Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

Today #Odesa residents paid last tribute to sea-soldiers

[Natalka]

explosion in #Kharkiv.

Bomb blasted in the car with #Ukraine military commander & his wife. Both injured, in the hospital now

[Natalka]

In the heart of Berlin, in the Museum Checkpoint Charlie, a huge poster urges Putin to stop aggression against UKR

[Natalka]

Very good opinion piece - Jews in Ukraine and Purim


Kharkiv Jewish Community Centre


http://www.jta.org/2015/03/05/news-o...rely-a-respite

[Natalka]

March 6

Pro-Russian militants attacked Ukrainian positions 35 times, Avdiivka and Pisky over the night. No record of artillery use.

Russia-backed insurgents used IFV and mortars to attack Ukrainian position near Mykolayivka. Attack repelled.

Insurgents attempted yet another unsuccessful attempt to assault Shyrokyne. Used mortars, small arms and sniper rifles.

4 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the last 24 hours. No fatal casualties.

Food prices skyrocketed in rebel-held territories. Cases of hunger recorded in Sverdlovsk, Snizhne, Torez and Pervomaisk.

Insurgents cut off 2 Ukrainian TV channels in Krasny Luch.

President Poroshenko signed a decree to create military-civil administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
Military-civil administrations would enable to pay social benefits, repair infrastructure, secure law and order, prevent provocations.

[Natalka]

Happy International Women's Day from the people at the front line of European values!

In Ukraine, March 8th is traditionally a holiday when men greet the women that they know (their wives, girlfriends, daughters, mothers, grandmothers, colleagues, neighbors, in one word - everybody) with International Women's Day and give them flowers.


Ukrainian soldiers at the front are far away from their families and busy defending the country from the Russian invasion. But they considered it their duty to send International Women's Day greetings to all the women out there

"Happy 8th of March"



"Greetings"



"Happy holiday, our dear girls!!!"

[Natalka]

201st Anniversary of Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian poet, writer, artist

(March 9,1814-March 10,1861)

"It makes no difference to me,
If I shall live or not in Ukraine
Or whether any one shall think
Of me ‘mid foreign snow and rain.
It makes no difference to me.
In slavery I grew ‘mid strangers,
Unwept by any kin of mine;
In slavery I now will die
And vanish without any sign.
I shall not leave the slightest trace
Upon our glorious Ukraine,
Our land, but not as ours known.
No father will remind his son
Or say to him, “Repeat one prayer,
One prayer for him; for our Ukraine
They tortured him in their foul lair.”
It makes no difference to me,
If that son says a prayer or not.
It makes great difference to me
That evil folk and wicked men
Attack our Ukraine, once so free,
And rob and plunder it at will.
That makes great difference to me.

Taras Shevchenko
St. Petersburg Citadel Prison May, 1847

-----------

Думи мої, думи мої - My thoughts, my thoughts

[Natalka]

9h 9 hours ago A few brave souls have come to celebrate the birthday of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Simferopol -about 30 here



BUT...

3h 3 hours ago


In #Simferopol police detained the organizer and 2 participants of the rally marking #Shevchenko201 birth anniversary

[Natalka]

4h 4 hours ago #Troitske in #Luhansk oblast, E #Ukraine was shelled by #russian militants

------
Fighting increasing outside #mariupol near #Shirokino



Damage increasing

[Natalka]

#Kharkiv: ppl mark #Shevchenko201 birth anniversary, read his poems

[Natalka]

#Sloviansk celebrates birthday of prominent #Ukrainian poet - Taras #Shevchenko

[Natalka]

64 Ukrainian soldiers killed during “ceasefire” — Poroshenko


As of March 9, 2015, more than 1,500 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in the Donbas, and 64 have been killed since the start of the newest “ceasefire,” President Poroshenko said during an interview with the First National Channel, March 9.

“To date a total of 1549 military personnel have been killed: Armed Forces — 1232, Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) — 99, National Guard — 132, Border Patrol — 63, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) — 7, State Emergency Service –16, ” Poroshenko said.

Additionally, Poroshenko reported that since February 15, the date of the announced “ceasefire” according to the Minsk agreements, 64 military have died in the Donbas, including those killed during the Debaltseve withdrawal.

At the last meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, I asked for disclosure of the casualties suffered during the withdrawal from Debaltseve. Based on all the services — MIA, SBU, Armed Forces, National Guard and others — the official count is 19 military killed, 135 wounded, 9 in captivity,” Poroshenko said.

The fighting has been continuing in eastern Ukraine since March 3, 2014. According to UN data, more than 5,800 have been killed during that time.

http://euromaidanpress.com/2015/03/1...re-poroshenko/

[dededi]

Thanks Natalka for all the posts. I never realized how much violence there is.

[Natalka]

Euromaidan PR @Euro maidanPR · 3h 3 hours ago

Kyivites meet the #Cyborgs of the 95th brigade as they are heading back home to Zhytomyr through #Kyiv




Glory to the Heroes!

[Natalka]

NATO chief says Russia still equipping Ukraine rebels

Wed Mar 11, 2015

MONS, Belgium (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that Russia was still arming and training rebel forces in eastern Ukraine and he called for the warring parties to help foreign monitors to reinforce a ceasefire.

Asked at a news conference about a U.S. diplomat's remark that Russian tanks had crossed into Ukraine in recent days, he declined specific comment on that but said: "We ... still see Russian presence and strong support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine. We see the delivery of equipment, forces, training. And so Russia is still in eastern Ukraine.

"Therefore we call on Russia to withdraw all its forces from eastern Ukraine and to respect the Minsk agreement."

Stoltenberg said he was concerned that weaponry which was not being monitored could be repositioned for future combat.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...nnel=0&sp=true