My latest episode of @thisisnotadrillpod.bsky.social featuring security analyst @jimmyrushton.bsky.social discussing the latest developments from Zelenskyy's trip to the United Nations is out now on the link below or wherever you listen to your podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

For New Lines Magazine: I spent a week and a half with Ukraine's elite Third Assault Brigade, the largest and one of the most effective fighting forces within the Ukrainian military, and not coincidently, one of the least 'Soviet'. With @michaeldweiss.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/in...

Systematic use of chemical weaponry by Russia in Ukraine continues. My interview/report from the front line for Times Radio. www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDWk...

NEW: For the Ukrainian volunteers evacuating their fellow civilians, the sudden end of U.S. funding means more will die under Russian fire, reports @jimmyrushton.bsky.social in @newlinesmag.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/cu...

Kyiv.

Latest with @jimmyrushton.bsky.social: Ukraine didn’t just humiliate Vladimir Putin with its stunning FPV drone assault on Russia’s strategic bombers—it also embarrassed Donald Trump, who repeatedly dismissed Kyiv’s ability to fight without U.S. help t.co/9SqbwxSa35

I’ve been shown unreleased footage of Sunday’s SBU drone attack. I can confirm at least two A-50 AWACS aircraft were struck by drones; the FPV drones landing directly on the radar domes before detonating. Multiple Tu-22M3s can also be seen struck in the footage.

NEW: Russia is using social media to recruit unsuspecting Ukrainian civilians - including children - and turning them into unwitting suicide bombers. A deep dive into Moscow's disturbing new tactic with @michaeldweiss.bsky.social for New Lines Magazine. newlinesmag.com/reportage/ru...

"Ignore the moral panic; there's nothing inherently unethical about drone warfare..." I wrote about the debate surrounding the use of small drones in Ukraine, why such drones could actually be considered more 'moral' and why violent combat footage isn't new jamesrushton.substack.com/p/ignore-the...

Americans really got bored of living in the richest and most powerful country on the planet and decided to just set everything on fire, huh?

Every week, hundreds of Ukrainians take part in noisy protests, demanding the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in inhumane conditions in Russian jails. I attended one such protest yesterday: jamesrushton.substack.com/p/we-will-no...

NEW: Can Europe Back Ukraine’s Fight Alone? In the wake of a possible breakdown of the transatlantic alliance me and Michael Weiss argue that it both can, and must. newlinesmag.com/argument/can...

Back in the U.K. for a couple of weeks off after another year in Ukraine; will be back in Kyiv just before New Year. Coming back to what used to be “normality” feels very strange!

A defeat for the Assad regime is a defeat for Russia; and Moscow will undoubtably be facing some difficult decisions in the next few hours/days over what resources to commit to shoring up it's crumbling Syrian client state.

One of the largest Russian drone attacks on Ukraine last night of the war. 188 drones were launched against Ukrainian targets. 95 were disabled by electronic warfare - 76 were shot down by air defence. 5 more "flew in the direction of Belarus" according to the airforce.

Another midnight air-raid in Kyiv. Drones incoming, explosions and flashes of anti-aircraft fire in the distance.

Tonight in Kyiv we have Russian drones flying directly over our apartment block and anti-aircraft fire and explosions in the distance...

Good afternoon from this very good boy (and suspected Ukrainian nationalist).

Remember when Argentina used French Exocet anti-ship missiles to sink British warships during the Falklands War which inevitably led to the great Anglo-French war of 1983?

Will be discussing the Ukrainian use of Anglo-French "Storm Shadow" cruise missiles to strike Russian targets inside Russia's internationally recognised borders on Times Radio shortly.

Russian Telegram channels claim Ukraine fired a significant number of Anglo-French "Storm Shadow" cruise missiles at targets inside Kursk Oblast today; marking the first time this weapon has been used against targets within Russia's internationally recognised borders.

There have been no missile strikes in Kyiv today, as of 14:25 local time, and the air raid alert has just been stood down.

Once again, Ukraine has been repeatedly striking territory Putin genuinely considers Russian (Crimea, illegally annexed in 2014) with Western supplied long-range weapons since mid-2023. Any discussion of today's ATACMS strikes in Bryansk without this context is worthless.

The Russian Defence Ministry publicly acknowledged Ukrainian ATACMS have struck targets inside Russia’s internationally recognised borders and yet World War Three has still not broken out. David Sacks must be incredibly confused.

As of now, the death toll has risen to 10. Among the eight people killed in Odesa were doctors, police officers, and ordinary civilians.

Whether or not you believe Russia will start a "nuclear war" over a few Western supplied Ukrainian missiles hitting targets in Russia (as Western missiles repeatedly struck targets inside Crimea, which Russia believes is Russian territory, and Russia did nothing) is tantamount to an IQ test.

The Russian reaction to the West allowing Ukraine to use Western provided long range weapons to strike targets inside Russia - which will be nothing - will immediately expose the abject folly of delaying this decision for so very long.

The Biden administration finally authorises Ukrainian use of U.S. provided long-range weapons - ATACMS - to strike military targets inside Russia.

Extremely loud morning in Kyiv as Russian hypersonic missiles are intercepted by Ukrainian air defence systems. More missiles are incoming and explosions have been reported across Ukraine.

Kyiv told Scholz that speaking to Putin would only lessen the Russian leader's sense of isolation and potentially encourage him to continue the war. Scholz ignored the Ukrainians and spoke to Putin anyway. www.reuters.com/world/europe...

The argument "without Western aid to Ukraine, the war will end" is categorically false, as anyone who has ever spent time in Ukraine talking to Ukrainians could tell you. Without Western aid, the war will continue, but thousands more Ukrainian civilians and soldiers will die.

The South Korean government needs to quickly understand that the DPRK's alliance of convenience with Russia is a) rapidly making the North Korean military significantly more lethal and b) will only end once Russia is defeated in Ukraine.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy - a German think tank - attempted to estimate the economic cost to Germany of not effectively supporting Ukraine and allowing a Russian victory. Their estimate was between 1% to 2% of German GDP, or 10-20 times higher than current levels of military support.

Empires fall for many reasons. I think the American empire will be the first to fall from sheer stupidity.

This is absolutely true, and as I've repeatedly argued, if European governments balk at the cost of supporting Ukraine now, they should understand the cost of allowing Ukraine to be defeated by Russia will be far, far greater.

I'm not currently leaving Twitter - it's still essential for my work - but will soon be crossposting all content to this account.