Ukrainian Ambassador at UN: Russians, Pack up and Leave Ukraine

Analyzing and even ridiculing Russia’s cock-and-bull elaborations about its global policies, superiority and concerns, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Andrii Melnyk, dissected Moscow’s fabrications by pointing out in his inimitable sardonic style every lie, falsehood and exaggeration uttered by a Kremlin official.

Russia’s fabrications and manipulations threaten peace, stability and security in an already unstable world.

The Ukrainian diplomat cautioned that listening to Moscow’s untruths would leave the casual and gullible listener with the impression that Ukraine invaded “poor Russia” and not the other way around.

Replying scathingly in the General Assembly of the United Nations on March 23 in the language of the Russian invader and oppressor, Melnyk snapped “Just stop whining and lying and get out of Ukraine.”

Russia is shedding blood and spreading mayhem on two fronts – Ukraine and Iran. It is actively engaged in combat operations in Ukraine that kill innocent civilians and passively in Iran by providing the regime in Teheran with a range of weapons. The irony of the situation is that Russia is using its and Iran’s drones and missiles to also destroy towns and homes in Ukraine while pretending to be a friend and ally of the so-called Gulf States.

Melnyk categorically rejected Russia’s impression of benevolence: “It is Russia that is not just the principal ally of Iran, but the main accomplice and co-perpetrator of unlawful attacks against civilian infrastructure of the Gulf States.

“Russia has long portrayed itself as a ‘big friend’ of the Global South opposing the ‘vicious’ West.

“But this narrative collapses under the weight of the real actions of Moscow helping Iran to ruin oil and gas production facilities in the region.

“Russia does not care about the Global South. It has actually betrayed it.

“The Kremlin is not just providing Tehran with intelligence support, including satellite imagery and other crucial data that facilitate targeting of US military assets across the Middle East.”

Melnyk said Russia is not merely providing Iran with intelligence support, including satellite imagery, but there is enough evidence demonstrating that Russia is transferring modernized shahed drones to Iran. “The  same shahed drones that Tehran was sending to Moscow since 2022 to murder Ukrainian civilians are now produced in Russia and sent back both to destroy oil and gas infrastructure as the backbone of the economy in the Gulf states, and to kill American soldiers. This is an unprecedented escalation in the region that may cost countless lives,” he said.

Melnyk believes that the global community must treat seriously the danger that this Moscow-Tehran axis of evil is presenting to international security. Russian drones will help Iran wage this war for a very long time, destabilizing not only the region but the whole global economy.

Ukraine is doing its share to weaken the military potential of this “unholy alliance” despite facing brutal aggression on the part of Russia. Melnyk noted that the Ukrainian military is striking production facilities thus exercising its right of self-defense.

“So, providing Ukraine with the means for deep strikes and helping ramp up our domestic production of long-range missiles will support collective efforts to bring peace to the Middle East,” he added.

Ironically, Melnyk continued, Russia is the primary beneficiary of this new wave of instability in the Middle East.

He elaborated:

“First, it automatically diverts global attention away from its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

“Second, the massive deployment of air defense systems is already creating shortages on the international market.

“And third — and most critically — rising oil and gas prices are generating extraordinary windfall revenues for Russia.

“Estimates suggest that in March alone, Russia may earn an additional $10 billion from energy exports.

“That is why we call upon our allies to impose additional sanctions on Russian oil and gas to deprive Moscow of these profits that fuel not only its war against Ukraine but also undermine global security and claim lives, including those of American servicemen.”

The Ukrainian official appealed to the international community not to allow Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine to be overshadowed by other regional and global conflagrations, pointing out that Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine and the Kremlin’s malign imperialistic goals are intertwined.

Melnyk listed the up-to-date tally of Moscow’s destruction and carnage in Ukraine:

“There shall be no illusion: this Russian war of annihilation against Ukrainian statehood continues with relentless brutality.

“This winter was the deadliest for the civilian population since February 2022.

“Over the last three months, Russia launched nearly 19,000 strike drones, more than 14,600 guided bombs and around 800 missiles.

“Russia sought to plunge Ukraine into total blackout, to fully destroy critical infrastructure, and to break the resistance of our people.

“But even though the suffering of civilians and the level of devastation are huge, Russia has failed to achieve this perfidious goal.

“According to recent polls, Ukrainians do not even consider giving up.” – Nor should they.

Despite Moscow’s demands that Ukraine surrender Donbas to Russia that is endorsed by Washington inasmuch as Ukraine is losing the war, citing military statistics, Melnyk showed the opposite trend.

“Russian troops, the self-proclaimed second army in the world, have needed three and a half years to occupy 9,300 square kilometers, an area three times the size of Rhode Island.

“Putin’s allegedly inexorable march to 'victory' has been proceeding more slowly than a turtle’s pace.

“At the current speed, it would take 183 years to occupy the whole territory of Ukraine. I repeat, Russia will need 183 years.

“It doesn’t really sound like a successful blitzkrieg for Moscow, does it?”

Melnyk said in recent months Ukrainian troops have broken the dynamics of war and begun to push Russian forces back in localized counterattacks. “In February alone, the Ukrainian army liberated a territory the combined size of Queens and Brooklyn in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. So, from the military point of view, Russia is not winning the war. And it is an obvious fact,” he noted.

Another reason why Putin is failing in Ukraine, Melnyk continued, is because of the deteriorating economic situation in Russia. Putin stated as much by acknowledging last week the grave state of Russia’s economy.

“Zero growth, zero reserves, increasing budget deficit and many other factors make it more and more difficult for Russia to finance the war against Ukraine and pay the salary to its soldiers,” Melnyk said. “Thus, we appeal to the United States to reintroduce sanctions against Russian energy resources as soon as possible and tighten the screws on Moscow. We also call upon other member states who used to be the biggest buyers of Russian oil, gas and diesel to stop exporting them and stop filling Kremlin’s war chest and bankrolling its aggression.”

Sadly, the only Russian accomplishment in the war is in the inhuman pain and suffering that it is inflicting on Ukraine and Ukrainians.

“Every day, civilians are murdered both in areas near the front lines and deep within Ukraine as a result of daily drone and missile attacks. We have just heard the shocking figures of the number of victims during the briefing of USG DiCarlo (Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo). I will not repeat them, they still echo in our ears.

“Russia is destroying critical infrastructure, targeting power and heat generation facilities, destroying water supply systems, and demolishing hospitals, schools, residential buildings, and businesses.

“Thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians are being illegally held by Russia in inhumane conditions subjected to systematic torture. They must be released without any conditions.

“Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted, deported, or forcibly transferred. They must return home immediately.”

Ukraine is committed to peace, Melnyk insisted, but if compelled, Ukrainians will fight for their freedom and existence as they have been doing since the latest iteration of Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014.

But Melnyk appropriately told the global community that Ukrainians have actually been fighting their existential war against Russian cutthroats for far longer.

“Before I wrap up, allow me to address one final point.

“At our previous meeting, the representative of Russia once again recycled a familiar narrative about an alleged historical “unity” between Ukrainians and Russians.

“He even muttered something about Kyivan Rus under his breath that we — Ukrainians — had sold for thirty pieces of silver.

“Let me set the historical record straight once and for all.

