Tag Archives: Ukraine

Frank Poems: UNFORTUNATELY

In times of military tension
Call twelve random ordinary people
From each side
In off the street
And ask them if
They’d prefer war or peace,

Pointing out first in brief –
Because, after all,
Random ordinary people
Have non-random, not-so-ordinary
Lives to lead
And won’t be paid for this –

Pointing out the pros and cons
Of peace and war,
Especially regarding
Ordinary not-so-ordinary people
And in particular
The poor.

Then take a vote…

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The votes cast in today’s ballot
In respect of peace and war
Were as follows:

For Peace: 24
And none for War.

I therefore hereby declare
The winner is Peace
And certainly not War.

PS:
Unfortunately,
When it comes to war and peace
In times of military tension,
It hardly ever tends
To end like this.

The Guardian, 8 February 2022: "Putin’s massive table: powerplay or paranoia?" Photograph: EyePress News/Rex/Shutterstock.

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Russian dissent: a seed to be nurtured

‘It is hard to measure the public mood in a quasi-totalitarian regime, but the evidence points to war fatigue.’ Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/Kremlin Pool/Sputnik/EPA
‘It z hard t meźr ɖ public mūd in a qāzi-ttaḷterịn reźīm, bt ɖ evidns pônts t wor ftīg.’ Foṭgraf: Micaīl Metsél/Cremlin Pūl/Spŭtnic/YPE

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ruśn dsnt: a sīd t b nrćrd

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 5 Dec. 2022)

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z militri fełr in Ycren cn olso mc him vulnṛbl t p’liticl opziśn at hom

Munde 5 Dsmbr 2022

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z fełr t cmplit hiz iniśl wor emz in Ycren z so cmplit, it z unclir t ẃt end Ruśa fîts on, xpt t pṛtct ɖ prezidnt fṛm ɖ hymilieśn v admitñ dfit. Sins ɖ Cremlin’z teṛtorịl ambiśnz hv bn ćect, Ruśa’z ofnsiv cepbiḷtiz hv bn d’rectd mor at terrîzñ sviłnz n dgredñ Ycreńn infṛstrucćr. Ɖ plan z t plunj ɖ cuntri intu frizñ darcnis ʈru ɖ wintr in ɖ hop v dplitñ ɖ wil t rzist.

Ɖr z no sîn v ɖt wrcñ. Mr Pūtin’z fełr t unḍstand ɖ rziłnt caṛctr v Ycren az a prǎdli indipndnt neśn wz ɖ fǎndeśnl err v hiz wor. Ɖ Ruśn prezidnt hz olso mscalkletd ẃn meẓ́rñ hiz ǒn ppl’z aṗtît fr wor. It lct vreśs in ɖ oṗnñ wīcs, ẃn stet propganḍćanlz hd litl dificlti ẃipñ p a beḷcos frvr. Ɖt ardr sbsîdd in ɖ militri qogmîr n hz drend awe sins mas cnscripśn wz intṛdyst in Sptmbr. Ɖt z nt t se masz v sitiznz r trnñ sdiśs. Dsnt z ḿtd bî fir n ɖ habit v alījns t ɖ flag at tîmz v crîsis.

Bt hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz hv olso fled ɖ draft, probbli mor ɖn ɖ numbr s’xesḟli rcrutd (xact figrz r śrǎdd in ofiśl sīcṛsi). Mni v ɖoz hu rport fr dyti hv bn apōld bî ɖ lac v iqipmnt, trenñ or prṗs fr ɖer dplômnt. Ɖoz hu si ɖmslvz az cánnfodr mc unmoṭvetd soljrz. Dsperñ vidioz l’mntñ ɖer plît srklet wîdli onlîn. An iqivḷnt disorịnteśn cmz acrs fṛm ofiśl ćanlz, bt xprest az incrisñli unhinjd dmandz fr ɖ anạleśn v Ycren, tinjd wɖ cntmt fr militri līdrz hu apir unebl t dlivr it. Mr Pūtin himslf z stl abv criṭsizm, bt ɖ miʈ v hiz streñʈ n s’pirịr jujmnt hz bn śecn.

It z hard t meźr ɖ public mūd in a qāzi-ttaḷterịn reźīm, bt ɖ evidns pônts t wor ftīg. A līct prîṿt poul cnductd fr a Ruśn stet-s’kṛti ejnsi last wīc śoud 25% v rspondnts wontñ ɖ militri campen t cntiny n 55% wontñ pīstōcs. In Febrri, Mr Pūtin’z inveźn cmandd abt 80% s’port. Ɖr z olso evidns ɖt ɖ Cremlin z luzñ fl-spectṛm dominns v ɖ inḟmeśnspes. Ruśnz r nǎ ɖ wrld’z bigist yzrz v vrćl prîṿt netwrcs – onlîn srṿsz ɖt cn srcmvnt stetsnsrśp v ɖ inṭnet. Xîlcḿṇtiz frniś ɖer cmpatrịts wɖ mor truʈfl acǎnts v ẃt z haṗnñ in Ycren ɖn enʈñ līġli brōdcast insd Ruśa.

It wd b preṃtyr t imajin ɖt Mr Pūtin’z pziśn z mć wìcnd. H hz līvrz v coŕśn t compnset fr eni dclîn in inʈyziazm fr hiz rūl. Bt ɖ sînz v britlnis r stl incuṛjñ az evidns v sm ptnśl aṗtît amñ Ruśnz, insd n ǎtsd ɖ cuntri, fr a difṛnt cnd v poḷtics. Cultvetñ ɖt inṭrest, s’portñ ɖ xîlz, n recgnîzñ n ampḷfayñ ɖ difṛns btwn ɖ Ruśn ppl n ɖer criminl līdrśp wl b incrisñli importnt in ɖ munʈs n yirz t cm. Ẃl Mr Pūtin’z dfit in Ycren z a stṛtījic n moṛl impeṛtiv fr Yṛpiyn dmocṛsiz, n norṃlîześn v rleśnz wɖ Mosco sīmz lîc a rmot prospect, ɖ ambiśn canot b abandnd oltgɖr. Fr ɖt ambiśn t b plōzibl, ɖ sīdz v a difṛnt Ruśa mst b nrćrd ẃrvr ɖe gro.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Observer view on negotiating with Vladimir Putin: it’s too soon

Ukrainians in Kyiv celebrate Russia’s retreat from Kherson on 12 November 2022. Photograph: Ed Ram/Getty Images
Ycreńnz in Cyīv seḷbret Ruśa’z rtrit fṛm Hersón on 12 Nvmbr 2022. Foṭgraf: Ed Ram/Geti Iṃjz

Ɖ Obzrvr vy on ngośietñ wɖ Vladīmir Pūtin: it’s tù sn

(Transcription of a Guardian editorial of 13 Nov. 2022)

Ycren z in a stroñ pziśn aftr rītecñ Hersón bt ɖ wst mst rzist ɖ rj t pś fr a setlmnt wɖ Ruśa

Súnde 13 Nvmbr 2022

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z dsiźn t ste awe fṛm ɖs wīc’s G20 sumit v wrld līdrz in Bāli z telñ. Ẃl Inḍnīźa insistd ɖt Ruśa’z prezidnt wz welcm, hiz prezns wd hv bn an imbaṛsmnt. H z an inṭnaśnl p’raia – n h nz it. Īvn Ćîna apirz t b luzñ peśns.

Ɖ rīzn fr ɖs z, v cors, Ycren, ẃr Pūtin’z c’lamiṭs “speśl militri oṗreśn” dmiṇśz him n hiz cuntri bî ɖ de. Last wīc’s liḅreśn bî Ycreńn forsz v Hersón, folowñ vicṭriz arnd Cyīv n in Harcīv rījn, wz ɖ most sgnificnt Ruśn rvrs sins ɖ inveźn bgan in Febrri. Pūtin anxt ɖ Hersón oblast in Sptmbr aftr a foni reḟrendm n dclerd it soṿrin teritri. Ɖ pṛvinśl capitl, ɖ onli wn in Cremlin handz, wd “nvr” b srendrd, h vaud.

Nǎ, hiz trūps, firñ insrclmnt, hv cut n run, scuṭlñ of t ɖ reḷtiv sefti v ɖ īst banc v ɖ Dnipro Rivr. Xibtñ tredmarc p’liticl cawdis, a śelśoct Pūtin hz bn trayñ t distns himslf fṛm ɖs dzastr. H left it t hiz haplis dfnsministr, Serge Śîgu, n nyli apôntd hardlîn cmandr in Ycren, Jén. Serge Sŭrovīcin, t brec ɖ hymilietñ nyz t TV vywrz.

