(Image by NEIVANMADE)
We need to clearly call it what it is. And what it is is GENOCIDE!!!!
First the dam, then hitting people trying to flee the flooding with deliberate artillery barrages. No words. https://t.co/6LkWFNBRXI
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) June 8, 2023
❗️During the evacuation in #Kherson, the #Russian army has been shelling the city, our correspondent in Korabelny district reports. At least three people were wounded.
📸Video: Victoria Hamaza#RussiaIsATerroristState #KakhovkaHPP pic.twitter.com/Rhk2zG8t5m
— SUSPILNE NEWS 📰 (@suspilne_news) June 8, 2023
Russian scum shells a senior citizen while being evacuated. pic.twitter.com/h6ZrYIVZ1h
— Def Mon (@DefMon3) June 8, 2023
Russia shells Kherson as volunteers are rescuing people. At least 8 people wounded including this old man. I have no words for this barbarity. pic.twitter.com/MgU1C2F8WX
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) June 8, 2023
I have asked this before and I will ask it again now: at what point does never again! actually mean something as opposed to being an empty platitude?
We are now at the point where the big questions need to include a lot more rumination on our moral obligations and less on our strategic fears. That certain situations, certain events, certain acts such as what Russia has been doing for the past several days, leaving aside all the things they did building up to the last few days, that our appetite and tolerance for risk must increase to meet the moment. What good is it to be the global rule maker and rule enforcer, to be the hegemon if you will do little more than the bare minimum? What good is it to be the global rule maker, rule enforcer, and hegemon if you won’t actually move to enforce the global rules? At what point does strategic prudence and discretion give way to living up to our national values and to the public moralizing we constantly engage in? Failing to do more, failing to rise to meet the moment is what creates the opportunities for the Russians and the Chinese to out maneuver us across the global south. It is what allows Saudi Arabia, Iran, and violent extremist groups like ISIS and al Qaeda to constantly out maneuver us as well.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
Russia is ruled by savages who themselves are the biggest disaster on the planet – address by the President of Ukraine
9 June 2023 – 00:32
Fellow Ukrainians!
Today was a very long, hard day. Kherson and the region, Mykolaiv region, cities and communities of our Dnipropetrovsk region. Conversations, meetings, evacuation centers, an international appeal.
First. We are working at all levels of state and local authorities to rescue as many people as possible from the flooded areas. The evacuation is ongoing. Wherever we can get people out of the flood zone, we do so. The State Emergency Service, police and military are doing a great job! I want to thank each and every one of you who are involved!
Second. There is a presence of international organizations on our free territory, and concrete assistance. In particular, it is the Ukrainian Red Cross and many others. I am grateful to every organization, every volunteer, every company that has really joined the rescue operation.
And it is obvious that the absence of some international organizations, such as the International Red Cross, in the disaster zone in the occupied territory, the absence of their assistance to our people in the occupied territory is wrong and is simply self-destruction for such organizations to my mind.
Third. Russian terrorists are trying to further aggravate the situation they have caused with their ecocide. This is absolutely deliberate. They continue to shell Kherson and the communities of the region, which have already been flooded by terrorists. They are even shelling evacuation points, which is a manifestation of evil that perhaps no terrorists in the world, except for Russian ones, have ever done.
The occupiers have completely abandoned people on the left bank of Kherson region to their fate. The catastrophe has been expanding there for two days now. And this is also an absolutely conscious choice of the Russian leadership. There is no one left in the world today who does not see that Russia is ruled by savages. Savages who themselves are the biggest disaster on the planet today.
Together with our partners, we must do everything for the world to prove that it can cope with such disasters, with such terrorists.
The situation with drinking water in our cities and communities. Leaders on the ground and in the government know the drill. We have solutions, resources and funds. We will do everything to provide people with drinking water despite this disaster. There may be inconvenience, but we will do everything. Today, I held a separate meeting on water supply and safety of people in the cities and communities of Dnipropetrovsk region – I was there personally. Kryvyi Rih, Marhanets, Nikopol, Pokrov and other communities – we talked about it.
The situation with infrastructure and environmental damage. The damage caused by the Russian act of terrorism is very significant, this is clear to everyone. But it should also be clear that there are no alternatives other than maximum recovery and maximum reconstruction. It may be Russia that will be left devastated after Putin, but not Ukraine.
