(Image by NEIVANMADE)
It has been a long, frustrating, and exhausting week, so I’m just going to run through the basics again tonight.
Russia bombarded both Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast today.
❗️Over 30 explosions shook Kramatorsk in just over an hour.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Russia hit Kostiantynivka with guided aerial bombs and drones, damaging 21 apartment buildings, private houses, post office, and more.
Casualty figures are still being confirmed.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Footage showing the moment when a russian aerial bomb struck a residential building in Kostiantynivka.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 11:53 AM
If russia stops fighting, there will be no war. If Ukraine stops fighting, there will be no Ukraine.
(unknown author, whose wisdom needs to be constantly repeated these days).
— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 11:45 AM
The cost:
The WP published a story about a family of five killed by Russia in Kharkiv on August 18. If you read only one article today, please make it this one.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0…
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 9:43 PM
From The Washington Post:
KHARKIV, Ukraine — For his 16th birthday, Artem Morozov wished for just one gift: an end to Russia’s war.
Russia was bombing his northeastern city of Kharkiv daily. His school, with students and staff unable to safely meet in person, had moved online. His stepfather, Ruslan Serga, had risked his life in an assault brigade, demobilizing just before Artem’s baby sister, Mia, was born last year.
The 15-year-old was tired of the war — and all the sadness and fear that came with it.
He told his friends he truly believed it would end by Aug. 15, the day President Donald Trump welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska — and the day Artem turned 16.
Three days later, Russia killed Artem and his entire family.
Five Russian drones crashed into the family’s apartment building at 5 a.m. on Aug. 18, hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky and his European backers met Trump at the White House for talks to end the war.
Artem died on the fifth floor alongside his mother, Tetiana Morozova; stepfather; 1½-year-old sister, Mia Serga; and his grandmother, Halyna Chernyshova, who was visiting to celebrate the boy’s birthday. The attack wiped out three generations of one family in an instant. Two other people in the apartment building also were killed.
“He wished for the war to end by his birthday,” Matviy Hnennyi, 16, Artem’s close friend, said through tears at the family funeral on Thursday. “He always talked about it ending, and I fully trusted and believed him — I, too, thought the war would end.”Russia’s deadly strike on the family — and its timing — reinforced for many Ukrainians the widespread belief that Putin, despite his insistence to Trump that he wants to end the war, remains intent on attacking Ukraine and its people. The apartment building was in an industrial area of Kharkiv.
More at the link.
President Zelenskyy addressed the 8th International Veterans Forum – Ukraine, Veterans, Security – today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Speech by the President at the VIII International Veterans Forum “Ukraine. Veterans. Security”
22 August 2025 – 17:47
Glory to Ukraine!
Our dear warriors, our dear veterans!
Everyone who is here in Ukraine, who stands with Ukraine, with our defenders!
I am glad to welcome all of you. And continuing this tradition – the tradition of veterans’ forums on the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day – I want to begin this year’s forum with the most important thing: with gratitude and applause for each of you, every single person defending our state, our independence. We remember: an independent Ukraine exists thanks to those who care about what will happen to Ukraine. We thank you all!
And I would also like to express special gratitude today to Mark. It is an honor. I thank you for the fact that the NATO Secretary General is here today with his team and that he supported this proposal. I really wanted you to be present here today at the veterans’ forum. It is an honor for us. Thank you!
Dear attendees!
