Ukrainians are angry, not scared
Russia changes its mind and participates in the Black Sea Grain Initiative
Day 252 (2 November)
The Russian have left mines behind everywhere in Ukraine, and liberated areas are left in danger still. The US have announced a de-mining project with Tetra Tech (a US company) to work with the Ukrainian government to de-mine affected areas which has caused a humanitarian crisis. For a country that alleged that they came to ‘save’ Ukrainians, leaving mines booby trapped everywhere is the exact opposite of trying to save Ukrainians. The US State Department has awarded the company a $47.6 million contract to provide urgent humanitarian aid in Ukraine. This will include locating, removing and disabling landmines and other devices that can harm civilians.
A law firm based in the UK, McCue Jury and Partners, are pursuing a case against the Wagner Group, claiming that they have engaged in terrorism against Ukrainians and that the victims are in titled to compensation for the harm caused. As the Wagner Group is a private mercenary enterprise, it is not officially associated with the Russian government.
Reports claim that helicopter gunships were close to the Latvian border with Russia, and that Ukraine destroyed them. This is why this war affects Europe, as Ukraine borders several countries, as does Russia. When Russian launches missiles, neighbouring countries are affected—Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Belarus, and Lithuania.
In Zaporizhzhia, there had been reports that the Russians had been installing some infrastructure at the nuclear power plant. Apparently now, on the rooftop, the Russians have installed military equipment. That is a blatant misuse of the power plant, and there is evidence that the Russians are using it as a military base. All of this is happening under the eye of the IAEA, who seem to have done little in terms of deterrence is such actions.
After four days, the Russians have changed their minds about participating in the grain initiative, and have renewed the agreement. Not that it made much difference as Ukraine continued as normal, and if Russia did attack any of the vessels then even they knew the UN would take stringent measures. Perhaps they realised that the ‘blackmail’ wasn’t going to work, and by cooperating they stood a better chance of negotiating for what they want?
The Spanish Foreign Minister (Jose Manuel Albares) arrived in Kyiv with 30 ambulances, and has net with his Ukrainian counterpart.
The UK has imposed further sanctions against Russian oligarchs and their companies that have helped enable Putin. The question really is why has it taken so long, and why wasn't it done at the beginning along with all the other sanctions?
The world is running out of sanctions to impose against Russia so what do they do now? Ukrainians or surviving without heat and water supplies, but they do not complain, but they are angry at Russia. After reading several accounts from people in Ukraine, and those who have left after the region was occupied, the over whelming feeling is that they did not expect the Russians to be so brutal and cruel. Some stayed behind to protect their properties, but in reality how could they protect their homes against tanks and an army? Others thought the Russians would just leave them alone, but they ended up being tortured and imprisoned, while the Russian looted their homes.
This is a war, and intelligence plays a key part in defeating the Russians and that is why borders are closed to Russians to prevent the infiltration of spies. With technology today, information can be transmitted much faster and easily which creates a huge risk. When we see information released by the respective governments, that is because they want the public to know that information, and some might be stories to mislead the other side. The propaganda and disinformation war is as tactical as it is on the battlefield. Let us hope that behind closed doors that military intelligence can outmanoeuvre the Russians, so that Ukraine can rebuild their country and be the free and independent state it was developing into.
'Evidence of Torture'. ABC's Foreign Correspondent Program interviewed on 03/11/2022, Olesksii Reznikov, the Ukraian Defence Minister. He stated that the main threat to winning the war is 'fatigue syndrome': for the Ukrainian people, for the army and for the Ukrainian's allies. He declares that the Russian army 'is not a normal civilised army' and furthermore, 'Russia is a country that sponsors terrorism'; they are murderers, looters and rapists.
This IS a war. I pray for the angry brave Ukrainian people who want to be free. It's good to hear the U.S. are co-operating with the Ukrainian government in a de-mining humanitarian training project and Russia is participating in the grain initiative. My thanks again to E-L for this summary, which I rely on to keep up-to-date on this ongoing brutal war which is now entering its second winter.