Inside Mariupol’s besieged steel plant, a symbol of bravery and terror
Holding fast to her infant son, Anna Zaitseva ran toward a pair of metal doors at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. It was the last Thursday of February, barely 24 hours after the start of the Russian invasion. In soon-to-be devastated Mariupol, the Kremlin’s bombs were already falling.
They had driven that morning to a lot at the Soviet-era steel plant. One of Europe’s largest, it employed 10,702 people, including her husband. Now, for workers and their families, it was the shelter of last resort.
A commercial complex, Azovstal was also ideal for war. A network of tunnels rested beneath an industrial site twice. Its deep nuclear shelters, complete with old maps and radiation containment plans, dated to the Cold War. The bunker quality of the place also made it a perfect fortress for Ukrainian fighters — a brave and ultimately besieged force that her husband, a new metal worker at the plant, would soon join.
Read the full story here.
Holding fast to her infant son, Anna Zaitseva ran toward a pair of metal doors at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. It was the last Thursday of February, barely 24 hours after the start of the Russian invasion. In soon-to-be devastated Mariupol, the Kremlin’s bombs were already falling.
They had driven that morning to a lot at the Soviet-era steel plant. One of Europe’s largest, it employed 10,702 people, including her husband. Now, for workers and their families, it was the shelter of last resort.
A commercial complex, Azovstal was also ideal for war. A network of tunnels rested beneath an industrial site twice. Its deep nuclear shelters, complete with old maps and radiation containment plans, dated to the Cold War. The bunker quality of the place also made it a perfect fortress for Ukrainian fighters — a brave and ultimately besieged force that her husband, a new metal worker at the plant, would soon join.
Read the full story here.
After escape from Moscow, Pussy Riot begins tour to support Ukraine
BERLIN — Russian feminist arts collective and punk rock band Pussy Riot took to the stage with an antiwar message Thursday, performing for the first time in three years after their lead singer escaped Russia by disguising herself as a food courier to evade police.
Speaking in Berlin at the start of a planned 19-show European tour to raise money for victims of the war in Ukraine, Maria Alyokhina, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, described her decision to leave Russia as “spontaneous.”
It came after Russian authorities announced she would have to serve a 21-day sentence in a penal colony. Alyokhina has been arrested six times over the past year on charges related to her political activism, with Putin expanding an already stifling crackdown on political dissent since his invasion of Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
BERLIN — Russian feminist arts collective and punk rock band Pussy Riot took to the stage with an antiwar message Thursday, performing for the first time in three years after their lead singer escaped Russia by disguising herself as a food courier to evade police.
Speaking in Berlin at the start of a planned 19-show European tour to raise money for victims of the war in Ukraine, Maria Alyokhina, a fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin, described her decision to leave Russia as “spontaneous.”
It came after Russian authorities announced she would have to serve a 21-day sentence in a penal colony. Alyokhina has been arrested six times over the past year on charges related to her political activism, with Putin expanding an already stifling crackdown on political dissent since his invasion of Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
Turkey’s Erdogan voices opposition to Sweden and Finland joining NATO
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced his country’s opposition to Sweden and Finland gaining NATO membership.
On Friday, Sweden’s foreign minister argued that joining the 30-strong alliance would help prevent conflict, while leaders in neighboring Finland have said their country must seek immediate membership in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey has walked a delicate line during the conflict in Ukraine, trying not to offend Russia, with which it has close economic ties, or the government in Kyiv, an ally that is also a buyer of Turkish-made combat drones.
Read the full story here.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has voiced his country’s opposition to Sweden and Finland gaining NATO membership.
On Friday, Sweden’s foreign minister argued that joining the 30-strong alliance would help prevent conflict, while leaders in neighboring Finland have said their country must seek immediate membership in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey has walked a delicate line during the conflict in Ukraine, trying not to offend Russia, with which it has close economic ties, or the government in Kyiv, an ally that is also a buyer of Turkish-made combat drones.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine court begins first war crimes trial for Russian soldier
MUKACHEVO, Ukraine — A court in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, began hearings Friday in the case against Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier to go on trial for alleged war crimes. He is accused of shooting a 62-year-old civilian in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy in late February.
