Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Almost 6 million people have watched the interview with @ZelenskyyUa in just 3 days!
A conversation I will never forget.
He spoke in Ukrainian, we both had ear pieces in with human translators in a room next door, and we translated what he said into English afterwards.
What do you say to your family when you don’t know if you’ll ever see them again?
In February 2022, he told his wife and children the war had begun. Then he left as Russian forces advanced towards Kyiv, unsure what the coming hours would bring.
This is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Before politics, he built a successful career in Ukrainian television as a writer, producer and performer, even portraying a president on screen. In 2019, he was elected President of Ukraine. Three years later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Sitting down with him was surreal and an enormous responsibility. It was a rare chance to hear his account of the first hours of the war and the decisions that followed.
We discussed things like:
How he found out Russia had invaded.
Why he refused an offer to evacuate Kyiv.
The 64km Russian military convoy advancing towards the capital.
How Russian forces tried to capture a key airport.
His account of discovering hundreds of bodies after Russian occupation.
What he believes it will take to end the war.
But I also wanted to understand how he’d been coping.
One of my first questions was simply, “How are you doing?” His answer was: “It’s hard.”
He spoke about meeting parents whose children had been killed. Some, he explained, simply ask him for a hug.
And as he spoke, there were tears in his eyes.
Whatever your views on the war or the decisions made by those involved, this is a rare opportunity to hear his account of events that have changed millions of lives.
Because behind every map, every headline and every political decision, there are real people.
Out now on all platforms ❤️👊🏾
(President Zelenskyy was recorded in Ukrainian and dubbed in English.)
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
WOW, Americans overwhelmingly support Ukraine over Russia, 66% in favor, with only 3% for Russia.
trump is part of that 3%, more proof he's completely out of touch with Americans.
trump is a Russian asset.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Удары по русской нефтянке бесят Трампа.
Удары по украинским школам, больницам, домам — нет.
Ни единого осуждения.
Ни разу.
Ноет о потерях русских оккупантов и о том, как они не взяли Киев, потому что "застряли".
И обвиняет Зеленского.
Подельник Путина.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Liebesgrüße aus Moskau
Spritpreise steigen in für Russen astronomische Höhen. In vielen Landesteilen und auf der Krim gibt es Abgabebeschränkungen von oft nur 20 Litern pro Tankvorgang sowie lange Warteschlangen.
Die Inflationsrate liegt in Russland aktuell bei 6,3 % bis 6,8 %, ist also doppelt so hoch wie hier bei uns. Alles wird ständig teurer. Arbeitsplätze sind auf dem Land, in der breiten Fläche kaum noch vorhanden. Für Privat-Kredite stehen bis zu 20 Prozent Zinsen an, für Firmen bis zu 25 Prozent. So investiert natürlich niemand mehr in irgendwas.
Die angeblich so stolzen Russen wollen keinen LADA kaufen, Autos aus dem Westen gibt es nicht mehr, also fahren sie jetzt halt Chinesen.
Der gesamte Haushalt für Russland wird 2026 ca. 550 Milliarden Dollar betragen.
Die Kriegsausgaben belaufen sich für 2026 auf geschätzte 200 Milliarden Dollar, so das die Einnahmen die Ausgaben schon lange nicht mehr decken. Das Haushaltsdefizit liegt bei ca. 88 Milliarden Dollar.
Finanziell sieht es also nicht gut aus für Putin, gar nicht gut.
Die Infrastruktur in Russland geht den Bach runter, es wird nichts mehr gemacht, da kein Geld mehr dafür da ist. Überall stehen halbfertige Gebäude die in öffentlicher Hand sind, zum Beispiel Schulen und werden nicht fertig gebaut.
Eine russische Industrie im klassischen Sinne gibt es fast nicht mehr. Das Land lebt von der Rohstoffschöpfung und den Kriegsgütern die hergestellt werden. Alles andere wird einfach in China gekauft.
Die Menschen haben eine unterschwellige Angst, vor allem vor einer drohenden nächsten Mobilmachung, bei der es jeden Mann erwischen kann. Reservisten können auch noch mit einem Alter von 60 Jahren einberufen werden.
Und nun haben die Russen auch noch Angst vor Drohnenangriffen aus der Ukraine. Über den Krieg redet niemand, ist alles tabu.
Fresse halten, weg ducken und hoffen das der Kelch an einem vorüber geht, ist die Devise.
Die Sowjetunion lässt schön grüßen und wir DDR-Bürger kennen das ja.
