(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Russia has once again hammered Kharkiv:
Explosion reported in Kharkiv! Right now, the city is under russian Shahed drone attack!
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 2:59 PM
❗️A drone struck a residential building, the mayor of Kharkiv reported!
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Kharkiv right now, after the russian drone strike on an apartment building in downtown.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Kharkiv these minutes
“Why don’t you wear a suit?”— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The moment of tonight’s russian drone strike on an apartment building in Kharkiv
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Russian drone strike on a residential building in Kharkiv injured eight civilians, including a seven-year-old child.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 5:18 PM
There is no daily address as President Zelenskyy was in Britain again today for meetings.
Georgia:
Rustaveli Avenue is blocked again on the 95th day of continuous protests. The main demands remain unchanged: the calling of new elections and the release of those arrested for participating in the protests.
#GeorgiaProtests
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Day 95 of continuous protests in Georgia. In Tbilisi, Rustaveli is crowded again.
Mzia Gabeshia holds the ground of her solo protest in Martvili town.
Her banners say “Glory to Ukraine” and “Freedom to Mzia Amaghlobeli,” a prominent regime prisoner journalist. #GeorgiaProtests— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 1:12 PM
The Ukraine Summit in London:
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have arrived for the Ukraine summit in London. They will soon be joined by President Zelensky, the leaders of Italy, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Finland, Romania, and representatives from Turkey and Canada.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 8:04 AM
⚡️Update: Zelensky joins Ukraine summit in London.
He is joining leaders of 15 countries and other top officials in discussing a path toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 2, 2025 at 9:17 AM
General Valeriy Zaluzhny, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and currently Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, has also arrived at the London summit. He joined shortly after President Zelensky.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 9:27 AM
The defense summit in London has started, featuring leaders from Europe, Canada, Turkey, and NATO. According to Reuters, Turkey will suggest Ankara as the venue for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing regional stability.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Europe developing ‘coalition of the willing’ to back ceasefire in Ukraine, Starmer says; UK to provide $2.8 billion loan to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets; and more.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 2, 2025 at 3:09 PM
From The Kyiv Independent:
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 2 that a number of European nations, including the U.K. and France, are developing a ‘coalition of the willing’ that will include “planes in the air and boots on the ground” in an effort to negotiate a successful ceasefire in Ukraine.
Starmer added that for any coalition to succeed, Europe must “have strong U.S. backing.”
“(European allies) will go forth to develop a ‘coalition of the willing’ to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace,” Starmer said during a press conference following a European leaders summit in London. “Not every nation will feel able to contribute but that can’t mean we sit back. Instead those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency.”
“The U.K is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air. Together with others, Europe must do the heavy lifting,” Starmer said. “This is not a moment for more talk… If you want to preserve the peace, you have to defend the peace.”
Starmer is hosting President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders in London to discuss how to strengthen support for Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace. The summit is even more crucial now after a fallout between the Ukrainian leader and U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House.
The U.K. and France have spearheaded the idea of deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron and Starmer appealed to Trump to remain involved in maintaining a post-war order, but they failed to receive any concrete commitments as the new U.S. administration expects Europe to take responsibility for Ukraine’s security.
Starmer said that he spoke to Trump on March 1 to deliver plans of the proposed coalition, and added that the proposed coalition will succeed on the basis that Europe work “with the U.S. and that it will have U.S. backing.”
Starmer did not specify which other countries would participate in the coalition, but added that “a number of countries have indicated they want to be part of the plan we’re developing.”
“The purpose of today’s meeting was to unite our partners around this effort. To strengthen Ukraine, and unsure a just and enduring peace for the good of all of us,” Starmer added. “We have to learn from the mistakes of the past. We cannot accept a deal like Minsk which Russia can break with ease.”
While most European leaders publicly voiced support for Zelensky after his spat with Trump, Starmer called both the Ukrainian and U.S. leaders in an attempt to bridge the rift. The prime minister reportedly aims to tell Zelensky that fixing relations with Trump would be necessary to ensure lasting peace.
The British prime minister and Macron, who visited Washington earlier this week, are seeking to mend the ties between Kyiv and the U.S. and present a united front on Ukraine and Russia.
European leaders had previously been sidelined from talks between the U.S. and Russia — concerned that neither the EU nor Kyiv will have a role in negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine.