Bt evri Ruśn nz hu z rsponsbl. Fr dictetrz lîc Pūtin, ɖt z ɖ prîs v abṣlut pǎr. Ɖ Hersón dbācl hz frɖr dspeld ɖ ōra v a wîz, ol-nwñ, zar-lîc faɖrfigr ɖt h hz cultvetd ovr tū decedz. Sadli, Pūtin z nt yt finiśt, bt hiz public standñ z cnsidṛbli wìcnd. Ɖs sns ɖt Ruśa z on ɖ bac ft z wn v sevṛl factrz fylñ spekleśn abt pīstōcs. Jén. Marc Mile, ćermn v ɖ YS jônt ćīfs, argyd last wīc ɖt a “windo v oṗtyṇti” wz oṗnñ az wintr frizz ɖ fruntlînz. Cyīv’z trūps wr unlîcli t advans mć frɖr untl sprñ, h sd, n cd ɖen fes a betr-orġnîzd eṇmi. Ngośietrz śd “sīz ɖ momnt.”

Firz ɖt ɖ wor me drag on incnclūsivli fr yirz, repḷcetñ ɖ et-yir Donbas stelmet, fīd ɖ tōc abt tōcs. Ɖ hymn cost z undǎtidli hrific, wɖ an esṭmetd 100,000 militri caźltiz on ć sîd. Hundṛdz v ʈǎzndz v sviłnz hv olso bn cild, injrd, trōṃtîzd n dsplest.

Mnẃl, Pntgn ćīfs wuri abt esc̣letñ fînanśl costs n wepnzśorṭjz – a probḷm olrdi afctñ Yṛpiyn Nāto stets. Ɖ YS hz pṛvîdd $19.3bn (£17bn) in līʈl ed t Ycren, includñ an adiśnl $400m last wīc. Ɖr z tōc v a ny $50bn cngreśnl pacij bî yir’z end. Ɖs wl nt plīz sm nyli ilectd Rpublicnz, hu wont t cut ed. Rîzñ p’liticl preśrz r nt cnfînd t ɖ YS. Far-rît n far-left Yṛpiyn partiz, pīscampenrz n Pūtin admîrrz sć az Hunġri’z prîm̦inistr, Viktor Orbán, olso qsćn unliṃtd YY s’port fr a liṃtlis conflict amd an eṇji n cost-v-livñ sqīz. Ɖe wont ɖ wor t stop nǎ.

Ɖt z nt a vy śerd bî Ycren’z līdrśp n sitiznz. Prezidnt Vlodimir Zelensci n hiz advîzrz se bluntli ɖr z nʈñ t ngośiet abt ẃl Mosco’z agreśn cntinyz n, in eni ces, Pūtin canot b trustd. Ɖe pônt ǎt ɖt ɖr z no sîn Ruśa z redi fr sirịs tōcs. Rɖr, it z digñ in n pripẹrñ fr a loñ wintr v atriśnl worfér.

Pūtin’z terristic misîl n dron atacs on ilectriṣti n wōtr infṛstrucćr apir onli t hv hardnd ordnri ppl’z rzistns. Last wīc, Zelensci riiṭretd Ycren’z dmandz: “Resṭreśn v teṛtorịl integṛti, rspct fr ɖ YN ćartr, compnseśn fr ol daṃjz cōzd bî ɖ wor, puniśmnt v evri worcriminl n gaṛntìz ɖt ɖs wl nt hapn agn.” Ɖ risc v growñ difṛnsz btwn Cyīv n Wośñtn z evidnt. Wɖ Yṛpiyn Nāto alîz, nt līst Britn, priokpaid bî conflict-rletd ic̣nomic probḷmz, ɖ Bîdn admiṇstreśn hz incrisñli tecn ćarj v ɖ wstn wor eḟt. Bt a rīsnt, informl YS sjsćn ɖt Ycren adopt a mor flex̣bl pziśn wnt dǎn vri badli in Cyīv. Dis’grīmnts ovr hǎ t pṛsid hv olso imrjd wɖn ɖ YS guvnmnt itslf, wɖ Jec Sulivn, Jo Bîdn’z naśnl-s’kṛti advîzr, rportidli rzistñ Jén. Mile’z advîs. Sulivn n uɖr Ẃît Hǎs eidz argy eni pōz in ɖ fîtñ wd gv Ruśa tîm t riinfors, rīgrūp n riarm.

Olɖo ɖ YS b’livd ɖ wor wd b setld ʈru ngośieśnz, it wz nt “preṣ́rñ” Ycren, Sulivn sd last wīc. “W’r nt insistñ on ʈñz wɖ Ycren. Ẃt w r dwñ z cnsultñ az partnrz.” Nvɖles, ɖ impreśn rmenz, aftr hiz vizit t Cyīv last wīcend, ɖt ɖ YS hz bgun t xplor ẃt a setlmnt mt ultiṃtli lc lîc.

A yrnñ fr a qc, penlis end z a naćṛl rspons t slōtr n miẓri. Dsruptd gren s’plîz t dveḷpñ cuntriz, firz v ńclir esc̣leśn, dîr invîrnmntl impacts, ɖ weṗnîześn v fosilfylz n ɖ ic̣nomic pen flt bî ppl evrẃr ol ad t preśr fr a swift reẓluśn. Endlis wor z nt an opśn. Ngośieśnz wɖ ɖ Ruśn guvnmnt, nt nesseṛli wɖ Pūtin, wl hapn ivnć̣li. Bt ɖ tîm z nt yt rîp. Ycren mst b alaud t ćūz its momnt n bgin eni tōcs fṛm a pziśn v maximm streñʈ. Pūtin mst nt b rwordd fr hiz bć̣ri. Mor vicṭriz lîc ɖt in Hersón cn pev ɖ we t pīs.

Instroduction to Ñspel

"House by the Railroad," Edward Hopper, 1925

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Russia’s war machine: little more than a brittle facade

Vladimir Putin at a military training centre in Ryazan, Russia. Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/AP
Vḷdīmir Pūtin at a militri trenñsntr in Riazan, Ruśa. Foṭgraf: Mihaīl Klimentiev/AP

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Ruśa’z wor mśīn: litl mor ɖn a britl fsād

(Transcription of an editorial published in the Guardian on 26 October 2022)

Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z dfit in Ycren z nīdd fr ɖ resṭreśn v hop t Ruśnz wontñ a betr fyćr fr ɖmslvz az wel az ɖer nebrz

Wnzde 26 Octobr 2022

Vḷdīmir Pūtin z luzñ ɖ wor in Ycren, bt ɖs dz nt mc him eni les denjṛs. A despot huz oʈoṛti at hom dpndz on pṛjctñ streñʈ abrōd canot aford ɖ hymilieśn v dfit. So far, ɖ Ruśn prezidnt hz rspondd t evri setbac wɖ mor agreśn. Ɖt involvz mor indiscrimiṇt atacs on sviłnz n sivl infṛstrucćr. Bt Mr Pūtin olso mcs mor dmandz v Ruśnz. Ẃn ɖ wor bgan, sviłn s’port fr ẃt snsrśp lwz insistd on cōlñ a “speśl militri oṗreśn” wz hî, bt mostli pasiv. Sać̣retd wɖ Cremlin propganda, most v ɖ cuntri axptd ɖ d’renjd ofiśl vrśn v ivnts – ɖt Ycreńnz wr crayñ ǎt fr “liḅreśn” bî Ruśn soljrz.

Bt ɖr wz olso dsnt n protest in dfayns v rpreśn. Tnz v ʈǎzndz v ppl left ɖ cuntri in horr ẃn ɖ wor bgan. Ɖer numbr wz ɖen swoḷn bî Mr Pūtin’z dsiźn last munʈ t dcler a “parśl moḅlîześn” v fîtñ-ej men.

Plenti hv sînd p wilñli, folowñ ẃt ɖe b’liv z ɖer petriotic dyti, or fr wont v betr implômnt. Bt mni r nt so cīn on spilñ ɖer ǒn blud fr a cōz ɖt wz mor apilñ ẃn cnfînd t fix́ṇlîzd nyzbŭḷtinz.

