The pollen counts here are out of control and my sinuses are killing me, so I’m just going to run down the basics tonight.
The cost:
We all prayed for Dmytro Isaenko, 31, as his parents watched, helpless, in front of the collapsed building, waiting for firefighters to find him under the rubble yesterday.
The miracle didn’t happen. Dmytro’s body was found later that evening.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Twenty-four innocent lives cut short by russia — again.
And the world’s most powerful, who could stop this horror, are either fueling it by choice… or frozen in fear and moral paralysis.
This bankruptcy will not bring peace.
It will multiply wars. And deaths.— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Death toll from Russia’s missile and drone attack overnight on Monday-Tuesday has climbed to at least 30 people killed, 188 injured, says the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. On Kyiv, 28 killed, 134 injured; 23 victims killed in the strike on a nine-story building in Solomyansky district alone.
— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) June 18, 2025 at 10:13 AM
An Odessa family who traveled to Israel for their critically ill child’s treatment was killed during an Iranian missile attack.
On the night of June 14, one of Iran’s ballistic missiles struck a residential building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The family had only been living in the building for a few months, and their trip to Israel was a last hope for their child’s recovery.
The victims were identified as 30-year-old Maria Peshkuryova, her 7-year-old daughter Nastia Buryk, who was undergoing treatment for a severe form of cancer,
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Maria’s 60-year-old mother Olena, and two nephews, 9-year-old Kostiantyn and 7-year-old Illia.
Nastia’s father, a soldier, remained in Ukraine serving in the military while simultaneously raising funds for his daughter’s treatment.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 9:08 AM
These are some of the unintended cascading effects of the Israel-Iran war of 2025.
President Zelenskyy did not make an address today, nor hold a press conference.
Symbolic equation: G7 -Trump +Zelensky = ?
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Georgia:
Day 203 of continuous protests in Georgia.
#GeorgiaProtests
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Day 203 of uninterrupted #GeorgiaProtests
Georgia is in a protracted painful process of a new society, new civil contract being formed. But no one plans on giving up. 1/
📷 MOSE
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 3:43 PM
You can help us avoid costs that can be avoided by targeted sanctions that hurt them, as well as non-engagement with the regime, calls for free and fair Parliamentary elections, and aiding the democratic sector as much as possible. 2/2.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 3:43 PM
1/ MEPs expressed solidarity with Mzia Amaglobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti”, as well as with other political prisoners.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 6:23 AM
2/ The European Parliament will hold a debate on Mzia Amaglobeli today. The discussion will also address media freedom in Georgia. A vote on a resolution with the same title will take place tomorrow, June 19.
Photo: Tamar Nutsubidze/Euroscope
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 6:23 AM
🔴 Mzia Amaglobeli fined again over Jan 11 protest – placing a poster removed momentarily.
After a 1st fine for “insulting police,” now gets a 2nd – for “distorting city appearance”.
Administrative offense case is used to justify her pre-trial detention on trumped-up charges of “attacking police.”
— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 8:39 AM
🔴 MEP @lenaats.bsky.social soke about Mzia Amaglobeli during the debate in European Parliament, where the situation of the Georgian media – and Mzia Amaglobeli’s case in particular – was addressed as a human rights emergency.
#FreeMzia
#GeorgiaProtest
#MediaUnderAttack— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 2:36 PM
MEP Małgorzata Gosiewska about the situation in #Georgia and Mzia Amaghlobeli during the debate in @europarl.europa.eu, where the situation of the Georgian media – and Mzia Amaglobeli’s case in particular – was addressed.
#FreeMzia
#RepressionInGeorgia
#GeorgiaProtests— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 3:30 PM
🗣️“Media freedom is not a luxury, it is a democratic necessity; it shines the light where corruption and autocracy hide – and that is precisely why Georgian authorities have imprisoned Mzia Amaglobeli, one of the country’s most respected journalists, for 150 days now,” – MEP Tobias Cramer.
#FreeMzia— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 3:54 PM
🗣️ “We need to talk about us – the EU. I do not understand the silence from the @eucouncil.bsky.social, the member states, and the High Representative’s Office. Mzia and her friends deserve respect and help,” – MEP @rjukneviciene.bsky.social in the @europarl.europa.eu.
