Welcome to this edition of What about Ukraine?, a newsletter that helps you keep updated about what has been said recently about Ukraine in Ukraine, and in the international media.

This is not an easy season for Ukraine. The triumph of the far-right party AfD in Germany’s state elections puts into question the support for Ukraine from the EU’s largest member. EU countries were not able to reach a unanimous agreement on allowing Ukraine to use weapons supplied by the bloc inside Russian territory, to target its military infrastructure. While this international framework is concerning, the situation at the frontline inside Ukraine is worsening.

The article of the week, translated by n-ost, recounts life in Pokrovsk, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, one of the hottest spots along the Eastern front, which is constantly assaulted by the Russian army. On 22 August, the frontline was only seven or eight kilometres away. Since 5 September, Pokrovsk has no longer been the departure point for evacuation trains, which moved to Pavlograd, for safety reasons. The population has seriously decreased. The evacuation of children is compulsory, and is recommended for pregnant women.

This week’s edition also covers several stories of former or actual soldiers fighting in the Ukrainian army ranks. FAZ reports about the trauma of a military doctor who suffered as a prisoner of war, while the Bulgarian and Spanish press show the risk of Russian retaliation against international volunteers who fight for Ukraine. We also share a project supported by the EUD grant program, published in the Italian media, telling the story of the Wagner soldier fighting at Kyiv’s side. 

Also, since Russian attacks are targeting energy infrastructure, Spain has donated seven large electric generators ahead of winter. Both Pope Francis and Bulgarian Patriarch Danail react negatively to Ukraine’s decision to approve a new law that prohibits the activities of religious organisations linked to Russia in the country.

Marika Ikonomu
Editor of this week's edition

Recently, the area around the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region has become one of the hottest spots on the frontline. In the last days of August, Ukraine’s general staff reported that around 50-60 out of the total number of approximately 180 daily assaults by the Russian army happened in this zone. As of now, the frontline is only eight kilometres away from the city, which has a current population of around 53,000. 

In her article from Pokrovsk, translated by n-ost this week, journalist Maiya Orel discovers how locals handle the situation. She finds out that the streets are still busy, but many businesses are selling out and closing, while people queue at post offices to send their belongings, before boarding evacuation trains or leaving the city by car.

Medical facilities are still working, but their staff is significantly decreasing. As Ivan Tsyhanok, head of the Pokrovsk Perinatal Centre, says to the reporter:

"We are still working, but I strongly recommend all pregnant women in the Donetsk region to evacuate. Do not tempt fate. Look at [frontline town in Donetsk] Selydove, where a young mother and a pregnant woman died. Currently, there are nine women in our maternity ward. Today, one newborn child left our centre with his mother. There is another — and we’ll send him with the evacuation train to Odesa."

This piece was originally published by hromadske, an independent Ukrainian online-media focused on frontline reporting and investigations.

Translated by Olesia Storozhuk.

Germany

Local elections results: a threat to Ukraine?

The recent successes of the far-right AfD and populist BSW parties in the Saxony and Thuringia state elections have led to speculation about potential shifts in national policies on Ukraine and migration. As reported in the edition #40, both parties oppose arms deliveries to Ukraine and advocate for immediate negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. However, a column by Mark Schieritz, deputy head of the politics department at Die Zeit, suggests otherwise. Schieritz argues that "national political trends shouldn't be judged solely on regional election outcomes." Although the AfD secured 32.8 percent in Thuringia and 30.6 percent in Saxony, it polls only 16-17 percent nationally. (Zeit)

"After Russian captivity, a person is never the same as they were before," shares Andrij Najman, a former war prisoner, in an interview with FAZ. Najman, a military doctor, details brutal beatings and forced labour in the infamous Olenivka camp in Russian-occupied Donetsk, where prisoners were routinely mistreated, abused and denied basic human rights. Oleksiy Hulakov, who was also released recently, hesitates to open up to the journalist, fearing Russian retaliation. At the end, he adds: "It was worse than I described." According to Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Mission in Kyiv, 95 percent of Ukrainian prisoners of war have been subjected to severe torture. (FAZ)

Ukraine recorded a recent rise in surrogacy requests, as already reported in Italy in the edition #28. Spiegel tells the story of a German couple from Tübingen travelling to Kyiv to meet their surrogate, who is about to give birth to their daughter Lia. Surrogacy is illegal in Germany, and the clinics in Ukraine continue to operate in spite of the ongoing war. The article reveals the challenges the couple faces, including concerns about the surrogate’s safety and legal issues. "While surrogacy is becoming a widespread practice despite legal restrictions, it is crucial to address these issues to ensure ethical standards and legal protections," argues the author. (Spiegel)

Italy

"We were just cannon fodder": the Wagner soldier who defected to Kyiv 

Italy and Hungary have prevented EU member states from reaching unanimity on allowing Ukraine to use weapons the bloc supplies on the territory of Russia. These positions were criticised by the EU’s high representative, Josep Borrell, who called for a unified stance: "We must remove restrictions against Russian military targets so that Ukrainians can strike where Russia bombs them." Italy’s foreign affairs minister, Antonio Tajani, argued that Italian weapons can only be used "within Ukraine" because "we are not at war with Russia nor is Nato" (Repubblica). Italy’s position is mainly influenced by the Lega party, which is part of the ruling majority, and had close ties with Russia before the full-scale invasion. Lega also opposes other military supplies from Rome to Kyiv. (Domani)

