April 25, 2022

Large fire at Russian oil depot north of Ukrainian border, unconfirmed reports say

https://twitter.com/NotWoofers/status/1518378495801499650
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1518383893698732032

There are unconfirmed reports of a large fire at an oil depot in the Russian city of Bryansk, around 100 kilometres north of the Ukrainian border. The Guardian has so far been unable to verify the reports.

update: Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations has confirmed “the fact of ignition” at an oil depot in the city of Bryansk, the Kremlin-backed television channel and news agency RT has reported, after social media posts suggested there was a large fire at the depot.

It wrote:

Local residents report that explosions were heard. Sirens can be heard in social media videos.

According to locals, explosions and fire occurred in several districts of Bryansk. According to unconfirmed reports, the second source of fire originates in the area where the military unit of the 120th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense is located.

Emergency services began to evacuate residents of houses near the burning oil depot.

NASA’s fire monitoring service, FIRMS, has detected the reported oil depot fires in Bryansk, according to maps on its website:

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1518413419187257344

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1518400915035897857

April 23, 2022

Happy Easter, Mr.putin. The Heaven will never accept you.

https://twitter.com/IuliiaMendel/status/1517992363683110917

https://twitter.com/ChristopherJM/status/1517980181566218240

April 23, 2022

The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 23 April 2022

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1517820758273130496

April 21, 2022

US President Joe Biden is set to announce plans on Thursday to send additional military aid Ukraine

The official, who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, said Biden will deliver a Thursday morning address at the White House detailing his plans to build on the roughly $2.6bn in military assistance the administration has already approved for Ukraine.

The new package is expected to be similar in size to the $800m package Biden announced last week.

It includes much needed heavy artillery and ammunition for Ukrainian forces in the escalating battle for the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

“I don’t know about you, but I’ve been to Ukraine a number of times before the war ... and I knew they were tough and proud but I tell you what: They’re tougher and more proud than I thought,” Biden told military commanders. “I’m amazed at what they’re doing with your help.”

April 21, 2022

US and allies say new intel suggests coming Russian cyberattack

Five allied countries including the United States have warned that “evolving intelligence” indicates Russia is poised to launch powerful cyberattacks against rivals supporting Ukraine.

The members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing network - the US, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - said Moscow could also involve existing cybercrime groups in launching attacks on governments, institutions and businesses, AFP reports.

“Evolving intelligence indicates that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks,” they said in an official cyber threat alert.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could expose organisations both within and beyond the region to increased malicious cyber activity. This activity may occur as a response to the unprecedented economic costs imposed on Russia as well as materiel support provided by the United States and US allies and partners.

the guardian live stream

April 19, 2022

Pro russia group paying Ukrainians up to $650 to spy on their own country

Oleksandr Malish, the patrol police chief for the cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk in the Donetsk region says the online group would put out a notice asking for coordinates or photos of a certain place in exchange for money. When a person sent the “goods” to the administrator, they received up to £500 on their bank card, Malish said.

He said his team had found evidence of such Telegram exchanges and bank transfers on the phones of “numerous” suspected collaborators they had detained. He said declined to say exactly how many. The group has about 15,000 subscribers.

Malish said police were asked by residents to inspect a man on Saturday. When they searched his phone, he said, they saw he had received about £400 from a Russian bank account on 8 April. As the man was not able to explain the transfer, and the Kramatorsk railway station was hit the same day, they decided to detain him as a suspect.

“I cannot even call these people Ukrainians, even though they have Ukrainian passports and were born here and lived here all their lives,” said Malish. “These are not professional spies who were trained in Moscow and sent here.”

The Guardian live stream



This is just another reason all russia connected banks should be sanctioned by US & the EU.

April 15, 2022

You know pootie is getting desperate when he reaches out to Brazil for financial help

Russia has asked Brazil for support in the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the G20 group of top economies to help it counter crippling sanctions imposed by the west since it invaded Ukraine, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

April 13, 2022

Ukraine's Interior Ministry has received $4m worth of equipment to digitise Russia's war crimes

“Two private companies, AXON and Benish GPS, have donated $4 million worth of special equipment (chest video recorders) to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine,” the agency said in an update over the Telegram messaging app.

“It will allow Ukrainian law enforcement to effectively collect and digitise evidence of Russia’s war crimes against Ukraine,” the ministry added.

The equipment is considered to be “one of the best examples in its field” and the body cameras provided will be used by investigators and forensic scientists to capture traces of war crimes, the statement continued.

April 12, 2022

Putins oligarch buddy Viktor Medvedchuk arrested by Ukrainian law enforcemen

https://twitter.com/lukeharding1968/status/1513945213609385990

This will further infuriate Vladimir Putin, who is godfather to Viktor Medvedchuk's daughter. Medvedchuk is - or was - Ukraine's foremost pro-Kremlin politician. He looks tired and distraught
Christo Grozev
@christogrozev
Zelensky's official telegram account announces that SBU caught the fugitive oligarch and Putin's close friend Viktor Medvedchuk. Camouflage and all.

Medvedchuk is the leader of the Opposition Platform for Life, Ukraine’s biggest opposition party. In March, the party was one of several that Zelenskiy suspended due to its links to Russia. Ukrainian authorities had put Medvedchuk under house arrest, but he escaped three days after Russia invaded Ukraine 24 February. His whereabouts had been unknown until today’s announcement.

April 10, 2022

Russia is reportedly offering cash bonuses to incentivise forces withdrawn from northeastern Ukrain

to reenter combat operations.

Radio Svoboda published images of a document on April 10 that it reported was issued by the Russian Ministry of Defense on April 2 offering specific bonuses for Russian troops in Ukraine. The document specifies large payments including 300,000 rubles for destroying a fixed-wing aircraft, 200,000 for destroying a helicopter, and 50,000 for armored vehicles and artillery.

Radio Svoboda stated the payments are intended to coerce units withdrawn from the Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions to reenter combat. We have previously reported several instances of Russian soldiers refusing orders to return to Ukraine after being pulled back.

It also says that Russian forces are “implementing increasingly draconian measures to conscript previously ineligible personnel”.

The guardian