#FreeMzia
#RepressionInGeorgia— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
🗣️“Anything that annoys the govt is a ‘deep state’..
to change this narrative we need to ensure that there is professional, true journalism made by professionals like Mzia Amaglobeli. That’s the only way to counter the fantasies of the authoritarian regime,” – @nachosamor.bsky.social.
#FreeMzia
— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Creeping total control. I suspect that the regime has information on everyone anyway, they are simply using the demand to hand over information to persecute CSOs.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Finland:
“Russia is building a garrison in Kandalaksha for an artillery brigade. This is the first concrete sign of a permanent increase in the number of troops near the Finnish border,” Yle reported.
yle.fi/a/74-20168262— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
From Yle:
New satellite images obtained by Yle show how Russia began extensive construction work last winter in a closed military town, across the border from Finnish Lapland.
Major excavation work has been carried out and several new buildings have been erected at the Lupche-Savino garrison, which is part of the town of Kandalaksha.
According to the Murmansk regional administration, a military town is being built for a new artillery brigade and its personnel. In addition, Russia is also planning to station at least part of an engineer brigade at the site. In recent years, the Russian military has only used the same area for storage.
No information about the construction work at the Lupche-Savino garrison has previously been reported outside of Russia.
The satellite images obtained by Yle also reveal changes at Russian military sites on the Karelian Isthmus. New equipment can especially be seen at the Sapyornoye garrison, located in the area of the former Sakkola municipality.
In addition, Russia has continued military preparations in Petrozavodsk, the largest city in the Republic of Karelia.
In this article, we show the most significant changes that have taken place at these three military sites over the past winter.
Russia has two reasons to increase military activity near Finland. The first and more urgent reason is to train military personnel and service older equipment so it can be used for the war in Ukraine.
This is evident from Yle’s earlier findings based on satellite images, such as the emptying of the Alakurtti garrison, the construction of equipment halls in Alakurtti and Petrozavodsk, and the setting up of a large tent camp on the Karelian Isthmus.
In contrast, the new satellite images from Lupche-Savino obtained by Yle are evidence of a new and different development: Russia is seeking to permanently reinforce its troops specifically along the border with Finland.
According to one military expert, the scale of the construction project shows Russia feels the need to strengthen its military in the region.
“If the sole purpose was to send the troops to Ukraine, there would of course be no need for such infrastructure there,” says Marko Eklund, who analysed the satellite images for Yle.
Retired Major Eklund had a long career in Finnish military intelligence and has monitored the Russian armed forces for over 20 years.
Much more at the link including imagery.
The US:
She’s running. Former US ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink — who resigned in protest of Trump’s policy of putting pressure on Kyiv instead of Moscow to end Russia’s war — formally announces her run to challenge Rep. Tom Barrett for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District seat.
— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) June 18, 2025 at 11:08 AM
The Times reports that NATO changed the format of President Zelensky’s participation at the summit in The Hague because of Trump.
www.thetimes.com/article/83cc…— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 1:09 PM
From The Times:
“Short and sweet” is the plan for next week’s Nato summit, which will be tailored to President Trump’s limited attention span and the need to avoid outbursts and gaffes.
The alliance meets at the Hague next Tuesday to set ambitious new defence spending targets for national governments and it will be a brief affair to handle Trump, who is unpredictable and impatient with long meetings.
Usually, the Nato summit format is built around three meetings, each lasting two and half hours, focused on geopolitics and strategy. Next week’s gathering will be only one session of two and a half hours.
A summit communique, setting out Nato spending targets, will be a mere five paragraphs on one sheet of A4 paper. Last year’s meeting in Washington ran to a 44-paragraph declaration, a chunky 5,400 words long.
“It is about keeping the summit focused, short and sweet,” a diplomat said. “Trump can be impatient and has — [he has] said it himself — a short attention span. The shorter the better.”
Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary-general and former Dutch prime minister, is determined to keep to a focus on one single decision to raise Nato defence spending to a 5 per cent target.
Officials and diplomats organising the summit are hoping to learn from this weekend’s G7 when Trump left early before then firing social media broadsides at other leaders.
