Today's news: Just a few items tonight

 

Photo from this tweet.

I wasn't feeling very well today -- I did my first rapid test, luckily negative (though then I read this, so we'll see) -- but for safety's sake I decided not to go out and so I just got some extra rest, so I didn't get much reading done. 

But here's a few interesting items:

From Ukraine:

No major changes in the overall military situation in Ukraine since April 8.

- Russian and Ukrainian forces are in the process of repositioning/regrouping for the next phase of the war in Donbas.

- Situation in Mariupol is reaching a critical stage.

map: @Nrg8000 pic.twitter.com/puWcNUh954

— Franz-Stefan Gady (@HoansSolo) April 11, 2022

Ukraine has undermined Russian air superiority and this is still crucial for the fight:

By minimising Russian air power to a significant degree as a tactical weapon, the Ukrainians have made the rest of their strategy possible. Can’t over-emphasise this.

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) April 11, 2022

No they are not, both Stinger and Starstreak are short range weapons, you want to mix those with longer range systems that can trouble Russian aircraft from much further out. Also add in a fixed wing threat and it has made the Russians quite tentative. https://t.co/WTi8GhZKWB

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) April 11, 2022

There were some awful reports today of a chemical weapons attack in Maruipol, which hasn't yet been confirmed. But here's what Twitter expects:

Russian media in the next 12 hours:
- There were no chemical weapons
- The footage is fake
- Azov did it
- It’s a Western provocation
- The world hates us
- This is why we must destroy Ukraine

— Dr. Ian Garner (@irgarner) April 11, 2022

Here is an incredible story - read the whole thread:

As #Chernihiv was under siege & ferocious bombing, Tanya snuck out via a rowing boat to get to Kyiv & back to legalise her charity that was feeding the city. Under heavy shelling her team repaired generators,found an industrial drill & actually dug a well https://t.co/OqgJj7qjvr

— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) April 11, 2022

Today's News: Doing whatever we can to help Ukraine

A Paris painting by street artist Seth (photo by Chesnot).

It struck me today just how many people around the world are doing whatever we can to help Ukraine. 

For example, like the European street artists in the story linked above.

And like myself -- I'm a retired administrator half a world away from Ukraine. But I do have the time and experience to read through a wide variety of stories and tweets every day and create a blog summary that I hope is useful as a reference. 

And like actor Sean Penn - he was in Ukraine for months before the war started working on a documentary about Zelenskeyy and he just gave a fascinating interview to Hannity (spit!):

Friends, a very interesting watch. Sean Penn and Sean Hannity. Sean Penn saying what is. Sean Hannity trying to shame and blame. A person who is doing and a person who is spinning. Much respect to Sean Penn. https://t.co/WwIgwlKyvO

— John C. Carver (@johnccarver) April 11, 2022

And like Chef Jose Andre, who cooks. He goes anywhere he is needed, so people in the midst of disaster will still have something to eat-he has a massive organization now, 

World Central Kitchen, and it is now active in Ukraine:

The @WCKitchen team in action in Kyiv! They are at our warehouse filling up a truck to be sent to Hostomel—which was occupied by Russian troops until recently…Each bag contains nearly 20 pounds of food for families who have been living in basements for weeks. #ChefsForUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/goHYpeIqLp

— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) April 9, 2022

And like Pen Farthing, a former British soldier who now rescues dogs - he got several hundred 

animals out of Afghanistan last summer, and I just saw today that he is travelling in Ukraine to 

rescue abandoned pets:

Now my opinion is that the west needs to do whatever it takes to stop #russia & I am 100% fully aware what the ultimate consequences of that could be. But where will #putin stop once he has #Ukraine️ ? We cannot let that madman kill innocent people on this scale & do nothing 😔 pic.twitter.com/snUmgcf8LI

— Pen Farthing (@PenFarthing) April 10, 2022

In today's news, Hunter observes that the new plan that Russia is using to defeat Ukraine at Dondas is pretty much the same plan they tried to use to defeat Ukraine at Kyiv. 

And they failed: 

 In principle, Russia's new plan appears to be to sweep south from Izyum and north from the Mariupol region to capture all or most of Donetsk and Luhansk, cutting off the dug-in Ukrainian positions that have held stable in the war against Russian-backed separatists for years. 

 In practice, this all relies on Russian commanders showing skills that they haven't yet shown, marshaling forces on a scale they haven't yet been able to marshal, the protection of supply lines longer and more tenuous than the ones that quickly fell to pieces around Kyiv, all with a makeshift assemblage of battered troops pulled from other offensives and, theoretically, mercenary forces pulled from elsewhere. 

Yes, Russia has a new general now, but Hunter isn't impressed: 

It's unclear what new order this new Russian general is being installed to impose, but a campaign of shelling cities, destroying granaries and missile strikes on crowds of fleeing civilians is something that all the other Russian generals have been accomplishing very well on their own. It may only be another name to pin the resulting war crimes to, in the aftermath of all this. 

 If Gen. Dvornikov doesn't fall out of a Moscow window a month or two from now, of course. 

I thought this was a perceptive observation:

you don't know the names of those making the world's history now. Not Biden, Macron, Scholz. Not even Zelensky. But: Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline. Everything now depends on them. How the world will look look like in 1 year, 2 years, 10 years: all this depends on them

— UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) April 10, 2022

More news from today: 

Today's News: "An opportunity to forgive"

I just saw this great photo from Brandi Morin's great piece last week in the Toronto Star, 

showing Dr. Wilton Littlechild celebrating in Rome after Pope Francis apologized for the residential schools. 

Morin writes:

I ran outside to the square after the apology, and the weight was suddenly lifted from my shoulders. The atmosphere had shifted. The sun had burst past the rain and the sounds of Indigenous songs echoing through the plaza reverberated in my heart synchronizing with every beat of the drums.

