My heart is with the people of Ukraine

Wikipedia: Ukraine⩘ 
Mastodon: #StandWithUkraine⩘ 

"We will be defending our country, because our weapon is truth, and our truth is that this is our land, our country, our children, and we will defend all of this."
– Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy
in a Feb 25, 2022 video address to the Ukrainian people
in response to false reports that he had fled the country.

On this page:

• Introduction ∨
• Ongoing reflections ∨
• Related book reviews and contemplations ∨
• A few courageous Russian civilians ∨
• The long-lasting brutality of war ∨ 

Introduction: Mar 20, 2022

As I read and view the news about Russia's brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine⩘  each day, my heart breaks over and over: cataclysmic destruction⩘ ; frightened civilians running for their lives; a destroyed maternity hospital; dazed and bloody civilians; long trenches being filled with corpses; destroyed residential neighborhoods; a lifeless hand sticking out from the rubble of a bombed civilian building; cold, hungry civilians trapped by indiscriminate, seemingly intentional shelling of evacuation corridors; and the callous face of Vladimir Putin as he spews his vile lies⩘ .

In a Letters from an American post on Mar 10, 2022⩘ , Professor Heather Cox Richardson provides valuable context, talking about Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 29th Fireside Chat, which he gave on June 5, 1944, the day before D-Day. In it, he talked about the fall of Mussolini's Rome and how "the ideology of fascism, which maintained that a few men should rule over the majority of the population, was hollow."

She then talks about what the invasion is revealing about Putin's autocracy:

   The last few weeks have demonstrated the same advantage of democracy over authoritarianism that FDR saw in the fall of Rome. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was supposed to demonstrate the efficient juggernaut of authoritarianism. But Putin's lightning attack on a neighboring state did not go as planned. Ukrainians have insisted on their right to self-determination, demonstrating the power of democracy with their lives.
   At the same time, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has shown the weakness of modern authoritarianism. Putin expected to overrun a democratic neighbor quickly, but his failure to do so has revealed that his army's perceived power was FDR's "tinsel at the top": lots of bells and whistles but outdated food, a lack of support vehicles, conscripted and confused soldiers, and compromised communications. The corruption inherent in a one-party state of loyalists, unafflicted by oversight, has hollowed out the Russian military, making it unable to feed or supply its troops.

Letters from an American⩘  by Professor Heather Cox Richardson, Mar 10, 2022.

Whatever the outcome, Putin has been exposed for the immoral thug he is, and his military has been exposed for its corrupt, incompetent, and uncivilized behavior. That countries like China⩘  and India⩘  have so far failed to clearly condemn Putin's behavior says more about them than him.

My heart is with the Ukrainian people.

Good sources of coverage:

• The Kyiv Independent⩘ 
• The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak⩘ . "A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Compelling human stories that illustrate what's happening during the Russian invasion of Ukraine."

Ongoing reflections – Now

I read about Ukraine nearly every day. This is a running list of articles, images, and videos that have most strongly caught my attention. Most recent posts are first.

Note: The first count of days I'm displaying is based on the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine that was launched on Feb 24, 2022. However, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine actually began about eight years (2,926 days) earlier on Feb 20, 2014 with the invasion of Crimea and shortly after with the initiation of fighting in several of the eastern oblasts, battles that already had cost thousands of lives and immense destruction.

• May 24, 2026 (day 1,551 / 4,477): 'There is profound disappointment in him': mood in Russia turns against Putin⩘  by Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker, The Guardian.
  
  • " 'There's definitely been a shift in mood among the elites this year … there is profound disappointment in Putin,' said a well-connected business leader, adding that there was 'a growing sense that some kind of catastrophe is looming'.
  • " 'No one believes everything will suddenly collapse tomorrow,' the source said. 'But there is a growing realisation that utterly senseless, self-destructive decisions keep being made. People who once defended Putin no longer do. Any sense of a future has disappeared.' "
• May 14, 2026 (day 1,541 / 4,467): Russia Bombards Ukraine With 1,600+ Drones and Missiles for 30 Hours Straight⩘  by Illia Kabachynskyi, United 24 Media.
  
