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A child holds the flag of Ukraine next to one of the lions at Trafalgar Square - an almost invisible third hand keeps the flag outstretched.
I post this series of photos of anti-war demonstrations in central London as a neutral observer (more photos will be following soon). I'm no fan of either Russian or Western imperialism and military aggression and I have every sympathy with the Ukrainians who are facing a war of aggression from their more powerful northern neighbour, part of the motive for which seems to be to rebuild the prestige and power of Russia, as a sort of new Russian empire reflecting the former hegemonic influence over Eastern Europe of the Soviet Union. All at an immense cost in lives, and also a clear and grave violation of international law. Putin's decision to escalate the nuclear standoff with the West by publicly placing his nuclear forces on high alert should be another reminder of just how dangerous he is.
However, the West should also share a significant portion of the blame for this war. The Russian invasion is far from "unprovoked" as many media commentators claim. First, we have to remember recent history and how Russia has good reason to fear NATO which was originally set up to combat the threat of the 'Russian hordes.' It is remarkable how in 1990 Mikhail Gorbachev, despite his familiarity with Germany's responsibility for having invaded Russia twice during the twentieth century (in 1914 and 1941), agreed to allow East Germany to join West Germany inside a hostile military alliance. There was however a quid pro quo, as promised by President George H. W. Bush (senior) and Secretary of State James Baker that NATO wouldn't move "another inch to the east" but that promise was soon broken as during the Clinton presidency, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary joined, and then under President George W. Bush, the NATO alliance was further extended to include Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Baltic States, and further still under Obama to Croatia and Albania.
This means that NATO forces are now frequently deployed right around Russia's western borders (except for Ukraine and Belarus). One can imagine, Washington's paranoia, if say in the 1960s or 1970s, Mexico and Canada had declared their intention to join the Warsaw Pact and many people may be familiar with how Cuba's desire to station Soviet missiles on its territory to deter a feared US invasion (and frequent terror attacks), almost led to a nuclear war, though fortunately Khrushchev saw wisdom and backed down in the face of JFK's terrifying brinkmanship and secretly the United States did agree to withdraw some of its older strategic nuclear missiles from Turkey.
At the same time the United States sees Ukraine as occupying a key space on the strategic chessboard, and has ensured that Ukraine has become increasingly dependent on foreign debt and Washington's goodwill, and has continued to plan for Ukraine's eventual incorporation into NATO. That would mean Ukraine, which occupies a vital strategic position on Russia's southern flank and with its border just 350 miles from Moscow, would also become a potential platform for an assault on Russia and even if no assault ever occurred, the mere fact of NATO's enhanced power, would inevitably greatly diminish any remaining influence Russia had to counterbalance US hegemony in Europe. That's why Ukraine's membership of NATO is something which no Russian leader was ever likely to accept. It is of course easy to see a possible compromise - that Ukraine should remain neutral but that in return all countries should respect its territorial integrity, although allowing some autonomy for the Russian speaking areas in Crimea and the Donbass.
Western media has downplayed the suffering of the Russian population in the Donbass region, which for years has been subjected to constant shelling from government forces, and although Ukrainian civilians have also been killed by Russian backed separatists, the UN figures clearly show that year after year, it was the Russian population which suffered a far higher level of fatalities and serious injuries, including the deaths of many children.
ukraine.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-02/Conflict-relat...
Western media also holds up Ukraine as a beacon of freedom and democracy, but while there have been some important gains for civil society in recent years, Russians have good reason to be unhappy. The Ukraine government has harassed and detained several opposition and pro-Russian journalists and in February 2017 it banned the commercial importation of books from Russia and a new education law made Ukrainian the sole language of instruction in secondary schools, which obviously discriminated against its Russian population. Fascist militias are also growing in number and corruption is endemic while the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture suspects the Ukrainian government of operating secret prisons.
However, it should be noted that the human rights record of the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk have also received intense criticism from the UN OHCHR (Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights) and various NGOs for suspected human rights abuses, while Russia's appalling human rights record and its increasing authoritarianism is well known.
To avoid the enormous risk of a nuclear confrontation the West has to start thinking of a way to allow Putin to climb down, without jeopardising European security or sacrificing the freedoms of the Ukrainian people and the obvious way would be to agree to recognise Ukraine as a neutral sovereign state which would remain outside NATO and with a real democratic autonomy for the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
If the West continues to funnel enormous quantities of high tech military equipment into Ukraine, without any attempt to reach a political compromise (by recognising Russia's legitimate security concerns and autonomy for the Donbass region while still guaranteeing Ukraine's sovereignty) there's a very real risk that an increasingly frustrated Putin will issue an ultimatum for the tactical use of nuclear weapons in order to regain the upper hand on the battlefield, and this will be an incredibly dangerous moment for humankind.
"The Khotyn Fortress's beginning goes back to the Khotyn Fort, which was built in the 10th century by Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich as one of the border fortifications of southwestern Kievan Rus', after he added the land of present-day Bukovina into his control...
Construction on the current Khotyn fortress was started in 1325, while major improvements were made in the 1380s and in the 1460s...
The fortress is a large tourist attraction for the area and Ukraine. In 2007, the fortress was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khotyn_Fortress
Worrying times for all of us, and very scarey for some. I can't imagine what it must be like for people in Ukraine.
I wish you health, dear Ukrainians!
Good weather, which we now almost do not notice. Clear sky... There is no such thing over Kyiv today. Over Kyiv and other cities of our state. Due to missile strikes, traces of enemy aircraft. The streets are quiet, but I know, I believe it's not for long. Not forever. That's why we work. That is why we fight. That's why we don't give what’s ours.
