🇺🇦 🇺🇸 Ukrainian-American Economist | Professor at
@CWRU
| Founding Rector at AUK | TEDx Speaker | Poets and Quants 40 Under 40 | Forbes Top Economic Thinker
The faint hearted should not read this.
Yesterday, at our own risk, we left Mariupol under gunfire. We stayed overnight in a field in a gray zone. It was freezing outside, thank God we are alive. We are alive to scream that everyone who stayed in Mariupol needs help!
Estonia is 65 times smaller than Germany yet they gave 6 times more in military assistance to Ukraine. A good time to see who is who. You don't need to be a large country to have courage to face evil.
A brilliant response by Timothy Snyder to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s accusation of Nazis in Ukraine. As a leading scholar on the subject of nationalism, Snyder makes three points:
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Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, received campaign contributions from American Ethane, a company 88% owned by three russians, including russian nationalist Konstantin Nikolaev, who previously funded a russian spy Maria Butina. No wonder he is against the aid to Ukraine.
Sobering message from Dmytro Kuleba: “The era of peace in Europe is over. Every time Ukrainian soldiers retreat from a Ukrainian town because of lack of ammunition russian soldiers are getting a few kilometers closer to your towns, your homes, your families and children.” 1/n
We didn't have a humanitarian convoy, no one took us out, we ran behind cars under fire, we joined a group and taped "Children!" signs on our cars. I personally put my own son in the car to the sound of a rocket flying into the next yard. No one saved us, we saved ourselves.
Ukrainian genius mathematician, Maryna Viazovska, has won the Fields Medal. She has become only the second woman to receive this prestigious award, often regarded as the Nobel Prize for mathematics. Her work solved a 400-year-old puzzle about sphere packing.
This is a brilliant illustration of just how stupid and morally bankrupt are the arguments of people pushing Ukraine to negotiate with russia. You cannot negotiate with someone who came to kill you.
This is so profound and scary at the same time. In 1995 the President of Ichkeria (Chechnya), Dzhokhar Dudayev, predicted everything that is happening today! He was assassinated by russia the next year.
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“I would like this text to be reposted, copied and translated into different languages. Report it to foreigners and their politicians.
I am not a military man. I never aspired to be a soldier. I am a PhD historian, researcher, museum worker, and a bit of a writer.
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There is no connection in the city, no water, no gas, no ambulances. People with torn limbs bleed in their yards and no one can help them. These are peaceful people - our acquaintances and relatives. The dead are simply being covered by soil where they lay.
When someone says "we are tired of war news" watch this video to reconsider your "hard life" and please kindly shut up. The price that Ukrainians pay is measured in thousands of lives.
#standwithukraine
The Washington Post published a very important article - it is a large and very detailed investigation of US aid to Ukraine. According to the article:
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Ukrainian athlete Volodymyr Androshchuk will not be representing his country at the Paris Olympics because russians killed him. And yet, the morally bankrupt International Olympic Committee announced that russian athletes are welcome in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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There are almost no shelters in the city left, no bunkers with ventilation. At best, people hide in basements. My mom's building doesn’t have a basement. People need to be taken out - women, children, elderly people. Give us buses, a green corridor, make an arrangement!
I know you think you understand what's going on, but you'll never understand unless you've been here. I can now hear the sound of sirens and I'm not afraid. Earlier there was no power for 16 days in Mariupol so we weren’t warned before planes dropped bombs on us.
I pray for my loved ones, every Mariupolian, every Ukrainian soldier. The enemy came to us and left us no choice, but there is nothing more valuable than human life. This needs to end!
Putin said to Tucker that Russia was founded in 862. But he forgot to mention that at that time, Moskow was a swampy forest with no civilization at all. Kyiv, however, was a prosperous city.
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They show you how buildings burn, but they don't show you how people burn. Do I need to burn myself for you to believe that this has to stop?! I beg you to stop this!
Doctors from Hospital No 3 (the part that survived) work heroically: they perform surgeries, they save people. The woman with the wounded hip was taken by the Red Cross within a day. I pray for her to survive. Two shells flew into our building and two into our yard.
