Tim Mak

Founder, The Counteroffensive. Based in Kyiv, trying to tell the news of the war through compelling, human interest stories. Read us at https://www.counteroffensive.news/

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Last Notes

2024-07-09 13:26:52

Here's what we are reading today:
The #Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital in #Kyiv was hit by a #Russian X-101 cruise missile, according to the Security Service of #Ukraine
The attack killed 2 people, and 50+ were wounded, including 7 children, the Ministry of Health reports.
https://ssu.gov.ua/novyny/slidchi-sbu-vstanovyly-shcho-rf-udaryla-po-okhmatdytu-raketoiu-kh101

2024-06-30 13:54:47

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NEWS OF THE DAY:
French President Emmanuel Macron called snap parliamentary elections, which are underway today.
The far-right National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, leads the polling, according to the BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2j3ldl1mepo

2024-06-30 13:52:17

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After that, in April 2022, Viktoriia and her husband decided to get out of Kherson by any means necessary, even though fierce fighting was going on everywhere around them.
"We drove 80 kilometers for almost 14 hours. There were many checkpoints. The most terrible checkpoint was in Snihurivka itself, because there were many of their artillery in the fields," said Viktoriia.

2024-06-30 13:51:13

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Meanwhile, patients are afraid to move from city to city because of the constant shelling, even in a relatively safe place like Kyiv, Natalia said.
Blackouts have posed new challenges too. Some patients need artificial lung ventilation, which is impossible without special devices that require electrical power.

2024-06-30 13:50:55

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Lina also explained that women doctors are more involved in pediatric specialties, so there is a shortage of doctors now, as many of them went abroad at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
This shortage is exacerbated by the fact that many of the most highly-qualified specialists have become medics or doctors on the front lines, Nataliia Samonenko added.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/705/893/466/453/829/original/b8039a1911dd20de.png

2024-06-30 13:50:30

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At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, foreign partners began to accept sick children for treatment, but over more than two years of war, international assistance has waned.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/705/891/811/487/290/original/9a0a3ee3c1ca891a.png

2024-06-30 13:50:15

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In addition to financial problems, the full-scale Russian invasion has brought new challenges to the daily lives of sick children in #ukraine including shelling, life-threatening electrical blackouts, and a decrease in the number of specialized medical facilities.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/705/890/837/176/879/original/9fe0bbfd69463905.png

2024-06-30 13:49:51

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Most importantly they lacked access to medicine for Yevhen.
Lost in much of the coverage of this war is the experience of chronically-ill children like him who would simply not survive to adulthood without specialized, and often expensive, treatment.

2024-06-30 13:49:26

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When the invasion began, Russian troops destroyed the farms on the outskirts of their town.
So Viktoriia and her family were forced to rely on some vegetables, canned foods, and some bread made from grain originally intended for cattle.

2024-06-30 13:47:59

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For two and a half months, she and her seven-year-old son Yevhen, whose lungs are affected by cystic fibrosis – a genetic disease that impairs lung capacity due to the accumulation of mucus – stayed in the wet and cold basement of their house.

2024-06-30 13:47:38

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She knew it from her instincts as a mother: once her child began coughing this dry, deep, bronchial sound — they had to risk their lives to escape.
In the first days of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Viktoriia’s town in the #Kherson region was occupied by Russians.

2024-06-30 13:46:46

Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
When the invasion started, chronically-ill children in #Ukraine had access to increased international support.
Now pediatric centers have become harder to find for children like Yevhen, who has a rare genetic disorder.
There is a shortage of pediatric doctors to treat these cases, on top of the physical threats war poses to medicine.
Like running ventilators during blackouts and moving patients between cities under fire.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/705/877/029/479/673/original/0cccd38e10dad6d3.png

2024-06-29 13:53:37

Today's issue: a REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK:
Alessandra visits the mansion of former President Yanukovych, now a museum to the corrupt past.
With corruption reforms part of Ukraine’s EU future, we visited this symbol of corruption that the country's soldiers are still fighting.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/700/241/482/281/704/original/3e3447ab8eba677e.png

