Ukraine

Ukraine

There will be a “teach out” on Ukraine through Coursera featuring University of Michigan expert faculty. The “teach out” will culminate in a zoom conference on March 23rd, for which registration is required.

A great reference on Ukraine and the region as well as the history of the Cold War in the region can be found at the American Historical Association website.

The best place to look and learn about US Foreign Policy in general and details about our actions toward Ukraine is the Council on Foreign Relations website. They have extensive resources on foreign policy and the logic and limitations to American actions internationally. I have also provided a link to learning modules called World 101, which help academic and lay people alike, to understand the breadth of US Foreign policy. They also have local chapters for your community to learn about foreign policy.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invades Ukraine

See the Vox explanation of Ukraine history.

See the BBC for a timeline of the past of the

Ukrainian Revolution:

Here is a timeline of events in the most dangerous conflict to grip Europe since the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

Independence

Globaledge: Timeline of Ukrainian history and an excellent resource on natural and economic resources and culture of Ukraine designed s a resource for global business

Former Ukrlanian headlines: (from home page)

• See the latest CivicSources commentary on CivicSources and Ukraine at the CivicScroll.com as of 3.23.22

• President Biden in Brussels for a meeting with NATO allies on Ukraine, the State Department announced that V. Putin will be formally investigated for war crimes.

• Mariupol is still under siege and all humanitarian corridors for safe passage are closed: a caravan of 160 cars with residents made it out of the city. Reports indicate an emergency supply convoy on its way to Mariupol has been taken by the Russians. As a result, there is no other relief allowed into Mariupol

• The lack of food and water are now killing people. There is no relief allowed into Mariupol and other beseiged Ukrainian cities

• The estimate of dead Russian soldiers is estimated to be between 5-13,000. Morale is estimated to be quite low amongst Russian soldiers

• Russia is closing in on other Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Lviv. Russian attacks have been stepped up on Kyiv including the bombing of a shopping center and apartment complex right outside of the city.

• For a video daily diary of the tragedy confronting Ukraine, see the extraordinary work of Los Angeles times producer and photographer, Marcus Yam. 

• Over 109 baby strollers each representing a baby who died by Russian attacks filled the town square of Lviv. 

• Today Vladimir Putin spoke to a packed stadium (many of whom he coerced to attend) and gave a propoganda speech about the virtues of the RUssian invasion of Ukraine.

• On March 15th and 16th, Zelensky of Ukraine has given moving speeches first, to members of the Canadian government and to both houses of the United States Congress where he received standing ovations. He asked for "a no fly zone" from both, but evidently understanding that he will not receive that from the West, asked for other kinds of military and humanitarian assistance. Next to countries in Eastern Europe, Canada has more citizens from Ukraine than anywhere else. 

• Ukrainian Ballet dancers trade "Tutus for Guns"  

• Go to the Ukraine page to learn about a "teach out" on Ukraine 

• Ceasefire meetings in Turkey between Ukraine and the Russians have come to a close with no progress

• Open discussion of supplying Ukraine with fighter jets and warnings of Russian use of chemical and/or biological weaponry, even as a "false flag" effort

• Over one half of the population of Kyiv has evacuated. By 3.17.2022, over 1/4 of the Ukrainian population is displaced either outside of the country as refugees and/or inside the country.

headlines and links for them continued…(below)

4.26-28.22

Key developments: ( NYT)

Over 40 Countries Plan Arms Shipments
• Moldova's foreign ministry has summoned Moscow's ambassador amid "deep concerns" that the country's Russian-speaking population was being oppressed
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Moscow on Tuesday to discuss urgently bringing peace to Ukraine - and might visit Kyiv
• Russia's defense ministry claims one sailor has died and 27 missing after the Moskva missile cruiser sank last week

4.28.22 (The Guardian)

Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv rocked by missile strikes as UN chief visits Ukraine capital – live

Loud explosions in Ukrainian capital as UN secretary general António Guterres says Mariupol is ‘crisis within a crisis’

