Scotsman living in Dublin. Sunday Indo Business Journalist. 🇺🇦🏴
Dublin City, Ireland
Joined September 2017
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On Thursday morning, my Ukrainian family had to hide in a basement as bombs landed near their homes.
This is the most emotional piece I will ever have to write. Russia’s invasion is inflicting awful pain on everyday people - my family are suffering. 🇺🇦
independent.ie/irish-news/th…
Sean Pollock retweeted
Search and rescue teams in the frontline Ukrainian village of Komyshuvakha have found more bodies in the rubble of a shelter, which was struck repeatedly by Russian bombs earlier this week.
Some 53 people are now confirmed to have been killed, with more villagers still unaccounted for. It is one of the deadliest single Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale war.
Sean Pollock retweeted
“The bodies of 42 Ukrainians have been recovered from the rubble in the village of Komyshuvakha in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with 33 more people still missing as of Nov. 5, three days after Russian forces attacked the settlement with heavy aerial bombs, the National Police said.
With the final death toll yet to be officially established, the strike on the front-line village is already one of the deadliest single Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion four and a half years ago.
Russian forces struck Komyshuvakha several times with aerial bombs on the morning of Nov. 2, initially hitting a school building where local residents had gathered to receive humanitarian aid. One of the bombs was a 3-ton FAB-3000, which contains more than 1,000 kilograms of explosives and has a blast radius of up to 250 meters.”
kyivindependent.com/42-bodie…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but people could only claim refugee status in the EU if they were coming from Ukraine and not another country.
🤔🤔🤔🤔
Sean Pollock retweeted
GOOSEBUMPS! 🤯
@HibernianFC's players are serenaded by their supporters with a spine-tingling rendition of "Sunshine on Leith" after their Edinburgh Derby triumph 🙌
#PremierSportsCup
Sean Pollock retweeted
So many people seem genuinely astonished by this local ceasefire in Oleshky, where Russian occupation and the fighting have driven the city into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe.
Turns out, all it takes is an order from the Kremlin, and Russians and Ukrainians stop shooting at each other. They can calmly and civilly arrange the evacuation of innocent civilians facing starvation, even allow Ukrainian and American journalists to be present on the ground, and so on.
Well, duh.
There is not, and never has been, a single adequate, rational, even remotely sane reason to wage a war aimed at destroying Ukraine. This is the stupidest, most brainless, absurd, pointless, contrived, and deceitful war in human history.
The Kremlin wanted to give Donald Trump a little gift ahead of the elections, so the Kremlin gave an order to put the bloodbath on hold for a few dozen hours.
All it would take is a single order from the Kremlin, and not only would a local ceasefire become possible, but the entire war would end. Just like that. Instantly.
And 95% of Russians wouldn't give a single damn. They would happily accept absolutely anything as yet another "great victory of Russian arms," provided that's how state television explained it to them.
And with a snap of the fingers, all those insane fairy tales about "NATO expansion," "Nazi Satanists," the "multipolar world," "historical Russian lands," and all the rest of that bullshit would simply vanish into thin air.
The problem is that, in this insane, upside-down looking-glass world, absolutely everything is being done to encourage a megalomaniacal maniac, driven mad by impunity and boredom, to never, ever, under any circumstances stop the war, but to keep it going indefinitely.
Instead, he is constantly appeased and rewarded for it.
Sean Pollock retweeted
A humanitarian operation to rescue people in Oleshky, in the Kherson region, has taken place. A ceasefire was established in the Kherson sector, during which roads to Oleshky were cleared of mines and humanitarian aid was delivered. We hope humanitarian access to Oleshky will remain open. Also, people who needed evacuation have been taken out of the city and the surrounding community. As of now, Ukrainian citizens from Oleshky have crossed the Ukrainian border in the Chernihiv region. All of them will receive the assistance they need. It is important that government agencies and all the regional and local authorities involved work effectively and help our people adapt.
I thank the American side and U.S. First Lady Melania Trump for their mediation. I am proud of our Defense Forces of Ukraine, who defend our country and honorably ensured the security conditions for this humanitarian operation. I thank Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, and his team for carrying out this mission. And I thank everyone around the world – every journalist, every political and civic leader, and every concerned person – who helped draw global attention to the situation in Oleshky and the true humanitarian catastrophe in Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by Russia. When the world pays attention, people are rescued. Further steps toward de-escalation and real progress toward peace are also needed. Glory to Ukraine!
Hopefully the start of a broader ceasefire. It takes lots of baby steps to get toward something more significant. Both sides observing the ceasefire is huge.
Now the pressure must be put on Russia to end the war at the current lines. It really is that simple.
WATCH: @NEWSMAX foreign affairs correspondent, @alexsalvinews, give an impassioned live update from Crimea of what he witnessed in Oleshky as they undergo a multi-day humanitarian evacuation and aid operation under a ceasefire agreement negotiated by @FLOTUS:
"This town that we're talking about right here [Oleshky] at the very beginning of the war had around 24,000 people and then of course, Russia's invasion began and people started fleeing in different directions--as of today there are only 2,000 people left..but today was a very remarkable moment thanks to the first lady, Melania Trump..."
He says 750 residents were allowed to pre-register to evacuate thanks to the ceasefire.
"This is a very pivotal moment," he says adding this is just the BEGINNING of a much larger peace process that expands beyond Oleshky according to negotiators from both sides.
Sean Pollock retweeted
‼️ @Shelby_Wilder from Kyiv on @NEWSMAX as the channel covers the evacuation from Oleshky:
"Newsmax crew is in Oleshky to be independent observers. But we have to make no mistake to give context to the situation.