“In the beginning of the 12th century, Kyiv was the capital of the largest and one of the most powerful states in medieval Europe.

“In those times, the area of present-day Moscow was nothing more than a swamp where only frogs were croaking.

“It was in 1147 that a tiny settlement on the edge of the known political world was first mentioned that later would develop into Moscow.

“It was under the powerful reign of the Grand Princes of Kyiv that Moscow was founded.

“It was Andriy Boholubsky, the ruler of Vladimir-Suzdal, today’s Russia, whose troops plundered Kyiv in 1169, murdered its citizens and looted the city’s treasures with a ferocity reminiscent of the barbarian sackings of ancient Rome.

“So, let us be honest: it was Moscow that betrayed Kyiv.

“It is Moscow that continues the same brutal policy to this day, bombing Kyiv, destroying our golden-domed churches, raping and killing civilians.

“Ukrainians do not need your distorted historical lessons about imagined “unity”.

“It’s like the egg lecturing the chicken.

“As the cradle of Ukrainian statehood, Kyiv has stood firm for more than a thousand years and it will stand for a thousand more.

“It will flourish, it will remain unconquered, Russia will fail to subjugate it.”

Melnyk concluded his address in the same manner that he began it – in the language of the Russian invader and oppressor, Melnyk insisted:  “So, let me address you again in your own language that serves as a reminder of Russian colonial legacy: ‘Закончен бал, потухли свечи. Бери шинель, иди домой.’

The party is over – the candles are out. Take your trenchcoats and get out of Ukraine.”

Fortunately, most of the free world, members of NATO and, especially the former captive nations, support Ukraine’s position on all of these points. They believe that if Ukraine falls, Europe up to the Atlantic Ocean will eventually succumb to Russia’s enhanced pressure because it’s more than Moscow, which is half of the unholy alliance that includes Iran. Ukraine will suffer, Israel will suffer and Europe will suffer.

It is unfortunate that President Donald J. Trump refuses to believe this endgame. He dangerously believes his führer-friend Vladimir Putin. He refuses to only take Ukraine’s side but rather addresses both sides equally. Trump cannot risk playing both sides against the middle. His self-proclaimed deal-making skills aren’t that deep. He is endangering the United States and its allies. He is also endangering his political career because Ukrainian American voters will not forget this betrayal. 

Russia Launches Record Number of Aerial Ordnance against all of Ukraine

Moscow intensified it attacks against Ukraine with all the fury in its arsenals today, March 24, as it launched some 1,000 drones, missiles and other aerial ordnance across Ukraine in 24 hours, destroying civilian homes and transport, wounding scores and killing some dozen Ukrainians in their homes. It was the largest Russian strike series against Ukraine of the war thus far.

The scale of the attack threatened peace and tranquility in Poland as Polish jets scrambled to monitor flight patterns of Russian drones and missiles that in the past were known to stray across the border into Poland.

The Internet was filled with dramatic videos of the Russian airborne attacks as ordnance after ordnance hit civilian targets. One frequently posted clip showed a Shahed flying over the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, located some 70-80 miles from the Polish border. The drone hit targets including a UNESCO World Heritage site in Lviv. The 17th century St Andrew’s Church, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, is more than 400 years old.

More than 550 of the drones were launched at targets across the country in a rare and deadly daytime assault, the military said. So far, the attacks left at least 40 people in the country injured including five children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Ukrainian officials condemned Tuesday’s attack on the bustling downtown district of Lviv and called on the international community to react. “Russia brutally struck the center of Lviv, a city of exceptional cultural value and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I urge the UNESCO Director General to immediately respond to this crime in the strongest terms,” commented Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. “Russia is doing exactly what the Iranian regime is doing in the Middle East, but in the middle of Europe.”

The latest Russian attack should have also lain to rest illusions about Moscow’s desire to reach peace and end the war.

“Iranian Shaheds, modernized by Russia, are striking the church in Lviv – this is an absolute perversion, and only someone like Putin could take pleasure in it,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. “The scale of this attack clearly shows that Russia has no real intention of ending this war.”

The morning strikes followed a large-scale missile and drone attack on multiple Ukrainian cities through Monday night, which killed at least five people and injured 16 others.

The explosions were reported from the cities of Poltava and Zaporizhzhia shortly before 3 AM.

Meanwhile, Poland scrambled fighter planes and allied aircraft to respond to the Russian strikes, though it later confirmed that “no violations of the country’s airspace were observed.”

At least two people in the western Ukrainian oblast of Ivano-Frankivsk have been killed, the region’s governor Svitlana Onyshchuk said. The victims included a National Guard soldier and his 15-year-old daughter, according to Ivano-Frankivsk mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv. They were at a hospital maternity ward visiting the soldier’s wife who had given birth to a son just days prior.

Four others, including a 6-year-old, were injured. And in Vinnytsia, a 59-year-old man was killed while 11 others were injured, according to Mayor Serhiy Morhunov.

“This was one of the largest attacks over the course of the day,” with drones directed towards central and western Ukraine, Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said.

In Lviv, at least 22 people were wounded in the attack, the city’s mayor Andriy Sadoviy said.

The air force said at least 15 hits were identified and at least 541 drones were shot down or neutralized.

Residential buildings and city centers in the country were hit, including a maternity hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk that sustained damage, according to Ukrainian officials.

Meanwhile in Russia, a 55-year-old man was killed and 13 others injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in the Kursk region, according to Acting Governor Alexander Khinshtein.

Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes overnight and during the day damaged civilian, energy, and transport infrastructure in Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, Vinnytsia, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

As of March 24, Kharkiv has been undergoing intense, consecutive Russian aerial assaults, including daytime and overnight drone/missile strikes that have hit residential areas and caused multiple casualties. The attacks, often involving glide bombs and missiles, are heavily damaging civilian infrastructure. Fighting continues in the northern Kharkiv Oblast, while students utilize underground schools. 

Russia has targeted Kharkiv with sustained drone and missile attacks, part of a broader wave affecting 11 regions. Attacks have resulted in at least 10 deaths and dozens of injuries, including children, with significant damage reported in residential and commercial areas. Intense fighting continues near Kharkiv city, specifically around Vovchansk, Starytsya, and other border areas. Due to persistent danger, about 20,000 children are attending school in underground classrooms for safety. 

A Russian drone struck a commuter train in Kharkiv Oblast, killing a passenger who, according to preliminary information, refused to evacuate, Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) said on March 24. Targeting passenger trains is the latest target of choice for Russians. The strike came amid intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure since July 2025. As Russia targets passenger trains, Ukrainian Railways implemented additional security measures on January 28, including stopping trains and evacuating passengers if there is a threat of a train being hit.

According to Ukrainian Railways, the train that was attacked on March 24 was traveling between the regional capital of Kharkiv and Slatyne, a rural settlement located 13 kilometers (eight miles) from the Russian border

“Russia’s decision to bomb a heritage site in the middle of a major Ukrainian city in broad daylight was a signal of intent that points unmistakably toward a coming escalation. Putin is clearly struggling to defeat Ukraine on the battlefield, but he remains committed to extinguishing Ukrainian statehood and is prepared to ruthlessly target the civilian population in order to break the current deadlock and force the country’s surrender,” observed Peter Dickinson, editor of the Atlantic Council’s UkraineAlert service.

