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Mark MacKinnon

@markmackinnon.bsky.social
15K followers 1.8K following 1.4K posts

Senior International Correspondent for The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. Now based in London, after stops in Moscow, Beijing and the Middle East. Author of The New Cold War (the book, not the thing). Add me to your top-secret group chats!

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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Aron Lund @aronlund.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Iraqi Kurdistan PM Masrour Barzani isn’t happy about the US leaving mid-war: “The threat is real—we are vulnerable, we are being attacked. […] Now, to be left alone without any, let’s say, appropriate defensive system, it’s shameful.” Mehul Srivastava, @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/c478...
ft.com
US withdrawal from Iraq ‘shameful’, Kurdish leader says
Iraqi Kurdistan’s prime minister tells FT that departure of American troops leaves them vulnerable to Iranian attack
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Al-MONITOR @almonitor.bsky.social · 11h
US troops exit Iraq after 12 years as Iran war reshapes regional security www.al-monitor.com/originals/20...
al-monitor.com
US troops exit Iraq after 12 years as Iran war reshapes regional security
The Pentagon is completing its troop withdrawal under a 2024 agreement with Baghdad, but the move risks leaving Kurdish allies vulnerable to attack while potentially ceding ground to Tehran’s…
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Edward Wong @ewong.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Extraordinary for any American president: Trump offered to sell weapons to Xi Jinping of China. That was revealed by David Perdue, US ambassador. Trump is withholding a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan approved by Congress. China aids Iran and Russia. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/u...
nytimes.com
Trump Offered to Sell Arms to China, U.S. Ambassador Says (Gift Article)
President Trump made the offer to Xi Jinping, China’s leader, said David Perdue, the U.S. ambassador to China. Trump is withholding a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan.
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Janice Dickson @janicedickson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Taken, beaten down and taught to hate their kin, two youth plotted their escape from Russia. But freedom is not the end of their story /via @globeandmail www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...
theglobeandmail.com
How two Ukrainian children, taken to Russia, fought their way back home
Beaten down and taught to hate their kin, two youth plotted their escape. But freedom is not the end of their story
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MAKS 26 👀🇺🇦 @maks23.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Kyiv now 💔🇺🇦
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv now feels like a frontline city - due to constant attacks by jet-powered Russian drones, and a shortage of air defence missiles. My report
theglobeandmail.com
Kyiv under constant bombardment from Russian drones as winter approaches
A new, more dangerous kind of Russian drone has rendered the city’s air defences less effective
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Le Monde en Feed - non-officiel @lemonde.skyfleet.blue · 27/09/2026
En Serbie, le président Aleksandar Vucic démissionne et vise le poste de premier ministre
lemonde.fr
En Serbie, le président Aleksandar Vucic démissionne et vise le poste de premier ministre
La tenue d’élections législatives anticipées, qui auront lieu fin octobre, était une revendication clé d’un mouvement étudiant né en novembre 2024.
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My IRL friends call me Chris @christyceeck.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“It’s an absolutely new reality right now. The air raids are almost non-stop. You have to plan your life accordingly. That means children have to study from shelters. That means that you have to plan your grocery shopping or anything else in those very small pauses between air raids.”
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv now feels like a frontline city - due to constant attacks by jet-powered Russian drones, and a shortage of air defence missiles. My report
theglobeandmail.com
Kyiv under constant bombardment from Russian drones as winter approaches
A new, more dangerous kind of Russian drone has rendered the city’s air defences less effective
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · 25/09/2026
theglobeandmail.com
In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, drones rule the skies and everything below
The last Ukrainian-controlled corner of Donbas has become a focus for both sides
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Several men have been arrested on explosives charges after a major incident was declared near RAF Fairford which hosts USAF bombers involved in attacks on Iran.
bbc.co.uk
RAF Fairford: Men held under Explosives Act in major incident
A major incident is declared and villagers have been evacuated from their homes in Whelford near RAF Fairford.
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Went to a memorial service in Kyiv today that was interrupted twice by explosions in the sky. Now another siren, and two more incoming Geran drones…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Louder one at 8:16… happy Saturday…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Loud boom to start our Saturday morning in Kyiv (at 3:17 am)…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Another one, this time just as people heading to work on a Friday morning…
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Tu Thanh Ha @tuthanhha.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Our drone detectors – a tool that any journalist heading near the front line now needs to be trained to use – were beginning to beep warning sounds ... As we sprinted away from Kramatorsk, the number of beeps from the drone detectors grew into a cacophony." www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl...
theglobeandmail.com
In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, drones rule the skies and everything below
The last Ukrainian-controlled corner of Donbas has become a focus for both sides
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Tu Thanh Ha @tuthanhha.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"The three of us abandoned the car and dove separately into the nearby fields. It was a tactic we’d learned at drone safety courses that are now de rigueur for anyone working near the front lines in Ukraine. The drone is likely to be faster than your car, so best to abandon it ..."