Ukrainian athlete Volodymyr Androshchuk will not be representing his country at the Paris Olympics because last week he was killed by russians near Bakhmut. And yet, the morally bankrupt International Olympic Committee announced that russian athletes are welcome in Paris.
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Yes, we collected snow, warmed it on a campfire, and cooked macaroni. My family was in the bomb shelter of High School No 2. Three days ago a shell flew there and shattered some of the windows. A woman was wounded in her hip.
I beg everyone to stop this! I don't know what will happen next, but I pray that this will never happen again in any of the cities of Ukraine and the world. Nobody: a pregnant woman in the hospital who failed to give life because a shell fell on the hospital and killed her.
Imagine the following scenario. Russia attacks Baltic countries to connect with Kaliningrad, just as they attacked Ukraine to get access to Crimea. What will the US do?
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She laid all night on the first floor of the high school asking for someone to give her poison so that she would not feel the pain. There was no one to take her to the hospital. Every day and every night there are fire shots, whistles, shaking walls and horror: Where will it hit
There is no food, no medicine. When there will be no more snow, people won’t be able to go out for water. Pharmacies, grocery stores - everything is either looted or burned. The dead are not taken out. The police recommends to open the windows and put the corpses on the balcony.
Red Cross literally has become a terrorist organization. It has been confirmed that they participated in the removal of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories to Belarus. This is a war crime for which ICC has already issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest.
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Another American hero died defending Ukraine, freedom and democracy. Thomas Gray Harris was a former US Marine from California. He was pursuing a medical degree at Columbia University, and had a bright future ahead of him before russians killed him.
Glory to the Hero!
These 21 days changed everyone. Everything has changed! Nothing matters now, costs nothing, as long as everyone left in this Mariupol hell would not be shaken in fear and horror.
This is the map of the Ukrainian-speaking area in 1897 according to the population census conducted by the russian empire. As you can see, it goes beyond the border of modern Ukraine.
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What made Speaker Mike Johnson change his mind about Ukraine?
Mike Johnson has been stalling Ukrainian aid for months, each time giving a different excuse. But yesterday, he came with a very clear message, condemning russia and expressing his support of Ukraine. Why?
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My mother, Angela, and three brothers, Roman (16 years old), Vasya (11 years old) and Vladislav (9 years old), reside in a city-center building, on the fifth floor. My mother-in-law, Lyubov, and father-in-law, Anatoly, reside on the ninth floor.
“Why are the russians doing this to Ukraine? Because they can, because the world has allowed them to.”
Testimony of Taira (Yuliya Payevska) to the US Helsinki Commission. She was captured and imprisoned by russians on March 16, 2022 and released on June 17, 2022.
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One of the defenders of Mariupol and a prisoner of war during the trial in russia. I have seen similar images from Auschwitz of how Nazis treated their prisoners. This is precisely why Ukraine has to win in order to stop the russian genocide!
Russian opposition speaker and the Chess Grandmaster, Gary Kasparov, at the NATO Public Forum said things most of the Russian 'opposition', including Navalny, would never do:
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German exports to Kyrgyzstan are up 2000% in the past 2 years. Where do you think these goods go? This is how western companies can circumvent sanctions against russia. And this how russia is able to continue the war.
“Why are the russians doing this to Ukraine? Because they can, because the world has allowed them to.”
Testimony of Taira (Yuliya Payevska) to the US Helsinki Commission. She was captured and imprisoned by russians on March 16, 2022 and released on June 17, 2022.
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More than 60,000 women are now serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Unlike Ukrainian men, who are required to serve in the AFU to defend their country, the vast majority of women are volunteers. 1/n
"I saw there hacksaws, chainsaws, axes, machetes. Everything was covered in blood." Military medic Yuriy Armash about terror in russian torture camps.
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In yesterday’s Stations of the Cross, Pope had a Ukrainian boy who escaped Mariupol next to a russian boy who lost a brother (a russian military soldier). Do people finally understand the completely moral bankruptcy of this “man of God”? … 1/n
Elon Musk went from being the Henry Ford of our generation (admired carmaker, brilliant salesman) to being the Henry Ford of our generation (conspiracy theorist, Nazi-enabler)
When someone says "we are tired of war in Ukraine" show them this video and kindly ask them to shut up. The price that Ukrainians pay is measured in thousands of lives. Ukrainians are more tiered than you, but they must survive.
