Fierce Planet

Bucha is not a hoax

Posted on April 5, 2022 by jnfr

Putin is claiming that the bodies we’ve seen in Bucha and elsewhere were planted after the Russian army were driven out of the area. The New York Times used satellite imagery and showed definitively that the murders had to happen during the Russian occupation.

That link should get you past the paywall for at least a week or two. Their work is well worth looking at. It’s meticulous.

ETA: The Washington Post has a detailed account of the brutality visited on the people of Chernihiv, a city which has been returned to Ukranian control, though there is great concern that the Russian army may return. Hard to read, but important (also a non-paywalled link, at least for a while).

Posted in Military, Ukraine, War | Tagged putin, ukraine | Comments Off

War crimes

Posted on April 4, 2022 by jnfr

I am not going to post the pictures or video coming out of Bucha now that the Russians have retreated. The barbarism shown, pictures and video showing dead bodies of tortured citizens, can be easily found on Twitter, and you really should look if you can bear to. Though as the tweet below says, Zelenskyy’s face tells the tale.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Bucha today. His face says it all. pic.twitter.com/IWOmIdnnVT

— Kateryna_Kruk (@Kateryna_Kruk) April 4, 2022

Chef Andrés and World Central Kitchen are in Ukraine feeding refugees. He has been traveling the areas around Irpin and Bucha, and while he is clearly sad and disturbed by what he’s seen, WCK has no intention of leaving.

Some thoughts from the train this Sunday… It’s difficult to convey the experience of going to Irpin & Bucha… You’ve all seen the photos—unbelievable to think in 21st century those horrors are happening. I promise you we @WCKitchen will not leave the Ukrainian people alone 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/ZpYAxV3mMG

— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) April 3, 2022

Posted in International, Ukraine, War | Tagged putin, war crimes | Comments Off

Thank the journalists

Posted on April 1, 2022 by jnfr

…who go into harm’s way so that we can see what is happening in the war zone.

Ukrainian forces have regained ground against the Russian military, changing the course of this war. On the outskirts of Kharkiv, @RichardEngel reveals how Russian military equipment has been destroyed and abandoned. pic.twitter.com/R4yeLgmV1U

— On Assignment with Richard Engel (@OARichardEngel) March 30, 2022

This 88-year-old woman was sitting by herself, disoriented & frightened. “I’m so afraid, my whole body is shaking,” Praskovya told @RichardEngel. She’s lived through WWII and said she doesn’t have the strength to go through another war. pic.twitter.com/VrFkfnIRHD

— On Assignment with Richard Engel (@OARichardEngel) March 31, 2022

Posted in International, Media, Ukraine, War | Tagged putin, ukraine | Comments Off

Trump is a traitor

Posted on March 30, 2022 by jnfr

His only concern is for himself.

"Donald Trump is mentally unwell in a way that makes him interested exclusively in what benefits him."

CNN White House correspondent @JohnJHarwood reacts to a new interview where Donald Trump asks Putin for intel on the Bidens. Watch the moment here: https://t.co/GjUYRKXFob pic.twitter.com/k67KbDnbzG

— CNN (@CNN) March 30, 2022

Posted in Corruption, Elections, International, Politics, Republicans, Trump | Tagged putin, trump | Comments Off

The Jan. 6th Investigative Committee

Posted on March 29, 2022 by jnfr

I really look forward to the public hearings this spring. They certainly have plenty to investigate about that day and all that led up to it (gift link, no paywall).

While we wait, this is worth listening to.

If you haven’t seen @jamie_raskin drop a massive truth bomb as the 1/6 Committee voted on contempt charges for Trump’s stooges today…

Buckle up: pic.twitter.com/IGIQZYpYzz

— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@NickKnudsenUS) March 29, 2022

Posted in Corruption, Elections, Legal, Republicans | Tagged 6th, Congress | Comments Off

Breadbasket of Europe

Posted on March 25, 2022 by jnfr

Chris Hayes had a segment on the danger of famine that Europe, Asia, and Africa are likely to face with the loss of Ukraine’s wheat crop. The area under siege is often called the world’s breadbasket, since Ukraine and Russia supply almost a third of the world’s barley and wheat supply. Obviously those crops will be crushed this year, and prices are already spiking.

Posted in Farms and Food, International, Ukraine, War | Tagged food, putin, ukraine | Comments Off

This extraordinary woman

Posted on March 24, 2022 by jnfr

Ketanji Brown Jackson is, not surprisingly, more qualified than any recent candidate for the Supreme Court. Seeing the way Republicans treated her yesterday was disgusting, disturbing, horrible. That she sat calmly and responded with dignity was no surprise, but still beautiful to see.

At least we had some moments like this one.

"I would tell them to persevere."

Giving advice to young people, Judge Jackson emotionally tells the story of being given crucial encouragement by a woman she did not know while a student at Harvard. pic.twitter.com/XmvrY95Fvk

— The Recount (@therecount) March 23, 2022

And also this very passionate moment from Cory Booker.

Sen @CoryBooker during a speech that has made Judge Jackson tear up, tells her "You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American." pic.twitter.com/Tbph51Pdh5

— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) March 23, 2022

KBJ was so moved that tears came to her eyes. And Sherrilyn Ifill had a lovely take on that moment.

KBJ’s tears came not at the vile antics of those so grotesquely attacking her. They came upon being seen, honored and uplifted by a Black man willing to stand in the gap and demand the respect to which she is entitled. In that context, her tears were sacred & covered us all. https://t.co/TyAZluJTfK

— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) March 24, 2022

You should also read Elie Mystal’s report on the day. We will all be honored when she takes her rightful place on the Court. ETA: You can see more of Cory Booker’s statement to Judge Jackson here.

Posted in Civil Rights, Democrats, Equality, Justice, Legal, Race | Tagged courage, courts, KBJ | Comments Off

Mariupol in ruins

Posted on March 23, 2022 by jnfr

Mariupol, Ukraine looks apocalyptic following indiscriminate shelling by Russian forces.

📍47°06'01"N 37°37'59"E with the camera facing east. pic.twitter.com/E4A8NTIbAI

— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) March 23, 2022

Posted in International, Ukraine, War | Tagged putin, ukraine | Comments Off

Kherson

Posted on March 21, 2022 by jnfr

The city of Kherson, like Mariupol, is near the Black Sea in southern Ukraine. Russia has made a heavy push along the Sea and early on took control of Kherson, at least nominally. As it turns out, and as predicted, overrunning a city militarily is very different from holding it in occupation indefinitely.

And the citizens clearly do not want the Russians in their city.

In Kherson, local people are shoving out Russian occupiers with bare hands. They are not scared to protest even after many activists were persecuted. “Go home” – they chant. pic.twitter.com/0HRnLIfB0j

— Liubov Tsybulska (@TsybulskaLiubov) March 20, 2022

Russian soldiers responded with guns and tear gas. Civilians were wounded.

⚡ In occupied #Kherson, putin's invaders are shooting at civilians who have come out to protest.@BBCWorld @CBSNews @AP @FoxNews @Telegraph @CNN pic.twitter.com/6zH18f2dhT

— Wagief (@wagief) March 21, 2022

Posted in International, Justice, Resistance, Ukraine, War | Tagged putin, ukraine | Comments Off

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