🇺🇦 The grain Russia stole from Ukraine is already on the Mediterranean in a Russian-flagged cargo ship, likely heading to Syria.
🇺🇦 Ukrainian forces have pushed Russian forces back to the point where Kharkiv is out of shelling range. This also means the Russian border is within shelling range of UA forces. This ALSO means that the Russian supply lines that go through Belgorod are threatened.
🇺🇦 There are unconfirmed reports that Russia has been pushed all the way back to the border. Hopefully by the time I post this, it will have been verified.
🇺🇦 Without anti-aircraft ships nor anti-aircraft installations on Snake Island, RU boats are now vulnerable to UA drones. This means they can no longer use Snake Island to resupply their ships. This means that an amphibious landing anywhere will be even harder for RU.
🇺🇦 The first warcrime trial is starting. A Russian commander of the 4th tank division will be tried for killing a UA civilian. He will be tried in the Sumy oblast region
🇺🇦 An intercepted call revealed that Russias are trying to hide the cost of war by bringing thousands of their war dead into a fenced yard and stacking them two meters high. Thousands of KIA bodies. Authorities are claiming these soldiers are missing in action. A sister of one of the KIA soldiers bribed the soldiers stationed there “good money” and the soldiers went through the bodies until they found her brother.
🇺🇦 2/3rds of Finnish parliament voted in favor of joining NATO
🇺🇦 In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, NATO has up to 30 aircraft on patrol at any moment (NATO)
🇺🇦 Russia is deciding to annex parts of Ukraine rather than install Russia-friendly governments. Specifically, this means that Russia will recognize Kherson as part of Russia.
🇺🇦 Russia has lost 40 colonels, and up to 12 generals (the number varies between 10-12)
🇺🇦 Wives of the Mariupol defenders met with the Pope, asking him to intervene and save their husbands stuck in Azovstal.
🇺🇦 UA’s foreign minister Dimitri Calaba said that if the US and other western allies had only trusted Kyiv more prior to the February invasion, thousands of lives may have been saved. This, of course, is complete BS. America started training up UA forces and equipping in December, and UA was downplaying the threat as late as January. In fact, America was attempting to warn UA as early as October, but they flat out didn’t believe the threats back then. Russia ended up invading a month after Biden called Zelensky and told him that a Russian invasion was imminent, and Zelensky said no it’s not.
🇺🇦 Russian forces may be initiating a new advance towards Bakhmut after capturing Popasna in order to secure highway access north to Slovyansk. This is all in eastern Ukraine
🇺🇦 Russian forces are attempting to consolidate their positions in western Kherson Oblast to push into Mykolaiv Oblast
🇺🇦 Pro-Russian Telegram sources reported Ukrainian forces may be conducting a counterattack 40km north of Izyum to cut off Russian units in this key town.
Oil/Natural Gas/Energy:
🇺🇦 There are five major pipelines that run from Russia to Europe, and two of them go through Ukraine. UA is cutting off some of the flow of these pipelines. Opinion: This is the first I’m hearing of this, and I’m curious why they haven’t done anything about it before? Or I’m curious why they aren’t just stealing all of the gas? Anyone know? Like, these pipelines are funding the war against Ukraine and I’m not sure why it hasn’t been stopped yet. Edit: maybe UA knew this would hurt Europe, which UA couldn’t afford to lose as an ally?
🇺🇦 Russia is trying to use high gas prices to get the west angry at their leaders for sanctioning Russian gas. Sergey Lavrov said something like, ‘Russia has energy buyers, let the west pay more for gas and let their leaders explain to the population why they’re becoming poor.’ This is propaganda, especially to the American audience, who doesn’t rely on Russian gas (America’s high gas prices are mostly a result of oil companies purposefully limiting their drilling to keep supply low and price high)
🇺🇦 Also, we know Russia doesn’t have new buyers yet. Also, even if Russia has new buyers, it’d take a long time and lot of money to get that spice flowing. They’re also competing with the Middle East so it’s not like there are just untapped buyers out there.
🇺🇦 Also, Russia’s infrastructure is maintained by western technology, and they no longer have access to that technology. So they won’t improve or maintain their energy processing and refining.
📢 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, Philip DeFranco, 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.
⚠️ 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!