The United Kingdom signed an agreement with Kyiv on March 1 to provide Ukraine with a loan worth 2.26 billion pounds ($2.84 billion) backed by frozen Russian assets.
The loan, which is part of the Group of Seven’s (G7) Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) credit initiative, was signed amid Zelensky’s visit to London to meet with Starmer.
“The United Kingdom continues to stand in defense of Ukraine. Today’s agreement, which contributes to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities, confirms this,” Ukraine’s Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said in a statement.
The loan will go towards “purchasing defense equipment according to Ukraine’s needs,” the Finance Ministry said.
In October 2024, G7 countries came to an agreement that pledged to provide Ukraine with almost $50 billion loan.
The United States will contribute the bulk of the loan with $20 billion in assistance. The U.S. is closely followed by European Union countries, including France, Germany, and Italy, with a combined $19.4 billion. The remaining approximately $10 billion will be divvied up with Canada providing $3.7 billion, Japan providing $3.07 billion, and the U.K. providing $2.8 billion in loan funding.
Under the G7 ERA initiative, Ukraine had previously received $1 billion from the U.S. and $3.1 billion from the EU.
While Western countries have frozen $300 billion in Russian assets, they can only access the annual income generated by these funds, approximately $3.2 billion. These profits will back the $50-billion loan to Kyiv, while the vast majority of the assets are frozen in European countries.
In January, Zelensky and Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement during their meeting in Kyiv on Jan. 16. The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in military, energy, scientific, cultural, economic, and other sectors.
Earlier in the day, Starmer, in line with European allies, reaffirmed his country’s support for Ukraine and Zelensky.
“We stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take,” Starmer told reporters at a press briefing alongside Zelensky, adding that Ukraine has “full backing across the United Kingdom.”
Starmer and Macron are working behind the scenes to pacify relations between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Volodymyr Zelensky following their public spat on Feb. 28.
Macron has spoken with both Zelensky and Trump privately, telling La Tribune Dimanche in an interview published on March 1 that he took the initiative to mediate because “what is at stake is too important.”
“The manifest destiny of the Americans is to be on the side of the Ukrainians, I have no doubt about it. What the United States has done over the past three years is entirely consistent with its diplomatic and military tradition,” Macron said.
“I want to make the Americans understand that disengagement from Ukraine is not in their interest.”
Macron also cautioned against signing a peace deal without any security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that “geostrategic deterrence capacity with regard to Russia, China and others, would vanish the same day .”
If Russia’s full-scale war of aggression is not stopped in Ukraine, it will “surely go to Moldova” and “perhaps beyond to Romania,” the French president added.
Both the U.K. and France have supported the idea of deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of the country’s security guarantees.
Starmer announced on March 2 that the U.K. had reached an agreement with Kyiv to provide Ukraine with 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) for the purchase of 5,000 air defense missiles.
Starmer said that the deal would be conducted through export financing, with the missiles being produced in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
“This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthening Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes,” Starmer said.
The deal, which Starmer announced during a press conference following the conclusion of a European leaders’ summit in London, follows a separate commitment announced on March 1 that would provide a $2.8 billion loan backed by frozen Russian assets.
Ukraine has long been calling for allies to provide additional funding for Ukraine’s air defense needs as Russia continues to pummel Ukrainian cities with missile and drone attacks.
A lot of this, like the loans backed by frozen/seized Russian assets, the additional air defense, the tangible stuff all sounds good. The attempts to mend any fences with Trump or to stroke his ego are not going to work. They’re not going to work because they fail to accurately understand what happened in DC last week. Specifically, that Trump and Vance set President Zelenskyy up in an attempt for Trump to assert dominance over him. Perhaps someone in Downing Street and in Paris should read Friday night’s update. Or just the gobbledegook that Trump “truthed” on his personal social media site earlier today.
Trump on the social network Truth Social: ‘Now Zelensky won’t have any other choice but to retreat and accept Trump’s conditions. You shouldn’t underestimate Donald Trump. In this chess game, he’s 10 moves ahead of everyone.’
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 11:41 AM
You know what happens to American businesses when russia bombs a city in Ukraine?
They are bombed, just like the rest of the city.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 12:06 PM
You can’t negotiate or reason with Trump. Partially because he doesn’t understand that a negotiation is not a zero sum “I, Trump, win, fuck you!” and he’s inherently unreasonable. So a lot of this is just going to be Starmer, Macron, Meloni, and others going through the motions.