“Will there be a late night or early morning Truth Social bombshell if he has a summit snit?” said one alliance diplomat. According to the summit programme, Trump will not hold a press conference with Rutte as is conventional.
The spending decision will be presented as a triumph for Trump personally after decades of lectures from American presidents to European allies.
Targets of 3.5 per cent for core military spending and a further 1.5 per cent for “defence-related” budgets have been agreed by wrangling continue over eating the target date, whether it should be by 2032 or, as Sir Keir Starmer and many others prefer, 2035.
Preserving Nato’s fragile unity at a time when Trump’s administration has called America’s role as primary security guarantor of the alliance into question is as important as increased defence spending, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief said.
“Today, against Nato and the EU, Russia doesn’t stand a chance. But we must stick together,” she told MEPs on Wednesday. “When Nato leaders meet next week, keeping unity in the alliance is as much a priority as spending more on defence.”
President Zelensky is invited but with a diplomatic demotion to avoid any awkward encounters with Trump, who has clashed with Ukraine’s leader in the past.
A source in the Ukrainian presidency confirmed that Zelensky was scheduled to participate in person at the summit, but added: “The decision will be made on the eve of the summit. This is just the schedule.” The source described the meeting as “an opportunity to maintain support and promote a ceasefire”.
The Ukrainian president will also be at a dinner hosted by the Dutch king on Tuesday night.
A summit text will continue to describe Russia as a “direct threat” but will not repeat previous declarations that Ukraine has an “irreversible” path to Nato membership.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine responded to Russia’s massive attack on Kyiv, calling it a “senseless attack” that contradicts President Trump’s call to stop the killing and end the war.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Back to Ukraine.
Today, Ukraine passed a law allowing dual citizenship. It is an important step that could finally resolve the long-standing challenges foreign volunteer fighters face in gaining citizenship.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 11:14 AM
21 interceptions of Russian drones of which a lot of are loitering munitions. Also, in the entire time up to June 1, 2025, only 15 interceptions of Russian Gerbera drones using FPV were documented. And in the first 18 days of June 2025 alone, 22 videos of Gerbera interceptions were published.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM
It was reported as a launch of a Kalibr cruise missile from Novorossiysk targeting sites in Ukraine.
Perhaps soon we’ll see some unidentified drones pay a visit there.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Siversk, Donetsk Oblast:
🦾🇺🇦 The Force of Freedom battalion of the 4th Rubizh Brigade of the National Guard repelled a well-planned Russian assault with a large number of armored vehicles near Siversk.
Professional and very effective work of our guys! 🔥— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Donetsk Oblast:
🕊🇺🇦 Another Ukrainian drone has filmed the moment when an FPV drone shot down a Russian Orlan UAV in Donetsk region,” reports the 1129th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment of Bila Tserkva.
— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Strike drones from the 413rd Battalion of the Special Purpose Service critically damaged a rare and expensive Russian “Yastreb-AV” radar system in Donetsk region. Most sources cite a cost of approximately $250 million per system.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Andriivka:
In the Andriivka area, an assault group from the 1st Assault Battalion “Black Swan” of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment reached the command post of the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian army.
Inside was the battalion commander — Major Yartsev. He was eliminated during the assault.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Zaporizhzhia:
Surveillance cameras recorded six UAV strikes on market stalls in Zaporizhzhia.
According to Russia, these are probably also considered part of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex.— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Vladivostok, Russia:
Spiegel reports that an EU diplomat was assaulted in Vladivostok, and the attackers may have been FSB agents. The woman was on an official mission in Russia, accompanied by a French colleague. They had planned to visit EU consulates.
www.spiegel.de/ausland/russ…— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 10:09 AM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos tonight. Here is some adjacent material.
Did I show you the ukrainian SES rescue dogs that help search for people under the rubble
— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) June 17, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Open thread!
waspuppet – June 14, Washington, DC
Ruckus
On the night of June 14, one of Iran’s ballistic missiles struck a residential building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. The victims were identified as 30-year-old Maria Peshkuryova, her 7-year-old daughter Nastia Buryk, who was undergoing treatment for a severe form of cancer, Maria’s 60-year-old mother Olena, and two nephews, 9-year-old Kostiantyn and 7-year-old Illia.
