Ukraine 2022: List of resources and authentic sources of info

[xenon]

With the tendency for current threads to be clogged up with random contextually ambiguous tweets SM posts and dubious claims, I wanted this thread to highlight credible sources of info that are otherwise getting lost in the noise.

e.g.

kebabking

You mentioned 1 or 2 worthwhile military knowledgeable twitter accounts that are worth following. If you see this do you mind reposting here, I've lost them in the noise. One was Tom something or other.

Likewise anyone else. good info from people on the ground. knowledgeable observers. Legit ways that we from so far away may help the Ukrainions if we are able.

Take as read, obvious caveats re motives of corrospondants and the veracity of info they may be party to.

 

[Pickman's model]

this from the ukrainian institute in london Russia’s war against Ukraine. What can you do to support Ukraine & Ukrainians? ‣ Ukrainian Institute London

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Not a news source but a good book providing analysis on Putin: https://www.brookings.edu/book/mr-putin-new-and-expanded/

 

[Flavour]

Edit - this post seems to have been on the wrong thread

 

[Tooter]

I came here looking for this! Sick of western media shite....any blogs people?

 

[hitmouse]

I mean, not claiming any of this as remotely objective or unbiased, is obviously highly partisan analysis, but:
Crimethinc have been really good at translating and publishing stuff from Ukrainian and Russian sources lately:

CrimethInc. ex-Workers’ Collective: Your ticket to a world free of charge

CrimethInc. is a decentralized network pledged to anonymous collective action. We strive to reinvent our lives and our world according to the principles of self-determination and mutual aid.

crimethinc.com

Avtonom is a Russian anarcho media project:

Автономное Действие - анархисты, либертарные коммунисты, антифа | Новости об анархизме, антифашизме, акциях протеста

Автономное Действие (АД) - это либертарно-коммунистический (анархистский) медиа-проект. Мы выступаем за полное уничтожение Государства и всех его институтов. Вместо бюрократического государства мы предлагаем создание системы народного самоуправления - федерации свободных индивидов, групп, общин...

avtonom.org

Meduza is a somewhat more mainstream Russian media source that seems to be fairly reliable afaict, from a reasonably dissident perspective:

Meduza — The Real Russia. Today.

The Real Russia. Today.

meduza.io

Ukraine Antifa have a telegram channel here:

UANTIFA 🇺🇦🏴161

Вісник українського Антифа руху Бот для зв'язку: @uantifa_bot Medium: medium.com/@uantifa Mastodon: https://kolektiva.social/@uantifa 📩 uantifa@riseup.net The voice of Ukrainian Antifa movement

t.me

Can view in your browser as:

UANTIFA 🇺🇦🏴161

Вісник українського Антифа руху Бот для зв'язку: @uantifa_bot Medium: medium.com/@uantifa Mastodon: https://kolektiva.social/@uantifa 📩 uantifa@riseup.net The voice of Ukrainian Antifa movement

t.me

 

[frogwoman]

Should We Have Seen This Coming? -Ilya Budraitskis on the Invasion of

What is the situation at this point? How extensive is the damage? It is very difficult to judge, as reports from both sides are highly contradictory. But we can already say for sure that we are talking about dozens of dead Ukrainian citizens, as well as Ukrainian and Russian military personnel...

www.versobooks.com

Ilya Budraitskis is a Russian socialist who writes really interesting stuff.

 

[CNT36]

ISW - understandingwar.org are doing updates similar to those they have done for other conflicts.

 

[hitmouse]

Oh, and Simon Pirani's blog is often good for translations and coverage of Eastern Europe stuff:

People and Nature

Some socialist ideas about society, the earth and their interaction

peopleandnature.wordpress.com

 

[RileyOBlimey]

If anyone wants a good person to check in with on Twitter re: potential cyber war: https://twitter.com/malwarejake?s=21

He was recently outed by the GRU as not only ex-NSA but part of their Tailored Access Operations (the NSAs top tier hackers).

 

[RileyOBlimey]

Follow oligarch jets on Twitter

https://twitter.com/ruoligarchjets?s=21

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Lewisham's Polish Centre in Forest Hill is seeking donations of food , clothes (although possibly got enough for now?), bedding, packing boxes, other supplies for refugees arriving in Poland.