Dr. Wilton Littlechild, from my home territories in Treaty 6, Alberta, stood up from his walker and joined the dancing, grinning from ear to ear. It was his 78th birthday. 

He was taken to residential school at age six and endured all the atrocities of evil there. A former commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which called for this apology in 2015, he had personally heard the tormenting accounts of abuse from nearly 7,000 survivors across Canada.

He lived to see this day after decades of unrelenting advocating for Indigenous rights around the world and petitioning the Catholic Church for an apology. And it was a wondrous thing to see him celebrating.

This is the first step in reconciliation with the Catholic Church, but it’s an extraordinary step. Because now there is hope for healing, now reconciliation with the church can begin and healing within our communities. 

As Littlechild told me, “How do we move forward with reconciliation? Once you’ve had the apology you have an opportunity to forgive. I think that piece (was) still missing and that’s why our communities are still hurting. Then, with an apology, people will begin to feel a sense of healing. And once that happens a new emotion originates — a sense of justice. To say ‘Yes, wrong was done to me. I’m forgiving now and going to heal and I feel justice has been done.’ ”

Planning for the Pope's visit to Canada is already underway:

Location scouting for papal visit begins in Iqaluit | CBC News https://t.co/WJPIfXXXtm

— kathy mahar (@kathymahar) April 9, 2022

Moving to Europe, here's some good news:

Privately, NATO & US officials say they would be thrilled to see Finland and Sweden join, saying they’d be a huge military and intelligence asset. Some officials commented ironically that it would be one of the best things Putin has done to harden European security. W/@jmhansler

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) April 8, 2022

Today's News: Odds and ends

Tonight's photo: the children's play area at Warsaw's Museum of Modern Art. The Museum has transformed itself to aid Ukrainian refugees

Tonight I don't have much that is "new" in the Russia Ukraine War -- just a miscellaneous collection of odds and ends, tweets and stories. 

Overall, Ukraine has been making some more progress, but so has Russia. 

First, Russia is perhaps getting its act together a little better now, compared to the chaos in March. But then again, Russia's military objectives are still being distorted by the political demand that Russia wants to declare Mission Accomplished by early May. So the chaos may continue:

Rats. I just wrote in a briefing how coordination issues between Southern and Western MD helped the Ukrainians.
They learn unfortunately... https://t.co/Bl1E72QBwL

— Gustav C. Gressel (@GresselGustav) April 8, 2022

This isn't a good sign:

The Pentagon now estimates more than 40 Russian BTGs are positioned in or near the Donbas region. The estimate was "more than 30" on Wednesday, meaning up to 10,000 more troops have arrived in recent days.
ABC

— Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) April 9, 2022

But also, this:

Russia has lost between 15-20% of the combat power it originally had arrayed against Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion, according to the official.

ABC

— Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) April 9, 2022

A month ago, at the end of February, I wrote that Ukraine had to find a way to hold on in Kyiv until more arms could arrive from the US and other countries. Now, I feel that way again -- that once again, Ukraine has to find a way to hold on in the Donbas until more arms can arrive. 

Today's News: "Ukraine is fighting our fight, for democracy"

A fascinating "history" of the Russia Ukraine War:

A day by day timelapse of the approximate situation of the war in Ukraine so far.

The situation at 00:00 UTC each day. pic.twitter.com/8MxF1ndN4y

— Ukraine War Map (@War_Mapper) April 7, 2022

Here's some other interesting pieces today: 

Mark Sumner "Looking behind us now, into history back" 

Amazing piece from NBC What a 11.4 million Ukraine refugee exodus looks like, in maps 

From CNN Drones, phones and satellite technology are exposing the truth about Russia's war in Ukraine in near real-time 

Associated Press Russia’s failure to take down Kyiv was a defeat for the ages

A #Ukrainian lioness with an important message.

Glory to #Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes, women and men ✊🏻🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Wys3QMooIS

— Canadian Ukrainian Volunteer 🇺🇦🇨🇦✊🏻 (@CanadianUkrain1) April 7, 2022

Today was Budget Day in Canada -- though you would hardly have known it if you only watched CBC and CTV, because neither broadcaster could resist the temptation to continually chop up Freeland's speech with their own hot takes and the gratuitous slams from the Opposition parties.

Wanted to watch this Finance Minister deliver her budget speech. Wanted to listen to her words on direction of this country. Every channel I went to was talking over her like barking seals. Went to https://t.co/nO2wMEUmT7 instead.

— Deb_Prothero 🇨🇦☘🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦 (@Deb_Prothero) April 8, 2022

In short, it was a disoriented and dismally biased coverage of the budget. They kept flipping to the opposition as CF was giving her speech. Totally worthless coverage! Our taxes paying their salaries, is a waste of our money. @PresidentCBCRC @cafreeland

— RWS (@RGBAtlantica) April 7, 2022

It was so frustrating we finally switched to CPAC and I'm glad we did because I was just in time to hear her powerful remarks about Ukraine and democracy, and laying out the rationale for why Canada needs to help Ukraine. 

Today's News: Maybe a gamechanger

The Switchblade drones now on their way to the Ukraine Army will likely be gamechangers for the Ukrainian defense. And offense.

U.S. Drones for #Ukraine Will Include Latest Tank Killers.

