Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
War has brought destruction to the waters around Ukraine.
15-20% of the Black Sea dolphin population perished after the full-scale invasion.
But some of these dolphins have a secret… they are trained Russian agents.
In a country at war, death is all around.
But for Pavel Goldin, he’s focused on a particular kind of collateral damage – an aquatic mammal he’s spent much of his life studying.
“Please report all known finds of dead dolphins!” reads a recurring post on a Facebook page he runs.
After locating a dead dolphin, if the carcass is intact, Pavel performs a necropsy to try to determine the cause of death to learn more about how and why so many of Ukraine’s dolphins are dying.
A scientific study estimated that between 37,500 to 48,000 dolphins in the Black Sea died over a three month period after the full-scale invasion.
This terrible figure amounts to around 15 to 20 percent of the total population – ten times higher than before the outbreak of war with Russia in 2022.
“The population can simply not withstand that type of death rate,” explained Naomi Rose, an expert on marine mammals.
The impact of the war highlights the vulnerability of aquatic animals to the bombings and mines that have become common along the coastal areas of Ukraine.
The dolphins are likely used to patrol the area looking for Ukrainian divers sent to spy; to protect ships against Ukrainian divers planting mines attached by magnets; or to collect military equipment that has fallen on the seafloor.
For a lot of people, including Pavel, using dolphins in the military is not only unethical but also pointless.
To read the rest of today's issue on dolphins in Ukraine, including their Soviet and post-Soviet history, click the link in the bio!
NEWS OF THE DAY:
Iran launched more than 100 drones toward Israel yesterday, with most being intercepted by U.S., British, Jordanian, and Israeli air defenses during their long route.
Zelenskyy condemned the attack saying:
Germany will send a desperately needed Patriot air defense system and its accompanying missiles to Ukraine.
This is the third Patriot to be sent by Germany.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/...
Germany says it will hand over Patriot air defence system and missiles, while Russia claims capture of another village.
www.aljazeera.com
A recent strike on Ukrainian gas storage in the west of the country caused a spike in European gas prices, and continued Russian strikes on the rest of Ukrainian energy infrastructure will impact prices globally.
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/a...
Andriy Kobolyev calls for more weapons after Russia destroys one of Ukraine’s largest power plants
www.theguardian.com
Be sure to read today's issue by @alessandra_h4y in full through the link in our bio!
Following along is totally free!
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
War brings out the fiercest of emotions -- we often report on hate or loss but today we look at love
Some brides struggled with the dilemma of weddings during war time
While for others, the full-scale invasion brought divorce
UKRAINE HAS WIPED OUT 20% OF RUSSIAN BLACK SEA FLEET:
Ukrainian attacks have destroyed 20% of the Russian Black Sea Fleet by tonnage, reported Bild.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Black Sea Fleet consisted of more than 70 ships.
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
But without people like Violetta, it might not be.
Although she made jewelry for much of her life, this changed when the full-scale war broke out.
Now, Violetta assembles drones for the Ukrainian army.
In the 80% of Ukraine that remains in Kyiv's hands, two years of full-scale war with Russia have brought grief, destruction and, despite all, optimism.
Read more below:
In the 80% of Ukraine that remains in Kyiv's hands, two years of full-scale war with Russia have brought grief, destruction and, despite all, optimism.
www.npr.org
The Counteroffensive: A look at the Russian military's war dolphins
Russian forces moved trained dolphins to a harbor in occupied Crimea at the start of the full-scale war.
It's common knowledge that Russia has been training dolphins for combat purposes, writes Alessandra Hay.
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on April 14, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To su...
kyivindependent.com
The Stolen Ukrainian Military Dolphins of the Black Sea
We explore the fascinating history of #Ukraine's military dolphin program, and the terrible ecological effects of the Russian invasion on their populations in coastal waters.
open.substack.com/pub/countero...