Ɖ scel v ɖ moḅlîześn hz md it hardr t cnsil ɖ abject cndiśn v Ruśn soljrz in ɖ fīld. Conscripts r biyñ snt t Ycren wɖt trenñ, worm cloɖz, fuñṣ́nñ wepnz or eni sns v ẃt ɖe r s’pozd t b aćivñ. Ɖer dsme rejistrz wɖ añśs faṃliz bac hom.

Opińnpoulz ɖt śo masiv s’port fr ɖ wor r unrilaybl, sins oponnts v Mr Pūtin r wẹrịr v śẹrñ ɖer vyz wɖ strenjrz. Indipndnt aṇlists se ɖt ɖr probbli z stl a mjoṛti in fevr, bt ɖt it z nt moṇliʈic. Ɖr r hardlîn naśṇlists hu si ɖ conflict az a crūsed agnst ɖ wst, bt olso a les îdịlojicl segmnt ɖt bacs ɖ cuntri’z armd forsz az a matr v culćṛl habit. Ɖ formr grūp z cmitd t totl wor wɖt limits. Ɖ latr camp wd gladli si ɖ hol ʈñ bròt t a swift cncluźn. Ɖt dviźn z incrisñli rflectd in dbets on stet propganḍćanlz, ẃr it z no longr tbu t sjst ɖt ʈñz hv nt gn t plan.

Ɖ prezidnt z stl bynd criṭsizm. In draftñ sviłnz t fît, Mr Pūtin intndd t hardn opińn, apilñ t naśnl miʈs v slf-sacṛfîs fr ɖ gretr glori v Ruśa, cnvrtñ wevrrz intu crūsedrz. Hvr, h mt b aćivñ ɖ oṗzit.

H badli undr-esṭmetd ɖ cpaṣti v Ycren t rzist inveźn in Febrri, n h hz oṿesṭmetd ɖ redinis v Ruśnz t martr ɖmslvz fr hiz vaṇti. Indipndnt Ruśn mīdia in xîl rport ɖt sīńr guvnmntfigrz hv lost feʈ in Mr Pūtin, bt hv no we v rplesñ him. Ɖ imij v ttaḷterịn cntrol śoun t ɖ wst z a fsād, cnsilñ a wìc strucćr hld tgɖr bî fir, c’rupśn n inrśa.

Mr Pūtin’z oʈoṛti canot wɖstand unliṃtd militri setbacs n hiz reźīm mt b mor britl ɖn it lcs. Hiz meʈ̇d v rspondñ t fełr wɖ esc̣leśn z līdñ t yt mor fełr. Hiz dfit in Ycren wd b ɖ just ǎtcm fr ɖ ppl v ɖt cuntri. It z olso a nesṣri step on ɖ loñ rod t a betr fyćr fr Ruśa.

Instroduction to Ñspel

In Ñspel: The Guardian view on Putin’s escalations: dangerous times

The aftermath of a Russian missile strike on a residential block in Zaporizhzhia. Photograph: Future Publishing/Ukrinform/Getty Images
Ɖ afṭmaʈ v a Ruśn misîlstrîc on a reẓdnśl bloc in Zaporīźa. Foṭgraf: Fyćr Pubḷśñ/Ycrinform/Geti Iṃjz

Ɖ Gardịn vy on Pūtin’z esc̣leśnz: denjṛs tîmz

(Transcription of an editorial published in the Guardian on 11 October 2022)

Ɖ Ruśn prezidnt z mcñ sviłnz sufr fr ɖ s’xesz v Ycren’z cǎnṭ’fnsiv

Tyzde 11 Octobr 2022

Ɖ  misîlz ɖt hv rênd dǎn on Ycreńn sitiz far fṛm ɖ fruntlîn sins Munde mornñ, strîcñ plêgrǎndz n uɖr sviłn targits, r rtalieśn fr ɖ blast at ɖ Crć brij btwn Ruśa n Crîmīa. Bt it z Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z rej at ɖ brōdr s’xes v ɖ Ycreńn cǎnṭ’fnsiv ɖt hz śiftd ɖ wor fṛm a grîndñ militri stelmet intu a mor denjṛs fêz. Ɖ Ruśn prezidnt hz riylîzd ɖt h z luzñ on ɖ grǎnd; ɖt mejr dmocṛsiz wl nt īẓli b bŭlid ǎt v s’portñ Cyīv; n consiqntli ɖt h cn no longr cǎnt on Ycren’z ivnćl cpićleśn. Hiz rspons – anxeśn n moḅlîześn – hz onli incrist ɖ preśr on him, crietñ hayr xpcteśnz amñ hōciś dmestic ilīts v hǎ far h wl g, n ełnetñ brōdr p’liticl s’port. Ɖ frst deʈs v moḅlîzd soljrz wr rportd ɖs wīc.

Ẃl Ruśa canot ssten ɖs ret v atac – 80 misîlz on Munde alon – ɖ sviłn deʈs n damij t wōtr n pǎr fsiḷtiz wl cntiny. Ɖo ɖ asōlt hz so far stifnd rzistns, rɖr ɖn sapñ mrāl, ɖ aproć v wintr n ɖ dtirịreśn v infṛstrucćr wl tec ɖer tol on sviłnz. Ycren wl hv t ćūz btwn dployñ er-dfns sistmz t pṛtct sitiz, or imployñ ɖm in its cǎnṭ’fnsiv.

Wl Mr Pūtin nǎ g frɖr? Ɖs wor’z rvrḅreśnz r olrdi flt far bynd Ycren’z bordrz. Ɖ IMF wornd on Tyzde ɖt ɖr z a growñ risc v globl rseśn nxt yir dy in part t ɖ fōlǎt. Az Josep Borrell, ɖ YY foṛn-poḷsi ćīf, obzrvd in a strîcñ spīć, ɖs z a wrld “ẃr evrʈñ z biyñ weṗnîzd”. Mor frîtnñli, Mr Pūtin hz olso rtrnd t ɖ ńclir blacmeil ɖt h frst atmtd in sprñ; nǎ hiz desṗreśn mcs ɖ ʈret mor sirịs. Jo Bîdn last wīc wornd ɖt ɖ wrld wz ɖ closist it hd cm t ńclir ctastṛfi sins ɖ Kbn misîlcrîsis 60 yirz ago, n cd fes Arṃgedn f Ruśa yzz a tacticl ńclir wepn. A tacticl wepn wd b far mor devstetñ ɖn ɖ bomz dropt on Hrośima n Nagsaci, ẃć md ɖ wrld vǎ nvr agn.

So far, ɖr r no sînz v Ruśa pripẹrñ sć wepnz fr ys. Ɖ asōlt on Cyīv, Lviv n Zaporīźa z a rmîndr ɖt h hz uɖr brūtl mīnz v atmtñ t impoz hiz wil; ńclir wepnz r a last rzort. Ɖr z no gaṛnti ɖt a lōnć ordr wd b carid ǎt. Ɖ YS wornñ v “caṭstrofic” consiqnsz śrli weiz on ɖ mîndz v Ruśn hardlînrz, n Ćîna n India hv dǎtlis md ɖer dis’pruvl clir. Nnɖles, it nǎ apirz a mor sirịs posbiḷti ɖn it sīmd īvn ɖs sprñ.

Z ɖr an oltrṇtiv t frɖr esc̣leśn? Ruśa wd lîc t frīz ɖs conflict: ɖ Cremlin sjsts ɖt it z opn t pīstōcs wɖ Ycren ʈru mīdietrz – bt līdñ vôsz simlteńsli pṛclem maxiṃlist objctivz includñ reźīmćenj. Ycreńnz n uɖr obzrvrz cnclud ɖt eni sīsfîr wd b yzd bî Mosco az an oṗtyṇti t rīgrūp n riarm, streñʈ̇nñ its forsz fr ɖ nxt fêz v ɖ wor.

Soḷdaṛti wɖ Cyīv in ɖ fes v ɖs ʈret z isnśl. Bt cer, az wel az cnvix́n, z nīdd. Ɖ G7 wz rît t stet clirli on Tyzde ɖt it standz frmli wɖ Ycren n wl pṛvîd it wɖ fînanśl, hymaṇterịn, militri, dipḷmatic n līgl s’port “fr az loñ az it tecs”. Līdrz mst mnten ɖ closist woć on Ruśa’z planz. Ɖt includz alrtnis t ɖ mni wez in ẃć Mosco me atmt t xact rvnj agnst ɖoz bacñ Cyīv. Bt it z, v cors, Ycren’z ppl hu r at gretist risc. Ńclir or cnvnśnl, ɖ ʈret t ɖm hz nvr bn gretr in ɖs conflict.