Shishimarin, 21, a member of Russia’s 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya tank division, is in Ukrainian custody. He is charged with violating “the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder,” for which he could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty, Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine’s prosecutor general, said in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said Friday that the hearing in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district court was a “preparatory meeting.”
Read the full story here.
MUKACHEVO, Ukraine — A court in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, began hearings Friday in the case against Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier to go on trial for alleged war crimes. He is accused of shooting a 62-year-old civilian in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy in late February.
Shishimarin, 21, a member of Russia’s 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya tank division, is in Ukrainian custody. He is charged with violating “the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder,” for which he could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty, Iryna Venediktova, Ukraine’s prosecutor general, said in a statement on Facebook on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office said Friday that the hearing in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district court was a “preparatory meeting.”
Read the full story here.
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Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- A subsidiary of Russian energy company Inter RAO said it will halt the import of electricity from Russia to Finland beginning Saturday, citing nonpayment. Fingrid, Finland’s state-owned transmission system operator, did not dispute that and said Finland only gets 10 percent of its electricity from Russia.
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) stood by his objection to a Senate vote on sending $39.8 billion in aid to Kyiv. The move delayed passage of the bill and hampered a bipartisan push for steady assistance.
- Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said a Russian armored battalion suffered heavy losses after Ukrainian forces thwarted it while it attempted to cross a river near Severodonetsk, the easternmost city still controlled by Ukraine.
- Nearly 100 children were killed in Ukraine last month, the deputy director of UNICEF told the U.N. Security Council. He added that the true total is probably “considerably higher.”
More live updates here.
- A subsidiary of Russian energy company Inter RAO said it will halt the import of electricity from Russia to Finland beginning Saturday, citing nonpayment. Fingrid, Finland’s state-owned transmission system operator, did not dispute that and said Finland only gets 10 percent of its electricity from Russia.
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) stood by his objection to a Senate vote on sending $39.8 billion in aid to Kyiv. The move delayed passage of the bill and hampered a bipartisan push for steady assistance.
- Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said a Russian armored battalion suffered heavy losses after Ukrainian forces thwarted it while it attempted to cross a river near Severodonetsk, the easternmost city still controlled by Ukraine.
- Nearly 100 children were killed in Ukraine last month, the deputy director of UNICEF told the U.N. Security Council. He added that the true total is probably “considerably higher.”
More live updates here.
Here's the latest on key battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted an effective counterattack in the area around this northeastern city, pushing Russian troops to withdraw, but shelling continues.
Luhansk: West of Severodonetsk, a Russian battalion crossing the Donets river was decimated after Ukrainian forces blew up the river’s pontoon bridges this week, the British defense ministry confirmed Friday. It is not clear how many Russian soldiers died.
Donetsk: Russian strikes killed one civilian and injured a dozen others, the region’s governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said Friday. In the center of Donetsk, a stronghold for Russian occupying forces, invading forces have shelled the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, the largest coke producer in Ukraine.
Mariupol: In the Russian-held port city, occupying forces continue bombing the Azovstal steel plant, where the last holdouts from the Ukraine army have sheltered.
More live updates here.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted an effective counterattack in the area around this northeastern city, pushing Russian troops to withdraw, but shelling continues.
Luhansk: West of Severodonetsk, a Russian battalion crossing the Donets river was decimated after Ukrainian forces blew up the river’s pontoon bridges this week, the British defense ministry confirmed Friday. It is not clear how many Russian soldiers died.
Donetsk: Russian strikes killed one civilian and injured a dozen others, the region’s governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said Friday. In the center of Donetsk, a stronghold for Russian occupying forces, invading forces have shelled the Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant, the largest coke producer in Ukraine.
