Good morning from Ukraine.
Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands, but was shelled overnight in the Svyiatoshynsky and Shevchenkivsky districts.
Meanwhile Mariupol has been shelled from the Sea of Azov…
This invasion turns a month old tomorrow…
Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands, but was shelled overnight in the Svyiatoshynsky and Shevchenkivsky districts.
Meanwhile Mariupol has been shelled from the Sea of Azov…
This invasion turns a month old tomorrow…
Mariupol is still being contested by Ukrainian and Russian military forces…
Western intel had predicted it would fall by now…
Ukrainian officials have rejected Russian calls for surrender
Western intel had predicted it would fall by now…
Ukrainian officials have rejected Russian calls for surrender
Zelenskyy on Mariupol: 100k “live in the city in inhuman conditions, in complete blockade, without food, without water, without medicines and under constant shelling”
Humanitarian corridors “frustrated by Russian occupiers, shelling or deliberate terror”
google.com/amp/s/ua.inter…
Humanitarian corridors “frustrated by Russian occupiers, shelling or deliberate terror”
google.com/amp/s/ua.inter…
Meanwhile the Biden administration is preparing to announce even more sanctions on Russia as the president travels to Europe…
“There will be hard days ahead in Ukraine," Jake Sullivan warned. "This war will not end easily or rapidly."
npr.org/2022/03/23/108…
“There will be hard days ahead in Ukraine," Jake Sullivan warned. "This war will not end easily or rapidly."
npr.org/2022/03/23/108…
The Biden administration will not only announce new sanctions but will also announce ways they intend to crack down on those who help evade sanctions
Zelenskyy is expected to address those assembled for a NATO meeting on Thursday
npr.org/2022/03/23/108…
Zelenskyy is expected to address those assembled for a NATO meeting on Thursday
npr.org/2022/03/23/108…
We are traveling westbound today.
Everywhere we look there are massive trucks headed east, filled with aid, fuel and — I imagine —weapons.
More trucks than I have ever seen.
Some look brand new.
Everywhere we look there are massive trucks headed east, filled with aid, fuel and — I imagine —weapons.
More trucks than I have ever seen.
Some look brand new.
Over the last four weeks martial law has made it nearly impossible to get legal alcohol in Ukraine… last night this was lifted in Vinnytsia, which I was traveling through 
The mood was buoyant early in the evening.
Oleg was bartending in this basement bar in the city center… three choices: Jäegermeister, a local lager or a kind of berry cider
As you can see there’s nothing on the shelves
Oleg was bartending in this basement bar in the city center… three choices: Jäegermeister, a local lager or a kind of berry cider
As you can see there’s nothing on the shelves
It was wonderful to hear the laughter and the vibes of a joyful bar.
Want to get a sense of it?
Take a listen to some audio I recorded of what it sounded like:
soundcloud.com/tim-mak-453990…
Want to get a sense of it?
Take a listen to some audio I recorded of what it sounded like:
soundcloud.com/tim-mak-453990…
As we sat there, some Ukrainians overheard us speaking English and asked us what we were doing in their city
Tanya grew up in Vinnytsia, but has Russian ancestry.
“My blood is Russian but my soul is Ukrainian. My friends are all in the war… in Kyiv. In Kherson. In Mykolaiv.”
Tanya grew up in Vinnytsia, but has Russian ancestry.
“My blood is Russian but my soul is Ukrainian. My friends are all in the war… in Kyiv. In Kherson. In Mykolaiv.”
This is Artyom, who also has Russian heritage.
“Our people over there are killing our people over here. And for what? For Putin? I hope that the war ends soon. The war is shit.”
“Our people over there are killing our people over here. And for what? For Putin? I hope that the war ends soon. The war is shit.”
People were in a good mood at first. They were clinking glasses and shouting “glory to Ukraine” amidst the sort of frenzied chatter you always hear in bars. I’ll repeat: it was so good to hear the laughter
I have still not been able to find pho in the last month but I did see a sticker here indicating at least that people who know about pho have been here
It was in this dimly lit basement bar, which smelled like whisky but had none for sale, that I learned I shared a name with Timati, a pro-Putin rapper that everyone there hated
Arytom and I spoke a little longer. His wife and child are out of the country but he has a critical IT job and isn’t allowed to leave.
A long sigh. He takes a long swig of cider. He says he doesn’t want to fight in the war.
A long sigh. He takes a long swig of cider. He says he doesn’t want to fight in the war.
“This war will end but my humanity won’t,” he said.
He spoke some English but for some of the more meaningful stuff we spoke through Google Translate.
Take a read:
He spoke some English but for some of the more meaningful stuff we spoke through Google Translate.
Take a read:
It turns out he has already seen combat. “My skill is for sniper,” he said. With a dragunov rifle.
He began listing his friends who had been killed. His classmates.
Andrey in Donbas.
Alexey, in Kyiv.
Bogdan, in Donbas.
He began listing his friends who had been killed. His classmates.
Andrey in Donbas.
Alexey, in Kyiv.
Bogdan, in Donbas.
A deep sigh. And then a long gulp of cider made from berries.
Artyom was in Donbas. He describes seeing people without legs…
And he remembers this friend who was a teenager… 18 years old… who had his face blown off by shrapnel.
Artyom was in Donbas. He describes seeing people without legs…
And he remembers this friend who was a teenager… 18 years old… who had his face blown off by shrapnel.
His friend was laying without his eyes…
Arytom gave him morphine after morphine dose in the initial minutes.
He is haunted by this guy saying, “am I going to be alright? I have a girlfriend.”
He started to get choked up.
“This war is shit,” he says.
Arytom gave him morphine after morphine dose in the initial minutes.
He is haunted by this guy saying, “am I going to be alright? I have a girlfriend.”
He started to get choked up.
“This war is shit,” he says.
He remembers an officer patting him on the back and saying “why don’t you take care of this,” and walking away.
His friend survived for two days without a face before dying at the age of 18.
His friend survived for two days without a face before dying at the age of 18.
We walked home in silence in the greyness of a city at war, trying to get back before curfew
Today’s dog of war is this stray pup who is sleeping in front of the WOG gas station… then marches around like he owns the place
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