#standwithukraine
Read this post and do these three things:
1. Share it with your friends.
2. Go to Unilever’s page and leave a comment reminding them that they are sponsoring war crimes.
3. Stop buying their products.
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Mike Johnson again cancels voting on the US aid to Ukraine.
The date has been postponed again for several more weeks. Speaker Mike Johnson is coming up with new excuses, saying that he is trying to 'soften opposition' from radical Republicans.
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This is how moral bankruptcy looks like. The Pope in Hungary kissed Illarion, the Russian Orthodox Church leader. Illarion is under Ukrainian sanctions for supporting russian genocide. And after kissing this war criminal, the Pope went to comfort Ukrainian refugees. 1/n
There is no neutrality in the face of evil. The russian war and genocide against Ukrainians have changed me. The russians killed three of my friends; they have beheaded, tortured, raped, and castrated thousands of my countrymen; they have destroyed the livelihood of millions. 1/n
This is Serhiy Raylyan, the mortar commander of the 79th separate amphibious assault brigade. He has been defending Ukraine on the frontlines, was wounded last year, spent 2 weeks in coma, lost both of his legs, lost his eye, and had shrapnel wounds to his face. 1/n
Israel has tried to remain neutral about helping Ukraine to defend itself against the russian invasion. Now russians are cheering the attacks on Israel and the russian government is officially calling for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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Elon Musk has recommended Ukraine to stop its “futile fight” and get to the ceasefire. I wonder what this morally bankrupt idiot would tell his daughter in case she was raped: “don’t resist, just enjoy it.” Musk is a sick individual.
Freedom is not free!
I was just a 9-years old kid in 1991 when Ukraine finally received its independence from the USSR (aka russia). I remember it was a day of celebration and joy! Finally, Ukrainians were free from decades of russian oppression and persecution.
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It is russia's Putin, not Putin's russia.
This is something that many people do not understand. It is not Putin’s war against Ukraine. Even if you take out Putin, nothing will change. He is a symptom of a much bigger sickness.
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Today, Ukraine commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor of 1932-1933.
The Holodomor was an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people, organized by the Soviet Union in 1932-1933 by creating an artificial mass famine.
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Vitalii Merinov, four-time kickboxing world champion died defending Ukraine. Vitalii was from my hometown Ivano Frankivsk. He went to war on the first day of the full-scale invasion. He was wounded but after recovery decided to return to the frontlines.
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The picture in daylight of the Gaza hospital. As I said before, whoever committed this crime should be held responsible. But some things start to look very suspicious.
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2/ Most of the money allocated to Ukraine stays in the US. Out of $68 billion in military and related assistance, almost 90% remains in the United States as public procurement for American companies and worker salaries.
Sad to see Estonian PM Kaja Kallas withdrawing her candidacy for becoming the next NATO Secretary General. Apparently, she is viewed as “too hawkish on russia.” Maybe she is so hawkish because she knows exactly what kind of threat russia poses to the whole world.
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My grandfather was right, and I was wrong to doubt him.
Growing up as a child I could never fully understand my grandfather. He told me that russia did a great evil to Ukraine and other nations. But I couldn’t fully accept his message.
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Ukraine and Israel.
When Hamas attacked Israel it wasn't clear what motivation Hamas had to carry out such a large strike knowing that retribution would be overwhelming. They knew Netanyahu would invade Gaza. Of course, that was the whole point.
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Pepsi helped russia to kill 13,000 Ukrainians. Since the beginning of the russian invasion, Pepsi continued its operations in russia. As a result, PepsiCo’s net profit increased by a 333% to $525 million last year and the company paid $115 million in taxes to the Kremlin.
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EU leaders are considering depriving Hungary of its voting rights in order to approve a €50 billion aid package for Ukraine without its participation. By applying the penalty procedure under Article 7 for violating the rule of law, EU can suspend Hungary’s voting rights.
