WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 2022

“Nobody’s going to break us.  We are strong.  We are Ukrainians.”

Zelensky: “stalemate is not an option.”

UKRAINE: THE LATEST, The Telegraph Podcast

• There was a weekend strike on Kyiv. 
• People are trying to resume something like a normal life in the capitol.
• Two British men who came over to fight for Ukraine have been jailed by the Russians.
• The were in the Avostol plant in Mariupol.  They are being tried for being mercenaries.  The big concern is that the charges can carry the death sentence.  They should be treated as prisoners of war.  This is probably an attempt to deter people from joining the Ukrainian effort.
• Germany’s Scholz is claiming that they are doing more to support Ukraine than the UK.  See https://uk.style.yahoo.com/scholz-says-germany-supporting-ukraine-155232029.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFJCKCpd0XD2an-smQ4Ngr2Tv0M-HcIs70o3XjrRVO_X_HnWmZ7vmdvrv31NoPeMTc5EzwxZdoSXuEgAA9fqvwonmRLwlwTWZ8ztTCS572l9aqV1RthuHB2dLQB_qUMgee_HSMKBW3lL1ywO8AiEbzOBzcy-CiD29lP1uBDkXoI1
• For Scholz to even make these comments means that they are defensive about their position.
• Ordinary Ukrainians think UK is helping more than Germany, according to a reporter on the ground.  People are scathing about the Germany response.  There are jokes on the internet about Germany’s support. 
• Grain: Difficulty getting grain out of Ukraine.  Lavrov is in Turkey.  He says they are willing to ensure safety of grain shipments out of Odesa.  They are saying there’s nothing they can do.  Turkey is also not being helpful.  Turkey is talking about “Russia’s exports.”  There are no Russian exports.  They are Ukrainian exports.
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• Snake Island (previously attacked by the Russians) is crucially important to whoever holds it.  Thought to be held by the Russians.  Russians thought to be putting defensive weapons on the island.  These are air defense assets. 
• Russia has lost 25% of its ground forces.  They have other weapons.
• If you sink the Black Sea fleet, it may be enough for Putin to call for negotiating.  Snake Island will increase in importance.

THE ECONOMIST

• Zelensky says that “stalemate is not an option.”