Tweet from Catford councillor about it -

 

[xenon]

Pretty sure this was posted in the other thread.
However, are useful overview on the run-up to the invasion. The as Putin would see it, antagonism of NATO and EU expansion.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Follow oligarch jets on Twitter

https://twitter.com/ruoligarchjets?s=21

Looks like it was set up by the kid who was tracking Elon Musk's private jet, amongst others. Elon Musk tried and failed to pay him to stop tracking it, iirc.

 

[frogwoman]

Medusa.io and The Naked Pravda are also very good.

 

[frogwoman]

https://meduza.io/live/2022/02/27/v...-v-ukrainu-chetvertyy-den-voyny-onlayn-meduzy

this is one of the only independent russian sources of news, please consider donating to them if you can too.

 

[Doctor Carrot]

Pretty sure this was posted in the other thread.
However, are useful overview on the run-up to the invasion. The as Putin would see it, antagonism of NATO and EU expansion.

Is that worth bothering with? I only ask because of title of it and his conclusions seem to match those of STWC that it's all the fault of NATO expansion. I've also seen quoted from his article of the same title that America should've just recognised Ukraine as a buffer state between NATO and Russia, as if Ukraine is America's to give away and Russia's to take.

 

[hitmouse]

If you want to look at tweets, these appear to be English-language twitter accounts from Ukraine that don't seem to be obvious propaganda as far as I can tell:

https://twitter.com/problemicist

https://twitter.com/UkraineLive2022

Also, probably not of direct relevance to most urbs, but here's a list of telegram channels for people crossing over the Polish border:

information for refugees+ – Operation Solidarity

operation-solidarity.org

If you are at one of the checkpoints at the Ukraine-Poland border.
You need help or are ready to help.
Add in a chat and communicate, helping each other.
Grushiv crossing help (@hrushiv_help)
Krakivets help (@krakivets_help)
Rava-Ruska crossing mutual aid (@rawa_ruska_help)
Ustilug crossing mutual aid (@ustyluh_help)
Shehyni overpass (@shehyni_help)
Jagodyn crossing mutual aid (@yagodyn_help)

 

[xenon]

Is that worth bothering with? I only ask because of title of it and his conclusions seem to match those of STWC that it's all the fault of NATO expansion. I've also seen quoted from his article of the same title that America should've just recognised Ukraine as a buffer state between NATO and Russia, as if Ukraine is America's to give away and Russia's to take.

TBH that is the tenner of it. However, I found it useful in trying to summarise the last few years from the supposed Putin PoV. Yes listening to what he thinks should have happened, nutral Ukraine outside the EU and NATO, you are left wondering, what about the Ukrainian people, you know maybe asking them what they want.

 

[xenon]

Cheers for the new forum, editor
Do you mind moving this thread in there when you get the chance.

 

[bluescreen]

I came here looking for this! Sick of western media shite....any blogs people?

Probably not what you're looking for, but there is this war diary from a writer in Kyiv, about living there under attack. Not really political or military analysis, but gives a real sense of what her life is like there.

War Diary | ISOLARII

orientation for a deteriorating world

isolarii.com

 

[xenon]

(Advance apologies if these have been posted before)

From the excellent belllingcat and Global Investigative Journalism Network websites. Well worth a read:

Invasion of Ukraine: Tracking use of Cluster Munitions in Civilian Areas - bellingcat

Open source evidence shows that cluster munitions have hit civilian areas in Ukraine during opening days of war with Russia. The direction from which the rockets have travelled provide clues as to who may have fired them.

www.bellingcat.com

15 Tips for Investigating War Crimes

Reporting violations in an active conflict, previously a daunting and life threatening task, has now become easier thanks to open-source reporting techniques, which provide investigative journalists much greater ability to investigate war crimes as they happen.

gijn.org

^ Posted in the main thread on 03/03/2022.

 

[hitmouse]

The Russian Reader is another site that's good for translations of (underground/dissident) Russian stuff:

The Russian Reader

News and views of the other Russia(n)s

therussianreader.com

 

[Gramsci]

As I'm into film here are two recent films about Ukraine. I do think film can show better than a lot of words how a society is affected by war and conflict. These films were made before Putin invasion. But the "war" has been going on for some time.

First film Donbass is very black comedy on life in pro Putin "republic". Shows how conflict leads to further corruption of society. Also how pro Putin republics are more like mafia controlled regions. Those with weapons have the say. This one is more directly critical of Putins Russia. Without naming him.