Many of us, when we were children, heard the word “veteran.” And it was about the people around us – our relatives who went through the war, the Second World War. And these were already elderly people – like my grandfather, who fought against the Nazis. We saw them; we saw how distant the war was. They rarely spoke of the war. But they always remembered those who had gone through that war with them. They were proud that they had protected life. But they never turned it into a cult. And they never imagined that war could return and again become something ordinary for Europe, and that their grandchildren, young generations, would fight again, and they also would be called veterans. And that the same kind of evil would come again, only this time – Rashism. 2014. 2022. For Ukraine, this war is now already longer than the Second World War. And no one yet knows when this war – the War for Ukraine’s Independence – will end. But we are doing everything to ensure that it ends not someday far away, but as soon as possible. This is extremely important. And most importantly, it must end with real security for our children, our grandchildren. But it must also end justly. This is crucial – with respect for Ukraine, for Ukrainians, for all of you, for our warriors, for veterans. I have no doubt that Ukraine will defend its independence. In fact, you have already defended our independence. We have already united all of Europe and many other countries of the world around Ukraine and around such brave people of ours. Now our task is to ensure that our children, our grandchildren, and our future generations of Ukrainians do not have to go through war. The key to this is security guarantees, which we are currently working on together with our partners. Today, Mark is here, and he is a great friend of ours, a great friend of Ukraine, and together with him, with other European leaders, with the United States of America, and with a coalition of our partners – over 30 countries – we are preparing security guarantees, so crucial for Ukraine. I am confident this will happen. And it will be based first and foremost on our strong army, and therefore on your experience, experience of combat results – yours and your brothers-in-arms’, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who are now at the front, on combat missions, or who have already returned from the war with honor.
I do not want to speak now about challenges – you know them – about figures, percentages, statistics. We will hear about these today from our government officials. We will hear proposals, initiatives, and decisions. And this is important. But it is equally important that you know, and that each of you feels, how much all of Ukraine owes you. And that we hope you will continue to stand with Ukraine – to strengthen Ukraine, to work, to preserve for Ukraine and for all our future generations the knowledge that courage truly changes history and protects the right to life for nations. I thank you! And I ask you always to honor the memory of all our men and women who gave their lives for us. I ask you now to observe a minute of silence in their memory.
Thank you.
Glory to Ukraine!
President Zelenskyy also met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte today. Here’s the video of his statement at that meeting followed by the transcript.
Statement by the President of Ukraine Following the Meeting with the NATO Secretary General
22 August 2025 – 15:39
Thank you very much, Mark, my dear friend!
Dear attendees, our teams, dear journalists,
Today, on the eve of Independence Day, we welcome to Ukraine our friend, our ally – an ally in many senses of the word. Mark has been helping Ukraine, helping our defense and our relations with other partners, throughout all these years, since the beginning of this war, since the start of the full-scale invasion. Both when he was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and now as NATO Secretary General. We deeply appreciate your personal support, Mark, and I am very grateful to you. And today, we discussed primarily what next joint steps of ours can bring greater security to Ukraine and all of Europe, and bring us closer to a real end to the war.
The first point is security guarantees. Together with all our partners, we have reached an important understanding with the United States of America. The United States is ready to be part of the security guarantees for Ukraine, and this is the first time we have secured such readiness. Now, practically every day, negotiations are ongoing on the specific content of the security guarantees for Ukraine – at the level of national security advisors, our military, and diplomats from all teams. Yesterday, there was a call between Ukraine, all of Europe, and the United States. Today, this work will continue. I am grateful to everyone involved in this process. Our shared goal is exactly as it is formulated in the dialogue with partners – Article 5-like guarantees, similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. These are truly effective security guarantees, and that is the outcome we must achieve: a crystal-clear architecture of which countries assist us on the ground, which are responsible for the security of our skies, which guarantee security at sea and support Ukraine. This also involves financing our army – the size and quality of the Ukrainian army that will defend Ukraine. Much of this is based on our cooperation with partners, on our cooperation with NATO, which has already been achieved. The Ukrainian army, and our defense and security infrastructure as a whole, are very strongly integrated into the Alliance’s system. There is also extensive bilateral cooperation with NATO members. We will certainly continue all practical levels of our cooperation with NATO.
