For nine years, Natan Sharansky was in the Soviet Gulag. He was the most prominent of the refuseniks. In dissidence, he was a protégé of Andrei Sakharov. As a prisoner, he spent 405 days in a punishment cell. After he was released, he wrote a stunning memoir: Fear No Evil. Since the 1970s, Natan Sharansky has been a hero to many around the world. I have talked with him, about Russia and Ukraine, about repression and freedom. To read my piece, go here.
• Polina Osetinskaya is a Russian pianist, and an incredibly brave woman. I admire her tremendously. She survived a monstrous upbringing (and wrote about it). Today, she is speaking out against the war — from Russia. She has given an interview to the New York Times, here. “I was born in 1975,” she says, “and remember the repression that was in the Soviet Union. And I have a feeling like I’m back in this time.”
• The below is from Hillel Neuer, that invaluable lawyer who is the executive director of U.N. Watch:
Remember, too, that McCain asked Kara-Murza to be a pallbearer at his funeral. Even posthumously, McCain was looking out for Kara-Murza, wanting the world aware of him. He regarded Kara-Murza as a symbol of the struggle for freedom generally.
We could use more of the McCain spirit, far and wide.
• Oleg Orlov is now on trial for criticizing the Ukraine war. (To read about this, go here.) Orlov is a leader of the Memorial society, which of course has been banned by the Kremlin. The courage of Russians such as Oleg Orlov is an ongoing wonder.
• A report from the Wall Street Journal is headed “Russia Forcibly Removes Children From Ukraine, Undermining Its Future.” This is extremely important.
• A headline tells a lot: “Kherson flooding: Ukraine evacuation boat attacked by Russia, killing three.” (Article here.) Evil for evil’s sake.
• Another headline, telling a lot: “The Ukrainian Cities Obliterated In Russia’s Self-Proclaimed ‘Liberation.’” (Article here.) You learn things such as this: “Russia wiped Popasna from the map.” And why? Because of Putin’s ego and smallness and malice.
• This is from the prime minister of Estonia:
Unlike the poor naïfs in the West, Balts can’t afford illusions about Putin and the Kremlin. They have their eyes wide open and their heads out of the sand.
• From a reporter at the Kyiv Independent:
It is my view that such evil can’t really be comprehended. It just has to be defeated.
• From the chief rabbi of Ukraine:
• Our RFE/RL — that combination of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty — has published a photo journal titled “Waterlogged And Exhausted: Ukrainian Volunteers Rescue Pets Following Dam Breach.” Find it here. Powerful work.
• Something else:
My admiration for these war reporters is great. They risk everything to deliver news that is vital to have.
• Of note:
It seems that the Babylon Bee is more Haw Haw than ha ha. (Lot of Haw Haw-ism going around.)
• It may well be that, after the war is over, virtually everyone will claim to have been backing the Ukrainians all along.