Day 421 of WW3: NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg Makes Unannounced Visit to Kyiv. Is the counterattack on? Yes, it might be on. It’s your Thursday Ukraine war discussion [News]

Welp, it looks like yesterday’s calculated number of 21 for APCs/APVs stands, as the new cumulative is 7,120 (increasing another 10) for today. The action looks like it is starting to heat up.

Happy 420 day. Pass the pipe.

NASA reported that their satellite was not the cause of the outbreak in the Kyiv region

NASA representative Rob Margreta told about it. According to him, the RHESSI satellite was still in orbit when flashes were seen in the Kyiv region.

Ukraine is under attack. The situation in the regions as of this morning:

📍 Sumshchyna

At night and in the morning, the Russians carried out 2 mortar attacks (12 hits) on the territory of the Bilopol community.

📍 Kherson Region

the Russian occupiers shelled Kherson Oblast 60 times. 298 shells were fired from artillery, mortars, tanks, drones and aviation. Yesterday, six people were injured of varying degrees of severity due to Russian aggression.

📍 Daughter

Over the past day, the Russians killed 1 resident of Donetsk region – in Kostyantynivka. 2 more people in the region were injured.

📍 Zaporizhzhia region

Over the past day, the enemy carried out 86 attacks on 13 settlements with various types of weapons. 20 new destructions were recorded. People were not injured.

📍 Kharkiv region

Last day, the enemy continued to attack the civilian infrastructure and civilians of the Kharkiv, Kupyan and Chuguyiv districts. In Kupyansk, as a result of enemy shelling, a private residential building was damaged and a fire broke out.

📍 Mykolaiv region

Tonight, the Russians hiat the town of Ochakiv with an anti-aircraft missile system. The consequences of damage are being clarified. According to preliminary information, there are no victims.

Good morning all. Day 421, news reports that there’s a lot of “shaping attacks and line probing” by Ukraine today so maybe the push has arrived? More like it’s just messing with the ruscist command structure again. But the head of NATO just arriving in Kyiv unannounced? I think that’s interesting. Anyway here’s your overnight war news from the Kyiv Post and the Kyiv Independent.

Kyiv Post Morning Memo – Everything You Need to Know on Thursday, April 20

You daily news brief direct from Ukraine’s capital

Denmark, Netherlands to Give Ukraine 14 Leopard Tanks

Germany and Britain last month delivered 18 advanced Leopards and 14 Challenger 2 tanks, respectively, which are expected to play a crucial role in Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

Ukraine’s Highest Court to Review Constitutionality of Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine will decide the constitutionality of Yanukovych’s 2010 Kharkiv Pact letting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet stay in Crimea until 2042 – per Ukrainian lawmakers’ demand.

Putin’s Visits to Occupied Regions of Ukraine Reveal Much About His Assessment of the Conduct of the War

The Russian President’s Easter visit to occupied Ukrainian territories is assessed as more than just an attempt to portray himself as a wartime leader by international commentators.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg Makes Unannounced Visit to Kyiv

The visit comes at a critical time as Ukraine prepares for an upcoming counter-offensive and faces intense battles in the Eastern part of the country.

Here’s What’s In The US’s Latest Military Aid Package For Ukraine

The US President is exercising executive rights in order to pay for more artillery ammunition, which Ukraine will need to sustain its expected offensive.

Ukrainian Parliamentarian Publicly Speculates About Counteroffensive Attack Plan

The chair of a parliamentary committee for national security today talked about a potential scenario – and was quickly corrected by Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Defense and others.

Сommission of Ukraine’s Culture Ministry Found New Violations During Inspection of Kyiv Lavra

While the MCIP commission is working in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, conflicts occasionally arise with believers of the Russia-backed church.

‘Patriots for Patriots’: American-Made Missile System Arrives in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, confirmed on his Twitter account on April 19 that the hardware had arrived.

Russia Faces Difficulties in Production of New Weapons due to Western Sanctions

Ukraine shouldn’t expect that it would lead to a quick cessation of hostilities. Moscow still maintains its numerical advantage with its large stockpile of old weapons.

Prime Minister: ‘Almost 60’ countries already agreed to help rebuild Ukrainian settlements.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 20 that “almost 60” countries are already helping to rebuild Ukrainian cities, towns and villages after damage suffered from Russian attacks during the full-scale war.