• ‘We’re not attacking Russia’, says Biden in push for extra aid

• Briton killed in Ukraine believed to be ex-soldier Scott Sibley

• Donetsk separatists’ draft campaign empties streets of men

Links

The Economist has a complete introduction and background to the Ukrainian crisis as well as reporting on the latest developments in the country. The BBC is also a tremendous source for information on the region in general and on the conflict specifically. In 1992, the BBC, also opened an office in Kyiv and a branch of the BBC called BBC News Ukrainian. It is meant to bring all things from Western Europe to Ukraine and vice versa. It is in English and Ukrainian and is being used by millions of Ukrainians at the moment for assistance with vital information. The other interesting thing about going to the BBC, Economist or BBC News Ukrainian is that all three news outlets are in Europe, close to the actual conflagration itself.

Elle Magazine has a list of expert journalists to follow if one is interested in the background of the conflict in Ukraine. And for the first time, the magazine switches from Russian to Ukrainian.

Other sources of information on Ukraine can be found at: Reuters, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, National Public Radio, PBS Newshour and any of the major television networks.

Another fantastic site with great maps on the region and good military analysis is Haaretz.

If you want to follow the “war” directly as many in Ukraine and VPN users in Russia? go to download Telegram. Telegram is an app like Instagram and you will. need to download and sign up for Ukraine Now.

3.8 million Ukrainians have now fled Ukraine

• Highly precision targeted Russian weaponry was used to tarket energy and military infrastructure in Lviv. This is the case even as the Russians have stated they will focus militarily on the region of the Donbas 

Today: (4.1.22) The Red Cross has still not reached the besieged in Mariupol. There are estimates from 100,000-150,000 residents still trapped in the city.

The occupying Russian soldiers left Chernoble- after beginning to experience radiation sickness. None of them had any idea of what had happened at Chernobyl in 1986.

A Provocative Opinion about Where Israel is Settling the newest (Ukrainian) Israelis?

Opinion - Israeli Settlers’ Grim Offer to Ukraine's Jewish Refugees (Arkadi Mazin) (Ha’aretz)

“Israel’s settler council is preying on vulnerable refugees from Ukraine, offering help and homes in West Bank settlements. Beneath the smiles, there's a toxic message: Flee occupation, become occupiers”

Is Putin poisoning Oligarchs negotiating for peace?

Roman Abramovich, the Russian-Israeli oligarch, and a Ukrainian peace negotiating team all suffered from flu-like symptoms after negotiating for peace in Kyiv on March 3 and 4. It is notable that Zelensky has recently asked that Oligarch Abromovich, not be sanctioned since he is functioning as a go-between among the warring parties. See the WSJ for more on this.

“Thinking” about Ukraine

There is a fantastic article on Ukraine entitled: Ukraine suffers under realism’s Pyrrhic victory by Mark Beeson. The article discusses blind spots all around and their import for the United States and Russian allies as well as Ukrainians’ unfortunate long-term dilemmas. It is published in the Lowy Institute’s daily publication, The Interpreter. The Lowy Institute is an Australian nonprofit, nonpartisan, think tank with a “global focus” with a South Asian focus. See other Ukraine-oriented articles on Russia’s military supplies (Peter Layton), and a speculative piece on scenarios for ending the Ukraine/Russian conflict. (Ian Hill)

Finally

The total estimated losses of the Russian Army from February 24-March 28. (EVEN given the source, this is quite astounding. )

4.29.22

Ukrainian Fighters Share Desperate Videos From Battered Steel Plant

• With independent media unable to access the military holdout in Mariupol, videos from inside function as pleas for help and publicity on social media.

After weeks of poring over evidence, Ukrainian officials singled out 10 Russian soldiers for the atrocities in Bucha.

As Western Resolve Hardens, Russia’s Eastern Drive Seems to Stall

• The E.U. was poised to approve a ban on Russian oil as NATO countries vowed to send more weapons to Ukraine and commit more troops to its neighbors.

• The moves come amid fresh assessments that Russia’s eastern offensive was faltering, hampered by logistical issues and stiff resistance. Here’s the latest.

Donate

Elle Magazine printed in their coverage of best journalists covering the crisis in Ukraine, a list of resources available to assist Ukraine and Ukrainians.