Mariupol: In the Russian-held port city, occupying forces continue bombing the Azovstal steel plant, where the last holdouts from the Ukraine army have sheltered.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian troops have been pushed further back north of Kharkiv, while Ukraine has reclaimed control of villages near the area, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Friday.
- Ukraine “appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv,” the Institute for the Study of War said Friday, adding that the Kremlin has “likely decided to withdraw fully” from its positions around the city amid spirited Ukrainian counterattacks and limited Russian reinforcements.
- Sweden’s parliament will meet Monday to debate joining NATO, following the Finnish leadership’s recommendation for membership this week. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled skepticism Friday about the Nordic nations’ inclusion.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a phone call Friday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, urging Moscow to commit to an immediate cease-fire and maintain communications with Washington.
More live updates here.
- Russian troops have been pushed further back north of Kharkiv, while Ukraine has reclaimed control of villages near the area, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Friday.
- Ukraine “appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv,” the Institute for the Study of War said Friday, adding that the Kremlin has “likely decided to withdraw fully” from its positions around the city amid spirited Ukrainian counterattacks and limited Russian reinforcements.
- Sweden’s parliament will meet Monday to debate joining NATO, following the Finnish leadership’s recommendation for membership this week. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled skepticism Friday about the Nordic nations’ inclusion.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a phone call Friday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, urging Moscow to commit to an immediate cease-fire and maintain communications with Washington.
More live updates here.
Sanctions forcing Russia to use appliance parts in military gear, U.S. says
U.S.-led sanctions are forcing Russia to use computer chips from dishwashers and refrigerators in some military equipment, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.
“We have reports from Ukrainians that when they find Russian military equipment on the ground, it’s filled with semiconductors that they took out of dishwashers and refrigerators,” Raimondo told a Senate hearing.
U.S. technology exports to Russia have fallen by nearly 70 percent since sanctions began in late February, according to Raimondo, whose department oversees the export controls that form a big part of the sanctions package. Three dozen other countries have adopted similar export bans, which also apply to Belarus.
“Our approach was to deny Russia technology — technology that would cripple their ability to continue a military operation. And that is exactly what we are doing,” Raimondo said.
Read the full story here.
U.S.-led sanctions are forcing Russia to use computer chips from dishwashers and refrigerators in some military equipment, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Wednesday.
“We have reports from Ukrainians that when they find Russian military equipment on the ground, it’s filled with semiconductors that they took out of dishwashers and refrigerators,” Raimondo told a Senate hearing.
U.S. technology exports to Russia have fallen by nearly 70 percent since sanctions began in late February, according to Raimondo, whose department oversees the export controls that form a big part of the sanctions package. Three dozen other countries have adopted similar export bans, which also apply to Belarus.
“Our approach was to deny Russia technology — technology that would cripple their ability to continue a military operation. And that is exactly what we are doing,” Raimondo said.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine is now the top recipient of U.S. military aid. Here’s how it surpassed even Israel and Egypt.
Even without a proposed $20 billion military aid package the Senate is considering, the United States is already the largest donor of military aid to Ukraine as it defends itself against a Russian invasion.
On Monday, President Biden called on Congress to approve the proposal, saying money for shipments to Ukraine was set to run out in 10 days.
The latest package, part of a nearly $40 billion aid bill, goes beyond sending weapons and represents a long-term commitment to U.S. involvement in the war. The money would also go toward ramping up production of U.S. weapon stocks to replenish the significant amount of weaponry already sent to Ukraine.
The ramp up in military spending, as well as a recent move to send more advanced equipment, indicates a recognition that the war may drag on, experts said.
Read the full story here.
Even without a proposed $20 billion military aid package the Senate is considering, the United States is already the largest donor of military aid to Ukraine as it defends itself against a Russian invasion.
On Monday, President Biden called on Congress to approve the proposal, saying money for shipments to Ukraine was set to run out in 10 days.
