Weekly newsletter
This is a newsletter of exclusive materials of "Ukrinform" for a week
Photo of the week:
Exhibits of the multimedia exhibition "Voices", Kyiv, April 3, 2024.
Мaterials and Interviews:
BILD
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine: “Chancellor Scholz is afraid of Putin's nuclear threats”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has given an interview to well-known German journalist Paul Ronzheimer, which was published in the tabloid newspaper Bild and other media outlets of the Axel Springer media group. The conversation took place near Kharkiv, where the Supreme Commander-in-Chief visited new Ukrainian defensive structures.
World
Şeref Malkoç, Chief Public Ombudsman of Turkey
Last week, the Chief Public Ombudsman of Turkey, Şeref Malkoç, paid a visit to Ukraine, which included Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv. He met with the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, with relatives of Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia, and with Russian prisoners of war in the detention camp in Lviv.
In the near future, Mr. Malkoç intends to pay a visit to Russia to meet with Ukrainian prisoners and see the conditions of their detention. After both visits, the Turkish Ombudsman's office will prepare reports, including on the conditions of compliance with the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Şeref Malkoç calls the exchange and return of prisoners of war home one of his main tasks in his current activism and human rights work within the framework of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The Chief Public Ombudsman of Turkey, Şeref Malkoç, spoke about his impressions and results of his visit to Ukraine, as well as the prospects for the return of Ukrainian prisoners home, in an interview with Ukrinform.
Environment
War destroys environment, but we must survive for future generations
At a special conference, environmentalists spoke about the impact of Russian armed aggression on Ukraine's environment and the possibility of its restoration The war in Ukraine has been going on for 10 years.
During this time, 3 biosphere reserves, 14 nature reserves, 19 national nature parks, dozens of regional landscape parks, hundreds of nature reserves, natural monuments, protected tracts, as well as botanical gardens, dendrological parks, zoos and parks-monuments of landscape art have been in the zone of military operations and occupation. Russian occupants mine protected areas, mercilessly cut down forests, and destroy rare species of flora and fauna. Forests are burning and valuable protected areas are being destroyed. Experts believe that we have lost some ecosystems forever, and they record each case for the International Criminal Court with the definition of ecocide.
Inform War
Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, American journalist turned Ukraine Army Sergeant
The story of an American from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, who came to Ukraine as a journalist at the outset of the full-scale invasion before joining the ranks of the country’s Defense Forces in 2022 as a combat medic, gained quite a lot of publicity on social media. During her service she switched from the frontlines to the infowar battlefield where she would brazenly call out Russian propagandists, using an exaggerated version of herself for this persona. Sarah sparked outrage in the Russian establishment by outrageously mocking the Kremlin. As it turns out, it was all part of a sophisticated special information operation that received high praise from strategic communications experts and Ukraine’s security forces.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Sarah spoke of what was going on behind the scenes of her daring and rather controversial project, and shared her thoughts on the best strategy for waging an information war against a highly-skilled adversary with an unlimited psyops budget.
Recovery
Restoring Ukraine: “We will rebuild a school in Avdiivka as well!”
An architectural competition is underway to design a school that would become a model for the reconstruction of Ukrainian educational institutions. However, the location is also among the design considerations
In recent days alone, the Mykhailo Boichuk Academy of Decorative and Applied Arts and Design in Kyiv, and a school of the Velyka Pysarivka community in Sumy Oblast were destroyed…
In total, more than 3,000 educational facilities in Ukraine have been severely damaged or totally ruined as a result of Russia’s criminal aggression. Nevertheless, this is not a reason to give up: In the difficult wartime environment, Ukrainian children continue to study, and, security situation permitting, joint efforts with international partners are being made to restore lyceums and gymnasiums in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, applications are being accepted for the Future School for Ukraine architectural design competition held at the initiative of the Lithuanian Government in partnership with the State Agency for the Restoration and Development of Ukraine’s Infrastructure and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science. Ukrinform talked to the project’s organisers and expert architects about the progress of the project. While noting the urgency of reconstruction and the undeniable benefits of such a competition, practitioners warned against high expectations of standard designs.
Fact check
Fresh Russian fakes for French-speaking audience
The French branch of the Kremlin's Russia Today and its satellite Sputnik Africa are distributing to the French-speaking audience a fragment of an interview with French far-right politician Florian Philippot. The video is also shared on pro-Russian French-language Telegram channels and TikTok.
Top Videos:
International support
We are doing everything possible to deliver ammunition - Ollongren to Ukraine as soon as possible
The Netherlands became the seventh country with which Ukraine signed a bilateral security agreement a month ago, which, in particular, provides for 2 billion euros in military aid this year, as well as further defense aid over the next ten years. The Netherlands, together with the USA and Denmark, lead the Aviation Coalition within the framework of "Ramstein".
And a few weeks ago, the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kaisa Ollongren, during her visit to Ukraine, announced a new aid package of 350 million euros, which will be directed to the purchase of weapons for the F-16 and the purchase of modern unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. According to her, the Netherlands intends to hand over the first F-16 fighters to Ukraine in the second half of 2024
About how many F-16 fighter jets will be transferred and how to increase the production of weapons for Ukraine, Kaysa Ollongren told in an interview with Ukrinform while inspecting the MQ-9 Reaper (Reaper) - a reconnaissance and strike UAV at the military air base in Leeuwarden.
Journalists under fire
Ukrinform correspondent Olha Zvonarieva (18+) was injured during the shelling in Zaporizhzhia
Ukrinform reporter Olha Zvonarieva was wounded during shelling in Zaporizhzhia.
As Ukrinform reports, this was reported by our colleague, photojournalist Dmytro Smolienko. "There was shelling, and it came at us. Everything happened in front of my eyes," Dmytro clarified.
Olha was wounded in the leg. She is currently in the operating room.
During the invasion, Olha Zvonariova and Dmytro Smolienko prepared hundreds of reports from hot spots in the region.
Action in support of prisoners of war
In Lviv, an action was held in support of prisoners of war as part of the initiative "Don't be silent. Captivity kills"
In Lviv, a reminder action was held about the prisoners of war of the Mariupol garrison, all prisoners, and missing persons: “Do not be silent! Captivity kills!” The purpose of the action is to draw the attention of society and the global community to the catastrophic situation of Ukrainian prisoners of war, particularly the defenders of Mariupol, who have been held in the enemy’s dungeons for the second year.
News that may affect events in the country:
World
EU Ambassador to Moldova: EU boosting support for Modlova’s defense forces in view of Russian aggression in Ukraine
“As for what we are doing here in the Republic of Moldova, in the past we were engaged in practically all spheres of life except for defense. And for the past several years, we’ve had - and that's basically wa's triggered by the Russian aggression in Ukraine - is rethinking of our engagement,” the EU Ambassador to Moldova Janis Mazeiks.
Energy
Ukrenergo saves half of its substation equipment through passive protection – Kudrytskyi
Ukrenergo National Power Company will continue to develop passive protection systems for its substations, as they saved at least half of the company’s equipment during Russia’s latest massive attacks.
Economy
Non-performing loans consistently reducing in volume in Ukraine – expert’s opinion
The number and volume of non-performing loans in Ukraine’s banking system are steadily reducing, although they directly depend on the course of hostilities, military assistance from Western partners and economic development.
See you next Friday!