Russian forces intensified operations across multiple fronts in Ukraine, carrying out 619 assaults within four days, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Facebook on March 23.

The statement follows remarks by President Zelenskyy, who said in mid-March that Ukrainian forces had repelled a large-scale Russian offensive planned since late 2025 and set for early March.

Russian troops attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses across several sectors of the front line between March 17 and 20, Syrskyi said.

Russian forces launched an offensive involving “tens of thousands of soldiers” and, after four days of fighting, lost 6,090 troops killed or wounded, with a total of 8,710 infantry losses over the past week, Syrskyi added.

Most Russian assaults took place in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast and the Oleksandrivka sector at the intersection of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

According to the commander-in-chief, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions near Pokrovsk 163 times and near Oleksandrivka 96 times over the past four days.

As for the illusory peace talks, Ukraine and US still need to develop the security guarantees, Zelenskyy told journalists. Security guarantees were one of the topics discussed over the weekend between Kyiv and Washington's representatives at a meeting in Florida.

Kyiv wants iron-clad promises from the US and other allies to come to its aid should Russia attack again after the end of the war.

Ukraine-Russia peace talks are stalled with no real progress, according to President Zelenskyy, following reports from negotiators returning from the US Russia is currently escalating its spring offensive with massive aerial attacks and shows no genuine interest in diplomacy. The talks are on a “situational pause” due to the conflict in Iran. 

“The most important task is to develop security guarantees in a way that brings us closer to ending the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media after meeting with his negotiating team.

Zelenskyy had said in January that the security guarantees document between Ukraine and the US was “100% ready” and waiting to be signed.

“The geopolitical situation has become more complicated due to the war against Iran, and unfortunately, this is emboldening Russia,” he said on Tuesday. 

Easing Sanctions now Gives Russia Money to Bomb Ukraine

President Donald Trump’s premature, unwarranted and dangerous lifting of sanctions against terrorist Russia now will not achieve the illusory goal of defeating Iran but rather it will give Moscow more money and drones with which to bomb Ukrainian cities and kill Ukrainian civilians.

This decision will ultimately demonstrate to America’s enemies, Russia and Iran, that it is weak and incapable of fulfilling its original mission – as well as endanger Americans and Ukrainians alike.

The US Treasury Department announced Thursday a 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions. The step aims to free up Russian cargoes stranded at sea and stabilize supply shortages caused by the Iran war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned today that the US 30-day waiver on Russian oil sanctions amid the Iran war as being “not the right decision” and won’t help bring a stop to Russia’s more than four-year-old invasion of Ukraine.

The American move to ease pressure on Russia was met with exasperation by Ukrainian leadership. Speaking in Paris on Friday, Zelenskyy said the US decision was "not very logical.”

“This easing alone by the United States could provide Russia with about $10 billion for the war,” Zelenskyy said. “This certainly does not help peace.”

“I believe that lifting sanctions will, in any case, lead to a strengthening of Russia’s position. It spends the money from energy sales on weapons, and all of this is then used against us,” Zelenskyy said at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Paris.

“Therefore, ultimately lifting sanctions only so that more drones will later be flying at you is, in my opinion, not the right decision,” he said.

Analysts noted that spiraling oil prices due to Persian Gulf production blockages are benefiting the Russian economy. Moscow relies heavily on oil revenue to finance its invasion of Ukraine and acquisition of weapons and military materiel, and sanctions were a growing handicap.

European Union leaders continued their support for Ukraine, siding with Zelenskyy, and called out Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian oil as fueling the war machine against Ukraine, as Washington tries to ease energy prices after a second week of conflict in the Middle East. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said six of the seven G7 leaders had agreed that lifting sanctions was not “the right signal to send” when they held a joint meeting this week. The US was the exception.

Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Zelenskyy all denounced the decision to allow the delivery and sale of Russian oil stranded at sea, which will allow the Kremlin to replenish its war chest for the ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“The unilateral decision by the US to lift sanctions on Russian oil exports is very concerning, as it impacts European security,” António Costa, President of the European Council, added in separate comments, stressing that Russia is the only beneficiary of the current situation, which sees Moscow coffers cashing in on the war.

“Any step that would enable Russia to increase its revenues from oil sales would be problematic in view of the larger goals that we have regarding crippling Russia’s war capabilities against Ukraine,” Merz added. “We want to ensure that Russia does not exploit the war in Iran to weaken Ukraine.”

European leaders rounded on the Trump Administration Friday for temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to bring down surging energy prices amid the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

“We think that’s wrong,” Merz said, speaking alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. “There is currently a price problem, but not a supply problem. And in that regard, I would like to know what other factors led the US government to make this decision.”

Merz said the decision by the US Administration had come as a surprise on Friday morning, crushing his hopes that Washington might refrain from taking such steps, as other G7 members had strongly urged Trump not to ease the pressure on Moscow during a joint video call on Wednesday.

“We want to ensure that Russia does not exploit the war in Iran to weaken Ukraine,” Merz said. “Nor will we allow Moscow to test NATO on its eastern flank and up here in the north.”

Merz stressed that Germany, together with its G7 partners and Israel, was working to end the war. He also reiterated his fears that the U.S. and Israel lack a strategy for ending the conflict.

In view of soaring prices, Merz pointed to the release of international oil reserves in recent days, including by Germany, which he said, “will help to moderate energy prices to some extent.”

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the British Conservative Party, joined the chorus of opponents saying lifting sanctions now is wrong. She added that twisting Ukraine’s arms into agreeing to territorial concessions is also a mistake and it will make Russia’s Vladimir Putin think the West is weak and malleable.

Western political analysts and pundits have also sided with Ukraine by criticizing Trump for being soft in his dealings with Putin. Indeed, the US President seems to be reluctant to hold Putin to the full count.

Undeniably, Trump’s Russia policy, which favors Russia, is simultaneously filled with contradictions. On the one hand, he supports Moscow versus Kyiv in this war while on the other hand he is opposing Russia when it comes to Iran, which is supplying drones with which Russia bombs military and civilian targets in Ukraine. 

Russians Charged with War Crimes for Stealing Ukrainian Children

It has been evident since Russian terrorists invaded Ukraine in February 2022 that not only are they aiming at military and non-military targets and infrastructures and civilians but most of all children. A March 2026 UN investigation has found that 80% of Ukrainian children documented as taken – yes, stolen right from their parents’ arms – by Russians have not been returned, with the systematic transfer and failure to repatriate them constituting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The forced deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia throughout its full-scale war in Ukraine amounts to crimes against humanity, a United Nations (UN) investigation published on March 10 found.

Since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine’s national “Children of War” database has documented 20,000 Ukrainian children that have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and taken to Russia or Russian-controlled areas.

"The Commission concluded that crimes against humanity and war crimes by Russian authorities have targeted children, who are among the most vulnerable victims," a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found.

The United Nations found on Tuesday, March 11, that Russia’s deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022 amounted to crimes against humanity.