Putin weiß das natürlich alles, denn er ist ja nicht dumm, tut aber absolut nichts dagegen. Gar nichts, denn die Menschen im eigenen Land sind im genau so egal, wie die Menschen in der Ukraine.
Und was kann das russische Volk dagegen tun? Ich glaube sie warten auf ein Wunder.
Teilen und kommentieren wie immer erwünscht. 🙏
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
BUDANOV SAYS UKRAINE IS DESTROYING SOMETHING PUTIN CANNOT REBUILD: RUSSIA’S REPUTATION 🇺🇦🇷🇺
Kyrylo Budanov believes Ukraine’s campaign against Russia is inflicting damage far beyond destroyed infrastructure and financial losses. It is dismantling the image of a military superpower that Moscow spent decades cultivating.
“Russia is suffering a reputational blow. That is the most important thing. Oil prices may somehow stabilize, the war will end — things will normalize. But the reputational damage will last for a very long time.”
For years, the Kremlin relied on the perception that Russian military power was overwhelming and that its territory was effectively beyond the reach of its adversaries.
Ukraine has challenged both assumptions. Russian forces have failed to achieve a decisive victory, while Ukrainian drones have demonstrated that even strategically important facilities deep inside Russia are vulnerable.
Oil infrastructure can be repaired. Markets can recover. Military equipment can eventually be replaced. But restoring the credibility of a military power whose weaknesses have been exposed is a different challenge altogether.
Budanov’s final words leave little doubt about Ukraine’s determination to continue applying pressure.
“We are not stopping.”
For Budanov, the lasting consequence of Russia’s invasion may be the damage Moscow has inflicted on its own image of invincibility.
Russian forces struck Kharkiv’s last operating Epicentr hypermarket on Saturday, obliterating the venue in a huge fire.
A secondary strike directly targeted first responders battling the flames, wounding three rescuers.
Videos: Telegram channels
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Russia continues its brutal attacks on civilian infrastructure, local residents, and rescue workers across Ukraine.
▪️ Russians killed four people in Dnipropetrovsk region. 14 more people were injured, including an 11-year-old girl.
Critical infrastructure, residential buildings, shops and cars were damaged.
▪️ In Poltava and Zaporizhzhia, Russians struck shopping malls.
▪️ A 14-year-old girl and a 61-year-old man were injured by Russian FPV drone strikes on Zaporizhzhia region.
▪️ Four people, including three emergency workers, were injured in Kharkiv.
Russia attacked a shopping mall and a civilian enterprise with drones.
While emergency crews were dealing with the aftermath, Russia launched follow-up strikes on the sites where rescuers were working.
▪️ In Vinnytsia, six people were injured by a Russian strike on a residential building.
A private care home for older people was damaged, and 15 residents were evacuated.
Russians also hit energy infrastructure.
▪️ In Zhytomyr region, a Russian attack damaged an outpatient clinic, a residential building and a warehouse.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
While Russian drones strike Ukraine, the daughter of a Russian drone executive lives her best life in Toronto.
🧵 1/11 ⬇️
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Нарешті цей день настав! 1664 дні маленька Марина чекала на тата, а її мама Настя боролася за повернення чоловіка з російського полону. Дуже особливий момент і для нашої родини, бо всі ці роки боротьби ми були поруч.
Дуже хочеться, щоб кожен, хто чекає на повернення своїх — дочекався таких самих обіймів. Треба вірити й продовжувати боротися за повернення кожного. Думками й серцем з усіма, хто чекає. Ренате, з поверненням додому!
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
I am a perfectly ordinary person. I am simply a human being. Perhaps not as great a humanist as Putin—but, in any case, I try to do everything in my power. — Zelenskyy.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
If I went to Russia, I would be jailed and held hostage as a POW for criticizing Russia.
I went to Ukraine as a critic and the President of Ukriane invited me to his palace and allowed me to interview him.
After I interviewed @ZelenskyyUa, Russian state media, which is controlled by Putin and the Kremlin, was calling for me to be assassinated and then they were retweeting IRGC propaganda videos that called for Islamic terrorists to shoot me in the head.
Ukraine and Russia aren’t the same.
Replying to @LauraLoomer
Ok, now you could go to Russia and verify what is happening there, problem both sides
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Ukrainian drones struck the Omsky Kauchuk petrochemical plant in Omsk today.
The plant is one of the leading producers of synthetic rubber and industrial chemicals, including phenol, acetone, and isopropanol. It also produces key components used in the production of high-octane gasoline and is located 2500 km from the frontlines
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
🔥 Ukraine’s Defense Forces keep hitting the Russian facilities that sustain the war against Ukraine.
