Weekly Exclusives
Weekly Exclusives - a newsletter that contains author publications, interviews, exclusive comments, photos and videos.
Photos of the week
A column of thick black smoke rises above the site of a fire caused by a Russian drone strike on Odessa, March 11, 2025
Interview
I want Ukrainians to be evaluated by stories like this!, - Yanis Tereshchenko, the Ukrainian soldier who saved a man’s life while on holiday in Venice
The story of Yanis Tereshchenko, a soldier from of the 3rd Assault Brigade has been reverberating through all of Europe for long while now. Not just the Italian media, but also The Guardian and The Telegraph among others told their readers that the 32-year-old Ukrainian soldier on holiday in Venice saved the life of a man who had been stabbed in a brawl in the alleyways of the historic city center. It is likely that Yanis Tereshchenko’s prompt intervention saved the young man, who had been wounded in the leg and was losing a large quantity of blood. The man, reportedly Tunisian, had allegedly got into a fight with another Tunisian. He sustained a stab wound to the thigh, which reportedly severed his femoral artery. Yanis was on his way to his hotel with his wife and his five-year-old son in the Rialto district when he saw the victim lying on the ground and bleeding profusely, surrounded by panicked passers-by. He was able to use the first aid kit he has carried since joining the Ukrainian army three years ago. Doctors later said that Tereshchenko’s intervention was very fortunate. The victim was losing blood rapidly, and without the soldier’s prompt action, he might have died. Tereshchenko did his best to keep him conscious until the ambulance arrived.
Stefanie Babst, former head of NATO's strategic planning staff
Before joining the NATO structures, Stefanie Babst was a Professor of Russian and East European Studies at the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Hamburg.
She has been to Ukraine many times over the past 20 years and is a staunch supporter of Ukrainians in their struggle for freedom. Today, she loudly and forcefully expresses her position and is not afraid to criticize leading politicians.
Even before the conversation begins, Dr. Babst makes an opening statement that leaves no doubt about her assessment of the current situation: "I always stress this: Europe must be clear about one thing: whatever deal, ceasefire or even surrender Trump will try to impose on Ukraine and Europe with blackmail and brutal coercion, Russia will continue to pose a deadly security threat to us as long as the Putin regime remains in power. This has been true since the beginning of Russia’s reckless assault on Ukraine in 2014. And it still holds true today.
We cannot possibly coexist next to a massive security threat and nurture the hope it will not affect us. Alas, this gruesome truth has not been accepted by all European leaders. In Germany and other countries too many decision-makers promise to stand with Ukraine but actively work towards appeasing the terror regime in Moscow. This must stop."
Oleksii Haran, professor of political science
The meeting at Jeddah was, as the Foreign Ministry said, not an easy one, and looking ahead, there is an expectation for a follow-up move from the Russian Federation. So far, it is difficult to understand from the signals sent by the Kremlin as to whether it will accept the proposal to cease fire for at least 30 days and meaningfully negotiate something further. And what next? What if it turns out that those whom the United States is persistently trying to reconcile will not have common points for discussion or will have hidden plans up their sleeves?
Oleksii Haran, professor of political science at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and scientific advisor to the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, shared his thoughts on how the situation could develop and whether Ukraine has restored good relations and understanding with its long-standing overseas partner.
Publications
Game Changer: Ukraine has upgraded its Neptune cruise missile to reach targets 621 miles away
Sensation: Ukraine’s indigenous missile can reach long-range targets inside Russia free from partner countries’ restrictions. Named the Long Neptune, Ukraine’s new indigenous missile can hit targets as far as 1,000 km (621 miles) away. How can this change the trajectory of war with Russia?
Ukraine has tested and operationally deployed an upgraded version of its Neptune cruise missile, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced during a broadcast televised on Saturday.
“There were also reports today on our missile program. We have significant results. ‘Long Neptune’ has been tested and successfully used in combat,” Zelensky said.
“A new Ukrainian missile, precise strike. Range – a thousand kilometers. Thank you, our Ukrainian developers, manufacturers and military personnel.”