The second point is weapons for Ukrainian warriors. The PURL program is already operational. Mark, thank you so much for this initiative – it is a truly powerful one. This program allows us to purchase American weapons with funds provided by our partners. It already includes $1.5 billion from our European partners, and new participants will soon join – we are grateful to each and every one of them. This enables Ukraine to procure from the United States such critically needed items as air defense systems – first and foremost, Patriots, missiles, HIMARS, and other types of weaponry. Mark, once again, thank you for organizing and coordinating this program. It is important that every month adds more funding and efficiency to the program – on average, about $1 billion per month. Mark and I discussed that it could be $1 billion per month, or perhaps around $1.5 billion – this is something we need to work on. We discussed how to engage more countries in the PURL program. Equally critical is ensuring sufficient funding for our domestic drone production programs – this was the second part of our discussion with our teams, focusing exclusively on internal production. Ukraine’s production potential is far greater than our current financial capabilities, and we are working to close this gap. Today, Mark has already seen some of our drones – different models, very effective – and they truly are weapon number one: they hold back the enemy, hold the front line, and reduce the number of Ukrainian losses. This is undoubtedly the most important thing – and it is achieved thanks to drones. The Russians are increasing their use of drones. We can see this. We have everything we need to counter this. Funding is important. In the near future, we must cover this shortfall. We have already spoken openly about this – it’s just over $6 billion – and we are counting heavily on support from our partners.
And the next point is diplomacy. We discussed the key details of our joint efforts aimed at meaningful negotiations to end the war. Mark and I consult frequently – we are constantly in touch – on how best to act, especially in the context of partnership, both our broader partnership and our joint partnership with the United States of America, with President Trump. We had, I believe, a historically important visit to Washington, to the capital. We agreed on security guarantees, which I have already mentioned. We also discussed possible formats for meetings with Russia and its ruler – both a bilateral format and a trilateral one. We have also heard about all this. It is at the leaders’ level that issues must be resolved to end the war. Right now, however, we see that the Russians are doing everything to prevent such meetings from happening. Ukraine, unlike Russia, is not afraid of any meetings with leaders. We are ready to work as productively as possible, and we hope that our partners will help ensure at least a minimally productive position from the Russian side. They must be compelled to engage in diplomacy. Truly strong sanctions are needed if they do not agree to a diplomatic solution to this war. If they do not want to end the war, we are counting heavily on strong packages from our partners. We believe everything must be done to ensure Russia can no longer evade such meetings. We see a strong signal from the United States that they are ready to move forward. Europe and other countries within the Coalition of the Willing are also ready to help – and we are grateful for that. A solid coalition platform has been built – more than 30 countries, including Japan, Canada, and others. It is a pro-Ukrainian coalition – and it is quite large. It is important to implement all of this. It is very difficult, but it is important. That is what we are working on.
Glory to Ukraine!
NATO Secretary General Rutte said security guarantees for Ukraine will not repeat the Budapest Memorandum and will involve the US and NATO. He outlined a two-level plan: a peace deal or ceasefire to strengthen Ukraine’s military, and ongoing talks on possible European troop deployment.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Georgia:
🇬🇪Why is Georgian Dream surviving despite mass protests, backlash, and international condemnation?
The answer isn’t repression alone. It’s money.
🧵A thread on how Bidzina Ivanishvili’s fortune and Russian inflows saved his regime – and why it’s still may crack.
1/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
This thread draws on an excellent analysis by Jaba Devdariani
& Tornike Zurabashvili:
“How Money Saved Ivanishvili’s Regime”.Highly recommended reading ⬇️
2/16
www.politicsgeo.com/article/168— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
In Georgia, politics has always been about democracy and economics.
Ivanishvili reshaped the system: not just a political boss balancing elites, but a Russia created billionaire oligarch with his own stake in the economy.
3/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
His wealth insulated him from electoral pressure. When Georgian Dream risked losing in 2018 and 2020, Ivanishvili simply poured in millions to flip the results.
He became the “lender of last resort” for regime survival.
4/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
But Georgia wasn’t just a profit play.
For Ivanishvili, controlling the state meant a sovereign shield for his assets. That shield became essential after his battles with Credit Suisse and paranoia about Western “conspiracies.”
5/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Then came Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
While the Georgian people stood with Kyiv, Georgian Dream stood with Moscow – not out of ideology, but for profit.