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Fṛm ɖ Gardịn: As the missiles strike Kyiv, of course we are scared – but war has made us practical

A firefighter helps his colleague out of a crater after a Russian missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday. Photograph: Roman Hrytsyna/AP
A fîrfîtr hlps hiz colīg ǎt v a cretr aftr a Ruśn misîl’tac on Cyīv, Ycren, on Munde. Foṭgraf: Roman Hritsina/AP

Az ɖ misîlz strîc Cyīv, v cors w r scerd – bt wor hz md s practicl

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 10 October 2022)

Wns agn ślṭrñ unḍgrǎnd, w trî t raśṇlîz ɖs asōlt on ǎr parcs, yṇvrṣtiz n ḿziymz

Nataliya Gumenyuk

Natālia Ğmeńec, Munde 10 Octobr 2022

Frst v ol, it’s scẹri t b bombardd. Fr fîv aurz n 37 minits duznz v rocits lōnćt fṛm ɖ Caspịn n Blac sīz hit Ycreńn sitiz, includñ Cyīv, ẃr I liv n wrc. Ć v ɖm cd dstrô yr hǎs. Az a rportr traṿlñ in ɖ eriaz most afctd bî ɖ wor, I’v sìn ɖ hrific damij ɖz strîcs cn cōz. Jst wn hit cn dstrô a multi-stōri apartmntbildñ, līvñ a brnt scelitn – ovr ɖ wīcend an atac lîc ɖs in Zaporīźa tc at līst 13 lîvz.

Tde Ycreńnz xpirịnst wn v ɖ larjist er’tacs sinz ɖ start v ɖ Ruśn inveźn. Fr ɖ frst tîm, misîlstrîcs hit ɖ vri sntr v ɖ Ycreńn capitl, ẃr at līst fîv ppl wr cild, n duznz wūndd. Ɖz wr mnli cḿtrz gwñ t wrc on Munde mornñ. Fîv mor erstrîcs foloud.

Ɖ Cremlin tarġtd ol mejr Ycreńn tǎnz, includñ Dnipro n Ħarcīv, Lviv n īvn Ivano-Francivsc in ɖ reḷtivli sef wst v ɖ cuntri. Acordñ t ɖ stét imrjnsisrvis, at līst 11 ppl hv daid, wɖ a frɖr 60 wūndd.

Prezidnt Zelensci hz rcordd a vidiostetmnt seyñ ɖ prîṃri targits wr infṛstrucćr, in ptiklr ɖ pǎrgrid. Ɖ guvnmnt acnolijd at līst 11 importnt targits wr damijd, bt most pǎr hz nǎ bn rstord. In mî Cyīv flat ɖ ilectriṣti wnt of fr no mor ɖn 10 minits, bt eriaz on ɖ ǎtscrts v ɖ siti n parts v Ćrnīhiv, Lviv n Tsŭmé stl hv no pǎr.

Ẃt mcs ɖz atacs so uņrvñ z ɖ imprisiźn v ɖ Ruśn misîlz. Ɖer erstrîcs constntli mis targits. Y cd si ɖs az gd fṛm a practicl militri pspctiv – bt it mīnz ɖt enbdi, at eni gvn momnt, cn bcm a victim. Ɖ Ycreńn vīgn n animl rîts dfndr Pavlo Viśebaba, hu nǎ srvz in ɖ armi, postd a foto v a bomcretr ẃr a plêgrǎnd yst t b in Cyīv sntṛl parc. H refṛnst a prīvịs Ruśn stetmnt ɖt ɖe wd b atacñ militri dsiźn-mcñ sntrz. “It wz ǎr ‘sntr fr dsiźn mcñ’, ẃr w dsîdd ẃɖr mî dōtr îɖr wontd a con or an îs-crīm on a stic,” h joct. At ɖz tîmz, blac hymr z a sort v sîc̣lojicl slf-dfns.

Ɖ prezidnt sd ɖ uɖr em wz t terrîz Ycreńnz, n atac ǎr mrāl. Fr ɖ last fy munʈs w hv woćt ɖ Ruśn armi sstenñ batlfīld losz. Ycren’z rli s’xesz in ɖ Ħarcīv rījn wr larjli atribytd t ɖ fact ɖt ɖ Ruśnz wr tecn bî s’prîz. Bt ɖz s’xesz cntiny; Ycreńn trūps, wɖ gret dificlti, hv cntinyd liḅretñ vilij aftr vilij in ɖ Donbas n Ħersón rījnz.

Ɖ 8 Octobr xploźn on ɖ brij cnctñ okpaid Crîmīa wɖ Ruśa – a prsnl project v Vḷdīmir Pūtin – wz olso a hyj simbolic blo agnst ɖ Ruśn līdrśp. Ɖ Ycreńn guvnmnt dd’nt cnfrm it wz its oṗreśn, bt Ycreńn s’kṛtisrṿsz gev hints ɖe mt b bhnd ɖ atac bî postñ a seḷbretri foto v ɖ brij on fîr. It cōzd an increḍbl str amñ Ruśn worproṗgandists, n cōlz fr imīɉt rtalieśn. Influenśl hōcs wɖn Ruśa hd olrdi bn criṭsîzñ ɖer forsz fr lacñ tufnis.

Tde’z atac on Ycren lcs lîc an atmt t plīz ɖt ptiklr Ruśn ōdịns, n śo ɖt ɖ Cremlin z ceṗbl v hrtñ Ycren. Olso on 8 Octobr, Srge Sŭrovicin wz nemd ɖ cmandr v ol Ruśn forsz invedñ Ycren. Noun fr hiz harśnis, Sŭrovicin, hu cmandd forsz in Siria jrñ ɖ Ruśn militri inṭvnśn ɖr, me yz ɖs imīɉt asōlt az a ćans t istabliś himslf.

N so, sviłnz hu hd injoid sm smōl amǎnt v pīs r on hî alrt agn. Tde, scūlćildṛn r muvd t besmnts. Bizṇsz r clozd dǎn, n mītñz cansld. Cyīv subwe – ẃć startd oṗretñ in ɖ sprñ – agn srvd az ɖ bomśltr. Aftr a fy munʈs injoyñ lîf in Cyīv, mni agn mt cnsidr līvñ.

Yt, aftr sevn munʈs v wor, ɖ Ycreńnz hv faund ɖer wez t cǒp wɖ angr. Aftr a fy aurz ćecñ in on colīgz, frendz, n reḷtivz ol ovr ɖ cuntri, ɖ Ycreńn inṭnet z fl v meṣjz abt hǎ mć ppl hv dnetd t ɖ armi.

Ycreńnz olso wuri ɖt aftr a fy aurz v cmpaśn fṛm ppl arnd ɖ wrld, w mt hír ny cōlz t srendr. Ɖz, cmñ fṛm ɖ sefti v far-of Yṛpiyn tǎnz, sǎnd nt jst in’proprịt, bt uneʈicl. Ɖ multipl crîmz cmitd in okpaid teritriz sć az Bŭća n Izịm śo ɖt ɖ oltrṇtivz t rzistns cn b nt jst prṣkśn, bt mas x’kśn n torćr.

W r scerd at ɖ momnt, bt ɖt z difṛnt t livñ in ppćl fir. Ycreńn dfayns dz’nt mīn bṛvādo. Mor ɖn enʈñ, ɖ fīlñ y gt ẃl sitñ in a besmnt lcñ at ɖ eŗêd-wornñ map fr fîv aurz n 37 minits z pragṃtizm. W ʈnc nt abt grand îdīaz, bt ilectriṣti n wōtr s’plîz, dokmnts, dêli raśnz n cntinjnsiplanz.

Ǎt v mor ɖn 80 rocits fîrd intu Ycren tde, at līst haf wr rportidli śot dǎn bî ɖ Ycreńn er dfns. Ẃt cn lc teṛfayñ n inevitbl cn b stopt wɖ propr dfnsz. Ɖs lcs lîc ɖ onli raṣ́nl ansr t ɖ iraśnl asōlt on ǎr parcs, yṇvrṣtiz, ḿziymz. It mst cntiny.

