🇺🇦 Yesterday I said “US will keep 100,000 troops in Russia.” Freudian slip! It’s Europe (obvs!)
🇺🇦 The pace of war is determined by the aggressor, and in this case, Russia is entrenching. This means the news cycle is a lot slower, and much of the SITREP on days like this are secondary or tertiary effects of the war
🇺🇦 A Russian state TV propagandist was filming some propaganda, and filmed the location of Russian hardware in Ukraine. Soon after, a missile landed on the location. This has happened before….
🇺🇦 In March, Russia Today reporter Murad Gazdiev filmed armored personnel carriers being offloaded from an Alligator class vessel. Ukraine found it and destroyed the ship several days later.
🇺🇦 Russia attempted a FOURTH crossing at the Siversky Donets river in Donbas.
🇺🇦 Ukraine’s 30th mechanized brigade and the servicemen of other army units are responsible for destroying this pontoon crossing attempt
🇺🇦 The river is so important to Russia’s defensive position as it could help prevent further Ukrainian advances to the north or the east that could threaten Russian lines of communication to the Izyum axis
🇺🇦 Some Russians did appear to make it across, and it seems they will likely attempt to reinforce this position west of the Siverskyi Donets River rather than retreat across the river.
🇺🇦 Main stream media is writing on how Russia has exposed itself as a third-rate power
🇺🇦 Ukraine and Poland came to a bilateral agreement to make border crossings between the two countries easier
🇺🇦 As mentioned yesterday Russia is blocking 22 million tons of crops from leaving Ukrainian ports. As a result, more than 23 million people are experiencing extreme hunger in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya
🇺🇦 Ukraine is losing up to 100 troops per day in Eastern Ukraine.
🇺🇦 245 Ukrainians were forcibly deported to Russia on May 21
🇺🇦 Russia is continuing it’s ‘filtration’ operation in Mariupol
📢 Countries apply to be in NATO. NATO doesn’t seek to expand. Saying NATO is encroaching on Russia is Kremlin messaging. Russia has three primary propaganda efforts directed at the West, and that’s the first.
📢 Yes, Ukraine has a nazi problem, but it’s a very small percentage of the country, and not representative of the whole. Using a small group to smear the entire group is called “guilt by association.” Russia has three primary propaganda efforts directed at the West, and that’s the second.
📢 If you ever hear anyone say “What about America…” in an effort to redirect attention away from Ukraine and onto the west, that is called “Competitive victimhood” and the associated meme is *always* created by Russian-backed media. Russia has three primary propaganda efforts directed at the West, and that’s the third.
⚠️ Note: I got lazy with my citations and I apologize. My top sources are: Current and former military planners, singularly-focused pundits, and all manner of vetted open-source intelligence. Top cited open source pundits and sources include: CP Scott, Institute for the Study of War, Kyiv Independent, Aaron Parnas, John Aravosis, Malcontent News, and mainstream news with high levels of journalistic integrity and track records. Sadly I can’t source private individuals, of course.
⚠️ Speaking of sources, thanks to all of you who have forwarded me tips. You’re the private individuals I wish I could source publicly
⚠️ These posts are not affiliated with my employer, nor done during my employer’s time. Every item I report is from my own research, my own opinion, and written during my own time.
⚠️ Note: War happens fast and even high fidelity news needs a ton of corrections after the dust settles. Also, I’ve been spoiled by social media’s format where I can update the final product every time I find a typo. That poses a problem because…
⚠️ I started a Substack newsletter to accommodate the individual emails requests. Feel free to subscribe!