#Poltava Oblast

[iamthetruenhaz]

Great™ Russian™ Museums™ like the Hermitage have always been like the British Museum, imperialist galleries to display "treasures" stolen from land occupied by Russia, briefly or permanently. And while western colonial empires at least agree not to do that anymore and some (Germany) have started returning artifacts, Russia is being an out and proud colonialist thief of culture in the century of our lord 21st. They looted "shiny" Scythian gold from cities like Melitopol just to have something to thump their chests about.

But bulldozing over a historical site once all the "shiny goodies" are stolen and it's now "useless" is ISIS level narcissistic, genocidal erasing of history. Remember when they blew up Palmyra?

Oh, and like... Destroying an ancient site to build your own thing in your own image on top has been done historically. Russia has done it, western nations have done it, past empires like the Ottomans have done it, ancient empires have done it, my own piddly ass Balkan country has done it and so have other nations around us. Except then about the 20th century the world agreed that this is medieval and barbaric and we don't do that anymore. That's why fucking UNESCO exists in the first place. And Russia is acting like a 40something loser who didn't get their teenage "wild phase" (they did) and wants to get it now.

The Russian invaders destroyed the remnants of the Tavrian Chersonesus

Now a new building named "New Chersonesus" has been built on that place

In addition, the Russians stole a considerable number of historical relics. Ancient dishes, old icons, fragments of frescoes and ancient household items.

Chersonesus Tavriyskyi WAS included in the UNESCO register and was completely destroyed by the Russians without any hindrance.

Now you can be completely sure that without a firm position and strength, no one is able to protect history in any way.

[head-post]

Russia demonstrates power of its ballistics, Ukrainian ministers resign en masse

Russia launched a missile strike on the city of Poltava, exposing a split among Ukrainian commanders, with ministers starting to resign en masse after doubting their administration.

On Tuesday, 3 September, Russian forces launched a missile strike on the 179 Joint Training Centre of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in Poltava. Ukrainian media reported that communications and electronic warfare specialists were being trained there under the guidance of foreign instructors. UAV operators also received training there.

At least 50 people were reportedly killed and 271 injured in the strike by two ballistic missiles, the deadliest attack this year. In addition to the AFU soldiers, several foreign instructors from Sweden also died.

According to media reports, Russia also attacked Ukraine’s defence industrial complexes in Lviv, where specialists were working on repairing electronic components for the AFU’s aircraft and missiles. The strike was carried out with hypersonic Kinzhal systems and drones.

While Ukrainian troops stalled in Russia’s Kursk region in hopes of dispersing the Russian army, groups of Russian troops reported advancing in the Donetsk region. Russian and Ukrainian media reported heavy casualties among AFU soldiers.

Psychological damage

In addition to losses among the Ukrainian military, the strike on Poltava caused a psychological effect. For a long time, Ukraine believed that major cities were reliably protected by hundreds of Patriot defence systems. However, after the strikes on Lviv and Poltava, it became harder for Ukrainian authorities to maintain the view of impregnable cities far from the front line.

Russia also struck an Artem plant in Kyiv on Sunday, raising doubts about the capital’s security.

Later, Russian media reported a strike near the village of Bezdryk, the Sumy region. The intelligence reportedly detected an accumulation of equipment and Ukrainian soldiers. As a result, Russia launched a strike, destroying military equipment and about 70 people, which was also confirmed by Ukrainian sources.

Ministers leave office

Strikes on formerly well-defended Ukrainian cities exposed ineffective staff policies as Ukrainian ministers announced the dismissal from the administration of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The string of resignations began with the Former Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine, Mykola Oleshchuk, fired by Zelensky after the crash of an F-16 fighter jet. However, the president stated that the Lieutenant General’s dismissal had nothing to do with the incident.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba submitted a resignation letter, according to chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (parliament), Ruslan Stefanchuk. Kuleba had served as Ukraine’s foreign minister since March 2020.

Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin, and Minister for Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Ruslan Strilets also submitted their resignations. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration Iryna Vereshchuk and Deputy Prime Minister for NATO and EU Integration Olha Stefanishyna also announced their resignations.

Prior to them, the head of Ukrenergo, Volodymyr Komarnytsky, announced his dismissal. Verkhovna Rada MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak accused Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko and the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, Rostyslav Shurma, of “an animated desire to sit on all corruption streams,” according to Ukrainian media.

The head of the state property fund, Vitaliy Koval, also left his post. The speaker of the Verkhovna Rada announced that all resignation requests would be considered at the next parliamentary session.

The string of dismissals amid the protracted incursion into the Kursk region and missile strikes on major Ukrainian cities has become a wake-up call for Zelensky’s administration. Meanwhile, the ongoing Russia’s airstrikes demonstrate its resolute intentions.