6/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Georgia also became a sanctions gray zone:
🔹Car re-exports jumped from $0.5B (2021) to $2.4B (2024).
🔹Evidence of dual-use electronics transiting to Russia.
🔹Russian oil imports doubled, possibly resold to Europe.Profit > principle.
8/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Ivanishvili turned this windfall into a political weapon.
Social spending soared: debt forgiveness, salary hikes, welfare for nearly 1/5 of voters.
During elections citizens were warned: vote against GD, lose your benefits.
9/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Meanwhile, the EU’s interest in the Middle Corridor and energy projects emboldened GD.
Leaders claimed: “Europe needs Georgia as much as Georgia needs Europe.”
The regime felt untouchable.
10/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Flush with cash, GD cracked down harder:
🔹Laws strangling foreign-funded NGOs & media.
🔹Massive fines on protesters.
🔹Business elites keep quiet, fearing losses.Pro-democracy forces were pushed to the brink.
11/16
www.transparency.org/en/press/dem…— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
But repression didn’t kill resistance.
Protests widened cracks inside GD, triggered defections, and exposed Ivanishvili’s vulnerabilities.
He rushed to repatriate assets under sanction threats – tying his fate even closer to Georgia🇬🇪.
12/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Now the model is hitting limits:
🔹Russian inflows are dwindling.
🔹Internal purges expose fractures.
🔹Without natural resources or charisma, a personalized autocracy looks fragile.
13/16
civil.ge/archives/692…— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Here lies a paradox:
Because Ivanishvili’s system is so dependent on money flows and his personal fortune, targeted Western sanctions could have an outsized impact.
14/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
The key targets are clear:
🔹Ivanishvili himself and his overseas assets.
🔹His inner circle of business allies who profit from state contracts.
🔹Banks and companies in Georgia tied to sanctions evasion.
🔹Corrupt judgesSqueeze these, and the regime’s lifeline breaks.
15/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Georgia’s people still demand democracy, rule of law, and Europe.
That’s the regime’s deepest fear – and the West’s greatest responsibility.
☕️ If you enjoy my threads, please consider supporting my work at buymeacoffee.com/terjehelland.
🙏
16/16— Terje Helland (@terjehelland.bsky.social) August 21, 2025 at 11:53 AM
22 Georgian online media outlets have united in this fight, and you can all support them:
From Abroad: www.gofundme.com/f/help-media…
Campaign: sinatle.media
Donation from Georgia:
TBC Bank: #GE76TB7548536080100013
Bank of Georgia: #GE06BG0000000609779465
Recipient: “ხალხის წყარო”
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:23 PM
🔴Prisoner of conscience Archil Museliantsi, who was arrested in connection with pro-European rallies and has reported police abuse and a forced confession, was sentenced to four years in prison. The decision was handed down by Judge Giorgi Arevadze.
#GeorgiaProtests
#RepressionInGeorgia— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) August 22, 2025 at 8:44 AM
29-year-old Archil Museliani was just sentenced to 4 years in Georgia for allegedly burning a power cable, causing just ₾534 (~$200) in damage. The case rests on an edited video where no crime is visible, plus a dubious pinky print his lawyer says was likely fabricated.
— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:01 AM
This is something I post little about because it’s impossible to know much, but I’ll remind you that the Georgian Dream is also in the middle of insane mafia clashes where Russia is also a major factor. So far, it does not seem like it’s going well for Ivanishvili.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Poland:
🤌 🇵🇱
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 7:52 AM
The US:
Trump, while showing off a photo of himself with Putin: …He (Putin) has been very respectful of me and our country…
Reporter: Have you spoke to Vladimir Putin about the fact that a big US factory was hit in an airstrike in Ukraine? What’s your reaction to that?
Trump: I am not happy about it…
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Trump: “I was just sent a picture from somebody who wants to be there very badly. He’s been very respectful of me and our country but not so respectful of others. But he’ll — I’m gonna sign this for him. But I was sent one. That’s a man named Vladimir Putin, who I believe will be coming.”
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) August 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Back to Ukraine.
