Putin Tells Generals Keep Striking Ukraine Russia Takes Dobropilia Key Towns; Trump Waives Sanctions (Alexander Mercouris)

Alexander breaks down General Gerasimov's briefing to Putin, confirming the fall of Dobropillia, the capture of Oleksiievo Druzhkivka and Russian troops entering Druzhkivka as the pincers close around Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. He explains why the sacking of Azov commander Prokopenko, the stalled Operation Vivaldi and Putin's order to keep up strikes on bridges, rail and energy point to a deepening crisis for Ukraine, while Zelensky asks the EU for 155 billion euros and Trump waives Lindsey Graham's bone crushing sanctions. Is the battle for Kramatorsk about to begin?



Time Stamps:

00:00:00 A dramatic 24 hours in Ukraine
00:01:43 Gerasimov briefs Putin
00:02:53 Is Gerasimov credible?
00:05:10 Dobropillia falls
00:07:12 Why no flags in parts of Dobropillia
00:11:34 Oleksiievo Druzhkivka captured
00:14:11 Russians enter Druzhkivka
00:16:11 Azov commander Prokopenko sacked
00:17:39 Rybar: Biletsky rushed south
00:20:09 Operation Vivaldi stalls
00:23:30 Biletsky and Prokopenko outmatched
00:29:23 Velyka Mykhailivka and Serhiivka
00:33:10 Malokaterynivka, 5 km from Zaporizhzhia?
00:38:54 Kharkov cauldron cleared
00:42:11 Air campaign on bridges, rail and energy
00:43:53 Putin: strikes must continue
00:48:47 Geran drones, Rassvet and Musk
00:54:59 Zelensky asks EU for 155 billion
01:00:42 Zelensky's 20 million refugee warning
01:07:21 Trump waives Graham sanctions

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, October 19, 2026.]