However, Ukrainian media reported that JASSMs (the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles), which are compatible with F-16s and capable of reaching Russian territory, could be part of another military aid package coming this autumn. Russian officials warned that the use of such weapons could become a “red line,” forcing the Russian leadership to take more decisive steps.

Read more HERE

[hirkyy]

Traditional Ukrainian embroidery from Poltava Oblast'

Satin stitch, "shtapivka" stitch

Satin stitch, cross stitch

Cross stitch, "shtapivka" stitch

Cross stitch

Nechyporenko, Serhiy. Ukrainian Emboidery, 2010.

[sonyaheaneyauthor]

Opishnia, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine.

[marykk1990]

My next post in support of Ukraine is:

Next site, is Hryhorii Savich Skovoroda (Григорій Савич Сковорода). He was a philosopher who was born in what is now the village of Chornukhy, Poltava Oblast, in 1722. He was of Ukrainian Cossack origin. He was a poet and teacher, and he also composed liturgical music. He also wrote songs to his own texts, several of which have become Ukrainian folk songs. He wrote in four languages, Latin, Greek, Church Slavonic, Ukrainian, and "russian." He is claimed as a native son by both Ukraine & "russia," but since 🇷🇺 steals cultural heritage, I'm going with him being a Ukrainian. Remember, Ukraine never asked to be part of the "russian" empire. It was subjugated then, & during soviet times, & like the "russian" federation is trying to do again. The statue of Hryhorii Skovoroda is a monument to him in Kyiv, Ukraine.

#StandWithUkraine

#СлаваУкраїні 🇺🇦🌻

And, correction. Make that five languages that Hyyhorii wrote in, not four. I obviously couldn't count yesterday.

[dontforgetukraine]

"Tadpoles were caught in ponds, cleansed of innards, washed, salted, and cooked with nettle and goose-foot leaves into broth. Green frogs were also cooked." Linocut by Mykola Bondarenka from "UKRAINE 1933: A COOKBOOK". The book contains 62 linocuts that depict what starving people were forced to eat during the man-made famine known as the Holodomor. Each linocut shows the "recipe" for preparing the food.

---

We continue to talk about the surrogate "dishes" of extreme nutrition, which helped survive during the Holodomor. Halyna Yaroshko (born in 1923), a resident of Lypova, Sumy Oblast, recalls: "My mother had three of us: an older brother, a younger sister, and me. Our dad died back in 1930 from a severe stomach ache. During the Holodomor, I remember bare-footed people climbing on damp land, collecting live and dead worms, digging roots, peeling them off and eating them. We often picked up nettles (of course, if we found them), dried them, and also consumed them as food. We frequently ran with the local children along the Khorol River for leeches and tadpoles. It was a real delicacy for us at that time. We would catch tadpoles, and take them to our mother, she would boil them for us, and turn over a full cast pot in the middle of the yard on the ground - it would be immediately empty because the children would quickly eat everything." Ivan Bilyk, a Ukrainian writer, experienced the Holodomor as a child in his native village of Hradyzk in the Poltava region. "It srongly stuck in my memory," he recalled, "how my grandmother baked frogs." I don't remember the very process of eating frog meat or what they taste like - either. But my grandmother with a frying pan in her hand - is still in front of my eyes. I will never forget the shelter where the children of the poor who were dying of hunger were taken. And I, with the same two- or three-year-old children, grazed ourselves with weeds. We plucked them with our little mouths and ate them..." Ivan Bilyk later mentioned what he saw and experienced during the Holodomor in his novel "Yar". #dishes_of_Holodomor

Source: Holodomor Museum

[kamogryadeshi]

At night, the Russians attacked Poltava Oblast with drones

Energy and civil infrastructure came under attack. In particular, a service station, a car shop and private households were damaged in Myrhorod.

Fortunately, no injuries were recorded among local residents.

ᅠ

[captain-price-unofficially]

Russian strikes on Ukraine's Myrhorod Air Base in Poltava Oblast this afternoon, destroying several Su-27 jets. 1 July 2024

So this is actually two or three attacks. The first impact is not shown, just the aftermath (0:06). You see a SU-27 near the taxi way to the runway in the first shot near the decoy paintings. In the next shot you see it destroyed as well as fire equipment nearby. The grass around the tarmac is now burned and the hangars by the decoys have been destroyed.

The second attack lands to the north and there's at least one secondary explosion (0:26). You can see the ground has already been scorched and the remnants of the plane destroyed in the first attack. But the fire trucks have moved away. It's a cluster munition and it lands pretty much right on top of two or three parked airplanes.

After the smoke clears, there's either a secondary explosion or a third strike (0:46). It's either a strike on one of the hangars and you can see it explode quite clearly.

