It’s been a long day, so I’m just going to run through the basics tonight.
I’ll get to all the details of Russia’s attack on civilian targets in Kharkiv after the jump, but the Russians hit a critical infrastructure site in contravention of the “ceasefire.”
One of the russian drone strikes on Kharkiv destroyed a boiler house supplying heat to the neighborhood, right in the middle of the so-called “moratorium on infrastructure strikes.”
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 5:14 PM
The cost:
Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia NPP engineer Serhiy Potyng was sentenced by sham Russian court to 19 years after nearly two years in captivity. His wife was also tortured. This is the terrible cost of Russian occupation. It’s not just territories, it’s our people.
— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 4:21 PM
In Russia, 23 Azov POWs were sentenced to 13–23 years in high-security colonies. Eleven, already exchanged to Ukraine, were sentenced in absentia. The sham trial accused them of “violent seizure of power” and terrorism, ignoring international law banning POW prosecution.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:34 AM
President Zelenskyy traveled to Paris today. There is no daily address, but there is a joint press conference with President Macron.
He also did an interview with the European Broadcasting Union while in Paris:
First Lady of Zelenska participated in a meeting of the Accessibility Council.
Georgia:
Day 119. New, free and fair Parliamentary elections, and the release of the regime prisoners.
We won’t stop, and your sanctions and supporting our cause can help us avoid whatever costs can be avoided. #GeorgiaProtests— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Ahead of tomorrow’s #EUCO meeting, 🇬🇪 President Zourabichvili calls on European leaders to stand with Georgia against the growing repression of the Georgian Dream regime.
Europe cannot afford to lose Georgia to Russia.
@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu
— Rasa Juknevičienė 🇱🇹🇪🇺 (@rjukneviciene.bsky.social) March 19, 2025 at 11:07 AM
1/ The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, published today a memorandum on the human rights situation in Georgia, outlining his concerns and recommendations.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
2/ According to the Commissioner, the continuation of Mzia Amaghlobeli’s pre-trial detention is unjustified.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
3/ “The Commissioner observes that journalists were not only targeted during the protests in November and December 2024 but are also increasingly facing repression in other ways.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
4/ On 11 January 2025, Ms. Mzia Amaghlobeli, a well-known journalist and founder-director of the newspaper Batumelebi and the online platform Netgazeti, was administratively detained by police in Batumi for placing a protest sticker on the fence of an official building.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
5/ She was released approximately an hour later but was re-arrested shortly afterward for slapping a senior police officer following repeated verbal insults directed at her.”.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:11 AM
And on this note, there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with, say, Georgians or Ukrainians as compared to, say, Slovaks, Romanians, etc.
Our only guilt is geography and the consequent lack of proactive interest of Europeans to help transform our societies.— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:55 AM
We Georgians are used to being run over and then our righteousness being lamented by Europe, awaken all too late.
But maybe, just maybe, Europe will find leverage over Georgia before we as a generation are wiped out one way or another, & the region’s gone for decades at best?— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Lithuania:
BREAKING: Four U.S. soldiers who went missing in Lithuania have been killed, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says.
— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) March 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
From The Associated Press:
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — NATO on Wednesday clarified comments that Secretary-General Mark Rutte made earlier in the day, when he suggested that four U.S. soldiers who went missing while training in Lithuania had died, even though the U.S. Army said their fate was not yet confirmed.
“The search is ongoing,” NATO said in a statement posted on X. “We regret any confusion about remarks @SecGenNATO delivered on this today. He was referring to emerging news reports & was not confirming the fate of the missing, which is still unknown.”
The U.S. Army said the Hercules armored vehicle the four U.S. soldiers were in during a training exercise had been found submerged in a body of water. It said recovery efforts were underway by U.S. Army and Lithuanian Armed Forces and civilian agencies.
The soldiers, all from 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, were conducting tactical training when they went missing.
During a trip to Warsaw, Rutte told reporters that he had received word of the deaths of the four soldiers while he was delivering a lecture, and that his thoughts were with their families and with the United States.
The President is on top of it:
Trump is completely oblivious that 4 US troops died in Lithuania
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 26, 2025 at 5:52 PM
It’s probably better he doesn’t know or he’d want to invade, occupy, and annex Lithuania too.