The newest model versions can destroy Russian tanks & artillery. The Flying Shotgun is part of new $300M Pentagon order. #SwitchBladeDrones pic.twitter.com/fNyfV5Kbx6

— Яро Гісбрехт🇨🇦 (@JaroGiesbrecht) April 7, 2022

Worth adding to this other US story. Ukrainian military at this moment training in the US to operate Switchblades. Now being said openly that Ukr being prepared to operate US systems. https://t.co/NnVrB9Xg2O

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) April 7, 2022

Arrival of Switchblade 600s gives Ukrainian forces an opportunity to deal with Russian long-ranged fire capabilities. More important than killing tanks is killing artillery and MLRS batteries. Now the Ukrainian army has the ability to strike these targets easily and effectively. https://t.co/JFumZie99C

— Woofers (@NotWoofers) April 5, 2022

The Switchblades allow Ukraine to target the trains, to prevent Russia from sending reinforcements to its troops.

To kill a dug in a Russian Army in Donbas, you have to destroy its trains.

Take a look at the Donbas area in this railway map.
3/https://t.co/u622E0HpFr

— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) April 5, 2022

A Switchblade 600 with a Javelin warhead is powerful enough to destroy the control section of a rail engine or can be flown into the forward train wheel assembly, blowing it to h--l and causing the derailment of a moving engine.

5/https://t.co/aqVb5ZzEiD pic.twitter.com/7BPRgt1jWU

— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) April 5, 2022

Today's News: Preparing for the next battle

In some photos from Vice, I was particularly struck by this one, where a religious icon has been set up next to a Molotov cocktail, at a checkpoint near Kyiv.

Now that Russia has withdrawn from northern Ukraine, I think troops on both sides are feverishly moving to the east and to the south. These transfers may take days or weeks -- tweets I read today talked about distances of hundreds of miles, which are lengthy journeys for armoured equipment and tanks. 

New map from British Defense Intelligence on Russian positions in Ukraine. In a daily update they note that units withdrawn from Kyiv region are likely to require “significant re-equipping and refurbishment” before being deployed east. pic.twitter.com/4HKMLBjVP0

— Amy Mackinnon (@ak_mack) April 5, 2022

But Putin badly needs a victory somewhere, so the impression I got from reading tweets and news stories today was that he might be throwing everything at Ukrainian troops in the Donbas region now - in particular, trying to capture the cities of Izium and Sloviansk, according to the New York Times.

My latest:
“The Battle of Kyiv may be over, but what comes next is the even more decisive and difficult Battle of Donbas. This fight is likely to define the war’s outcome.”https://t.co/Q8Voa4qBnu

— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) April 6, 2022

Today's News: "galloping riderless across the landscape"

My title tonight comes from this interview between The Atlantic's Tom Nichols and Russia expert Thane Gustafson, talking about the unpredictability of Putin's war.  

And it seemed apt to use Alex Coleville's eerie painting "Horse and Train" to illustrate Gustafson's point about the uncertainty of how this war will end: 

 ...This is one of those moments when history suddenly goes into overdrive and outcomes become unpredictable, mainly because at such times they are driven by the actions of individuals. I rather like the metaphor once used by former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González, who said that history seems to be “galloping riderless across the landscape.” 

I remember one of the cautionary media articles I read prior to the US invasion of Iraq -- yes, there were a few such articles, not very many but a few -- and it said that nations should always try to avoid history at all costs, because nothing good ever comes from being in an historical moment. And yes, that article was prescient about why the US should never have invaded Iraq. 

But now, here we are in another historical moment in time, where the people involved thought they knew what would happen but they didn't. Gustafson continues:

... it’s not too hard to reconstruct at this point what was likely going through Putin’s mind as he gave the order to attack. 

First, he thought he could make a lightning strike at Kyiv and install a puppet. 

Second, he thought he could seize what he calls “Novorossiya” as far as Odesa and absorb Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Mariupol. 

Third, he thought that in those places, which are largely Russian-speaking, he would be welcomed.

Fourth, he knew that he could not conquer western Ukraine, and he never intended to try. 

...In sum, he counted on a quick, easy operation: strategic objectives achieved, equilibrium restored, done and dusted.

 ...on this reasoning, Putin was not nuts, not deranged, not isolated, etcetera. It was all a reasonable bet—by his strange lights—except that every one of the premises turned out to be wrong. 

When we consider the importance of a few key individuals on the course of this war, I think we can conclude that without Zelenskyy in Ukraine and Biden in the United States -- and without Trudeau and Freeland here in Canada, Johnson in Britain, and courageous European leaders -- then its very likely that Putin would have been successful in his calculations. Gustafson concludes:

...War is like an infection: A bacterial attack causes inflammation (damaging in itself), and the mounting immune responses can escalate out of control if the infection is not defeated. The flow of volunteers and weapons into Ukraine, the mounting frustration and fury in the Kremlin, the calls for no-fly zones - I don’t know how this ends. 

I think the world is now realizing it isn't going to end any time soon. 

Today's News: Good news, of a sort

Russia has now withdrawn from Kyiv and northern Ukraine. Yes, that's the good news today. 

But now the fear is that Russia will be sending its troops and equipment to the southern and eastern Ukraine, making this fight more difficult.

Map of the approximate situation in Ukraine as of 20:00 UTC 03/04/22.#UkraineCrisis #UkraineUnderAttack #Breaking #Kyiv #Kharkiv #Odesa #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/ssf9JgpTGA

— Ukraine War Map (@War_Mapper) April 3, 2022

Here's a fascinating interactive piece from the New York Times describing why the Russian attempt to take Kyiv failed so badly:

Check out this article from The New York Times. Because I'm a subscriber, you'll be able to read it for free. https://t.co/rOjiDeMmLu

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 (@CathieCanada) April 4, 2022

And maybe their attempt in the south ultimately won't work either:

All the Putin 12D chess theories aside, I've been reading a lot of mil analysts over the last month+ and I haven't seen a single one who thinks you'd plan a military campaign like the one Russia did if you were REALLY trying to capture Donbas and the Black Sea coast. Not one. https://t.co/dlcEjnPhog

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 2, 2022

Lots of debate about whether Putin’s words count or not. This🧵is an example of how Putin’s public depiction of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as no big whoop constrains his ability to bolster his forces. The question is whether the public would support a general mobilization. https://t.co/9aundqKPjV

— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) April 3, 2022

The entire Michael Kofman thread about Russian military preparedness is worth reading:

Beyond the current battle in the Donbas, if this eventually becomes a prolonged war of attrition, Ukraine seems overall in a more favorable position, but I think the honest answer is 'it depends.' That's my unsatisfactory conclusion thus far.