“US President Donald Trump’s furious dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was a planned political mugging, a trap set by the Trump administration to discredit the Ukrainian leader and remove him as an obstacle to whatever comes next”-CNN
edition.cnn.com/2025/03/02/e…— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Also, you can’t work around this reality even if it is just agitprop:
From CNN:
MoscowCNN —To seasoned diplomatic observers, US President Donald Trump’s furious dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was a planned political mugging, a trap set by the Trump administration to discredit the Ukrainian leader and remove him as an obstacle to whatever comes next.
Whether it was orchestrated or not, Moscow – which reacted with glee to the White House slanging match – is now anticipating talks aimed at rebuilding the US-Russia relationship will continue, even accelerate, in the weeks ahead.
Nothing has been announced in public. But, privately, there’s talk of the Trump-Putin summit, always on the cards, now being fast-tracked.
There is also renewed optimism in Moscow that, with President Zelensky at odds with President Trump and his team, difficult negotiations to end the war in Ukraine will now take a back seat to a raft of potentially lucrative US-Russia economic deals already being tabled behind closed doors.
CNN has learned that preparations are now underway for a second round, to be hosted shortly, potentially also in a Gulf state.
Already the Kremlin’s key economic envoy to the talks, Kirill Dmitriev, has told CNN that cooperation with the US could “include energy” deals of some kind, but no details have been announced.
Separately, the Financial Times is reporting that there have been efforts to involve US investors in the restarting Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe, which Germany halted at the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Dmitriev has called for the Trump administration and Russia to start “building a better future for humanity,” and to “focus on investment, economic growth, AI breakthroughs,” and long-term joint scientific projects like “Mars exploration,” even posting a highly produced computer graphic, on Elon Musk’s X social media platform, showing an imagined joint US-Russia-Saudi mission to Mars, on board what appears to be a Space X rocket.
Putting aside the many risks, there are clearly vast profits to be made in doing business with Russia, which incidentally also has the world’s fourth biggest reserves of rare earths, far bigger than Ukraine’s.
That clearly appeals to the mercantile President Trump, whose relentless pursuit of a lucrative deal is being harnessed by the Russian state.
“Trump’s business acumen crushes Biden’s narratives. The attempt to defeat Russia collapsed,” Dmitriev commented on X.
But what has been witnessed since Trump’s inauguration in January seems to be about way more than money but a fundamental resetting of US-Russia ties.
By so closely embracing the Kremlin, the Trump administration risks turning its back on the Western allies, leaving Europe isolated in a seismic shift of Washington’s global stance.
Even the Kremlin, somewhat taken aback by the speed of events, has publicly taken note.
“The new (US) administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision,” the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told Russian state television in remarks which aired Sunday.
But top spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that there is still “a long way to go” in improving bilateral relations between the U.S. and Russia.
— The Moscow Times (@themoscowtimes.com) March 2, 2025 at 5:25 AM
From The Moscow Times:
The Kremlin said in remarks aired Sunday that the United States’ sudden shift in foreign policy “largely aligns” with its own position.
“The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely aligns with our vision,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a reporter from state television.
“There is a long way to go because a lot of damage has been done to the whole complex of bilateral relations. But if the political will of the two leaders, President Putin and President Trump, is maintained, this path can be quite quick and successful,” Peskov added.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to rebuild ties with Russia since taking office in January, reaching out directly to President Vladimir Putin and siding with Moscow in the United Nations during a vote on the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have grown increasingly strained, culminating last week in a stunning televised confrontation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance in the Oval Office.
Thank you, dear Keir Starmer, for hosting this important meeting.
Two key messages:
First, we need a lasting peace in Ukraine.
But it can only be achieved through strength ↓
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu) March 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Second:
We need a massive surge in European Defence.
At Thursday’s European Council, I will present a plan to rearm Europe to our Member States.
Lasting security is build on strength.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu) March 2, 2025 at 2:31 PM
EuroNews has the details:
The European Union must “urgently” rearm and help Ukraine turn into a “steel porcupine” that proves “indigestible for future invaders” like Russia, Ursula von der Leyen said at the conclusion of a high-stakes summit in London attended by 19 Western leaders.
