I’d like to start with this today. It sums up rather well the predicament I find myself in at the moment. Having said that, I am actively seeking those who would like to share their stories, whether uplifting, or frustrating, and the entire spectrum in between. I hope this August I will be able to share more of them with you.
Thanks to the ongoing generosity of some “regular” donors, I am again in possession of a small surplus of e-giftcards and am working off that list. 10 cards out today, so far! The requests keep coming. I saw a post last night in a Telegram group for Ukrainian moms in Vienna (not my group), and it was a woman telling others about Cards for Ukraine and sharing her grocery photo. She wrote she waited months after applying via our website, and her €50 Hofer card finally arrived:
There has been so much interesting journalism recently, I would like to continue to share it with you.
On Russia’s war economy:
A Spending Boom Fuels Russia’s Wartime Economy, Raising Bubble Fears
Anton Barbashin summarises this Russian-language interview with Natalia Zubarevich on Russia’s economy:
Natalia Zubarevich on Russian economy:
- regions with Military industrial complex show significant growth
- private business shows great potential for adaptation and survival
- gov spending stopped real income decline
- middle class is fckd
Joshua Yaffa of The New Yorker, a longtime Russia and Ukraine correspondent, has just published an epic piece on Wagner Group. I must admit I probably know more about Wagner than the average reader, as I was working years ago as a freelance translator for The Bell, an excellent Russian independent media focused on the intersection (at the time) of business and politics and tech. I remember being called back from dinner during a family holiday in summer 2018 to translate the story of three Russian journalists murdered in the Central African Republic. They were suspected of poking around too much into Wagner and other shady dealings in the African country.
Inside the Wagner Group’s Armed Uprising
I would also recommend listening to this podcast interview with Joshua about his reporting. My personal view, based on no scientific evidence whatsoever, is that Prigozhin’s days are numbered, but he will be dealt with only when he is out of sight out of mind to his “men” (don’t forget how many murderers have been released from prisons, served six months on the front in Ukraine, miraculously managed to survive, and now roam free) and no longer of use to Russia in Africa, Syria etc. That may take some time.
Russia is also apparently arming civilians near its border with Ukraine. As the FT journalists put it in their tweet “what could possibly go wrong?”. Full story here.
One final Russian story, and this one is unfortunately not yet in English. Proekt, another great independent media outlet originally from Russia, now of course working in exile, has complied “War Dogs”, a comprehensive database and in-depth report on all the Russian oligarchs, including who profited how much on the war so far. There are names on the list one might not expect. The database is also searchable. You can enter the name of an oligarch and see literally which weapons he (it is always a he) helped to produce. With sources. I hope the EU and U.S. will use this valuable resource as they consider additional sanctions. There is an accompanying 30 minute video which comes with a graphic warning.
A very interesting interview with Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, which perfectly encapsulates the emotional feel of this moment for people of Ukraine. 18 months. Think about how long that it to be an a state of permanent crisis. Think about the mental impact of spending that long in a state of flight of flight.
Another harrowing report with photography from Ukraine’s front lines, and the medical teams struggling to save lives under unimaginable conditions, plus just horrid statistics about amputees so far during this war for which there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 50,000 Ukrainians have already lost a limb since the start of the war.
Under Fire and Understaffed: The Fight to Save Ukraine’s Wounded (NYT)
In Ukraine, Amputations Already Evoke Scale of World War I (WSJ)
My inbox is blowing up again so I will get back to that. It is indeed a marathon that you don’t train for, you just run or walk as much or as little as you can each day. I am not disciplined. I do not set aside non-phone hours and I do not restrict myself to answering messages only on weekdays, as I recently read some volunteers have to preserve their own sanity. I prefer to at least answer everyone — sometimes when you don’t answer immediately you receive another 5 messages in panic. I say — I read your message, I can offer X, thanks for your patience. Usually, it works.
I am also hugely grateful to Vassily, my volunteer administrator of my Telegram group, who has been busy recently providing even more information, with everything from lists of everywhere one can eat for free in Vienna (soup bus), how to access social supermarkets (demand for which up a whopping 40% year on year thanks to the combination of refugee crisis plus domestic food inflation in the context of stagnant wages), and even how to access labs for blood tests. He is a Telegram whiz and produces all of this content, neatly organized with links and easy to read, in a Telegram “channel” which is information only. This leaves our “chat” for exactly that — questions and answers in which everyone tries to help everyone out. At least in theory.
Thank you for your continued interest and continued support. As I said at the beginning today, I am working on bringing you some more personal stories, to the extend that Ukrainians are still willing to share them with us.