Every Day, New Russian Strikes and Reality Itself Prove That It Is Russia That Must Be Forced Into Peace – Address by the President

7 March 2025 – 19:34

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

I held a Staff meeting. There was a detailed analysis of today’s Russian strike and the operation of our air defenses. We usually do such analyses of combat activities after massive attacks – identifying weak points as well as lessons learned that deserve to be shared. Today, all the necessary reports on this were presented. Special emphasis was placed on the effectiveness of our air defenses. In total, the Russians used more than 260 aerial attack assets in this strike: cruise and ballistic missiles, attack drones. Our troops succeeded in responding to the attack with the highest level of professionalism. I want to thank every unit, all the services involved, all our warriors. As always, the attack was repelled in a comprehensive manner. Among other things, we deployed fighter aircraft – F16s and French Mirage jets, which performed exceptionally well today. Emmanuel, thank you! I want to commend all our fighter pilots, our helicopter crews of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, our electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of our army, and especially the units of the 160th Anti-Aircraft Missile Odesa Brigade, the 208th Anti-Aircraft Missile Kherson Brigade and the 540th Anti-Aircraft Missile Lviv Brigade. Well-done, warriors!

We are also working very actively to prevent any shortages in supplies to protect lives. Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Umerov is practically on a continuous business trip – constantly in meetings and in communication with partners to secure new support packages, with air defense, of course, being the top priority.

Today, this Russian strike on our energy system and civilian facilities occurred so routinely for Russia, so vile and cynical, as always, as if there are no efforts at all from Ukraine and the world to end this war. Ukraine is ready for peace as soon as possible – we have proposed concrete steps. And every day, new Russian strikes and reality itself prove that it is Russia that must be forced into peace – into stopping the war, into real diplomacy, into ensuring security and into a reliable and lasting peace. I thank everyone who is helping Ukraine, everyone who is supporting our state, our people, our defense, and simply the truth.

And a few other things. This week we have significantly increased our support in Europe. Both from the EU and from individual countries. There is a particularly strong decision from Norway to finance our resilience – the level of announced assistance this year has been increased to USD 7.7 billion, and most of it will be allocated to weapons production in Ukraine. This will help a lot. Thank you. We also expect decisions from other Nordic countries. France will expedite its security assistance. The Netherlands is ready to invest EUR 700 million in the production of drones. There are new decisions by our Baltic friends to support us. We have solid security agreements with European Council President Costa and European Commission President von der Leyen. We are preparing for a meeting at the level of the Chiefs of General Staff in France.

We continue working on the relevant steps with our partners who want peace, who want it just as much as we do. And next week there will be a lot of work here in Europe, with America, in Saudi Arabia – we are preparing a meeting to accelerate peace and strengthen the foundations of security. Today, throughout the day, the most intensive work to date has been ongoing with President Trump’s team at various levels – with many phone calls. The agenda is clear – peace as soon as possible, security as reliable as possible. Ukraine is committed to the most constructive approach.

We thank everyone who is helping us!

Glory to Ukraine!

Georgia:

🟥 March 7 marks the 100th day of continuous protest in #Georgia.

🟥 For 100 days in #Batumi pro-European protest demonstrations have been taking place every evening, demanding release of political prisoners and new elections.

#GeorgiaProtests
#RepressionInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) March 7, 2025 at 3:18 PM

This couple is on Rustaveli every day, protesting, fighting for the European future of Georgia.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 100

📸 Luka Tvaliashvili

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM

DAY 100 of continuous protests in Georgia!

The crisis will only get worse without new, free and fair elections, and the release of the regime prisoners.

I came rather late, regretfully, and many were already leaving. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM

Zugdidi on the 100th day of continuous pro-European protests.