The latest package, part of a nearly $40 billion aid bill, goes beyond sending weapons and represents a long-term commitment to U.S. involvement in the war. The money would also go toward ramping up production of U.S. weapon stocks to replenish the significant amount of weaponry already sent to Ukraine.
The ramp up in military spending, as well as a recent move to send more advanced equipment, indicates a recognition that the war may drag on, experts said.
Read the full story here.
Austin asks Russian defense minister for cease-fire in first talks since Ukraine invasion began
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged his Russian counterpart Friday to consider a cease-fire in Ukraine during the first discussion between the two leaders since the Russian invasion began nearly three months ago, the Pentagon said.
Austin had not connected with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu since Feb. 18 — six days before Russia commenced its assault on Ukraine — despite repeated attempts by U.S. officials to do so, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon. The two men spoke for about an hour, and the official characterized their conversation as “professional,” but declined to detail what was said.
“It wasn’t for lack of trying that we hadn’t been able to establish” communications, the official said.
Read the full story here.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin urged his Russian counterpart Friday to consider a cease-fire in Ukraine during the first discussion between the two leaders since the Russian invasion began nearly three months ago, the Pentagon said.
Austin had not connected with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu since Feb. 18 — six days before Russia commenced its assault on Ukraine — despite repeated attempts by U.S. officials to do so, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon. The two men spoke for about an hour, and the official characterized their conversation as “professional,” but declined to detail what was said.
“It wasn’t for lack of trying that we hadn’t been able to establish” communications, the official said.
Read the full story here.
McConnell leads Senate GOP delegation in trip to Kyiv to meet Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Saturday with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his presidential office said.
In a video posted by Politico journalist Christopher Miller, Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), John Barrasso (Wyo.) and John Cornyn (Tex.) were also greeted by Zelensky on a Kyiv street.
“Russia is committing genocide against the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said in a news release announcing the senators’ visit. “Europe has not seen such crimes since World War II.”
“In addition, we believe that Russia should be officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Zelensky said.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Saturday with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his presidential office said.
In a video posted by Politico journalist Christopher Miller, Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), John Barrasso (Wyo.) and John Cornyn (Tex.) were also greeted by Zelensky on a Kyiv street.
“Russia is committing genocide against the Ukrainian people,” Zelensky said in a news release announcing the senators’ visit. “Europe has not seen such crimes since World War II.”
“In addition, we believe that Russia should be officially recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism,” Zelensky said.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian song favored to win Eurovision as war rages
The musicians needed special permission to bypass martial law, and the commentator is presenting from a bunker. But as Europe gears up for its most popular song contest, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra made it to Saturday’s grand final.
And this year’s Eurovision, a flamboyant performance watched by nearly 200 million people, may give Ukraine a reason to celebrate.
The Ukrainian folk-rap mash-up, “Stefania,” is favored by bookmakers to win Eurovision 2022, the world’s longest-running televised music competition, which draws on votes from viewers and once helped launch Abba. The Ukrainian contender is one of 25 acts that will compete in the last round in Turin, Italy, after becoming the most-watched on YouTube among this year’s 40 national entries.
Read the full story here.
The musicians needed special permission to bypass martial law, and the commentator is presenting from a bunker. But as Europe gears up for its most popular song contest, Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra made it to Saturday’s grand final.
And this year’s Eurovision, a flamboyant performance watched by nearly 200 million people, may give Ukraine a reason to celebrate.
The Ukrainian folk-rap mash-up, “Stefania,” is favored by bookmakers to win Eurovision 2022, the world’s longest-running televised music competition, which draws on votes from viewers and once helped launch Abba. The Ukrainian contender is one of 25 acts that will compete in the last round in Turin, Italy, after becoming the most-watched on YouTube among this year’s 40 national entries.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian band wins Eurovision song contest as war rages back home
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra has won Eurovision in Turin, Italy, while war rages at home — a home that now earns the right to host the world’s longest-running televised music contest in 2023.
After the juries in the 40 participating countries voted, Ukraine was in fourth place behind the United Kingdom, Sweden and Spain. The audience voting around the world, though, decided that Kalush Orchestra would be victorious with a total of 631 points.