Ukraine says some 20,000 children have been illegally sent to Russia and Belarus where they are sometimes subject to military training and forced to learn Russian and salute the Russian flat as well as fight against their own troops. This inhuman tactic is meant to deprive the Ukrainian nation of new generations of Ukrainian children.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Russian führer Vladimir Putin and five other Russians over illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. Moscow denies it is taking children against ⁠their will, saying it has been evacuating people voluntarily to remove them from a war zone.

In this report, the commission concluded that crimes against humanity and war crimes by Russian authorities have targeted children, who are among the most vulnerable victims, said the report. “These crimes have irreversible consequences on their lives and their future.”

The report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine studied the cases of 1,205 children from five regions in Ukraine and said that 80% of them have yet to return.

The commission’s work is based on analysis of thousands of documents and submissions from rights groups as well as over 200 ⁠interviews, including with families of the missing and some children who made it home.

“The deportations and transfers have originated from various locations across a wide geographic area in Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, following a well-established pattern of conduct, indicating that these acts have been widespread and systematic,” added the report, to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday.

It also said that Russian authorities at the highest level of government have helped coordinate the actions.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha welcomed the report and called on states to increase pressure on ⁠Russia to secure the return of deported children.

US-funded research last year showed Russia expanded its forced re-education programs ⁠of deported children. US First Lady Melania Trump has advocated for their release and has been in touch with Putin’s representatives as part of her work.

Its work is based on analysis of thousands of documents and submissions from rights groups as well as over 200 interviews, including with families of the missing and some children who made it home.

“The deportations and transfers have originated from various locations across a wide geographic area in Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, following a well-established pattern of conduct, indicating that these acts have been widespread and systematic,” added the report, to be presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday.

Trump’s Insistence to Discuss Peace Deal Falls on Deaf Ears in Kremlin

It seems as if President Donald Trump’s recurring pressure on Ukraine and Russia to return to the negotiating table is falling on deaf ears in the Kremlin. Despite Trump’s immoral and irrational policy of addressing parity between victim and attacker, Ukraine continues to feel the brunt of Russia’s obnoxious disregard for global pleas to cease its aggression.

Russia’s latest massive airborne attack against unarmed Ukrainian civilian targets triggered a nationwide air raid alert at around 3 AM, Saturday, March 7, local time (8 PM EST) to warn people against incoming projectiles. Civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv again suffered Russia’s bloody wrath. Russia’s arsenal of Iranian drones and missiles is apparently unlimited.

Russian troops struck a five-story building in the city of Kharkiv with a ballistic missile, killing 10 people, including two children, and injuring at least 15, local authorities reported.

Russia launched 480 drones, including Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and 29 missiles, including hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missile and Iskander-M ballistic missiles, targeting energy infrastructure across Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. Ukrainian forces downed 453 drones and 19 missiles, the statement read.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the Russian attack on the city killed a teacher and her nine-year-old son, as well as a 13-year-old girl and her mother. Among the injured in Kharkiv are two boys, aged six and 11, and a 17-year-old girl, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov. The number of victims could grow as rescue operations are still underway. Eleven people are believed to be trapped under the rubble. Syniehubov said fires were reported as a result of a ballistic missile attack.

A secondary school in Kharkiv’s Kyivskyi district was damaged in a Russian strike. The building has been damaged for the third time since Russia's full-scale invasion, with about 160 windows blown out and classrooms damaged.

“Since the start of 2022, this is the third time our windows have been blown out like this. But it’s the first time on this scale. There is a huge amount of damage. Not a single classroom has been left undamaged,” Karina Kruk, deputy head of the institution, speaking to Suspilne Kharkiv, a local branch of Suspilne, Ukraine’s national public broadcaster.

Two people were injured in the town of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast after a Russian drone attacked a home at around 1:20 AM, according to State Emergency Service.

“There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue.”

The attack came hours after Zelenskyy said he had visited the eastern front on Friday.

Zelenskyy condemned the attack and called for an international response. However, this Russian attack was again met with silence from the White House. Zelenskyy said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country.

According to preliminary data, air defense systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones, with hits from 9 missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations.

In Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble, looking for survivors. Among the dead are a primary school teacher and her son, a second-grade student, who were killed in their home and an eighth-grader who also died with her mother, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov.

“There must be a response from partners to these savage strikes against life,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “Russia has not abandoned its attempts to destroy Ukraine’s residential and critical infrastructure, and therefore support must continue. We count on active work with the European Union to guarantee greater protection for our people. I am grateful to everyone who helps strengthen our protection.”

In Kyiv, 1,905 buildings in the Pecherskyi, Dniprovskyi, Holosiivskyi and Solomianskyi districts have been left without heating following a Russian attack on the night of March 6-7 and damage to a critical infrastructure facility.

This includes some high-rise apartment blocks in the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, where it is not yet possible to restore the heat supply due to critical damage to the Darnytsia Combined Heat and Power Plant, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. He stated that utility services are working to restore heating to these residential buildings as quickly as possible.

Zelenskyy visited Donetsk Oblast on March 6, meeting Ukrainian brigades defending key eastern cities as Kyiv warns Russia may be preparing a new offensive this spring.

“The Russians are not abandoning the war, and here, in Donetsk Oblast, they are preparing an offensive for the spring,” Zelenskyy said on X.

Donetsk Oblast, on the border with Russia, remains one of the war’s most active front-line regions, as Russian forces continue pressing Ukrainian defensive positions around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad – two key logistics hubs west of Russian-occupied Donetsk.

“It is important that our positions are strong. It is important that our brigades are adequately supplied,” the Zelenskyy said. “Our warriors are holding their ground with dignity. And this is how our country, our diplomacy, and our people will hold strong as well.”

At least two people were killed and eight others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the previous day, local authorities said on March 6.

Russian forces launched 141 different types of drones against Ukraine overnight, of which roughly 100 were Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles, the Air Force said on March 6. It reported downing 111 of them.

In Kherson Oblast, one person was killed, and four others were wounded by Russian attacks over the past day, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on March 6.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russia attacked three districts of the region with artillery, drones, and "Uragan" multiple launch rocket systems, regional governor Oleksandr Hanzha reported on March 6.  He said three people were wounded, including a 15-year-old girl.  

Curiously, after publically berating Ukraine and its President for pursuing a war that it cannot win because of Russia’s superiority, President Trump reportedly begged Zelenskyy for help in dealing with Iranian drones.

“We received a request from the United States for specific support in protection against shaheds in the Middle East region,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by the Kyiv Post. “I gave instructions to provide the necessary means and ensure the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can guarantee the required security.”

Later on Thursday last week, Zelenskyy appeared to respond to Trump’s comments about the peace negotiations with Russia – saying that Kyiv’s priority is “to do everything to end the war.”

“We will continue the diplomatic process when our American partners are ready to work as we agreed – bilateral formats with them, trilateral formats with Russia, as well as work with the Europeans.”

“Right now, practically all of the world’s attention is focused on the situation around Iran, and no matter how long the hostilities last there, we must be ready to resume diplomacy at any moment. That’s exactly how the Ukrainian team works,” he added. “Ukraine helps partners who help ensure our security and protect the lives of our people,” Zelenskyy said. “Glory to Ukraine!”

Trump apparently decided to quickly deal with criminal Venezuela and Iran but he’s still in a quandary about the true nature of Russia. Who is the greater threat to global peace and security? The answer is Russia.