“We have to put Ukraine in a position of strength,” the president of the European Commission told reporters gathered outside Lancaster House.
The country must have “the means to fortify and strengthen itself” and ensure its “economic survival and military resilience” in the short and long term.
France:
‘…“France and Britain are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine “in the air, at sea”…In an interview with France’s Le Figaro newspaper, Macron said that such a truce would not, initially at least, cover ground fighting’ www.barrons.com/articles/fra…
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 4:44 PM
“The French president also said he was sceptical about a ceasefire deal signed between the US and Russia, adding that it would leave Ukraine vulnerable.” www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2…
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Northern Ireland:
Belfast: Thales missile factory to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine
— Unofficial BBCNews (World) Bot (@bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 3:44 PM
From The BBC:
The Thales missile factory in Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine, the Prime Minister has announced.
The deal is worth up to £1.6bn and will involve recruiting 200 additional staff.
Thales is a French-owned company which one of Europe’s biggest arms manufacturers.
The order is for lightweight multirole missiles (LMMs) which Ukrainian forces are already using.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the order as he laid out a four point plan to “reach peace and defend Ukraine”.
A £162m contract announced in September last year saw 650 LMMs supplied to Ukraine as an initial order to ramp up production, with the first deliveries in December.
The new order is much bigger: it is worth an initial £1.16bn with the potential for around a further £500m of work to be added in collaboration with a Ukrainian industry partner.
The partner firm will manufacture launchers and command and control vehicles for the missiles in Ukraine.
The UK Ministry of Defence said it is the largest contract ever received by Thales in Belfast.
The Czech Republic:
⚡️ A Czech volunteer initiative announced on March 1 that it had raised enough money to purchase a Black Hawk military helicopter for Ukraine’s war effort.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 2, 2025 at 10:57 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
A Czech volunteer initiative announced on March 1 that it had raised enough money to purchase a Black Hawk military helicopter for Ukraine’s war effort.
The volunteer initiative, called “A Gift for Putin,” began crowdfunding money for the helicopter in November 2023, rallying more than 20,500 donors to contribute a total of 72.3 million Czech Koruna ($2.9 million).
The funds will go toward purchasing a Black Hawk helicopter from the United States, where it is more affordable than in the Czech Republic.
Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) will operate the Black Hawk for evacuating Ukrainian soldiers and special operations, according to the website.
“Ukraine cannot win the war with drones or ammunition alone. It also needs tanks, aircraft, howitzers—and helicopters for special operations,” the volunteer initiative’s website reads.
The US (sort of):
A lot of Americans, even liberal ones, underestimate how much anger is building up towards Washington among those British and German social groups who were once the most fervent advocates for the alliance with the United States
— Alexander Clarkson (@aphclarkson.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 4:21 AM
First, compared with anywhere else in the West, UK support of Ukraine is both strong AND cross-politics. So is dislike of Trump. Only about a quarter of Tory voters have a favourable view on Trump. Even among Reform, it’s probably lower than you’d expect.
— John Oxley (@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk) March 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Support for Ukraine is a huge civic movement here. You still see the flags in the smallest villages. For the MoS in particular, it really aligns with their world view. Security hawks most of the time, but also pretty imbued with the World War Two narrative.
— John Oxley (@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk) March 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Both small country standing up to the dictator, AND the UK leading the world are things they like.
And if you are running a newspaper, it’s your job to know what lands with your audience. Sometimes you follow them on issues, sometimes you lead them – but you always need to align to their world view
— John Oxley (@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk) March 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
For the mainstream right in this country, that remains heavily anti-Trump, pro-Ukraine. If you don’t get that, you are thinking in stereotypes rather than evidence. And that will blind you on other issues too.
— John Oxley (@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk) March 2, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Also, anecdotally I’ve heard about quite a bit of this from UK right wing people (ordinary voters, not tweetosphere) who were Trump curious.