At the end of their performance, the members of Kalush Orchestra, hands to their hearts, made a passionate plea.
“I ask for all of you,” frontman Oleh Psiuk said, “please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Azovstal right now.”
Kalush Orchestra, which made it to Saturday’s grand final of this year’s Eurovision with a performance watched by nearly 200 million people, was favored by bookmakers to win for its performance of the folk-rap mash-up “Stefania.”
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra has won Eurovision in Turin, Italy, while war rages at home — a home that now earns the right to host the world’s longest-running televised music contest in 2023.
After the juries in the 40 participating countries voted, Ukraine was in fourth place behind the United Kingdom, Sweden and Spain. The audience voting around the world, though, decided that Kalush Orchestra would be victorious with a total of 631 points.
At the end of their performance, the members of Kalush Orchestra, hands to their hearts, made a passionate plea.
“I ask for all of you,” frontman Oleh Psiuk said, “please help Ukraine, Mariupol. Help Azovstal right now.”
Kalush Orchestra, which made it to Saturday’s grand final of this year’s Eurovision with a performance watched by nearly 200 million people, was favored by bookmakers to win for its performance of the folk-rap mash-up “Stefania.”
Read the full story here.
Here's the latest on key battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted an effective counterattack in the area around this northeastern city. But the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration warned residents Saturday that it was still too dangerous to return because of mines.
Mariupol: A convoy of evacuees from this southeastern Ukrainian port city reached safety in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Saturday, a city official said. Occupying forces continue bombing the Azovstal steel plant, where the last holdouts from the Ukrainian military have sheltered.
Kyiv: A wartime curfew in Kyiv will begin an hour later starting on Sunday, the mayor said, as the capital city treads cautiously toward some semblance of normalcy.
Lviv: A Russian missile struck military infrastructure early Sunday, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyy said in a message on Telegram. Officials are still working to confirm whether anyone was killed or injured.
More live updates here.
Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces have mounted an effective counterattack in the area around this northeastern city. But the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration warned residents Saturday that it was still too dangerous to return because of mines.
Mariupol: A convoy of evacuees from this southeastern Ukrainian port city reached safety in the city of Zaporizhzhia on Saturday, a city official said. Occupying forces continue bombing the Azovstal steel plant, where the last holdouts from the Ukrainian military have sheltered.
Kyiv: A wartime curfew in Kyiv will begin an hour later starting on Sunday, the mayor said, as the capital city treads cautiously toward some semblance of normalcy.
Lviv: A Russian missile struck military infrastructure early Sunday, regional governor Maksym Kozytskyy said in a message on Telegram. Officials are still working to confirm whether anyone was killed or injured.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Berlin meeting foreign ministers from NATO, Sweden and Finland. Both Nordic countries recently indicated they want to join the alliance after decades of being militarily nonaligned. Finland’s decision is expected to be formally announced on Sunday.
- Ukrainian forces are continuing to push back against Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, reclaiming towns and launching counterattacks to thwart Moscow’s goal of capturing the eastern Donbas region, analysts and local officials say. The UK’s Ministry of Defense says Russia now looks to have suffered losses to a third of the ground combat force it committed in February.
- As the war raged on back home, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision song contest on Saturday night — a win that was secured by audience votes, highlighting the way Ukraine’s fierce resistance has galvanized public support around the globe.
More live updates here.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Berlin meeting foreign ministers from NATO, Sweden and Finland. Both Nordic countries recently indicated they want to join the alliance after decades of being militarily nonaligned. Finland’s decision is expected to be formally announced on Sunday.
- Ukrainian forces are continuing to push back against Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, reclaiming towns and launching counterattacks to thwart Moscow’s goal of capturing the eastern Donbas region, analysts and local officials say. The UK’s Ministry of Defense says Russia now looks to have suffered losses to a third of the ground combat force it committed in February.