— Michael Kofman (@KofmanMichael) April 3, 2022

Today's News: slaughter of the innocents

This NYT photo shows some of the Ukrainian Odin Unit, including foreign volunteers, in Irpin on Tuesday.(Credit Daniel Berehulak)

There are many more photos online today of the Kyiv suburbs and nearby small towns where Russians have left. But these scenes of tragedy make these photos too painful to post -- so many innocent Ukrainians just executed for no reason, their bodies left where they dropped, in front of their houses. And other photos of numerous bodies along the roads - often people who had tried to escape by car and just shot for no reason.

Just so sad, such pointless death and destruction. It will go down in history as another slaughter of the innocents. These are war crimes.

We now know that in territories even briefly occupied by Russian troops there was rape, looting, random killings, assaults on schools and hospitals. This is what the Red Army did in central Europe in 1944-45, and apparently nothing has changed.

— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) April 3, 2022

Seems every war-aged male was executed. Easily 500+ fatalities. Would not be surprised to see a final figure much higher than that, even.

— The Intel Crab (@IntelCrab) April 2, 2022

The media are sickened by what they are seeing, as are we all. And tonight I'm also seeing another resurgence of demands that the West needs to do more to help -- though unfortunately, the arguments against this are still just as strong as they were a month ago:

Russia’s alleged actions in Bucha sadly aren’t new. They’re part of a playbook honed in Chechnya and Syria. Yet remember there are Americans who have been praising and defending Russia and Putin publicly for years. Russian media advertises that praise. Putin is emboldened by it. https://t.co/dpcx6311fu

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) April 3, 2022

Now that we have seen evidence of mass graves in Ukraine, and pictures of the atrocities against civilians, We should demand @TuckerCarlson answer for his support of this war, as well as those Congressmen who have done the same. @GOPLeader should demand accountability

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) April 3, 2022

\

The West & NATO did act in response to Russian violence against Ukrainians. It likely contributed to Russia’s failure around Kyiv.
The idea that a lot of weapons + diplomatic support + unprecedented economic pressure amounts to nothing more than prevarication just isn’t accurate. https://t.co/NWB1Garnhz

— Nicholas Grossman (@NGrossman81) April 3, 2022

We'll likely be seeing more of this type of suggestion -- well-meaning, yes, but....

One billionaire could end this war in Ukraine. Of course there are add-ons in arming & maintaining creative runways, etc., but seems worth a think. (2/2)

— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) March 31, 2022

More news:

The next decisive battle will be in the Donbas where Russian units are regrouping and attempting to push UKR forces out. That’s the front to watch in the coming weeks. How this battle turns will probably inform Moscow's thinking on prospects in a sustained war. 4/

— Michael Kofman (@KofmanMichael) April 2, 2022

I want people to remember videos like this when I've pointed out the supply lines for Russia into Ukraine get longer over time.

It takes constant civil engineering work to keep road & rail lines of communications clear during a war.

Think how you would drive through this mess🤔 https://t.co/hE7YhEBOSC

— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) April 2, 2022

A pack of Ukrainian tractors hunting their prey. https://t.co/qKUo6V62OG pic.twitter.com/HGcAQaPKVD

— ONC3X (@ONC3X) April 1, 2022

"Typically, I've had a couple of months to prepare for trips," one physician said. "But, with the invasion of Ukraine, I got about 11 hours' notice." https://t.co/Gu3kRPrbaB

— ABC News (@ABC) April 3, 2022

Markos has a significant article posted tonight describing Phase Two of the war -- the Donbas region in the south, where the Ukrainian and Russian armies will likely be fighting next -- the article is too lengthy to excerpt, so just read it for yourself on Daily Kos

Ukraine update: Both Russia and Ukraine face difficult choice as Phase II of the war begins https://t.co/s3xkPuaJsn

— Daily Kos (@dailykos) April 3, 2022

Today's News: "A new day is dawning"

After the world bore witness to the unmarked graves of Indigenous children in the thousands last year & ongoing searches, the time has come 2 an doorway 2 healing. Finally the Catholic Church admitted it’s wrongs. Forgiveness couldn’t even begin without it. A new day is dawning.

— Brandi Morin (@Songstress28) April 2, 2022

In Rome, Pope Francis apologized this morning for the tragic history of residential schools -- the Canadian delegation including Saskatchewan archbishop Donald Bolen were able to smile together as they danced the round dance in St. Peter's Square. (AFP Getty photo)

Thank you, @Pontifex. It has caused terrible harm and damage. I hope that this is a chance for healing to begin. It is for me personally, having left the church on hearing of those terrible abuses, a chance perhaps to again find solace in the community of my childhood.