Not that any of this war is in any way positive, or anything but completely, absolutely asinine but what the hell is it actually all about? IOW what is the point, other than just killing people? Is the Iranian version of shitforbrains insane? I mean do I really have to ask? What is the possible, actual gain here?
HinTN
Exactly right, but you’ve been saying this for years, Adam.
I look forward to your answer to @Ruckus: , also.
Westyny
Thank you, Adam.
dww44
@Ruckus: I’m with you here. The sheer cruelty of the death of a Ukrainian family who were in Israel to get treatment for a seriously ill daughter, only to be killed by an Iranian bomb is a real tragic irony. Fills me with impotent rage towards the war makers no matter their political or religious stripes. Where are the peacemakers?
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Well this was hard to read. All the way to Israel and still not safe. 🕯😢
Finland and Ukraine should come to some kind of arrangement, if they don’t already have one, for Ukraine to bomb the Hell out of whatever it is Russia is building on the Finnish border.
Good luck Bridget Brink!
About bloody time the EU paid some attention to what is happening in Georgia.
Maybe NATO should kick the US out, at least temporarily. Realpolitik continues to disappoint.
Thank you Adam. Get well soon.
Geminid
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: The Michigan 7th CD where Ambassador Brink is running is swingy. Rep. Elissa Slotkin won it by 20,000 votes in 2022. Then Slotkin left to run for the Senate, and current Rep. Tom Barrett (R) won by 16,000 votes last year. The district is centered on Lansing, in east-central Michigan.
funlady75
Thanks Adam.
currawong
Trump has been told to hold off any action against Iran because it may interrupt the supply of drones that Vlad needs to carry on slaughtering civilians in Ukraine.
I don’t expect the US to get involved in a fight against one of Putin’s allies.
JoyceH
@currawong: I saw a prediction of Trump’s go-no go decision that I found compelling. Trump will make the choice that MBS and the Qataris want him to make. They’re the players who can award him the best gifties.
Jay
@Ruckus:
Israel attacked Iran.
Ostensibly to cripple Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program.
Iran doesn’t have a Nuclear Weapons Program.
They also targeted senior leadership, so “Regime Change”,
Slight problem, as Adam has pointed out, the guys Israel killed, (along with over 93 civilians so far), are “moderates” as far as Iranian Governance goes and the “radicals” are taking power.
So, Iran has to respond, but what they have, isn’t up to the job.
Iran has shut down the internet, and the cell phone networks. The cell phone networks can be used to guide drones to targets.
All because Bibi’s US abetted “aid traps” to use tanks to kill starving Gazan’s and ethnically cleansing the West Bank is not generating positive press, inside Israel or outside Israel,
and a state of constant war with Iran will keep Bibi out of an Israeli Jail for a few more years.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Jay
As always, thank you, Adam.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@Geminid: Sounds like she has a decent chance, especially if there is strong support for Ukraine there. Thanks for the info. Wish I could donate.
Adam L Silverman
@Ruckus: Bibi has been publicly calling for regime change in Iran since 1982. He’s been claiming Iran is no more than a year away from having nuclear weapons every year since 1995. Often these public statements were in English and aimed at the US to try to influence whomever was president and whomever was in the house and senate.
As for the Iranian targeting, it’s not good. The Israeli targeting has been a mixed bag as well. This whole thing is completely unnecessary. But on Bibi’s side, it is definitely politics with other means.
Adam L Silverman
@Westyny: You’re welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@AlaskaReader: @Jay: @funlady75: @Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: You’re all most welcome.
bookworm1398
I heard that Trump approved another arms transfer to Ukraine. So tweets aside, G7 achieved the goal
pieceofpeace
Hang in there, Adam. Thanks for your reports….
Jay
@bookworm1398:
Reports are, General Whiskey keg is ignoring this “Orderz”
YY_Sima Qian
@Jay: The number of deaths in Iran is probably under reported by a factor of 4 – 5.
Neither the EU nor the major European powers are doing a dined thing about Israeli conduct in Gaza or the WB, & have indeed encouraged Israeli recklessness in Iran, utterly useless (if not downright counterproductive) all the way around. Not that India, Brazil & the PRC are any better, but at least they have had the good sense to criticize Israeli actions. Same goes for the regional players.
