The fall of Mariupol at Orthodox Easter

As one family walks out of Mariupol with four children, a last-ditch effort to remove those holding strong in the underground caverns beneath a steel factory is taking place. Ukrainian forces and civilians have been stuck underground for weeks. Food and water is running out. And Putin says to just surround the place and wait for them to die. 

There's a field about 19 km outside of Mariupol where a possible mass grave holding thousands of dead has been identified. It is several football fields long. A second mass grave was also spotted. The international tribunals have their hands full. But it will take a long time to bring anyone, especially Putin, to justice. 

Today is Orthodox Easter. The Russians who claim to be Christian have no remorse, no scruples, no Christianity in their bones. 

Christ is Risen! And so shall Ukraine. 

New evidence of Norse connections in Kyiv

Walrus ivory carving from Norway

My speculation about the connections between Dublin and Kyiv has been confirmed by the evidence of trade between Norsemen in Greenland and Dublin and Kyiv. A researcher, archaeologist Natalia Khamaiko, digging on a site along the Dnipro found a treasure trove of items belonging to the Viking era of Kyivan Rus. Among those items was a sample of walrus ivory which provided DNA evidence that the ivory originated in Greenland. It happens to be that of a distinct population of walrus that exists only in Greenland and Arctic Canada. So they were trading and travelling between continents - a 4000 km trade route. Amazing!

The study was written up in Science magazine by Andrew Curry. It's a small world and small wonder I feel at home in Ireland. 

What it means to be Russian today...

Because of Putin's war on Ukraine, Russians everywhere are having a hard time as a result of wide-reaching sanctions. Credit cards don't work, savings in Russia cannot be accessed, and borders are closed to Russian passports. Russians and others are saying it's not fair, that they didn't start or approve of the war. But they didn't stop Putin when they had the chance either. They allowed him to continue to grow more powerful with every term. 

I do feel bad for Russians who are truly dissidents and have had to leave Russia due to persecution for speaking the truth. They did try to change things. But this is war. And war is never fair. The New Yorker today had a great cartoon explaining the situation from the Russian's perspective. 

My prediction is that it will remain difficult to be Russian for a long time after this, much as it was difficult to be German or Japanese after WWII. Russian oil is tainted with Ukrainian blood. And so it will remain. 

The state of winemaking in Ukraine

Photo by Slivino Village winery

Instead of bottling wine in Ukraine, they are using the bottles to make 'Bandera smoothies'.  The men have gone to war and there's no one to work the vineyards. Those who remain are too afraid to move about for work. The glass bottle-making factory was destroyed. Many of the wineries were pillaged and destroyed. 

Read all about the tragedy from one fledgling industry's perspective. Named after Stepan Bandera, a controversial Nationalist who died in 1959 after being poisoned by Soviet agents and is seen by some as a national hero who fought for Ukrainian independence during the 1930s and 1940s, the 'Bandera smoothie' may be the only viable option for the winemakers at this time.  

Meanwhile, lots of celebrities have jumped on the bandwagon to help Ukraine. Actor Mila Kunis — who was born in Ukraine — and her husband Ashton Kutcher have already raised more than $35 million for refugees of the war in Ukraine through their Stand with Ukraine GoFundMe page.

Chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen has served more than 5 million meals to refugees as well as civilians and emergency responders in Ukraine. 

AirBnB has vowed to house up to 100,000 refugees on a short term basis. But are they up to the task?  Logistical issues are problematic. 

There are many good people in the world. I wish a few would stand up to Putin and oust him from his long table. 

Blood money

As long as Europeans buy Russian natural resources, there will be money flowing into the war against Ukraine. 

In each barrel of Russian oil you import, there's Ukrainian blood. 

- MP

Mr Shmyal spoke to the BBC's Clive Myrie and described money given to Russia for oil and gas as "blood money... to buy weapons from which they kill Ukrainians." Buying it is financing Russian war crimes. You can't buy just a little bit and be complacent. 

Vladimir Putin sells 5m barrels of crude oil per day, a large share of which goes to Europe. As EU leaders gather to discuss the crisis, we call on people everywhere to boycott Russian oil now. Russian oil is funding the invasion of Ukraine and the murder of innocent people. We must cut off this funding at the source. This trade can and must be stopped through pressure brought by you, the consumer, on companies and governments.