— John Oxley (@joxley.jmoxley.co.uk) March 2, 2025 at 3:43 AM
Morten Morland,
Sunday Times, March 2, 2025— Saskia Dekkers (@saskiadekkers.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Back to Ukraine:
The way Zelensky was attacked, right in front of the cameras, felt personal in —like a hit on all of us in Ukraine. I was just explaining to @kimbrunhuber at @CNN how that White House meltdown left Ukrainians shocked but more united than ever
— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 10:47 AM
3/2/25: ‼️“是时候安排两国领导人之间的会晤了。这是一个关键时刻，因为中国可以在和平进程中发挥重要的作用。” 乌克兰总统办公室主任Andriy Yermak接受中国媒体采访
视频是《凤凰卫视》和《中国全球电视网》在欧洲的某机场采访乌克兰总统办公室主任Andriy Yermak的片段。泽连斯基和他的团队已经回到欧洲，正在英国访问。Andriy Yermak对泽连斯基的决策有举足轻重的影响力。
特朗普向俄罗斯投降让普京解套，为习近平打开欧洲的大门，迫使日本、韩国重新考虑与中国的政策。特朗普正在做普京、习近平梦寐以求的事：拆毁北约联盟，让美国退出欧亚大陆！
乌克兰能向中国求救，台湾呢？
— JohnZhangSV (@johnzhangsv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Here’s a machine translation:3/2/25:
‼ ️”It’s time to arrange a meeting between the leaders of the two countries. This is a critical moment because China can play an important role in the peace process.” Ukrainian Presidential Office Director Andriy Yermak was interviewed by Chinese media The video is a clip of Phoenix TV and China Global Television Network interviewing Ukrainian Presidential Office Director Andriy Yermak at an airport in Europe. Zelensky and his team have returned to Europe and are visiting the UK. Andriy Yermak has a significant influence on Zelensky’s decision-making. Trump’s surrender to Russia has freed Putin, opened the door to Europe for Xi Jinping, and forced Japan and South Korea to reconsider their policies with China. Trump is doing what Putin and Xi Jinping dreamed of: dismantling the NATO alliance and withdrawing the United States from Eurasia! Ukraine can ask China for help, but what about Taiwan?
Media asked: “How do Ukrainians feel after the White House clash?”
Me over the weekend:
— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast:
The moment of today’s russian aerial bomb hit on the Zolochiv community in the Kharkiv region.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Kherson:
Russian troops continue their bloody #HumanSafari on civilians in Kherson. Today, they struck a bus with a drone, killing one passenger and injuring ten others.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 7:14 AM
🔴Human safari in Kherson.
A report from the ground on Russian war crimes and disinformation:
A Russian FPV drone attacked a public bus, killing 1, injuring 10.
A Russian Telegram channel blamed a Ukrainian explosive device.
I found Russian drone parts and eyewitnesses.
— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 1:56 PM
⚡️ 1 killed, 10 injured after Russian drone drops explosive on bus in Kherson.
A 53-year-old woman was killed in the attack, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. The drone strike took place in the afternoon on March 2 in Kherson’s western Dniprovskyi district.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 2, 2025 at 7:51 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
A Russian drone dropped an explosive on a shuttle bus in the southern city of Kherson on March 2, killing one person and injuring at least 10, the city’s military administration said.
A 53-year-old woman was killed in the attack, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. The attack took place in the afternoon in the city’s western Dniprovskyi district.
At least nine of the victims have been hospitalized, the regional prosecutor’s office said. Four of them are in serious condition, according to Roman Mrochko, the head of the Kherson city military administration.
Kherson and other Ukraine-controlled settlements west of the Dnipro River endure daily Russian attacks as Moscow’s forces maintain control of the river’s east bank.
Evidence points to Russia systematically targeting civilians in Kherson with drones in a campaign dubbed by journalists as a “human safari.” A Russian drone strike in the city on Jan. 6 targeted another bus, killing one person and injuring eight.
Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast:
Last night, a russian airstrike on Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast claimed the life of an 18-year-old boy.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Ufa, the Bashkortostan Republic, Russia:
Something is on fire in the russian oil refinery in Ufa 👀
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
🛢️🔥/1. Just now! Russian oil refinery in Ufa was targeted, 1350km from the frontline!
This is the first strike on Ufa oil refinery, and it’s also the furthest targeted one.
There are several complexes under the common name “Bashneft” in Ufa with a total capacity of 23.5 million tons per year.— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 6:07 PM
/2. Moment of the strike on the Russian oil refinery in Ufa.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 6:08 PM
/3. Additional footages of the fire on the territory of the Russian Ufa oil refinery
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 6:12 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
First, some adjacent material:
3 Years on the Frontlines
One Ukrainian woman’s MISSION: to save the pet dogs and cats left behind in a warzone.
youtu.be/9hUmRD0_Akw
🇺🇦 #UkrainianView #WarTails— Selena Caamano 🇺🇦 Animal Rescue (@selenacaamano.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Thanks to Keri Adams and Canada’s CTV Morning Live for inviting the Frontline Veterinary Aid Team to share thoughts and humane solutions to the homeless pet situation in Ukraine. #WarTails
One Night Only.
