The least corrupt society in the world: Ukraine
Plus: The most intense attack on Kyiv
Want to know what’s the latest reality in Ukraine? Read on …
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War Day 447: In Kyiv, Air Defense Halts the Most Intense Russian Missile Attack Yet
Russia is aggressively testing and trying to expose Ukraine's air defense. Last night they sent an astounding array of missiles and drones over Kyiv city in an attempt to weaken the capital's defences. But Ukrainian defenders shot down all the incoming Russian fire. Plus Zelenskiy says he used to be the guy calling for negotiations. What changed?
from Tuesday 16 May: Joe Lindsley's Ukraine report on Chicago's @wgnradiovideo with Bob Sirott—delivered every weekday since Russia's full-scale invasion
The least corrupt society in the world: Ukraine
BY JOE LINDSLEY, Ukrainian Freedom News
Ukraine and corruption. How often have you heard these two words connected? And yet can you give precise examples of this corruption, or is it just something you’ve heard?
The standard so many cite is the Corruption Perceptions Index, created by former World Bank employees who started Transparency International. The keyword: perception. But what people perceive can be far from reality.
Denmark is number one in the index, as “least corrupt.” That’s the same kingdom whose government has been held unaccountable for its massive pandemic-era mink cull that ruined thousands of livelihoods.
So, first, we need definitions. Corruption means decay. Societies decay when only a small elite lives well and most of the population feels disconnected from the good possibilities of life. Russia is totally corrupt: even its oligarch class is not free, but exists only at the whim of Putin. Ukraine, as we’ve seen in the nation’s ability to withstand the might of Russia, is the opposite: vibrant. A corrupt society could not have held on against such a monstrous war machine.
from my column this week at Poland's TVP World.
War Day 446: What Happened in Ukraine on Saturday Morning?
Because of Russian strikes there were unusually massive explosions in Western Ukraine, with major shockwaves. Meanwhile, President Zelenskiy is shoring up support with two of Ukraine's fiercest allies: Rishi Sunk and the United Kingdom and Giorgia Meloni of Italy. The "and" and "of" are used with purpose.
War Day 443: Mary, Don't You Weep: Pharaoh's Army Got Drowned
Early this morn, a shockwave rattled Lviv—w/reports of Russians striking a major infrastructure in Khmelnytskyi. To help you feel the mood here in these heady days, we shared yesterday an apt Springsteen spiritual and a Tolkien idea in @WGNRadio daily Ukraine report ...
Amid swirling Bakhmut rumors, amid seeming chaos and denial of reality in Russia, amid much silence in Ukraine, amid ongoing hellish Russian strikes on civilians, ... tick tick
"O Mary, Don't You Weep": "Well one of theses nights bout 12 o'clock. This old world is gonna rock … “
Regular Resources:
Air-Raid Alert Map
State of the War Map: shows Russian positions and what Ukrainians have taken back; updated daily
“[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.
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ABOUT US: Ukrainian Freedom News: The wild story—so far—of free people standing for democracy, faith, dignity
"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.
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UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Truth to the World | Supplies to Ukraine
Joe Lindsley, Editor-in-chief
Vitalii Gulden, Creative Producer
Beata Szrom, Operations Director
Pavlo Vitenko, Chief Reporter
Anton Hutyriak, Associate Editor
Jean-Baptiste Besson, Field Editor
Brennan Phillips, War Columnist