The resolution on the camera is fairly poor. I think that's on purpose because it alternates between very sharp and very blurry. On the final shots it looks like all the planes are gone from the tarmac. Regardless, this sequence of attacks took place over a period of time. Maybe not even within the same day.

[vyvilha]

traditional ukrainian outwear piece called "yupka z perczykamy" (юпка з перчиками — a coat with peppers), poltava oblast

[creepywrites]

Nationalities

Jeff the Killer- Swedish, Italian, Västergötland

Liu- Swedish, Chinese, Västergötland

Ben- American, Alaska

Sally Dawn- Canadian, Ontario

Sam Williams- Canadian, American, Ontario

Milo the Electrocuted- Italian, Lombardy

Lulu- Vietnamese, Vĩnh Phúc

Clockwork- French, Normandy

Zero- British, American, New Jersey

Jane the killer- American, California

Jane Arkensaw- British, Lincolnshire

Vailly Evans- Chilean, Los Lagos

Nathan the nobody- Filipino, British, Berkshire

Crystal- Filipino, British, Berkshire

Eyeless Jack- Uganda, Kampala

Kate the chaser- Australian, Perth

Rouge- Canadian, Alberta

Wilson the basher- welsh, Conwy

X-virus- American, New Jersey

Lazari- Ukrainian, Kharkiv Oblast

Kaidy- French, Corsica

Stripes- American, Alabama

Senora- Spanish, Girona

Nina the killer- Mexican, American, Louisiana

Puppeteer- American, Mexican, California

Zachary- American, Colorado

Rosemary- American, Maine

Emra- Italian, American, sicilia

Bloody painter- Japanese, Chinese, Guangdong

Suicide Sadie- British, London

Judge angel- Chinese, Filipino, Guangdong

Nurse Ann- Taiwanese, taipei

Randy- Spanish, Álava

Sully- Indian, Tamil Nadu

Keith- Australian, Queensland

Troy- American, Louisiana

Dollmaker- Russian, Moscow

Svetlana- Russian, Siberia

Vicky genocidal- Canadian, Ontario

Hannah the killer- German, American, East Berlin

Lily Kennett- Ireland, Connacht

Hung iris- American, Illinois

Lifeless Lucy- British, Yorkshire

Legless Eliza- Portuguese, Évora

Mucky Child- American, Colorado

Lacy Morgan- British, American, Arizona

Asylum Nancy- American, Maine

Chris the revenant- German, American, Hessen

Monday child- Ukrainian, poltava

Laughing Jill- British, London

Laughing Jack- British, London

Toby- German, Bavaria

Lurking Lyra- German, Bavaria

Killing Kate- Costa Rican, Alajuela

Lost Silver- Japanese, Hokkaido

Cata the Killer- Polish, Lodz

Rotten Abigail- American, North Carolina

The Hare- American, Arizona

The Doll- Mexican, Hidalgo

Raven- French, Île-de

Anna schurks- Romanian, Bucharest

Weeping forest- Puerto Rico, Adjuntas

Nightmare Ally- German, East Berlin

Red Death- German, Greek, Saxony

Gas mask maid- El Salvador, Cuscatlan

Tim- American, Georgia

Jessica- American, polish, Arizona

Taylor- Native American, Maine

Ellie- Japanese, Canadian, Chubu

Labrador- Romanian, Arad

Moth boy- American, Louisiana

Starved angel- Irish, American, Texas

Sketcher- Indonesian, Russian, Ural

Sarah Erickson- Chinese, Canadian, Nova Scotia

Hannya- Japanese, Tokyo

Rosie- British. Coventry

Hunter the proxy- American, Texas

Doctor Irina- British, Devon

Deborah- American, California

Lucy the cannibal- American, Ohio

Andie Rosslyn- American, Iowa

[flagwars]

Flag Wars Bonus Round

[davidshawnsown]

USA BASEBALL/COLLEGE SUMMER BASEBALL - and - SAVANNAH BANANAS ONE SHOT RPF - Savannahskaya Kadrovsky??!! -

(AN: 2022 turned out to be FIRST ever year and now just the only year following one of the more fun teams in college summer ball - the iconic and funny Savannah Bananas of the Coastal Plain League, which in the past few years have spun off two pro teams in theor umbrella playing their own take on baseball, Banana Ball. Now they are committed to play that form year round and leaving the CPL, but the memories of those first years of CPL play will forever go down as part of its history. I therefore present to the fans this one shot RPF featuring these guys from Savannah and the fun ways they have played baseball in these past years up to today and the first Ukraine-set fic of many featuring these guys in yellow, including a full blown RPF fic of their POV of the events in that country. To link up the fics with the wider universe I've included Scott Hatteberg, a former teammate of Eric Byrnes with the A's - and a Team USA Baseball CNT alumnus. This is dedicated to Dalton Maudin and Tanner Thomas - the two members of the Bananas organization and its constituent teams that have been bringing out weekly vlogs on Youtube, you better check them both, as well as Dalton's music there as well and on Spotify!)