• • •

Natālia Ğmeńec z a Ycreńn jrṇlist speṣ́lîzñ in foṛn aferz n conflict rportñ, n oʈr v Lost Îḷnd: Têlz fṛm ɖ Okpaid Crîmīa

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: ‘Putin will fail and Europe will prevail,’ EU chief tells MEPs

Von der Leyen sz YY soḷdaṛti wɖ Ycren ‘unśec̣bl’ – vidio

‘Pūtin wl fel n Yṛp wl privel,’ YY ćīf tlz MYPz

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 14 September 2022)

Yṛpiyn Cmiśn prezidnt olso vǎz t spīd Ycren’z YY intgreśn in wîd-renjñ spīć

Jennifer Rankin

Jenifr Rancin in Bruslz, Wnzde 14 Sptmbr 2022

Ɖ  Yṛpiyn Cmiśn prezidnt, Ŕsyla von der Leyen, hz insistd “Pūtin wl fel n Yṛp wl privel”, az ś vaud t pres on wɖ Ycren’z YY intgreśn.

Adresñ ɖ Yṛpiyn parḷmnt in Strazbrg, ɖ YY xektiv prezidnt iśùd a raliyñcōl intndd t ynît membrstets graṗlñ wɖ an eṇjicrîsis az wintr drwz nir. Von der Leyen dscrîbd ɖ Ruśn inveźn az nt onli a wor on Ycren, bt “a wor on ǎr icoṇmi, a wor on ǎr valyz n a wor on ǎr fyćr”.

Drest in ɖ blu n yelo culrz v Ycren’z naśnl flag, ɖ cmiśnprezidnt anǎnst ś wd vizit Cyīv lêtr on Wnzde n pland dīteld dscuśnz wɖ Ycren’z prezidnt, Vlodimir Zelensci, on enśurñ Ycren’z “sìmlis axes t ɖ sngl marcit”.

Ycren’z frst ledi, Olenca Zelensca, wz amñ ɖ ōdịns in Strazbrg n gvn a standñ oveśn bî MYPz.

Von der Leyen promist t wrc wɖ Zelensca on ɖ rīcnstrux́n v Ycreńn scūlz n plejd €100m (£87m) in YY fundz. An esṭmetd 70 scūlz hv bn damijd or toṭli dstroid bî Ruśa.

Ɖ Yṛpiyn Cmiśn prezidnt, hu hz olrdi viẓtd Cyīv twîs sins ɖ ǎtbrec v wor, olso sd ɖ YY wd ste ɖ cors wɖ its sañśnz on Ruśa. “Ɖ sañśnz r hir t ste,” ś sd. “Ɖs z ɖ tîm fr s t śo rzolv nt apizmnt.”

Ś sd ɖ YY’z ic̣nomic rstrix́nz on ɖ Ruśn icoṇmi wr wrcñ, n ofrd sm îcaćñ clemz. “Ɖ Ruśn militri z tecñ ćips fṛm diśwōśrz n rfriɉretrz t fix ɖer militri hardwér, bcz ɖe ran ǎt v semicnductrz.”

Az xpctd, Von der Leyen cnfrmd ɖ cmiśn wz pśñ ahd wɖ windfōl taxz on eṇjicumṗniz’ xes profits. YY ofiślz hop t rêz €140bn, ẃć wl b ćanld t vulnṛbl hǎsholdz n bizṇsz struġlñ wɖ a tenfold incris in gasprîsz sins bfr ɖ Covid pandemic.

“Mejr ôl, gas n col cumṗniz r olso mcñ hyj profits,” Von der Leyen sd. “So ɖe hv t pe ɖer fer śer – ɖe hv t gv a crîsiscontṛbyśn.” Ś olso cnfrmd ɖt ɖ profits v jeṇretrz v lo-carbn ilectriṣti, rnywbl n ńclir frmz, wd olso b capt, wɖ ɖ fundz rīdistribytd t ppl in nīd.

Ɖ cmiśn hz rtritd on ɖ îdīa v a prîscap on gas. YY membrstets wr split ovr ẃć cuntriz ɖ cap śd cuvr, ẃl sm wr flatli opozd t ɖ îdīa, firñ a ʈret t s’kṛti v s’plîz.

YY pṛpozz profits fṛm eṇjifrmz śd g ‘t ɖoz hu nīd it most’ – vidio

Von der Leyen sjstd ś hd nt abandnd a prîscap in sm form, proṃsñ t dveḷp “a set v meźrz ɖt tec intu acǎnt ɖ sṗsific nećr v ǎr rleśnśp wɖ s’playrz, renjñ fṛm unrilaybl s’playrz sć az Ruśa t rlaybl frendz sć az Norwe”.

N in a vicṭri fr cuntriz sć az Spen n Frans ɖt hv loñ cmplend abt YY ilectriṣtimarcit rūlz, ś promist “dīp n comprihnsiv rform” ɖt wd hlp cnsymrz beṇfit fṛm ćīpr rnywblz.

Ɖ wîd-renjñ spīć olso tućt on ɖ clîṃtcrîsis, wɖ Von der Leyen argywñ ɖ record-brecñ hot n drî sumr v 2022 śd galṿnîz eḟts fr adapteśn. Ś promist t dubl ɖ YY’z flīt v fîr-fîtñ ercraft n helicoptrz t fît foristfîrz.

Ś olso opnd ɖ dor t a rviźn v ɖ YY’z fǎndñtrītiz n promist tîtr rūlz agnst c’rupśn insd YY membrstets.

Wɖ Ruśa’z inveźn v Ycren ɖ mn ʈīm v ɖ spīć, Von de Leyen cōld fr a rīʈnc v poḷsiz fṛm eṇji t ɖ trītmnt v refyjīz. In a refṛns t ɖ YY’z loñ-stōld tōcs on ɖ comn manijmnt v asîḷmsīcrz, Von der Leyen sd: “Ǎr ax́nz twdz Ycreńn refyjīz mst nt b an xpśn. Ɖe cn b a blūprint fr gwñ fwd.”

Ś olso acnolijd ɖ loñ-vôst cmplents v Poḷnd n Bōltic stets ɖt ɖer wornñz abt ɖ Ruśn prezidnt hd gn unhīdd in wstn Yṛp. “W śd hv lisnd t ɖ vôsz insd ǎr yńn … Ɖe hv bn telñ s fr yirz ɖt Pūtin wd nt stop.”

Unlîc similr spīćz in rīsnt yirz, ɖr wz no d’rect mnśn v ɖ YC, olɖo Von der Leyen, an anglofîl hu studid at ɖ Lundn Scūl v Īc̣nomics, peid tribyt t Qīn Iliẓbʈ II. “Ś z a lejnd,” Von der Leyen sd. “Ś wz a constnt ʈrt ɖ trbyḷnt n trnsformñ ivnts in ɖ last 70 yirz.”

Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Obzrvr │ Lawrence Freedman: ‘Autocracies tend to make catastrophic decisions. That’s the case with Putin’

Vladimir Putin attends a meeting about the development of the shipbuilding industry via video conference in Sochi. Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP/Getty Images
Vladīmir Pūtin atndz a mītñ abt ɖ dveḷpmnt v ɖ śipbildñ inḍstri via vidioconfṛns in Soći. Foṭgraf: Micîl Climentiev/Spŭtnic/AFP/Geti Iṃjz

Loṛns Frīdmn: ‘Ōtocṛsiz tnd t mc caṭstrofic dsiźnz. Ɖt’s ɖ ces wɖ Pūtin’

(Transcription of an interview published in the Observer on Sunday 21 August 2022)

Ɖ militri-straṭji xprt n oʈr v a ny bc on conflict sz ɖ flwd ʈncñ bhnd Ruśa’z inveźn stemz fṛm ɖ in’biḷti v ɖoz at ɖ top t tec rsponsbiḷti fr mstecs

Peter Beaumont

Pītr Bomont, Súnde, 21 Ōġst 2022

Ruśa’z wor agnst Ycren hz bn hamprd bî felñz xpirịnst bî ōṭcratic stets jrñ conflict, acordñ t a far-rīćñ ny studi v cmand in wor bî wn v ɖ YC’z most prominnt acdemics in ɖ fīld.

Cmand, a wîd-renjñ anaḷsis v post-secnd wrldwor conflicts bî ɖ līdñ stṛtījic-studiz xprt Loṛns Frīdmn, xaminz a siriz v wel-noun conflicts, fṛm ɖ Kbn misîlcrîsis t ɖ Frenć dfit at ɖ handz v ɖ Viet Min at Dien Bien Fu, ʈru t ɖ Fōcḷndz wor n Sadam Hsen’z inveźn v Cwet, p t ɖ preznt wor in Ycren.

