Ukraine Briefly

April 13, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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The United States and the United Kingdom are investigating reports that Russian forces used chemical weapons in their onslaught on the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, according to the BBC. Russian-backed forces denied the allegations, Al Jazeera noted. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 12, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “tens of thousands” of people may have been killed in the besieged city of Mariupol, adding that Russian forces “are not halting their onslaught,” Sky News wrote. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, United Nations officials estimate...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 11, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Ukrainian officials have discovered a mass grave containing dozens of civilian victims in the town of Buzova near the capital, Radio Free Europe reported. Meanwhile, a Russian missile struck a train station in the town of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 52...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 08, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Hundreds of volunteers from Belarus have joined a dedicated Belarusian battalion and other formations of Ukrainian armed forces fighting the Russian army, with more than 1,000 others still awaiting vetting and training, the Wall Street Journal reported. Meanwhile, Freedom for Russia, a second force...

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Need to Know

April 07, 2022

The Game of Neutrality

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As his soldiers fight Russian forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently pledged that his country would become permanently neutral – that is, aligned neither with NATO nor Russia – in exchange for security guarantees designed to prevent more fighting in the future. What does that mean exactly? On...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 07, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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China called for an investigation into the killings in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, describing the images of civilian deaths as “deeply disturbing,” according to the Associated Press. But Beijing refused to name perpetrators despite Ukrainian officials blaming invading Russian troops for the massacre. ...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 06, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the United Nations Security Council Tuesday to penalize Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and limit Russia's influence on the important UN body, Politico reported. He chided the organization for its inability to hold Russia responsible, adding that...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 04, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Lithuania cut itself off entirely from gas imports from Russia, apparently becoming the first of the European Union's 27 nations using Russian gas to break its energy dependence on Moscow, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, the Biden administration issued a fresh wave of export...

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Ukraine Briefly

April 01, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Russia intends to continue selling gas to European clients even as it asked that they pay in rubles, according to President Vladimir Putin, allaying concerns that the switch may cause interruptions in fuel from the continent's largest supplier, Bloomberg reported. The Kremlin issued a...

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Need to Know

March 31, 2022

Russkiy Mir

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Artur and Vsevolod fled to Istanbul, Turkey from their hometown of Moscow fearing that they might face conscription into the Russian military as the country’s brutal but botched invasion of Ukraine continues. “The atmosphere of fear in Russia is unprecedented,” said Vsevolod, whose name was changed...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 31, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Russia dismissed reports of progress in peace negotiations with Ukraine, saying the results of a round of talks in Istanbul were nothing “too promising," according to Radio Free Europe. Poland plans to phase out all Russian oil imports by the end of the year,...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 30, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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The European Union is willing to establish special trade routes between Poland and Ukraine to ensure that food and live animals may be transported as smoothly as possible in both directions, Politico wrote. The proposed green corridors are aimed at securing and facilitating agri-food...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 29, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to adopt a neutral status for Ukraine as part of a peace agreement with Russia, BBC reported. Following an interview with independent Russian journalists, Zelenskyy said that any such agreement would have to be submitted to a referendum...

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Need to Know

March 28, 2022

Just Business

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Executives at France-based energy giant TotalEnergies recently announced that they would stop all Russian oil purchases this year in protest against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian oil accounted for 17 percent of the $190 billion company’s production, reported CBS News and the Associated...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 28, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Reports of mass kidnappings and forced deportations of Ukrainians to Russia have been emerging in recent days, as Moscow’s invasion enters its second month, NBC News reported. The Ukrainian foreign ministry said Thursday that Russian soldiers had "forcibly deported" 6,000 people from the besieged...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 25, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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US President Joe Biden and NATO allies met on Thursday to discuss responses to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as the alliance seeks measures to discourage Moscow from intensifying its attacks, the Hill reported. President Biden also voiced support for expelling Russia from the Group...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 24, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Between 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have died during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to NATO estimates, as the conflict enters its fourth week, the Associated Press said. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if its very...

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Need to Know

March 23, 2022

Egg on Face

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Populist Italian politician Matteo Salvini had egg on his face recently after a press conference in the Polish town of Przemysl, a destination for many refugees from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Recalling that Salvini had praised Russian President Vladimir Putin as a great statesman, right-wing...

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The World Briefly

March 23, 2022

No Peace

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Russia broke off talks to sign a formal World War Two peace treaty with Japan this week after Tokyo strongly condemned Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, Radio Free Europe reported Tuesday. Even though WWII ended more than seven decades ago, Russia – then part of...

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Ukraine Briefly

March 23, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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Russian forces began shelling besieged Mariupol from seven warships docked in the Black Sea, a new development in the continued attacks on the city that’s seen some of the worst bombardment since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the Washington Post wrote. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian...

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