Sadly, I am going to start a thread on the Russian-Ukrainian War of 2022. I want to emphasize that everyone should be skeptical of videos and photos that have not been confirmed, which will include some of the posts in this thread.

Putin's War -- the April 20th map briefing. Russia had modest gains around Rubizhne and Tors'ke on the N Donbas front and near Hulyaipole in the South in the first days of their renewed 'offensive'. Relatively unstrategic gains, notably the Izyum battlelines are unchanged.

NEW: Ukraine has added more than 20 fighter jets available by fixing inoperable aircraft with parts supplied from Europe: senior U.S. defense official Russia still DOES NOT have air superiority on Day 56 of the war.

BREAKING: U.S. has BEGUN training about 50 Ukrainian military advisors on using American provided howitzer artillery systems at an undisclosed location in Europe: senior U.S. defense official Ukrainians should be able to learn to use systems within days, officials believe.

The director of electronic warfare for the Office of the Secretary of Defense "said the Pentagon expected a 'much stronger' EW showing from Russia — but cautioned that isn’t to say all of Russia’s efforts have failed." https://www.defensenews.com/air/2022/04/20/spacex-shut-down-a-russian-electromagnetic-warfare-attack-in-ukraine-last-month-and-the-pentagon-is-taking-notes/…

Photos of a Buddhist prayer service in Ukraine with Russian soldiers from Buryatia. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15542

VDV sniper with sniper rifles, including an ASVK, R-187 Azart radio, and DJI Mavic UAV. https://t.me/ok_spn/18504

Russian soldier using a hand-held periscope at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. https://t.me/ok_spn/18547

Rosgvardia Spetsnaz in Kherson raising the Soviet Victory Banner. Zenitco Perst-3, Aimpoint T-2(?), Ars Arma plate carrier, etc. https://t.me/ok_spn/18535

Russian Tigr-M SpN vehicle with a Kord/NSV HMG and added improvised armor. https://t.me/ok_spn/18534

Video from a Russian Orlan-10 UAV showing a strike on a Ukrainian vehicle in eastern Ukraine. https://t.me/vysokygovorit/7464…

Russian strikes on Mikolaiv. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15667

Looks like a Russian Su-35S fighter over Luhansk. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15664

Video reportedly of Russian BMP-3 100mm cannon strikes on the Azovstal plant in Mariupol from a distance of 1200-1500 meters. I think Pacific Fleet naval infantry units will play a key role in the final stages of the battle for Mariupol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDMK4BGVssc&t=18s…

A pair of Russian Su-25 attack aircraft targeting Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15643

Russian Mi-35M helicopters. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15630

Russia is using a Tigr vehicle with a loud speaker to get Ukrainian soldiers to surrender at the Azovstal plant. https://t.me/rian_ru/159601

FSB Special Purpose Center officers with a Viking MRAP and Tigr-M doing a raid on a house in Kherson. They claim they found a platoon’s worth of arms, including PKM and RPG-7. https://t.me/rian_ru/159614

Video apparently of a Russian helicopter firing S-8 rockets into the air at a distance to avoid Ukrainian MANPADS. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15653 https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdXuGkNY/

“Mariupol is the territory of the Russian Federation,” he tells a frightened school girl participating in a photo op in a school in a ravaged city that clearly doesn’t have any classes.

The commander of the VDV's 11th Air Assault Brigade, Colonel Denis Shishov, has been appointed the commander of the 76th Air Assault Division. He received the Hero of Russia award for leading his brigade across the Dnieper River in Kherson on February 26. https://www.mk-pskov.ru/social/2022/04/20/denisa-shishova-otlichivshegosya-vo-vremya-specoperacii-naznachili-komandirom-76y-divizii-vdv.html…

Mikhail Afanasyev wrote that 11 national guardsmen had refused to fight in Ukraine. Now he faces up to 10 years in prison. “They are trying to find the sources,” he wrote me before his arrest. “While I’m writing, I’m waiting to be arrested.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/im-waiting-to-be-arrested-russian-fake-news-law-targets-journalists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other…

Video of Russian Smerch MLRS taking part in the war in Ukraine. https://t.me/milinfolive/81617…

The Washington Post has temporarily lifted its paywall. I hope this might allow more people to read our reporting from the Ukrainian town of Bucha.