And one more thing. Mandatory. Security. I am in constant communication with our military. The commanders of Khortytsia, Tavria, all those involved in the hottest areas. Donetsk region – very tough battles. But there is a result, and I am grateful to everyone who ensures this result! Bakhmut – well done. Step by step. I thank each of our warriors! Avdiivka, Maryinka, the entire east, the situation in the south, the situation after the Russians blew up the dam of our native Kakhovka – we see every detail. But it’s not time to talk about it today.
Thank you to our people!
Glory to Ukraine!
Kherson region.
From the Government and the State Emergency Service to the regional authorities and local communities, everyone is involved to the maximum extent possible to save and protect as many people as possible.
And I thank everyone who saves and helps! Let's take care of… pic.twitter.com/TwK0uI14nm— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 8, 2023
Here’s the full text of President Zelenskyy’s tweet:
Kherson region. From the Government and the State Emergency Service to the regional authorities and local communities, everyone is involved to the maximum extent possible to save and protect as many people as possible. And I thank everyone who saves and helps! Let’s take care of each other and Ukraine!
President @ZelenskyyUa in Kherson:
"Our task is to protect lives and help people as much as possible. I thank the rescuers and volunteers! I thank everyone involved in this work!" pic.twitter.com/PnjUh76dvZ
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 8, 2023
The Ukrainian MOD released this video of Moshe Reuven Azman, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine. He was attempting to film a message and, as you can see, he was wounded when the Russians shelled the area.
WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!! GRAPHIC IMAGERY!!!!!! WARNING!!!!! WARNING!!!!!
.@RabbiUkraine went to #Kherson to help with evacuation of local residents.
As you can see in this video, russian terrorists continue to shell residential areas of the city even while causing much damage to the civilian infrastructure after they blew up the #Kakhovka HPP. pic.twitter.com/5bVHShNOl5— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 8, 2023
All Clear!!!!!
The good news is he’s okay!
Today, Russia fired artillery at us while I and other life-saving volunteers were driving all-terrain vehicles (SHERP) through the flooded areas of Kherson.
The explosions began when we were in the water. They were very loud and the shells fell very close to us, but the… pic.twitter.com/XA2nodvaOe
— Chief Rabbi Of Ukraine Moshe Azman (@RabbiUkraine) June 8, 2023
Full text of Rabbi Azman’s tweet:
Today, Russia fired artillery at us while I and other life-saving volunteers were driving all-terrain vehicles (SHERP) through the flooded areas of Kherson.
The explosions began when we were in the water. They were very loud and the shells fell very close to us, but the Almighty saved us.
Thank G-d and thank you, good people.
the test that I had to go through today only strengthened me, and in the shortest possible time, I will return to Kherson with much more help to people pic.twitter.com/hqZv2rEnMi— Chief Rabbi Of Ukraine Moshe Azman (@RabbiUkraine) June 8, 2023
I am here with Andre as Russian artillery shells scream overhead again and again.
Andrey has been saving people day and night and helps bring us to people who need help. He is a hero.
We pray for the safety of everyone in and near Kherson 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/BVgoFnaRpE
— Chief Rabbi Of Ukraine Moshe Azman (@RabbiUkraine) June 8, 2023
Time to drag this thing out of storage!
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) June 8, 2023
My dear friend and Ukrainian journalist @berdynskykh_k writes from central Kherson, her hometown: “Today I worked in Kherson near the water, it was quiet and peaceful. Many volunteers, rescuers, journalists from all over the world. Then the shelling began…” https://t.co/86uSexoij8
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 8, 2023
Here’s the full text of Kristina Berdynskykh’s tweet:
Today I worked in Kherson near the water, it was quiet and peaceful. Many volunteers, rescuers, journalists from all over the world. Then the shelling began. Everyone was running away. I’m already out of town and safe #Ukraine
/2. A civilian died due to Russian strikes during evacuation measures in Kherson. Two more people were injured. – Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office https://t.co/POpOHDw3i7
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) June 8, 2023
The Kyiv Independent‘s Illia Ponomarenko has a message for journalists and pundits, as well as some scholars and think tankers:
I remember a moment in early March 2022, during the Battle of Kyiv. Russians were breaking into Irpin from the northwest, the Bucha-Vorzel side, and the Warsaw Highway.
There was an insane mess – lots of civilians leaving their cars behind and trying to make it across a…
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) June 8, 2023
Here’s the full text:
I remember a moment in early March 2022, during the Battle of Kyiv. Russians were breaking into Irpin from the northwest, the Bucha-Vorzel side, and the Warsaw Highway.
There was an insane mess – lots of civilians leaving their cars behind and trying to make it across a destroyed bridge leading to Kyiv City with the help of the military.