2024-06-21 14:03:52

Ukrainian app gives me an alert 30 min before power goes out, which allows me to quick cook dinner before it’s too late
Having a hard time imagining other cities in the world having this level of digital sophistication during a wartime energy crisis
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/654/983/294/004/209/original/523598a6a57367f4.png

2024-06-20 20:15:13

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Here are four ways you can help us now, if you value our presence on Mastodon and our reporting:
1) Boost/RT this message
2) Sign up, free, for our reporting at http:// www.counteroffensive.news
3) Upgrade to a paid membership at The Counteroffensive at http:// www.counteroffensive.news/subscribe
4) Contribute to our tip jar so we can buy this battery and keep reporting: https://donate.stripe.com/fZe29k5II6HNbE4dQQ

2024-06-20 20:13:31

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But here’s what we need to continue: battery power stations that can keep the lights on and the wifi working.
As you can imagine, during a period of war, they are quite expensive: $2,500 — if you can find them in the inventory.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/650/774/249/933/428/original/580714f3944488e6.png

2024-06-20 20:12:53

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The power is out. Again. I tried to stop into a corner store earlier this week, and the mood was cataclysmic: all the refrigerated food is going to spoil.
The Ukrainian power system is in crisis mode: it’s summer, and already an epic catastrophe: businesses are going to fail, people are going to lose their jobs. The winter, when it dips well below freezing, promises to be significantly worse.
We are not going to stop.
We are not leaving.
We’re going to keep doing our #reporting.

2024-06-20 20:12:00

We at The Counteroffensive have been super loyal to Mastodon over the past year, becoming one of the most frequent posters on #Ukraine news and original reporting.
Now we need your help -- This is the graph that keeps me up at night.
It represents The Counteroffensive’s projected revenue for the year. I’ve taken out the numbers, but the shape tells you the story -- we've taken a hit.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/650/766/787/665/655/original/f60763421b2948e7.png

2024-06-09 13:48:26

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Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 81 media workers have been killed.
10 while carrying out journalistic activities, while 71 journalists died as a result of Russian shelling.
With this story, The Counteroffensive honors the memory of the journalists who lost their lives to make the world aware of the war.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/586/974/470/744/547/original/28eeaa51e87f8ff6.png

2024-06-09 13:47:57

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According to the Institute of Mass Information's Monitoring of Russian Crimes Against Journalists and Media, #Russia has committed almost 600 different crimes against journalists and media in #Ukraine during the two years of full-scale war.
https://imi.org.ua/en/monitorings/599-crimes-against-the-media-and-journalists-in-ukraine-committed-by-russia-in-the-two-years-and-i61559

2024-06-09 13:47:27

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They got out of the car and walked towards the scenes of combat, but then disappeared.
Two and a half weeks later, the police found the body of Maks Levin – the Russians had killed him with two shots.
This week Ukraine celebrates the Day of the Journalist.
Due to the full-scale war, some have left their usual professions and joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces, while others, with pen or camera in hand, are documenting the war crimes of the Russians in #Ukraine.

2024-06-09 13:46:37

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Maks was one of the few journalists who covered the war for eight whole years since 2014.
So on February 24th, 2022 there was no question for him whether to document the full-scale Russian invasion.
On March 13, Maks Levin together with soldier Oleksii Chernyshov, a former photographer, went by car to the village of Huta-Mezhyhirska, near the frontlines.
The pair were not far from Kyiv, as the Russians advanced on the capital.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/586/968/001/601/221/original/43fed88c69c5d7f9.png

2024-06-09 13:45:50

Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.
This week is #Ukraine’s National Journalist’s Day and to honor it, we remember the 81 journalists killed since #Russia invaded
… through a profile of photographer Maks Levin, who was killed near Kyiv in March, 2022.
"Every Ukrainian photographer dreams of taking a photo that will stop the war," was one of Maks Levin's most famous sentences.
Unfortunately, he never did, because Russia killed him.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/586/964/245/158/293/original/93d1e46300b45e8d.png

