It’s the 48th week of the Russia-Ukraine war, and here’s the recap of what happened lately.
“What the hell are we waiting for?”: Boris Johnson urges increased support for Ukraine
Former UK PM Boris Johnson has urged western allies to provide Ukraine with more support to defeat Russian military forces in an editorial piece for the Daily Mail after his recent visit to Kyiv.
“The sooner we can help the Ukrainians to their inevitable victory, the sooner their suffering will be over, and the sooner the whole world, including Russia, can begin to recover from Putin’s catastrophe,” he stated.
“That requires all of us in the West, all the friends of Ukraine, to double and treble our support,” Boris emphasized.
Sean Penn’s Documentary on Ukraine and President Zelensky to Premiere at Berlin Film Festival
The Berlin Film Festival has announced that Sean Penn’s documentary, “Superpower,” which was shot on location and co-directed by Penn and Aaron Kaufman, will premiere out-of-competition next month. The film documents the invasion of Ukraine by russia, and Penn’s visits to the war-torn region and to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Berlinale, which takes place February 16-26, will focus on the one-year anniversary of the russian invasion of Ukraine.
Zaluzhny received $1 million and donated it to the Ukrainian military
The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s military, known as the “iron general,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, inherited $1 million from a Ukrainian-American software developer and donated it straight to the army. The press service of the Armed Forces confirmed on January 5 that the donation was made to its bank account. The money was passed down to him by a man named Gregory Stepanets, according to his family.
Germany and the US to send tanks to Ukraine in a major show of support for Kyiv
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will send Leopard 2 tanks, while U.S. President Joe Biden will provide 31 M1 Abrams tanks in a significant move to support Ukraine in its efforts to retake the territory seized by russia.
Most importantly, this decision follows weeks of pressure from some NATO allies and is the result of prolonged diplomacy between Germany, the United States, and other European allies. It also comes as Ukraine prepares for a potential new russian offensive in the spring.
I Did Not Want to Make a War Film
Nadia Parfan, a Ukrainian filmmaker, was away from Ukraine when russia launched an attack on Kyiv. The first installment of a three-part documentary series produced by The New Yorker and Ukrainian independent filmmakers, the film follows Parfan’s personal journey of returning to Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion.
DATTALION constantly updates a database of war witnesses and Ukraine war footage. If you want to share your story, please email us at info@dattalion.com
UNESCO adds Odesa to World Heritage list
The United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, has designated the historic center of Odesa, a southern Ukrainian port city, as a World Heritage site and classified it as “in danger” after a quick inscription process. This move may lead to more financial and technical assistance for the city, which is often referred to as Ukraine’s “pearl of the Black Sea” and has suffered multiple russian attacks since the war began in February.