8 Countries Condemn IPC for Supporting Russia Paralympic Winter Games 

Eight European countries condemn IPC for allowing Russia and Belarus to compete in 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. Expressing their complete support for Ukraine, the eight nations also deplored the decision to ban Ukrainian athletes from wearing uniforms that displayed maps of these countries.

Following is their full text:

Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Sweden firmly condemn the 

recent decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games under their national flags, also allowing the display of their anthems and state symbols. This decision undermines international efforts to isolate Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.

We also deplore the decision by the IPC to prohibit Ukrainian athletes from wearing costumes featuring a map of Ukraine. Misrepresenting a map of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders as propaganda is deeply concerning and mocks the principles of international law.

We express our full solidarity with Ukraine and its people. We jointly call on the IPC to reconsider its decisions and call on Member States’ authorities to consider boycotting the Opening Ceremony of the Games. We support Italy as the Host Nation of the Games in its call on the IPC to revoke its decisions, thus aiming to prevent the display of the state symbols of the aggressor state and its accomplice during the Games.

Zelenskyy Declares He’ll never Surrender Donbas to Russia

Despite Russian demands that Ukraine cede its land to Muscovy and Washington’s acceptance of such a gambit to end Moscow’s latest aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has again categorically declared that he would never surrender Donbas to terrorist Russia.  

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is not prepared to give up Donbas, as the region holds the country’s strongest defensive strongholds. Withdrawing troops would open the way for Russian forces to advance deeper into Ukraine, he said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Responding to a question about whether Ukraine would be willing to abandon Donbas in exchange for security guarantees from allies, Zelenskyy emphasized that “Russians do not want foreign troops in Ukraine, and Europe must be firmer on this issue.”

“I am not going to question whether there are foreign troops in Russia — for example, 10,000 North Korean soldiers. I do not understand why Moscow should decide which troops are stationed on our land,” the president insisted.

“But I want to state clearly: I will never abandon Donbas and the 200,000 Ukrainians who live there. Why should I do that? Because Putin imposes it as a condition for peace? And will he immediately put forward new demands? No, I will not tolerate that,” he added.

When asked whether negotiations included exchanging Russian-unoccupied areas of Donbas for territories captured by Russia in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, the president stressed that “these lands cannot be compared.”

“First of all, when we talk about border territories — any border territories — they are very difficult for the enemy to hold. The Russians clearly understand they won’t be able to keep them, and the time will come when we will push them out. So this is not a gift,” Zelenskyy said.

At the same time, he noted that Donbas remains a key objective for Russia. The president emphasized that Russia’s strategic goals have hardly changed since the start of the war.

“You could say their appetite has decreased slightly, but only for now. Therefore, we are not talking about exchanging small border territories for the large territory of Donbas or the Donetsk region that we currently control,” Zelenskyy said.

He added that if the aggressor state chooses to withdraw from negotiations, Ukraine will seek another way to end the war.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine’s best defensive positions are located in Donbas, and if Ukrainian troops withdraw, Russian forces would gain full freedom of action toward the center of the country.

“Let’s imagine it’s not Europeans but Americans who send their troops — for how long?” he said.

Zelenskyy also drew a parallel with the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

“What will happen if, in 10 years, it’s not Trump but another US president who decides to withdraw troops? We need a strong Ukrainian defense line,” he concluded.

In the meantime, Russia’s war against Ukraine continues along with its killings.

At least six people were killed and 35 others were injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on March 3.

Russia launched 136 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 127 unmanned aircraft. At least five drones evaded defenses and struck three locations. The fall of debris was recorded in three locations.

At least three people were killed and 30 others injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities said on March 4.

Russia launched 149 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, reporting that Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 129. At least 19 drones evaded defenses and struck 15 locations. The fall of debris was recorded at one location.

Apparently Iran saved some of its drones for Russians to use against Ukraine.

Russians Brutally Execute 337+ Ukrainian POWs

Russia has “deliberately and brutally” executed at least 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) as of the end of 2025, Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said on March 3 during a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, according to The Kyiv Independent.

“Russia has turned torture into state policy and uses it as a weapon,” Lubinets said in a post on Telegram.

Lubinets added that, according to UN data, 95% of Ukrainian POWs are systematically tortured in captivity.

Lubinets called on the international community to increase pressure on Russia, ensure that every crime is fully documented, and bring those responsible to justice.

“This issue is critically important — the world cannot stand aside,” he said.

The mistreatment of prisoners of war constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

The European Union, condemning the execution of Ukrainian soldiers, stated in 2024: Executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russia are increasing, with at least 177 prisoners of war having died in Russian captivity since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, according to reliable sources. Nine Ukrainian prisoners of war were reportedly shot by Russian troops in the Kursk region on 10 October. On 1 October, 16 prisoners of war were reportedly executed by Russia in Donetsk oblast after their surrender.

“The European Union strongly condemns these killings, which are another abhorrent example of Russia’s brutalization of the Ukrainian people. These cases are appalling and represent grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. They demonstrate Russia’s continued and systematic disregard for international law, and in particular, international humanitarian law. Russia has clear obligations under the United Nations Charter and international law it must fulfill.

“That Russian public figures publicly call for the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and glorify these executions, calling for more, exposes yet again the real nature of the regime in the Kremlin.

“The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) already confirmed the systematic use of a wide range of different methods of torture, including sexual violence, against Ukrainian prisoners of war by their Russian captors. The EU also condemns the prisoners’ lack of access to the outside world and the denial of humanitarian access for independent monitors.

“The EU reiterates its firm commitment to holding to account all perpetrators and accomplices of Russian war crimes against Ukraine.”

Russian torture and mistreatment of Ukrainian POWs is a repeated crimes against humanity

The HRMMU reported that Ukrainian soldiers had their personal belongings stolen during admission into POW camps, and that the prisoners were taken to the camps into overcrowded buses, with little to no access to water and toilets; many were blindfolded with their wrists bound with duct tape in a way that left many with wounds in these areas. The same was reported inside the camps themselves, with many POWs reporting overcrowded cells, as well as a lack of food, hygiene and contact with their families.

Humiliation of captured Ukrainian soldiers

Videos showing Ukrainian prisoners of war being forced to sing pro-Russian songs or carrying bruises have attracted concerns about their treatment. Dmytro Lubinets claimed that Russians forcibly shaved heads of female Ukrainian prisoners.

Ukrainian prisoner of war and human rights activist Maksym Butkevych was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The vast majority of Ukrainian prisoners who had in the hands of the Russian and Russian-affiliated armed groups reported that they had been interned in dire conditions and subjected to torture and ill-treatment, including beatings, threats, dog attacks, mock executions, as well as electric and positional torture. Several women and male prisoners were threatened with sexual violence and subjected to degrading treatments and enforced nudity. A male prisoner reportedly had been pulled with ropes tied around genitalia. The UN agency also collected information about nine possible cases of death during the “admission procedure” to the internment camps.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture said in September 2023 that Russia’s use of torture “is not random, aberrant behavior” but “orchestrated as part of state policy to intimidate, instill fear or punish to extract information and confessions.”