Jens Stoltenberg arrives in Kyiv on unannounced visit.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg was seen by a Kyiv Independent journalist on the morning of April 20 paying tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers on St Michael’s Square in central Kyiv. The visit is Stoltenberg’s first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Military intelligence: Russia moving to strategic defense after ‘failed’ offensive.

Russian forces are moving to an overall strategic defense posture following a failed winter offensive, Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence agency HUR, said on national television on April 20.

Denmark, Netherlands pledge 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine by ‘early’ 2024.

Denmark and the Netherlands will jointly purchase and donate 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine by “early” 2024, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported on April 20.

Politico: French, Polish officials allegedly at odds over details of ammunition procurement for Ukraine.

French and Polish officials are allegedly at odds over whether local EU firms or competitors should receive the EU’s joint contracts to supply Ukraine with ammunition, Politico reported on April 19.

ISW: Russian Federal Security Service appears to overhaul domestic security organs.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted mass checks as a part of a data leakage investigation, according to The Institute for the Study of War.

Official: Soils in Crimea deemed unsuitable for agriculture.

Soils in northern Crimea are unsuitable for agriculture, according to the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Tamila Tasheva.

New York Times: Russian propaganda entrenched in eastern Ukraine.

Many residents in Ukrainian towns on the frontline still believe Russian propaganda about the war, according to a New York Times article.

Air Force: Ukraine downs 10 Shahed drones.

Ukrainian forces destroyed ten out of 11 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 drones on April 19, according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

And that’s your lot. Everyone have a good day today, and Slavia Ukraini.

Denmark and the Netherlands will hand over 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine

This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the Acting Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen.

The tanks are expected to arrive in Ukraine in early 2024.

Russians resumed drone attacks because they received a new shipment from Iran

“The night passed restlessly. The enemy continues shelling, continues to terrorize the peaceful population. The occupiers have been accumulating reserves. We see that their missile reserves, brought to a critical minimum, force them to take such pauses and look for new ways to put pressure on the rear areas of Ukraine. That is why they are waiting for additional parties of Iranian kamikaze drones were taking such a break. Now they have received UAVs and are starting to use them,” Nataliya Gumenyuk, head of the Joint Coordination Press Center of the Southern Defense Forces, said.

The SBU caught an “official of the Interior Ministry of the DNR” in Kyiv

The perpetrator turned out to be a resident of Donetsk region, who in September 2014 voluntarily joined the ranks of the “migration service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the DNR” created by the aggressor. In this “position” she carried out the instructions of the local Gauleiter to suppress the resistance movement in the region. The perpetrator also kept records of the so-called “guard cards”, where information about Ukrainian patriots wanted by the penal authorities of the “DNR” was stored.

At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the suspect moved to Kyiv under the guise of a migrant from the east of Ukraine. In the capital, she settled in a rented apartment and began to draw up documents for going abroad.

The perpetrator faces up to 8 years in prison, the SBU reported.

France and Poland argued over shells for Ukraine, – Politico

The idea was that the EU countries, with joint efforts and with joint money, would help Kyiv get up to 1 million ammunitions in the coming year. 2 billion euros have already been allocated for this. But the countries cannot agree on how exactly to spend them: to give orders to producers only in the EU or in the EU, the USA and Britain.

France insists on buying ammunition for Ukraine only from EU member states. Poland says that this only delays the procurement process. Diplomats admitted that they could not reach any agreements that day. Negotiations are likely to continue next week.

Forwarded from

Zelenskiy / Official

New numbers of damages caused to Ukraine by Russia’s military aggression have appeared

This was announced by Yuriy Aristov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence.

$143.8 billion is the sum of direct and only documented material losses. Most affected:

▪ residential buildings (37.3%);

▪ infrastructure (25.2%);

▪ enterprise assets and industry (7.9%);

▪ the field of education (6.2%);

▪ Agricultural industry and land resources (6.1%);

▪ energy (5.6%).

Kyiv will today terminate the lease agreement for the land plot on which the Russian embassy is located

“I think the decision here will be unanimous. We will also terminate the lease agreement, and we will appeal to the government regarding the return of the property of the embassy of the Russian barbarians to the property of the Ukrainian state,” said Mayor Vitaliy Klychko at the beginning of the Kyiv City Council meeting.