“Ɖ big ʈīm,” sd Frīdmn, imeriṭs pṛfesr v worstudiz at Cñ’z Colij Lundn, “z ɖt ōtocṛsiz r vri bad at ɖs. A lot v most caṭstrofic dsiźnz cm fṛm ōṭcratic dsiźn-mcñ. Ɖt z srtnli ɖ ces wɖ Vladīmir Pūtin bt olso Sadam Hsen n īvn [ɖ Arjntīn militri dictetr Leopoldo] Galtieri jrñ ɖ Fōcḷndz wor.”

Bt h adz: “It’s nt ɖt dmocṛsiz olwz mc betr dsiźnz.”

Az Frīdmn’z bc sets ǎt t śo, in ci inṭax́nz btwn militri n p’liticl līdrz – ẃć īvn in ɖ bst srcmstansz cn b caṛcṭrîzd bî tnśnz n prsnl conflicts – it z ɖ lac v opn n ofn criticl fīdbac ɖt līdz t bad dsiźn-mcñ.

“Ōtocṛsiz d’nt hv ɖ fīdbac mec̣nizm, n dig ɖmslvz in bî b’livñ ɖt ɖ advantij v ōtocṛsi z bold n dsîsiv dsiźn-mcñ.

“Ẃl in srtn srcmstansz y cn toḷret qt a lot v bad dsiźn-mcñ n cm ǎt ol rît, bcz y hv s’pirịr numbrz, ẃr it z vri tît, wn pur dsiźn or bit v bad luc cn pt y ǎt cmplitli.”

N ẃl Ruśn militri oṗreśnz fr mor ɖn a snć̣ri hv ofn rlaid on yzñ oṿẃlmñ numbrz (ofn wɖ litl cnsiḍreśn fr losz), in Ycren, Ruśa apirz t hv bn cnstrend bî dmestic p’liticl cnsiḍreśnz fṛm intṛdysñ a jenṛl moḅlîześn, ẃć hz liṃtd ɖ scel v forsz it cn dplô.

Lawrence Freedman
Loṛns Frīdmn, imeriṭs pṛfesr v worstudiz at Cñ’z Colij Lundn, hz ritn a ny studi abt cmand in militri conflicts. Foṭgraf: Roberto Ricciuti/Geti Iṃjz

Wn iśu ɖt hz intrīgd Frīdmn, az wel az uɖr aṇlists, z ẃ Pūtin – huz ys v fors hd bn liṃtd in scop bfr Ycren – imbarct on sć a denjṛs n badli priperd-fr gambl in Ycren.

“Militri fors hd bn qt gd fr Pūtin p untl nǎ. H yzd it ifctivli in Ćećńa, Crîmīa, Jorja n Siria. H yzd it in qt a liṃtd faśn in Ycren’z Donbas rījn in 2014 ẃr ɖoz dwñ hiz drti wrc wontd him t tec an īvn mor agresiv aproć.

“Bt hiz aproć t ɖ cuṛnt Ycren conflict hz clirli bn dludd. Y hv t asym h dd’nt riylîz ɖ gambl h wz tecñ. H jenyinli ʈt Ycren wd crumbl qt qcli, n it’s hard t nǒ ẃ. “Īvn ɖoz [foṛn] aṇlists hu ʈt Ycren’z militri mt nt d wel dd’nt b’liv ɖt ɖ Ycreńn ppl wd s’cum. Bt h dd.

H dd si it az a speśl militri oṗreśn [ɖ trm ɖ Cremlin hz cnsistntli yzd rɖr ɖn “wor”] ɖt wd last a fy dez. N wns ɖt plan hd feld, ɖe wr on ɖ bac ft.”

A ci fełr, in Frīdmn’z vy, wz ɖt ẃl Ruśn intelijns hd wîdli infltretd Ycren – az īvn Cyīv hz acnolijd – ɖ ci figrz arnd Pūtin îɖr dd nt unḍstand Ycren or actd az an ecoćembr fr him.

“Xprts on Ycren in Ruśa d’nt sīm t hv bn cnsultd. It lcs lîc Pūtin wz tōcñ t hiz mêts in ɖ FSB [ɖ fedṛl s’kṛti srvis] n GRU [militri intelijns] hu śerd hiz preɉdisz. N ɖ rantñ spīć h gev on 21 Febrri [ʈri dez bfr Ruśa invedd] z stl az gd a gîd az enʈñ t ẃt h ʈncs. It z clir fṛm ɖt ɖt h fîndz it vri hard t tec Ycren n its prezidnt, Vlodimir Zelensci, sirịsli. I ʈnc h ʈt Zelensci wd mc a dīl. H dd’nt.”

At ɖ hart v ɖ probḷm, Frīdmn b’livz, z ɖ rijidli hîrarcicl nećr v ɖ Cremlin’z dsiźn-mcñ n hǎ ɖoz at ɖ vri top r iḿn t rsponsbiḷti fr mstecs.

“Ɖr r no insntivz t tel ɖ truʈ on ɖ grǎnd t ɖ hayr cmand. Ɖ sīńr militri – ppl sć az dfnsministr Serge Śôgu n ćīf v ɖ jenṛl stāf Valeri Gerasimov – r ol part v ɖ inr srcl. Ɖ’v sact lots v jenṛlz nǎ ɖe nǒ ɖt ɖr’z a probḷm. Bt it’s nt ɖm ɖt’s ɖ probḷm. It’s olwz smwn els.”

N sins Ruśa’z frst plan t topl Ycren wɖ a coup de main agnst Cyīv c’lapst wɖn ɖ frst fy wīcs amd firs Ycreńn rzistns n Ruśn l’jisticl incompitns, Mosco hz strugld t fînd a creḍbl plan B.

“Ɖe traid fr plan B – ɖ feṃs convô ɖt gaɖrd ǎtsd Cyīv – bt ɖe cd’nt fînd wn. It wz l’jisticli bynd ɖm. Ɖ lînz wr tù xpozd. So ɖe rvrtd bac t consntretñ on ɖ Donbas.

“Īvn ɖen it tc untl Me t foc̣s on ẃt ɖe cd d – artiḷribarāźz on a naro frunt, a tactic fr ẃć Ycren hd no īzi rspons, xpt t tec hevi caźltiz untl wstn wepnzsistmz bgan arîvñ.”

Īvn nǎ, six munʈs intu ɖ wor, Frīdmn struglz t unḍstand ɖ lojic v ɖ Cremlin, nt līst its tactic v crietñ a wintrtîm eṇjicrîsis in Yṛp t unḍmain s’port fr Cyīv.

“I ʈnc ɖ onli ‘ʈiyri v vicṭri’ ɖ Cremlin hz at ɖ preznt z ɖt ɖ wst trnz on Ycren bcz v ɖ eṇjicrîsis. Bt ɖ s’prîz ɖr z ɖt Mosco hz nt asct fr a sīsfîr nǎ. Ɖt wd pt Zelensci on ɖ spot bcz h cd’nt agri t wn.

“Instd, Pūtin z stl actñ az ɖo h xpcts mor fṛm ɖs wor ɖn h hz olrdi got. Ẃ I ʈnc ɖr r sm sînz v desṗreśn on ɖ Ruśn sîd z ɖt sm r bginñ t rec̣gnîz ɖt an eṇjicrunć z nt gwñ t līd t a btreyl v Ycren. In ɖ loñ trm, ɖt signlz ɖ risc v dīp damij t Ruśa’z icoṇmi.”

Ẃl Frīdmn z cōśs abt pridictñ ɖt Ruśn forsz cd fes a secnd big setbac – nt līst in ɖ sǎʈ v Ycren, ẃr Cyīv hz bn ifctivli presñ on Cersón – h siz ɖ sem lac v insttyśnl imaɉneśn dfînñ ɖ fyćr tṛjectri v ɖ wor.

“Z ɖr gwñ t b smʈñ big lîc Ruśn forsz gtñ insrcld n trapt [arnd Cersón]? Unls ɖ sistm gts a śoc lîc ɖ wn xpirịnst in lêt Febrri n rli Marć [ẃn Ruśa abandnd its eḟt t tec Cyīv], I ʈnc Ruśa wl dogidli cari on, f fr no uɖr rīzn ɖn ɖt it c’nt ʈnc v enʈñ betr t d. Ɖ Cremlin z paṛlîzd.”