— Kat’s sunflower seeds in wet cement (@KatTapestry) April 1, 2022

Here is the full text of Pope Francis’s apology for residential school. Catholic Church’s role in colonial institutions fills me with ‘indignation and shame,’ @Pontifex says in historic speech at the Vatican https://t.co/TpwL1gaezQ via @globeandmail #Indigenous #reconciliation

— André Picard (@picardonhealth) April 1, 2022

Dr Wilton Littlechild, who has advocated for years 4 the Catholic Church to apologize; was a TRC Commissioner, he’s a survivor of residential schools and now uses a walker-it’s his 78th bday today. He danced in St Peters Square celebrating @Pontifex apology which is momentous pic.twitter.com/8al4YDELAU

— Brandi Morin (@Songstress28) April 1, 2022

Celebrating in St Peters Square with round dancing- locals join in. Lots of smiles, Chief Willie Littlechild is beaming. pic.twitter.com/23Sh6kLmzO

— Brandi Morin (@Songstress28) April 1, 2022

Pope Francis’ apology for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in operating residential schools in Canada would not have happened without the advocacy of Survivors. To those who shared their truths, and relived their painful memories with bravery and determination: Thank you.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 1, 2022

The meetings in Rome this week between Indigenous leaders and the Vatican are historic. The Doctrine of Discovery, Residential Schools reflect a colonial past whose terrible impact must be understood as we seek to overcome it. #UNDRIP

— Bob Rae (@BobRae48) March 31, 2022

The Doctrine of Discovery is described here - basically it is the doctrine invented 500 years ago that allowed European Christian monarchs to claim ownership of non-European lands.

So the Pope has apologized for his Church’s part in the damage done to Indigenous children in Canada’s coercive residential schools. How about he follows this repentance by rescinding the papal bull inventing the even more damaging Doctrine of Discovery? https://t.co/5gmWLM4IZ5

— Meteor_Blades (@Meteor_Blades) April 1, 2022

Friends don't let friends (or family members, co-workers/community members/strangers) do residential school denialism. #TruthBeforeReconciliation

— Sean Carleton (@SeanCarleton) April 1, 2022

The Truth And Reconciliation reports are all posted here 

Today's News: Walking Together

Tonight, I decided to start with this outstanding photo from Alessandra Tarantino, AP, as the visit to the Vatican of Canadian First Nations, Metis and Inuit representatives for healing and justice continues -- I am using the title "Walking Together" because the hashtag #WalkingTogether was also used today in several tweets about the meetings 

Here is an excerpt from Jason Warick's CBC news story continuing the national coverage of this historic visit with Pope Francis to talk about the terrible legacy of Canadian residential schools: 

As a Canadian delegation prepares for its final meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican Friday, a growing chorus in Canada is hoping Francis commits to immediately remedying the Roman Catholic Church's broken compensation promises to residential school survivors. 

Canadian bishops announced a renewed fundraising effort last fall — $30 million over five years — and say work is well underway. But critics are skeptical. 

Even if that money can be raised, they say it's wrong to make the dwindling number of elderly survivors wait that long. 

They say that if Canadian bishops won't do it immediately, the Vatican should. 

 Although all the full specifics of the Vatican's holdings are unknown, a tabulation of known assets puts them in the tens or possibly hundreds of billions of dollars. 

Survivors say the compensation money isn't for them — it's to fund addictions and mental health supports, job training, recreation, language preservation and other programs for their descendants suffering through intergenerational trauma. 

"It affected my children, my grandchildren. So many are lost," said survivor and mental health worker Audrey Eyahpaise of the Beardy's & Okemasis Cree Nation. The survivors say the Vatican is just as responsible as the local religious orders and dioceses. 

"This has been a struggle for many years. They've been patient. They keep hearing broken promises," said University of Saskatchewan Indigenous studies professor and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation member Bonita Beatty. 

"It's a hierarchy. They report up to the Vatican. So yes, he [Pope Francis] is responsible for the various arms of his government. He can't just wash his hands of it."

Today's meetings were with First Nations representatives, following meetings earlier this week with Metis and Inuit representatives. Tomorrow is a final public meeting with all the representatives. Move coverage from today:

The First Nations delegation walks through the streets of Rome on their way 2 meet w @Pontifex re: brutality of residential schools-Catholic Church administered over 60%. Children’s lives shattered & taken. Now, survivors & ancestors stop traffic at the birthplace of colonization pic.twitter.com/gl9Gt469BT

— Brandi Morin (@Songstress28) March 31, 2022

Today the Assembly of First Nations @AFN_Updates delegation of survivors, Elders, meet the Pope, seeking an apology. Number 58 of the TRC Calls to Action. It was called for within one year of the TRC’s release nearly 7 years ago. The empty tikinagan. Our missing children . #TRC58 pic.twitter.com/8a4rElwb2l

— Tanya Talaga (@TanyaTalaga) March 31, 2022

A moving song, for children who didn't make it home, ends First Nations delegates' conference foĺlowing @Pontifex meeting. #WalkingTogether @CCCB_CECC@archedmonton pic.twitter.com/NPrhJ84M3G

— Andrew_Ehrkamp (@AndrewEhrkamp) March 31, 2022

Stories told, & justice called for

Lots of hope from #FirstNations delegates as they leave the Vatican today

It’s up to the church, & all Catholics in Canada, to determine what happens next#cdnpoli #skpoli #Indigenous pic.twitter.com/LwCWijAll0

— Max FineDay (@MaxFineDay) March 31, 2022

'I’ve been blown away': Residential school survivors showed courage, resilience and dignity this week as they faced the head of the very institution whose clergy abused them as children, says @Niigaanwewidam.

See more on this episode of Nation to Nation: https://t.co/ccPPn1rTQS

— APTN News (@APTNNews) April 1, 2022

ever come to fruition. But, I stand firm that @Pontifex can’t expect us to pay for his trip here considering the wealth of the church and more importantly it was his religion that caused so much heartache, trauma and loss. A’ho! 🪶😡💔🧡 pic.twitter.com/UAP6lbmhh4

— Indigenous Voices Matter🪶🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@Voic6Indigenous) April 1, 2022

Kúkpi7 Rosanne Casimir of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc spoke today from Rome about the need to disclose all records & documents related to residential institutions as part of efforts toward healing and justice.
Photo credit: Fred Cattroll #AFNVaticanVisit2022 #CTA58 #walkingtogether pic.twitter.com/mrAJ3ljIGF

— 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓱 𝓛𝓲𝓵𝓵𝔂 (@ChitkwesuManetu) March 31, 2022

The Missionary
The Indian Agent
The RCMP Officer
The Game Warden

“The Four Horsemen of the Indigenous Apocalypse.”
- Ojibway Elder Fred Kelly, Delegation to The Vatican March 2022

— George Nelson (@gnelsonII) April 1, 2022

As a settler, this list hit me in the gut -- it is a list of our shame and sorrow for all of us. 