And lots of pickup trucks with smiling Ukrainian Territorial Defense fighters rushing through the streets of Irpin towards the contact line to reinforce the military deterring the Russian push. Of course, it was loud as fuck, with artillery rounds whistling overheads.
And also reporters — many walking by themselves toward the kill zone, too. We were seeing each other in the streets of Irpin and waving greetings from a distance or getting together to talk a bit and move on.
Writers, photographers… Ukrainians, foreigners. Some were wearing vests and helmets and some were walking light-handed like myself. You see a person marked PRESS voluntarily and knowingly walking into that hell on earth – and you know that’s your brother or sister in dedication.
THAT was the real thing. That was the attitude and the nerve to go and see, to feel it, to learn to memorize, and then tell the world a little bit of how it really is to be at that gate of hell.
And that blind and primitive bothsidism we’re seeing these days… it’s just about the failure to do the job — to research, to care, to assume responsibility, and then to tell what you have to report on an issue, being ready to answer for the honesty of one’s work.
It’s very easy to just state, “this side says this, that side says that, look, we’re so awesome and objective.” This war is not a fucking soccer game in which both sides are morally equal and play by the same rules.
The world needs journalists not just for blindly reprinting whatever militaristic, propaganda-based dictatorial regimes have to say — but for finding out the real, right thing to stand for.
New imagery of Ukraine shows that Hola Prystan is heavily flooded. This city is more than 75 kilometers downstream from the Kakhovka dam.
Several Russian fortifications that were located in this area are now underwater as well. pic.twitter.com/XOwQySKDdX
— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) June 8, 2023
The water line near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is receding due to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, new satellite imagery of Ukraine shows. pic.twitter.com/qnhLvYBqZj
— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) June 8, 2023
The Kakhovka dam breach has flooded and area of 120sq km and rising according to data from @UNOSAT.
Read @ChristopherJM and @hallbenjamin's report on the unfolding humanitarian disasterhttps://t.co/otRRSb7nWe#gistribe #dataviz pic.twitter.com/EEZKe8AUtf
— Steven Bernard (@sdbernard) June 8, 2023
New satellite images showing the consequences Russia's destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power facility in southern Ukraine.
Before and after close-up views of the dam and power facility, June 5 and June 7. (location: 46.776, 33.371) 📸: @Maxar pic.twitter.com/WoYIuYNATh
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 8, 2023
Before/after views of flooding in town of Oleshky, a town under Russian occupation on the left/east bank of the Dnipro, May 15 and June 7. (location: 46.615, 32.692)
📸: @Maxar pic.twitter.com/MXGcngTmUI— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 8, 2023
Before and after images of flooded village of Krynky on the Russian-controlled left/east bank of the Dnipro. May 15 and June 7. (location: 46.745, 33.115)
📸: @Maxar pic.twitter.com/ycLHL1UH79— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) June 8, 2023
I want to leave this video on my Twitter as a reminder that while Russia is shelling the evacuation points of people in Kherson, people from all over Ukraine went there to save every living creature. pic.twitter.com/je27l8qyiX
— Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) June 8, 2023
This is an excellent thread by Sam Greene, the Director of Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and a professor at Kings College London. First tweet from the thread, the rest from the Thread Reader App:
As Russia's propagandist-in-chief Margarita Simonyan broaches the idea of ending the war, ostensibly because Ukraine is getting too strong to counter without an attack on the West itself, it's worth taking a moment to reflect on how Russian propaganda works.
(A 🧵)
/1
— Sam Greene (@samagreene) June 7, 2023
First, the facts of the matter: Simonyan said on TV that Ukraine now has the capability to strike deep inside Russia, and that will grow with F16s, and the only way to reduce that threat is to hit the Western infrastructure that supplies Ukraine.Маргарита Симоньян предложила прекратить войну — потому что ВСУ «получат ракеты и будут наносить удары по нам» В провоенных телеграм-каналах пропагандистку обвинили в «пропаганде поражения» — MeduzaПрокремлевские СМИ и блогеры обсуждают слова главного редактора RT Маргариты Симоньян, которая заявила, что во избежание дальнейших обстрелов Белгородской области следует остановить войну и провести «…https://meduza.io/feature/2023/06/07/margarita-simonyan-predlozhila-prekratit-voynu-potomu-chto-vsu-poluchat-rakety-i-budut-nanosit-udary-po-namA Russian attack on the West, Simonyan continued, would provoke a Western attack on Russia, which would have catastrophic consequences. As a result, she suggested (more or less), Russia should accept a stalemate.