  • "Russia used its self-declared May 9 'ceasefire' not to pursue peace, but to stockpile drones and missiles for a massive strike across Ukraine. The promised prisoner exchange has also been delayed.
  • "Ukraine endured Russia's largest and longest aerial assault since the full-scale invasion. Russia's daytime assault on May 13 escalated into a broader overnight wave of attacks on May 14 across Ukraine's critical and civilian infrastructure that killed at least 15 people and injured more than 100, including children.…
  • "The 30-hour attack was the most intense of the war so far. Air Force spokespeople report that more than 1,600 drones and missiles were launched—beating the previous record of roughly 1,000."
  • See also: Ukraine hit by second day of large-scale Russian missile and drone strikes: Widespread nature of attacks prompts warnings that Moscow is trying to overwhelm air defence systems⩘  by Peter Beaumont, The Guardian.
• Apr 30, 2026 (day 1,527 / 4,453): As a Ukrainian journalist, I've covered the US for 20 years. I find it increasingly shocking⩘  by Nataliya Gumenyuk, The Guardian.
  
  • "My country has been under occupation, dogged by corruption and war. Yet even I've been bewildered by the way the US seems to be fracturing.…
  • "What stood out to me, and still bewilders me now, is the extent to which the conversation around access to affordable health care and education has become radicalised in the US. To a Ukrainian, or indeed most Europeans, these are simply what people expect from a functioning state.…
  • "In Ukraine, the war claims the lives of soldiers every day. Resources are scarce, the economy has been shattered, and yet even the poor contribute what they can to support fellow citizens, often through small but meaningful donations. Those experiences make it even more unsettling to observe how in the US, democracy is being eroded and dismantled, sometimes without an effective fight. And how a prosperous society, facing no comparable threat, can hesitate to redistribute resources that are readily available.…
  • "There is nothing comforting about life in Ukraine today. As I write, we are living through a brutal war. Russian bombs fall daily. The danger is constant. People are dying. Our past was never particularly good – we were never 'great' in the way some nations imagine themselves to have been. And there is no going back – not to the world before 2014, and certainly not to the one before 2022. Yes, we are fighting for a better country. But the future is uncertain. More importantly, it depends entirely on how we live now. What we truly have – what we must protect and hold on to – is the present."
• Apr 16, 2026 (day 1,513 / 4,439): At least 17 people killed in Russia's deadliest attack on Ukraine this year: More than 100 injured across country after Russia launches nearly 700 drones and dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles⩘  by Luke Harding in Kyiv, The Guardian.
• Apr 2, 2026 (day 1,499 / 4,425): Ukraine war briefing: Russia responds to Zelenskyy's Easter truce offer with drone attack⩘ , The Guardian.
• Mar 24, 2026 (day 1,490 / 4,416): Russia fires nearly 1,000 drones in one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine: At least seven killed as Moscow appears to step up spring offensive amid concerns focus on Iran war leaves Kyiv more vulnerable⩘  by Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian.
• Mar 8, 2026 (day 1,474 / 4,400): 'Putin will be smiling': Ukraine struggles as US focus moves to Iran⩘  by Shaun Walker in Kyiv, The Guardian.
• Feb 24, 2026 (day 1,462 / 4,388): Four years into Ukraine invasion, Russia's gains are small, while Kyiv remains resilient⩘  by Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor, The Guardian.
  
  • "With the Russian military performing poorly, Ukraine is clarifying strategy and pushing back with modest success"
• Feb 24, 2026 (day 1,462 / 4,388): Zelenskyy says Putin has 'not broken' Ukrainians as he marks 4 years since Russia's all-out invasion⩘  by Illia Novikov, The Associated Press.
• Feb 21, 2026 (day 1,459 / 4,385): Opinion: Ukraine is the biggest and most consequential of all the American betrayals⩘  by Simon Tisdall, The Guardian.
  