#GeorgiaProtests
📸 Oto Shengelia

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 1:43 PM

Attackers who brutally assaulted two cafe girls over giving free beverages to protesters have been released on GEL 3000 bail (around EUR 1000).
For comparison, protesters on Rustaveli get fines of GEL 5000 for simply being there. And wearing a mask is GEL 2000.
#terrorinGeorgia

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 12:52 PM

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:42 PM

March 7 marks 100 continuous days of protests in 🇬🇪.

There will be no end to the all-encompassing crisis without new, free & fair elections, and the release of the regime prisoners. 1/

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:59 AM

Georgians cannot protest without leaders, they said. Georgians are prone to emotional outbursts alone and cannot persist in a cool-headed routine of their mission, they said. Georgians cannot protest in winter, they said. 2/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:59 AM

Overall, we have been protesting for 11 months now. And in the process of protesting against the last ever Russian rule in Georgia that is the Georgian Dream regime (because Russians have no political, social, or cultural foothold in Georgia), – 3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:59 AM

A new, civic nation is being born. A new social contract is being drafted.

“Until the end!” –

video by Coalition for Change, although with different music. Made faster to adjust Bluesky by @theskyisnotblue.bsky.social
4/4.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:59 AM

The US:

Trump: “Despite the Russia Russia Russia hoax I’ve always had a good relationship with Putin. He wants to end the war. And I think he’s gonna be more generous than he has to be.”

(Russia continues to bomb Ukraine, so it doesn’t seem like Putin really wants the war to end.)

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 7, 2025 at 12:28 PM

Trump on Putin: “I think we’re doing very well with Russia. But right now they’re bombing the hell out of Ukraine. I’m finding it more difficult, frankly, to deal with Ukraine. And they don’t have the cards … in terms of getting a final settlement, it may be easier dealing with Russia.”

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM

REPORTER: You said on social media that Russia is pounding Ukraine. Why not provide Ukraine with air defenses?

TRUMP: Because I have to know that they want to settle. We want them to settle.

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 7, 2025 at 12:23 PM

Meanwhile, as reported by The Hill, Republicans are calling for the lifting of the ban on arms supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, as the delay in aid could potentially undermine Ukraine’s combat readiness and negotiating position.

thehill.com/homenews/sen…

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 10:58 AM

Ukraine has supplied the U.S. with extensive intelligence and vast amounts of data on Russian technology, captured equipment, battlefield operational guides, weapon performance, and countermeasures against US provided systems. A shame no one seems to remembers or appreciates it

— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM

🚨🚨Another horrible set of news for #ukraine: US aerospace company Maxar Technologies has restricted Ukraine’s access to its satellite imagery- assumedly due to illegitimate pressure by evil and nasty Trump administration. 🧵
kyivindependent.com/maxar-techno…

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— Jacob Öberg (@profjacob.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 8:29 AM

From The Kyiv Independent:

U.S. aerospace company Maxar Technologies has restricted Ukraine’s access to its satellite imagery, the Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi reported on March 7, citing unnamed users of the service.

Kyiv has relied on high-resolution satellite images for defense and strategic planning, tracking Russian troop movements, assessing battlefield conditions, and monitoring Russian infrastructure damage.

The alleged move follows the U.S. decision to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a shift confirmed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe on March 5.

According to Militarnyi, the restriction was imposed under an order from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with the State Department allegedly prohibiting U.S. companies from providing satellite data to Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent was unable to verify the claims and has contacted Maxar Technologies for confirmation but has yet to receive a response.

Ukraine’s cyber community Cyberboroshno also reported the restriction, claiming that free access to satellite reconnaissance had been cut off.

“According to our information, at least private companies can buy already ordered (satellite) images through the provider,” Cyberboroshno wrote on Telegram.

Washington has also frozen military aid to Kyiv as part of a broader effort to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky into peace talks with Russia.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on March 6 that Kyiv is working on alternatives to counter the loss of U.S. intelligence, including potential cooperation with European partners.

In cutting access to commercially available unclassified imagery, the US is moving from reducing military assistance to Ukraine towards something more like sanctions.

