timkmak.bsky.social
Founder, The Counteroffensive: Compelling human stories to illustrate news of the war in Ukraine. Fmr US Army medic.
https://www.counteroffensive.news/
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THE DOG OF WAR:
Today’s Dog of War is a puppy Veronika spotted in the park – full of excitement for summer, playing on the lawn beside a passenger plane on display.
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LEARNING FROM UKRAINE AND ISRAEL, TAIWAN PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE CHINESE ATTACK: Learning lessons from Ukraine and Israel, Taiwan will issue air-raid guidance next week in case of Chinese military strike, Reuters reported.
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UKRAINE, EUROPE TO OPEN TRIBUNAL FOR RUSSIAN CRIMES: After years of discussion, Zelenskyy and the Council of Europe – the continent’s leading human right institution – will sign an agreement to establish a special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for war crimes since 2022.
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UK BANKROLLS WEAPONRY TO KYIV WITH RUSSIAN FROZEN ASSETS: The UK will send 350 air defense missiles to Ukraine, paid for with $88 million from profits on frozen Russian assets. “Russia, not Ukraine, should pay the price for Putin’s barbaric and illegal war,” said PM Keir Starmer.
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To get more details, symbolism, and a bunch of memes about Zelenskyy wearing a suit — find it via the link.
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By wearing his traditional green, khaki or black shirts, he has sought to display solidarity with the troops on the ground. Until now, he had upheld this principle even during meetings with Monarchs, European leaders and the most critical negotiations held at the White House.
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It may seem trivial, but fashion has a critical role to play in wartime diplomatic relations. It marks an uncommon time – we can count on one hand the number – when the Ukrainian president has broken his principle of wearing military-style clothing during the full-scale invasion.
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He is meeting today with Trump to discuss the possible purchase of American weapons.
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The three-button, head-turning jacket is a leading topic of conversation today in Ukraine, with the public marveling as Zelenskyy arrived at the NATO summit in The Hague.
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In a rare change since the full-scale invasion began, Zelenskyy wore a classic suit.
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Think you’ve seen it all? Ukraine has more to tell.
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Here's what Artem is listening to today:
The Unsleeping – Холодно
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If you missed our latest issue on the U.S. strikes on Iran and their implications for Ukraine, you can find it via the link:
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Hungary and Slovakia refused to approve the 18th EU sanctions package against Russia until the European Council meeting, where leaders will discuss sanctions pressure.
The EU has yet to decide whether the package will include a cut to the Russian oil price cap.
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Serbia is halting all arms exports amid Russian accusations of supplying shells to Ukraine. President Vucic announced the decision but denied it was in response to Russia’s allegations.
Vucic cited national security and economic concerns as the reason for the suspension.
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Here's what Liza is listening to today:
Koste – Weather
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Catch our latest issue on the U.S. strikes on Iran and their implications for Ukraine via the link:
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Vladyslav Yesypenko, a journalist for Radio Free Europe’s Kyiv bureau, was released after spending 4 years in Russian captivity.
Russia has illegally detained around 7,000 Ukrainian civilians since the full-scale invasion began.
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New Zealand will provide Ukraine over $9.4 million in aid, including humanitarian and military support like funding for the UK-Latvia Drone Coalition for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s defence has “significant implications” for the Indo-Pacific, New Zealand’s FM said.
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To read more about the U.S. strikes on Iran and their implications for Ukraine, click the link.
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But strikes on foreign countries often prompt a rally-around-the-flag effect, in which governments tighten their grip on power by uniting domestic audiences against a foreign adversary.
Or, the toppling of the regime could lead to an even more oppressive government.
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And then there is the question of what happens to the Iranian regime itself.
Maziar, an Iranian pushing for a democratic future in Iran, wants to see the theocracy topple.
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The escalation between the U.S., Ukraine’s strongest ally, and Iran, a Russian ally, could divert attention from the European war, with the U.S. having an excuse to divert military assistance away from Ukraine, focusing instead on protecting its interests in the Middle East.
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In America’s 21st-century Middle Eastern interventions, one pattern repeats: consequences spiral beyond control, often in ways we all fail to foresee.
Tensions are at their highest since the Cold War. Instead of ending the war in Ukraine, Trump appears to have joined a new one.
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Maziar learned the news just like the rest of us: after Donald Trump announced live to the world that the United States had launched strikes on the Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
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“I'm not happy that my country is under attack,” said Maziar Mian, an architect from Iran who has built his life in Kyiv. “But I'm happy that the Islamic Republic is weakened. I'm happy that this regime could be nearing its end.”
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Real stories with real people, straight from Ukraine.
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DOG OF WAR
Nastia spotted this French Bulldog restlessly waiting for his owner to finish their coffee break. He trotted around the area, keeping a close eye on passing pedestrians.
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ZELENSKYY APPOINTS NEW COMMANDER: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has appointed Hennadii Shapovalov as the new commander of the country’s ground forces, aiming to boost mobilization and overhaul military training amid mounting battlefield pressure.
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RUSSIA TARGETS MIGRANTS FROM ASIA FOR WAR: Russia is recruiting Central Asian migrant workers as "cannon fodder" for its war in Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR).
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NEWS OF THE DAY
PUTIN SAYS UKRAINE BELONGS TO RUSSIA. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reignited concerns over Moscow’s territorial ambitions, declaring that “Russians and Ukrainians are one people” and insisting that “all of Ukraine is ours.”
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We tried to pick characters who would give you the deepest possible understanding of the nature of these places. To read more, click on the link.
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“I don’t want to live under Russia,” said Viktor Zozulia, one of the last residents of Nevske, a twice-occupied village in the Luhansk region that remains under Russian control.
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These are first-hand accounts of the people who would be lost if the territories were conceded – stories that tell us the real cost of Putin’s demands.
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But this is more than just lines on a map. Acquiescing to Putin’s demands would mean abandoning Ukrainians that call those territories home – not to mention a slap in the face of soldiers who have fought and died to keep the frontline where it is.
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This would give Russia an additional 23,000 square kilometers (about 9,000 square miles) of territory, roughly the size of Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island combined.
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Instead of negotiating, Russia is putting forward ultimatums.
Russia demanded a full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions in exchange for a ceasefire.
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Here’s what Nastia is listening to today:
Lana Del Rey - Arcadia
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Yesterday we had a piece about our Dog of War Goldie passing away due to a massive Russian attack on June 17. To know more, follow the link!
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Washington has called Yermak ignorant of the U.S. politics and too demanding, saying they are tired of dealing with Ukraine's 2nd most powerful man.
Yermak responded he is acting in Ukraine's interests.
Such tension threatens the already strained U.S. and Ukraine relationship.
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Spain opposes NATO's proposal to increase defense spending to 5% GDP.
This may lead to friction with Trump, who wants Europe to increase defense funding.
Next week, NATO's summit will look at Russia's growing threat and Trump's threats to cut U.S. support for Europe's security.