In the centre of Kyiv in Ukraine, as war continues, a national history museum remains open. It still welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to its impressive underground space despite the ongoing destruction of the city and the country, as Ukrainians grip to any semblance of normality.
The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War has brought a small part of its work to London this week, supported by the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK. The exhibition, Indomitable Ukraine, displays artefacts collected from the frontline of the current war – recovered directly from the battlefield and shipped to the UK for public view for the first time.
A diary of a Russian soldier, remaining parts of a warplane, medals, authentic uniforms, weaponry and artwork are among the 600 exhibits drawn from the frontline and liberated territories. It tells the story of Ukrainian people fighting to protect their independence and freedom.
[...]
This is deeply meaningful for Yuliia Paievska, a Ukrainian medic known as ‘Taira’ who was imprisoned by Russian soldiers in 2022. At the launch event of the exhibition, dressed in uniform, she spoke to the Big Issue about her story and her hopes for the future of her country.
“The world must get inside and must be aware of what we are dealing with,” Paieveska said. “Sometimes our mind is wiped in a way to shield us from what gets us scared. What Russia is doing is totally horrifying. It’s difficult to imagine.”
[...]
Paievska, who is a trained psychologist, described her experience while jailed [by Russian occupiers]. “Just imagine everything that is meaningful to you and valuable to you. You are deprived of those things. You are in full isolation. You are in full suppression. For 24 hours, you are under torture or psychological pressure. They try to beat you.
“Your only possession is what you are wearing. Nothing is given to you. No toothbrush. No soap. Nothing. It is like medieval torture. It does not look like a modern prison at all.”
Paievska says that she received medical treatment and has now rejoined her unit. She has been renowned as a symbol of resilience and heroism in Ukraine, but she says she does not feel that way. “There’s a lot of people like me in Ukraine. I don’t think I’m outstanding or something special. I’m just regular.”
[...]
Russia makes an example for other countries that military imperialism is a viable strategy. Next China will attack some island, then the USA...
Russia is a threat to the whole world, just not in a trivial and straightforward way.
Uh... Because the US didn't already do that? What about Israel? Saudi Arabia? Ethiopia? Russia isn't exactly treading new ground here, except in the fact that the military imperialism is in opposition to rather than service of Western imperial ambitions. Major world actors usually (certainly not always) don't just invade places not because they need an example, but because it's inefficient and bad for business.
When was the last time the USA tried to destroy a sovereign country and annex its territory? Or Israel? Or other countries except for Russia? When?
Hasn't Israel conquered land from almost all of its neighbors? Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt at least (although the Egyptian land was returned), right? 🤔
So it'll be fine if Russia sets up a puppet government instead of ruling directly? This is a distinction without a difference, but also that is exactly what Israel is doing in Palestine right now.
You never lived through the war? Of course you didn't, if war vs propaganda are the "distinction without a difference" for you.
Because some idiots messed up with everything, Palestine isn't a sovereign state for the last century. Most countries don't recognize it in any state.
Actually 157 out of 192 UN countries recognize the state of Palestine right now. When Crimea was invaded by Russia in 2014 and Israël had already been occupying parts of it illegaly for over 40 years, the count was 133. As soon as 1994, even before Netanyahu's first tenure, there were more than half (96) UN member states recognizing the state of Palestine.
Most countries absolutely do and have recognized Palestine and the imperialism that goes on there is old as fuck. Yours maybe doesn't, mine only switched this year as a mostly performative act. Source: even a passing glance at wikipedia
Most countries actually do recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. Ukraine is one of them too.
Bringing Israel—the country that acts almost indistinguishable to Russia from day one—into this argument wasn’t a good idea.
What does that have to do with anything? You're not making any sense.
Was the Iraq war propaganda? What about Israel's genocide in Gaza? What are you even talking about?
Again not making any sense, but why do you think Palestine isn't a sovereign state?
You... uh... sure about that?