SOMEWHERE IN POLTAVA OBLAST

SUNDAY MAY 22, 2022

1400H EEST

"The regiment from Savannah has done it again?!!"

That is the reaction from no less than BG Mark deRosa, the operational commander of US forces in Ukraine under the 46th Command. That regiment, the 716th Savannah, established in the spring of 2015, and led by its now newly promoted commander COL Byrnes, who took over this year from its first commandant, COL Cole, now a honorary Brigadier General and its first ever regimental colonel now retired even at a young age, had been in Ukraine since April, among the first of the collegiate units to be sent to the country to assist the war effort, fight alongside Americans in the International Legion of Territorial Defense and with Ukrainians in the Armed Forces and the National Guard, and also to give the young guys a taste of what their service to the nation entalls.

"Yeah indeed," replied COL Garza. "Those boys whose regiment carries yellow and white colors. They did it again!"

He and others on an ongoing meeting of the command staff in northern Poltava Oblast were referring to those TikTok and Twitter videos, as well as those on Telegram, featuring the boys of this young formation.

It is the sole infantry regiment among the formations of the 351st Southeastern Coastal Infantry Brigade, activated 1997 and whose numeral honors the North Carolina based Coastal Militia Rifles, a militia formation raised in 1935 which in 1936 was granted affilation with what is now the 169th Corps of the 46th Mobilization Command, US Army Reserve, affilated to the Southern Defense Command during the Second World War as a territorial defense brigade which lasted until the early 1950s. Their nickname of Bananas is a nod to the agricultural past of their home city and their full dresss honors partly its Union liberators during the Civil War and its home front efforts in both World Wars.

They began as a ROTC company in late 2015. Almost a year later, the 716th Infantry Battalion was activated, and within 5 years, evolved from a Humvee-armed unit into wheeled mechanized infantry, armed with the Stryker systems, and as a three battalion regiment, with its 2nd and 3rd battalions including minority and immigrant personnel to reflect its home city's character. One battalion each is made up of reservists and the Georgia Army National Guard, making up for a total of 5 battalions.

But these boys' Tiktok combat videos, set to popular Western pop tunes, have got the people motivated to know what is going on in the Ukrainian frontlines. They have been for weeks now in a tense battle for popularity against the Chechen National Guardsmen from Chechnya in Russia, which have been in the Ukrainian front since the onset of the invasion, as well as several of the Ukrainian frontline brigades and militia units, which have similar pop content. These so-called "Yellowshirts" after the yellow and white colors during its foundation today wear the same uniform as those deployed to Ukraine but with a yellow and white armband with the regimental DUI on it as well as the arms of their home city.

The 46th's Ukrainian operational HQ and elements of the 78th Brigade Combat Team had been watching what the boys had been doing on and off the field, while recieving word that their actions in the Soledar front have helped the local Ukrainian forces get motivated to continue the struggle in the weeks prior. Now they have been rotated out with a new assignment north of Kramatorsk City as a reserve formation ready to fight in the Donbas region. They will be on R&R before returning to their then brand new barracks located in Kovel in Volyn Oblast for equipment resupplies as well as to await the arrival of the local maintenance battalion from their home city. The town was chosen as it is a sister city to Chamblee, just northwest of Atlanta, the state capital. Just as in the other American and Canadian formations they were given a Ukrainian advisory team - in that case with officers and NCOs from the 14th Mechanized Infantry Brigade based in Volodymyr City, Volyn Oblast.

Thus the brigadier general had during the meeting phoned the now retired BG Jessie Cole, the newly appointed regimental colonel, on what the boys have had been doing in the frontlines. They were there since early April assigned there in Kovel town, with the 2nd battalion of the 72nd Atlanta based there as well and the local battalion based in Savannah from said regiment, both since early May. They chose that city to keep their ties to Georgia state and its traditions while in country as the first of the collegiate summer service units and the only regiment of its kind so far to fight for the cause of Ukraine in the opening months of the war. He had just arrived in Kramatosk that day with his wife Emily to check on the boys before joining them on the journey back to Kovel.

"I have with me one of COL Byrnes' friends and one who served with him in Oakland. This is now LTC Scott Hatteberg. This year I called for the man to return to service after retiring as a battalion XO almost two decades ago in Oakland. He will be our liason officer on behalf of the brigade, Mr. Cole, with your regiment as its new commander was a friend of his," said the brigadier general on the mobile phone.