Today's News: "I am ready to fight"

Photo: Daniel Berehulak for The New York Times A stray dog accompanied Ukrainian soldiers in Irpin

This map shows Ukraine counterattacks over the last three days:

In #Ukraine, the Ukrainian armed forces have been conducting successful counter attacks against the #Russia|n invaders and reclaiming territories around key cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv:

pic.twitter.com/4FOmJ2ixU7

— Alex Kokcharov (@AlexKokcharov) March 30, 2022

The dense forests around Kyiv made it much easier for defenders to ambush Russian military columns with anti-tank missile systems and quickly disappear.

In a few weeks, the leaves will be back on bushes and trees, making it even harder for the Russians to spot the defenders. pic.twitter.com/tCCF6lZFNa

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 30, 2022

UK MoD update- “Russian units suffering heavy losses have been forced to return to Belarus and Russia to reorganise and resupply.” pic.twitter.com/rEHE6XIt1O

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 30, 2022

"Irrational regimes become more so under pressure." https://t.co/0gphwTzfYq

— Trent Telenko (@TrentTelenko) March 31, 2022

"We are ready to fight for our country, we are ready to fight to the last breath" says a Ukraine commander in this video:

VIDEO: Ukraine forces recapture key road outside Kharkiv.

Ukrainian soldiers patrol Malaya Rohan, on the eastern outskirts of Kharkiv. The army has regained control of a stretch of highway, loosening the Russian stranglehold on Ukraine's second city pic.twitter.com/WBK7g78mQO

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) March 31, 2022

But as Ukrainian army forces Russia out, we are seeing the devastation Russia created:

Irpin was liberated from Russian control by Ukrainian forces on March 28, but remains disconnected from electricity and water due to shelling by Russian forces.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 31, 2022

Today's News: Strange days indeed

Does anyone remember how, before the US invaded Iraq in 2003, there was a bizarre collection of odd con men characters hanging around the Bush Administration -- Cheney and Rumsfeld were convinced that the Iraqis were so stupid and these guys were so beloved that Iraq would just give them the keys to the kingdom as soon as Saddam was deposed.  It was an attractive delusion because they thought the invasion would go just swimmingly and the American military wouldn't have to do anything more than hold a few parades and go home.

Well, it looks now like Russia had the same delusion about the stupidity of Ukrainians and the cleverness of the group of con men who were going to take over right away -- apparently Russia thought they had a lock on some Ukrainian turncoats who could happily step in to run the country for them as soon as Zeleskyy and crew resigned. 

I'll bet you're not surprised to find that it didn't work out that way.

According to @bellingcat the Russian FSB paid billions of $ to ensure that some shadowy political class in Ukraine supported this war & created an internal coup d'état immediately after the invasion. But Ukrainian agents who took the money ditched them.They just screwed them over

— Iuliia Mendel (@IuliiaMendel) March 27, 2022

Markos has a major article tonight about how the Russians apparently thought they had bribed the leadership of many cities of southern Ukraine to surrender as the Russian troops were driving in. No wonder the officers brought their dress uniforms for the parades, instead of packing extra ammo. 

It didn't work - except apparently for one city near Odessa called Kherson, and even these folks have now expelled their turncoat government and taken their city back. 

So the question, which I highlighted above, is whether it was stupidity or betrayal that cost Ukraine the city of Kherson—a loss that is costing them dearly in blood. 

Maybe the answer is simple—did the governor run north, into Ukraine, a coward? Or did he flee south, into the arms of Russia. 

Given the sums of money Russian intelligence was handing out, the latter might be the best bet. 

 But this story is also one of hope, because this could've easily been the story of that entire region of Ukraine, seduced by FSB payoffs, handing over entire cities without a real fight. 

Things might look different if Mykolaiv, Odesa, Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, and lots of other smaller cities had taken Russia up on its offers. Instead, Ukraine held fast everywhere except in Kherson, and the rest has been history. 

They’re getting spanked, having to retreat from Kyiv area so they can commit their “elite” VDV forces to the one place it’s still making incremental gains–Donbas front. https://t.co/yDsuej0WwY

— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) March 29, 2022

Roman Hrybov "is credited with telling an approaching Russian warship to 'go f--- yourself' in a recording that attracted widespread attention and became a rallying cry for supporters of Ukraine."

On Tuesday, he received an award for his actions.https://t.co/JMtLKDmolT

— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) March 29, 2022

⚡️Ukraine restores power for 150,000 residents.

After repairs by engineers, numerous settlements regained access to electricity on Mar. 28, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy.

However, an estimated 831,000 Ukrainians in 1,491 settlements remain without access to power.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 30, 2022

That’s an interesting way to say retreat https://t.co/d7egMaw3qs

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 29, 2022

There may or may not be some peace talks happening soon - nobody quite believes Russia is truthful when it says it wants to pull back from the Kyiv area. But people are edging closer and closer to describing the Russian movement as an actual "retreat".

The first phase, setback, will now be followed by the second phase, collapse. https://t.co/fRGAIB0zwq

— Anders Östlund (@andersostlund) March 29, 2022

Or maybe not:

As I watch Russian deployments in Belarus & Donbas I’m increasingly convinced that another major RUS offensive is about to begin. If so, it may prove to be decisive. #Ukraine needs to do its utmost to hold out against it, and once this RUS offensive fails, anything is possible.