This is unbelievable. The Berlin Opera has renewed its contract with Anna Netrebko, a russian opera singer who supporters putin’s genocidal ambitions. On the photo, she is at one of the rallies wearing a T-shirt that calls russian troops to march on Berlin.
Vitaly Robertus, the Deputy CEO of Russia’s largest oil company Lukoil has suddenly died.
He was 53 years old.
Any guesses regarding the cause of death?
Something is seriously broken in Poland. Hundreds of trucks from Poland are constantly traveling to Belarus and back, while Ukrainian trucks are blocked.
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Anyone who says that NATO provoked russia to attack Ukraine is either stupid, brainwashed or simply doesn’t know the history. To the contrary, a simple cause-and-effect analysis shows that it was russia who pushed Ukraine towards NATO.
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“We will give weapons, but don't fire them at Germany, because it might provoke Hitler!” Imagine the USA told this to the UK, as missiles rained down on London. Just as russia is losing the war today, a mad dictator was losing a war in 1944, so he fired his weapons at civilians.
Russian losses in the battle for Avdiivka are 13 times (!) higher than Ukrainian losses, based on visually confirmed data from OSINT analysts. I said this many times: give Ukraine the needed weapons and russia will be defeated.
One of the most iconic images of the last year is when Ukrainians decided to fight and not give up. I still remember when the President of Ukraine posted a video: “The president is here. The national security advisor is here. The minister of defense is here. We are here.”
“The Ukraine border is our border! It's the border between depraved autocracy and freedom-loving people seeking our democratic way of life."
A powerful speech by the US Congressman Gerry Connolly.
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It is “russia” not “Russia.”
Ukraine’s National Commission for State Language Standards has ruled that writing “Russia” in lowercase letters is no longer an error.
EU has approved 50 billion-euro support package for Ukraine despite Hungary’s veto threat. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made the best comment: “There is no problem with the so-called Ukraine fatigue issue. We have Orban fatigue now in Brussels.”
Ukrainian Army soldier, Tatyana Fesenko - was killed in action on March 5th, near Bakhmut. A shell hit her trench. Her husband serving with her, carried her 2.5 km to the evacuation point. She was 30 years old.
Polish President Andrzej Duda: "I am absolutely certain that 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, we can say that we are now witnessing the revival of Russian imperialism in its most bloodthirsty version. Without any doubt, Putin has decided to set the world on fire"
“Nataliya can never forget what happened that night: how the russian soldiers invaded her home, pinned her to the bed and took it in turns to rape her at gunpoint in front of her terrified six-year-old daughter.”
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There is no neutrality in the face of evil. The russian war and genocide against Ukrainians have changed me. The russians killed three of my friends; they have beheaded, tortured, raped, and castrated thousands of my countrymen; they have destroyed the livelihood of millions. 1/n
This is how Ukrainian mothers signed their children at the beginning of a full-scale war in case the russians killed them first... This rashist evil must be stopped at any cost!
3/ US aid to Ukraine has rejuvenated (and in some cases saved) the US military industry. Weapons for Ukraine are produced in at least 31 states and 71 cities in the US. Some weapon units started production for the first time since 2005, such as Stinger missiles.
4/ The successful use of American weapons by Ukrainians has created significant international demand for these weapons which will fuel the US economy for decades to come.
The list of “unfriendly” countries designated by russia is almost identical to the list of countries where there is drinking tap water. You can make your own conclusions, but I think that russians just don’t like tap water.
This is Kyiv. Usually, I share the atrocities committed by russians in Ukraine, but today I want for you to see the beautiful side of Kyiv standing despite russian shelling. This charming neighborhood, with its brightly colored buildings looks like a real-life Lego town.
Despite Orban's propaganda and media control, tens of thousands of Hungarians protested yesterday against russian invasion of Ukriane and russian influence of Hungary.
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Chess Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk has refused to play in Saudi Arabia. She explained her decision as following:
In a few days, I'll lose two world titles, one after another. Because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia.
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4/ The russian government is fascist in character, deporting tens of thousands of Ukrainian children, openly calling for the destruction of state as well as mass torture.