Hi!
I am writing to the sound of an air raid alert. I watched the movie on Friday, and they had a warning siren. Holes in my heart became deeper as I realised how much this war wounded us.
Yesterday, someone replied to my tweet about how happy she was that her grandchild lived in peace. Holes in my heart became...
Are you letting us fail?
In this letter (I will call them Sunday Letters instead of Public), you will see the pictures of different places and objects from Ukraine I took this year. Maybe I want to remind you what we are fighting for. Or maybe I want to show you that Ukraine is a part of our planet, and we cannot let this part disappear.
Vinnytsia is a city in a central part of Ukraine. It is full of blue trams and is famous for its multimedia floating fountain (I had no chance to see it working; the war).
The events from the US make me worry. A bill on the provision of aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan has failed to pass a procedural vote in the US Senate. Republicans demand to strengthen migration policy at the US border with Mexico. I hope... but my hopes mean nothing. Ukraine needs help to survive.
Another worrying news is the last report from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. According to it, in August-October 2023, the amount of newly pledged aid to Ukraine from Western countries reached a historic low, down almost 90% compared to the same period in 2022. You can read the details here.
Radomysl Castle is the historical and cultural complex created in 2007–2011. It is located in the town of Radomyshl, Zhytomyr Oblast.
While the support is declining, russia steals our children. Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, said that 19,500 Ukrainian children are confirmed to have been deported to russia.
While the support is declining, putin is preparing for presidential elections and claims that occupied Ukrainian territories will be included in the upcoming russian elections in March 2024.
While the support is declining, the russian military was tasked with capturing Avdiivka, and possibly Kupyansk, before the March 2024 elections. No success so far.
While the support is declining, putin is visiting Saudi Arabia and UAE on Middle East Tour and welcoming Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, as the two discussed the Israel-Hamas war.
The cemetery where Ukrainian soldiers sleep in my home town.
The situation on the Ukrainian-Polish border is still hard. There are almost 3,500 lorries in Poland near the Ukrainian border as of the morning of December 10, said State Border Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko. To remind you: Polish hauliers' main demand is to stop Ukrainian truckers from having permit-free access to the European Union.
Meanwhile, Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways) has set up a container train to transport trucks between Ukraine and Poland. In the afternoon today, the company announced that the first shipment of trucks arrived in Poland by rail.
The village of my heart (as I call it). It is the village where my Mom was born and where I spent many summers. It is a view of neighbouring buildings from the vegetable garden.
I promised to keep you updated about the situation with attacks on our energy infrastructure. They started on December 8. We had a massive missile attack on Friday morning. The russians launched 20 missiles on Ukraine. Our air defense downed 14. But there was no damage to the energy infrastructure here. Their main target was Kyiv.
St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. It is the oldest church in Kyiv and one of the major monuments representing the architectural and monumental art of the early 11th century.
Here are a few words about our way to the EU during this turmoil. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed on December 8 three laws related to Ukraine's fight against corruption and the updated law on national minorities required for the country's accession to the European Union.
According to the new laws, the maximum number of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine staff will be increased from 700 to 1,000. At the same time, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention will be allowed to inspect properties acquired by officials before their appointment to the service and assets previously inspected by other bodies.
The updated law on national minorities implemented the latest recommendations by the Council of Europe on the use of minority languages in Ukraine.
Chernihiv is a city in the North of Ukraine, close to the russian border. russian forces regularly attack it.
I decided not to add any cultural details to this letter. It should be like that (with photos, memories, and facts). But I want to visit St Sophia Cathedral next Sunday, take pictures, and learn some interesting facts about this ancient church. Of course, I will share them with you.
Please feel free to share this letter or part of it with anyone you want. Together, we help people not to forget about Ukraine. The main idea of Sunday Letters is to bring you the key weekly news from Ukraine plus introduce you to our cultural treasures.
And your likes and comments are highly welcomed. They are the signs you have read and not passed by. I would be grateful if you decide to buy me a warcoffee. These coffee cups help me live through this, write, and take pictures.
A gentle bow from me and my words,
Lady with a Pen (oh, yes, probably it would be a new signature)
PS. Are you letting us fail?