We explore the fascinating history of Ukraine's military dolphin program, and the terrible ecological effects of the Russian invasion on their populations in coastal waters.
open.substack.com
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
But here we’ve been having some discussions about the future of Ukraine.
Our Ukrainian staff have opposing views. Myroslava is optimistic.
Ross is pessimistic.
But everyone is tired.
counteroffensive.news
Good morning to readers, Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy.
But for mothers like Iryna, the empty table setting where her son usually sits overshadows all.
Her son, Yaroslav, is just one of 10k Ukrainians in Russian captivity.
Good morning to readers, Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
Today’s issue – in honor of AAPI heritage month – revolves around what it’s like to be an Asian journalist in Ukraine.
... in a weird way, I found it liberating.
They are around 20,000 children who have been taken by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, acc to Ukraine.
The Geneva Convention, which defines what constitutes a war crime, says it is unlawful to deport civilians in times of war, unless it is essential for security.
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
Today we have a travelogue from my trip to the Syrian-Turkish border, followed by what we are reading today and a bonus Dog of War!
To read the full issue, go to our substack:
counteroffensive.substack.com
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
It’s the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Two years ago today our team was scattered across different places and time zones, but we all remember that day.
This is how we remember the first 24 hours.
'Everyone around me is a zombie'. Meduza's Russian readers on how two years of full-scale war has changed them
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is quickly approaching its two-year mark. While many Russians are just as horrified by their country’s actions as they were on day one, the hope of a swift Ukrainian victory that brings the collapse of the Putin regime has long since faded, leaving despair, numbness, or cynicism in its wake. Meduza asked its Russian readers to explain how their perspectives on the war, daily life, and the future have changed since February 24, 2022. We’ve translated some of the most notable responses into English.
meduza.io
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands
Yesterday marked the 1 year anniversary of Ukraine's liberation of Kherson.
Myroslava talks to Chipka, a 20 year-old soldier, who was involved in liberating of Kherson.
Read the full story on our substack:
counteroffensive.substack.com
Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
But it might not be, had the Battle of Antonov Airfield had gone another way.
Ahead of its anniversary, we collected dozens of eyewitness testimonies for an intimate account about the most important battle of the war.
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TFG had done a lot of damage… his coddling of Putin led to the invasion in Ukraine and all the sweeping changes in European views on war and armies.
Germany announces reforms of Bundeswehr to get ‘ready for war’
To bring Germany's ailing armed forces back on track, the government is reorganising its operative command and making cyber and IT a full-fledged military branch on par with the navy, air force and ground forces, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Thursday.
www.euractiv.com
🇬🇧🇺🇦 Two years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers are being trained by allied forces at a specially constructed combat-training camp in a secret location in the East of England.
www.bbc.com/news/uk-engl...
The 'will to win' is as strong as ever, says Army commander training Ukrainian soldiers in the UK.
www.bbc.comThe Ukraine war has exposed the deep infiltration of Russian agents inside the country, and how all these rats are now exposed to the light. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-russia-saboteurs/
Good morning to readers, Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands. Ukrainian clothes are undergoing a modern resurgence.
In the face of Russian aggression, designers like Anastasia preserve Ukrainian heritage through items like embroidered blazers, and traditional bags called taystras.
From the archives: the Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and began occupying more of the country.
#jedentag2024 [073/366]
Today we would like to wish Yuriy Vladimirovick, the Ukrainian author of this masterful model of Le François (1688) in a scale of 1:16, a happy birthday, all the best, and an end to the Russian war of aggression on his country. The model is displayed on deck 8 of the museum.
Today we reminded of the tragedy of ordinary Ukrainians’ EVERYDAY experience of RUSSIA’S WAR
9% of the Ukrainian population report living in a different oblast as a result of Russia’s all-out invasion.
At least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been confirmed as abducted by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and less than 400 have been brought home, according to the Ukrainian government's Children of War database. /3 #Ukraine