Russia is using this humanitarian operation as a propaganda opportunity. Moscow wants to portray itself as the rescuer of civilians in a city that it occupies. One it has destroyed and plunged into this humanitarian crisis. And we need to be clear: Russia controls what we are going to be allowed to see.
Moscow appears to have brought in numerous Russian media compared to just the one American news outlet. Because of that, our team is not is not going to have an unrestricted picture of life under Russian occupation. The people that we could speak to very well could be under duress, and Russian authorities are showing us what they want the world to see. That is essential when we're going to be evaluating the first images and reports that are coming out of Oleshky.
But nonetheless, the fact that civilians are being evacuated and offer this humanitarian aid this is historic. This has been brokered by the White House, and this is a significant point in the war. We're seeing a localized ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine continue to hold to enable this operation to take place. We are again tracking the developments coming out of Oleshky today. All eyes are on this ceasefire, and we will certainly keep you posted."
Sean Pollock retweeted
At least 13 people have been killed after a Russian drone targeted a platform at the Dnipro railway station, where a train was parked, Ukrainian authorities have said
rte.ie/news/ukraine/2026/102…
Remember, Putin was forced to invade by NATO expansion. Dont listen to this fake news about him being obsessed with Russia’s historical borders.
Vladimir Putin used most of his call with the leaders of Finland and Norway to lecture them about medieval Slavic history, underscoring the difficulties Europe faces in asserting itself in upcoming peace talks with Russia.
w/ @maxseddon @HenryJFoy @FT
ft.com/content/a384acd1-c90c…
Sean Pollock retweeted
Braving mines, Russian soldiers and a drone attack, Stuart Ramsay witnesses two women’s emotional reunion with their families.
In a daring operation, they escaped occupied Oleshky on bicycles before travelling 2,000km through Russia and Belarus to reach free Ukraine
If true, this article includes explosive details of a very favourable Ukrainian peace deal laughed at by Andriy Yermak. Well worth reading and makes you wonder about some of the peace offers Trump may be referring…
giftarticle.ft.com/giftartic…
Any fans of a football autobiography, James McClean’s is going to be well worth a read.
Will still see pro-Russian accounts shreek about how NATO started the war.
Putin on Ukraine:
The lands lost by Kyiv are not "their territory"; they are historically Russian lands.
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Kyiv predates Moscow by centuries, and southern/eastern Ukraine was ruled by the Cossack Hetmanate and Crimean Khanate long before 18th-century Russian Imperial annexation. In 1991, every Ukrainian region voted overwhelmingly for independence, recognized by Russia 1994.
britannica.com/place/Ukraine/…
treaties.un.org/Pages/showDeta…
Sean Pollock retweeted
Three waves of ballistic missiles have been launched at Kyiv by Russian “humanitarians” since yesterday evening. They used 21 missiles. Unfortunately, numerous sites across the city have been hit and damaged: ordinary residential buildings, energy facilities, infrastructure at one of the railway stations and the metro, shopping malls, and businesses. Even a monastery is among the damaged sites. Our emergency services are working at all the affected locations. Twelve of our regions came under Russian attack overnight. In Kyiv and across the regions, 34 people were injured, including five children. As of now, two people have been confirmed killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones.
Almost immediately after another round of talks, Russia launched a pointed attack. This means there has been no real change in its attitude toward everything that is happening. It is important to keep trying to find the right solutions to end this war. But when Russia responds to negotiations with ballistic missiles, real pressure on Russia is needed to bring about different steps – steps toward ending the killing. Stronger air defenses and the rapid delivery of missiles, the ability to destroy ballistic missile launchers, sanctions over the war – all of this must be in place. I am grateful to everyone who sees the situation for what it is and acknowledges the reality. The aggressor deserves to be treated accordingly. Ukraine deserves support. People's lives deserve protection. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine!
Sean Pollock retweeted
"Zelensky is suddenly talking about ending the war"
Jack, you have no clue what you are talking about. Here are NINE deals Ukraine has agreed to that Russia has rejected since 03/2025.
Ukraine said YES. Russia said NO.
1. Mar 11, 2025, Jeddah (US plan)
30-day ceasefire on land, sea and air.
Ukraine: accepted. Russia: "in principle," then demanded a halt to Western arms and Ukraine's mobilization first.
2. Mar 25, 2025, Black Sea truce
Safe shipping in the Black Sea.
Ukraine: agreed. Russia: tied it to lifting sanctions on its farm bank.
3. Apr 2025, no strikes on civilians
Both sides stop hitting civilian targets.
Ukraine: proposed. Russia: ignored it and declared a 30-hour Easter truce on its own.
4. May 12, 2025, Kyiv summit
30-day unconditional ceasefire, backed by France, UK, Germany and Poland.
Ukraine: accepted. Russia: refused and offered talks instead.
5. May–Jun 2025, Istanbul
30+ day ceasefire, a leaders' meeting, all-for-all prisoner swap.
Russia: offered a 2–3 day pause, or a ceasefire only if Ukraine gave up four regions.
6. Aug 2025, before the Alaska summit
Freeze the front line, then negotiate.
Ukraine and Europe: backed it. Russia: rejected it.
7. Late 2025 to Feb 2026, the 20-point US framework
Freeze the lines, security guarantees, limits on Ukraine's army.
Ukraine: helped write it, called it "90% ready." Lavrov: "a document no one gave us."
8. Oct 11–12, 2026, 60-day election ceasefire and energy truce
Ukraine: proposed the 60 days and accepted the energy truce.
Kremlin: "We do not want a ceasefire." Russia hit six Ukrainian energy sites the next day.
9. Sep 23, 2026: 51 UN member states said Ukraine had agreed to an unconditional ceasefire and called on Russia to do the same. Russia still hasn't.
