Russian Rot: Burisma, Biden's Son, Ukraine
Plus: air defense over Lviv; fuel shortage in Ukraine
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Truth to the World | Supplies to Ukraine
Dear Readers:
There’s a fuel shortage in Ukraine. Our Ukrainian Freedom News team is sending volunteers to Poland to get fuel so we can deliver supplies to soldiers and hospitals and so we can continue reporting around the country.
Meanwhile, NBC reported last week that the fuel shortage is due in part to Ukrainian corruption in the energy sector. And yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the Justice Department closed its investigation into “Ukrainian oil and gas company” Burisma.
The thing is: Burisma isn’t really Ukrainian. It’s run by an ally of Putin who was part of the corrupt regime the people of Ukraine ousted in the 2014 Revolution of Dignity.
Sincerely,
Joe Lindsley, American journalist in Ukraine since the pandemic began
Biden's Son Worked For Pro-Putin Energy Firm That Benefited from Russian Annexation of Crimea; Justice Department Closes Probe
In 2014, the Ukrainian people stood in the streets and occupied government buildings until the corrupt, pro-Putin regime fled to Russia. In the wake of that Revolution of Dignity aka Maidan, Russia swept in to take Ukraine's energy-rich Crimean peninsula. The Obama-Biden administration imposed some sanctions on Russia.
But within months, in May 2014, then-Vice President Biden's son began working as a highly-paid consultant for a member of the ousted pro-Putin regime who was living in Moscow and whose firm, Burisma, had major energy assets in the annexed Crimean peninsula.
In a story that made zero references to Russia's current war on Ukraine, the Washington Post reported Tuesday that President Biden’s Justice Department has closed an investigation into the DC lobbying firm through which Biden’s son worked with Burisma …
Read the story here.
PODCAST: Near-Daily War Journal 12 May: 15 May—Anger After Seeing Family Without Limbs
After seeing images of family who lost limbs in Kramatorsk rail way attack, Ukrainian Zak Pikh and American Joe Lindsley talk about the slogan of 'never again.'
*Language advisory*
Listen also on Spotify:
Situation Summary: Special operation to free people from Azovstal, Hungary blackmails EU; Bombs bursting in air over Lviv
By Pavlo Vitenko, UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Summary by regions
DONETSK REGION
The entire front line is under constant massive shelling. For a day - 8 killed, 6 - wounded.
During the day, 32 houses, a school, an institute and 9 industrial facilities were damaged. During the night shelling, Krasnohorivka was cut off again. Now, there are repairs. The shelling of the Armed Forces continues, but the Ukrainian military is in control.
LUHANSK REGION
There were two powerful air strikes and constant artillery shelling throughout the territory. In Severodonetsk, two buildings of the hospital and the building of the research and production association "Impulse" were destroyed. There are 10 dead and three wounded. A building materials store and four high-rise buildings were also destroyed in Severodonetsk. Four more houses are in Rubizhne, two are in Lysychansk.
MYKOLAYIV REGION
In the evening of May 16, as a result of the shelling of the village of Pervomaiske, a five-story building and a house were damaged, no one was killed.
LVIV REGION
In the Lviv region, a Russian missile hit a railway facility in the Yavoriv district. There are no victims. According to preliminary information, the air defense shot down three cruise missiles.
Read more including our region-by-region summary here.
🎙🎙🎙 WGN Radio: Fuel Shortage Limiting Travel for Ukrainians
Joe Lindsley of Ukrainian Freedom News speaks in a daily report with Bob Sirott of Chicago’s WGN Radio. You can listen here.
In Ukrainian Tradition of Free Speech and Activism, Lviv Women Push for Better Training of Territorial Defense
“Many intellectuals, famous people in Lviv, sincerely wanted to defend Ukraine, but without proper equipment and military training – it is unfair to throw them at the enemy,” says a mother of four whose husband, a university lecturer, is fighting at the front lines.
Story by Khrystyna Hogol, translated by Vitalii Holich
Read the story here from Lviv-based Tvoe Misto (“Your City”).
Daily Supply Needs
Over the weekend, Ukrainian Freedom News collected supplies from United Help Ukraine, an amazing Washington, DC-based charity that has been supporting Ukraine's fight against Russia since 2014.
You can learn more about them here: https://unitedhelpukraine.org
We collected helmets and bulletproof vests graciously donated from police departments all over the USA. It was great to see the faded patches of Oneida County, Orange County, etc., as we loaded these supplies up.
We will bring these this week to southern Ukraine, where they are much needed.
Now as the weather warms up, Ukrainian soldiers need summer tactical shoes, which at the moment we can procure for $95/each. We welcome donations here.