Ukrainian Witness | War in Ukraine

💭🤯 ⬛️ 👀  Returned from captivity with a captive: the remarkable story of a Ukrainian soldier who spent two weeks in a dugout with a Russian* 👇  Click the bottom-right arrow to see the full text 🇺🇦  34-year-old Ukrainian serviceman from Odesa, Vadym Lietunov, ended up in an enemy dugout after his position was destroyed and he was wounded — and spent two weeks there with a Russian soldier➡️  At the end of February, his shelter was hit. His brother-in-arm was killed. Dazed by the blast, Lietunov managed to get out and instinctively ran toward Ukrainian linesIn the forest, he came across a dugout and went inside💬  I saw a man aiming a rifle at me. I said which brigade I was from, that we’d been bombed. He told me: 'Come in'. I stepped inside — and heard the accent. He was Russian, Lietunov recalls. I said: 'You’re not one of ours, right? Please don’t kill me.'👮  Inside was a Russian soldier named Nikita — unstable, a former convict and drug addict who had ended up at the front in exchange for freedom. He had already tried to leave his position but had been sent back➡️  The Russian ordered him to undress and searched his belongings, looking for drugs — influenced by propaganda claiming Ukrainian soldiers carry them😈  Once a day, a Mavic drone dropped minimal supplies into the dugout: porridge, jam, and a little water. The Russian shared what he had — a piece of chocolate and a sip of water from a bottle capAccording to Lietunov, Nikita had severe mood swings💬  He could suddenly become aggressive, press a pistol to my forehead and say, ‘I’ll kill you now’… and then change his mind a second later, he saysOver time, Lietunov’s condition worsened — gangrene set in, and a toe turned blackHe asked Nikita to shoot him outside the dugout so his body could be found and returned to his family💬  He got angry and refused. He was afraid to go outside — he knew it was dangerous, Lietunov saysNikita himself began complaining about the conditions — collecting rainwater and sometimes even 'drinking his own urine.'❗️  One morning he said, ‘Maybe I should surrender to you?’ I said, ‘Don’t.’ But I added that conditions in Ukraine are decent — three meals a day, cigarettes, the Geneva Convention, Lietunov recallsWhen they finally ran out of water, they went out to search for some. A Ukrainian drone spotted them💬  I pointed to my clothes. I was wearing my pixel-pattern army UBACS shirt — that’s basically how they recognized me, he says❗️  At first, drone operators thought they were Russians and even launched a kamikaze drone. By sheer luck, the strike failed. A second attack was aborted after a commander recognized his soldier➡️  They stayed in the dugout until a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier approached. Eventually, the Russian chose to surrender and destroyed his phoneHe was given coffee with condensed milk and sugar, then handed over to Ukrainian special services❗️  Lietunov’s unit, the 118th Brigade, had presumed him dead and informed his family his chances of return were minimal. He lost a toe due to gangrene and is now undergoing rehabilitation in Odesa🫡 It’s a one-in-a-million chance, he says of his story. I was a captive. But in the end, I came out with a captive

💭 🇺🇦   If asked to choose between a drone and a tank, I would choose a drone, — Pavlo Yelizarov, who was appointed as deputy commander of the Air Force focused on short-range air defense 💬 ❗️   We slightly changed the concept of how we treat 'Shaheds.' Previously, regions thought: if they flew past me and didn’t hit my area — thank God. Now the model is different: Shaheds enter and exit. If they exit, that’s bad. Why did they get out? So now there is control: how many entered and how many exited;💬  We also analyzed all radar coverage. Sometimes groups or those responsible for radars made decisions on their own discretion: “I want to be there because I like it there.” Now it is more structured: radars are placed according to a clear logic and moved based on what happened during the previous strike;💬  In one region we ran an experiment and tried to implement our model. There were 28 crews — and 24 of them did not shoot down a single drone over the past year. We went further. We took all crews under our command — more than 300. Of them, 66 shot down more than 10 Shaheds, others fewer than 10. And 170 crews did not shoot down a single one over the year;💬  Drone interceptors are considered effective and cost-efficient, but require radars, quality drones, and trained pilots;💬  Interceptor drones now reach speeds of up to 700 km/h;💬  Air defense is split into 'large' (traditional systems) and 'small' (countering drones), with the latter needing more structure;💬  The key challenge is personnel quality and well-coordinated teams;💬  Lasar’s Group has about 1,900 personnel, which is sufficient.