— Andrew A. Michta (@andrewmichta) March 29, 2022

The Former Guy is trying to make himself relevant again - by asking Putin to make up some dirt about Biden.

His party won’t make a peep, either. Craven unpatriotic quislings.

— Helen Kennedy 🌻 (@HelenKennedy) March 30, 2022

Would Republicans have wanted Herbert Hoover to ask Hitler for some trash-talk about Roosevelt? Did Nixon publically ask Khrushchev to dish the dirt on Kennedy? 

(And actually, we know now that in both cases there was some scandal to be found.)

But what a scumbag Trump is. He doesn't seem to realize yet that Russia is now a pariah nation:

Z is the new swastika. https://t.co/jp5kiJ7PkF

— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 29, 2022

In Canadian news today, First Nations, Métis and Inuit delegates continue their discussions in Rome with Pope Francis about the shame and horror of Canadian residential schools -- Monday the Pope met with Metis and Inuit delegates, today the delegations participated in several tours, Thursday he will meet with First Nations delegates, and Friday with all delegations.

From @CatholicNewsSvc: Canadian Indigenous meet with Pope Francis and ask him to walk with them on path of "truth, justice and healing." https://t.co/RQIrA4HdOI

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) March 29, 2022

The Vatican has a significant collection of Indigenous sacred artifacts in its museums that should be repatriated:

Indigenous artifacts in Vatican collection 'need to come home,' advocates say https://t.co/9WwgUdYtFI pic.twitter.com/91siMncjJI

— CTV News (@CTVNews) March 29, 2022

Today, I visited Anima Mundi, part of the Vatican Museum with Indigenous “artifacts” kept in the Church’s private collection. There is an “Ontario”pipe stove from the 18th century, Haida Gwaii masks from the 18th Century, much more. I photographed them and was asked to leave. pic.twitter.com/WaT3Wt09yw

— Tanya Talaga (@TanyaTalaga) March 29, 2022

It was an emotional moment for many of us. There were centuries old wampum belts and boxes. Racist, controlling laws such as the Indian Act and residential schools took away our ceremonies. Many things were destroyed. What is held in the Vatican is sacred. Priceless. pic.twitter.com/ynKpZ3sJGv

— Tanya Talaga (@TanyaTalaga) March 29, 2022

Canadian researcher challenges Vatican's claim that its Indigenous artifacts were gifts https://t.co/Cc5CpAtkLahttps://t.co/Cc5CpAtkLa

— Loonie Politics (@LooniePolitics) March 30, 2022

Finally, on a side note, the slap heard 'round the world is still resulting in some new twitter memes. 

Here's the latest one I noticed:

The thing about Will Smith slapping the shit out of Chris Rock is: Canada is going to the World Cup.

— Tanio (@Tanio_S) March 28, 2022

The thing about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is Clarence Thomas needs to resign.

— Mark Banker (@themarkbanker) March 28, 2022

The thing about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is that an 8,000 year old immortal wolf was just discovered in Hungary

— Hyrulean Perspective (@DerekPutin) March 29, 2022

The thing that people don’t get about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is that between 1981 and 2017, China reduced its poverty rate from 88% to 2.1%, accounting for 79% of the entire global reduction in poverty, according to the UN and World Bank

— Marxist-Clay Higginsist ☭ ⚜️🇨🇳 (@MasterPCakeShop) March 29, 2022

The thing about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is that an ice shelf in what's supposed to be the stable part of Antarctica just collapsed https://t.co/Ex2gdtjHZI

— Brian Kahn (@blkahn) March 28, 2022

So anyway, the most important thing about Will Smith is that the illegal mining in the Amazon forest, supported by Bolsonaro & his allies, is intoxicating the indigenous population with mercury and killing rivers while the gold price hit record levels because of the Ukraine war.

— Alice Braga (@AliceBraga) March 28, 2022

The thing to remember about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock is that it confirms all my priors and really exposes all the societal faults that I am personally interested in and proves that I am once again Right about the state of politics/the world/race/masculinity/class divides

— coastmalone (@Braylesong) March 28, 2022

Today's News: Ukraine headlines decline but Ukraine war does not

The Ukraine flag still flies.

As the war enters its second month, and neither Russia nor Ukraine appear to be able to hit decisive blows just now, the news headlines about this awful war seem to be declining. 

But the war itself is not. 

And the Ukraine flag still flies.

First there were reports today that Kyiv was under attack, then reports that the Russians had been pushed back. Then reports that other cities in northern and eastern Ukraine were being shelled, then more reports of push back.  

Not being a military person myself, nor knowledgeable about Ukraine geography or politics, I find it somewhat confusing. Which is why I search always for reporters who seem to have a better grip on what is going on. 

Like, not ones that would write a headline like this:

So, one country bombing another into the stone age is considered "tensions"? pic.twitter.com/tPQUCc0UKv

— Ed the Sock (@EdtheSock) March 28, 2022

But these ones seem pretty good:

He told me: “The Russians had been there for weeks and we took the surrounding towns this past week and finished them there…The locals were crying happy tears when they finally could come outside after 3 weeks”

— Nolan Peterson (@nolanwpeterson) March 28, 2022

A thought thread on the most remarkable thing of the war--here we are more than a month in this, and the Ukrainians are openly transporting equipment on major roads under clear blue skies. This represents an almost total failure of Russian airpower. https://t.co/SNdim4NtEs

— Phillips P. OBrien (@PhillipsPOBrien) March 29, 2022

Must read thread from @russiafiles — https://t.co/sh6veR28lE

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) March 29, 2022

1/ Ukrainian Theater of War, Day 33: Todays update briefly focuses on Kyiv. Ukrainian forces continue to make important gains; however, the Russians are putting up stiff resistance of their own to hold on to gains made so far. #UkraineRussiaWar #UkraineUnderAttack #Ukraine️ pic.twitter.com/d35jTVwSCS

— Jomini of the West (@JominiW) March 29, 2022

And hey, media -- it's a war. 