"Understood Mark, I now will bring in Eric," Jesse responded. As usual he wore his variant yellow working dress but without the top hat he wore replacing the kepi beginning with his early retirement. The kepi had been worn alternately with the bicorne by officers of the regiment when in full dress in ceremonial events to honor the military history of its home city.

"Thanks sir."

Then Eric got on the cellphone.

"Morning, sir, Colonel Byrnes here of the 716th Infantry Regiment."

"IS THAT YOU ERIC BYRNES? This is Brigadier General Mark DeRosa of the 78th Brigade Combat Team based out of Cary, NC, I have one of your buddies in Oakland with me who is a graduate of the brigade's training program."

"Yes I am, sir. And is that guy with you, sir, Scott Hatteberg?"

"Affirmative colonel Byrnes. How's your regiment now on R&R after all those weeks in Soledar?"

"Nice so far, the American people and the people of Savannah have enjoyed the antics of the men of the 1st Battalion and also our combat videos all this time, which have awakened Americans on what we are supposed to do to aid Ukraine at this time."

"Regarding those in between combat dancing videos on TikTok and Twitter of your boys, as well as on Telegram, are they all true?!"

"Yes, DeRosa, and the people have loved it."

"Cannot believe this, but you boys are better than those Chechens. Dancing, singing, having fun in the field but fighting better than them and the Russians. And who suggested these?"

"Our first battalion commander LTC Gilliam, who has been with us since it was a battalion, and our long time A Company commander soon to be captain Bill Leroy, who's a 1LT by now alongside his faithful XO 1LT Kyle Luigs. The two began with the regiment on secondment from their colleges, last year, following their graduation, when I was appointed regimental commander to replace Jesse who retired a Brigadier General, he recommended that the two be granted permanent status due to their long service with 1st Battalion, and indeed they were permanenty assigned since then."

"1st Platoon commander?"

"1LT Jackson Olson, sir, joined the regiment early this year."

"2nd Platoon is led by whose officer?"

"1LT Dalton Cornett. All officers, NCO and enlisted here, general, were selected for permanent duty in the years after it became a regiment from being a battalion and these people and others from the past 5 years who served on secondment from their respective colleges and universities before with the local lads recruited from within the state were the once I asked, upon the urging of the regimental colonel, to join the 1st Battalion on permanent status. Some of these officers here in the battalion, DeRo, as well as NCOs and enlisted with no collegiate service here nor even direct ties, were recruited on national lines thanks to the efforts of our depot battalion personnel, while the regiment still retains its seconded personnel from the colleges and universities."

"3rd platoon commanding officer is.."

"Turner Pruitt. Was with the regiment in 2021 and is a 1LT. 2LT Bryce Madron from Cowley College's battalion, seconded from his alma mater's unit, joined the regiment on its Ukrainian deployment as the 4th platoon's commander."

"Your PAO chief?"

"CPT Biko Skalla."

"The A Company first sergeant?"

"SFC Malachi Mitchell."

"Acknowleged colonel, will have to bring in LTC Scott Hatteberg. I am damn proud of all of them for their efforts to help Ukraine's ongoing fight by any means. And regarding retired MSGT Bill Lee, your honorary regimental sergeant major for a few months now, he's at home in Connecticut, but has come to Savannah when the regiment was around for months before the departure to Ukraine, I've been told."

"Mark, Bill Lee was appointed by the regiment to serve in a honorary capacity due to his age, but his strength and fitness was still the same when he served with the 1st Boston and the Montreal City Fusiliers. And sir, he sent you an email yesterday thanking you all in the 78th for the support given to his secondary home of Savannah and the 716th Infantry. He was there in the sendoff ceremony last March. He still takes time to visit Grayson Barracks to visit our depot battalion and those recruits who have finished basic training."

"Was a pleasure. Tell him we are forever grateful for his service with the 846th Command and the 169th Corps and we also congratulate him for his appointment as honorary sergeant major."

"Noted, sir."

Then Scott got the phone to talk to Eric, whom he formerly served with.

"Scott Hatteberg here, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army. Just been returned to service after retirement. Now a part of the 78th Brigade Combat Team. It's because I was a part of the collegiate training unit under that platoon years before. You still remember me from those years?" he started up the chat.

"Yes Scott, this is Eric, I still remember those days in the Oakland barracks and training fields together with others. Glad you're back in uniform again. How's your regiment going?"

"Been a tough few weeks in Soledar, but boy, these were tough but happy days for the boys in yellow. Fighting against Russians and the Chechen allies at the front, but we never waivered, we never gave up hope in the fight with our Ukrainian allies."

"You guys going back to Kovel after this to recharge for the trip home and then to prepare to return here for the summer offensives?"

"You bet we are, Scott."