The enemy shelled the border areas of Chernihiv Oblast with mortars

From 10:40 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., two “parishes” were recorded in the Hremyachka district.

From 11:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., four “parishes” were recorded in Galaganivka. As a result of the shelling, three local residents were injured. One of them received shrapnel wounds to the head – the woman died in the hospital – OK “Pivnich”.

NASA reported that their satellite was not the cause of the outbreak in the Kyiv region.

NASA representative Rob Margreta said this. According to him, the RHESSI satellite was still in orbit when flashes were seen in the Kyiv region.

According to experts of the State Space Agency, the most likely cause of the outbreak over Kyiv is the fall of a meteorite from the Lyrid stream

The Lyrids are very fast and bright meteors produced by Comet Thatcher’s plume. Every year in April, the Earth passes through this plume, after which bright flashes, or so-called “fireballs”, are recorded in the sky. The Earth entered the plume of Comet Thatcher on April 15, and will leave it on April 29. The peak of the shooting star falls on April 21.

fasahd: NASA reported that their satellite was not the cause of the outbreak in the Kyiv region

Because it’s Ukraine, I wouldn’t have been too surprised if this was a real alien invasion at Kyiv.

And the Martians would be like: “fark this shiat, we’re abandoning our tripods. We can’t defeat those dudes with yellow scotch tape armbands.”

– Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) April 19, 2023

Father_Jack: Harlee, Fasahd, PCB: thanks for all y’all do in these threads every day. Its great info and a fantastic digest.

T/Y, As Oneiros pointed out, without some seed in the morning, we just end up with side threads. Not that we don’t all enjoy our side threads.

And more importantly….

ZELENSKY’S ALIVE!!!!!

fasahd: [Youtube-video https://www.youtube.com/embed/jQOf9V0c7hg]

So when the inevitable counteroffensive happens and Ukraine re-captures a bunch of territory, it means that no in-theatre general will be sacked because of it, right? *giggles*

Hey folks, hope everyone’s well

here’s a daring driver for the doodlers

Bob Able: Hey folks, hope everyone’s well

Thanks Bob! I was still wondering if you could and orc laying on the ground with a soldiers foot on him, perhaps the likeness of Buffet, and a caption of “Changes in latitude, Changes in attitude”. Just throwing out an idea.

fasahd: France and Poland argued over shells for Ukraine, – Politico

Using only EU firms does not delay the procurement process. It might delay the delivery of supplies because fewer firms would be working to produce the ammo by sticking to only EU. And in theory, some vendors from outside the EU might be more efficient and be left out of the contracts.

The procurement or awarding of contracts itself is being delayed by sitting around and arguing about who is eligible to bid on contracts.

Still… as I understand it, the most efficient way to transfer ammo is to give Ukraine your older shiat so it doesn’t expire in a warehouse and use the contracts to replenish your own supply, right? Since the stocks of ammo of various countries will get depleted below the level recommended by their MOD, replenishing becomes a national security issue. I believe most nations can cut most of the red tape to fast track and sole source contracts based on national security concerns. Just game that system already… start awarding contracts at national level and use the common EU pot to reimburse members. If Poland wants to replenish iats own shells with South Korean stuff, let them do it.

fasahd: [YouTube video: State Duma member says Putin is personally commanding the invasion]

Getting ready to throw Putin under the bus (possibly literally).

fasahd: 📍 Daughter

Is this a translation misfire?

RobSeace: Leaks stir GOP outrage over US troops at embassy in Ukraine

From my earlier post: Kyiv will today terminate the lease agreement for the land plot on which the Russian embassy is located.

Geez, I’m surprised it took them this long. Point is, The troops are at the embassy ergo, on American soil.

Flab: fasahd: 📍 Daughter

been wondering every time i see it, myself.  Thanks for asking.

fasahd: NASA reported that their satellite was not the cause of the outbreak in the Kyiv region

Smoking GNU: fasahd: [Youtube-video https://www.youtube.com/embed/jQOf9V0c7hg]

It would be nice if they sacked 

the

general in charge.

A month and a half into the war (day 44), many of us felt helpless and listless at not being able to do more to help, so here is a list of things that we can do.

There are plenty of charities that could use your help, but even if you don’t have spare cash lying about, there are still things you can do, so keep reading

If you know any Ukrainians in need or in the war zone, see the top of the (continued) post for links for them.