The EU:
Brussels rejected Russia’s demand to lift EU restrictions on a key agro bank as part of a ceasefire deal, saying its sanctions regime will stay in place until the “unconditional withdrawal” of Moscow’s troops from Ukraine.
w/ @henryjfoy.ft.com @maxseddon.bsky.social
www.ft.com/content/f5fe…— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) March 26, 2025 at 9:12 AM
From The Financial Times:
Brussels has rejected Russia’s demand to lift EU restrictions on a key agricultural bank as part of a partial ceasefire deal, saying its sanctions regime will stay in place until the “unconditional withdrawal” of Moscow’s troops from Ukraine.
The European Commission statement on Wednesday came after the US said it had agreed a ceasefire with Russia and Ukraine, covering energy infrastructure and the Black Sea.
The Kremlin later claimed the agreement was dependent on dropping sanctions including those imposed on Rosselkhozbank, a bank involved in financing the production and export of food, and reconnecting it to the global Swift banking messaging system.
“The end of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine would be one of the main preconditions to amend or lift sanctions,” Anitta Hipper, European Commission spokesperson for foreign affairs, told the Financial Times.
“The EU’s main focus remains to maximise pressure on Russia, using all tools available, including sanctions, to diminish Russia’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine.”
The commission has also rejected Russian accusations that its sanctions against Moscow have restricted food and fertiliser exports, a politically sensitive subject given the importance of both to poorer countries.
“The EU has consistently supported efforts towards enhancing global food security. EU sanctions are not targeting trade in agricultural goods, including food, grain and fertilisers, in any way, between Russia and third countries,” Hipper added.
The EU’s position will come as a relief to Ukraine, which has come under heavy pressure from Washington to make concessions to end the full-blown invasion of it that Russia launched three years ago.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that western sanctions against Russia must remain in place until the Kremlin stops its war against his country.
More at the link.
France:
The French President announced an additional €2 billion military aid package at a joint press conference with Zelensky.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 2:53 PM
The US:
what’s the English translation of “Lebensraum”?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 26, 2025 at 3:30 PM
From France24:
Since coming to power in January, Trump has repeatedly insisted that he wants the self-governed territory to be in Washington’s grip, refusing to rule out the use of force to do so.
“We need Greenland for international safety and security. We need it. We have to have it,” Trump told podcaster Vince Coglianese. “I hate to put it that way, but we’re going to have to have it.”
Greenland, which is seeking independence from Denmark, holds massive untapped mineral and oil reserves, though oil and uranium exploration are banned.
It is also strategically located between North America and Europe at a time of rising US, Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic, where sea lanes have opened up because of climate change.
Asked if he thought Greenlanders were eager to join the United States, Trump said he did not know.
“We have to convince them,” he said. “And we have to have that land, because it’s not possible to properly defend a large section of this Earth, not just the United States, without it.”
Trump’s comments prompted Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to say on her Facebook account: “We mustn’t have illusions — President Trump’s interest in Greenland is not going away”.
“They know that Greenland is not for sale. They know that Greenland doesn’t want to be part of the United States,” she added, saying the message had been communicated “unambiguously.”
Trump’s latest strident comments come as Vice President Vance is due to accompany his wife Usha on a visit to the US-run Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Friday.
Frederiksen and Greenland’s outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede had earlier harshly criticized plans by a US delegation to visit the Arctic island uninvited for what was initially a much broader visit.
Egede had characterized the initial plans as “foreign interference,” noting that the outgoing government had not “sent out any invitations for visits, private or official.”
On Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the decision to limit the visit to the US space base.
“I think it’s very positive that the Americans have canceled their visit among Greenlandic society. They will only visit their own base, Pituffik, and we have nothing against that,” he told public broadcaster DR.
Formerly known as Thule Air Base, the Pituffik Space Base is the United States’ northernmost military installation and supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance missions.
The White House on Tuesday said the Vances’ visit to the space base would take place in lieu of the second lady’s scheduled visit to a dogsled race in Sisimiut, where an anti-US demonstration was reportedly planned.
Much more at the link.
Say it isn’t so:
According to military analyst Michael Clarke, Russia has violated 190 agreements.
news.sky.com/story/ukrain…
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 2:28 PM
From Sky News:
We reported earlier this morning Donald Trump has admitted Russia “could be dragging their feet” over negotiations to end the war.
And that may be an ominous sign of things to come, if Moscow’s previous record when it comes to respecting deals is anything to go by.
According to our military analyst Michael Clarke, Russia has broken 190 deals.
One of the most important for Ukraine was the Minsk Agreements in 2014, signed in an effort to end fighting after Russia invaded Crimea in February that year.
