Goodbye, 2016.

The sun came out in Ukraine…

The sun came out in Lviv this afternoon!

Lviv – again

Another not-so-great shot of Lviv in Ukraine this afternoon.

Lviv

All my decent pictures are on my camera and I can’t transfer them across to my tablet, but here’s a shot from Lviv in Ukraine this afternoon.

Despite everyone’s idea that the whole country is some war-ravaged wasteland, it is business as usual in the west. There are a lot of soldiers around – on leave from the war – but otherwise, this is the bustling, cafe-filled city it has always been.

Ukrainian Window

This is a shot taken at a museum in Lviv, a city in Ukraine. Lviv is much more European-influenced than Eastern-influenced. It’s a gorgeous place to visit. *

On the street in Lviv, Ukraine.

Catholic Cathedral in Lviv, Ukraine.

Just a random picture from one of our trips to Lviv last year (we were there more than once). Ukrainian Catholics in places like Crimea are being persecuted, and Catholic churches in Western Ukraine have been attacked and burnt down. Putin is all about the Orthodox Church, you see, and seems to think the Catholics are behind Ukraine’s ‘gay agenda’ (idiot!) and patriotism (like that’s a crime!).

I’m officially Ukrainian Catholic, though I don’t follow the religion, and while Ukrainian Catholics are much more lenient – Ukrainian priests can marry, for example – they’re not out there championing gay rights!!

Russians are shooting children now…

Here is the result of pro-Russian attack on a civilian family in Ukraine.

Others have been killed today on what is the big celebration of Victory Day in Eastern Europe.

In the meantime, there was a full scale Soviet military parade in Moscow today.

My mind keeps going back to that idiot army guy I spoke to who tried to tell me countries will intervene when shots are fired. Shots were fired months ago…

Find out more here.

Journalists and public figures in Ukraine under attack

The world’s news might have given up on reporting on the situation in Ukraine (newsflash: the protests are still going!), but things are getting worse. I have family who are still in Kyiv, still braving the elements, still protesting. They have spoken to boxing champion turned opposition leader Vitali Klitschko (above).

Nationalistic journalists and public figures have been horribly injured in recent attacks. Two of the worst are as follows:

Dmitry Pylypets, organiser of the protests in the city of Kharkiv was beaten and stabbed.

Now there’s Tetyana Chornovol, who was attacked in her car, her face destroyed. She’s going to have to undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries. However, she was able to help find the men who attacked her, and arrests have been made.

This is what happens to Ukrainians who are tired of the Russification of their country. Yet another black mark against their neighbours to the east.

Les Misérables in Kyiv?

The protests in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city, are taking on a distinct Les Misérables look now!

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The Russified government is starting to ship in paid pro-government “protestors”. Just disgusting. Coming from a Ukrainian family, I think anybody who wants to be Russian should just move there. It’s horrifying how few people in Ukraine even know the Ukrainian language these days, though it’s the only official language of the country! The national identity needs to be reclaimed, and – yes – Ukraine needs to be looking to Europe, not corrupt Russia.

The media could start by calling the capital city by its official name: Kyiv. ‘Kiev’ is the Russian name!

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When babushkas have to start wearing pots on their heads for protection against the violent thugs making up the ‘riot police’ you know your country is messed up!

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What I’d really like to see is boxing champion-turned politician Vitaly Klitschko running Ukraine. Twice Vladimir Putin’s size, he’d give that awful man a worse case of little man syndrome!

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Kyiv usually has gorgeous Christmas decorations. This year, the big tree in the main square is looking a little different. That’s poor Yulia Tymoshenko in the picture. I was in Ukraine during her trial, and it was a disgrace.