Ukraine should avail of U.S. dissatisfaction with the outcome of Trump-Putin talk
President Donald Trump entered his call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin with high hopes, following days of White House optimism that a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine was within reach, but the outcome appeared to fall short of what the U.S. had sought.
While both the U.S. and Russia issued statements underscoring a shared interest in de-escalation, the Kremlin's readout of the call between Trump and Putin was more reserved compared to the White House statement, confirming a fully agreed-upon ceasefire framework has yet to emerge. In particular, the White House’s statement makes no reference to the “need to stop forced mobilization in Ukraine and rearmament of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.
What’s the outcomes?
The outcomes can be broadly divided into two blocks. The first one refers to what “the parties agreed upon” (referring to the messages both sides -- – the Kremlin and the White House – put down in their respective statements), and the second one includes “Putin’s wishes” (reflected in the Kremlin’s statement only).
So, what did Trump and Putin say about Ukraine?
Fact Checks
Russian propaganda spreads fake about journalist rights violations in Ukraine
Russian propagandists are circulating the video, which falsely states that the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) documented 8,440 cases of press freedom violations and obstruction of journalists' work in Ukraine within a year. According to the fake video, RSF, together with 120 European media outlets -- including BBC, Deutsche Welle, Euronews, France 24, and others -- is allegedly planning to sue the Office of the President of Ukraine.
This claim is entirely false. The video does not exist on RSF's official website or social media accounts.
The latest publication on the Reporters Without Borders website, dated March 17, 2025, discusses violations of the rights of U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) employees worldwide, particularly imprisoned journalists outside the United States. According to RSF, the most hostile countries toward USAGM representatives include Belarus, Russia, China, North Korea, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Notably, two USAGM employees are currently imprisoned in Russia.
The fabricated video was compiled using publicly available images from the internet, with the RSF logo added via graphic editing software.
Russian propaganda continues to push the narrative that Ukraine lacks press freedom, using RSF's branding to create fake materials.
Previously, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation debunked another fake video allegedly from Reporters Without Borders, which was spread by pro-Russian Telegram channels. That video falsely claimed that between 2022 and 2025, 54 journalists were killed in Ukraine, with another 167 reported missing.
In reality, the original video, dated December 20, 2024, did not mention Ukraine at all. Russian propagandists manipulated the footage, inserting false claims to make it appear more credible.
In fact, Russia is the primary violator of press freedom. According to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, as of January 14, 2025, at least 31 Ukrainian media workers -- including those from Russian-occupied territories – were held captive in Russia.
Since the beginning of the war, 99 journalists and media workers have been killed due to Russian aggression.
Previously, Russian propaganda spread a fake story claiming that a pro-Ukrainian activist in the U.S. spat on the stroller of J.D. Vance's daughter.
Andriy Olenin
Video
A march in honor of Ukrainian volunteers took place in the center of Kyiv
News:
War
Russia replenishing troops in southern Ukraine via Crimea, newly built railway – military spox
Kharkiv Defense Commander dwelling on early days of full-scale invasion
Politics
MP Merezhko reveals what conditions Russia may set for ceasefire
Belgian ambassador: Russian disinformation 'indoctrinated our minds' for decades
Not another "Orbán" in Austria, new government to support Ukraine – expert
OSCE declines to comment why Secretary General avoids referring to Russia as aggressor
Economy
Ukraine planning to enter 31 new export markets
Ukraine needs to import 2.5 bcm of gas to prepare for winter – expert
About 20% of cargo in Ukraine inspected by private phytosanitary laboratories - Tkachuk
Tax Service reveals amount of military tax revenues since start of year
Fund managers fail to submit 13.5% of budget programs on time - Hetmantsev
Society
Founder of Aerobavovna and Space Cossacks: Ukraine receives satellite images from several sources
Ukraine promoting own agenda at UN Commission on Status of Women
Ombudsman's Office lacking statistics on number of Ukrainians returning home permanently
See you next Friday!