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
As the frontline nears, and Russian drones buzz overhead, the last Ukrainian-held corner of Donbas slowly empties out. “i don’t want to stay and see how they destroy my home.” My report from Kramatorsk, with photography @olgaivashchenko.bsky.social
theglobeandmail.com
In the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, drones rule the skies and everything below
The last Ukrainian-controlled corner of Donbas has become a focus for both sides
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 25/09/2026
⚡️Update: Russian attacks on Kyiv kill 5, including 14-year-old boy, injure 31 as drone strikes continue into daytime At least five people were killed and 31 others injured in Russian attacks on Kyiv on Sept. 25 as of 4 p.m. local time, local authorities said
kyivindependent.com
Russian attacks on Kyiv kill 5, including 14-year-old boy, injure 31 as drone strikes continue into daytime
Fifteen people, including two children, were hospitalized, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Another one, this time just as people heading to work on a Friday morning…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Explosion heard in central Kyiv. Sirens sounded about 20 minutes ago…
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Janice Braden, Associate Member of EU @janicebraden.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I agree with Mark: why are Canadians reading about this in the NYT?
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Two things: @mark-carney.bsky.social did the right thing here, preparing for the worst-case scenario. That’s the job. But he should explain these things directly to Canadians - rather than via an American outlet. Especially in the midst of a trade war, why drive all the traffic to NYT?
theglobeandmail.com
Carney prepared for risk that Trump might order military action against Canada, report says
In a New York Times interview, the Prime Minister characterized a potential U.S. invasion as a remote possibility
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
On the same day that Ukrainian authorities are separately warning that Russian strikes could cause major disruptions to mobile phone and Internet service in the country...
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Erik Op de Beeck @erikopdebeeck.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Not the first, not the last incursion of NATO-airspace. Just probing. #Poland #NATO #Russia www.reuters.com/business/aer...
reuters.com
Russian military helicopter entered Polish airspace briefly, Polish army says
A Russian military Mi-8 ‌helicopter made a brief incursion into NATO member Poland's airspace from the Russian ​exclave of Kaliningrad, the ​Polish Army Operational Command said on ⁠Wednesday.
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The Kyiv Independent @kyivindependent.com · 23/09/2026
⚡️Update: Russian drone attack on Kyiv kills 2, injures 22, strikes railway area. The casualties from Russia's drone attack on Kyiv have risen to two dead and 22 injured, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Photo: Nastia Kasinchuk / the Kyiv Independent.
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Mike Walker @newnarrative.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Lithuania has evacuation plans in face of Russia threats, PM says www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Lithuania has evacuation plans in face of Russia threats, PM says
Sinkevičius told BBC Newsnight Lithuanians feel "constantly threatened" by Moscow, but the nation was prepared to "fight back" if attacked.
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The Moscow Times @themoscowtimes.com · 21/09/2026
Anti-war activists and lawyers say that anxiety is rising, even though helping Russians avoid military service has long been a routine part of their work.
themoscowtimes.com
As Fears of Post-Election Mobilization Swirl, Russian Activists Prepare for the Worst - The Moscow Times
Rumors that the Kremlin could order another mobilization to sustain its invasion of Ukraine after this month’s parliamentary elections have circulated in Russian media for months.
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Yellow (drone) alert in Kyiv. That’s four sirens since midnight, six since dinner. Happy Tuesday…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
America, 2026. Trade war with Canada, friends with Lukashenko…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It seems the mid-terms were rigged and did not make any difference to what the war-minded president will do…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Morning antiaircraft fire in central Kyiv. At least two jet drones reportedly inbound.
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Loudest night I’ve heard in Kyiv in… years. And it’s only 7:40 pm…
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Angelica Shalagina Official🇺🇦 @angel-shalagina.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
How to get home It literally flying and exploding nonstop above me #kyiv #attack #war #ukraine
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Reposted by Mark MacKinnon
Alex Panchenko @alexpanchenko2.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Loud explosion in Kyiv right now, minutes after a Ukraine Air Force warning of an incoming Russian jet drone.