  • "Viewed from Europe, the US's failure to defend the people of Ukraine against Russian aggression is the greatest and most consequential of a host of recent American betrayals. It's not just the sickening subservience shown to Vladimir Putin, an indicted war criminal and mass killer. It's not only the victim-blaming and bullying of Kyiv into making concessions. It's not even Donald Trump's crass attempts to monetise the war and milk the misery of millions for Nobel glory, while undercutting Nato allies and trampling sovereign rights.
  • "What really shocks, and hurts, is the sheer bad faith shown by a country that Europeans always counted a friend."
• Feb 16, 2026 (day 1,454 / 4,380): Ukraine makes fastest battlefield gain in 2.5 years⩘ , France 24.
  
  • "Ukraine recaptured 201 square kilometres of territory from Russia in five days last week – its biggest gain in 2.5 years – according to AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War. Experts from the institute said Ukraine likely took advantage of a recent shutdown of Russian forces' access to Starlink."
• Feb 16, 2026 (day 1,454 / 4,380): Ukrainian civilian casualties surged by 26% in 2025, say researchers⩘  by Dan Sabbagh, Defence and security editor, The Guardian.
  
  • "Civilian casualties in Ukraine caused by bombing soared by 26% during 2025, reflecting increased Russian targeting of cities and infrastructure in the country, according a global conflict monitoring group.
  • "Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) said 2,248 civilians were reported killed and 12,493 injured by explosive violence in Ukraine according to English-language reports – with the number of casualties an incident rising significantly.…
  • "Iain Overton, executive director of AOAV, said the figures showed 'Ukraine fits a wider collapse of restraint that is now visible across multiple wars', and respect for the distinction of proportionality in war 'has broken'.
  • "Deliberately targeting civilians or civilian infrastructure in a way that is excessive to direct military advantage is a war crime, but experts have said the principle of proportionality is at breaking point across multiple conflicts, including Gaza, Sudan and Congo as well as Ukraine."
• Feb 5, 2026 (day 1,443 / 4,369): 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in war with Russia, Zelensky says⩘  by Sarah Rainsford, Eastern and Southern Europe correspondent, Kyiv, and Paulin Kola, BBC News. All this pain and suffering just so an insane Russian oligarch can stoke his fragile ego. Shameful.
• Feb 3, 2026 (day 1,441 / 4,367): Families suffer as Ukrainian engineers can no longer keep up with repairing infrastructure⩘  by Volodymyr Yurchuk and Srdjan Nedeljkovic, The Associated Press.
  
  • "Russian strikes using drones and missiles have left hundreds of thousands of people without heat or electricity as temperatures plunge as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit). The harsh winter is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
  • "Without heat, water pipes in the district have also frozen and burst, adding to the strain on daily life.
  • "Damage to the grid and power stations is at its worst since the war began. As soon as utility and energy crews restore heating to some buildings and power engineers finally manage to set outage schedules so people know when electricity will be cut, Russia launches another strike – and the same work has to be done all over again."
• Jan 13, 2026 (day 1,420 / 4,346): Russia launches another major strike on Ukraine's power grid in freezing temperatures⩘  by Illia Novikov, The Associated Press.
  
  • "Russia launched a second major drone and missile bombardment of Ukraine in four days, officials said Tuesday, aiming again at the power grid amid freezing temperatures in an apparent snub to U.S.-led peace efforts as Moscow's invasion of its neighbor approaches the four-year mark.
  • "On Monday, the U.S. accused Russia of a 'dangerous and inexplicable escalation' of the fighting at a time when the Trump administration is trying to advance peace negotiations."
• Jan 11, 2026 (day 1,418 / 4,344): Opinion: What unites Greenland, Venezuela and Ukraine? Trump's immoral lies and Europe's chronic weakness⩘  by Simon Tisdall, The Guardian.
  