Polish Minister: If Ukraine Falls to Russia so will Europe

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said in a major policy speech last week that Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia is “our war” and warned that if Ukraine loses the danger from Russia will only grow, reported Intellinews.com.

“This war will decide which actor becomes the third pillar of the new global balance of power alongside the United States and China — whether it is Russia or the European Union,” Sikorski said.

It would be a serious mistake if this war were treated as a distant or secondary issue, Sikorski said. A Russian victory would shift the burden directly to NATO’s eastern flank and increase the financial and military cost of deterrence for Poland and its allies, he said.

“If Ukraine loses, the danger from Russia will only grow ... In 2022-25, the EU and its member states supported Ukraine with nearly €200 billion ($234,095,000,000. Defending NATO’s eastern flank in the event of a Russian aggression would have cost €1,200 billion (1,404,660,000.00) at least,” Sikorski said.

To ensure that Russia does not consider attacking Poland or NATO in Eastern Europe, Poland must maintain high defense spending and build an “army strong enough to deter Russia,” Sikorski said.

The minister cited defense spending in this year’s budget at 4.8% of GDP, the highest proportion in NATO, Sikorski said.

Ukraine’s ambition to join the European Union is part of that strategic calculation, Sikorski said. Enlargement would anchor democratic reform in Kyiv and extend stability eastwards, however accession will require meeting strict criteria and sustained reform, Sikorski said.

Integrating Ukraine into European structures also enhances Poland’s long-term security, Sikorski pointed out.

Sikorski praised Ukrainians who have settled in Poland since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukrainians have high employment rates, contribute taxes and social security payments and help fill labor shortages across sectors from services to manufacturing, he said. Their contribution to public finances exceeds the value of benefits received, Sikorski added that solidarity has strengthened, rather than weakened, the Polish economy.

Continuing about the effects of Russia aggression in Ukraine, former Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė told The New Voice of Ukraine who should be responsible for Ukraine’s security after the war ends, outlining the roles of allies and long-term guarantees needed to prevent renewed aggression on February. 27.

Ukraine must receive security guarantees that would serve as a real deterrent to the Russian dictator, Ingrida Šimonytė said, especially as Vladimir Putin seeks to influence the debate on security guarantees in order to make them nominal rather than substantive.

“I think they must be real legal commitments. Not another Budapest Memorandum, which is a declaration of goodwill. This must be a political commitment. They must be ratified by parliaments. These must be real obligations of the participating states,” she added.

At the same time, Šimonytė emphasized that the main security guarantee will always be the Ukrainian army. “This is the security guarantee that has worked throughout these four years. Despite the fact that Russia is larger and has more manpower,” she said. “The Ukrainian army is well equipped and well trained, with all the new technologies it has managed to develop during the war.”

Another example of the former captive nations’ fear and distrust of Russia is Estonia’s plan to install up to 600 concrete bunkers along its eastern land border as part of the joint Baltic Defense Line with Latvia and Lithuania.

The Estonian Center for Defense Investments (ECDI) and Latvia’s Ministry of Defense have launched a public procurement for the bunkers. The total cost is estimated at €60 million, with about €30 million allocated for this year, ECDI spokesperson Krismar Rosin said.

“The first Baltic Defense Line bunkers have been delivered, and installation is proceeding gradually in Southeastern and Northeastern Estonia,” ECDI deputy director Asko Kivinuk said. “The experience gained gives us the confidence to move forward with the larger-scale procurement.”

Estonia has also deployed all acquired barriers to pre-deployment areas and is continuing work on the defense line’s anti-tank ditches. The ECDI aims to complete the Baltic Defense Line at its currently planned scale by the end of 2027.

The initiative is designed to halt a potential military attack right at the eastern borders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. 

President Trump: The Issue Isn’t Rocket Science

Ever since President Donald Trump got involved in the negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine I have noticed that the White House team didn’t understand why Moscow invaded Ukraine, why Russia is aggressive against Ukraine, why it wants sovereign Ukrainian land, and why Putin hates Zelenskyy. Consequently, as I have written, this conundrum in the mind of the American president has lead him and his team to enunciate a fictitious state of parity between the Nazi-like dictator of Russia and the democratically elected leader of Ukraine, which Trump falsely believes can help resolve the issue and bring peace to the region. Trump browbeating Zelenskyy is unjust and accentuates the American president’s ignorance.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio posed the rhetorical question in the European Pravda of February 26, 2026, sympathetically bemoaning that President Trump does not understand why Ukraine and Russia cannot reach an agreement to end the war.

Rubio was asked by journalists why the American president’s frustration appears to be directed equally at both Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin – though he does arm twist Zelenskyy more than Putin to come to the table and accept a deal – given that Russia continues to strike civilian infrastructure and civilians across Ukraine.

He replied that Trump’s frustration is general in nature, as reflected in his previous statements.

“He just doesn't understand how two countries in such a vicious, horrific, and bloody war cannot reach an understanding on how to end it. He wants to see it ended, and he's done a lot. He's invested a lot of political capital in this,” Rubio said.

He might have invested a lot in the war’s end but that investment wasn’t backed up by knowledge and comprehension of the issues going back centuries. Simply stated, Russia has been hell bent on invading and subjugating Ukraine while Ukrainians have had to defend their nation against Russian tsarists, communists and “putinists.” Trump doesn’t know that, doesn’t want to know or doesn’t care about that important historical fact.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, laid out the issues on the proverbial historical table, pointing out that Russia’s war against Ukraine is rooted in centuries-old imperial ambitions that have not changed despite shifts in regime, like I have been saying.

In an interview with the Arab outlet Al-Modon published in the February 27 edition of the Kyiv Post, Budanov stated that lasting security for Ukraine and Europe will only be possible when Russia ceases to exist as an empire, while firmly rejecting any territorial concessions to Moscow.

Budanov noted that the war has effectively lasted 12 years – since 2014 – longer than the First and Second World Wars combined. Over that time, he said, Russia has grown weaker economically, politically and demographically, but its imperial ambitions have remained intact.

“The change of regimes in Russia has not changed its essence,” he said, adding that neither the tsarist, Soviet nor current system prioritized improving citizens’ lives – tsarist, soviet and putinist.

“The policy of the current Russian president is not much different from the policy of the tsarist or Soviet eras,” he said.

According to Budanov, Russia will not transform through internal processes alone. “We should create conditions under which Russia as an empire will disappear,” he said, suggesting that several regional nation-states could eventually emerge in its place. “Only then will Ukraine, Europe and the whole world feel more secure.”

He stressed that Ukrainians will not accept territorial concessions. The issue of territory, he said, remained central during recent trilateral talks in Geneva involving the US. “Territories are the main issue. Everything else is secondary,” Budanov said, expressing confidence that all occupied lands would eventually be liberated.

The Kremlin’s ultimate goal, he added, is not limited to individual regions but encompasses all of Ukraine. “It is naive to think that Moscow, having seized some territories without a fight, will abandon its expansionist ambitions. Therefore, the only real deterrent is the Ukrainian army.”

Indeed, Moscow’s appetite for Ukraine – its land and people – cannot be slaked by concessions or other forms of appeasement. That’s why Zelenskyy demands that the free world give Ukraine security guarantees that would make Russia suffer painfully if it violates the deal anytime in the future.

