(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Almost all of Ukraine is under air raid alert because of Russian drone swarms at 3:00 AM local time in Ukraine/8:00 PM EDT.
The cost:
Kyiv says goodbye to 11yo Mariyka and her mother — two of the nine beautiful lives stolen by russia’s latest missile strike. The victims aren’t numbers. These are real people. Mothers, daughters, families, classmates, colleagues. russia is a terrorist state.
— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 10:35 AM
President Zelenskyy addressed the European Council meeting today.
And here’s the Q&A he did yesterday at the PACE meeting:
Georgia:
For the 211th day, Rustaveli Avenue is blocked. Protests continue in 8+ cities across Georgia. Students have been holding 24-hour protests for 100+ days.
Six out of 9 major opposition leaders are in jail.
— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Georgian Dream Parliament has adopted legislative amendments that abolish several privileges under the Law on Freedom of Expression.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM
📢 1/4 🧵 According to GYLA, “@echr.coe.int has initiated the examination of the application of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.
In its correspondence, the Court indicates that the case may be granted “impact case” status due to its potential broader significance.
#FeeMzia
#RepressionInGeorgia— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
2/4
Even taking this into account, the Court began its substantive examination within an accelerated timeframe – just 2 months after the application was lodged.The application alleges violations of several fundamental rights under the European Convention on Human Rights in relation to Amaglobeli👇
— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
3/4
🟥The right to liberty and security (Art.5)
🟥The right to a fair trial (Art. 6)
🟥The right to respect for private and family life (Art. 8)
🟥The right to freedom of expression (Art. 10)
🟥The right to an effective remedy (Art. 13)
🟥Limitation on use of restrictions on rights (Art. 18)— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
4/4
⭕ The Court has addressed detailed questions to the parties concerning the alleged violations of these fundamental rights. At this initial stage of the proceedings, the Govt is required to submit its observations specifically regarding the alleged violations raised in the application.”— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
The European Court of Human Rights has begun examining the complaint filed by Mzia Amaglobeli, founder of Batumelebi and Netgazeti.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 9:29 AM
The Georgian Dream parliament has officially passed amendments that significantly restrict media coverage of court hearings — filming inside courthouses will be limited, and only court-authoriსed recordings will be permitted. Personal items such as phones and laptops may also be confiscated.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Meanwhile, the rumours about Giorgi Gakharia’s exile seem to be increasingly credible.
His senior party member Dimitri Tskitishvili commented on the issue of Gakharia’s potential return from a lengthy trip abroad that “politicians aren’t very productive in jail.” 1/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Gakharia could face up to 15 years in prison since the Georgian Dream is forging a high treason case against him – Gakharia seems to have erected a guardpost near the Russian occupation line against Russian demands, and the regime now says that his actions led to the loss of 1 sq. km. territory. 2/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
(To be precise, they say 1,000,000 sq. meters to make it sound massive).
Ironic, since the Georgian Dream has perpetually downgraded Russia’s creeping occupation of Georgia as “what do you expect, this is what Saakashvili lost, Russia’s just demarcating it now, this isn’t about us at all.” 3/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
It should be noted that Tskitishvili’s remark about loss of productivity from jail is inconsiderate at best to the majority of democratic leaders in Georgia who chose to be jailed instead. 4/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I am not commenting on anyone’s choices, but some people in Georgia wrongfully assume that other politicians get months while Gakharia would be getting more than a decade in prison. 5/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
In truth, all democratic politicians will have further cases launched against them, as it’s already happening against Gvaramia, Khazaradze, Melia, etc. 6/
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
As for the general public impact of Gakharia’s exile, I suppose it’s minimal: his supporters would mostly say that he’s making the right choice, while most opponents never really considered him fully against the regime to begin with. 7/7.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 3:03 PM
The Netherlands and Belgium:
🇳🇱🇧🇪🇺🇦 The Netherlands and Belgium are transferring two minehunters to Ukraine. A vital contribution to Black Sea security, and key to safeguarding trade routes and global food supply, – Brekelmans
❗️Ukrainian crews and technicians were trained in record time.
