukraine has selflessly and steadfastly resisted the attempts of the Russian Federation to seize not only our independence but also the right to exist.

From now on, the words "junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" are followed by "retired".
The army gave me the brightest days of my life, friends, purpose and, eventually, a referral to the disability commission. 1/7 More than a month of the military medical commission, then trips to headquarters and military enlistment offices, "why did you put your legs through this" from a military enlistment officer, and a routine farewell. 2/7

In the United States, two flags are fluttering in the wind above the White House. The first is, of course, the American national flag, with stars and stripes. The second one underneath is almost entirely black. It's small, but noticeable. And when the President of the United States, or any of his guests, looks at the White House, they see the little black flag and remember.
They recall that not all American soldiers returned home.

This flag is usually called the POW/MIA flag.

Hey there, kittens!

Took myself for a walk in Kyiv recently. Yeah, on my own, using my own two legs. Walked for 7k steps, and came home happy as a kid. But that's not the point.

What do you do, when you see a visibly wounded person in camo? 1/9 When it's clearly visible: a missing limb or an eye, having a prosthesis, walking on crutches or riding in a wheelchair. What are your actions, when you see a wounded soldier?

I see, what you do. You look away and pretend you haven't seen anything. 2/9

At the end of last fall, I've received a message from a soldier, who died in 2018.
Once again.
«…is now on Viber».

«…has joined Telegram».

Each day, thousands of people received such messages from fallen soldiers. 1/5 Because mobile networks disconnected & resold phone numbers, which haven't been used for a long time. Someone bought a SIM with a number, which is listed as "Dad", or "My beloved" in other's phones. Then, friends and relatives started to receive such messages from the dead. 2/5

Yesterday, after surgery, an unknown doc enters my hospital room. At that moment I just woke up after anaesthesia, with my brain yet to start working properly. I look at him with attention.

– Hello, – he says. – My name's Burke, nice to meet you. I wanna show you something. 1/ I mumble something, answering him, not having much ability nor motivation to speak properly.

He takes out his phone and starts showing pictures. Hospital rooms. Familiar camo hanging on chairs. And him standing beside wounded guys.

– Ivano-Frankivsk hospital. 2/

I am sick and tired of propositions to "leave something for the Russians". Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, a negotiating position, a possibility not to lose face.

Thread 🧵: I don't want to leave anything for them. Not Crimea – it's mine. Not Donetsk or Luhansk. Nor a face. I don't want to see Russia in the UN. I don't want to know, that a part-civilised country has anything high-tech. Any tech, for that matter.

I don't really care who you was, the 100000th "200".

Were you from a city or from a village, a Russian or a Buryat. Have you died fast, or slow, trying to apply an Esmarch bandage on a blooded limb with your cold hands.

Have you had kids, or a wife. Or is your mom alive. 1/5 Have you spillt your blood into Zaporizhzhian land, or maybe the greasy soil of Donbas, or the steppe of Kherson.

I really don't care.

The one thing that I want to know about you, the 100000th "200" – is if you have been to Bucha. Or Mariupol. 2/5

Many nations have legends of heroes. Heroes which haven't died, rather laid to sleep for ages, to wake up when their land is in danger again.

Sir Francis Drake will rise again to save Britain, if he hears his drum beating. Fionn mac Cumhaill sleeps in a cave near Dublin, ... 1/4 but will rise, if Ireland is in danger. Vytautas the Great will come to save Lithuania from darkness, and Slovak knights are to come out of the mountains, to defend their people.

I think, that in many years, a new legend will appear in our lands, too. 2/4

So...I did a thing.

You know, when you're wounded, your clothes will get cut with Esmarch scissors. You will find yourself naked on the operating table. And returning to your hospital room, regular clothes probably won't fit you anymore.

Info and links below: Wearing regular pants on legs, shattered with shrapnel, is fucking painful. As is wearing a T-shirt, when your arm is stiched from bone and meat parts.

And you want to wear something. Proper clothing gives you a feeling of safety. It gives you warmth, lacking in hospitals.