You can donate directly to Ukraine if you want to help them make more videos of tanks blowing up. (See ‘military aid’ below)

There are lots of humanitarian groups working to feed the displaced people and even their pets.  (See ‘humanitarian aid’)

And even if you’re not in a position to give cash, you might be able to find a group that needs some volunteer help or attend a protest.  If you don’t have a group in your area specifically helping Ukraine, you can likely still find other worthwhile causes.  And there are groups that have tasks that can be done online or over the phone without even leaving your home. (See ‘other notes’ (in the “continued” post)). Even just calling politicians to remind them that we need to support Ukrainians.

You can call out dumbasses online who are spreading russian propaganda and otherwise spewing toxic crap.  (Or join groups like NAFO) And by ignoring or blocking the assholes on here who try that shiat. (Make sure to watch for other threads, not just the daily one)

And you can even support capitalism, and buy stuff made in Ukraine or are fundraisers for the war effort.  (See ‘buying stuff’, (in the “continued” post)

If you’re actually in a position where you can travel to Ukraine to help out, see  (they also list some online PR / NAFO type stuff)

This is in no way a comprehensive list.  This is just groups that Farkers have mentioned in past threads.  (Which I had to start trimming to comply with Fark’s 100 link limit per comment before splitting it in two). If you want a more comprehensive list, see https://supportukrainenow.org . They also have links to specific groups by country that you’re coming from for protests, taking in displaced people, etc.  You might also find interesting charities at https://standwithukraine.today/ukrainian-charities/ and https://old.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/tgc00n/want_to_support_ukraine_heres_a_list_of_charities/

I make no claims about any of these groups.  I’ve trimmed a few that people have said might be suspect, but I have no personal knowledge of any of them.  If you feel the need to vet them before donating, see GuideStar or Charity Navigator. (Links to them below). Or see Forbes’ list at https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/donate-relief-to-ukraine/. To check if a company is legitimately registered in Ukraine, see https://gcs-ukraine.com/en/how-to-check-company-in-ukraine/

If you’re currently employed by a large-ish company, they may have a donation matching program.  You can check https://doublethedonation.com/ but it’s also worth contacting your HR to ask even if they’re not listed there.

Brits and such should consider donating to UK charities as they can get 25% ‘Gift Aid’ matching from the UK government.

If you’ve gained profits from stocks, consider donating the stocks directly, so they get the full value and you don’t need to hold some back to pay capital gain taxes.

…

Military aid (or mixed with a military component):

A girl raising funds for drones for her brother’s unit in Bakhmut: https://twitter.com/daryazorka/status/1607915420757159936

United24, the central Ukrainian website for donations for defense, de-mining, medical aid, and rebuilding:  https://u24.gov.ua

Come Back Alive:  https://www.comebackalive.in.ua (new URL https://savelife.in.ua/en/ but breaks Fark’s link checker)

Prytula Foundation (includes lists of needed supplies):  https://prytulafoundation.org/en

Stavnitser Foundation (support for female troops) : https://stavnitser.com/en

The Vest Project (protective gear): https://thevestproject.com

Frontline Care, supplies for troops: https://eng.frontline-care.com

Protection of the Future: https://www.maibutnie.org/en

Unite with Ukraine: https://www.unitewithukraine.com

Army SOS (tech for troops): https://armysos.com.ua

Gifts for Putin: https://www.weaponstoukraine.com

Stop the War (Sweden): https://stopthewar.se/en/

A rehab/recovery center for soldiers: https://helpnow.in.ua/amp/

For Americans who want a 501(c)3:

Ukraine Defense Fund: https://ukrainedefensefund.org

Liberty Ukraine: https://www.libertyukraine.org

Humanitarian aid:

Revive Soldiers Ukraine (US): https://www.rsukraine.org

Patron Fund (for injured de-miners): https://send.monobank.ua/jar/2owjL6dFRP

Ukrainian Congress Committee of America: https://ucca.org

Logistics for frontline supplies, I think?  (US): https://zeroline.org

Safe Passage for Ukraine: https://sp4ukraine.org

World Central Kitchen:  https://donate.wck.org/give/393234/#!/donation/checkout

Red Cross (Ukraine chapter): https://redcross.org.ua/en/

US/Idaho: https://toukrainewithlove.org

The $1k Project: https://www.1kproject.org

Generators for Ukraine (UK): https://www.generatorsforukraine.co.uk

Medical focused groups:

Evacuating wounded civilians & military: https://frontlinemedics.org

Medical services: https://www.globaloutreachdoctors.org

Medical supplies & humanitarian aid: https://unitedhelpukraine.org

Medical supplies (CA/Ontario): https://www.herosocietycanada.ca

Solar power for hospitals: https://repowerua.org

Training volunteer paramedics: https://www.hospitallers.life/needs-hospitallers

SMART Medical Aid: https://smartmedicalaid.org

Helping hospitals: https://donorbox.org/lievschreiber and https://www.usukrainianactivists.org

Prosthetics groups (some serve more than just Ukraine)

 CA/Victoria: https://www.victoriahandproject.com/ukraine

 US/Colorado: https://limbsforliberty.com

 US/Pittsburg: https://brothersbrother.org/pittsburgh-unites-for-ukraine/

 US/Oklahoma: https://www.limbsforlife.org

 Latvia: https://www.designedtolivelatvia.com

 US/NYC (collects hand-me-down limbs): https://pentaprosthetics.org

 US/California: https://www.prosthetika.org

 US/Minnesota: https://protezfoundation.com

 US/California: https://right2walk.org

 UK: https://limbcare.org

 Ukraine: https://ffr.org.ua/en/

 Ukraine (but a US 501c3): https://www.superhumans.com

Land mine clearing: https://www.courageukraine.org

Magnolia, searching for missing children: https://magnolia.org.ua/en/content/donate

Ukraine Trust Chain: https://www.ukrainetrustchain.org/donate

Clothing for wounded soldiers: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/2pHGe7F2yr

Future for Ukraine: https://ffu.foundation/en

Disasters Emergency Committee (UK): https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

Supplies to Ukrainians who stayed: https://beaheroua.org/en/

Teenager filling backpacks for displaced kids: https://f-df.pl/2022/08/09/f-df-pl-kidsforkids/

Doctors Without Borders: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/get-involved/ways-to-give

Kids with cancer: https://tabletochki.org/en/

Books for kids: https://www.bettertimestories.com

Ukraine Children’s Action Project: https://www.eifoundation.org/partners/ukraine-childrens-action-project/

Direct Relief: https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/ukraine-crisis/

Voices of Children:  https://voices.org.ua/en/

Razom for Ukraine: https://www.razomforukraine.org

Klitschko Foundation: https://www.klitschkofoundation.org/en/

Save Our Allies: https://saveourallies.org

Myria Aid:  https://www.mriyaaid.org

Ukraine Aid Ops:  https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/HMNYO2ISQGNP

A Kyiv bakery distributing bread to people in need:  https://goodbread.com.ua/en-be

Ukrainian Emergency Art Fund:  https://ueaf.moca.org.ua

Art Without Borders (art auction, too): https://www.saveukraineculture.com/

Canadian-Ukraine Foundation:  https://www.cufoundation.ca

US-Ukraine Foundation: https://usukraine.org

Animal welfare groups operating in Ukraine (or Poland for displaced peoplewith pets):  https://uanimals.org/en/yak-dopomohty/ ; https://happypaw.ua/en/ ;

https://www.ifaw.org/action/ukraine-emergency-aid-update ;  https://www.facebook.com/shelterFriendDnepr ; https://www.karg.kiev.ua/ ; https://animal-id.net/en/donate ; https://breakingthechainsinternational.org

Rebuilding-specific groups:

Fixing windows (UK): https://www.insulate-ukraine.org/donate

Repair Together: https://taplink.cc/repairtogether

Sports gyms for kids: https://www.flyhigh.fund

Farmers / rural: https://www.wrru.org

De-mining: https://halotrust.org and https://landmineremoval.org

Humans: https://zelenskafoundation.org/en

Injured: https://www.superhumans.com

Students: https://ukraineachievementfund.org

Assistance for displaced Ukranians:

Lviv and Chernivtsi, Ukraine: https://marsh-zhinok.com.ua/donate-for-support

Lviv, Ukraine: https://femwork.org/en/support-us/

Halifax, Canada: https://www.halifax-ukrainian-store.ca/donate

Niagara, Canada: https://amdforhope.com/

New York, NY, US: https://www.ukrainianhabitatfund.org/donate

If you can read Ukrainian, more are listed at https://m.fark.com/comments/12688596/157897438

(Continued in another post because of link limits)

Flab: fasahd: 📍 Daughter

I dont believe so.

fasahd: New numbers of damages caused to Ukraine by Russia’s military aggression have appeared

…

$143.8 billion is the sum of direct and only documented material losses. Most affected:

▪ residential buildings (37.3%);

▪ infrastructure (25.2%);

▪ enterprise assets and industry (7.9%);

That looks like a lowball amount to me as I expected it to be much higher.  I’m guessing the low number was based on “documented” losses.  I still wonder if some of that is from original Soviet building costs with depreciation rolled in.