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— James Cameron (@jjjcameron.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 4:06 AM

Sanctions on Ukraine for defending itself from an invasion by the world’s leading nuclear power, yay!

Humankind discovers new levels of insanity and stupidity every single day.

— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 7:58 AM

Trump’s cryptic Russia comment ‘probably just bluster,’ experts say #Ukraine

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— 🔱🇺🇦 (@amplifyukraine.eu) March 7, 2025 at 7:20 AM

From The Kyiv Independent:

U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim to be the only person who knows why Russia wants to “make a deal” and end the war in Ukraine is “probably just bluster,” experts have told the Kyiv Independent.

Speaking to reporters in the White House on March 6, Trump addressed his ongoing — and controversial — efforts to end the fighting and bring both Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table.

“I think what’s going to happen is Ukraine wants to make a deal because I don’t think they have a choice,” he said.

“I also think that Russia wants to make a deal because in a certain different way — a different way that only I know, only I know — they have no choice,” Trump cryptically added.

Trump did not elaborate, and his comments left observers baffled as to what he might be referring to.

“No clue,” former U.K. Defense Attache in Moscow, John Foreman, told the Kyiv Independent when asked for his thoughts.

“Unless he’s referring to intel about discussions in Moscow about how long they can keep at it, the real state of the Russian army or economy, or (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s health,” he added.

Jenny Mathers, a Russian political expert and lecturer at the U.K.’s Aberystwyth University, dismissed the comments as “probably just bluster to make Trump look like he is getting something out of his conversations with Putin.”

“Trump is always claiming unique abilities, so it is not too surprising that he is claiming some unique knowledge. I seriously doubt that Putin is confiding secret Russian weaknesses or strategy to Trump,” she added.

But like Foreman, Mathers did also keep open the possibility that Trump was referring to possible U.S. intelligence reports that “reveal Russian weaknesses.”

“But that does not fit well with Trump’s eagerness to offer up front concessions to Moscow before peace talks even begin,” she added.

Retired Lt Gen @GlenGrant on @BBCNews

“People need to be clear – what the US is trying to do is get Ukraine to capitulate,” he says. “To give in to Russia…”

“The reason for that is quite simple. Trump is unable to – or perhaps unwilling to – do anything against Russia…”

— Olga Onuch (@oonuch.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:26 AM

The consequences of the US stopping intelligence sharing with Ukraine, as one Russian newspaper sees them: “Now we have a higher chance of finding the enemy’s weak spot and striking when they’re not expecting it.” #ReadingRussiahttps

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— Steve Rosenberg (@bbcstever.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 1:38 AM

The Czech Republic:

Here’s the translation:

And Czech president talks sense too:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI9k…

English translation by someone on Reddit:

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— Tomasz Oryński (@torynski.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 5:30 PM

France:

Here’s French Senator Malhuret’s full speech with subtitles:

Finland:

And remarks from the Finnish Foreign Minister:

Poland:

Lots of terrible & misinformed takes on Poland tonight, proving once again how shallow the coverage of Poland by most international media is: this time based on an out of context misreading of Tusk’s remark on nuclear & a misunderstanding of his comments on military training. 🫠

— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

No, Tusk didn’t announce plans for a Polish nuclear programme; it appeared to be a response to Macron’s words about extending the French umbrella, with Tusk confirming “serious talks” about it.

Some people should think twice before misreading things and tweeting for engagement.

— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

Relevant bit from the speech, translated, below.

Very clear he talks about it mostly theoretically, as part of a bigger rethink of Polish defence policy and need to rearm.

And then he was also asked about it *VERY SPECIFICALLY* in the press huddle after the speech (follows in next post).

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— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

Here’s the press huddle afterwards: a clear reference to Macron, acknowledgment of the (obvious) lesson from Ukraine, but also no decisions made, list of things to consider, and a caveat that it’s “a very long road”, wd need a consensus etc.