At the Kremlin, Putin meets with Defense Minister Shoigu, who says that Mariupol is now “liberated” except for the 2,000+ “nationalists” holed up at the Azovstal iron and steel works. https://t.me/rian_ru/159651

This part of Shoigu's report is important. If Russian officials try to sell reduced objectives, they will likely emphasize that Mariupol was Azov's capitol (i.e. denazification) and that Tochka-U from there could target Russia and the rest of the Donbas. http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68254…

More crowdfunded gear being sent to Ukrainian soldiers, including DJI Mavic UAVs, Konus thermal optics, glasses, cami paint, and other gear. https://t.me/mysiagin/7081

Reportedly video of Russian spetsnaz conducting a night ambush or patrol in Chernihiv Oblast from several weeks ago. https://t.me/milinfolive/81609…

A quadcopter munition found by Russian forces at the Ilyich factory in Mariupol. https://t.me/milinfolive/81588…

Video of a Russian sniper firing an ASVK sniper rifle in Mariupol. https://t.me/wargonzo/6639

Video reportedly showing BM-21 Grad MLRS strikes on the Ilyich plant in Mariupol from a week ago. https://t.me/wargonzo/6689

Video of Russian forces in Popasna. Allegedly, much of the fighting there is being done by Wagner. https://t.me/milinfolive/81644…

NEW The Ukrainian military has more tanks in Ukraine than the Russians do says a Sr. US defense official.

The Russian army invaded Ukraine 57 days ago. This timelapse shows the movement and control of Russian forces across Ukraine over those 8+ weeks. Please view in full screen as annotations on earlier days are not as clear.

TOTAL Russian missile launches into Ukraine since the start of war: senior U.S. defense official Mar 11 - 810 Mar 14 - 900 Mar 16 - 980 Mar 17 - 1,000 Mar 21 - 1,100 Mar 28 - 1,370 Mar 31 - 1,400 Apr 11 - 1,500 Apr 12 - 1,540 Apr 13 - 1,550 Apr 18 - 1,660 Apr 19 - 1,670

DATA: Russian combat power remaining in Ukraine (troops, weapons and military equipment), per a senior U.S. defense official Feb 24 - 100 percent March 11 - 90 percent March 15 - 90 percent March 22 - 89 percent April 12 - 80 percent April 19 - 75 percent

DoD provides reporters a bit more info on Phoenix Ghost--it's a tactical drone similar to Switchblade rapidly developed by the Air Force specifically made for Ukrainian requirements. It's manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace.

DOD: "Phoenix Ghost" drones were rapidly developed by USAF in response to Ukrainian requirements. They have 'similar capabilities' to the Switchblades. >121 going to Ukraine. Will require 'minimal training' Whoa.

That's a drop from about 50 Russian missile launches per day in Ukraine to about 30 now.

A captured Javelin ATGM Command Launch Unit (CLU). https://t.me/milinfolive/81651…

Video of Russian direct fire MLRS strikes on the Ilyich plant in Mariupol. https://t.me/wargonzo/6674

Russian equipment moving through Kupyansk, including a Tornado-U, T-90A and T-72B1 tanks, and BMP-2. https://t.me/milinfolive/81670…

Video of a Russian BTR-82A firing on Ukrainian positions in Mariupol while Russia troops enter a building with a ladder. https://t.me/milchronicles/325…

Russian Orlan-10 UAV video reportedly showing a strike on a Ukrainian tank. https://t.me/milinfolive/81696…

Video reportedly showing Russian TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS strikes on Ukrainian positions near Zelenaya Dolina. https://t.me/sashakots/31582

Reportedly the wreckage of a Russian Kh-59MK2 air-to-ground missile in Donetsk Oblast. https://t.me/milinfolive/81662… https://t.me/informnapalm/7576…

A tank turret that landed in a building. https://t.me/operativnoZSU/20394…

“We have a day or two if the fight isn’t that intense. If it is, it all may end within 12 hours.” Sgt. Leonid Kuznetsov is providing me updates from inside the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, where Ukrainian forces are making their last stand. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/04/21/world/ukraine-russia-war-news/mariupol-azovstal-steel-ukraine-war?smid=url-copy…

Low-flying Russian Mi-24 helicopter in the Donbas. Video was posted two days ago. https://t.me/vorposte/19445

Strela-10, BTR-MDM Rakushka, TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS BM-1, and a Tigr-M with an Arbalet-DM in the Kharkiv area. The "V" indicate they likely previously fought near Kyiv. https://t.me/milinfolive/81679…

Low-flying Russian Su-25 attack aircraft. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15706

Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters conducting air strikes in Luhansk Oblast. https://t.me/ChDambiev/15726

A pair of low-flying Mi-8 helicopters reportedly in Mikolaiv Oblast. https://t.me/vorposte/19612