Is Ukraine Fighting Back Or Capitulating?

Feb 24, 2022

Murad Gazdiev of RT (a Russia-based media outlet) is reporting the Russian forces are seeing “mass desertion” among the Ukrainian military.

Murad Gazdiev @MuradGazdiev

The Russian military says it is seeing mass desertion among Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian Minister of Defense has called on “anyone who can hold a gun” to join the armed forces

Separately, there is video footage showing the Ukrainian port city of Odessa under apparent attack.

Alejandro Alvarez @aletweetsnews

Video with audible explosions coming from somewhere around the port of Odessa, which is one of the Ukrainian navy's most important bases. That "Kadorr 41" tower is a high-rise overlooking the Black Sea.

There is also reporting of Russian forces landing in Odessa, which would seem to indicate the Ukrainian navy did little to defend its base at Odessa.

Matt Bradley @MattMcBradley

Troopers have landed in Odessa and are crossing the border into Kharkiv where I am now, according to Anton Herashchenko, advisor to #Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior

It should be noted that both Odessa and Kharkiv are outside the Donbass, the region Putin has claimed he is trying to protect. Kharkiv is near the Donbass region, but still outside of it.

Meanwhile, Ragip Solyu of Middle East Eye tweeted out an image of a tweet in Ukrainian from Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov seeking volunteers for the Ukrainian military.