KYIV, Ukraine — It was a muted Independence Day in Ukraine’s capital city, where the population generally laid low amid threats of Russian attacks six months into a brutal war that has left tens of thousands dead. The normal jammed traffic was slower, as Ukrainians paid heed to warnings of possible strikes. Air raid sirens sounded throughout…
Author: Laura Kelly
Ukraine marks tense Independence Day hoping for more US help against Russia
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine will mark a tense Independence Day on Wednesday — an anniversary that also represents the six-month mark since a Russian invasion plunged the country into a war for its survival. Ukrainians are resolute and determined to continue the fight, but the threat of heavy bombardment and the uncertainty of the war’s…
Mariupol refugees of Russia’s war tend to their own in Odesa
ODESA, Ukraine — The staff at the “Me Mariupol” refugee center knows what it’s like for survivors from one of the cities most devastated by Russia’s assault on Ukraine — all of them are from there, too. “The main thing is not only to provide practical assistance and aid, like groceries, but to help Mariupol…
From high fashion to flak jackets: Local Odesa designer now outfits Ukrainian military
ODESA, Ukraine — There’s not much difference between designing dresses and bulletproof vests, says Ivan Fotesko, a fashion designer turned army outfitter from Odesa. Fotesko and his friends still can’t believe the turn their lives have taken. Mid-morning they sit at an outdoor cafe to speak with a visiting American journalist from The Hill. Across…
WAR IN UKRAINE: Calm is an illusion in Odesa
ODESA, Ukraine — The signs of war are everywhere in Odesa, but it feels like there’s little fear of death or destruction from Russian attacks. Air raid sirens ring out almost daily, but rocket and missile strikes largely appear to fall far from the city center — a far different reality from neighboring cities such…
GOP report knocks Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal, eyes post-midterm scrutiny
Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee are using an interim report examining President Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan to telegraph their plans to exercise intense scrutiny, and possible subpoenas, if the GOP clinches the majority in Congress in 2022. The strategy, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), is…
US missiles credited as key in Ukraine fight with Russia
U.S.-provided anti-radiation missiles have helped take out some of Russia’s most dangerous weapons systems in Ukraine in recent days. But the missiles, only recently confirmed to be in the hands of Ukraine’s air force, are just one part of a complicated strategy to expel Kremlin forces completely from the country, a Ukrainian fighter pilot told…
Lawmakers are heading to Ukraine with or without White House’s approval
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa) didn’t give the Biden administration a chance to reject his request to travel to Ukraine when he visited Kyiv and Odesa in May. The former FBI agent, who helped stand up Ukraine’s National Anti Corruption Bureau in 2015, traveled with Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), relying on a network of personal contacts…
G7 ministers demand Russian withdrawal from Ukraine nuclear power plant
The foreign ministers of the Group of 7 (G7) countries on Wednesday warned that the Russian military occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant raised the risk of a dangerous nuclear accident. The statement came after damage to the facility drew condemnation from international atomic officials. In a joint statement, the G7 foreign ministers demanded…
US to provide $89 million for demining efforts in Ukraine
The State Department announced Tuesday it will provide $89 million to help demining efforts in Ukraine, comparing the scale of unexploded ordnances Russia left behind to tactics ISIS employed in Syria. The funding will help set up 100 teams that can defuse and dispose of unexploded ordnances that cover an area of 160,000 square kilometers…