In his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis criticised Ukraine’s new law banning the activities of religious organisations with links to Russia, which will affect the Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate, stating this was preventing religious freedom. According to the law, parishes and monastic communities will have to cut ties with the Moscow Patriarchate and affiliate to the Ukraine’s Orthodox Church. Il Foglio defines it an "unusual intervention" by the pope, who is usually attentive to political balance. The Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, takes a different position. He argues the law protects religious freedom and prevents the spread of Russian narratives. (Il Foglio)

A former Wagner mercenary who was captured by Ukrainian forces and now fights for Kyiv is interviewed in Domani by EUD fellows Vincenzo Leone and Michael Shtekel. Vladislav Izmailov is the first and only Wagner soldier, so far, to have refused repatriation to Russia, and chose to fight at the rival army’s side. Izmailov recounts his story: he was imprisoned in Russia and released to fight with Wagner to clear his criminal record. "We were considered  cannon fodder," he says. By enlisting with the Russian Volunteer Corps (Russians fighting for Ukraine), Izmailov violated Wagner rules and was considered a traitor. The project was supported by the EUD grant programme. (Domani)

Spain

Colombians fighting for Ukraine in Moscow custody after flight through Venezuela

Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles has announced that Europe is open to increasing the number of Ukrainian military personnel trained on the continent from 60,000 to 75,000 soldiers. However, during her visit to Brussels on 30 August, Robles ruled out sending Spanish training staff to Ukraine. "We are prepared to expand this effort as much as necessary because we understand how crucial it is at this time," she said, but the training mission will remain "on Spanish territory." Madrid has taught over ten percent of the total Ukrainian military in Europe. (EFE)

Spain has donated seven large electric generators to Ukraine, announced Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, and the Ukrainian Ambassador to Spain, following the recent severe air strikes. On 26 August, Russia launched over 100 missiles and another hundred drones targeting civilian areas and energy infrastructure. These generators are expected to provide power to Ukrainian hospitals during the upcoming winter. (La Ser)

"They were on their way home after fighting in Ukraine when they disappeared": this is the last known information about Colombian soldiers José Arón Medina Aranda and Alexander Ante, who landed in Caracas via Madrid on 18 July. A month and a half later, they appeared in custody in Moscow, accused of working as mercenaries. The Venezuelan government, a close ally of the Kremlin, has offered no explanation. Incidentally, Russian president Putin was one of the few world leaders to recognize Nicolás Maduro's controversial electoral victory a few weeks ago. This case could be the first of many, given that there are hundreds of Latin American soldiers fighting in the ranks of the Ukrainian army. (El País)

Bulgaria

Sofia provides Kyiv with self-propelled howitzers

Despite domestic political instability, Bulgaria continues to support Ukraine with military supplies. In early September, defence minister Atanas Zapryanov confirmed that Bulgaria has so far sent eight military aid packages to Ukraine. For the first time, Zapryanov publicly confirmed the presence of ‘Gvozdika’ self-propelled howitzers among the weapons systems the country delivered to Kyiv. The minister added that "all supplies were sent in strict compliance with the decisions taken by the Bulgarian parliament", and that Sofia will be compensated by NATO allies for the support provided to Ukraine. (Darik Radio)

"[With his positions], Bulgarian Patriarch Danail has proven himself to be a pro-Russian religious leader," argues historian Goran Blagoev,  interviewed by Svobodna Evropa,  commenting on Danail's reaction to the new and controversial Ukrainian law prohibiting the activities of religious organisations linked to Russia in the country. Danail first criticised "attempts to divide the Ukrainian Church" and then spoke of "discrimination" against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church linked to Moscow, as opposed to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which has become independent since 2019. (Svobodna Evropa)

"[For the Russians] we are a priority target: Putin himself has put a price on our heads," says Nikolay Yordanov ‘Dozer’, one of the two Bulgarian volunteers fighting in the International Legion of the Ukrainian Army, in an interview with Offnews. Yordanov, currently in hospital after being wounded in action, talks about his motivations to enlist and his vision of the role of the Legion, which he defines as "one of the most effective military units currently on the battlefield in Ukraine". According to ‘Dozer’ the war will continue for a long time, but it is realistic to hope for a victory "even in three, four or five years". (Offnews)

The Europe-Ukraine Desk curated this newsletter. This week's edition has been composed by our team all over Europe: Marika Ikonomu, Oksana Mamchenkova, Francesco Martino, Antonina Rybka and Fermin Torrano.
Michael Bird was our proofreader. 

If you like this content, please spread the word about it so that anyone interested in Ukraine can benefit from this weekly curation.

Have you spotted an interesting piece of journalism you think should be mentioned in What about Ukraine? Please let us know at about.ua@n-ost.org! Same if you have an idea how to improve this newsletter. 

See you next week!