"I am thankful to you for having been a part of those years I spent in Oakland, as well as to General DeRosa for giving me this chance to coordinate jointly our efforts as well as with the other US and Canadian forces fighting with our Ukrainian allies. I'm sure this is the start of a great partnership together, especially that the general has given me this assignment to coordinate our efforts to help Ukraine fight its way to victory."

"You're welcome Scott, make sure there will be new videos coming out from you guys in the weeks to come." "Yes sir, there's more where they came from, colonel. BTW who was behind all of these aside from those in battalion and company leadership?"

"MAJ Frongillo, part of regimental staff. He's the one who came out with that idea."

"Well, congrats to him as well. I expect more from Zack in the coming weeks as well as to the PAO team led by Biko. Who's the main videographer of the regiment?"

"SFC Breaux. He's in charge of the video and film duties for Public Affairs. Also, I have to inform you that two of the guys in A Company - CPL Maudin who joined last year and was a part of 1st Platoon and CPL Thomas, a newbie of 2nd Platoon and a direct entry corporal with the unit - have been putting in superb combat videos and vlogs on Telegram and Youtube. They and many of the 1st and 2nd platoon boys whose stories have become the living witness to the ongoing war have inspired many not just to continue helping Ukraine but also to encourage others to dedicate themselves in service to the nation. If you check Telegram and Instagram, their English posts have opened many to the reality of the war they are fighting in and many of the young men and women are already following their journey so far."

"All the best for you guys, sir, Hatteberg out."

"Byrnes out sir."

"I'm sure there's more of that coming up," Scott stated to the gathered personnel from brigade command after watching the video of elements of A Company and the battalion staff dancing with their regimental commander and regimental colonel from his cellphone. And that was after Jesse spoke on video to those who have followed their journey so far on Tiktok and Twitter, as well as on the regiment's Telegram channel, expressing his gratitude and that of COL Byrnes to everyone who have supported them in every way possible on their journey to fight Russians in Ukrainian lands together with elements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to those who have already given their time to support the country in her time of need. That short dance clip stunned everyone watching and confirmed everyone of what the online world had been talking about. He finishes with "I am certain the regiment has been going good in the PAO side of things and am glad to report that their regimental depot battalion CO has emailed me that their efforts, as well as the stories they shared online, has led up to a massive recruitment effort there in the city not just for this regiment but for the other military units in Savannah. And many who are trying to join the 716th are coming from all over the country!"

"That's incredible news," BG Maxwell stated.

"So are you sure that these new recruits, after finishing basic training and getting assigned here on their own wishes, will be serving in Ukraine with the regiment soon?" asked SGM Pollock.

"Affirmative, they will be there soon."

And when asked by COL Bianco on whose concept it was, the LTC replied that it was an officer of regimental staff, MAJ Traczuk, who helped the sergeant first class pitch that idea to Public Affairs and it was based on the post-exercise recreation and fun the boys had stateside since it was a battalion.

COL Bloomquist added, "You have a tough job ahead of you, colonel. But soon you will learn more about those boys."

"Got that, one day I will check them before they leave for home to welcome a new batch of summer enlistees who will be serving this time, given that the regiment is forward deployed to Ukraine, with the 4th and 5th battalions based stateside."

These boys from Savannah, who were selected from every corner of the nation to fight in this ongoing war, are not just contributing to the fight for Ukraine's independence, they are dancing their way to victory.

"And one thing's for sure," adds the lieutenant colonel from Salem in Oregon, "Dalton and Tanner, and the rest of their company, will lead more young people in realizing Ukraine and democracy all over the world are both worth fighting for, and we have to help defend Ukraine and our allies no matter what it takes. I'm sure you all watched their appeal to the people of Savannah and the nation lately. Now that I've been appointed liason to this unit and those units preparing to serve in Ukraine whose personnel are either ROTC or college regiment personnel, I will do my best to coordinate our efforts towards this goal."

@kiinghanalister @travisdermotts @lukeexplorer

[the-jam-to-the-unicorn]

Olena in Poltava Oblast today 😊

[hirkyy]

Details of a Ukrainian plakhta, a traditional woven overskirt. Poltava Oblast', Ukraine, early 20th century.

Ukrainian Institute of Fashion History.

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up March 2, 2023

Under the cut:

Russian forces continue to press their offensive in the Bakhmut area as Ukrainian forces try to repel ongoing attacks near the key eastern town and nearby areas in the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in an evening update on Thursday.