Bukmut had 71,000 people.  That is about 25,000 homes and most are damaged and lots are just gone.  At US$40,000 per home is 1 billion dollars. Figure about the same for places of employment.  $5,000 per resident for each power, telcom and water isn’t far off.  That is over 2 billion for one small town.

Mariupol is 6 times that with a shift of fewer houses blown up but more industry.

The trillion dollar figure thrown around almost a year ago seems a very low now.  The problem with a a trillion dollars is that Russia can’t repay that.  It would take doubling the GDP of Russia to extract enough to cover a loan at a reasonable inserts rate.

I wonder if the low figure is to give Russia an out they can afford to start negotations.

RobSeace: Leaks stir GOP outrage over US troops at embassy in Ukraine

Is this the same gop that wouldn’t approve funding for extra embassy security that led up to the Benghazi debacle.

If you know any Ukrainians in need:

Give them this list of groups giving assistance: https://auc.org.ua/en/node/33272

The resistance newspaper for people in occupied areas: https://sprotyv.mod.gov.ua/portfolio/newspaper/

For people with destroyed homes, see https://espl.com.ua.

Advice for travelers (in Ukrainian) to avoid sex traffickers: https://www.helpforukrainians.info/ukrainian/ .

To report unexplored ordinance, send quantity, condition, location, etc, with a photo to https://t.me/evorog_bot .

Female warriors if they need uniforms (including maternity uniforms): https://stavnitser.com .

Free therapy for people affected by the war: https://www.therapyroute.com/free-therapy-for-ukraine

Medical doctors (free medical manuals in Ukrainian): https://www.msdmanuals.com/uk/professional/resourcespages/medical-content-in-ukrainian

Free Norwegian army cold weather ops manuals (in English): https://www.forsvaret.no/en/organisation/centre-of-excellence-cold-weather-operations/handbook-and-lectures

If you have photos or video that you want saved as documentation of the war: https://dattalion.com

Other notes & ways to help:

You should check to see if your employer has a donation matching program.  Some may be listed at https://doublethedonation.com/. Some employers may even be able to set up an automatic donation.

Some donations may be eligible to get you nudie pics:  https://teronlyfans.com/english/

Many charities list how to donate through bank transfers.  This may cost a couple of dollars depending on your bank, but keeps them from losing significant fees to credit card companies.

If you want to fund Ukrainian reporting of the war:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyivindependent-launch;  https://www.patreon.com/kyivindependent ; https://dattalion.com/donate-to-dattalion/.  Or fund russian language news sites that have been banned in russia: https://support.meduza.io/en ; https://holod.media/en/donate/

If you can’t donate money, but have free time and the health to do it, consider volunteering your time to groups to help them free up money to spend in Ukraine.

You can search Volunteer Match ( https://www.volunteermatch.org/search?v=true&k=Ukraine&onloc=false ), Charity Navigator ( https://www.charitynavigator.org ) or GuideStar (https://www.guidestar.org/NonprofitDirectory.aspx) for terms like Ukraine, and look find a group near you that needs extra hands.  If you can’t find a Ukraine specific one, pick another one with a mission that you support.

If you want to donate drones, medical supplies and such:  https://www.mriyaaid.org/aid

If you have quilts: https://hellocottons.com/

If you want to have a supper club or bake sale fundraiser and would like recipes:  https://www.cookforukraine.org ; https://klopotenko.com/en ;https://www.valyastasteofhome.com/12-authentic-ukrainian-recipes/ ; https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/olia_hercules

There are even ways to contribute online, for the home bound people:

Help Ukrainians practice conversational English:  https://mobile.twitter.com/OlenaChek/status/1544689140725325825 or https://www.enginprogram.org

If you’re a US citizen, call your congress critters and let them know how you feel:  (202) 224-3121.  Or if you want to sponsor displaced people: https://ukraine.welcome.us.  But you may want to try to find an NGO, as if you directly sponsor them you’re financially responsible for two years.  (https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine ; So tell your representatives to give them refugee status).