🎫 vimff.org/show/special…— Selena Caamano 🇺🇦 Animal Rescue (@selenacaamano.bsky.social) March 2, 2025 at 10:32 AM
And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok!
@patron__dsns
Open thread!
Jay
As always, thank you Adam.
Jay
Reposted,
https://nitter.poast.org/IAPonomarenko/status/1896142621615272013#
Seem to be fine enough clothing for the King of England.
hrprogressive
America is going to become a pariah state if it wasn’t already.
And a bunch of cultists will celebrate Moscow destroying them because Daddies Musk and Trump told them it made the libs sad.
I don’t want to live on this planet any longer. IYKYK.
Adam L Silverman
@Jay: You’re welcome.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
lashonharangue
Thanks Adam
Jay
https://nitter.poast.org/Tendar/status/1896249663088636359#m
Adam L Silverman
@AlaskaReader: @lashonharangue: You’re welcome.
Jay
https://nitter.poast.org/P_Kallioniemi/status/1896144010114167154#m
And then of course, bailing your asses out when you F’d up Iraq and ISIL took over half of Iraq and Syria.
And DJTdiot, Couchfucker and Lil’Marco have never once said thank you.
different-church-lady
@Jay: He doesn’t give a shit about the actual minerals. He just wants tribute.
different-church-lady
@Jay: “You don’t even think to call me Godfather.”
Jay
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/47295
Ties into Scotts post earlier today about “Dems in Disarray” by Politico with zero named sources.
Basically, “making shit up” is the clickbait model now.
wombat probability cloud
Thank you, Adam. The “steel porcupine” moniker is apt and resonant.
Sister Golden Bear
@Jay:
It’s been SOP for the British newspapers for decades.
Annie
Thank you Adam.
HopefullyNotcassandra
@hrprogressive: Take some hope from the fact speaker Johnson is claiming he still supports Ukraine. He must be throwing out the fib because that is still what his right wing constituents need to hear.
karen gail
Personally, everyone who has called for President Zelenskyy to apologize to Trump makes me sick. Trump wouldn’t accept an apology since he has had it in Zelenskyy ever since he failed to do his bidding in that “perfect phone call.” There is no reason for Zelenskyy to grovel and humiliate himself because he failed to allow himself to be bullied.
Trump has shown his “cards” he is all in with Putin and nothing is going to change that; the only reason he even got involved with “peace process” is in hopes of pocketing money made from rare earth minerals.
Adam L Silverman
@wombat probability cloud: You’re welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@Annie: You are most welcome too.
exbarrowboy
As a very long time lurker, sincere thanks to Adam. I must have read almost all of the “War for Ukraine” posts and am in awe of the amount of work and expertise that has gone into these updates.
As a coda to the animal rescue film, my brothers back in the UK have adopted a dog from Ukraine. Here’s a link from the adoption people, which may well not last long: https://www.nowzad.com/adoptions/details/bertie
Apparently Bertie was found chained up in a bombed area and details are sketchy but it’s believed his owner was killed. From there he spent a fair while in Ukrainian kennels before being brought to the UK. It’s obvious when you think about it but conditions in kennels must be pretty basic and I believe that the diet included a lot of fish heads. Bertie’s instinct is to grab any food within reach and he’s big enough to get to anything left on the counter, the last one I heard about being a pack of butter. He’s apparently a lovely dog but also a bit of a handful and there are many months of training still to come. I should see him in a few months when I head over there on a family visit.
Jay
@exbarrowboy:
Pets suffer trauma as as well.
Adam L Silverman
@exbarrowboy: Thank you for the kind words. You are most welcome.
I rescued my blue tick, way back in 2004, and he was running loose down the median of I70 sixth miles east of KC in 4 degree weather. He was skin and bones. I’m not sure he ever learned that he was never going to be hungry again.