The US is announcing three new partnerships Thursday in an effort to boost Ukraine’s agricultural sector and help supply the country’s grain to the world

A network of at least 20 torture chambers in the recently liberated southern Ukrainian region of Kherson was "planned and directly financed by the Russian State," war crimes investigators said on Thursday, citing new evidence. The Mobile Justice Team, funded by Britain, the EU and the United States, has been working with Ukrainian war crimes prosecutors across Ukraine and in Kherson since it was reclaimed from Russian forces in November after more than eight months of occupation.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, spoke for less than 10 minutes on the margins of the G20 meeting in New Delhi today, according to a US state department official. Blinken reiterated to Lavrov that Washington was prepared to support Ukraine’s defence for as long as it takes, the official said, in what is believed to be their first one-on-one conversation in person since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Russian attacks were reported in Donetsk, Kherson, Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Luhansk oblasts in the east, south, center, and north of Ukraine. According to local authorities, five people were killed, and 24 were wounded in the past 24 hours. Russia conducted an air strike on Zaporizhzhia overnight on March 2, heavily damaging a residential building, Acting Mayor of Zaporizhzhia Anatoly Kurtev wrote on Telegram.

“Russian forces continue to press their offensive in the Bakhmut area as Ukrainian forces try to repel ongoing attacks near the key eastern town and nearby areas in the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in an evening update on Thursday.

“They are assaulting the town of Bakhmut,” the General Staff said, echoing an earlier update suggesting Russian presence within the city and not just on the outskirts. CNN reported earlier Thursday that an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also says Russian forces “advanced within Bakhmut and continued ground attacks around the city.”

Over the last 24 hours, Russian forces launched rocket attacks on the cities of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, located just five kilometers (about three miles) west of Bakhmut, and Zaporizhzhia, the General Staff said.

“The threat of further missile strikes remains high throughout Ukraine,” the Ukrainian military said.

There were unsuccessful Russian offensive attempts in the Kupyansk and Lyman directions, it added.

In the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, Russian forces continue “to try to create conditions for an offensive” and have fired artillery at more than 40 settlement areas, it said.

Ukraine also responded with 13 strikes over the past day in areas where Russia has personnel and military equipment, the General Staff said, adding that the missile and artillery units hit one Russian ammunition depot.”-via CNN

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“The US is announcing three new partnerships Thursday in an effort to boost Ukraine’s agricultural sector and help supply the country’s grain to the world, USAID officials told CNN.

The announcement is part of a deliberate effort by the Biden administration to build up Ukraine’s economy and alleviate the global food security crisis which has been exacerbated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine is regarded as a key bread-basket for much of the world, and the country relies on agriculture to generates more than 40% of total export revenues. The country’s economy shrank by more than 30% in 2022 after Russia’s brutal invasion destroyed infrastructure, hurt businesses and disrupted daily life, according to Kyiv’s economic ministry.

USAID’s new partnerships with Grain Alliance, Kernel, and Nibulon are projected to increase Ukraine’s grain shipping capacity by more than 3 million tons annually, the officials said. Each company has a long history of working in Ukraine.

Working together USAID and these organizations are planning to invest $44 million to support storage and infrastructure expansion in Ukraine’s agriculture sector.

This comes after USAID has announced multiple different initiatives to support Ukraine’s agriculture sector, including programs to specifically target Ukrainian farmers.

A Black Sea Grain deal has also enabled the passage of Ukrainian ships carrying the agriculture products to depart the country, which was a challenge in the early days of the war with Russia preventing the ships from leaving.

The new investments that USAID and its partners are announcing this week will target multiple terminals — Izmail and Reni in Ukraine, both on the Danube, and Čierna nad Tisou in Slovakia— where they expect to see an increase in grain exports. The operations will involve construction to renovate the areas where vessels are loaded.”-via CNN

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WARNING: Discussion and description of torture.

“A network of at least 20 torture chambers in the recently liberated southern Ukrainian region of Kherson was "planned and directly financed by the Russian State," war crimes investigators said on Thursday, citing new evidence.

The Mobile Justice Team, funded by Britain, the EU and the United States, has been working with Ukrainian war crimes prosecutors across Ukraine and in Kherson since it was reclaimed from Russian forces in November after more than eight months of occupation.

The Kremlin press office did not respond to a request for comment.

Reuters reported on the scale of torture chambers in Kherson in January, when Ukrainian authorities said around 200 people had allegedly been tortured at 10 locations. Survivors told Reuters about being tortured, including electric shocks and suffocation techniques.

Moscow, which has said it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine, has denied committing war crimes or targeting civilians.

The mobile team, established in May 2022 by the Global Rights Compliance humanitarian law firm and backed by international experts, is supporting Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General as it reviews more than 71,000 reports of war crimes nationwide since the Feb. 24, 2022, invasion.

"New evidence collected from recently liberated Kherson reveals torture chambers were planned and directly financed by the Russian State," the team, established by British attorney Wayne Jordash, said in a statement.

Witnesses described the use of electric shock torture and waterboarding by Russian forces. At least 1,000 torture chamber survivors have submitted evidence to investigators and more than 400 people had been reported as missing from Kherson, it said.