Jay
@YY_Sima Qian:
Yeah.
T texted me this am. Her Institute has a bunch of Iranian Grad Students and staff. They are freaking out because Iran shut down the Internet, and cell phone service, (cell phone towers can be used to guide drones if GPS and Glonass are shut down or jammed,) and they can’t contact their families.
I told her that Iran had “shut down” the internet and cell phone service, yesterday, but that land lines still work.
Anybody remember how to do an International call on a telephone?
dww44
@Jay: if your question was serious and not tongue in cheek, I not only still have a land line, a rotary dial analog phone, but also an old phone book with instructions and codes for making a call.
YY_Sima Qian
@Jay: Dial 00, then country code, then the number.
Jay
@dww44:
@YY_Sima Qian:
It was half serious. I haven’t had a landline for over 40 years.
@YY_Sima Qian:
However, every place I have worked, has and still has a land line.
Parfigliano
Israel is Apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany rolled into one.
Ruckus
@Adam L Silverman:
Maybe we need an entirely different type of governments in this world. Pompous arrogant assholes seem to grab/slip/kill their way into power and then decide that they are the bestest in the world and need a much more expensive executive chair, made out of gold of course, which they can only get by screwing over their neighbors. Or any other country if it suits them, and in many cases anyone that didn’t vote for them, because their bullshit is far better than anyone else’s bullshit. Just ask them. Oh wait, that’s their entire concept of government, and they’ll make it obvious soon enough….. Of course not soon enough to make it obvious who and what they are.
Add in the rather large world population growth over the last 75 years, worldwide communications so they can see anything coming their way, the threat of nuclear world war III, maybe I’m lucky that I’m rather far into senioritis (and no not the school version) and will be sliding into the home plate in a fair bit less time than has passed on that decades long time clock that never stops chirping away from hitting the first pitch in the first inning and rounding 3rd base for the last leg and last home run of the game of life.
Sally
IMHO Zelenskyy should go to NATO whether or not trump attends. If trump doesn’t go, Z and everyone else is saying “America / trump doesn’t matter anymore. We go on without you”. It would be a better meeting anyway, with fewer distractions from a game show host. Though I understand if Z is trying to flatter trump by saying if you’re not there it’s not worth going. But that’s a bit subtle for trump. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be Zelenskyy. IMHO.
Traveller
I feel it necessary to step in here…even at some risk to whatever standing I might have, (miniminal at best I know…lol…)but I support with a somewhat squinted eye the Israeli attack on Iran.
I do not want to see a Nuclear Armed Iran.
Now people are allowed to argue that this is Iran’s national right and part of their sovereignty.
Maybe so, But I do not accept an Nuclear Armed Iran.
There is absolutely no legitimate reason for Iran to have fissionable material purified to 60% and maybe higher.
Fully functional Nuclear Reactors for the generation of energy needs Uranium enriched to 3~5%. Does anyone see a need here for enriched Uranium to the 60% level? If so, please explain why.
It is true that higher levels may be needed for medical isotope production for medical use, but the world is moving toward:
Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU):
Generally defined as uranium enriched to less than 20% U-235, LEU is the focus of efforts to transition away from HEU in medical isotope production.
There was and is no rational need for Iran to have the quantities of HEU that is has and is producing in hardened sites except for war making purposes.
Now people here can support Iran in these regards, but I do not. As previously noted, I have been in Israel for Christmas…and it was noted that with all my differing and contradictory ideas and opinions I could live here…I could even live in the West Bank…but I, and all the rest of us here, would be murdered in Gaza by Hamas within 72 hours, as is happening right this moment for any Palestinians calling for peace with Israel. (the videos of current Hamas murders and torture are available for anyone to see).
I have a fondness for Iran and especially Iranian Cinema…see most recently The Seed of the Sacred Fig…nominated for an Oscar in 2025.
I have no personal links to Iran, but I have Iranian friend that cannot go visit his brother, not because of this war, but because the Regime would hang him from a construction crane as is their wont.
I am not happy about this war…but I see it for what it is.
Best Wishes, Traveller