  • "The president's inability to tell right from wrong fuels his increasingly dictatorial, illegal and erratic behaviour.…
  • "Trump declared last week that the only constraint on his power is 'my own morality, my own mind'. That explains a lot. His idea of right and wrong is wholly subjective. He is his own ethical and legal adviser, his own priest and confessor. He is a church of one. Trump lies to himself as well as everyone else. And the resulting damage is pernicious. It costs lives, harms democracy and destroys trust between nations.…
  • "Talking of quagmires, spare a thought for Ukraine – a third conflict zone where Trump's inability to distinguish right from wrong, to tell truth from lies, does huge harm. Trump lied when insisting he could easily end the war with Russia in 24 hours. Thwarted, he has repeatedly promised to get tough with Vladimir Putin. Time and again, that smirking villain – another inveterate liar – has deftly humoured him, then resumed bombing. Time and again, Trump feebly backs down, usually blaming Ukraine's blameless leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy."
• Jan 9, 2026 (day 1,416 / 4,342): At least 4 killed, 24 injured as Russian strikes hit Kyiv, leave thousands of buildings without heat⩘  by Lucy Pakhnyuk, Volodymyr Ivanyshyn, Jared Goyette, Dominic Culverwell, Asami Terajima, The Kyiv Independent. Fucking Russians. When I see images like this of damaged residential buildings and homes I always ask myself what if this were my home.
  
  • View from the damaged residential building following a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Jan. 9, 2026. (Olena Zashko / The Kyiv Independent)
  • "Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones overnight on Jan. 8-9, killing at least four people and injuring 24 others in Kyiv and knocking out electricity for hundreds of thousands while disrupting heat supplies as temperatures fell.
  • "A paramedic was among those killed as a result of a double-tap strike, and 16 of the 24 wounded were hospitalized, Kyiv officials said. The medic was identified as Serhii Mykolaiovych Smoliak, 56, who worked at the city's Center for Emergency Medical Aid and Disaster Medicine.
  • "Health Minister Viktor Liashko said the emergency medical team arrived at the site of a strike on a residential building when Russia launched a second strike, killing Smoli"

Related book reviews and contemplations

This is a list of related book reviews and contemplations that I've posted elsewhere on my website since the war began.

• Diary of an Invasion by Andrey Kurkov⩘ . – Kurkov writes about daily life during the early months of the invasion, as well as subjects like the horrors of war, the absurdity of Russia's propaganda related to the war, the challenges faced by Ukrainians fleeing the brutal Russian territorial advances, and the Incredible will of the Ukrainian people as they resist the Russians and even try to find small joys in the midst of the unrelenting attacks.
• Looking at Women Looking at War: A War and Justice Diary by Victoria Amelina⩘  – Amelina provides an incredibly vivid picture of the war crimes committed by Russia that she was researching, and of the people who directly experienced them. She takes us there.
• Patriot: A Memoir by Alexei Navalny⩘  – In Part IV: Prison – February 20, Navalny speaks with great clarity about Russia's "unjust war of aggression" against Ukraine.
• Young Ukrainians rebuilding homes and hope⩘  – This video really touched my heart: "Young Ukrainians from Kyiv are organising 'Repair Together' weekends to help poor villages devastated by Russian occupation by cleaning up and rebuilding homes for free."
  