- As the war raged on back home, the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra won the Eurovision song contest on Saturday night — a win that was secured by audience votes, highlighting the way Ukraine’s fierce resistance has galvanized public support around the globe.
More live updates here.
Russia is furious that Finland is joining NATO but can’t do much about it
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred Finland to set aside long-standing concerns about provoking Russia and seek NATO membership, a major strategic setback for Russia.
The invasion also means there’s little Russia can do about it.
The Russian military is ensnared in heavy fighting in Ukraine, its ranks depleted by steep losses of men and equipment. Russia withdrew troops from the border with Finland to send them to Ukraine, leaving Moscow with a significantly reduced capacity to threaten Finland militarily.
Russia supplies Finland with small quantities of gas and oil, but Finland was already preparing to sever those supplies in keeping with European Union decisions to reduce dependency on Russian energy. One possible early response came Saturday with an announcement by the Russian state-owned company RAO Nordic that it has halted electricity exports to Finland.
Read the full story here.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred Finland to set aside long-standing concerns about provoking Russia and seek NATO membership, a major strategic setback for Russia.
The invasion also means there’s little Russia can do about it.
The Russian military is ensnared in heavy fighting in Ukraine, its ranks depleted by steep losses of men and equipment. Russia withdrew troops from the border with Finland to send them to Ukraine, leaving Moscow with a significantly reduced capacity to threaten Finland militarily.
Russia supplies Finland with small quantities of gas and oil, but Finland was already preparing to sever those supplies in keeping with European Union decisions to reduce dependency on Russian energy. One possible early response came Saturday with an announcement by the Russian state-owned company RAO Nordic that it has halted electricity exports to Finland.
Read the full story here.
Flood of weapons to Ukraine raises fear of arms smuggling
President Biden is expected to sign in the coming days a $40 billion security-assistance package that will supercharge the flow of missiles, rockets, artillery and drones to a war-torn Ukraine.
But what remains unclear is Washington’s ability to keep track of the powerful weapons as they enter one of the largest trafficking hubs in Europe.
Ukraine’s illicit arms market has ballooned since Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, buttressed by a surplus of loose weapons and limited controls on their use.
This uncomfortable reality for the United States and its allies comes amid urgent pleas from President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide artillery needed to counter Russian forces in the country’s east and south. But the unprecedented influx of arms has prompted fears that some equipment could fall into the hands of Western adversaries or reemerge in faraway conflicts — for decades to come.
Read the full story here.
President Biden is expected to sign in the coming days a $40 billion security-assistance package that will supercharge the flow of missiles, rockets, artillery and drones to a war-torn Ukraine.
But what remains unclear is Washington’s ability to keep track of the powerful weapons as they enter one of the largest trafficking hubs in Europe.
Ukraine’s illicit arms market has ballooned since Russia’s initial invasion in 2014, buttressed by a surplus of loose weapons and limited controls on their use.
This uncomfortable reality for the United States and its allies comes amid urgent pleas from President Volodymyr Zelensky to provide artillery needed to counter Russian forces in the country’s east and south. But the unprecedented influx of arms has prompted fears that some equipment could fall into the hands of Western adversaries or reemerge in faraway conflicts — for decades to come.
Read the full story here.
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Database of 231 videos exposes the horrors of war in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the most documented wars ever. Citizens, public officials and soldiers have posted videos every day that show the dead bodies in neighborhoods, the trails of missiles streaking through the skies and the smoldering ruins of entire towns.
The Washington Post’s visual forensics team has been verifying and cataloging videos from the war from the day Russia’s invasion began. This work is now searchable in a database that will be updated. The videos have been uploaded in raw format and graphic content is clearly marked. It also geographically tagged, so it can be searched by location.
The Post will continue to verify videos of the Russian invasion, so if you are in Ukraine and have footage you recorded of what is going on, please send it to us here on Telegram at +1 202-580-1002.
Click here to see the full database.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the most documented wars ever. Citizens, public officials and soldiers have posted videos every day that show the dead bodies in neighborhoods, the trails of missiles streaking through the skies and the smoldering ruins of entire towns.