1/ Georgia’s MIA announced on August 22 that 65 Ukrainian citizens who had been stranded at the Dariali border checkpoint for more than two months had been returned to Ukraine.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
2/ According to Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, they will first travel through Moldova before reaching their homeland.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
3/ The group, deported from Russia, had been stuck in the Dariali Checkpoint since early June in dire conditions.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
4/ Nearly 90 people were forced to share 24 beds in windowless, damp basements, with limited time outside under police escort. Food and medicine were provided by Volunteers Tbilisi and the Red Cross, though one person attempted suicide amid the hardship.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Ukrainian security guarantees.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 12:38 PM
/2. FP-5 “Flamingo” missile.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 4:10 AM
Coming to military targets in Russia soon.
Ukraine’s massive Flamingo cruise missile is larger (12-14 meters) than a US Tomahawk (6.4 meters), with a longer range and carrying a heavier warhead (1 ton+ vs. 450kg.) It is also cheaper, with mass production in the thousands annually planned.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:06 AM
The differences reflect differing roles – Flamingo is a ground-launched strategic weapon, while Tomahawk is an air or sea launched power-projection weapon for precision strikes.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Russian Shahed drones with PTM-3 anti-tank mines under the wings in the camera of @wildhornets.bsky.social STING Anti-Shahed.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Kharkiv:
Childhood next to Russia.
Kharkiv 📍— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Russian occupied Donetsk:
Ukrainian missile and artillery units destroyed a Russian Rubikon drone command post and a large ammunition depot in occupied Donetsk region, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 10:09 AM
The Pokrovsk front:
Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance destroyed a Russian Grad MLRS on the Pokrovsk front, ArmyInform reports. Footage shows a powerful detonation after the strike by pilots from the Chervona Kalyna brigade and supporting units.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 4:47 AM
The southern Slobozhanskyi front:
Aerial reconnaissance from Ukraine’s 4th Border Detachment destroyed 10 enemy targets on the Southern Slobozhanskyi front, including 5 vehicles, a shelter, and 4 UAV launch positions.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Kherson Oblast:
💥 The soldiers of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine destroyed a Russian boat in the Kherson region using precision weapons.
It is reported that as a result of the strike, all five members of the Russian crew had been eliminated.
militarnyi.com/en/news/defe…
— Militarnyi (@militarnyi.com) August 21, 2025 at 4:30 AM
This was the bayraktar strike I included at the end of last night’s post.
From Militarynyi:
The soldiers of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine destroyed a Russian boat in the Kherson region using precision weapons.
The press service of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine reported on this and published the corresponding video.
On August 20th, 2025, as a result of an operation by Ukrainian intelligence officers in the Black Sea near the temporarily occupied Zaliznyi Port in the Kherson region, an air-launched missile destroyed a boat of the Russian invaders.
It is reported that as a result of the strike, all five members of the Russian crew had been eliminated
“A precision destructive missile strike on an enemy target in the Black Sea was made possible thanks to laser designation from the drone, which also recorded the successful destruction of the military boat with the Muscovites,” the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine said.
The released footage shows a munition approaching the enemy boat, followed by a powerful explosion.
Most likely, the strike was carried out by a Bayraktar TB2 attack drone, as indicated by the distinctive interface.
Krasnodar Krai, Russia:
A Ukrainian sea drone operated by HUR detonated in Novorossiysk Bay, killing five elite Russian naval divers, the Ukrainian intelligence agency reports. The explosion happened after Russian forces tried to recover the drifting drone, which had lost connection due to EW.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:55 AM
From United24 Media:
Five elite Russian naval divers were killed in Novorossiysk Bay after attempting to examine a Ukrainian sea drone that detonated during recovery efforts, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported on August 22.
Novorossiysk serves as the main base for the remnants of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet following repeated Ukrainian strikes on Sevastopol.