• • •

Cmand: Ɖ Poḷtics v Militri Oṗreśnz fṛm C’rīa t Ycren bî Loṛns Frīdmn z publiśt bî Aḷn Len on 8 Sptmbr

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Fṛm Đ Obzrvr: The awful truth is dawning: Putin may win in Ukraine. The result would be catastrophe

Ɖ ōfl truʈ z dōnñ: Pūtin me win in Ycren. Ɖ rzult wd b ctastṛfi

(Transcription of an article published in the Observer on 24 April 2022)

A Ruśn vicṭri wd heṛld a ny ej v instbiḷti, ic̣nomic fragmnteśn, hungr fr miłnz n sośl unrest

Simon Tisdall

Sîmn Tizdl, Súnde 24 Epril 2022

Ɖ  contrast wz starṭlñ. In Ny Yorc, António Guterres, ɖ YN secṛtri jenṛl, lōnćt a b’letd, despṛtli nīdd iniṣ́tiv t hōlt ɖ wor in Ycren. “At ɖs tîm v gret peṛl n consiqns, h [Guterres] wd lîc t dscus rjnt steps t brñ abt pīs,” hiz spocsmn sd. Ɖ YN ćīf, h rvild, wz pṛpozñ imīɉt, in-prsn tōcs wɖ Vḷdīmir Pūtin in Mosco n Volodimir Zelensci in Cyīv.

At rufli ɖ sem tîm az ɖs hopfl dveḷpmnt unfoldd, ɖ YC’z Boris Jonsn, rîdñ a “Partiget” gt’we plein t India, wz cuḷrḟli ruḅśñ pīs eḟts. Pūtin, h clemd, wz an untruswrɖi reptîl. “I riyli d’nt si hǎ ɖ Ycreńnz cn īẓli sit dǎn n cm t sm cnd v acoṃdeśn. Hǎ cn y ngośiet wɖ a croc̣dîl ẃn it’s got yr leg in its jwz?” Jonsn asct.

Ɖs gepñ disc̣nct z dubli dstrbñ. It sjsts lac v coorḍneśn btwn ɖ YN ćīf n a prṃnnt membr v ɖ YN s’kṛticaunsl on hǎ bst t pṛsid. It olso hîlîts a wîdr probḷm: dvrjñ, smtmz opozñ, oceźṇli slf-srvñ, aproćz t ɖ crîsis bî wstn līdrz hu hv hiɖrtu trumṗtd ɖer yṇti v prṗs.

Ɖ ǎtrej in wstn cuntriz sparct bî Pūtin’z 24 Febrri inveźn z startñ t fed. Lîcwz ɖ brst v opṭmizm ɖt foloud Ycren’z s’xes in rpelñ ɖ Ruśn advans arnd Cyīv. Nǎ, az Mosco bginz a hyj, slo-mośn ofnsiv in ɖ īst, cnsrn groz ɖt ɖs conflict hz no endpônt n ɖt ɖ inorṃs ic̣nomic n hymn damij ɖt rzults me b prṃnnt – n globl.

Jonsn, tipicli, z nt lcñ mć bynd ɖ preznt momnt. Ɖ YC n Nato, h sd, wd jst “cīp gwñ wɖ ɖ straṭji” v impozñ sañśnz on Ruśa n s’playñ wepnz t Cyīv. Jonsn s’ports a fri, indipndnt Ycren bt, lîc uɖr alaynslīdrz, apirz t lac a ʈt-ʈru, loñ-trm plan t aćiv it. Ẃt f Ycreńn forsz start luzñ? Ẃt f ɖ cuntri z ptiśnd, or nirz c’laps?

Ɖ prîs v fełr – ɖ tru cost v a Pūtin vicṭri – cd b staġrñ. It z ptnṣ́li uns’portbl fr frax́s wstn dmocṛsiz n purr cuntriz alîc, bset bî simlteńs pospandemic s’kṛti, eṇji, fūd, infleśn n clîṃt crîsīz. Yt ǎt v mîopic slf-inṭrest ovr iśuz sć az Ruśn ôl n gas imports, n fṛm fir v wîdr esc̣leśn, wstn līdrz duc ɖ tuf ćôsz ɖt cd enśur Ycren’z svîvl n hlp miṭget sć ilz.

Ɖ past wīc frniśt a grim glims v ɖ fyćr ɖt awêts f Pūtin z ebl t cntiny t wej wor wɖ impyṇti, cmit mor hīṇs crîmz, ʈretn ńclir n cemicl blacmeil n traś ɖ YN ćartr. Drasticli dǎngredñ its groʈfōrcasts dy t ɖ conflict, ɖ Inṭnaśnl Munitri Fund pridictd globl ic̣nomic fragmnteśn, rîzñ dét n sośl unrest.

Devid Malpas, hed v ɖ Wrldbanc, sd a “hymn ctastṛfi” lūmd az an unpresdntd, esṭmetd 37% rîz in fūdprîsz, cōzd bî wor-rletd dsrupśn t s’plîz, pśt miłnz intu poṿti, incrist malńtriśn, n rdyst fundñ fr edyceśn n hlʈcer fr ɖ līst wel-of.

Mor ɖn 5 miłn ppl hv fled Ycren in tū munʈs, n mor wl folo, xaṣbetñ an inṭnaśnl mîgreśn imrjnsi ɖt xtndz fṛm Afgaṇstan t ɖ Shel. In drǎt-hit īst Africa, ɖ Wrld Fūdprogram sz 20 miłn ppl me fes starveśn ɖs yir. Pūtin’z wor dd nt criet ɖ drǎt, bt ɖ YN wornz it cd hrt eḟts t rdys globl hītñ, ɖr-bî triġrñ frɖr dsplesmnt n forst mîgreśn.

Ɖ brōdr, neġtiv p’liticl impact v ɖ wor, śd it rej on indefiṇtli, z olmst incalkḷbl. Ɖ YN’z fyćr az an oʈorittiv globl foṛm, lwmecr n pīscīpr z in jeṗdi, az mor ɖn 200 formr ofiślz wornd Guterres last wīc. At risc, tù, z ɖ creḍbiḷti v ɖ inṭnaśnl cort v justis, huz injuñśn t wɖdrw wz scornd bî Pūtin, n ɖ intîr sistm v worcrîmz proṣkśnz.

In trmz v deṃcratic normz n hymn rîts, ɖ fl or parśl subɉgeśn v Ycren wd spel dzastr fr ɖ inṭnaśnl rūlz-best ordr – n a trîumf fr ōṭcrats evrẃr. Ẃt mesij wd it snd, fr xampl, t Ćîna ovr Tîwan, or indd t Pūtin az h cuvits ɖ vulnṛbl Bōltic rpublics? Izḷmist terrists hu nǎ frtivli plot t xplôt ɖ wst’s Ycren dstrax́n wd reliś sć a vicṭri fr vayḷns.

Fełr t stop ɖ wor, resk Ycren n puniś Ruśa’z rogreźīm t ɖ fŭlist xtnt poṣbl wd cm at an ispeṣ́li hî prîs fr Yṛp n ɖ YY. In prospect z a secnd cold wor wɖ prṃnnt Nato besīz on Ruśa’z bordrz, masivli incrist dfnșpendñ, an axeḷretñ ńclir-armz rês, unsīsñ sîbr n inḟmeśn worfér, endemic eṇjiśorṭjz, roc̣tñ livñcosts, n mor Frenć-stîl, Ruśn-bact rîtwñ popylist xtrimizm.

In śort, ɖ dōn v a ny ej v instbiḷti. Ẃ on rʈ wd poḷtiśnz sć az America’z Jo Bîdn, Jrṃni’s Olaf Scholz, n Frans’z Emmanuel Macron toḷret so frōt n denjṛs a fyćr ẃn, bî tecñ a mor r’bust stand nǎ, ɖe mt privnt mć v it fṛm mtirịlîzñ? Bî s’pozidli avôdñ riscs tde, ɖe enśur a mć riscịr tmoro.

Sndñ wepnz n bst wśz z nt inuf. Cnfŕñ last wīc, wstn līdrz dbetd pṛvîdñ s’kṛtigaṛntìz fr Ycren aftr ɖ wor. Ol wel n gd. Bt ɖs wor z haṗnñ nǎ. Hu wl gaṛnti Ycren’z svîvl in ɖ poṣbli dsîsiv nxt fy wīcs? Hu, f pś cmz t śuv, wl muv bynd trenñmiśnz n pṛvîd d’rect, in-cuntri militri s’port?