Zelenskyy is justly adamant about not surrendering Ukrainian land to Russia for any reason. “Honestly, I do not believe that this is all that Russia demands. Our withdrawal from Donbas, and then the war will end. Russia is Russia, and you cannot trust them,” Zelenskyy said expressing his steadfast decision about no concessions. 

Grin and Bear It or Lie Back and Enjoy It

You may have wondered where are the Russian liberal, democratic human rights activists, the darlings of the Western media, and why aren’t they condemning their despotic führer?

Are there so few of them left that you only hear of them when they’re exiled, arrested or killed, depleting further their sparse ranks?

I’m bemoaning their meagre membership but I am curious about the likes of Andrey Makarevich, who wanted to organize a million man march in Mosco; Alexei Navalny, who died in prison; Boris Nemtsov killed on a bridge, Anna Politkovskaya killed in the entryway to her apartment, and others. As famous as they were, there weren’t enough of them to stand up and depose Putin or pass the mantle to the next generation.

The Guardian in Great Britain also wondered in its February 22, 2026, edition. The newspaper stated: “The strategy of Russia’s liberal elite is clear: make your peace with Putin. This is how they survive.”

So it seems as if they went underground ideologically rather than challenge him.

Twelve years into the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as seizure of Crimea and Luhansk and Donetsk, Russia’s intellectual elite has shown no sign of resisting the very difficult spot that Putin placed them in by acting without their consultation. Instead, the so-called dissidents or wannabe dissidents have largely adapted, reshaping itself in ways that ensure its survival in what increasingly looks like a state of permanent conflict. They also boast of the proper Soviet political lineage. But they’re nowhere near the previous generation’s courage of Andrei Sakharov, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Andrei Amalrik, Liudmyla Alekseyeva and others. They naively fought for a regime change, for a Kremlin with a human face, not realizing that Russia itself breeds multilateral despotism. They fought against Putin not against the evil of Russia.

The newspaper used as examples of this disappearing act Nikita Mikhalkov and Olga Lyubimova, current minister of culture of Russia.

Mikhalkov’s father, Sergei, wrote the Soviet national anthem under Joseph Stalin, rewrote it during the thaw and revised it again under Putin. The son would have had an easy time of joining the political elite. Nikita, now 80, is a clearcut imperialist and a close ally of Putin.

Olga Lyubimova was more colorful in her explanation as she struggles between the two lifestyles—brave and not; official or unseen.

The Guardian wrote that as a prominent and well-connected member of Russia’s elite, Lyubimova is perhaps the clearest example of how that elite has adapted to Moscow’s aggressive, imperial reality. She started her career in the early 2000s as an aspiring television journalist, but from the early days relied on her connections with Mikhalkov and the Russian Orthodox Church. And yet she happily mixed with Moscow liberals – in the 2000s it still appeared possible to make your career without thinking too much about the Kremlin. Many in Russia were once part of this group, the Guardian pointed out.

Some of her friends and acquaintances also had the proper pedigree as descendants of prominent Soviet families and felt nostalgic for the status they had lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union. As journalists, many reported from post-Soviet hotspots in the 1990s – South Ossetia, Abkhazia, but also Serbia – and became convinced of the existence of a large US conspiracy against the Russian empire and its traditional allies.

And most of them, being ambitious, wanted a role in Russian history. But how can they penetrate it. They became convinced that in a country such as Russia, this could only be achieved by serving the ruler: you are either “in” or “out” – and if you are out, you are a loser. There’s no other way. They had embraced this logic before 2022. Now, in a time of repression targeting many Russian state institutions – including the culture ministry – this logic feels sounder still. So what can they do? Do they deceive themselves? In their minds it comes down to realizing that it doesn’t pay to tangle to Putin.

But it was Lyubimova who probably offered the most succinct explanation of why people like her – neither narrow-minded nor brainwashed – chose to side with the Kremlin. After all that would be their salvation rather than betrayal. When Moscow was deeply shaken by mass protests in 2010-11 against Putin’s return to the Kremlin, Lyubimova’s liberal friends joined the demonstrations. She abstained. She responded by publishing online what she called Lyubimova’s manifesto for surviving in this brutal Russia:

“I lie on my back, spread my legs, breathe deeply, and even try to enjoy it.”

Now that’s a quote that she’ll be proud to show her descendants. 

Toll of Russia’s War on Ukrainian Children

It’s difficult to say who has suffered more. The children who Russia steals from the arms of their parents? The children who see their parents, loved ones and friends killed or raped by Russian cutthroats? The children who are injured or maimed in Russia’s war against Ukraine?

Certainly not those children who have been killed by Russian invaders since the war started on February 24, 2022.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported more than 3,200 Ukrainian children have been killed or injured since Russia's invasion began exactly four years ago. The group's representative to Ukraine, Munir Mammadzade, joins Becky Anderson to break down the impact of the conflict on the country's most vulnerable.

More than a third of Ukraine’s children – 2,589,900 – remain displaced as the Russian war vs Ukraine enters its fifth year. This includes more than 791,000 children inside Ukraine and nearly 1,798,900 children living as refugees outside the country.   

“Millions of children and families have fled their homes in search of safety, with 1 in 3 children remaining displaced four years into this relentless war. Obligations under international humanitarian law must be upheld. Every child has the right to grow up in safety and without exception that right must be respected,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Regina De Dominicis.

Many children have been forced to flee their homes multiple times. A recent survey conducted by UNICEF found that of those displaced, 1 in 3 adolescents aged 15-19 years reported moving at least twice. Safety was cited as the most common reason for fleeing.

Bombardments have killed or injured more than 3,200 children since February 24, 2022. Last year saw a 10% increase in child casualties compared to 2024, the third consecutive year in a row that UN-verified child casualties have increased.  

More than 1,700 schools and other education facilities have been damaged or destroyed, resulting in 1 in 3 children unable to attend in-person schooling full-time. 

Recent strikes on energy infrastructure have left millions of children and families struggling to survive in extreme sub-zero temperatures as they are forced to endure days without heating, electricity and water at home. Babies and young children are at the highest risk of respiratory illnesses and hyperthermia in these conditions, while medical facilities struggle to operate under attacks and reduced energy, with nearly 200 medical facilities verified as damaged or destroyed in 2025 alone.

Aside from the physical dangers, children’s mental health is increasingly under strain. Constant fear of attacks, endless sheltering in basements, and isolation at home with limited social connections has left adolescents struggling. A recent survey found that one in four 15-19-year-olds is losing hope of a future in Ukraine, pointing to an urgent need for safety and stability, and investment in the critical services and opportunities that children and young people need. 

“At first, when I came to Bulgaria, it was difficult for me and I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Today I already have friends here, I study in a Bulgarian school, and I dream of becoming a child psychologist because I want to help other children. This is very important,” shared 16-year-old Denys from Ukraine, who has been living in Bulgaria for three years and is part of the “Young Hopes” club in Varna, supported by UNICEF. 

In Bulgaria, since the outbreak of the war, more than 220,000 people have received temporary protection. In 2026, over 80,000 people from Ukraine are still in the country, around 25-30% of whom — or nearly 24,000 — children. UNICEF Bulgaria works with national and local authorities, as well as non-governmental organizations, to ensure access to essential services for vulnerable children and families from Ukraine, including support for education, access to information, help with adaptation, and group and individual support to cope with trauma and uncertainty.

