Erasing a Land of the Free
And this is what the Russians did in Kharkiv last night ...
More ‘Russian Culture’ comes to Kharkiv
On Wednesday evening in Kharkiv, Russia sent missiles that destroyed homes and the Park Hotel, a place popular with foreign journalists and humanitarian helpers.
This is part of Russia’s ongoing new year’s campaign of intense destruction of Kharkiv city, a place that recently had been coming back to life. And still, many stay in Kharkiv, going on with their lives
But in Ukrainian style, the people of Kharkiv continued hours later their Christmas rituals, which they commemorate until February.
Here you have people who actually keep ancient traditions, in a noncommercial, authentic way. Here you have people who despite the scary onslaught of missiles refuse to surrender. And yet in the USA, the people who talk the most about freedom and tradition at best ignore and at worst despise Ukraine.
WGN RADIO DAILY UKRAINE REPORT
War Day 686: Distrust the Elites? Look to Ukraine - Before It's Erased
🇺🇦 600+ DAYS OF WAR REPORTING on Chicago's WGN Radio with host Bob Sirott and reporter Joe Lindsley, the only American reporting in Ukraine every single day until victory 🎙️ from Wednesday 10 January 2024
In western Ukraine, the people protected their traditions from the Soviets, and to this day, people don't just watch but actively join Christmas well into January. This creates a vertical connection with history and a horizontal connection with community, which just might be the secret to Ukrainian freedom.
In the USA, we tend to be rootless, severed from ancient traditions, and although our continent does see major wars it is full of violence.
But Ukraine shows us that when people are united in ancient rituals, they participate in society and democracy works in a powerful way. The people rule. This is precisely why Russia is sending missiles to Ukraine every week: Ukrainians are uncontrollable by outside forces, harmonious with each other, e.g., crime is low, even amid the normal democratic squabbles, and refuse to submit to tyranny of any sort.
WEEKLY UKRAINE REPORT ON ROCK RACHON
The new Polish turned off ended the English-language channel and website TVP World where Michał Rachon and others faithfully reported about Ukraine every day. But Rachon and team have rallied to build something new with Poland’s TV Republica. Here’s our report this week:
Another barbaric missile attack by Vladimir Putin's scoundrels on Ukrainian cities. Russia launched a total of 59 missiles and drones at Ukraine overnight and in the morning of Jan. 8, killing four people and wounding over 30. Apart from cruise missiles, Russian forces used all types of ordnance they seemingly could get their hands on including air-launched, ballistic, and anti-aircraft guided missiles. Casualties and damages to civilian infrastructure were reported in Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv oblasts.
Our friend Joe Lindsley witnessed the attacks and tells us what the mood is in Ukrainian cities, where the fighting spirit of Ukrainians is receiving a big blow under a hail of falling Russian rockets. Ukrainians are starting to believe that the support they should receive involves a lot of "flag waving" and little in the way of specific moves that would help them throw the invader out of the country.
WGN RADIO DAILY UKRAINE REPORT
War Day 686: Distrust the Elites? Look to Ukraine - Before It's Erased
🇺🇦 600+ DAYS OF WAR REPORTING on Chicago's WGN Radio with host Bob Sirott and reporter Joe Lindsley, the only American reporting in Ukraine every single day until victory 🎙️ from Tuesday 9 January 2024
Despite the intense Russian attacks that began on December 28th, the infrastructure in Ukraine is still functioning. Russia spends more than $1 billion on these nationwide missile strikes, and for what? Ukrainians just keep going and adapting.
Meanwhile, Washington just keeps talking. The Kingdom of Denmark pledged to send some of its American F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which requires the permission of the USA. But the arrival date keeps getting pushed back.
Why?
It's a tricky but essential question. Is it possible that Washington only wants Ukraine to have the best weapons once Ukraine surrenders some territory to Russia? Increasingly it seems so. And yet on the ground, even in newly-re-devastated Kharkiv, the resolution of Ukrainians reminds steadfast, however tired they are.
WAR CARDS
Wartime Tarot, Episode 2: The Woman Who Sows Revival | with @neivanmade
Dive into the stories of life in war with American journalist Joe Lindsley and Ukrainian artist #NEIVANMADE
▪️Joe randomly draws a Tarot card created by #NEIVANMADE, and the artist unveils the gripping story behind his sketch. One of the cards is inspired by a Ukrainian soldier, who lost her leg in 2016, representing dignity and empowerment as she sits on enemies, reminiscent of the Empress tarot card.
▪️Contact @neivanmade to purchase a set of these cards, which include a book of relevant quotations from sources including the Bible, ancient philosophers, and modern Ukrainian musicians.
UKRAINIAN FREEDOM VOICES
Volodymyr Kukharenko
IN KYIV. Helping translation companies to automate business and project management |
Again, about the reasons to support Ukraine.