/3It’s hard to argue with her logic, in fact, and I’m certain that it reflects the views of some in the Russian establishment. Maybe even many or most.It would be a mistake, however, to assume that it reflects the Kremlin’s position in any meaningful way.
/4As a piece of strategic communication, Simonyan’s statement reflects three objectives:
1⃣ Disrupt Western strategic narratives
2⃣ Maintain domestic constructive ambiguity
3⃣ Conduct reflexive public opinion research
/5First, disrupting Western strategic narratives. Broadly speaking – with the exception of a handful of analysts – the current Western consensus is that Russia will keep fighting until it either wins or loses outright. That has not always been the case, but it is now.
/6The crystallization of that consensus has underpinned both a commitment to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes” and a recognition, reflected in Blinken’s Helsinki speech, that the “it” must be a Ukrainian victory on Ukrainian terms.As a result, when arguments are made that the West should push Ukraine towards a negotiated settlement, they fail to resonate: most analysts and policymakers do not see a negotiating partner in Moscow.Simonyan’s statement is meant to complicate that assumption.
/8This kind of ambiguity is a longstanding aspect of Russia’s foreign policy. It is designed to frustrate forecasting and force Western policymakers to prepare for a broader range of scenarios — maximizing Moscow’s first-mover advantage and minimizing its structural weakness.
/9Second, that same constructive ambiguity is useful at home, too. There are multiple camps within the Russian establishment, each with their own vision of the country’s post-war future. Putin has avoided telling people what that future may look like.Maintaining that ambiguity lulls the Russian elite into a wait-and-see stance, but that requires credible signals that multiple trajectories are possible. By putting out a message that seems less than bloodthirsty, Simonyan is giving the relative doves reason to hope.
/11Ambiguity works a kind of magic on the Russian public, too. As @MaxAlyukov, @mzavadsk, @DrJadeMcGlynn and others have shown, rather than a single line to buy into, propaganda gives people a menu of options, from which they can construct the Z-meal most to their liking.
/12Allowing Russians whose support for the war is passive or grudging — such as many of those who recently explained their positions to @meduzaproject — is thus an important task of Russian propaganda.Даже некоторые читатели «Медузы» оправдывают вторжение в Украину. Мы попросили их объяснить почему. Вот что из этого вышло Многие эти письма физически больно читать. Тем не менее мы считаем их важным документом — MeduzaС первых дней вторжения «Медуза» подробно исследует — и опровергает — аргументы российской военной пропаганды (вот только пара примеров: раз, два). И хотя многим из нас ее тезисы кажутся нелепыми и не…https://meduza.io/feature/2023/06/03/dazhe-nekotorye-chitateli-meduzy-opravdyvayut-vtorzhenie-v-ukrainu-my-poprosili-ih-ob-yasnit-pochemu-vot-chto-iz-etogo-vyshloThat, in turn, leads to the third strategic objective: research.The reality is that, while the Kremlin has better access to the field than I do, it suffers from the same issues with data quality. Putin et al don’t really know what Russians think about anything.
/14As a result, many media messages — particularly when we see new ideas, arguments and framings emerge — are designed to elicit audience responses and thus to allow the Kremlin to get a better handle on cause and effect in Russian public opinion.
/15When we see an argument or a framing become dominant, we can assume that it has been audience-tested and shown to achieve the desired result. By the same token, when we see new arguments or framings pop up, we can assume that they are part of this testing process.
/16Simonyan’s time-to-talk argument may yet prove to have legs — but it won’t grow those legs until it has proved its worth to the propaganda machinery itself, and ultimately to the Kremlin.
/17In sum, when we see messages like this, we should ask three questions:
1⃣ What line of Western analysis does this message disrupt?
2⃣ What Russian audiences is the Kremlin trying to keep on board?
3⃣ What will the Kremlin learn from how the messages resonate?
/18Signals should be treated with extreme caution if:
1⃣ They are not accompanied by non-narrative evidence that prior analysis was wrong;
2⃣ They are not accompanied by material benefits to key audiences in Russia; and/or
3⃣ They do not dominate the discursive space.
/19Keeping these questions in mind should help us determine how to interpret Kremlin messaging and clue us into whether we ourselves might not be the target./END
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) June 8, 2023
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
A new video from Patron’s official TikTok:
@patron__dsns Кожен буде жати, що посіяв… #херсонщина 💔
Here’s the machine translation of the caption:
Everyone will reap what they have sown… #Kherson region 💔
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 470: Another Day, Another Russian War CrimePost + Comments (59)