“The biggest one of all, I suppose, was 1994, the Budapest Memorandum, which is when Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons that it had inherited from the old Soviet Union, and Ukraine was the one country that could have used them,” Clarke added.
“I mean, the other countries were Kazakhstan and Belarus. They couldn’t really have done anything with the weapons that they inherited. But Ukraine had the expertise.
“They could have had their own nuclear force that would have worked if they chose to, but they gave it up in 1994, in return for security guarantees.”
The exception
But Russia has been more consistent on agreements when it involves its own companies.
Clarke said when Gazprom supplied gas to Europe “they always stuck to their contracts, they always did until about 2008”.
But Putin then went on to enter his “aggressive phase”, playing games every winter over isolating Ukraine and Ukrainian pipelines from the rest of the European supply.
Back to Ukraine:
The life of Ukrainians feels something like this🥲
— Oksii ✚ 🇺🇦 (@oksii33.ukr.monster) March 26, 2025 at 8:28 AM
A Ukrainian F-16 pilot has given an interview for the first time.
In the interview, the F-16 pilot, whose name is withheld for security reasons, revealed that he regularly conducts aerial reconnaissance flights over Russian targets and troops. youtu.be/kwbTB45flFk?…
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM
In just half a year, Ukraine has damaged or completely destroyed dozens of Russian military facilities and inflicted $658 million in losses on Russia’s energy sector.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Dnipro:
Dnipro right now
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Kharkiv:
The Russians pounded Kharkiv all day today.
Kharkiv 📍
Fuck russia!— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 4:14 PM
At least eight explosions have been reported in Kharkiv as the city remains under a russian drone attack! One of the strikes reportedly set a residential building on fire, and a 12-year-old girl was injured.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Kharkiv following tonight’s russian drone attack on the city
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Kharkiv these minutes. About 15 russian drones struck my hometown. World leaders need to wake up and realize that putin will not stop at Kharkiv, nor will he stop at Ukraine. He won’t rest until all of Europe is drowning in blооd.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Kharkiv’s first responders are nothing short of heroes. They often have to extinguish fires, provide medical aid, evacuate civilians, and dig through rubble while attack is still ongoing.
Today, they shared a video of a Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv. The footage captures them as they race
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:31 PM
to the scene, even as drones continue to rain down on the city. They try to take cover in the middle of nowhere, and still proceed to race to help. Immense respect for their courage and dedication!
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Football when your neighbor is genocidal maniac. Turn the sound on.
Kharkiv, Ukraine, just now.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Sumy:
The number of injured in russia’s March 24 missile strike on Sumy has risen to 108, including 24 children.
This level of violence, especially against children, is outrageous!It’s this strikes against civilians that have to be stopped first.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
This is what has to be negotiated, instead of the Black Sea and infrastructure.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Somewhere in Donetsk Oblast:
Fiber optic drone strike on the Russian MT-LB by the ‘Birds of Magyar’ unit.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Lyman, Donetsk Oblast:
The fighters of the 63rd Brigade are eliminating Russians in the Lyman region not only on the ground but also in the sky.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Zaporizhzhia:
A diesel fuel reservoir has been damaged at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
According to the spokesperson of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the amount of spilled fuel could have kept the plant’s emergency generators running for 25 days.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Russian occupied Crimea:
North Korea continues to supply Russia with military equipment and ammunition, despite talks of a ceasefire.
In Crimea, a trainload of 7–8 M-1978 “Koksan” self-propelled guns with 170/180mm calibers was spotted, along with several military trucks designed for reloading Korean MLRS.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 11:03 AM
The Kursk cross border offensive:
Russians who tried to enter Sudzha through a gas pipeline suffered severe lung damage and chemical pneumonitis. Doctors are unable to predict the consequences of this.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Novy Urengoy, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia:
A Russian An-12 cargo plane made a hard landing in Novy Urengoy. The left landing gear failed to lock and the plane overturned during landing,
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 5:27 AM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.
Today’s Dogs of War are these cuties Nastia spotted at her weekend getaway in Chernivtsi (a city in Western part of Ukraine). They were impatiently waiting for their owners near the railway station, while they moved baggage to the car.
— Tim Mak (@timkmak.bsky.social) March 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Open thread!
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
Thanks Adam
AlaskaReader
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Jay
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dimmsdale
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AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team
Ty Adam. Hope you get good rest.
Tenar Arha
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Westyny
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Adam L Silverman
Everyone is most welcome. I’m going to bed.
Mea
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Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
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