Weekly newsletter
This is a newsletter of exclusive materials of Ukrinform for a week
Photo of the week:
The sculpture "Bitter Memory of Childhood", which was dressed in an embroidered shirt for World Vyshyvanka Day, on the territory of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide, Kyiv, 16 May 2024.
Мaterials and Interviews:
Stories from the front
Mykhailo Boyko, Frontline Surgeon
Mykhailo Boyko, 31, military surgeon, officer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,. In 2019, he graduated from the Ukrainian Military Medical Academy, after he had graduated from the Ternopil Medical University with a Master’s Degree in Medicine. After graduating from the academy, he was assigned to a hospital located in Donetsk Oblast. Until the end of 2023, Mykhailo had been doing military service at the hospital, occupying different positions: chief of surgical department, leading surgeon, and, after the breakout of Russia’s all-out war, chief medical officer. His team has saved thousands of lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
Doctors at the hospital work 24/7, almost without a sleep and, after a short rest, Mykhailo goes there again to care and save.
An important decision
22nd Ramstein Format meeting were deliberating on lifting a ban on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied arms against targets inside Russia
The war is evolving into a new phase. By the end of the year, a mechanism will likely be identified, and restrictions will be lifted on Ukraine using the weapons supplied by partners against military targets inside Russia
Increasing Discussions
Potential Peace Deal with Russia: Current Status and Prospects
Numerous statements regaring potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine can be found in the information space in Ukraine and elsewhere across the world, and their numbers have been increasing during May. Is that real politics or just information noise?
War-Time Production
Ukrainian grown cotton for the domestic defense industry
Despite the fact that during the war, Ukraine began to produce many times more military equipment and weaponry, one of the key remaining problems is the lack of a domestic gunpowder industry. Hence the critical dependence on imported supplies. And it is not easy to ensure regular supplies in conditions where demand, provoked by the Russo-Ukrainian war, is surging all over the world. Therefore, it is time to think seriously about the setting up of self-sufficient production of gunpowder, starting with the cultivation of the necessary raw material - cotton. This is a matter that should be addressed with urgency. After all, our enemy has preserved its gunpowder industry which is growing production day by day. And the Russian Federation, while preparing for the war, made sure the supply of the critical raw material needed for gunpowder production, the cotton pulp, be smooth and uninterrupted.
Fact Check
Russian propaganda spreading fake about Kharkiv RMA head’s real estate in Dubai
Russian propaganda is spreading fake amid hostilities in the Kharkiv region
Russian bots on Telegram channels and X, z-bloggers are spreading a photo showing a man in Dubai near the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and an alleged "document" confirming ownership of an apartment in the city’s elite high-rise building.
Top Videos:
Aid to Ukraine
The NATO Military Committee talked about helping Ukraine
In Brussels, a meeting of the NATO Military Committee and a session of the Ukraine-NATO Council at the level of defense leaders took place. The Ukrainian side participated in the meeting via teleconference. The discussions revolved around the current situation on the front lines and enhancing military assistance from NATO allies to support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
During the Military Committee session near NATO headquarters, a demonstration by the Ukrainian and international community took place, demanding that Alliance members fulfill their commitments to support Ukraine with weapons and ammunition.
Ukraine and the World
Embroidery Day was celebrated in Ankara
Today, the Ukrainian community in Ankara celebrated Vyshyvanka Day - diaspora members dressed in embroidered shirts gathered in the Ukrainian Park, where trees from Ukraine were planted last year.
The event was organized by the Embassy of Ukraine in Turkey and the Ukrainian Association in Ankara.
Diaspora
A Ukrainian street festival was held in New York, where funds were collected for the Armed Forces
The Ukrainian festival traditionally takes place every spring on Manhattan.
Street trading of souvenirs, vyshyvankas, clothing with symbols, as well as treating with national dishes, are combined with performances by artists.
A portion of the proceeds from sales at this festival will go to support the Ukrainian army, including the purchase of drones, footwear, and equipment for servicemen.
News that may affect events in the country:
World
Poland discusses possibility of shooting down Russian missiles, no decisions yet - FM
From a technical and legal point of view, Poland is considering the possible involvement of its air defence systems in shooting down Russian missiles near the country's borders, but no decisions have been made in this regard.
This was stated by Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski in a commentary to Ukrinform, commenting on the words of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about the possibility of using Polish air defence systems to shoot down Russian missiles over the territory of Ukraine.
"This issue is being considered from a legal and technical point of view, but there are no decisions in this matter," Vronsky said, adding that the Ukrainian side had approached the Polish side with this kind of initiative.
Business
Over 48,000 individual enterprises registered by Ukrainians in Poland in past two years
“Over the past two years, Ukrainians have registered 48,464 individual enterprises in Poland. Prior to the beginning of the full-scale invasion, our compatriots used to set up about 200 individual enterprises per month. In spring 2022, their number increased from 600 to 1,700. In the following months, Ukrainians registered 2,000 individual enterprises per month, and this indicator reached 3,000 per month in 2023,” the relevant statement was made by Diia.Business in Warsaw.
Defense
More than 1,600 developments registered on Brave1 platform – Digital Transformation Ministry
The Brave1 defense tech cluster, which was created at the initiative of the Ukrainian Digital Transformation Ministry in cooperation with defense agencies and the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine a year ago, has significantly accelerated the supply of technologies to the front. Today, more than 1,600 developments and 1,000 producers have already been registered on the platform.
War
Russian railroad alternative to Kerch Bridge operational only on one section - Pletenchuk
The railroad, which the occupiers are building as an alternative to the Kerch Bridge, is currently operating on only one section and is not fully operational. For the Defense Forces of Ukraine, it is a legitimate target, and the defenders have enough capabilities to destroy it.
International politics
Due to Hungary's position, CoE Committee of Ministers changed format of declaration on Zelensky Formula
The Ukrainian delegation was aware that Hungary would be against the inclusion of a clause in the general declaration of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe supporting President Zelensky's Peace Formula, so it was decided to change the format of the final document.
Analytics
Russia exploits attempt on Fico to play victim - British expert
Russian propaganda and pro-Russian actors in Europe are trying to exploit the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico to portray themselves and their allies as victims while claiming that Ukraine and the West are real “villains”.
See you next Friday!