1. Russia intends genocide, “the ultimate solution of Ukrainian problem”. Millions of people will be killed most brutally if they take over (google “Holodomor” and “Executed Renaissance”, and then have a look at "Bucha Massacre" photos to get a better idea). I know, it’s not your lives at stake (yet), but I hope you have empathy and it still matters.
2. Russia won’t stop. Surviving Ukrainians may come to you as part of the Russian army if Ukraine falls. It will make them much stronger. Ever wondered why “Russian Empire” started to exist after taking over Ukraine in the early 1700ties? All "Russian" victories after that were achieved wirh Ukrainians in their army. In WW2, 30-40% USSR troops were Ukrainians. They can't be an empire without Ukraine, but they want to be.
3. Other dictators and “glorious empire builders” are watching. If they see you do nothing with Russia, they will logically conclude they will do the same, as will consider you weaklings living in Barbie land.
4. All countries around the world are watching to see if democracy can win autocracy. If it doesn’t, guess what kind of rule people would prefer for their “security”? In the 20th century many countries turned to democracy only because it won the wars and proved to be effective.
5. Everyone’s watching if US can be trusted in terms of national security outsourcing or if they should develop own security methods, like own nuclear weapons or alternative military alliances. Ukraine gave up 3rd largest stock of nukes in the world and was hoping it would matter, as US was among the security guarantors. You know, reputation and trust cost a lot but can easily destroyed. So if you do not want dozens of new "nuclear club members", prove they can rely on you.
6. Food security. Ukraine possesses 30% of the most fertile lands in the world, and feeds 400 million people, mostly in North Africa (and may feed much more if properly managed). Want hungry migration to EU? Putin may arrange it.
7. Help to Ukraine is peanuts compared to your economy size. In 2022, it was 5% of US military budget, and equivalent to 15 USD monthly per US citizen, of which 9 USD were mostly obsolete weapons what could not be converted to money anyway, so real money was about 6 USD per person. Weapon production is in US, so most of money go to American workers, Ukraine mostly gets the guns and ammo, not dollars in the pockets. And I fully support if someone watches the money flow and helps to catch the fleas that may still exist.
Please help us spread the reality from Ukraine by forwarding to five friends and asking them to follow us across all social media: links to Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Spotify, and Facebook are here. Joe Lindsley is the only American who has been reporting every single day from Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Together with the Ukrainian Freedom News alliance of volunteers, they not only share the truth with the world but work to get supplies to friends at the front lines.
UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS: Please consider sustaining us at $10/month.
Regular Resources:
Air-Raid Alert Map
State of the War Map: shows Russian positions and what Ukrainians have taken back; updated daily
Mriya Report: a 24/7 Twitter audio channel featuring the best Ukrainian volunteers and representatives
“[It's something rare in our world of corporate and automated radio regular, real humanity.”
—Neil Steinberg, in the Chicago Sun-Times, on Joe Lindsley’s daily Ukraine reports with Bob Sirott of Chicago’s WGN Radio. We invite you to follow on YouTube.
*UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS: Please support us by subscribing and sharing this newsletter with your friends, colleagues, and family. Donations welcome here.*
ABOUT US: Reporting Every Single Weekday Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion
"Joseph Lindsley's reports are enlightening, frightening, heart-wrenchingly and poetically descriptive." —a regular listener to the daily report from Ukraine on Chicago's WGN Radio with Bob Sirott
“I just returned from three months in Ukraine. Not my first time there, and certainly not my last; a powerful experience for me personally, but I must say that JOE’s REPORTING, HIS INSIGHTS, and, OBVIOUSLY, HIS HEART, ARE SPOT-ON.” —Jim, a Telegram follower of Ukrainian Freedom News
American journalist Joe Lindsley, in Ukraine since 2020, leads the Ukrainian Freedom News team of Ukrainians and foreigners on a mission to share real talk and real life in war-time with the world. Every weekday since late February 2022, he has reported live from Ukraine on Chicago’s WGN Radio with host Bob Sirott. You can listen to all episodes at UkrainianFreedomNews.com or via our YouTube channel.
Spread the word and join us in sharing the reality of democracy and culture in Ukraine, which Russia is seeking to destroy.
We welcome your financial support via Paypal (to sustain our operations) or U.S. tax-deductible donations (for delivery of supplies and reporting missions) through our friends at Ukrainian Freedom Fund.
Follow us across various social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or via UkrainianFreedomNews.com.
Please support us by sharing this newsletter with your friends, colleagues, and family.
UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Truth to the World | Supplies to Ukraine
Joe Lindsley, Editor-in-chief
Beata Szrom, Operations Director
James Gamache, Collaborations Director
Andrii Lashkov, Video Editor
Anton Hutyriak, Field Editor
Brennan Phillips, War Columnist
DeepInspire Foundation, Sourcing and Supply