— MAKS 25 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Germany:
🇩🇪 In Erfurt, Germany, unknown individuals set fire to Rheinmetall military logistics trucks, causing serious damage.
Footage of the arson was shared by Russian sources—leaving no doubt about who was behind it and who stands to benefit.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 5:29 AM
Russia has long recruited agents to conduct military sabotages—even in the very heart of Europe. It’s time to wake up: the Russian threat is not at the gates of Europe—it is already deep inside.
The question for Europe now is: how do you counter it—and are you prepared to respond symmetrically?— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 5:30 AM
North Korea:
Where is the escalation management crowd when you need them?
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Latvia:
Latvia has sent another 1,300 strike drones to Ukraine as part of the international “drone coalition.”
This was announced by Latvian Defence Minister Andris Sprūds.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Italy:
Meloni tells Trump US must show ‘same determination’ on Ukraine as with Iran #Ukraine
— AmplifyUkraine 🔱🇺🇦 (@amplifyukraine.eu) June 26, 2025 at 2:31 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told U.S. President Donald Trump that the determination shown by the U.S. toward Iran should also be applied to ending Russia’s war against Ukraine, she said on June 25 on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague.
Meloni, a close Trump ally and the only European leader invited to his 2025 inauguration, welcomed the recently announced ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
She emphasized that sustained commitment is also needed in Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin last week declared “all of Ukraine is ours.”
“I spoke about this with President of the United States Donald Trump, to whom I said the same determination is needed to achieve two other important ceasefires,” Meloni said. “One in Ukraine, where Russia seems unwilling to take any steps forward, and one in Gaza.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump during the summit, held amid concerns over waning U.S. support for Kyiv. Unlike in 2024, this year’s communique did not directly condemn Russia’s invasion, a shift that underscores changing political dynamics within the Alliance.
The leaders reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s defense, saying national contributions toward Ukraine’s military-industrial capacity will count toward NATO’s new defense spending goal.
All 32 NATO member states agreed to a new benchmark, committing to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Meloni praised the decision as a sign of unity.
“I believe the unity of the alliance and its willingness to strengthen itself is more important, especially in the context we are in, and is clearly a very important element,” she said.
Lithuania:
Lithuanian President Nausėda expressed doubt about a near-term end to the war in Ukraine, saying Russia is faking peace efforts.
“There’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” he warned, calling for a firm response through the 18th sanctions package at the European Council meeting in Brussels.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 5:58 AM
Hungary:
EU Summit fails to adopt joint statement in support of Ukraine due to Hungary.
Hungary blocked the statement over its disagreements with the EU regarding Ukraine. As a result, the text was published as an annex, supported by 26 out of 27 member states.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Viktor Orban’s whole personality is “Ukraine bad.”
First, it was the Ukrainian mafia he was afraid of. Now it’s the war. Next up? Battle mosquitoes. But the real problem is that Orban is an asshole who can not hold power without fearmongering.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Obligatory:
Back to Ukraine.
Our people are home!
Another prisoners of war exchange!
They are home! Welcome back, dearest! 🇺🇦
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 10:10 AM
A number of Ukrainians freed from Russian captivity today had to be transferred via ambulance.💔
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
A very worthy cause right here 👇
You can donate to provide ambulances for Ukraine
Let’s keep the wheels rolling— Benjamin Tallis (@bctallis.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The Air Command “West” has released footage showing a MiG-29 pilot destroying a Russian drone.
The video captures the night-time combat mission of pilot Denfix, who takes down a Shahed drone with an air-to-air missile.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Kramatorsk:
Kramatorsk railway station by:
📸Yan Dobronosov— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 10:04 AM
I probably should have added that it is the last railway station before Donbas frontline
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Kyiv:
A large Crimean Tatar flag was displayed in Kyiv for Crimean Tatar Flag Day.
Crimea is Ukraine!
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Kyiv donates 1,700 FPV drones to two National Guard Brigades.
