I hope you had a more productive weekend than J.D. Vance did.

On Lawfare Daily, @lapatina.bsky.social talked to an expert on Russian foreign policy @hannanotte.bsky.social, about the relationship between Iran and Russia, and how far their cooperation can go in the context of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. youtu.be/6sDuC9Zcsp8

(The child was already dropped off at the daycare’s bomb shelter at the time of this recording.)

Core Kyiv experience—walking your child over to daycare to the sound of air defence over your head.

If you want to help you can PayPal me at benjamin.wittes@gmail.com or Venmo me @benjaminwittes. (Venmo is better, as transactions fees are lower). This is not an organizational effort. So there's no tax deduction. This is just me spending my money. If you don't trust me to spend yours, don't send it

One family at a time. Kate's grandmother is one of 22 individuals, families or institutions @lapatina.bsky.social, @jimmyrushton.bsky.social and I have delivered batteries to. Here are the latest numbers:

it's really, really nuts that our scrappy lil' non-profit media website employs more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.

Also follow @lapatina.bsky.social she is awesome and smart and so brave

In Ukraine, when a funeral procession with a fallen soldier goes by, everyone stops whatever they are doing to stand silently. Traffic stops. Public transportation stops. Conversation stops.

In Lviv, people take this tradition a step further. Most people the procession passes take a knee.

The Washington Post—for which I wrote editorials for nearly a decade—has closed its Kyiv bureau.

@lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not.

We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.

Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving

Texting with @lapatina.bsky.social about how many giant batteries we have managed to buy and distribute to families in Kyiv to keep people warm be like.

On Lawfare Daily, @benjaminwittes.lawfaremedia.org spoke to @lapatina.bsky.social and Eric Ciaramella about the last week's machinations surrounding a potential Russia-Ukraine peace deal and whether the United States is abandoning Ukraine. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/lawf...

Valeriia Vovk and the Ukrainian Retro Revival YouTube video by #DogShirtTV

This happened over the weekend.

I want you to watch it.

I want you to understand that wiping it out has been a major Russian imperial objective for literally centuries—under the Tsars, under the Soviets, and now.
youtu.be/5XSBK81UeYU?...

"Anna, Lindsey Halligan Here." Anna Bower Monday, October 20, 2025, 5:40 PM Share On: f X inK My Signal exchange with the interim U.S. attorney about the Letitia James grand jury.

EXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification.

I glanced down at the message.

“Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began.

So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies.

www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...

Join me for a Q&A this Saturday Let's connect at 10 a.m. EST

I’m holding my first Q&A Zoom call with my supporters in 1,5 hours at 10 EST.

Subscribe to my newsletter and join me to discuss Zelensky’s attack on anti-corruption institutions and more 👇🏼

Russian and Ukrainian Peace Plans Remain a World Apart A side by side comparison of the two competing visions for the war’s end

In a analysis of how the Russian vision for the end of the war compares to the Ukrainian peace framework @lapatina.bsky.social writes, "examining the two documents, side by side, offers a vivid illustration of why President Trump’s notion that some deal was there for the reaching seems so fanciful."

Close ports in northern 🇳🇴 for 🇷🇺 fishing trawlers! Now. Today.

Opinion | Russia says it’s winning. The data says otherwise. Russia has paid an extraordinary price in blood and equipment for marginal gains in Ukraine.

"Initiative alone is not victory. What matters is not just what Russia has gained, but also what it has lost in exchange."
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/int...

Am I gonna be totally depressed by the end of it?

Come work with the best team🤝🏼

Things I'm afraid of Pondering entomophobia and shahedophobia

In my latest essay, I think about narrowly escaping death twice this week yoursukrainian.substack.com/p/things-im-...

I literally just had to grab my child and run from the bed towards the building staircase because of the sound of an approaching drone.

Russia is attacking Kyiv nearly every night

Aaaand the air raid is on. The drones are hovering over Kyiv

Another night of doing things I wish I never had to do — packing up snacks, blankets, and baby clothes before heading to the shelter in a few hours, scrolling the updates about the dozens of drones heading towards my city. I will never comprehend how this became a regular part of our lives

Exciting!

What we know about Operation Spider Web How Ukraine hit Russian strategic bombers

Everything we know about Ukraine's astonishing operation on June 1
yoursukrainian.substack.com/p/what-we-kn...

Successful and devastating: Massiv drone attacks on Olenya airbase Like a trojan horse: Several drones were launched from a truck near a gas station on the main road next to Olenya air base on the Kola Peninsula. The massive attack on the airbase holding Tu-95MS and ...

Drone-videos show at least four Tu-95MS bombers in fire on the apron of Olenya air base south of Murmansk. Full coverage of what we known so far in this news-update by the Barents Observer.

open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...

LIVE SOON: Wake Up Honey! The Russian Planes Are On Fire! Starting Jun 1 at 9:45 AM EDT

Wake Up Honey!
The Russian Planes Are On Fire!
Live at 9:45 with @lapatina.bsky.social and @frhoffmann.bsky.social!

open.substack.com/live-stream/...