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
More sirens now. The new normal is that there are Russian jet drones almost constantly in the air over Ukraine…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Lovely, warm afternoon in Kyiv interrupted by the sound of anti-aircraft fire…
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“These people need to be saved.” @kyivindependent.com reports on deteriorating humanitarian situation in village near Kherson, where Russian fire is preventing deliveries of food and medicine…
kyivindependent.com
Life in Russian-occupied Oleshky was dire. Now it's 'hell'
Residents in Russian-occupied Oleshky in Kherson Oblast face an escalating humanitarian crisis, as constant Russian drone attacks and artillery shelling have made it impossible to deliver essential fo...
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Byline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
“Unlike the political right in the UK, which still clings on to the fantasy of the US-UK special relationship, Carney understands that the US has fundamentally changed, and can no longer be fully relied upon.” ✍️ Alexandra Hall Hall
bylinetimes.com
Why Canada Could End Up With a Better Deal With the EU Than the UK
As the UK continues to hesitate over drawing back towards the EU, Canada has spotted an opportunity, argues former diplomat Alexandra Hall Hall
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Kevin Rothrock @kevinrothrock.me · 18/09/2026
Russia is formally protesting Japan’s deployment of U.S. Typhon missile launchers on Kyushu, demanding their removal and warning Tokyo against “remilitarization.” Moscow also tied its complaint to Japan’s claims over the southern Kuril Islands. t.me/rian_ru/346369
t.me
РИА Новости
Россия потребовала от Японии вывести американские комплексы Typhon со своей территории. 🔹 Подписаться / Мы в "Максе"
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Absurdistan.
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The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · 17/09/2026
theglobeandmail.com
'This is about sovereignty,' Carney tells European Parliament
Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined his vision for a closer relationship between Canada and the EU Thursday, saying an alliance will help preserve sovereignty in the face of great powers.
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Alina Pereverzieva 🇺🇦 @perevaa.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
🇰🇵 Up to 25,000 North Koreans have been sent to Russia to work at drone factories, including Alabuga, which makes Geran drones, Bloomberg reports. Workers earn $600 a month, but most of it is reportedly taken into North Korean government accounts.
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Sky News @news.sky.com · 16/09/2026
Kosovo's former president jailed for 25 years over war crimes
news.sky.com
Kosovo's former president jailed for 25 years over war crimes
Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaci has been jailed for 25 years after being found criminally responsible for war crimes following a trial in The Hague.
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The Guardian @theguardian.com · 16/09/2026
Canada could become first ‘associate member’ of the EU, von der Leyen suggests – Europe live
theguardian.com
Canada could become first ‘associate member’ of the EU, von der Leyen suggests – Europe live
European Commission president says the EU wants to ‘move the partnership with Canada to the highest level possible’ Von der Leyen says “kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority,” as Europe needs to tap into its huge market, world class industries and services. She says its single market remains too fragmented and needs to reform further, with the aim of completing it by the end of next year. “Do we want to rally around our European idea that together we can decide our own destiny? Or do we let our democracies be undermined by the proxies and puppets of authoritarians? Whether it is the ultra nationalist or the anti-European, whether it’s Russian interference or disinformation, the names may be different, but their goal is the same. Continue reading...
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
“Concerns over how US President Donald Trump might react… were also influencing some EU capitals. Countries that rely on Nato protection in the face of Russian threats, such as the Baltics, were especially concerned.” Tough to read, given Canada has led the NATO mission in Latvia for a decade…
ft.com
EU rebuffs Mark Carney’s ‘unique alliance’ with Canada
Some governments balk at prime minister’s call for ‘middle powers’ to join forces against US and China
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
New phone, who dis?
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Does Ukraine know it agreed to this? Or is this like one of those "peace deals" Trump has announced with Iran? You can see the narrative developing where Trump blames Ukraine and Zelensky for the price hikes caused by his own disastrous war...
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Thomas von Boguslawski @thomasvb.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Breaking: #Finland has decided to join the French initiative on Forward Deterrence: www.presidentti.fi/en/joint-sta...
presidentti.fi
Joint Statement on Finland’s Participation in French Forward Deterrence - Presidentti
In his speech on nuclear deterrence doctrine, given on March 2nd at Île Longue, the President of the French Republic has expressed the European dimension of France’s vital interests, and articulated t...
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Mark MacKinnon @markmackinnon.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
This all happened five years ago. I remain so grateful to the team of Ukrainians who rescued my Afghan friends…
theglobeandmail.com
Escape from Afghanistan: How Canadian journalists saved their colleagues in the nick of time, with help from Ukraine
After the Taliban’s fall in 2001, intrepid Afghans spent years helping The Globe and Mail’s correspondents get the story even in dangerous places. Then it was our turn to get them out of danger. Here’...
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