Donbass (2018) ⭐ 6.6 | Drama

2h 2m | 15

www.imdb.com

Second film is set in near future at end of the conflict in Ukraine. Two people mentally damaged by war try to find peace. Job they have is unearthing abandoned dead bodies of those who died to give them proper funeral.

Atlantis (2019) ⭐ 6.9 | Drama, War

1h 48m

www.imdb.com

I saw these films some time back on MUBI.

The present invasion reminded me of them. Ukraine has lived with war for a long time now. These two intelligent films show that those near the conflict have better understanding of the human costs of war than some of those in Western European countries cheering on war.

At the best of times war isn't a great option. It's not that it cheapens lives it is that it changes and damages the nature of a society living in violent conflict for years.

Both these films I think are now required viewing.

 

[zahir]

One for the armchair generals. A long discussion with experts on the Russian military on how the war is going and how it's likely to play out.

https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1vAxRkddrOrKl

 

[frogwoman]

Not sure where else to put this but here's an interesting interview on North Korea's response to the conflict and why Kim will be very reluctant to give up the nukes after this. How North Korea has responded to the war in Ukraine – NKNews Podcast Ep. 225. Episode: How North Korea has responded to the war in Ukraine – NKNews Podcast Ep. 225 Podcast Republic . Media: https://media.blubrry.com/nknews/tv...korea-has-responded-to-the-war-in-ukraine.mp3 . -- Sent from Podcast Republic.

 

[frogwoman]

 

[deeyo]

As I'm into film here are two recent films about Ukraine. I do think film can show better than a lot of words how a society is affected by war and conflict. These films were made before Putin invasion. But the "war" has been going on for some time.

First film Donbass is very black comedy on life in pro Putin "republic". Shows how conflict leads to further corruption of society. Also how pro Putin republics are more like mafia controlled regions. Those with weapons have the say. This one is more directly critical of Putins Russia. Without naming him.

Donbass (2018) ⭐ 6.6 | Drama

2h 2m | 15

www.imdb.com

Second film is set in near future at end of the conflict in Ukraine. Two people mentally damaged by war try to find peace. Job they have is unearthing abandoned dead bodies of those who died to give them proper funeral.

Atlantis (2019) ⭐ 6.9 | Drama, War

1h 48m

www.imdb.com

I saw these films some time back on MUBI.

The present invasion reminded me of them. Ukraine has lived with war for a long time now. These two intelligent films show that those near the conflict have better understanding of the human costs of war than some of those in Western European countries cheering on war.

At the best of times war isn't a great option. It's not that it cheapens lives it is that it changes and damages the nature of a society living in violent conflict for years.

Both these films I think are now required viewing.

pen ukraine has a page about the war.

#STOP WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

PEN Ukraine appeals to international PEN centers and fellow writers, journalists and intellectuals. On this page, we tell about current situation in Ukraine and share official sources, media and accounts ...

war.pen.org.ua

#StandWithUkraine. 30 books to understand Ukrainians

What do you know about Ukrainians? For the last ten years, Ukraine has been published on the covers of world newspapers with the headlines "Revolution of Dignity" and "War". These ...

pen.org.ua

also links to this:

20 of the best films to help understand what’s happening in Ukraine

 

[Gramsci]

Not quite on topic but whilst we are on films I've been watching the BFI player films for the Polish film Festival on now.

Fever by veteran director Holland was promptly banned by the Polish communist government for being anti Russian. Loosely follows the Polish Socialist Party attempt to overthrow Russian imperialism in the early 1900s.

Watch Fever - BFI Player

A series of interwoven stories focusing on the Polish resistance to Russian forces at the time of the 1905 Revolution.

player.bfi.org.uk

Being Polish its got a strain of black humour and absurdity in it than leavens the politics. Also doomed youth who are crushed by oppressive society is very much a theme in Polish films of that time.

Made in 1981 its still topical now due to war in Ukraine. Shows how East European see history of Europe.

Of course whilst being set in 1905 its was also about the present day Poland. So hardly surprising it got banned.

 

[Pickman's model]

Central European university press have made ten titles about Ukraine free to download https://ceupress.com/article/2022-03-01/ceu-press-provides-free-access-ten-its-titles-ukraine