Being fought entirely inside the territory of Ukraine. 

Against a vicious and implacable enemy. 

But already we're seeing a smattering of "contrary" news stories, like these ones in the Washington Post today: 

Ukraine to investigate video appearing to show soldiers shooting Russian prisoners of war, and 

Russia has killed civilians in Ukraine. Kyiv’s defense tactics add to the danger. 

Maybe these are merely news stories, but it wouldn't surprise me if they also prove to be the thin edge of the wedge, as we all know about the media's almost irresistible impulse to "both sides" everything including this war.

With all the chatter about avoiding escalation time to get a grip. The only escalation is coming from the other side, the #RussianEmpire. It has never stopped and will not stop unless it is forced to stop. Stay focused on this simple point.

— Bob Rae (@BobRae48) March 27, 2022

Here's an incredible story of an American journalist escaping from Moscow in March, with her dog. Here is her story's ending: 

In the two weeks between the start of the war and my departure from Russia, I had wept constantly. I cried when I walked my dog in the park across the street, where I knew every bush and tree and patch of grass; when I sat at my desk looking out at my beloved Moscow courtyard; when I bought bread at my local bakery; when I drove a familiar route along the Moscow River, past the Kremlin, and then homeward along one of Moscow’s central avenues. I couldn’t imagine that it might be the last time I’d see places that had been the backdrop of absolutely everything important that had happened to me in my adult life, where there were so many people and so much that I loved. 

But now work, the novelty of a new city, the daily battle with iPhones and computers, keep me in a continuous present tense. I don’t think about the future beyond next week; I don’t think about the past. Except to realize that even if I can go back to Russia, it won’t be the Russia I loved. Maybe that superstition is right: 

Once you shut the door, walk away and don’t look back. 

In other news, Canadian Indigenous representatives met with Pope Francis today, in the first of several days of meetings to seek healing and reconciliation about the terrible history of Catholic residential schools. Reuters reports: 

Survivors of Canada's residential schools on Monday asked Pope Francis to guarantee unfettered access to Church records on the institutions where indigenous children were abused and their culture denied.

Francis met for about an hour each with representatives of the Métis and Inuit nations, the first of four meetings this week with Canada's native peoples in what both sides have called a called a process of healing and reconciliation. ....

"It was a very comfortable meeting," Cassidy Caron, president of the Métis National Council, told reporters afterwards, adding that the pope listened attentively as elderly survivors told their stories.

..."He repeated 'truth, justice and healing' (in English) and I take that as a personal commitment so he has personally committed to those three actions," she said. 

"I felt some sorrow in his reactions .... we shared a lot with him," Caron said.

Metis and Inuit delegates ask Pope Francis for 'truth, justice and healing' at Vatican meetinghttps://t.co/KCPGSbvqmF

— CP24 (@CP24) March 28, 2022

Métis National Council President Cassidy Caron embodies Indigenous strength, matriarchal power. She led the delegation of residential school survivors and descendants. She was the FIRST to be in front of Pope Francis here, demanding the Church acknowledge the truth, apologize. pic.twitter.com/Lpk5dAQWuw

— Tanya Talaga (@TanyaTalaga) March 28, 2022

Metis delegates play fiddles, as they leave meeting with Pope Francis. pic.twitter.com/TvCBNJKWlr

— Olivia Stefanovich (@CBCOlivia) March 28, 2022

“All I want is an apology. All I want is someone to say to me, I’m sorry for what we did to you” - the Indigenous elder asking the pope to apologise to Canada’s residential school survivors https://t.co/ps7ZKPYoE1 pic.twitter.com/z2zrQPwRm1

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 28, 2022

There was a recent discussion I saw on twitter about how our federal government hasn't really done anything much -- which is, of course, not true at all. But I do think many of us get so used to being cynical about government that it becomes a knee-jerk response to denigrate everything governments do as "not good enough!" This thread brought up whether anything is being done about boil-water advisories, so I checked the government webpage -- in spite of the negativity, the Liberal government reports that its success in lifting boil-water advisories on reserves continues to be significant:

Over 120 boil water advisories lifted since PMJT was elected in 2015. Now you know settler. Maybe demand the premiers do their part as they have a dual jurisdictions within most reserves. A’ho! 🪶😡

— Indigenous Voices Matter🪶🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@Voic6Indigenous) March 28, 2022

Here is the most recent government webpage chart describing the progress that has been made on lifting drinking water advisories across the country:

 

The job isn't done yet, but when Trudeau took office in 2015, nothing had been done for years. So this is a remarkable story.

On a lighter note, here is something just sort of unbelievably cute:

Nice silk tie you got there, prime minister. Be a shame if someone goobered on it. pic.twitter.com

/FvnZBFr0bR

— Glen McGregor (@glen_mcgregor) March 28, 2022

And if you've got nothing else to do for the next hour or two, follow the responses to this down the rabbit hole:

My husband ordered bees. 🐝

20,000 bees.

The postal service has lost his order.

— Abigail Edwards 📚 (@Writing_Abigail) March 27, 2022

And it reminded me of this hilarious thread:

So, a shipment of crickets for the lizard arrived via FedEx today. It was my first time ordering bulk crickets off the internet, and I naively assumed that they would be in like, a bag or some other contraption to facilitate easy transfer to another container. They were not.

— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) December 29, 2018