  • 
• I Will Show You How It Was: The Story of Wartime Kyiv by Illia Ponomarenko⩘  – An excellent firsthand account of the months leading up to Putin's brutal February 2022 invasion, as well as the first months of the war, when Ukraine heroically repelled the Russian army's attempt to take Kyiv and subjugate the Ukrainian people. Deep down, Putin and the people who support him must feel utterly humiliated by their ill-fated hubris.
• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century; Expanded Audio Edition: Updated with Twenty New Lessons from Russia's War on Ukraine by Timothy Snyder⩘  – "My main purpose here is to try to clarify things. My main purpose here is to try to take the war in Ukraine and turn it into a situation that we can understand. Understand with our minds, I mean, not with our hearts, because of course this kind of unprovoked attack remains at some level for all, I think, ethical people incomprehensible."
• The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister by Olesya Khromeychuk⩘  – It must have taken courage and perseverance for Olesya Khromeychuk to write and share this inspiring, deeply personal story about an overwhelmingly painful experience, the death of her brother, Volodymyr Pavliv, who was killed on the frontline in the Donbas while defending Ukraine against the invading Russians.
• Our Enemies Will Vanish by Yaroslav Trofimov⩘  – Trofimov, the Ukrainian chief foreign-affairs correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, has written a vivid and insightful account of the first year of the Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion, as well as the months leading up to it, and with an epilogue quickly summarizing the second year to date. He and his team spent significant time on the front, carefully listened to Ukrainian civilians impacted by the invasion, and also interviewed key figures of the military and government.
• You Don't Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl from Ukraine by Yeva Skalietska⩘  – An astonishing book. Yeva begins her story, as recorded in her diary, recounting the joy of her 12th birthday. Ten days later, the Russians invade her city of Kharkiv, where she lives with her grandmother, and bombs and missiles began exploding nearby. With tremendous poise and a maturity well beyond her years, Yeva then recounts her experience of the war and of becoming a refugee with her grandmother.
• Invasion by Luke Harding⩘  – Published in November 2022, this book provides firsthand observations of the war based on Harding's reporting for The Guardian from the war's frontline during its first nine months, as well as analysis based in part on the time he spent in Russia from 2007 until he was deported in February 2011. It is a deeply reported and well written book, drawing a vivid picture of its daily realities. He gives voice to the Ukrainian people living through the brutal consequences of Putin's immoral insanity.
• The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History ⩘  – Written by respected historian Serhii Plokhy since the war began, this book vividly puts into clear perspective the events of the last few years, from inside the global corridors of power to the frontlines of the battlefields.
• The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen⩘  – An informative, sad, chilling story that helps explain the brutal and immoral insanity of Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and also provides a very sobering warning about how important it is that we defend our democracy here in the U.S.
• The Story of Russia by Orlando Figes⩘  – I usually approach history books with a bit of trepidation … so much is horrendously violent. However, my desire to understand WTF is happening in Ukraine overcame my hesitation. Figes overview of Russian history has helped me gain a lot of perspective, though it is steeped in as much horrendous violence as I had feared.
• The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy⩘  – Not an easy book, but I feel it is important to try to better understand the historical context of the brutal horrors currently being inflicted upon the Ukrainian people by a ruthless Russian dictator and his savage military.
• Ukraine not 'the' Ukraine⩘  by Marta Dyczok, Cambridge University Press, Nov 2024 (PDF⩘ ) – "Within Ukraine, support for democracy, and membership in the EU and NATO increased even further. Modern communications played a key role in this. The internet and social media made it possible to report on the war in real time, and for Ukrainians to communicate directly with each other and the world. Their actions revealed very clearly that Ukrainians and Russians were separate peoples, making very different choices. Ukraine was looking forward to the future and strengthening its relationship with the rest of Europe and the democratic world based on common values. Russia was looking backward and trying to re-establish its former imperial power."
• Inside Ukraine's fight for survival⩘  – Good article providing some insight into the spirit of the Ukrainian people, their determination to win this war and build a better country.
• The other Ukrainian army⩘  – Imperiled by Russian invaders, private citizens are stepping forward to do what Ukraine's government cannot.
• Stand with Ukraine in the fight against evil⩘  – In a passionate April 2022 TED talk, chess grandmaster and exiled Russian Garry Kasparov forcefully urges the world to stand with Ukraine in the fight against evil, as personified by Vladimir Putin.
• A moment of Paradigm shift⩘  – An excellent post by Professor Heather Cox Richardson about the abhorrent and immoral [my description] Russian invasion of Ukraine.

A few courageous Russian civilians

In addition to the thousands of courageous Russian civilians who took to the streets in the early days of the invasion in order to protest against Putin's war despite knowing they likely would be arrested (nearly 15,000 had been detained as of mid-March 2022), some courageous Russian civilians continued to speak out against the war through the media and their actions, despite knowing they might be imprisoned for up to 15 years, or worse. Unfortunately, they have since been silenced by the regime.

• Mar 1, 2024: Navalny buried in Moscow as crowd chants anti-Putin slogans⩘ , BBC News Live
  
  • "Thousands of people came today to pay their respects to Alexei Navalny – and they did so despite significant personal risks that may follow.…
  • "Perhaps the feeling there was strength in numbers as people chanted 'no to war', 'Russia without Putin' and 'Russia will be free'.…
  • "As the hearse carrying Navalny's coffin arrived at the church, crowds outside could be heard clapping.
  • " 'You were not afraid, and we are not afraid,' people chanted, as the coffin was seen being carried inside the church for the funeral service.
• Dec 25, 2023: Russia's military wives and mothers protest against Putin⩘  by Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian.
  