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— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

And then the best thing about frenzied reports about Poland’s “plans” to “put in place system of compulsory military training for all adult men” is that Tusk literally said it wouldn’t be compulsory.

And that he would have said conscription if that’s what he meant.

But he didn’t.

— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

And yet, that’s what you are reading in your feeds, because Poland is so poorly covered, often with people who don’t know the context or speak the language, but just take a DeepL translation and come up with any random stuff to get engagement in this frenzied environment.

Depressing.

— Jakub Krupa (@jakubkrupa.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:29 PM

Britain:

UK to continue to supply intelligence to Ukraine after US cutoff

Britain will also continue to supply analysis of raw data but will not pass on shared US information, sources say www.theguardian.com/world/2025/m…

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— Andy Scollick (@andyscollick.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:26 AM

From The Guardian:

Britain will continue to supply intelligence to Ukraine, though the more limited capabilities on offer from London and other European countries will make it difficult to replace the flow halted from the US earlier this week.

The UK will also continue to supply its analysis of the raw data, sources said on Thursday, though in line with normal intelligence practice it will not simply pass on US information obtained via long-established sharing arrangements between the two countries.

“They are not as far reaching as US capabilities, not at the same scale and not able to take their place,” a former Whitehall insider said. But they will allow Ukraine to maintain some early warning from attack and a degree of deep strike capability into Russia.

Reconnaissance data collected from satellites, ground stations, surveillance aircraft such as Rivet Joint, and even covertly deployed ground forces is accumulated and shared with Ukraine in conjunction with open source material to enable damaging deep missile and drone strikes into Russia.

France also said publicly that it would continue to provide intelligence to Ukraine. Sébastien Lecornu, the country’s armed forces minister, said that while the US decision would have a “significant operational impact” Paris would continue to help with its “sovereign intelligence”.

The French minister said the UK’s position was “more complicated” because its intelligence apparatus was more closely bound up with Washington – though British sources emphasised there had been a long history of competition as well as cooperation between the UK and US.

One expert suggested the US decision to halt its intelligence could make it easier for Russia to renew a stalled offensive towards Ukraine’s second city. The Kremlin could “move everything inside its borders near Kharkiv and attack again”, Dr Jade McGlynn, of King’s College London, said.

There are concerns Ukraine would struggle to detect the launch of bombers from Russian air bases and incoming missiles, though there was a warning on Wednesday before a missile attack on a hotel in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, which killed four and injured at least 32.

A defence expert said he believed the intelligence freeze meant Ukraine could no longer detect incoming Iskander-M ballistic missiles and their North Korean equivalents, KN-23s and KN-24s. Valerii Riabykh, the editor of the Defence Express consulting firm, said the US had jeopardised the safety of civilians with its decision.

However, Riabykh suggested the cutoff would not significantly affect the situation on the frontline. “We have our own intelligence officers, satellite services and agents in Russia. This is enough to strike stationary objects deep inside the Russian Federation,” he said.

The Institute for the Study of War said the US decision “will damage Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against ongoing Russian attacks”, and gave examples of successful long-range strikes by the Ukrainian military that would prove harder to execute.

That included the bombing of an ammunition facility near Toropets, Tver oblast, overnight on 17-18 September 2024 that “destroyed “two to three months of Russia’s ammunition supply” at a site that stored ballistic missiles, glide bombs and other artillery ammunition.

A day after the ban was announced by the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, another member of the Republican administration said the US decision was primarily political. Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, said the idea was “sort of like hitting a mule with a two by four across the nose. You get their attention.”

Speaking at an event organised by the Council on Foreign Relations thinktank, Kellogg said the goal was to force Ukraine to “engage in diplomatic activities” and to get them to set out “their term sheet”, or outline negotiating position, for a deal. “So, more of anything, it’s a forcing function,” he added.

More at the link.

Back to Ukraine.

