War is not going Putin's way

The David and Goliath war. The Bible says David won. 

The war has been going for several days and Ukraine still has not given up. The main cities remain under Ukrainian control, civilians are taking up arms, the diaspora is coming home or supporting those fleeing. Some 500,000 have already crossed borders into Poland, Moldova, Bulgaria and the Chech Republic. The Polish have been enormously supportive and the world has rallied around Ukraine's cause chanting 'No War' even in Russia. Thousands hit the streets in cities around the world this weekend. 

Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian soldiers, and the Ukrainian people are being seen as heroes, dedicated to preserving their freedom and protecting their homeland. Ireland has opened its borders to Ukrainians wishing to enter who don't have a visa.  

I was hoping to offer accommodation in a friend's renovated CG station and help with transport and translation, but the place isn't fit for occupation just yet. I have donated money to Ukraine's fund for medical supplies, propagated fact-checked information, created a list of Russian-owned companies to avoid, and offered moral support where possible. I also prayed. And I cried - tears of sadness and of pride. 

Meanwhile, the sanctions have hit Russia hard. Russian currency lost 30% of its value today and the central bank doubled interest rates to prop it up. Everyone is dumping Russian assets. BP is dumping its share of Rosneft, Norway is dumping about $3 billion from its sovereign fund. Europeans are giving up their board seats and Russian-owned companies are exposed. Lukoil and Holland & Barrett are owned by Russian oligarchs and should be boycotted. 

Students and grannies are making Molotov cocktails to use against the Russian troops. It's their way of saying we don't want you here. 

Airspace over Europe has banned any Russian planes, including oligarch's private jets. Pretty soon Russians won't be able to go anywhere in the Western world. I'd say they won't be happy with Putin after this. 

Versions of history

https://twitter.com/i/status/1497189408113573890

Russian warships shelled Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) in Black Sea in the Odesa region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said border guards on Snake Island in the Black Sea who shouted ‘go f*** yourself’ at Russian warship all "died heroically” as footage emerges on social media.

UAWire 

@uawire

Feb 25

Ukraine's Zmiinyi Island, Black Sea

Russians: This is a Russian warship. I ask you to put down weapons and surrender to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, otherwise, you’ll be bombed.

Ukrainians: Russian warship, go f**ck yourself.

All of them were killed.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1497120712909369345 

President Zelensky is the 13 soldiers killed rather than surrendering. Meanwhile, the Russians are circulating a video suggesting that 82 solders on that same island surrendered and asked to be returned back to Ukraine after signing a paper that they would not kill Russian soldiers. Right. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1497547265501806599 

Russia claimed that these people are 82 Ukrainian soldiers from Zmiinyi (Snake) island, who gave up and asked to return them back to Ukraine for signing a document, which says they won’t fight against the Russian federation.

Heroyam Slava!

 

What it means to be Ukrainian today

Remember this image and this day: 24-02-2022

Even though I knew it would happen, I can honestly say that I truly hoped it wouldn't. Today, Russian forces invaded Ukraine in a full out assault from the North to Kharkiv, from Crimea to Odesa, and from Byelorus to Kyiv. The Associated Press reports that 40 people have been killed in the initial onslaught.  War is underway. 

My heart breaks for the people who finally had a chance to celebrate Ukrainian sovereignty. We woke up to a different Europe and a different world today. Everyone had thought that the war to end all wars did just that. But that didn't take Putin's madness into account. He is Stalin's disciple and wiping out the Ukrainian people would be his major goal. Stalin killed 40 million Ukrainians in the Holodomor. How many will Putin target?  He is not to be outdone. Putin is a madman. He is a murderer. He is a war criminal. 

Kyiv under attack

Remember this day: 24 February 2022. Solidarity with Ukraine. When will the world stand up to him?

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496799736744996866 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496823374835818502

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496805284068700161

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496795404268146694

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496802459049549824

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496817380424617986

#Ukraine 🇺🇦: somewhere near #Kyiv a Ukrainian MiG-29 (low-flying) is taking on a Russian Su-35.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1496821171119079430

BBC Updates page: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-60454795 

False flag ops start in Donetsk

Russians claim a Ukrainian shell destroyed a private house and barn (Unoccupied) and call it attempted murder. The Russian backed separatists evacuate Russian-speaking citizens from the eastern region to Russia, claiming that Ukraine is about to attack. A Ukrainian-flagged tank is shown crossing a bridge, presumably into occupied territory. 

It has begun. 

Update: 22-02-22

Russia moved 'peacekeeping forces' into Donetsk and Luhansk and declared them independent of Ukraine. 

Putin's speech about Ukraine is rewriting history and showed just how much he hates Ukrainians. 

Munich Security Conference

VP Kamala Harris delivers a speech to the Conference. "Today I will deliver remarks at the Munich Security Conference on how the United States, our allies, and our partners are demonstrating strength and unity in the face of Russian aggression."

She was clear, concise and direct. She was accompanied by a bipartisan team from Congress to uphold the US commitment to Ukraine. She did so out of duty and responsibility representing the United States and NATO.