Today we celebrate our purely Ukrainian holiday. Volunteer Day.
It is our ability to instantly unite during ordeals, find common ground and fight together that creates our character, Ukrainian character.
We may not notice each other in everyday life. Agree, this happens to us.
But when we see a threat to our way of life, to our spirit, when we see a threat to Ukraine, our state, we do not hesitate even for a moment. If we are Ukrainians.
We unite. We do everything to protect what’s ours.
Ukrainians do not need to be persuaded to become volunteers. Ukrainians do not need to be encouraged to start helping each other.
Strong support for the Armed Forces by all the people of Ukraine, sincere volunteer movement, mass joining the territorial defense, solidarity of all our people - these are the prerequisites for victory. Prerequisites for the liberation of our entire country... The only and the best.
For us, Ukraine is not just a territory, as for the invaders. They do not distinguish anything here. They do not understand anything. That is why for them everything is just a target.
For us, Ukraine is millions of happy moments, native symbols, memorable places.
We feel this land. For us, Ukraine is our life, and that is why millions of people have come to the defense of our state today. That is why today we are all volunteers. All those who defend Ukraine, our children, those who defend our future.
To all who feel this free call... A call to defend Ukraine... Who are volunteers in battles. Or in the information troops. Who protects roads and cities. All diplomats - official and informal. Everyone who helps with technology. Who keeps the business. Who supplies the necessary goods, products. Who saves and heals under any circumstances. Who works in transport. Who provides communication and repairs networks... I am grateful to everyone. And I sincerely congratulate you!
Each of the volunteers. Each of the millions working together to win.
The 19th day of our resistance.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding on bravely. And creatively. We inflict such losses on the enemy that he no longer knows where else to look for reserves. Where else to look for help.
Help for himself. Help for the invader.
This is pathetic.
But we have no right to relax.
The Russian state has been preparing for war for decades. They have accumulated significant military resources. For the evil. For the conquest of neighbors. And for the destruction of Ukraine, Europe, as we know it, as we value it.
That's why we have to hold on. We have to fight. To win. To come to the peace deserved by Ukrainians. Fair peace. With security guarantees for our state. For our people. And to put it on paper. In negotiations. Difficult negotiations.
The video meeting of the delegations has already started today. It continues. Everyone is waiting for the news. We will definitely report in the evening.
As long as the state is at war, as long as the people are defending themselves, the economy must be preserved and restored. As much as possible in the current difficult conditions.
Life must appear on the streets of the cities. Where security allows. Where people can provide it. Pharmacies, trade, any business that can work. For the country to live. For the restoration of Ukraine to already begin. And it depends on each of us, on each of us who is able to work.
Economic suppression of Ukraine is one of the tasks of the war against us. And we have to fight back from that as well. Save our economy. Save our people.
Therefore, the government has received a clear instruction - to return small and medium-sized businesses. Remove any obstacles. Reduce taxes as much as possible, remove all difficulties, absolutely all. So that the system does not press, so that people know that they can work the way they can. Where they can.
A new tax model is needed for the war and for the post-war development. The financial rules also need to be updated. To make people feel that they can be flexible. Feel that all the money and valuables will be saved. And that you shouldn’t be afraid of losing something, because the state guarantees the security of assets and savings.
The Cabinet of Ministers is already working on how to regulate this. A day or two - and there will be details.
Ukrainians!
Russian troops continue to destroy our infrastructure, continue to destroy our cities. Kyiv region, Chernihiv region, Sumy region, Kharkiv, south, Donbas.
But know - we will rebuild everything. We will restore everything. Every street of every city. Every house, every apartment of every Ukrainian. After the war, I'm sure we can do it quickly. We will direct all our efforts to this. All the help of the world. We are already creating funds for Ukraine to live.
But now that the invaders are still on our land, we must beat them as best as we can. Drive them away in any way we can. Defend the cities. Defend the villages. Defend every meter of our land. And every part of our heart. Ukrainian heart. Ukrainian soul.
Help each other! Support each other! Support the defense! And protect the state!
Together we will definitely win.
Glory to Ukraine!
A man looks at an Ukrainian armored personnel carrier (APC) BTR-4 destroyed as a result of fight not far from the center of Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, located some 50 km from Ukrainian-Russian border, on February 28, 2022. (Photo by Sergey BOBOK / AFP)
SPREAD SUCH FOTOS! HELP RUSSIANS TO GET INFORMATION INSTEAD OF PROPAGANDA!
Nikon F3 + 50mm 1.8 lens + FujiColor400
A girl runs to her mother in the late evening sunshine, Kyiv: Ukraine
Ukraine's flag is yellow and blue. Like the girl, like the wall.
Ukraine is a young nation-state - in August it will be 20 years old.
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Thoughts - comments - critiques - always welcome
I want to add some unpublished photos to my album
In 2013 I was in unique, atmospheric Odessa with my friends for the last time.
Presented on an arms control inspection whilst in Ukraine, in happier times. Now being overrun by the Russian Bear.
Here’s to a peaceful and satisfactory conclusion, and Russian withdrawal.
Слава Украiнï! 🇺🇦 🇬🇧
The Khotyn Fortress's beginning goes back to the Khotyn Fort, which was built in the 10th century by Prince Vladimir Sviatoslavich as one of the border fortifications of southwestern Kievan Rus', after he added the land of present-day Bukovina into his control...
Construction on the current Khotyn fortress was started in 1325, while major improvements were made in the 1380s and in the 1460s...
The fortress is a large tourist attraction for the area and Ukraine. In 2007, the fortress was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khotyn_Fortress