#news #uazmi #war #ukraine
The capital’s community has delivered 1,700 FPV drones of various types to soldiers of the 25th Kyiv Brigade named after Prince Askold and the 27th Pechersk …— 🇺🇦 News (@uazmi.media) June 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Kharkiv:
Ukraine is under the massive russian drone attack right now ‼️
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Donetsk Oblast:
In Donetsk Region, a Russian drone hit an apartment building, injuring five civilians, among the injured are an 86-year-old woman, a 15-year-old boy, and his mother, according to the regional prosecutor’s office.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 7:54 AM
A woman from occupied Donetsk showed the steps she has to take to prepare water just to wash herself.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Pokrovsk:
You might find this picture morbid or eerie- odd in its own way, with unsettling details. Why is there a body on a door? Why is there no casket? And why is this happening in a lawn? It’s a short story – one that makes the distant, abstract feeling of war suddenly tangible:
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
2/ Another summer in the Shakhtarskyi District of Pokrovsk. But things have changed. The air…
The heavy, putrid air of decomposing flesh punches you right in your nose, says Yana – a young Ukrainian volunteer who is trying to help those in city. Pure Nightmare – she adds
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
3/ “You feel it in many apartment blocks the moment you step into the stairwell,” she adds
That day, a small portable drone scanner kept alerting to the presence of Russian drones, ominously circling above the town. It didn’t take long before a dull thud echoed on the streets
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
4/ That moment, a husband and wife were hiding in their apartment. They made the decision to shelter in separate rooms. The coin of fate – flipped by the fingers of a Russian soldier who launched the projectile – landed on the room where the husband chose to stay
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
5/ A human tragedy for his loved ones and family. Another episode of horror for the residents. A brief post on a Telegram channel for fellow citizens. And just another faceless number in the civilian casualty count for the rest of the world.. and not the last one
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
6/ There’s no way to move the body to the cemetery without turning those who agree to help into more dead bodies – the Russians hit any car headed there. There’s no time for ceremonies or words. Large gatherings aren’t safe. He must be buried elsewhere, before another strike
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
7/ A wooden door instead of a coffin. There are no services left in the city to do this job. Risking their lives, the neighbours do what they can and bury him near the road. Too dangerous, too risky – a grim, cruel, yet undeniable truth of war, brought to Pokrovsk by Russia
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
8/ After this summer day, there will be another. But with each one, the graves will grow, as the ghostly winds of Mariupol and Avdiivka spread through every part of the town, preparing the soil for new settlers from deep inside Russia to move into new homes – built on bones
— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Russian occupied Crimea:
Drones of the “Prymary” special unit of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence (HUR) attacked key components of the Russian S-400 air defense system in Crimea.
Targets hit:
• Two 92N2E multifunction radar systems
• Two 91N6E detection radar systems
• One S-400 missile launcher— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Bryansk, Bryansk Oblast, Russia:
Meanwhile, Bryansk is welcoming some friendly UAVs.
Russian media report that the attack on the city has been ongoing for over an hour, with fires breaking out. Everything is burning beautifully.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Belgorod Oblast, Russia:
Russian troops destroyed the last gas station in Kostyantynivka, and Ukrainian forces responded. An unidentified drone struck the Tatneft gas station in Pyatnitskoye, Belgorod region.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 26, 2025 at 1:25 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
A new Patron video!
@patron__dsns Здається ми виграли цей тренд🙂↕️ #песпатрон #дснс
Here’s the machine translation of the caption:
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Open thread!
Jay
Thank you, Adam, and especially for posting Tatarigami’s full thread.
Adam L Silverman
@Jay: You’re welcome.
PsiFighter37
I don’t see a way this conflict ends well. Especially with Mark Rutte calling Trump ‘Daddy’ and embarrassing anyone with a modicum of dignity.
funlady75
Thanks Adam…
Jay
@PsiFighter37:
Rutte was satirically insulting Dolt47, riffing off his moronic comment that “ruZZia and Ukraine” were like “two children fighting in a playground” and the MAGgot “Daddy” theme. Dolt 47 took it as a compliment, not an insult.