⚡️💭 🇪🇺   The EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia is the largest in the past two years* 👇  Click the bottom-right arrow to see the full text 🛢  Energy & Oil:🟠 New restrictions on oil and the 'shadow fleet';🟠 +46 tankers added to the sanctions list;🟠 Transactions with the ports of Murmansk and Tuapse banned;🟠 Restrictions targeting major refineries: Tuapse, Komsomolsk, AchinskSanctions on oil companies including Bashneft, Slavneft, and others;➡️ The package lays the groundwork for a full ban on transporting Russian oil and petroleum products. This still needs to be coordinated with the G7.👤 Companies & individuals:🟠 60 companies have been added to the sanctions list (32 Russian and 28 from third countries, including China, Turkey, the UAE, and Thailand), along with 120 new sanctions targeting oligarchs, military companies, propagandists, and individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children and the looting of cultural heritage.🏧 Banking & Finance:🟠 Sanctions imposed on 20 Russian banks;🟠 Full ban on any financial transactions with them;💰 Cryptocurrency:🟠 Full ban on cooperation with Russian crypto platforms (exchange and transfer services);🟠 Broader restrictions on Russia’s entire crypto sector.🤑  Exports & Imports:🟠 new bans have been introduced on exporting goods to Russia (including rubber, tractors, explosives, laboratory glass, and lubricants) worth over €365 million, as well as on importing Russian metals and chemicals worth more than €530 million.🏭  Military & Industrial Companies:🟠 +58 companies sanctioned, including suppliers from third countries (e.g. China, UAE)➡️ Sanctions include:🟠 Gazprom Fleet🟠 Gazstroyproekt🟠 Gazprom LNG Technologies🟠 Gazpromneft Marine Bunker (fuel supply for ships)🟠 Mangazeya Mining🟠 Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) and subsidiaries of Lukoil📱  Shipping & Logistics:🟠 Ban on selling tankers to Russia;🟠 Restrictions on servicing LNG carriers;🟠 New rules on vessel sales to prevent sanctions circumvention.🇧🇾  Belarus:🟠 New sanctions targeting Belarus’ military-industrial complex;🟠 Measures aligned with those applied to Russia;🟠 Belarusian Oil Company also sanctioned.Third Countries & Sanctions Evasion:🟠 Restrictions imposed on Kyrgyzstan due to re-export risksSpecific export bans to Kyrgyzstan:🟠 CNC machines (precision manufacturing equipment);🟠 Radio/electronic equipment.🆕  New mechanism introduced:The EU can restrict exports to countries helping Russia bypass sanctions🔵  Note: The list may not be exhaustive.

💭 👀 🇺🇦   UkrArmoTech has begun factory testing of the prototype of its first domestic APC, the 'Skif' ➡️ Skif is developed under a Ukrainian MoD contract, based on frontline experience from the war against Russia, focusing on mobility and troop transport needs;🟡  It is inspired by the M113 and aims to match its mobility while improving protection and firepower;➡️  Around 60% of components are initially imported (engine, transmission, suspension, gearbox, tracks), with gradual localization planned;➡️  The APC carries a crew of three and up to eight soldiers. The prototype uses an aluminum hull (about 15 tons), while production models may switch to steel for better protection.➡️  It features a remote weapon station with 12.7 mm or 14.5 mm machine guns plus a 7.62 mm secondary gun;➡️  Armor meets NATO STANAG 4569 (level 4 front, level 3 sides/rear) with mine protection up to 6 kg blasts;➡️  It is also equipped with electronic warfare systems, anti-drone protection, modern communications, and modular design for multiple battlefield roles.