The Washington Post’s visual forensics team has been verifying and cataloging videos from the war from the day Russia’s invasion began. This work is now searchable in a database that will be updated. The videos have been uploaded in raw format and graphic content is clearly marked. It also geographically tagged, so it can be searched by location.
The Post will continue to verify videos of the Russian invasion, so if you are in Ukraine and have footage you recorded of what is going on, please send it to us here on Telegram at +1 202-580-1002.
Click here to see the full database.
Sweden’s ruling party gives green light to join NATO, paving way for nation to apply for status in the Western military bloc
Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
Ahead of the move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared that the accession of Sweden and Finland would be a “historic moment” — additions that would enhance security and show that “aggression does not pay.”
Earlier on Sunday, Finland’s prime minister and president announced that the nation is seeking NATO membership, with a formal application expected as soon as Tuesday. President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview Sunday on CNN that a call with Vladimir Putin was “calm and cool” and that the Russian president made no specific threats even though he called Finland’s decision a “mistake.”
Read the full story here.
Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
Ahead of the move, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared that the accession of Sweden and Finland would be a “historic moment” — additions that would enhance security and show that “aggression does not pay.”
Earlier on Sunday, Finland’s prime minister and president announced that the nation is seeking NATO membership, with a formal application expected as soon as Tuesday. President Sauli Niinisto said in an interview Sunday on CNN that a call with Vladimir Putin was “calm and cool” and that the Russian president made no specific threats even though he called Finland’s decision a “mistake.”
Read the full story here.
Ukrainians react to Eurovision 2022 win with ‘happiness’ and ‘tears of joy’
Polina Falkovskaya doesn’t think of herself as much of a party person. “I don’t dance. I never go out,” she says.
But on Saturday, Falkovskaya, a Ukrainian living in Germany, danced — in her kitchen and in pajamas, no less.
Like millions of Ukrainians, Falkovskaya was celebrating the victory of Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest. The band’s victory, which gives Ukraine the right to host the hugely popular spectacle in 2023, was secured by audience votes and cheered by world leaders, in a sign of the strong public support for Ukraine as the war with Russia approaches its three-month mark.
“For the first time [since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine], we were able to listen to music and not feel guilty,” Falkovskaya, 23, told The Washington Post from Munich, where she and her mother have settled since fleeing their home in Odessa.
Read the full story here.
Polina Falkovskaya doesn’t think of herself as much of a party person. “I don’t dance. I never go out,” she says.
But on Saturday, Falkovskaya, a Ukrainian living in Germany, danced — in her kitchen and in pajamas, no less.
Like millions of Ukrainians, Falkovskaya was celebrating the victory of Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest. The band’s victory, which gives Ukraine the right to host the hugely popular spectacle in 2023, was secured by audience votes and cheered by world leaders, in a sign of the strong public support for Ukraine as the war with Russia approaches its three-month mark.
“For the first time [since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine], we were able to listen to music and not feel guilty,” Falkovskaya, 23, told The Washington Post from Munich, where she and her mother have settled since fleeing their home in Odessa.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Four Russian missiles hit military infrastructure in the Lviv region early Sunday, the regional governor said, destroying military equipment but without causing fatalities or injuries. The claims could not be independently verified by The Washington Post.
- Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Saturday in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his office said.
More live updates here.
- Four Russian missiles hit military infrastructure in the Lviv region early Sunday, the regional governor said, destroying military equipment but without causing fatalities or injuries. The claims could not be independently verified by The Washington Post.
- Sweden’s governing party is dropping its opposition to joining NATO — a significant step that paves the way for the nation to join Finland in applying for membership and ending the long-standing military nonalignment of both Nordic countries.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with a U.S. Senate delegation led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Saturday in Kyiv, calling the visit “a powerful signal of bipartisan support for Ukraine from the U.S. Congress and the American people,” his office said.
More live updates here.