If you would like to avoid doing business with companies still operating in russia, see https://www.dontfundwar.com. (There are also phone apps like Zrada that can scan UPC codes and tell you)

If you use streaming music services, search for Ukrainian artist playlists, so you’ll give them a fraction of a penny and maybe find some new artists to support more directly.  See https://linkpeak.io/l/defendukraine ; https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL7h_otRo2v9j1fPVfVkibCjFbmLlThjx

If you watch cam sites, consider supporting Ukrainians (although some may currently be displaced, others may tag Ukraine to show support because they’re from neighboring countries, and some of the most in need of support may not currently have internet access; I don’t have any sort of definitive list)

There are also efforts to DDoS Russian websites such as the “Ukraine IT Army”, but I’m not linking to them to avoid risking the mods removing this whole list.

Also see the official Ukrainian website on ways to support their effort:  https://war.ukraine.ua/support-ukraine/

Buying stuff made in Ukraine or as fundraisers (May 18 is embroidered shirt day):

Sleepwear: https://the-sleeper.com/en/

Posters & t-shirts: https://helpukraine.threadless.com

Coffee (US/Maine): https://kavkamaine.com

Cloud gaming: https://boosteroid.com

Stream a documentary: https://hotdocs.ca/whats-on/films/hrw-freedom-on-fire

Children’s book: https://www.amazon.com//dp/1612546080/

Learn IT/statistics skills: https://sites.google.com/view/dariia-mykhailyshyna/main/r-workshops-for-ukraine

Buy a chunk of a tank: https://gate.org/tank/

Militaryesque clothing: https://www.braveplusone.com.ua

Restored watches: https://trulesorub.com

Shirts, candy, and such (UK): https://agiftfromukraine.com/shop/

Art made from salvaged war bits: https://auctions.ukraineaidops.org/victory-gallery-online-store/Campaign/Details

Keychains from destroyed aircraft: https://www.dronesforukraine.fund

Shirts, stickers and flags (Canada/US):  https://www.saintjavelin.com/

Reporting From Ukraine’s online store: https://uasupporter.com/collections

Shirts, socks, hoodies, jackets, etc. (Ukranian):  https://www.aviatsiyahalychyny.com/en/

Housewares / accessories (Ukraine): https://guniaproject.com

Shirts and such (Germany): https://www.seedshirt.de/shop/ukraineaidops.org

Clothing (Texas; imports from Ukraine):  https://www.ukiestyle.com

Video games (Ukrainian fArmy):  https://ukrainian.itch.io/ukrainian-farmy

Beer:  https://drinkersforukraine.com

Games studios in Ukraine: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/StarniGames;  https://store.steampowered.com/developer/nightcatstudios; https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Best%20Way ; https://store.steampowered.com/developer/Frogwares ; https://store.steampowered.com/search/?developer=N-Game%20Studios ; https://store.steampowered.com/developer/manapotionstudios ; https://store.steampowered.com/developer/GSC

T-shirts and art (Ukraine):  https://artforukraine.world/catalogue/

T-shirts and other stuff (Estonia? Using Printify): https://supportukraine.art

Posters (Europe?): https://againstwar.gallery

Metal signs:  https://displate.com/stand-with-ukraine/make-art-not-war

Wooden toys & models (Ukraine): https://ugearsmodels.com

Lego figures and sets: https://www.brickmania.com/donations/

Messages on Ukrainian ordinance: https://signmyrocket.com

T-shirts and hoodies (Ukraine): https://visitukraine.shop/collections

Candles: https://doorcountycandle.com/product/ukraine-candle/

Pinhole cameras: https://jollylook.com

Postage stamps: https://postcardsua.com/collections/stamps ; https://volstamp.in.ua/en/catalog/marki_ukraini_2022-id391 ; https://postmark.ukrposhta.ua (set language in menu)

Fetishwear: https://www.brightandshinystore.com

Misc: https://store.greatergood.com/search?q=Ukraine

Symbolic tickets to liberated cities: https://concert.ua/en/events/kvitki-do-peremogi

Patches (made by TelemonianAjax):  https://www.etsy.com/listing/1182030528/iron-on-patch-set-of-8-ukraine-childrens

