Latest news with #Russian-occupied
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
War's unseen isolation: A Ukrainian officer's story of survival and hope
A lot depends on the circumstances under which you try to define or feel your own loneliness. Let me begin with my biography — my recent story. I joined the army in the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, as an officer in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I had never served in the military before, and I never thought I would. In fact, I considered myself an anti-militarist — and still do. Yet, I see no contradiction between that and being proudly a senior lieutenant in the Armed Forces. Within three and a half months of participating in the liberation of the Kyiv Oblast and other operations further east, half of my platoon — eight of my subordinates and I — was captured by Russian forces in Luhansk Oblast. What followed were two years and four months of Russian captivity. I was a prisoner of war, held the entire time in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory — the very region we were defending. For some reason, keeping me as a POW wasn't enough — perhaps because they learned I was a journalist and human rights activist. A few months into my captivity, they fabricated a criminal case against me. The following year, I was sentenced as a 'war criminal' to 13 years in a penal colony for supposed heinous crimes. I felt lonely because of what I had experienced. The only evidence against me was a confession — extracted under duress. I prefer that phrasing, as it avoids the word 'torture.' I was part of a prisoner exchange in October of last year. Naturally, I'm incredibly happy to be free. But it also breaks my heart — almost everyone I spent those years with in captivity, except for two, are still there. And of my own platoon, four remain incarcerated. As a former POW, when you're released and return to your native city — Kyiv, which I've never loved more — you meet hundreds, even thousands, of wonderful people, joyful to see you free. I felt an overwhelming lightness, warmth, and happiness. And yet, at the same time, I understood — and so did many of them — that something fundamental had changed between us. I felt lonely because of what I had experienced. I've been to places and seen things they never have — and I hope they never will. But I also realized that our worldviews had diverged. How we see and feel the world is no longer the same. Most of them, when they thought about it — without any prompting — said, 'No, we don't know what you went through.' And that's true for every former prisoner of war or civilian detainee. This is what distinguishes a war veteran or a civilian under occupation from everyone else. We are shaped by what we live through. It's a strange thing, to feel lonely in such a significant — perhaps even defining — part of your life. But it's a kind of chosen loneliness, because you don't want others to feel what you felt. You don't want them to go through what you endured. In captivity, our guards deliberately tried to inflict another kind of loneliness. They worked to break us — morally, psychologically, and yes, physically. Especially in the first several months, we were held incommunicado, with no contact with the outside world. They repeatedly told us: 'You've been abandoned. Everyone has forgotten you. You are on your own. You're at our mercy. No one can reach you. We can do whatever we want. No one cares.' Read also: 'It's okay, Mom, I'm home' —Ukraine, Russia hold largest prisoner swap of the war I was lucky. I never believed it. Not for a single second — not even in the darkest moments. I placed all my trust in my loved ones — my family, my friends, my colleagues, and just kind people out there — believing they remembered me, remembered us. Other Ukrainian POWs came to hear me say it out loud: 'We are not forgotten.' That kind of destructive loneliness didn't work. Physically, we were isolated — but morally, we were not. 'You don't know what's happening. You don't understand. Wake up.' The loneliness I felt after my release was of a different kind. It wasn't about isolation. It was more complex. At the same time, I knew I was free because of other people. They had written letters, led campaigns, given interviews, and posted on social media. In the final months of my captivity, I learned there was a campaign of solidarity for me — but I couldn't have imagined the scale of it. After my release, I kept meeting strangers who had participated in it. And I know I am free, to the extent possible, because of them. I had plenty of time in captivity to reflect. My first degree is in philosophy — it never fades. I realized I had never treasured people as deeply as I do now. I began to grasp how much I am human — at my best — because of others. I recently returned from an advocacy trip across Europe, specifically within the EU. And I felt something many Ukrainians abroad have shared with me — being in a peaceful country untouched by what we've endured for more than three years now. I felt joy simply observing people. Watching groups of young people rushing through their day-to-day lives. I was so happy to see people living in normalcy. They should not endure what we're living through. That's a good thing. That's human. War is a state of profound dehumanization. People aren't meant to live through it. I was glad to see them. But at the same time, I felt like I knew something they didn't. I had this urge to walk up to someone, shake them, and say, 'You don't know what's happening. You don't understand. Wake up.' It's a kind of loneliness rooted in experience — that of a former prisoner of war. We've lived through something I sincerely hope no other community or country will ever have to experience. And as terrible as it sounds, I want us to be alone in that experience. Because if we're not, it means we failed to defend ourselves, and others had to share this tragedy with us. I would hope we rather remain lonely in that regard. Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
1News
2 days ago
- Politics
- 1News
Body of Kiwi killed in Ukraine has not been located, says ambassador
Ukraine's Ministry of Defence says the body of the latest New Zealander killed in its war remains missing. As 1News reported exclusively on Thursday, Shan-Le Kearns was recently killed in Ukraine. However, it remained unclear whether his family will be able to say a proper goodbye. Today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon described Kearns' death as an 'absolute tragedy', but couldn't say what, if anything, could be done to bring him home. Shan-Le Kearns. (Source: Supplied) 'We haven't had official confirmation from the Ukranian authorities so it's not appropriate for me to comment too much further,' said Luxon. ADVERTISEMENT While his remains were still believed to be on Russian-occupied land, the Russian embassy told 1News that, since he was supporting Ukraine, Kyiv was responsible for his fate, along with answering any queries about bringing him home. Ukraine's ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, said in a text that Kearns was officially listed as missing, which meant his body had not been located. Shan-le Kearns was the fourth New Zealander known to be killed in Ukraine — after Dominic Abelen, Andrew Bagshaw and Kane Te Tai. Shan-Le Kearns is the fourth New Zealander to be killed. Lisa Davies spoke with his mother. (Source: 1News) Efforts to repatriate their bodies home have taken as little as a few months, and as long as a few years. Former Defence Minister and soldier Ron Mark said: 'They all perform with distinction, and they paid the ultimate price knowing that might well be the case.' Those who went to Ukraine did so without our Government's backing, he said. ADVERTISEMENT 'I think that's sad, personally, but you know that's only a personal view, it's only my view and the government has other things to consider. I know that,' said Mark. New Zealand has supported the war-torn nation off the battlefield instead, helping train its soldiers before deployment. 'I feel for the family. I feel for his mum, I feel for his dad, but I take some consolation they're very proud of their son.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
9 injured in Kharkiv amid Russian drone attack
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Nine were injured in Kharkiv overnight on May 30 amid a Russian drone attack on the city, local authorities reported. "Specialized services are heading to the scene of the incidents," Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov said in a Telegram post. Two 16-year-olds were injured, Syniehubov said, adding that residential buildings have been damaged in the drone attack. Russia has intensified drone and missile attacks against Ukraine despite peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul on May 16. The talks in Turkey were largely inconclusive. Russia reiterated maximalist demands that Ukraine hand over Crimea and eastern oblasts. The two sides were able to agree to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, which was carried out between May 23 and 25. Russian President Vladimir Putin refused President Volodymyr Zelensky's invitation to meet face-to-face in Istanbul. Instead, Russia sent a delegation of lower-level officials led by Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky. Russia has refused a ceasefire and instead insisted it would provide Ukraine with a peace memorandum shortly after the May 16 talks. Ukraine and Russia are slated to hold another round of peace talks on June 2. Meanwhile, Kyiv is still awaiting Russia's proposed ceasefire memorandum, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on May 28. Kharkiv Oblast in Ukraine's northeast is a regular target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks from across the border or Russian-occupied territories. Russia has regularly targeted civilian infrastructure in aerial attacks against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale war in February 2022. Read also: Infighting around EU rearmament undermines grand ambitions for European defense We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
US urges Russia's Putin to accept Ukraine ceasefire deal at UN