💭❗️ 👀 😈  A major shift in UAVs has reportedly occurred on the front line, with Ukraine deploying a new generation of drones that is severely disrupting logistics, — Russian Telegram channels and "Akhmat" commander Alaudinov report 💭 ➡️ A Russian TG channel writes: What is known so far: these drones operate both day and night, and are nearly silent (audible only in the final seconds of a dive), cannot be detected by standard detectors, and are resistant to electronic warfare. They are described as high-quality, mass-produced military systems. There are also claims they may be AI-controlled rather than operator-driven. If deployed via a relay-wing using Starlink, their operational range is very large. They are fast (fixed-wing), making escape nearly impossible 🎞🤔  This video allegedly shows one of these drones in action. Link 🔗⚡️💭👀🇺🇦  Ukrainian Defense Ministry advisor Serhii Sternenko also hinted at this development: 💬  We have VERY good news! Together with Ukrainian manufacturers, we’ve developed a breakthrough FPV drone technology. It will give our military a critical advantage. The Russians have no countermeasures — they won’t be able to do anything. For security reasons, we will keep this development secret for the coming months

💭🗞 🐵 🇭🇺 🇭🇺 📈  Russia’s SVR proposed staging an assassination attempt on Viktor Orban to boost his election chances, — The Washington Post, citing European intelligence and leaked documents 🟠 💬  The plan, "Gamechanger," was a backup option to "fundamentally shift" the campaign into an emotional, security-focused narrative;🟠 💬  Inspired by the July 2024 attempt on Donald Trump, which boosted his ratings.🟠 💬  Russia has not used extreme measures yet, focusing on media support built on anti-Ukraine messaging and portraying Orbán as the "only defender of sovereignty";🟠 💬  A key coordinator: Russian diplomat Tigran Garibyan, who meets pro-government Hungarian journalists and gives instructions;🟠 💬  Three Russian military intelligence operatives reportedly arrived in Hungary;🟠 💬  Moscow is also preparing to question election results if the opposition wins.🟠 💬 ❗️  Orban is considered a key asset, giving Russia access to sensitive EU discussions — both directly and via cyber intrusions (per ex-cyber chief Ferenc Fress);🟠 💬 ❗️  Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto calls Sergey Lavrov during EU meetings, sharing live updates;🟠 💬  "Russia was effectively present at every EU meeting," a European official said;🟠 💬  SVR documents also show smear campaigns against Hungarian opposition, including AI fakes and fabricated cases targeting party members.

💭❗️ 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇮🇷   A few days after the U.S. and Israel reportedly eliminated Iran’s Supreme Leader, the conflict is entering a new phase. Thousands of Iranian Kurdish fighters are assembling in Iraqi Kurdistan and, according to The Atlantic, are expected to receive U.S. and Israeli support for a major offensive into Iran ➡️  Other groups may join, including the exiled Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and Baluchi militias along Iran’s southeastern border. Five Iranian Kurdish parties recently formed a joint coalition, all with armed wings, and thousands of fighters are reportedly already assembled. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) is expected to lead the operation, and its leader, Mustafa Hijri, reportedly spoke with Trump➡️  The plan could face strong resistance from non-Kurdish Iranians, especially if MEK is involved. Though removed from the U.S. terrorist list in 2012, many Iranians view the group as cult-like. Beyond Kurdish-majority areas, fears are growing that empowering ethnic militias could trigger civil war and fragmentation. Concerns are heightened by the presence of groups like the Baluchi Jaish al-Adl, reportedly linked to al-Qaeda➡️  Kurds, mostly Sunni in a predominantly Shiite country, say they are open to working with most opposition forces — except the Islamic Republic and Reza Pahlavi, whom they see as hostile to Kurdish aspirations. In ethnically mixed western cities, tensions with groups such as Azerbaijani Turks could further raise the risk of interethnic conflict, though some argue shared non-Persian identity could unite them➡️  For years, Iranians feared their struggle against authoritarian rule might descend into chaos. That scenario now seems closer than ever.

