Crime scene for real

We learned from the neighbourhood WhatsApp group this morning that the son of a Meadow Street resident was mugged in the lane at the end of the street last night. We've had burglaries before, but for a young man to be threatened by a knife wielding assailant is out of the ordinary for this quiet neighbourhood. The lane is poorly lit with a few places where someone could conceal themselves beforehand. 

It may be a one-off, someone using the lane as a short cut, desperate for money for a fix. Drug dealing does occur on the streets around here, I've glimpsed exchanges happening between young adults in hoodies occasionally. It remains to be seen now if there's a repeat performance, but after this exchange of messages, neighbours will be on the alert.

I celebrated the Eucharist at St Catherine's with six others this morning. Then I fetched this week's veggie bag, and cooked us lunch. After an afternoon walk in the park, I started work on Morning Prayer and next week's biblical reflection. I was interrupted by a Police constable making routine enquiries after the crime, She was clad in black, with long blond hair in a plait, reminding me of a character in a British telly crime drama.

For a change, I watched Channel 4's evening news this evening, featuring a reporter with Ukrainian troops in the region of Donetsk. It's the first time I've heard mention of military hardware in use donated by NATO countries. There have been more Russian missile strikes against the railway network, aiming to hinder deployment of imported weapons. A Ukrainian commander spoke of Russian soldiers making  repeated attacks without variation in tactics, men used unimaginatively as cannon fodder in the faint hope of overwhelming opponents who know their ground and what they are fighting for. 

One report I read today stated that Russia is losing 400 soldiers a day. The tabloid media alleges that the Russian campaign failure is causing concern among senior military figures. Russian social media is said to be rife with speculation about a military coup brewing against Putin's regime. But can tabloid media be trusted not to make up stories, even if they tout optimistic propaganda? No reports of this kind have been issued by radio or TV news broadcasts so far. We can but pray.