The United States called on Russia at the United Nations Security Council on Thursday to accept a comprehensive ceasefire proposal in Ukraine, calling it 'Russia's best possible outcome' and urging President Vladimir Putin to seize the opportunity for US proposal includes a 30-day halt to all hostilities—land, air, sea, and attacks on critical infrastructure, and has already been accepted by Ukraine, pending Russia's agreement. Speaking at the Security Council, Acting Deputy US Ambassador John Kelley emphasized that Washington is committed to a diplomatic resolution, not a military want to work with Russia, including on this peace initiative and an economic package. There is no military solution to this conflict," Kelley stated, while warning that continued Russian aggression could force the US to pull back from peace negotiations and impose harsher sanctions. US President Donald Trump has made ending the Ukraine war a key foreign policy goal. The conflict, which began in February 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has persisted despite international pressure and failed peace recent peace talks between Ukraine and Russia on May 16 ended without agreement. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has drafted a memorandum outlining its terms for a ceasefire but has yet to share it with Ukraine. A second round of talks is proposed for Monday in UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia reiterated Moscow's commitment to direct negotiations, warning that Kyiv must choose between diplomacy or defeat."The ball is in Ukraine's court: either talks, followed by peace or the unavoidable defeat of Ukraine on the battlefield with different conditions for the conflict's end," Nebenzia told the Security Ukraine's Deputy UN Ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshyn accused Russia of lacking genuine interest in peace and reaffirmed Ukraine's stance: no recognition of Russian-occupied territories, no compromises on sovereignty, and no tolerance for aggression."We will not tolerate interference in sovereign decisions, including our defense or alliances. There must be no appeasement of the aggressor. Such attempts only embolden future aggression,' Hayovyshyn stated, urging the international community to tighten sanctions against Watch
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
No sign Russia is preparing to restart Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Reuters reports
There is currently no indication that Russia is preparing to restart operations at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, an official from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on May 29, despite concerns over recent reports of new Russian infrastructure around the facility, Reuters reported. "Our teams continue to confirm there is no indication at the moment that there will be any active preparations for a restart of the plant now," an IAEA official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The comment follows Ukraine's protest to the IAEA over what it called an illegal Russian attempt to connect the facility to its own energy grid. Yurii Vitrenko, Ukraine's ambassador to the IAEA, said any such move would be a gross violation of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. Satellite imagery reviewed in a recent Greenpeace report and cited by the New York Times shows Russia has constructed more than 80 kilometers (49 miles) of high-voltage lines between the occupied cities of Mariupol and Berdiansk since February. The group said this may be an effort to link the Zaporizhzhia plant to a substation near Mariupol, signaling potential plans to restart the facility and fully integrate it into Russia's grid. The Zaporizhzhia plant, located in the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar, is Europe's largest nuclear facility and has been under Russian control since March 2022. All six of its reactors remain shut down as the war continues, and the site has faced repeated power outages and safety threats due to nearby shelling. Restarting any of the reactors would require a stable supply of water and external power. The plant lost access to its main cooling source, the Kakhovka reservoir, when the dam was blown up by the Russian forces in June 2023. Wells now supply enough water for cooling during cold shutdown, but not for full operations. "The plant lost its main source of cooling water, so the whole system cannot work as it was originally designed," the IAEA official said. "The consumption of water is orders of magnitude higher (when the plant is operating) compared to cold shutdown. We don't see any easy, quick fix for it." In March, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told Reuters that restarting the facility could be feasible within months of a lasting ceasefire — something that remains elusive. Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia are expected to meet in Istanbul for renewed peace talks on June 2. Previously, the U.S. has reportedly proposed that control over the plant be returned to Ukraine before transferring its management to the U.S. to supply electricity to areas under both Ukrainian and Russian control. Moscow immediately rejected the suggestion, claiming it was in "very good hands" under Russian control. Read also: Ukraine seeks US support in regaining control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, joint energy projects We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