“The 🇫🇷 Mirages successfully intercepted Russian cruise missiles,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook

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— Sophie Pedder (@sophiepedder.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 9:06 AM

French Mirage-2000 takes down russian missiles over Ukraine 🇺🇦🇫🇷

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:37 PM

From PoliticoEU:

KYIV ― Ukraine’s military used Mirage 2000 jets provided by France to repel a Russian attack for the first time, deploying the aircraft overnight against Moscow’s latest barrage of missiles and drones.

Russian forces launched 67 missiles and 194 drones against Ukraine, bombing mostly energy and civilian infrastructure in the country’s Odesa, Poltava, Kharkiv and Ternopil regions, Ukrainian officials said. Army spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said it was first massive Russian combined attack since the U.S. stopped aid to push Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow.

Kyiv managed to shoot down 34 missiles and 100 drones, Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said in a statement.

“The Mirages successfully intercepted Russian cruise missiles,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Facebook. He said U.S.-made F-16 jets also were used against the Russian attack.

The first of the French fighter jets arrived in Ukraine in early February, eight months after French President Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery. France has also stepped up by providing Kyiv with intelligence it needs to counter the Russian attacks after the U.S. stopped sharing intel with Ukraine.

More at the link.

“Putin wants to stop and settle.” Weird, because from here, it looks more like he wants to bomb and kill. Someone tell Trump.

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— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 4:19 PM

Optic fiber FPV drones of the Magyar unit target two Russian AFVs in a hangar.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 1:04 PM

Dobropillia Donetsk, Oblast:

Russia demonstrates its so-called readiness for peace by launching three missiles at Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast, killing five civilians and injuring 15.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM

More from Dobropillia in the Donetsk region, where russia attacked residential building, killing at least 5 civilians and injuring at least 15

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 6:27 PM

Kharkiv:

Overnight and into the early morning, Ukraine faced a massive russian drone and missile attack. An Iskander missile struck a critical infrastructure facility in Kharkiv, also damaging nearby homes. At least eight civilians were injured

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:25 AM

Russian missile strike on Kharkiv injured 8 civilians and destroyed homes and vehicles in residential area.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 7:10 AM

Russian occupied portion of Kharkiv Oblast:

Ukrainian soldiers from the reconnaissance special forces company of the 1st Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, “Bureviy,” are conducting raid operations behind enemy lines in the Kharkiv direction and capturing prisoners.

Full video: t.me/wartranslated

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM

Odesa:

Russian drone strikes next to a car in Odesa 😱

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 5:22 PM

Odesa is under the russian drone attack tonight.
Drones caused damage to energy infrastructure and ignited fires in three private homes. The number of casualties is still being determined.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM

🤬🙏 Odesa region hit again: this is the 6th attack on its energy infrastructure in the past 2.5 weeks, — DTEK

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— Savchenko Volodymyr (@savchenkoua.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:15 AM

Antonivka, Kherson Oblast:

🖤Kherson. Antonivka.

Human safari place.

To get there, one drives in an armored vehicle along the “Road of Death.”

(I don’t have a permit to work there but interviewing a family evacuated from there to downtown today.)

🎥 by Serhiy Ivashchenko, the head of Antoniivka,

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— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 4:28 AM

Chasiv Yar:

Russians are bogged down and suffering serious losses in Chasiv Yar due to Ukraine’s significant drone advantage—essentially, they can’t even lift their heads. The use of armoured vehicles is extremely limited. EW is ineffective due to the rapid adaptation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:32 PM

Russian occupied Kherson Oblast:

⚓️Ukrainian FPV drones launched from the naval drone attack two Russian air defense systems deep in the Russian rear.

“Naval drone carriers delivered the FPV drones by sea to the operation site, and then they hit the Strela-10 and Osa-AKM air defense systems!”

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 5:45 AM

Russia:

Reports of Ukrainian drones launched in direction of Moscow, others headed N towards south-western European Russia, and others headed SE towards Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea and southern Russia.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 1:36 PM

That’s enough for tonight.

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Open thread!