Ukraine’s churches are adopting the western calendar – but not everyone is happy: Everywhere in Europe, rituals to mark the winter solstice have long been focused on the Christian narrative of the birth of Jesus. Yet in the ancient Julian calendar, which has gradually been falling out of synch with the Earth’s orbit around the …
Russia’s plan to relocate its Black Sea naval base from Crimea is priceless for Ukraine’s morale: With Russia on the offensive around Avdiivka in the east of Ukraine, most commentators’ attention is once again focused on the battlefield on land. But it’s also crucial to keep a close watch on what is happening in the …
Ukraine’s IT army is a world first: here’s why it is an important part of the war: Ukraine’s recently formed “IT army” is playing a crucial role in the war with Russia, launching disruptive cyber-attacks and data thefts against the Russian government and other high-profile targets such as energy giant Gazprom. The IT army has …
Zelensky’s European tour has won critical support for Ukraine’s counter-offensive: As the war in Ukraine intensifies, President Volodymyr Zelensky has concluded a series of successful visits to Rome, Berlin, Paris and London to shore up support from key allies. The timing of Zelensky’s visit is critical for Ukraine’s efforts on the battlefield and beyond. It …
Finding Ukraine’s stolen children and bringing perpetrators to justice: lessons from Argentina: The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on March 17. They were accused of the war crime of unlawful deportation and transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia. As of April …
Eurovision: If Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra triumph it won’t be a sympathy vote, says an expert: Voting in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on May 14 in Turin may look different for one specific reason – neither Russia or Belarus are taking part. Ukraine’s folk-rap band Kalush Orchestra has qualified for the final. But the European …
Drones and driverless cars could help with Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis: RoClickMag/Shutterstock The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to a serious humanitarian crisis. Of Ukraine’s 44 million people, almost one-quarter have been displaced. Around 3.7 million have escaped to neighbouring European countries, while around 6.5 million are estimated to be displaced inside Ukraine. Tragically, deaths …
Ukraine’s zoos: what is happening to all the animals: No one knows what is going to happen to all the animals at Ukraine's zoos. Shutterstock Details are starting to emerge on how Ukraine’s zoos are coping with the war. Some of the animals including lions, tigers and wild cats have been rehomed to zoos in …
A short history of Ukraine’s relationship with the European Union: Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine on February 24 2022 and the war that has ensued are part of the history of what happened in eastern Europe in the years following the cold war. As the European Union is debating what to do about Russian aggression, …
Ukraine’s opiate users: Russian invasion has severely disrupted access to drug-treatment services: About 317,000 Ukrainians inject drugs like heroin regularly. As of January, 14,868 of them were receiving substitute opiates such as methadone and buprenorphine. Ukraine has been funding these treatment services since 2017. In that year, it also rapidly expanded its services for people …
Ukraine’s cultural heritage faces destruction as Russian bombing continues: Oleksii Vakhrushev/Shutterstock Ukraine is a country with a vast cultural heritage. It is dotted with sites of profound historic, artistic and archaeological importance – from Unesco world heritage monuments such as the Cathedral of St Sophia in Kyiv to exquisite examples of Cossack baroque architecture. But …
Help for Ukraine’s fleeing refugees shows the power of support when the political will is there: In the days since Russia invaded Ukraine, over a million people have fled the country. The UN refugee agency estimates upwards of four million will be displaced by the conflict. The European response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis shows …
Ukraine’s military is outgunned but can still inflict a great deal of pain on Russian forces: Ukraine’s ramshackle military offered no resistance to the Crimean annexation in February 2014. Since then the poorly equipped but well-motivated Ukrainian Army has taken thousands of casualties while fighting separatist forces in the eastern Donbas region. In the meantime, …
Putin’s erasing of Ukraine’s distinct history reveals his imperial ambitions: Lenin may still have statues in Ukraine but he didn't invent the country, despite what Putin may say. Ferran Cornellà via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC Vladimir Putin has long insisted Ukraine is part of the country he rules. “Kiev is the mother of Russian cities. …