⚡️ Turkey: First Ukrainian grain ship could set off on Aug. 1.

Turkey's presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin told Turkish media that the ships are ready to leave Odesa.

"The probability of the first ship leaving tomorrow morning seems high," Kalin said.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 31, 2022

⚡️Lebanon detains ship with stolen Ukrainian grain.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Lebanon received an order allowing the seizure of the ship for 72 hours.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 31, 2022

Ukrainian wheat field turned into ashes by russian artillery. What’s the point of shelling a wheat field? The answer is - yes, exactly this… pic.twitter.com/zJ8DKfeSzY

— Operator Starsky (@StarskyUA) July 10, 2022

🧵The #US still refuses to provide tanks & armored vehicles to #Ukraine. The US has Abrams tanks, Bradley IFVs & Stryker, around 5,000 of each, and more than 200,000 Humvees. @POTUS, maybe it's time to put them to good use, to protect democracy in the world?⬇️ pic.twitter.com/EEAVITvAez

— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) July 29, 2022

Ukrainian prisoners who defended #Mariupol's #Azovstal were specially brought to the prison & then blew it up.

There were dozens of Russian soldiers there but noteworthy that not a single Russian was injured or killed.
They just knew where & when to hide because they planned it.

— Inna Sovsun (@InnaSovsun) July 29, 2022

NEW: Russia is "taking a knee" in parts of eastern and southern Ukraine to refit after combat losses: NSC comms coordinator John Kirby

No significant changes in the battle lines in the past 48 hours.

— Jack Detsch (@JackDetsch) July 29, 2022

“Our moral duty is to support Ukraine with military equipment and train Ukrainian troops,” said Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas. “We must clearly understand that if we do not stop the aggressor in Ukraine, we will have a war in our countries.”

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 30, 2022

Today, Russia's shelling destroyed another book printing house in Kharkiv.

In Ukraine, Kharkiv is known as "the capital of book publishing." More than 80% of Ukrainian books are published there.

— Daryna Antoniuk (@daryna_antoniuk) July 31, 2022

This is Olha. Her husband defended Azovstal. Now he is in Olenivka prison. Olha does not know whether he is alive. She has only 2 questions: where are all ICRC and UN guarantees? And will they go to Olenivka or not? pic.twitter.com/fWnXD0Pr4B

— Daria Tarasova (@TarasovaMarkina) July 30, 2022

This is possibly the worst crime against captive combatants since Russia launched its full-scale war.https://t.co/UkE95c22ga

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) July 30, 2022

Or the hundreds of torture chambers, w/blood & bullet holes in the walls.

Or the bound bodies of executed men & women.

Or the targeted strikes on now dozens of schools and hospitals.

Or the found & yet undiscovered mass graves. 2/

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) July 29, 2022

Today people of my country are celebrating the Day of Ukrainian Statehood. Russian Empire, Third Reich, Soviet Union - all of those empires collapsed, but Ukraine is still sovereign and independent. Because no evil on our planet is strong enough to kill the Ukrainian dream. pic.twitter.com/HRtOVCoOEk

— Operator Starsky (@StarskyUA) July 28, 2022

Anyway, those are todays' thoughts.

Russia is in dire shape & losing, Ukraine is adapting to the fight & winning, the world is increasingly seeing/recording Putin's war crimes & realizing he must never be trusted, we must continue support & there is still much to do. 20/20

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) July 23, 2022

As we seen the unfolding Ukrainian operations in southern Ukraine, it is worth pondering, what happens when Ukraine takes back the south? 1/21 🧵 pic.twitter.com/StZxhtZF2Y

— Mick Ryan, AM (@WarintheFuture) July 26, 2022

The EU called on Russia to immediately stop attacks on the civilian population and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 26, 2022

The National Opera of Ukraine resumed its work in May after Russia retreated from the north, and the cultural life in Kyiv went back to somewhat normal.

Photographer Alexey Furman went backstage to capture the theater's life behind the scenes.

📷Alexey Furman/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/mnHLOwJ8Ig

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) July 26, 2022

So very true… https://t.co/FNWVmqPcFC

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) July 24, 2022