Let’s gt riyl. Fr ol its herǒizm n sacṛfîs, Ycren me lūz ɖs fît. Dredfl ɖo it sǎndz, Pūtin cd win. F ɖ wst so abandnz its prínsiplz n valyz t let ɖt hapn, ɖ loñ-trm prîs, fr evrwn, wl b a hol ny wrld v pen.

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: ‘Putin is killing civilians’: the train station where Russians are greeted with images of war

Vilnius station: a large poster featuring a pregnant woman on a stretcher following the bombing of a maternity ward in Mariupol. Photograph: Petras Malūkas/AFP/Getty Images
Vilnius steśn: a larj postr fīćrñ a pregnnt wmn on a strećr folowñ ɖ bomñ v a mtrṇtiword in Mariupol. Foṭgraf: Petras Malūkas/AFP/Geti Iṃjz

‘Pūtin z cilñ sviłnz’: ɖ trensteśn ẃr Ruśnz r grītd wɖ iṃjz v wor

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on Saturday  9 April 2022)

In Liʈueńa, Ruśnz cḿtñ t Caliningrad cm fes-t-fes wɖ foṭgrafs v bomd Ycreńn sitiz n bludid bodiz

Philip Oltermann in Vilnius, Saṭde 9 Epril 2022

Az ɖ nîțren fṛm Mosco pld intu Vilnius sntṛl steśn fr its scejld 10-minit stop, a krịs per v îz pìct ʈru wn v its windoz – onli t dis’pir bhnd a hesṭli clozd crtn.

Ɖ pasinjrz on ɖ tren wr hedñ t ɖ Ruśn xclev v Caliningrad, ẃć cn b axest via rel onli bî crosñ ʈru Liʈueńa, n on ɖ platform ǎtsd ɖe wr fest wɖ iṃjz v wor n dstrux́n.

Twenti-for larj foṭgrafs, graficli dpictñ bomd-ǎt Ycreńn sitiz, ded Ycreńn ćildṛn n bludid Ycreńn bodiz wɖ śrapnl wūndz, hv bn instōld hir bî Liʈueńa’z relpṛvîdr ŁTG, ẃć olso pṛvîdz ɖ loc̣motiv ɖt plz ɖ Ruśn caṛjz ʈru YY teritri.

Ɖe ol cari ɖ sem mesij in Ruśn, ẃć z rpitd ʈru ɖ public-adres sistm az ɖ tren stops: “Tde, Pūtin z cilñ sviłnz in Ycren. D y s’port ɖs?”

“Ppl in Ruśa d’nt hv mć axes t unbayst inḟmeśn,” sd Mantas Dubauskas, an ŁTG spocsprsn. “Mbi w cn ćenj ɖ mîndz v jst a cupl v pasinjrz.”

Ɖ insṭleśn at Vilnius sntṛl steśn z simbolic v a Bōltic neśn ɖt dz’nt so mć lc caud bî ɖ wor in a felo formr Sovịt stet, az imboldnd t tel ɖ wrld it nīdz fîṇli t stand p t Ruśa.

A poster of the damaged caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at Vilnius central station. The PA system asks Russians on their way to Kaliningrad if they support Putin’s actions. Photograph: Andrius Sytas/Reuters
A postr v ɖ damij cōzd bî Ruśa’z inveźn v Ycren at Vilnius sntṛl steśn. Ɖ PA sistm ascs Ruśnz on ɖer we t Caliningrad f ɖe s’port Pūtin’z ax́nz. Foṭgraf: Andrius Sytas/Rôtrz

In ɖ frst fy dez aftr Ruśn trūps stept on t Ycreńn sôl on 24 Febrri, añzayti spred arnd Liʈueńa, ẃć hz bn an indipndnt rpublic sins 1990 n a membr v Nato sins 2004.

“It bròt p a lot v historic firz in mî cuntri,” sd Linas Kojala, d’rectr v ɖ Īstn-Yṛp Studiz Sntr ʈnctanc. “I hd duznz v meṣjz fṛm frendz ascñ ẃt wd hapn nxt. Sm asct f ɖe śd līv ɖ cuntri, mbi t Spen or Porćgl. Y jst hv t lc at a map v ɖ rījn t fīl uncumftbl.”

Ɖ suɖnmost v ɖ ʈri Bōltic YY cuntriz, Liʈueńa bordrz Caliningrad t its wst n Beḷrūs t its īst – a militri coṛdor btwn ɖ xclev n ɖ clayntstet wd cut ɖ Bōltic stets of fṛm ɖ rest v Yṛp.

Bt wɖn dez v ɖ start v Ruśa’z inveźn, añzayti in ɖ Baltics hd trnsformd intu rzolv. In ɖ sntr v Vilnius, Ycreńn flagz ǎtnumbr Liʈueńn wnz, wɖ ɖ yelo n blu drept arnd guvnmntbildñz, spreid on old sitiwōlz or rápt az scarvz arnd śopfrunt maṇcinz.

On 1 Epril Liʈueńa bcem ɖ frst YY cuntri t anǎns ɖt it hd abandnd Ruśn gas, instd mītñ its eṇji dmandz via a flotñ LNG trminl in ɖ porțǎn v Klaipėda.

It wz olso wn v ɖ frst YY cuntriz t dǎngred its dipḷmatic tîz wɖ ɖ Cremlin aftr rports v worcrîmz imrjd fṛm Būća, wɖdrw̃ its ǒn top dipḷmat fṛm Mosco n ascñ ɖ Ruśn ambasdr t līv ɖ Liʈueńn capitl.

Lithuanian champion swimmer Rūta Meilutytė takes a dip in the pond dyed blood-red in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius. Photograph: Andrius Repsys/AP
Liʈueńn ćampịnswimr Rūta Meilutytė tecs a dip in ɖ pond dáid blud-red in frunt v ɖ Ruśn emḅsi in Vilnius. Foṭgraf: Andrius Repsys/AP

Ɖ mesij wz viẓ́li unḍlînd bî an artpformns jst a ston’z ʈro fṛm ɖ Ruśn Feḍreśn’z dipḷmatic bes in Vilnius: last Wnzde mornñ, Liʈueńn Olimpic ćampịn Rūta Meilutytė tc a swim in a nirbî pond ɖt hd bn culrd blud-red wɖ naćṛl dai.

“W wontd t rmînd ppl hǎ importnt it z t cīp lcñ at ẃt Ruśn agreśn z dwñ,” sd Berta Tilmantaite, a jrṇlist n artist hu hlpt orġnîz ɖ protest. “I cn unḍstand ẃ ppl lc awe or gt tîrd v ɖ nyz.

“Bt in Liʈueńa w nǒ Ruśa, n w d’nt fīl scerd at ɖs momnt,” Tilmantaite tld ɖ Obzrvr. “W fīl a lot v dtrṃneśn.”

Enwn wontñ t nǒ ẃt’s drîvñ Liʈueńa’z prominnt stans at ɖs juñćr in hisṭri nīd’nt lc mć frɖr ɖn Vilnius’z Ḿziym v Okpeśnz n Frīdmfîts. Lcetd in ɖ formr CGB hedqortrz acrs fṛm Lukiškės Sqer, ɖ ḿziym tlz ɖ stori v hǎ ɖ Sovịt Yńn in Jūn 1940 dlivrd Liʈueńa wɖ an ulṭmetm t alǎ Red Armi trūps t cros its bordrz.

Tnśnz btwn Mosco n Vilnius hd bn rîzñ aftr ɖ Sovịt foṛn ministr akzd Liʈueńa v torć̣rñ n cilñ ʈri v its soljrz. Wɖ Ruśn trūps mast on its bordrz olrdi ǎtnumḅrñ its ǒn, ɖ Liʈueńn guvnmnt handd ovr ɖ cuntri t a pupitreźīm. Most v ɖ xbiśnspes at ɖ ḿziym z gvn t ɖoz parṭzanz hu cntinyd t fît fr indipndns nnɖles.

Migle Kriksciunaite, 25, wz viẓtñ ɖ ḿziym intu ɖ afṭnunsún wɖ hr peṛnts. Wr ɖr lésnz ɖt ɖ rest v Yṛp cd lrn fṛm Liʈueńa’z hisṭri? “Ɖ lésn ǎr hisṭri tīćz s z qt simpl,” ś sd. “Fît fr yr frīdm. It’s ɖt stretfwd.”

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