Thread 🧵:

Russian soldier! Your future is extremely fucked up.

Even in case you survive in our war. Even if you'll retain your body parts, not catching a frag, not stepping on your own «Lepestok» mine. Even if you won't suffer a concussion or a burn. 1/6 You will return to your hometown of Mukhosransk as a lost war's soldier. No one likes losers: they remind people of the shame. You'll have no Victory Days, no yearly greetings, and not a bit of thankfulness in the eyes of people you see. 2/6

Please, do not write «Russians fled Kherson on their own».

Firstly, it's simply untrue. They haven't left yet. There is no solid proof to that. Especially considering the toughest fighting is in that operational area. Secondly, it's also untrue. Russians haven't left Kyiv region, Sumy, Kharkiv, or Chernigiv by themselves. They've left, because we haven't let them a single choice other than fleeing.

Another update: I've restored a bit after the surgery (and I thank the neurosurgeons for >8hrs of their very hard work!), and got back to doing what I have the right to and should do as a soldier and a citizen. I'm sending letters to @ServiceSsu, @rnbo_gov_ua, and other responsible bodies, demanding sanctions for pro-Russian members of parliament from the currently banned OPZZh party.

Even a quick browse and analysis of Russian social media will lead you to understanding how disillusioned they are in their own future.
Thread 🧵 1/10 Even amongst those proudly lying and boasting about the «soon-to-be victory of Russian arms». They're always whining, that «no one explained the point of this war to the Russian people». They're always arguing, trying to reach a decision on who Ukrainians are to them: 2/10

Initiative and control. That is what we've lacked of for hundreds of years. Thread 🧵:

1/9 For centuries everything went round. Russia conquers Ukrainian land, Ukrainians try to break free. Sometimes we manage to do that for a bit of time, but then Russians win again and we're back in slavery and occupation. Time and time again. They had the initiative and control. 2/9

My name is Yuriy Gudymenko. I am a Junior Sergeant (Corporal) in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I want to appeal to each and every serviceman of the Belarusian Armed Forces. My address can be accessed in Russian and Belarusian in the Ukrainian media and on my FB page. Thread 🧵: I am not going to lecture you. I don't want to talk about brotherly nations, nor do I want to remind you of the fact that haven't ever fought against each other.

I will be straightforward and simple.

If you step on our land — you will die. 2/12

Russians simply don't understand us. At all. Thread 🧵:

I'm not talking about our language, of course we do have a barrier — hence the legends about «Polish mercenaries» after acquiring
Ukrainian radio comms. I mean something else. 1/7 They don't understand a single bit of our psychology. For example, right now they're sure, that after yesterday's shelling we want to surrender, when in fact we only want to achieve victory faster — and the record speed of our army fundraisers in reaching their goals is proof.2/7

Here are 10 reasons why the Armed Forces of Ukraine should not enter Russian territory (thread 🧵):

1. 2.

Thread 🧵
Unlike the psychology of a single person, the psychology of huge people masses is much simpler. If taking a single nationality, moreover a proimperialist one, it's even prognosable. 1/9 The start of any offensive war Russians will perceive with enthusiasm. This is the first stage of their emotion – enthusiastic patriotism. «We'll kick their asses without even noticing», «Second army of the world», «You're making our Iskanders laugh», etc. 2/9

Thread 🧵

Tomorrow you'll open your eyes in the morning. Independence Day will start.

You'll check social media and see things which are already usual for a Ukrainian and a miracle for others around the world. 1/8 You'll see people, maybe even your friends, buying something for the frontline and collecting donations. Or rebuilding someone's destroyed house. Or saving cats from burned villages. 2/8

24.08 are two dates in one. It's our Independence Day, as well as a half-year anniversary since the start of full-scale war in Ukraine.

It's time to analyse something. So, the Russian Federation had the goals of:

а) destroying Ukrainian statehood;
b) receiving a land corridor with occupied enclaves of Crimea and Transnistria;
c) strengthening their role in the world, ideally returning to «superpower» status.