Jul 4 Buonasera Mag
Day 131: more fires in Russia, Snake Island, Lysychansk, Mariupol, Kherson, NATO, drones, Australia, Russia propaganda, hard right, creeping authoritarianism,
Catching up…
EA Worldview’s Ukraine Up-date- hop over to Scott’s amazing hourly Ukraine up-date page. I’ll fill in with some bits and bobs.
Stories we’re following…
General Staff: Ukrainian troops forced to withdraw from Lysychansk. Ukraine's military reported on July 3 that troops have retreated from the last major city under Ukrainian control in Luhansk Oblast.
The Russians killed Andriy Honcharuk, diver of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. They wanted him to drain the water of the cooling pool which could lead to overheating at the power plant. Tortured him when he refused.
According to Petro Andriushchenko, the advisor to Mariupol’s mayor, Russians began harvesting crops near the city, stealing from those forced to leave Mariupol due to Russian attacks that left 90% of buildings destroyed.
Ukrainian forces attack two warehouses with ammunition, destroy $7 million drone. Ukraine's Operational Command "South" said Ukrainian soldiers carried out airstrikes on two ammunition warehouses located in Kherson Oblast and destroyed a "Forpost" drone in Mykolaiv Oblast.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirms that NATO is in talks to construct a naval base in Porto Romano on Albania's coast.
Ukraine will be getting 39 advanced armored vehicles and Bayraktar TB2 drone cameras from Canada.
70 expelled Russian diplomats leave Bulgaria. Two Russian government planes flew the diplomats and their family members to Moscow after Bulgaria declared them persona non grata on June 30 for “interfering in Bulgaria’s domestic affairs,” Bulgarian media reported.
Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukraine's conditions for negotiation with Russia: "Immediate ceasefire. Withdrawal of Z-troops from Ukraine. Return of abducted citizens. Extradition of war criminals. Reparations mechanism. Recognition of Ukraine's sovereign rights.” (UBN)
Slovakia is reportedly ready to supply MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Ukraine requests Turkey detain Russian-flagged ship carrying Ukrainian grain. According to a Ukrainian official who spoke with Reuters, a 7,146 dwt Zhibek Zholy loaded the first cargo of some 4,500 tonnes of Ukrainian grain from Russian-occupied Berdiansk.
UK intelligence: Russia tries to legitimize its occupation of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast. Russia's proxies have said they would hold a referendum on annexing Kherson Oblast to Russia by autumn.
35 countries demand to suspend Russia's, Belarus' membership in international sports organizations. A joint statement demanding it has been signed by 25 EU countries and 10 non-European nations, including he U.S., Canada and Japan.
Poland's Gdansk names city square near Russian consulate 'Plaza of Heroic Mariupol.' The naming decision was made in April, and the plaza opening ceremony took place on July 1. This way, the city honored the resistance put up by Mariupol defenders against the Russian forces.
Australia will provide Ukraine with 34 more armoured vehicles and join the G7 ban on Russian gold exports
NYT, How the Russian Media Spread False Claims About Ukrainian Nazis
In the months since President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia called the invasion of Ukraine a “denazification” mission, the lie that the government and culture of Ukraine are filled with dangerous “Nazis” has become a central theme of Kremlin propaganda about the war.
The U.S. is vocally criticizing China about its disinformation on the Ukraine war China's narratives about NATO instigating the war and support for Russian conspiracies about US bioweapons in Ukraine are of particular concern
Ben-Ghiat, Heeding the Warning Signs of Creeping Authoritarianism
As we know, the politicization of institutions is a major warning sign of creeping authoritarianism, and Justice Thomas is checking that box, demonstrating that he has abandoned the democratic ideal of an apolitical court that serves justice rather than partisan interests.
Polymeropoulos, Hard Right rising
I have spent several years as the station chief in Washington, D.C. I look at America both as an impartial observer, as is expected of this position, but also as someone who comes from Europe and thus understands what America has meant to a continent oft-ravaged by war and in need of assistance from across the pond. American exceptionalism, derided by some in Europe as a mixture of braggadocio and colonialism, actually has great merit, given how America, not Europe but America, has always seemed to play the leading role in fighting for freedom and democracy in Europe.
Foley, Changing Horses, How Second Wave Forces, Created National Entities.
Before the Second Wave started moving across Europe, that is the industrialization of the world, most areas of the world were not yet established into nations but were formed, into a mixture of kingdoms, principalities, tribes, and clans. Kings and princes held powers only as far as their authority reached. Borders and frontiers were poorly defined, and governmental rights were whatever the authorities said it was or were capable of enforcing.
From Maria Avdeeva
We’re signing off. Thanks for reading…
Mo & Scott