In Oryol, our warriors struck the Proton plant. This strike will complicate production of the missiles Russia fires at Ukrainian cities.
In Tolyatti, the Tolyattikauchuk plant was hit. It produces synthetic rubber, monomers, and high-octane gasoline additives, feeding raw materials into Russia’s missile program.
Strikes on enemy drone depots and bases continue.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
"Не здавайтесь і не зраджуйте Батьківщину" - сказав йому вертухай у російській колонії. Це був той самий чоловік, який щодня бив українців.
Він думав, що його зараз поб'ють. А вертухай відвів його в кімнату і сказав те, чого він не очікував почути від ворога.
Історія Володимира Сорочана - експолоненого з Херсона. 30 місяців у російському полоні.
"Раз в три місяці когось забивали до смерті. Просто тому, що їм так захотілося", - згадує він.
Найважче було в Ряжску, коли не годували. На вечерю давали чверть картоплі і казали: "Нічого, вилікуєтесь уже в Україні".
А якось принесли гречку - "але там була не гречка, а вода. Я казав, що це просто вода, коли миють каструлю".
Одного разу вертухай запитав, звідки він родом. Володимир відповів: з Херсона.
Той вивів його в окрему кімнату, зняв балаклаву і сказав російською: "Я зробив дурну помилку в 14-му році, що повірив пропаганді. Зараз дуже шкодую. І як би вам важко не було - не здавайтесь, не зраджуйте Батьківщину".
"На його очах наверталися сльози. Він був більш пригнічений, ніж навіть ми в полоні", - каже Володимир.
І додає: "Можливо, у нього була задача втертися в довіру. Але мені здається, що якісь нотки співчуття в ньому були".
Про кожен день побиття він розповідає стримано. Працювали кінологами і шокерами. "Коли били, їм подобалося, щоб ми кричали".
Без слів починали бити по ногах гумовою палицею - і всі мовчали.
"Ви що, вам не боляче?" - і бив ще сильніше. Кричати доводилося, щоб задовольнити його его.
"І перший раз у житті я побачив колір своїх ніг майже від п'ят до сідниць. Вона була чорно-синя".
А ще був день, коли замість палиці й шокера у вертухая в руках опинився фотоапарат.
"Я думаю: що це, фотосесія буде?" Виявилось - обмін.
Охоронці казали, що це "наступний етап" і що вони залишаються в Росії. Але сусіди по камері вже знали правду.
"Я вже був упевнений - сам у собі, в серці, - що їду на обмін. Бо цього дуже хотілося".
І ось він уже в Україні. Заходить сбушник, називає прізвище - і не збігається ім'я та по батькові.
"Я йому кажу: я нікуди назад не поїду". - "Та ти вже приїхав, ти вже нікуди не поїдеш".
Сьогодні Володимир уперше за рік наважився приїхати в рідний Херсон.
"Мене всі відмовляли: тут шалені обстріли, не приїжджай. Я уявляв, що буде гірше - бо бачив, що сталося з Маріуполем. Я не скажу, що Херсон мертвий, але він ледве дихає", - каже він.
Він веде блог про полон і написав книгу "Полон". І показує те, що бачив щодня: ось кормушка - віконечко в коридор, звідки видавали їжу. Ось коридор, де треба стати вздовж стіни - і по тобі починають працювати.
"Ми ніколи не були браттями - ні по родині, ні по матері".
Він вижив. І розповідає далі - щоб не забули.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
US General Curtis Buzzard: It's this velocity of learning that the Ukrainians demonstrate from observing to learning to adapting to then fighting it again.
They didn't have enough mid-range strike capabilities, so they invented their own — CSIS. 1/
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Why is it important to close down Moscow airports?
Because it has a huge impact on Russian economy and logistics.
The Moscow Aviation Hub is essentially a bottleneck for Russian logistics. Whenever its work is disrupted, it creates a cascading effect on the Russian logistics as a whole.
Moscow is the central hub for the Russian domestic and international air traffic. When the Moscow airports (Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, Zhukovsky airports) close down, this disrupts connectivity across all of Russia, and matters are further complicated by the fact that Russia has 11 time zones. Russian aviation is heavily centralized, and due to the cize of the country, aviation is the only viable transportation means for long-distance travel in Russia, cargo transportation included.
