The Most Uncomfortable Question
The mood in Ukraine as anticipation builds
Want to know what’s the latest reality in Ukraine? Read on …
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Latest: Listen to today’s WGN Ukraine report with Bob Sirott and Joe Lindsley here.
The big news: As Russian drones assault Ukraine once again, there are mysterious explosions near the Kremlin, in Crimea, and at a Russian airfield near Finland. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy is in Finland, which has also, after years of neutrality, invited the USA to establish a military base.
And there are strange doings in Kherson city, liberated by Ukraine but still frequently shelled by Russia: The mayor this morning announced a 58-hour total curfew—reminiscent of Corona-times in Wuhan or France or NYC—from May 5-8, up until the eve of Russia’s biggest military holiday, May 9. Stock up on food and meds, he said.
Hours later, the Russians shelled the largest remaining supermarket in Kherson. Among the employees and shoppers, three were killed.
As word spreads of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the tensions and chatter build. Secrecy and disinfo are essential for victory …
Ukraine in Perspective
Why Is Ukraine So Different From Russia?
BY BRENNAN PHILLIPS | UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
If not for Ukraine, the world would never have questioned the Russian narrative of a violent, exploitative trajectory being the natural evolution a nation must take in its long climb out of despotism. Without Ukraine, no one would have asked why a post-Soviet nation turned out so differently than Russia. That is, how could one nation— despite its corrupt oligarchy—be saved by its open public sphere and parliament and ascend to a free democracy; while its former enslaver—with exponentially more resources, benefactors, and weapons—devolve into an oligarchical tyranny?
Before this war, many concluded that the greatest victims of the Russian regime were Russians. But now there are too many body bags to hide. And so Russia has forfeited its most reliable historical narrative: playing the victim.
Brennan Phillips, an American veteran, volunteered for many months in Ukraine teaching soldiers and medics in the essential art of battlefield medicine.
Fearful Russians Think They Can Subdue Ukrainians With Fear. It Doesn't Work
BY JOE LINDSLEY | UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Russia is a society where everyone lives in fear, which is why they think fear will work as a tactic on Ukrainians. Here we look at scenes from Uman, which the Russians hit on Friday.
Plus: the battle within Ukraine’s military, between the young innovators and the old-Soviet mindset.
And: I think propaganda is at the most feverish level since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Something is cooking
… from 28 April, war day 429: my Ukraine report on Chicago's @wgnradio with Bob Sirott, delivered every weekday since Russia's full-scale invasion
Twitter Thoughts:
What this war is about: Ukrainian people, the archetype of democracy vs #Russia, the archetype of totalitarianism. Much of the world doesn't realize this yet: just how fiercely democratic Ukraine is. I hope the example of Ukraine will inspire the rest of us to reawaken our own democracies.
Follow Joe Lindsley on Twitter.
DAILY SITUATION SUMMARY: 3 May: The situation with the grain corridor, Russia issues manuals for the media about Ukraine's counteroffensive
BY PAVLO VITENKO | UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
PART ONE: SUMMARY BY REGIONS (OBLASTS)
LUHANSK REGION
The enemy fired 96 shots (437 shells) at the positions of our troops, mortars – 34, MLRS – eight, artillery – 33, tanks – 12, UAVs – six, aviation – three. The Russians concentrated their offensive south of Dibrova, but were again unsuccessful. The Russians opened fire in the direction of Makiivka and Bilohorivka.
DONETSK REGION
18 shellings were recorded in the Donetsk region during the day. 12 settlements were shelled: Kramatorsk, Avdiivka, Kostyantynivka, Bakhmut, Yasnohirka, Velyka Novosilka, Netaylove, Hannivka, Karlivka, Vremivka, Umanske. 33 residential buildings (of which 19 are multi-apartment buildings), a school, four hospital buildings, three power lines, a shop, and a gas pipeline were damaged. In the region: three wounded per day.
SUMY REGION
At night and in the morning, the enemy carried out two shellings of the border, aiming at the settlements of Svesa and Nova Sloboda communities. Nine explosions were recorded. At night, the Russians carried out an airstrike with two guided air bombs on an educational institution and an enterprise in the village of Svesa.
In the morning, the enemy fired mortars on the territory of the Nova Sloboda community - seven explosions. In advance, without victims. The data is being verified.
Yesterday, during the day, the Russians carried out 19 shelling of the border communities: Bilopillia, Yunakiv, Vorozhbyanka, Myropillia, Seredyno-Buda, Hlukhiv, Znob-Novhorod, Shalyhyne, Esman, Velyka Pysarivka, Nova Sloboda. 112 explosions were recorded. There is destruction. The information is being clarified.
Read the rest of the region-by-region summaries here.
PART TWO, UKRAINE:
520 occupiers and 28 drones are still "minus" per day: the General Staff on the losses of the Russian army
Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will take place today — Reuters on the situation around the grain corridor
The Kremlin has prepared manuals for the mass media on covering the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — ISW
Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Finland on an official, unannounced visit
PART THREE, THE WORLD:
Missiles, ammunition and heavy equipment: the US will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine — Politico
"Partners have concerns" — West in anticipation of counteroffensive of the Armed Forces: The Guardian
Peskov stated that the US has no data on Russia's losses in the war
It can turn into a "bloody slaughterhouse": the USA - about the possible catastrophic consequences of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces
The number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded during their offensive in Ukraine has risen sharply in recent months.
In the US, it is assumed that the future counteroffensive of the Ukrainian army may turn into a "bloody massacre", since neither side is ready to give in.
This was reported by The Washington Post , citing sources in the government.
According to estimates released this week by the White House, the number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded in Ukraine has risen sharply in recent months, showing just how brutal the fighting has become. Since December alone, about 20,000 occupiers have died in battles, and another 80,000 have been wounded.
As the journalists write, the expected counteroffensive may increase the already staggering number of military casualties suffered on both sides of the war. According to the latest Western data, as of February 24, 2022, losses on the part of the Russian Federation and Ukraine may exceed 360,000 dead and wounded.
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, said Russian forces suffered heavy losses during the winter offensive in Vuhledar, Kreminnaya, Mariintka and elsewhere.
"When you attack, you tend to take more casualties," he explained.
He fears that a Ukrainian counteroffensive may face similar obstacles and an increase in the number of Ukrainian military casualties.
You can read the full region-by-region summary and share the report from our website.
Ukrainians Are Forcing the World to Ask the Question: Do We Want Freedom or Illusion of Security?
Ukrainians pose the world an uncomfortable question: Do we actually believe in freedom, or do we believe in the “illusion of security"?
Many American freedom-lovers, or maybe freedom-talkers, like comedian JP Sears mock Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian people, the archetype of democracy face, the archetype of totalitarianism, Russia.
So what do we want, freedom or the illusion of security? from our Ukraine report on Poland's @TVPWorld with Michał Rachon. Full episode available here.
Tucker Carlson, Ukraine, and me: Joe Lindsley
If Tucker Carlson truly wants a post-Fox transformation, I invite him to Ukraine. I say here he will find human excellence, fierce democracy, and freedom-lovers. But beyond all that he can also find something more basic: the facts.
BY JOE LINDSLEY | UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Tucker Carlson seems to be on the side of the folk. He denounces the American oligarchy that takes advantage of citizen and consumer, even as he is fully a part of it: extracting huge amounts of American attention in return for little reliable information.
Full story at Poland’s TVP World.
To Speak Russian or Ukrainian?
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—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
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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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Truth to the World | Supplies to Ukraine
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