Fatima's Secret Russia Warning
Day 810: a story of heartbreak and humanity
Ukrainian Freedom News: The best daily window into the reality of Ukrainian culture and resistance
THE WRAP: In 2022, the Ukrainians liberated Kharkiv region. But after the Western support slowed, the Russians had time to rebuild and now they’ve invaded the region again. Even as Russia built up troops to prepare for this incursion, the United States discouraged Ukraine from attacking the Russians until they actually enter Ukraine. And so now we have a gruesome and challenge situation just 18 miles from the edge of the major and fiercely free-spirited metropolis of Kharkiv. Today, the air-raid alarms sounded frequently throughout Ukraine, even in normally calm places: there’s an edge in the air.
Today, May 13, is the Catholic feast of Our Lady of Fatima, and in this report a Kharkiv Catholic priest explains why that matters today for Ukraine and for freedom.
Ukrainian Freedom Voices: Alice Zhuravel, a Black Ukrainian, shares the heartbreaking and still hopeful story of the friendship of two Ukrainians from different backgrounds, one of whom was recently killed in battle.
The biggest sign of hope: It’s brutal in Kharkiv region but the defensive lines, intentionally away from the actual border, are holding. And Kharkiv city remains full of people going about their lives although Russia frequently sends missiles—and although many hear the nearby fighting.
The biggest concern: It’s been a day of many nationwide air-raid alarms. As the Russians break into Kharkiv region are they planning some other theatrics?
The biggest question for Washington: Why does DC discourage Ukraine from attacking Russian military positions on Russian soil? Are Ukrainians supposed to wait until Russians cross into their land, as they have done the past days in Kharkiv?
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Fatima’s Secret Russia Warning
Fatima’s Secret Russia Warning
At the edge of Kharkiv city is a Catholic parish around which Russian bombs frequently fall. When I visited recently, Father Mykola, the pastor, urged me to pay attention to the Fatima Secrets—allegedly revealed by the Virgin Mary to three Portuguese shepherd kids on May 13, 1917. The kids brought these secrets to the pope, including a dire warning about Russia.
Father Mykola has a front seat view to this war.
“We can die but there are things that are worse than death," he told me in that cheerfully defiant tone of Kharkiv people. "If you want to get your inner freedom, come to Kharkiv,” a city currently holding on in the face of daily hellfire. —Joe Lindsley
DAILY WAR JOURNAL ON CHICAGO’S WGN RADIO
War Day 810: Kharkiv Challenges, Fatima's Russia Warning
🇺🇦 Every Day Until Victory on Chicago’s WGN Radio with Bob Sirott: Joe Lindsley reports every single weekday 10 minutes from Ukraine 🎙️ Monday 13 May 2024
LVIV—What's the situation on the Russian-Ukrainain border in Kharkiv region? What's the mood in Kharkiv city? And today, May 13, is the Catholic feast of Our Lady of Fatima, which marks an alleged revelation in 1917 about the evils of Russian power.
WAR MUSIC
LVIV—I realized while attending some concerts in Lviv on Saturday: Ukrainians have always kept singing, no matter how bad the oppression. Today they still have the same punk resistance feeling that flourished in the waning days of Soviet control. It keeps people going in a hellish time.
So, travel to Lviv briefly in this little video and hear the music of Pyrih i Batih, “Pie and Whip,” a band who often turns the music of murdered poets—killed by the Soviets—into modern songs.
And know that every face in this video has been hurt by the war—and also has found new courage and strength.
50 MINUTES - SILICON CURTAIN: Navigating Propaganda
Silicon Bites #44 - Russia Opens a New Frontline North of Kharkiv - Reported to Sustain Huge Losses.
Key developments on May 11,12:
- Putin proposes firing Shoigu, appointing new defense minister
- Zelensky says Russian troops try to "gain a foothold" in Kharkiv Oblast; heavy fighting ongoing
- Russia's breakthrough attempt halted, situation in several sectors' changing rapidly,' Syrskyi says
- Russia attacks 106 infrastructure facilities in Ukraine in one day
- Media: Ukrainian drones attack military targets in 3 Russian oblasts overnight
- Russia seeking to blame Ukraine after apartment building collapses in Belgorod, reportedly killing at least 7.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on May 12 proposed firing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and nominated Andrei Belousov to replace him, according to the Telegram channel of the Federation Council, the Russian parliament's upper house. Putin appointed Shoigu as the secretary of Russia's security council, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Shoigu is replacing Nikolai Patrushev, who has been the council's secretary since 2008.
Battleground Ukraine Podcast: Analysis by British military historians
UKRAINIAN FREEDOM VOICES
Black Ukrainian Perspective: Ukraine is a Tolerant Nation with Potential to Build Europe’s ‘Most Cohesive’ Society
Maybe some Black people never understand me when I’m saying that the Ukrainian context historically doesn't have white supremacy, doesn’t include lack of dignity for other nations and races, except Romas, which I’m sure will be changed soon. I am sure we have the potential to build the most equal, cohesive, and sustainable society in Europe, with a minimal level of discrimination.
I want to share with you story illustrates what the usual relationship between Ukrainians of different origins looks like. Sandra and Bohdan are friends, both Ukrainians, but Sandra is of African descent. Bohdana joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the spring of 2022, to defend the homeland, loved ones, friends, including Sandra. Sandra supported him, and fundraised money for Bohdan’s brigade in critical moments.
On May 9th Bohdan has perished. Sandra in her FB account wrote: “I know a lot of people...but I have never met someone like Bodya. He was the brightest, the sunniest... a person who is sincere and kind to the core, you would hear his laugh…” Rest in Peace Hero. We was honoured to have you.
Bohdan and Sandra
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I was reciting Rudyard Kipling’s “If” with friends on a supply delivery trip to Donbas.
And during that road trip I realized this: In the ancient and still flourishing Ukrainian language, the word for “if” literally means “how-what”: a workman like idea of how to achieve the impossible. Because Ukraine never colonized other countries, the Ukrainian language is an easy window into how early Indo-European humans forumated language based on necessity and possibility. —Joe Lindsley
Quick Hits
In 1992, former President Nixon, who was well-experienced on foreign policy matters, said that yes, communism has failed in Russia, but now “freedom is on trial.”
“If freedom doesn’t work in Russia, there will be a reversion to a new despotism”— a despotism unmitigated by any worldview except that of power.
Is Nixon’s warning about Russia proving prescient?
from my daily Ukraine report on Chicago’s WGN Radio. See link in bio to watch full 10-minute episode
Kharkiv: The Soul of Freedom.
Episode 1: “You’re beating the wind.”
Here the Kharkiv writer Anna Gin offers her reflections on living in a city that the Russians shell day and night. “Who do you want to scare?” she writes. “There’s no way to break us. We can’t be broken.”
intro illustration by @citiesandsketches
Ukrainian Freedom Supply: Tools for victory
Thanks to our WGN Radio audience in the USA for continued support of our war reporting and of the civilians-turned-soldiers who stand at the front. Here’s a greeting from a Ukrainian Border Guard—incredibly crucial as Russian desperately tries to break into Kharkiv region—saying just how great it is that we got them some walkie-talkies. These little things make a positive difference. We welcome support here.
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
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
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