If you’re still feeling anxious or depressed about this whole thing, consider professional help, but I also found the book ‘Lost Connections’ helped me years ago:  https://fourminutebooks.com/lost-connections-summary/

PS.  You don’t need to tell us what you do (but you can if you think it would help keep your sanity)

PPS.  If you reply to stuff in this thread, please trim down your reply

PPPS. If you want me to add something, reply (trimmed down!) with an English language link

PPPPS. Some of the new faces are people trying to understand what’s going on.  Not everyone asking questions is a shill, even when they say ‘the Ukraine’

Px5S. Some newcomers have been flagging posts as off topic; this is in part a therapy thread, with thread jacks & callbacks to past threads to add levity and balance out the atrocities

Px6S.  For those digging through the russian news feeds: https://www.bellingcat.com/resources/2022/11/23/how-to-maintain-mental-hygiene-as-an-open-source-researcher/ or a live cam of a watering hole in Namibia: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fPd7Ys7FC0I

Flab: fasahd: 📍 Daughter

It is a village or town or some geographical region.  It still isn’t in the “Daughter (disambiguation)” page on wikipedia.

fasahd: Flab: fasahd: 📍 Daughter

Maybe Cosmo or someone can tell us.

The town is Донеччина

DON.MAC: fasahd: New numbers of damages caused to Ukraine by Russia’s military aggression have appeared

…

$143.8 billion is the sum of direct and only documented material losses. Most affected:

▪ residential buildings (37.3%);

▪ infrastructure (25.2%);

▪ enterprise assets and industry (7.9%);

That looks like a lowball amount to me as I expected it to be much higher.  I’m guessing the low number was based on “documented” losses.  I still wonder if some of that is from original Soviet building costs with depreciation rolled in.

I am sure the Chinese can ‘loan’ the money to Russia to repay Ukraine in exchange for some “small” “concessions” that most likely will go unnoticed. Like Siberia’s oil fields and/or the entirety of the east cost of Russia.

fasahd: NASA reported that their satellite was not the cause of the outbreak in the Kyiv region

Damnit.  I can’t blame my old group manager for this then.  (And also my manager when I first started at NASA; he was one of the people who interviewed me, then they changed my job in the second day and it took over 2 years and a new company to try to get something vaguely fixed in terms of salary)

Oh, And there are some pictures from Poland in yesterday’s thread which is why I’m late

.

Eventually I’ll get it through my head what time it is in the states. I posted some photos in yesterday’s thread a little bit ago.

.

BadCosmonaut: Happy Thursday.

I wrote message previously, I do not know how to search my posts… that counter offensive would start 20 April.  Do not think it has started… but getting closer.

Due to the persistent mud conditions across much of Ukraine, I doubt we’ll see any major offensive operations today- or even within the next week. A week or two of generally dry conditions would dramatically help UAF undertake the type of assaults we saw in Kharkiv and Kherson last year.

Something which recently occurred to me: the decision to hold onto Bakhmut despite the increased cost in casualties is likely to have an additional motive beyond the desire to make the orcs bleed heavily for every meter of ground. Before the Kherson and Kharkiv advances last year, UAF had spent considerable time working over orc logistics nodes, headquarters areas, and large groupings of personnel. This was widely discussed on global media at the time. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been seeing a lot of russian artillery getting hit, and there have been intermittent reports of ammunition depots turning into cotton, but almost all of that has been largely overshadowed by media reporting on the knife-fight in Bakhmut and the assaults on Avdiivka and Vulhedar. Given Ukraine’s generally stellar handling of the information battlespace so far, I’m forced to wonder if Ukraine is using Bakhmut to keep the media (and therefore the orc ‘leadership’) in the dark about the direction and timing of the anticipated UAF offensive. I do not believe this is the only reason (or even the primary reason) to keep fighting for Bakhmut, but I’ve little doubt it was part of the decision.

I am perpetually happy I never achieved high enough military rank to be involved in that sort of decision-making. A lot of Ukrainian troops are paying the ultimate price for the decision to keep fighting for Bakhmut. I sincerely hope it is worth the cost.

RobSeace: Leaks stir GOP outrage over US troops at embassy in Ukraine

Simultaneously, the GOP would be the first to clutch their pearls and call for hearings if the embassy got attacked while a Democrat was president.