He’s too stupid to realize he is being mocked or insulted, unless one of his “entourage” tells him it was an insult, in real time. Once he sticks it in his head that it was a compliment, it sticks forever.
Adam L Silverman
@funlady75: You’re welcome.
mayim
I hate that you still have to do these ~ so much suffering! But very thankful that you do such a good job with the daily summaries.
Minstrel Michael
Is the United Nations good for anything any more?
As we all know, it was set up after World War II ended, in hopes of preventing future wars, specifically World War III. Each of the five most powerful countries in the winning side has a veto over proposed UN actions. Right out of the box, then-Soviet Russia vetoed regularly. Some wars were prevented, I guess, but not many. After the Soviet system fell it seemed there was some improvement.
Putin apparently wants to restore the Soviet Union’s boundaries, if not its ideology. Obviously whoever represents Russia in the Security Council will veto any measure that would impede that. And this time I imagine the American representative would also issue a veto, and maybe China as well (unless they think they might win points for reasonableness?). In any event, the UN will be even more powerless *by design* than in the cases of Gaza or Iran.
What if somebody from, I dunno, Belgium or Brazil stood up and said, “This organization is powerless to do anything about this *because* the belligerent has a veto, so we’re taking the rest of the decade off,” and walked out?
Adam, I should add that I always read your posts on this horrible war, but because I’m old I’m often in bed by the time it goes live. I stayed up tonight just to make my damn fool suggestion.
Adam L Silverman
@mayim: You’re welcome.
YY_Sima Qian
@Minstrel Michael: The UN is broken, & has broken by the great powers. Russia covers for itself, as does the US, & the US covers for Israel. The PRC generally does not issue vetos for Russia’s benefit, it typically abstains.
At this point, neither the US (especially under Trump 2.0) nor Russia think the UN is relevant, merely a stage for them to spar. The Global South & perhaps even the EU (as the US becomes unreliable if not hostile, & they are caught between other great powers) want a more robust UN & other multilateral institutions to better protect their interests. However, the stances of the major European powers (Germany, France, the UK) on Israel-Gaza undercut their position. The PRC wants a robust UN & multilateral systems to constrain the US, & because it strongly prefers order to chaos. OTOH, the PRC wants to preserve the ability to game the UN & the multilateral organizations to its advantage, & wants to keep the privileged position it currently enjoys on the UNSC.
The P5 veto is a structural design flaw, but w/o such concessions to the great powers (specifically the US, the PRC & Russia in today’s context) they will not submit themselves to the UN system, & the UN goes the way of the League of Nations, anyway. Change requires concerted action by the Global South & the “middle powers”.
Gin & Tonic
@Minstrel Michael: As I said in another thread, a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council is, daily, killing civilians in the capital of Europe’s largest country. That tells you how useless the UN is.
Minstrel Michael
Thanks, that’s more or less what I thought :-(
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Thank you Adam.
YY_Sima Qian
1st hand account & assessment of the use of FPVs on the Ukrainian battlefield:
Traveller
@Minstrel Michael: I fear you are asking too much of the United Nations…there have been many wars, Yes, but not (yet) a WWIII.
I watched live the Security Council Debate on the Iran War…it was surprisingly good.
Remember that Jaw Jaw is better than War War…attributed to Mr Churchill, but probably not entirely so:
Jaw-Jaw
‘Jaw, jaw and war, war Jaw, jaw is better than war, war.’ 1954, Washington. (Finest Hour 122, 15.)
Winston Churchill’s official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert, speaking of this quote, noted that Churchill actually said, ‘Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war.’ Four years later, during a visit to Australia, Harold Macmillan said the words usually—and wrongly—attributed to Churchill: “Jaw, jaw is better than war, war.” Credit: Harold Macmillan.
However, I not sure this debunking of Jaw Jaw by the Churchill Society is correct either…clearly the initial idea was Churchill’s…and Macmillian riffed on it later.
Best Wishes, Traveller