Redshift
@Jay: Claiming Zelenskyy’s attire is somehow disrespectful has been a long-running bit of fake outrage in wingnut world, pushed by people who are looking for dishonest ways to discredit him, not people who thought he was fine until he showed up in the wrong clothes. It’s even more ludicrous after the Elon spectacles.
Adam L Silverman
@Jay: I specifically did not include the skeet about how the pets of Kherson are also being targeted. There’s a lot I don’t include not because it isn’t important, but because it’s enough that I’ve seen it.
Jay
@Adam L Silverman:
Yeah, I understand.
I see a lot of “meat cube” vids and posts.
I don’t share them here, because I don’t care.
Pet trauma is another thing.
Well, Putin got his raccoon.
JoeyJoeJoe
Great post as usual, thanks
YY_Sima Qian
Phoenix TV is a Hong Kong based outlet long integrated into the CPC regime’s propaganda network, they’ve had a reporter reporting sympathetically from behind the Russian lines since the start of the current invasion. CGTN is the official overseas propaganda organ of the regime. The informal interview w/ Yermak is noteworthy. Yermak had also met w/ PRC FM Wang Yi at the MSC.
I do not recall PRC media ever interviewing Ukrainian officials. I am sure Xi is sensing an opportunity to assert PRC interests & possibly improve ties w/ Europe, as Trump turns everything upside down.
The poster was also trolling Taiwan at the end. Ukraine has the option to partially pivot its relations w/ the PRC, but such flexibility appears to be impossible for Taiwan under the current DPP government.
AWJ
Ugh. Today I found out that the tankie troll who got banned from here last year has taken up residence (using exactly the same nym) in the comments of another blog I occasionally read, where he spams every comment thread with dozens of anti-Ukraine memes. I’m not sure why the host hasn’t summarily banned him–neither the host of that blog nor the other commenters seem to have any appetite for Grayzone talking points, and the only interaction the troll is rewarded with is Disqus downvotes.
Jay
@AWJ:
Nym, blog?
Adam L Silverman
@JoeyJoeJoe: You’re most welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@AWJ: @Jay: Email me the nym please. Because I’ve banned about a 1/2 dozen or so since Fall 2023. Don’t post it here, we don’t need to “summon” whomever it is by accident.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Starmer continues to want it both ways. Preparing Europe for war, whilst staying on good terms with the USA. It isn’t going to work and the punters in Bluesky are not impressed. Neither am I. The Media continues to ask Zelensky if he’s going to apologise. For what? For refusing to be bullied by 2 idiots who probably can’t find Ukraine on a map?
It was nice of Chuck to ask Zelensky to Sandringham. For those not up with Royal protocol, Sandringham is considered a “private” estate unlike, say Buckingham palace, which is considered a public one. (No I don’t know how it works either.) Whatever. Inviting Zelensky to Sandingham says a lot. IFYKYK It would be an even bigger statement if Chuck were to cancel the State visit. Unfortunately, that would be considered getting “political” so it won’t happen. Which is too bad. Princess Anne really doesn’t like your current POTUS. She thinks he’s a joke, which is one reason that I 💖 Anne.
Thank you Adam. It’s amazeballs that you have been able to pump out these updates for so long.
Westyny
Thank you, Adam.
Jay
@Adam L Silverman:
I was asking for the nym and site because I know some people that can make their life hell.
Sloane Ranger
@Jay: Hi. I know that many Americans use England, the United Kingdom and Great Britain interchangeably, but this really pisses off our fellow citizens in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Charles’ correct title is King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Sloane Ranger
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: Just a quick explanation of the public/private issue in regards to Royal residencies, Buck House, Windsor Castle etc are part of the Crown Estate, which provides, among other things, accommodation for the UK’s Head of State (think of them as our equivalent of the White House and Camp David).
Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle (in Scotland), on the other hand, are owned by some guy called Charles Windsor, who just happens to be our Head of State. Think of them as the private homes of a sitting President, which they might visit or weekend in during their term of office.
As for the withdrawal of the State Visit invitation, the Monarch always acts “on the advice of their Ministers”. The invitation was issued because Starmer “advised” the King to issue it and will be withdrawn only if Starmer “advised” him to withdraw it.
FWIW, I don’t think it will be publicly withdrawn at this stage, but will be slow walked, citing scheduling conflicts or the King’s health or something. Depending on the Foreign Office and SIS assessment of how much Trump really wants the visit, it could even be used behind the scenes to some concessions from him.