  • "Observers say it is too early to assess the impact of the movement of Russian women on a regime that has a long history of successfully quashing opposing voices.
  • "But their anger underlines some of the unease some in the country feel about the conflict and puts a dent in the image portrayed by Putin of a society united behind the war effort.
  • "Andreeva is determined to continue her protests, even if they could land her in jail. 'We are tired of being good girls. It has got us nowhere.' "
• Dec 3, 2023: In second act, Russian activist group Pussy Riot protests Ukraine war⩘  by Robyn Dixon, The Washington Post. "More than a year after members of the Russian activist group Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina and Lucy Shtein escaped from Moscow disguised as food couriers, the feminist punk-protest band is touring the United States with a new antiwar anthem that howls in rage at Kremlin propagandists they accuse of poisoning Russian minds." Not my style of music, but I do admire their courage.
  
  • Video: Pussy Riot – Swan Lake⩘  by Masha Alyokhina, Olga Borisova, Diana Burkot, Lucy Shtein. "The whole song is our protest against Russian propaganda."
• Aug 20, 2023: Paying the price of truth: Nobel peace laureate Dmitry Muratov won't be silenced by Putin⩘  by Tim Adams, The Guardian.
  
  • "As Forbes, who has made films about Vladimir Putin, suggests to me: 'The pair of them are total opposites. Putin is paranoid and alone, and his people are bound to him by fear. Dimi [Muratov] is ridiculously brave, and the people around him are bound by loyalty and affection. Those are two characteristics you don't see much of in the Kremlin.'…
  • "There is a moment in the film where Muratov recalls how, in the worst of times, he promised himself that he would never succumb to one emotion: self-pity. Towards the end of our conversation, I ask him how he guards against it.… The third answer is a bit more intangible; it is, he says, that he keeps the unbending faith that despite everything, he 'lives in a society, a community, not in a state' ". And is that where he places his hope? " 'Da,' he says, firmly. 'Yes.' "
• Jun 19, 2023: Alexei Navalny: Putin critic defiant as new trial begins⩘  by Steve Rosenberg, BBC Russia Editor, Melekhovo, BBC News.
• Apr 4, 2023: Elite Putin security officer defects⩘  by Erika Kinetz, AP News.
• Apr 2, 2023: 'My country has fallen out of time': Russian author Mikhail Shishkin's letter to an unknown Ukrainian⩘ , The Guardian. "You Ukrainians did not agree to Putin's plans. You did not surrender, you did not greet his tanks with flowers. You are not only defending your freedom and human dignity; now you are defending the freedom and human dignity of all humanity. You cannot be defeated because the war is not decided by the number of tanks and missiles, but by the power of love for freedom. You are free men, and those who carry out the criminal orders of the Russian generals are slaves."
• Mar 4, 2023: 'Putin has gone mad from power': Kremlin critic Ilya Yashin speaks out from Russian prison⩘ , interview by Andrew Roth, The Guardian. " 'Why did I refuse to emigrate?' he wrote. 'Because from the first day of the fighting, I understood that an anti-war voice should be speaking in Russia. It should speak as loudly as possible under the circumstances. Putin has done everything to silence the opponents of the attack on Ukraine. He intimidated Russians, he established military censorship, forced his critics abroad under threat of arrest. The Kremlin did its best to create the illusion of mass, total support for military aggression in Russian society. And I live here and I know that there is no total support, that many are against the war.' … Asked what the west could do to help, he said he thought it could 'send a clear signal to the Russian people that it does not consider them an enemy'."
• Jan 23, 2023: Memorial To Victims Of Dnipro Attack⩘ , video by Anton Benediktov, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Civilians in Moscow created a makeshift memorial to Ukrainian victims of the deadly January 14 Russian missile strike on an apartment block in Dnipro beneath a statue of Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka. The memorial consisted of a framed photo of the destroyed apartment building surrounded by flowers, candles, and toys. Authorities later removed the memorial and arrested some of the participants.
