These Two Photos Show Why the Free World Must Stop Russia
Europe on Edge
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Joe Lindsley reporting from KHARKIV, UKRAINE, with a team from throughout the country …
War Day 356: What's Happening in Moldova?
“the strange happiness that comes from solidarity and survival in the face of evil”
Listen above to my daily Ukraine report on Chicago’s WGN Radio.
Some are thinking that Russia has its evil design not just on Ukraine but on other parts of the free world: Moldova, Ukraine's neighbour, closes its airspace amid reports of a possible Russian coup d'état, and NATO's Secretary General says the West should have fortified Ukraine much more before February 24.
Meanwhile, Ukrainians continue in their spirit of cheerful defiance. And Bob asks: Are people thinking this will last for years? My answer: That question is too heavy to consider and besides, time matters less than liberty. For Ukrainians and their strongest allies, all that matters is standing up to evil. Time is in a sense suspended.
Bob also asked why I am here. Those personal questions are difficult because this is a difficult place and time, but that is exactly the reason why I stay here: If I left for, say, a week to vacation in, say, Mexico, I could not empathise with the Ukrainians as I do now, here every minute of Russia's war. I have felt the fear, seen the heroism, and experienced the strange happiness that comes from solidarity and survival in the face of evil.
War Day 355: These Two Photos Show Why the Free World Must Stop Russia
from Monday 13 February: My daily Ukraine report on Chicago's WGN Radio with Bob Sirott
In Kharkiv, amid frequent air-raid alarms and unexpected attacks, the Super Bowl was not top of mind. Instead, there were two photos that haunted me:
(1) a video screen shot of a Russian rocket clearly targeting a medical rescue van moments before it killed an American Marine veteran and doctor who was tending to victims of an earlier strike;
and (2) another screen shot allegedly of a Russian prisoner who didn't want to fight Ukrainians, with his head died to a concrete block and a Russian mercenary approaching him with a sledgehammer. If anyone for a second thinks a Russian victory would bring good things to the world, gaze on these images.
But please don't watch the video with the sledgehammer. It is too awful (and is not included here).
Daily Situation Summary: 14 February: Russia plans to advance on Donbas, the US says a turning point is coming soon
by PAVLO VITENKO, Ukrainian Freedom News
The World
The US is likely to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine or allow re-exports — Financial Times
Iran takes a direct part in the attacks of the Russian Federation on Ukraine: ISW pointed out the facts
Why are Putin and Shoigu lying about the catastrophic losses of the Russian Federation near Vuhledar: ISW analysts explained
The White House reacted to statements about the Russian plan to destabilize Moldova
The US warns Ukraine about a turning point in the war — The Washington Post
The US government is ready to support Ukraine as long as possible.
The White House believes that the turning point in Ukraine's war with the aggressor Russia will come in the spring of 2023. Then they wait for the invaders to attack, and the Ukrainian forces will counterattack.
This was reported by The Washington Post with reference to sources from the administration of US President Joe Biden.
It is emphasized that American officials are increasingly telling Kyiv that a decisive moment is approaching in a full-scale war. In turn, the Armed Forces of Ukraine should achieve as much success as possible during the battles, while receiving a lot of help from the Western countries.
American military analysts believe that it will be difficult for Ukrainian troops to simultaneously defend Bakhmut in Donetsk region, for which fighting has been going on for many months, and launch a spring counteroffensive to retake the territory.
According to the publication, the administration of the US leader is also working with Congress to approve another $10 billion in budget aid to Ukraine. It is expected that another aid to Kyiv will be announced next week.The US government says it is ready to support Ukraine as long as possible. Washington also warns that Kyiv will exhaust the current package of American aid by the summer, after which it will be difficult to resolve the conflict politically.
Ukraine: Summary by regions
LUHANSK REGION
In the Luhansk region, Ukrainian defenders repelled attacks by Russian troops in the districts of Nevske, Kreminna, Kuzmino, Shipylivka, and Bilohorivka.
In the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, the enemy shelled Stelmakhivka, Makiivka, Ploshanka, Nevske, Dibrova, and Bilohorivka with tanks, mortars, and artillery. The situation in the region remains difficult.DONETSK REGION
The Russians shelled 17 settlements in a day. The invaders used Smerch and Hrad rocket systems for shelling, artillery, mortars and a tank, and also carried out an air strike with unguided rockets.The following were under enemy fire: Avdiivka (housing sector, private joint-stock company "AKHZ"), Lyman (housing sector), Kurakhove (surroundings), Bakhmut (housing sector), Vuhledar (housing sector); Chasiv Yar (residential sector), Velyka Novosilka (residential sector), Shcherbynivka (near the railway crossing), Kamianka (residential sector), Zoryanye (residential sector), Stavky (residential sector), Tonenke (residential sector), Predtechino (surroundings) ), Karlivka (Karliv reservoir, surroundings), Pervomaiske (residential sector), Kostyantynivka (residential sector) and Novosilka (residential sector).
Russian troops killed one civilian and injured three civilians in the Donetsk region during the day.
Read the full region-by-region summary here.
Stories, Sounds, and Facts of War: Every weekday, Ukrainian Freedom News’s Joe Lindsley, an American in Ukraine since the pandemic started, gives a live war report on Chicago’s WGN Radio. You can listen and watch below. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch all our stories.
From The Spectator—the world’s oldest magazine, formerly edited by Boris Johnson:
Zelensky touches off a revolution in London
We don’t have to live in Chinese balloon-land, forever terrorized.
by Joe Lindsley
Speaking in London's Palace of Westminster, President Zelenskiy defined a new political theory for the free world, based on confidence democracy over timid bureaucracy: We do not need to accept a world equilibrium that includes tyranny.
Zelensky was not a part of Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution. But he now articulates and represents the spirit of that Revolution: a radical but real belief that the people can take control of their democracies from corrupt elites, a belief that we the people don’t have to live as pawns in perpetual fear. …
Read the full story here, at The Spectator. If you enter your email address, you can read for free.
More videos:
More Than 100 Russian Missiles and Iranian Drones Attack Ukraine in 12 Hour Period
Kharkiv: A Brave City Under the Russian Gun
US Support for Ukraine: Not What It Seems
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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