"We are 1) exposing the truth and 2) speaking with one voice."

"Their actions simply do not match their words."

"Everyone knows it takes much more to build something up than to tear it down."  

- Madam Vice President

This taking place as news media report escalating fighting in the East, Russian troop movements along the borders and Putin supervising a nuclear exercise.

At stake in Ukraine is humanity's history

So says Yuval Noah Harari writing for the Economist. In jeopardy is humanity’s greatest political achievement -- the decline of war. Does humanity repeat itself in perpetuity or can humans really change? I don't know what his bottom line is because I do not subscribe to the magazine, but my sense is that no, humanity cannot change. There will always be the autocrats and narcissists who believe they are better than everyone else and, therefore, they deserve to control it all. 

People have been questioning the role of NATO as Ukraine is not in it, but has expressed a desire to be. Without NATO behind Ukraine, Russia could just waltz right in. But Ukraine doesn't have to be part of NATO for NATO to defend her. Ukraine touches on the borders of several NATO countries. In defending Ukraine's right to sovereignty, they would be defending their own members' borders. Who is to say Putin would stop with Ukraine? 

Why Ukraine matters has been making its way around the internet. What follows is what I saw posted anonymously. 

For those who ask: "Why does Ukraine matter?"

This is why Ukraine matters. 

It is the second-largest country by area in Europe by area and has a population of over 40 million - more than Poland.

Minerals: 

Ukraine ranks:

• 1st in Europe in proven recoverable reserves of uranium ores;
• 2nd place in Europe and 10th place in the world in terms of titanium ore reserves;
• 2nd place in the world in terms of explored reserves of manganese ores (2.3 billion tons, or 12% of the world's reserves);
• 2nd largest iron ore reserves in the world (30 billion tons);
• 2nd place in Europe in terms of mercury ore reserves;
• 3rd place in Europe (13th place in the world) in shale gas reserves (22 trillion cubic meters)
• 4th in the world by the total value of natural resources;
• 7th place in the world in coal reserves (33.9 billion tons)

Ukraine is an important agricultural country:  

• 1st in Europe in terms of arable land area;
• 3rd place in the world by the area of black soil (25% of world's volume);
• 1st place in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil;
• 2nd place in the world in barley production and 4th place in barley exports;
• 3rd largest producer and 4th largest exporter of corn in the world;
• 4th largest producer of potatoes in the world;
• 5th largest rye producer in the world;
• 5th place in the world in bee production (75,000 tons);
• 8th place in the world in wheat exports;
• 9th place in the world in the production of chicken eggs;
• 16th place in the world in cheese exports.

Ukraine can meet the food needs of 600 million people.

Ukraine is an important industrialised country:

• 1st in Europe in ammonia production;
• Europe's 2nd and the world’s 4th largest natural gas pipeline system;
• 3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants;
• 3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km);
• 3rd place in the world (after the U.S. and France) in production of locators and locating equipment;
• 3rd largest iron exporter in the world
• 4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world;
• 4th world's largest manufacturer of rocket launchers;
• 4th place in the world in clay exports
• 4th place in the world in titanium exports
• 8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates;
• 9th place in the world in exports of defence industry products;
• 10th largest steel producer in the world (32.4 million tons).

Ukraine matters! That is why its independence is important to the rest of the world!

Wikipedia appears to support these claims. 

Here's the OEC profile of Ukraine's exports. 

Here's the EU-Ukraine trade profile. 

Ukrainian Movies

It's strange that Ukraine is in the headlines daily. In my childhood, no one had ever heard of Ukraine and we'd never have seen anything on TV, or even had a glimpse of a Ukrainian flag in the media. Not until the wall fell and Oksana Baiul hit the Olympics with a bang, winning gold in the winter olympics in figure skating. To see the Ukrainian flag rise up the pole and hear Sche ne vmerla Ukraina was astounding. We all bawled our eyes out. 

And with that invisibility of Ukraine, I'd never heard anything about any Ukrainian movies so I was happy to come across an article about the five best Ukrainian movies. Here are the five I will attempt to watch, all available on YouTube:

• My Thoughts Are Silent / Мої думки тихі  (2019)
• The Guide  (2016 Capital Ukrainian Festival)
• Feathered Dreams / Легкая, как перышко (2012)
• Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965)
• Man With a Movie Camera / Человек с Аппаратом (1929)

Putin's Yacht Escapes EU

Putin's 82-metre €87m superyacht Graceful has made a rapid getaway from a yard doing refits in Germany and retreated to Russia without completing the work. Apparently, Putin was afraid of the yacht being impounded if harsh sanctions were to be imposed. Does that indicate he plans an imminent invasion of Ukraine? We shall soon know. 

Here's more on the story. 

A cold war

The US is sending troops to Europe and the EU starts defusing the disinformation campaign spawned by Russia. Meanwhile, the NY Times is keeping tabs on the deepening rift between the US and Russia while Putin sidles up to Xi in Beijing. 

Can't we just revel in the Olympics and start living with Covid instead of worrying about WWIII. Perhaps the chicken found infiltrating the Pentagon will be tried for spying. That will take our minds off things.