• Jan 16, 2023: 'Russia's Rambo,' once a Putin favorite, says he'd now fight for Ukraine and feels 'nothing but hatred' for his home country ⩘  by Tim Lister and Josh Pennington, CNN. "Smolyaninov is in exile…. He told Novaya Gazeta last week: 'I feel nothing but hatred to the people on the other (Russian) side of the frontline.… A few days later, the Russian Ministry of Justice classified the actor as a foreign agent.… Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Russia's Investigative Committee, also ordered that a criminal case be opened against Smolyaninov.' "
• Dec 12, 2022: The Russians locked up for refusing to fight⩘  by Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. He refused. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. He told me his face was covered in blood."
• Dec 9, 2022: Russian opposition figure Ilya Yashin jailed for denouncing Ukraine war⩘  by Andrew Roth in Moscow, The Guardian. "In a courtroom speech this week, Yashin said: 'I must remain in Russia, I must speak the truth loudly, and I must stop the bloodshed at any cost. It physically pains me to think how many people have been killed in this war, how many lives have been ruined, and how many families have lost their homes. You cannot be indifferent. And I swear I do not regret anything.' He added: 'It's better to spend 10 years behind bars as an honest man than quietly burn with shame over the blood spilled by your government.' "
• Sep 19, 2022: Podcast: The Russian soldier exposing the horrors of life in Putin's invading army⩘ . The Guardian's Moscow correspondent, Andrew Roth, on his extraordinary meeting with ex-paratrooper Pavel Filatyev, the highest-ranking officer to speak about fighting in Ukraine. The Guardian.
• Aug 17, 2022: 'I don't see justice in this war': Russian soldier exposes rot at core of Ukraine invasion⩘ , interview by Andrew Roth in Moscow and Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian. "I don't see justice in this war. I don't see truth here."
• Aug 17, 2022: 'I don't see justice in this war': Russian soldier exposes rot at core of Ukraine invasion⩘ , interview by Andrew Roth in Moscow and Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian. "I don't see justice in this war. I don't see truth here."
• Jul 7, 2022: Art of dissent: How Russians protest the war on Ukraine: They risk jail, stigma and fines. But Russian protesters are finding creative ways to get their message out.⩘  by Robyn Dixon, Mary Ilyushina, and Natalia Abbakumova, The Washington Post.
• May 1, 2022: 'We Can Only Be Enemies'⩘  by Peter Pomerantsev, The Atlantic. "One family's experience of Vladimir Putin's invasion offers a path to the end of the war."
• Mar 14, 2022: Ordinary Russians did not want this war, but Putin is trying to make us all complicit⩘  by Dmitry Glukhovsky, The Guardian.
• Mar 14, 2022: 'They're lying to you': Russian TV employee interrupts news broadcast; Marina Ovsyannikova ran on to the set of the Channel One transmission shouting: 'Stop the war. No to war'⩘  by Pjotr Sauer, The Guardian.
• Mar 13, 2022: 'It's too late for me to be afraid:' Why this Russian journalist is staying in the country⩘  by Ramishah Maruf, CNN, and interview with Russian journalist Yevgenia Albats, editor-in-chief and CEO of the liberal, independent New Times: "I am ashamed that my taxes go into bombs that kill people in Ukraine. I want to get on my knees and say I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that my country is doing this to you guys."
• Mar 2, 2022: 'Ukrainians are our friends': the young Russian anti-war protesters defying Putin⩘ , a video from The Guardian's News channel brought to my attention by a dear friend.

The long-lasting brutality of war

On March 16, 2023, 55 years ago, the Mỹ Lai Massacre (a.k.a.: the Mai Lai Massacre) was perpetrated by U.S. troops in Vietnam.

• YouTube: Four Hours in MỸ LAI, anatomy of a massacre⩘ , "The true story of what happened in MY LAI has never been told before … This video explores how a group of ordinary young Americans could perpetrate such atrocities and details the extent of the cover-up."
• Wikipedia: Mỹ Lai Massacre⩘