A 2025 UNICEF survey showed that 1 in 5 children reported having lost a close relative or friend. 

Around 70% of children — 3.5 million children — in Ukraine still lack access to basic goods and services, including adequate food or shelter. One-third of Ukraine’s children live in homes without functioning water supply and sewage and nearly half of all children lack access to an area to play at home or outside. Over 3,300 schools and pre-schools have been damaged or destroyed. In frontline areas, many students attend classes in underground shelters due to safety concerns.  

In 2025, delivering through local authorities and partners in Ukraine, UNICEF reached 7 million people, including 2.5 million children with humanitarian support. UNICEF’s recovery programming, working with national and local authorities, strengthened social services for some 9.8 million people across the country.   

UN General Assembly Marks ‘Grim’ 4^th Anniversary of Russian War vs Ukraine but without US Support

UNITED NATIONS – Marking the fourth anniversary of the bloody Russian war that is still raging in Ukraine, the UN General Assembly today adopted a resolution demanding an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire, as delegates voiced varying degrees of hope and skepticism over ongoing United States-facilitated peace talks.

The Assembly’s 193 members met today – exactly four years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine – in the latest meeting of its Eleventh Emergency Special Session on Ukraine, which was first convened in February 2022.

They adopted the resolution, titled “Support for lasting peace in Ukraine” by a recorded vote of 107 in favor to 12 against, with 51 abstentions.  By its terms, the Assembly called for an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the release of all unlawfully detained persons, and the return of all internees and of civilians forcibly transferred or deported, including children.

While the resolution by the international organization is justified and accurate in its intent, it is mind boggling that the United States decided to abstain from supporting the document. But on the other hand, the action goes hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump’s contrary position regarding Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the US proposed a “motion for division” for the resolution, separating the second paragraph of the background and the second action clause from the rest of the resolution for separate votes.

The motion was strongly objected to by Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa, who called it “deeply concerning and cannot be accepted.”

The US deputy envoy to the UN, Tammy Bruce, argued that "Our view is that certain language in the resolution is likely to distract from ongoing negotiations, rather than support discussion of the full range of diplomatic avenues that may pave the way to durable peace."

“This war, initiated by a permanent member of the Security Council in blatant violation of our Charter, continues to inflict untold suffering on the Ukrainian people,” said General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock (Germany), in remarks delivered by Assembly Vice-President Tania Serafim Yvonne Romualdo (Cabo Verde).

Even as peace talks continue, the UN said, 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since the start of this invasion, she said.  Nearly 4 million people are internally displaced, while homes, healthcare facilities, schools and energy grids have been deliberately targeted and destroyed, leaving people to freeze to death.  “This violence spares no one — not mothers or fathers, not grandparents and certainly not children.”

As the world watched in shock, she said, it would have been easy to remain paralyzed.  But, the General Assembly — too often dismissed as a body with no real power — chose a different path.  With the Security Council deadlocked, the Assembly convened the first meeting of its emergency special session and has since adopted eight resolutions with concrete demands.

“Since the invasion, the General Assembly has remained clear, resolute and unwavering,” she said.  “At a time when the UN is under intense scrutiny and the Security Council remains deadlocked, this Assembly has demonstrated its ability to act as the moral voice of the international community.”

“No country in modern history has endured an attack of such gravity,” said Mariana Betsa, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, who introduced today’s resolution.  Russia seeks to divide the world into spheres of influence and render Ukraine its satellite, she said, but it will not succeed.

Despite many peace efforts, Betsa said, Moscow has demonstrated no genuine willingness to stop its aggression.  Between 8 and 15 February, it launched some 1,300 attack drones, more than 1,200 guided aerial bombs and 50 missiles against Ukraine, most of them ballistic.  Ukraine, on the other hand, has shown clear readiness to pursue peace, including through extremely difficult compromises.

Painting a vivid picture of life in Ukraine without heat or electricity in frigid winter conditions, she declared:  “This is not a military strategy gone wrong, this is a deliberate Russian State policy.”  Moscow continues to weaponize winter, cold and darkness to break her nation’s resilience. Ironically, the New York Post recognized Russian  intention to weaponize the frigid winter cold but noted that Moscow failed. The gambit made Ukrainians more resilient and stubborn in the face of these Russian cruel efforts.

Against that bleak backdrop, she urged Member-States to vote in favor of the draft resolution before them today, emphasizing that it is no mere “political gesture,” but a vote for justice, peace and in support of the Ukrainian people.

Ambassador Tammy Bruce, deputy UN representative of the US, insisted that

“The Russia-Ukraine war must end now. Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States continues to devote energy and effort at the highest levels to bring both Russia and Ukraine closer to a negotiated agreement that will finally end the bloodshed and destruction.” Bruce, like the entire Trump team, emphasized the unjust concept parity rather than placing the onus on the perpetrator Russia.

“Ending the war, of course, is the right thing to do, but no one is suggesting it will be easy. It will require sacrifices and compromises. In this regard, the United States calls on everyone to do all in their power to lower the rhetoric and engage in good faith,” Bruce said.

“The United States welcomes, of course, the call for an immediate ceasefire. As we’ve said, this resolution also includes language that is likely to distract from ongoing negotiations, rather than support discussion of the full range of diplomatic avenues that may pave the way to that durable peace. For this reason, the United States called for a vote on the two paragraphs and ultimately chose to abstain on the resolution.

“What is needed now to end the war is political will. We believe we are closer to a deal than at any point since this war began. Let this be the last anniversary of an ongoing war that has continued for far too long and at far too great a cost. Let’s end it now,” she said.

“Today, we mark a tragic anniversary,” said the European Union’s delegate, in its capacity as observer.  Moscow continues to intentionally attack civilians and civilian infrastructure, which are war crimes.  “Politically, the war has deepened divisions between countries and eroded trust in international institutions and norms,” he said, adding that it has also impacted trade, food security and other critical systems around the globe.

“We want this war to stop,” said the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, echoing those points.  “Russia’s war is an imperial and colonial war,” she added, emphasizing that no one is safe from this ambition - even countries across Africa and the Middle East have been pulled into Moscow’s imperial strategies. 

Denmark’s delegate, also speaking for Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, said: “What the Kremlin thought would be a three-day ‘Special Military Operation’ has now entered day 1,461.”  Peace in Ukraine must be comprehensive and respect international law, she said, calling for robust security guarantees to prevent the Russian Federation from invading Ukraine again.

“No super-Power wins a war against reality,” said the Czech Republic’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. He addressed his remarks directly to his counterpart in Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergei Livor, asking:  “Does this war actually lead to more security for your country?”  Even great nations cannot survive wars that have no end.  “The strength of a global Power does not lie in its ability to start a foreign war,” but in its ability to end one, he stressed.

“Georgia knows firsthand the consequences of occupation,” said that country’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, noting that Moscow continues its illegal military presence in his country’s Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions.  Indeed, he stressed, Georgia knows the price of peace and will fully support the Ukrainian people.

Russia can run from the truth all it wants but it can’t hide from it. The world knows and it will remember.