2024-05-16 13:16:35

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Using a loophole in sanctions, #Turkey is disguising Russian oil as its own and exporting it to the #EU, bringing billions in profits to #Russia, Politico writes.
Between February 2023 and February 2024, Turkey increased its purchases from Russia by 105% compared to the previous 12 months. During the same period, Turkish fuel exports to the EU increased by 107%.
https://www.politico.eu/article/how-turkey-become-vladimir-putin-pit-stop-sell-camouflage-fuel-eu/

2024-05-16 13:16:04

Here's what we're reading today:
In #Vovchansk, #Kharkiv region, where active hostilities are taking place, the first executions of civilians by #Russian troops have been reported, police said. A man who tried to flee on foot was killed. Civilians are also being captured.
Evacuations had been taking place, but now the Russian military, trying to gain a foothold in the city, is not allowing locals to evacuate.
https://www.dw.com/uk/klimenko-vijska-rf-berut-v-polon-ta-rozstriluut-civilnih-u-vovcansku/a-69095571

2024-05-15 13:15:41

Here's what we are reading today:
#Russia are succeeding in their assault on #Kharkiv due to: delayed #US aid, poor fortifications and #Russia battlefield tactics and #russia is benefitting from the US preventing #Ukraine from using #US weaponry on Russia territory, Max Boot writes for the Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/05/13/russia-kharkiv-ukraine-us-blunders/

2024-05-09 13:45:52

ANALYSTS: #UKRAINE OIL FACILITY ATTACKS WORKING:
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia's #oil refining industry, which began in January, are one of the best strategic moves by Ukrainian forces in this war, argue three scholars — Michael Liebrich, Lauri Mullivirta, and Sam Winter-Levy - in Foreign Affairs.
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/why-ukraine-should-keep-striking-russian-oil-refineries

2024-05-01 14:46:06

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NEWS OF THE DAY
Last night #Ukraine attacked #oilrefineries in the #Russian Oblasts of Ryazan and Voronezh, Ukrainian military intelligence has confirmed. The attacks have taken a toll, #Politico reported that #diesel prices within Russia have increased by almost 10 percent in the last week.
https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-russia-diesel-prices-skyrocket-ukraine-war-drone-strikes-oil-refineries/

2024-05-01 14:46:01

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This made her think about why her experience of learning Russian and Ukrainian were so different and how that can be explained through history.
Go to the link to read the full issue!
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/366/371/221/840/764/original/d9056bcdde9be9a2.jpeg

2024-05-01 14:45:39

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So she started learning and she has found it is nothing like learning Russian - with so many Ukrainians also switching from #Russian to #Ukrainian - the culture of Ukrainian language education is totally different - one where people feel encouraged and rewarded for trying.
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/366/369/847/480/591/original/fb1cc563e36f700a.png

2024-05-01 14:45:12

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She had spent a lot of time in #Ukraine and planned to move there, so she moved despite the #RussianFullScaleWar war. But she found all her friends had switched to #ukrainian The conversations quickly became awkward. She was forced to ask herself – why had she never learnt more Ukrainian?
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/366/367/797/548/023/original/782f3f25600ecb7d.png

2024-05-01 14:44:37

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She explained this constant battle she found herself in to other Russian students and learned her struggle wasn’t unique, overall it was clear there is a uniquely unforgiving and punishing storm that one has to weather in order to learn Russian.

2024-05-01 14:43:52

Good morning to readers; #Kyiv remains in #Ukrainian hands.
There are moments in our lives that unexpectedly become pivotal.
Like when Alessandra learned there is no word for privacy in #russian making her think about how each #language carries the different culture of its people...
https://assets.journa.host/media_attachments/files/112/366/358/917/019/190/original/999384cfed17632f.png

2024-04-17 22:51:42

Do I have any readers in El Paso? Drop me a line if so?