When flights are delayed and/or canceled, the ripple effect is felt all across Russia. The Russian state is forced to install air defense systems in the area, taking them from the front lines and military infrastructure inside Russia. Russian airlines bear additional costs of using more jet fuel, added handling fees at alternate destinations and paying compensations to passengers for the delays.
Flights that cannot arrive in Moscow airports are diverted to other airports which creates a strain on the ground infrastructure and fuel resources of those alternative airports.
Russian airlines and planes already work under severe Western sanctions that complicate obtaining spare parts and performing maintenance. There have been reports that about 20% of the Russian airfleet failed to return to active service due to needing maintenance. For large airlines, these figures can reach up to 30%. This also means that the remaining 70/80% of the planes are working more which leads to more vulnerability.
In addition to all the direct and indirect costs of closing down the Russian airports, there is also a moral impact. The Kremlin largely prefers to "insulate" large cities (starting with Moscow and St Petersburg) from the war, creating the illusion of normalcy and "business as usual." When passengers cannot leave on their flights for hours and businesses suffer from logistics disruptions, it serves as a loud reminder about the war to those Russian priviliged enough to ignore it otherwise.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
Three people were killed and at least eight wounded after a Russian army drone struck Sinelnikovo in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine.
Among the wounded is an 11-year-old girl. A 50-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man are in serious condition.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
🇺🇦 UKRAINE STRIKES BACK! MOSCOW UNDER MASSIVE DRONE ATTACK, EXPLOSIONS REPORTED ACROSS RUSSIA!
Following Russia’s devastating strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine has reportedly launched a large-scale wave of drones and missiles against targets deep inside Russian territory.
Moscow is facing hours of aerial alerts, explosions, and unprecedented security measures.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, at least 17 drones were intercepted while approaching the Russian capital.
All four major Moscow airports — Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Zhukovsky — reportedly suspended flights. Russian media reported 117 delayed flights, while passengers at Sheremetyevo were directed to safer areas.
Videos circulating online show additional security measures near the Kremlin, including mobile air-defense teams and Pantsir systems positioned around sensitive locations.
Russian reports also describe unusual aerial objects approaching Moscow, including balloons allegedly carrying explosive devices or smaller drones. These claims remain unverified.
Meanwhile, employees were reportedly evacuated from the IQ Quarter tower in Moscow City, which houses several Russian government agencies.
But Moscow is not the only target.
In Oryol, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck the Proton electronics plant, a facility involved in manufacturing components used in Russian military equipment.
Its products reportedly support systems associated with Iskander-M ballistic missiles, Pantsir-S1 air-defense systems, and other Russian weapons.
Local reports described multiple explosions followed by a fire. The extent of the damage remains unclear.
Another reported target was Russia’s 75th Main Missile and Artillery Directorate arsenal near Serpukhov in the Moscow region.
The facility is associated with the storage and maintenance of Russian air-defense equipment, including Buk and S-300 systems.
Several explosions were reported, with preliminary claims suggesting damage to a workshop inside the military complex.
There were also reports of a strike on a Federal Tax Service data center in Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod region, although the extent of any damage has not been independently established.
Russia's war is increasingly reaching locations far from the Ukrainian battlefield.
For years, Moscow has launched missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities, homes, energy infrastructure, and civilian facilities.
Now Russian authorities are confronting the security and economic consequences of attacks deep inside their own territory.
Airport shutdowns, emergency deployments, evacuations, and threats to military-industrial infrastructure demonstrate how long-range warfare can disrupt even heavily defended regions.
Ukraine's ability to challenge Russian military infrastructure far from the front line has become an important dimension of the war.
However, reports of destroyed air-defense bases, major strategic damage, and panic inside the Kremlin still require independent confirmation.
One thing is clear: the war Russia brought to Ukraine continues to reshape the security situation inside Russia itself.
And the full consequences of these reported strikes are still emerging.
Chief Rabbi Yaakov Bleich retweeted
The idea of a trilateral summit involving Russia, the United States, and China – with Ukraine excluded – is reminiscent of the Munich Agreement.
Putin seeks to divide Europe, re-establish spheres of influence, and then orchestrate something akin to a new “Yalta,” with Putin – a modern-day Hitler – taking Stalin’s place at the table.
There can be no peace deal on Ukraine without Ukraine itself, just as there can be no lasting peace in Europe without Europe’s involvement.
That is why these negotiations are a sham. But Putin’s intentions and objectives are clear.
I discussed this on @TVPWorld_com - youtu.be/y0GF8PfAmZY

