Funding a network of torture facilities was part of a Russian state plan to "subjugate, re-educate or kill Ukrainian civic leaders and ordinary dissenters," the team said.

Torture centres were operated by different Russian security agencies, including the Russian Federal Security Services (FSB), local Kherson FSB and the Russian Prison Service, it said.

Reuters was unable to verify the allegations.

An investigation is also underway by the International Criminal Court, part of a both domestic and international efforts to hold those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide across Ukraine to account.”-via Reuters

Here’s an article from CNN as well, with first hand accounts from people who were captured and put in the torture chambers. 

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“The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, spoke for less than 10 minutes on the margins of the G20 meeting in New Delhi today, according to a US state department official.

Blinken reiterated to Lavrov that Washington was prepared to support Ukraine’s defence for as long as it takes, the official said, in what is believed to be their first one-on-one conversation in person since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Blinken also called for Moscow to reverse its decision to suspend participation in the New Start nuclear treaty and to release detained US citizen, Paul Whelan.

The official said:

The secretary saw the purpose of this was to deliver these three direct messages, which we see as advancing our interests.

We always remain hopeful that the Russians will reverse their decision and be prepared to engage in a diplomatic process that can lead to a just and durable peace, but I wouldn’t say that coming out of this encounter there was any expectation that things will change in the near term.

Lavrov did not mention the meeting during a news conference he gave after Thursday’s G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.

Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, confirmed the meeting took place, telling CNN:

“Blinken asked for contact with Lavrov. On the go, as part of the second session of the [G20], Sergey Viktorovich [Lavrov] talked. There were no negotiations, meetings, etc.”-via The Guardian

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“Russian attacks were reported in Donetsk, Kherson, Poltava, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Luhansk oblasts in the east, south, center, and north of Ukraine.

According to local authorities, five people were killed, and 24 were wounded in the past 24 hours.

Russia conducted an air strike on Zaporizhzhia overnight on March 2, heavily damaging a residential building, Acting Mayor of Zaporizhzhia Anatoly Kurtev wrote on Telegram.

Four people were killed in the attack, and at least eight were injured, according to Prosecutor General's Office. The rescue operation is still ongoing.

Zaporizhzhia regional state administration reported that civilian infrastructure in 14 settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast was under Russian fire. Local authorities received 27 reports about damage to citizens' households and infrastructure sites due to Russian attacks.

Russian attacks killed one civilian in Bakhmut and injured five more in Donetsk Oblast, said Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Russia hit 18 settlements and two communities in the region, damaging houses, an administrative building, a shop, and a church, according to Kyrylenko.

Russian troops fired almost 500 projectiles on Kherson Oblast using multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), mortars, tanks, drones, and artillery, according to Kherson Oblast Military Administration.

The attacks wounded 11 civilians in the region, including a 1-year-old child, and damaged houses and apartment buildings in the city of Kherson, the administration wrote.

A Russian missile strike hit civilian areas, including critical infrastructure, in the city of Kremenchuk, Ukraine's central Poltava Oblast, on March 1, the oblast governor Dmytro Lunin reported. There were no casualties, he confirmed later.

Russian troops hit more than seven settlements in Kharkiv Oblast with artillery, MLRS, mortars, and drones, said Oleh Syniehubov, the oblast governor. The attacks damaged houses, outbuildings, and an administrative building, but there were no casualties.

In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Russian forces attacked the communities of Nikopol and Chervonohryhorivka overnight, damaging power lines, private enterprises, eight high-rises, a few shops, and other infrastructure. No casualties were reported, according to Governor Serhii Lysak.

Russian troops shelled the Kutsurub community on the Black Sea coast in Mykolaiv Oblast with MLRS on March 1, said Vitalii Kim, the oblast governor. No casualties were reported.

Overnight and earlier on March 1, Russian troops used artillery and mortars to strike nine communities in Sumy Oblast bordering Russia, the regional military administration reported. The attacks damaged a residential building and a power line, according to the administration.

Russia struck eight settlements in Luhansk Oblast with artillery over the past 24 hours, the regional state administration wrote. It didn't provide information on casualties or damage.

In Chernihiv Oblast, Russian troops hit the settlements of Yeline and Berylivka close to the Russsia-Ukraine border, according to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces. It didn't provide information on casualties or damage.”-via Kyiv Independent

[marykk1990]

My next post in support of Ukraine is:

Next site, Lower Sula National Nature Park (Нижньосульський національний природний парк) in Poltava Oblast. It was established in 2010 by combining several protected areas into one park. It covers the lower part of the Sula River and includes several marshes, swamps, and wetlands. It's a very important habitat for fish and water birds.

#StandWithUkraine

#СлаваУкраїні 🇺🇦🌻