“Summer thunder in Novorossiysk—during a Defense Intelligence operation in the Black Sea, one of Ukraine’s strike sea drones reached Novorossiysk Bay, where the aggressor state Russia keeps what’s left of its large Black Sea Fleet vessels,” the HUR said in a statement.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the drone lost contact with its operators due to Russian electronic warfare systems and began drifting.
After some time, local Russian commanders ordered the unmanned vessel lifted from the bay for examination.
“To carry out the task, a group of five elite naval reconnaissance divers from Russia’s so-called PDSS unit [anti-sabotage underwater forces and assets] were deployed. These are highly trained combat divers whose preparation requires significant financial resources and time, and who are equipped with the best gear available,” the HUR noted.
While manipulating the Ukrainian Magura V5 sea drone, it exploded—killing all five Russian divers instantly.
HUR further reported growing anger among Russian naval personnel in Novorossiysk over what they described as a senseless “meat order” from commanders that led to the loss of an elite team.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov confirmed that two Russian Su-30SM fighter jets were shot down over the Black Sea using AIM-9 air-to-air missiles launched from Magura-class unmanned surface vessels.
Bryansk Oblast, Russia:
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said Russian oil deliveries to Hungary have been halted again after another attack on the Druzhba pipeline, calling it a threat to the country’s energy security and the third such disruption in a short time.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Earlier, reporting another strike on the oil pumping station, Robert “Magyar” wrote in Hungarian: “Ruszkik haza!” — meaning “Russians, go home!”
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Rostov Oblast, Russia:
Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region, russia.
Second day on 🔥— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Russian Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery still on fire on the second day after the attack
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Satellite images show the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery after last night’s drone strike, according to Ukrainian OSINT analysts Dnipro Ostint. The plant is a major fuel supplier for Russian occupation forces.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) August 22, 2025 at 10:19 AM
If it burns for six more days Ukraine gets a new holiday!
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.
Because of russian invasion, many animals have been left homeless. Some have found shelter with Ukrainian defenders❤️
— UNITED24 (@u24.gov.ua) August 17, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Open thread!
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Teresa
I read your posts every night. It wrecks me, but it’s truth that needs to be known. I appreciate your work.
Adam L Silverman
@AlaskaReader: You’re welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@Teresa: Thank you for the kind words. You are most welcome.
Adam L Silverman
Time for me to rack out.
Martin
I would think those flamingos would be particularly effective against oil refineries and power infrastructure. 14m is plenty accurate for a refinery or power plant. Should be able to reach most of Russias most populated areas and infrastructure.
Not accurate enough to one shot an important bridge, but if they can get a couple through odds are they’d hit it.
pieceofpeace
Thanks, Adam. I read today’s report from the bottom and up to the beginning. It was a bit confusing, and also took more time to read, think, repeat….this on the heels of watching Professor t. episode where the topic to his class was whether evil is inborn or learned.
Westyny
Thank you, Adam.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
Thank you Adam. Painful but necessary. We must bear witness.
Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom
@pieceofpeace: Can I ask where this class is? Is it available on the Internet? Because that’s something I have been pondering since the beginning of the Russian Invasion.
Marleedog
@Sister Inspired Revolver of Freedom: professor t is a teevee show about a psychologically tortured criminology professor, not real life!
pieceofpeace
It is on PBS. There is the original version (I like this version; there’s a later one that I believe is current, and I watch them during a 1-week free period via Amazon). In this episode, season 1, he recommends the class read a book (existing), but haven’t found my reference note yet.
There are people who are/ become psychologically-tortured in life. DJT is one.
Maccheerful
Many thank Adam for doing this every day for so many, too many, years.
To remind everybody, tomorrow, Aug. 24th is Ukrainian Independence Day, celebrating the day in 1991 when Ukraine voted to separate itself from the Soviet Union, and take its own path in the world.
In Seattle, there’ll be a rally at 10:30 am on Alki Beach. Followed by an all day picnic/celebration.
There are probably other rallies in other cities that one could be part of.
pieceofpeace
@Maccheerful:
Thanks – we should have one in this area.
Protest today in Palo Alto regarding Palantir and Thiel.
Jay
Thank you, Adam.