Tweeting updates in real time, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., says Russia is engaging in a "full scale" assault throughout Ukraine, including air assaults "to occupy a large swath of territory."
Among the most earth-shaking tweets was a prediction Russian forces will seek to take the Kyiv airport so "they can fly in forces to occupy the capitol city."
"To clarify what is underway is a full scale & comprehensive military assault throughout #Ukraine Airborne & amphibious landings, missile strikes from air, ground & naval forces, electronic & cyber attacks & a large ground force to occupy a large swath of territory," Rubio tweeted.
Rubio, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, seeming had information before reporters on the ground in Ukraine, as Russia's Vladimir Putin announced a "military operation" in Ukraine early Thursday morning in a speech.
"Long range missile launches from #Russia are now underway," Rubio tweeted just before 11 p.m. ET. "They are headed towards various pre-selected military sites throughout #Ukraine."
In his first of a series of updates and predicted movements of Putin's war scheme, Rubio predicted the Russian military air forces will seek to take the Kyiv airport in order to move heavy forces and equipment to occupy the capital city, where Newsmax has multiple correspondents on the ground, reporting explosions in the direction of the main Kyiv airport – about 15 miles southeast of the Capitol.
Rubio's tweet that started his live updates around 10:25 p.m. ET:
"#Russia is now working on:
- establishing air superiority via targeted surgical strikes
- a pincer movement to trap Ukrainian forces in the east & cut them off from #Kyiv
- finally attempt to decapitate Ukrainian govt by targeting govt buildings, leaders & command & control systems"
Rubio added, most notably, in the ensuing tweet, just minutes later:
"#Russia's airborne forces are attempting to take control of the airport in #Kyiv to they can fly in forces to occupy the capitol city
"An amphibious assault on the key port city of #Mariupol is now underway
"Ground forces now moving in from Belarus, Crimea & from #Russia"
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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