My Education Discount, a useful education site for teachers, is run by a US citizen and of Ukrainian descent. She has posted a list of organizations to aid Ukraine.

Ukraine Red Cross:
https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/~my-donation

Voices of Children:
https://voices.org.ua/en

Come Back Alive:
https://www.comebackalive.in.ua

Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund:
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/ukraine-crisis-relief-fund/

Vostok SOS:
https://vostok-sos.org/en

The Yalta European Strategy of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation Ukrainian assistance list:

POVERNYS ZHYVYM

Dobro.UA

Ukraine's Armed Forces

NBU Fundraising Account for Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainians Affected by Russia's Aggression

4.10.22

President Zelensky addressed the United Nations describing the Russian "genocide" in Ukraine. He asked for "serious players who are ready to go all the way. We Need a circle of countries who would within 24 hours provide us with any weapons. "

• He also asked for serious reform of the United Nations itself which allows Russia to be an active part of its Human Rights Committee.

• The cruelty and indiscipline of the Russian occupation of Bucha became evident as they left behind bodies in the streets, some with hands tied and bullet ridden

• It appears that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled

• Ukraine has gone over the border into Ukraine to destroy a fuel depot.

• For the fourth day in a row, the Red Cross supply and escape Mariupol vehicles have been stalled.

• The northern city of Chernihiv in Ukraine is beginning to look like Meriupol

4.13.22

Day 45 of the Ukraine War- a column of Russian tanks and troops is headed to the Donbas to attempt to solidify their occupation of the region.

• Russian use of. chemical weapons is being investigated in Mariupol

• All reports from the Ukraine Territorial Forces are that Western/US weaponry are not arriving fast enough

• Russia was expelled by other UN members from the Human Rights Committee of the organization

• Dimitry Peskov acknowledged many Russian casualties and stated that all photos of Ukrainian deaths in Bucha are, “fakes.”

• There have been intercepts of radio traffic of Russian soldiers North of Kyiv and in other cities by German “cold war” Intelligence systems giving an indication that most of the “murders” in Irbin and other cities were in fact planned. This is as opposed to being “staged” as Mr. Peskov has asserted. (Der Spiegal) These intercepts may be very useful in any future war crime trials of Russian activity in Ukraine.

• The “Moscva,” a Russian naval ship, is on fire after being hit by Ukrainian missiles.

• The Donbas is waiting for the Russian onslaught to begin.

• It appears that the Russian attack in the Donbas has begun.

• Today’s most notable thing is the interview in The Atlantic with Volodymyr Zelensky. He is funny. moving, and he is extraordinarily honest. It is done by Anne Applebaum and Jeffrey Goldberg.

• In the opinion page of the New York Times, (4.7.22) written by two Yale professors of management about those companies which have and have not left Russia. Among those that are leaving are, ebay, Delta, and Salesforce. Those who have suspended operations are AmEx, Adidas, and ADP, those who are scaling back their activities are, John Deere, Bacardi and Goldman Sachs. See the article for additional information on the status of other companies in Russia.

5.09.22

Russia continues attacks on rail infrastructure

• Mariupol mayor and Ukrainian commander describe heavy fighting at Azovstal steel plant

• Pentagon: Russia reduces Mariupol footprint, advances on other fronts

5.13.22

Today’s Headlines: Ukraine begins first war crimes trial of Russian soldier   (BBC)        

• 21-year-old soldier appearing in the dock accused of killing an unarmed civilian.

Headlines: (Al Jazeera)

5.10.22

Ukraine live news: ‘History will hold Russia responsible’

• Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia will pay the price for bringing the ‘evil of total war and destruction’ to Europe.

• The White House says Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered “a version of revisionist history” in Victory Day speech.

• Democrats in the US Congress agree to a proposal to provide nearly $40bn in additional aid to Ukraine, according to two sources familiar with the plan.

• US President Joe Biden urges lawmakers to “immediately” pass extra funding for Ukraine.

• The UN Human Rights Council will hold a special session later this week on the “deteriorating human rights situation in Ukraine.”