💭❗️ 🇮🇱 🇺🇸 🇮🇷  Tensions across the Middle East have escalated dramatically following the launch of a large-scale military operation by Israel and the U.S. against Iran. The conflict is unfolding on multiple fronts, with missile strikes, retaliatory attacks, and regional bases coming under threat 🦁 Operation "Roaring Lion" Begins➡️ The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out what it described as a preemptive strike on Tehran, reportedly targeting areas near Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence🇺🇸 ➡️  The United States joined the operation, launching dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles at strategic Iranian facilitiesAccording to official statements, the operation aims to:🟠 Pressure Iran over its nuclear program🟠 Destroy Iran’s missile industry🟠 Neutralize Iranian naval forces🤡  US President Donald Trump confirmed the start of the operation, stating it is intended to "protect the American people"🇮🇷 🚀  Iran Strikes Back➡️ Iran responded by launching missile attacks toward Israel and toward Bahrain, where the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet is basedExplosions or strikes have also been reported in:🔴 Qatar🔴 United Arab Emirates🔴 Jordan🔴 Saudi Arabia🔴 KuwaitReports indicate activity near Al Udeid Air Base (Qatar) and Ali Al Salem Air Base (Kuwait)🇸🇦 🇶🇦  Saudi Arabia and Qatar have warned Iran of "serious consequences" for attacks on regional states➡️  Iranian officials stated they are preparing a "crushing response" and emphasized that all US bases and interests in the region are within missile range🇾🇪  Houthis Enter the War➡️ The leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, announced that the group is officially entering the war on Iran’s side against Israel and the United States📢 👀 Conflicting Reports on Iranian Leadership❗️  Israeli media report that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has been killed🗞  Reuters reports that Iran’s Defense Minister and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in missile strikes😋  However, Iran’s Foreign Minister claims that "almost all officials are alive and safe"📈 🇺🇸  US Strategy: Escalating Strike Waves🗞  According to CNN, citing a US official, Washington is planning a series of escalating strikes on Iran, with pauses between rounds to assess impact. Each phase may last one to two days🇮🇱 🔫  Israel has announced the mobilization of 70,000 reservists, stating that the ultimate goal of the operation is to eliminate threats posed by the Iranian regime, including its support for regional proxy groups🇷🇺 Russia’s Foreign Ministry has called for a return to political and diplomatic resolution of the crisis⚠️ The situation remains highly volatile, with the risk of a wider regional war increasing by the hour

💭 🔥 🐵  Putin's current policy isn’t very different from Russia's imperial and soviet past, and internal change is unlikely, — Budanov in an interview with Al Modon 📰 ❗️ 🟠 We should create conditions in which Russia ceases to be an empire. Several regional national states should emerge on its territory. Only then will Ukraine, Europe, and the world feel safer;🟠 Sanctions on Russia should remain even after the war ends. Any other scenario would encourage further aggressive actions;🟠 Over 12 years of war, Russia has become poorer in every sense — economically, politically, and demographically;🟠 Russia faces internal problems and cannot defeat Ukraine, so the war should end, regardless of whether Russia’s leadership understands this;🟠 Ukraine will not give up its land; all occupied territories are temporary and will eventually be liberated;🟠 The Russian negotiating team understands it will have to accept U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, whether it likes it or not;🟠 I have not heard the U.S. set any specific deadline for ending the war.

💭 🇷🇺 🇮🇷 🇨🇳 ➡️  Russian and Iranian oil producers are offering deepening discounts as they compete for Chinese buyers after India retreated from purchases, — Bloomberg 📰 ➡️  China’s independent refiners have limited capacity to absorb displaced crude, leaving unsold oil accumulating in Asian waters as Russia and Iran face fewer selling options🪙 📉  Russian and Iranian producers are offering deeper discounts to compete for a shrinking pool of Chinese buyers after India reduced purchases. Russia’s Urals crude is selling about $12 per barrel below Brent, while Iranian Light is discounted by up to $11🇨🇳  Chinese independent refiners can absorb only limited volumes due to capacity constraints and import quotas. As a result, Russia has cut production to maintain prices, while Iran is trying to maximize exports amid geopolitical risks🇷🇺 📈 So far, it looks like Iran is taking a hit as Russia muscles in on the market. Deliveries of Russian oil to Chinese ports rose to 2.09 million barrels a day in the first 18 days of February, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. That’s a roughly 20% increase from January and a jump of around a half from December