Jaanika Merilo’s Post

Last days I spent talking to Ukrainian mothers who had a miracle and we could return their child from Russia. To wives, whose husbands are still war prisoners, sometimes in harshest conditions far away in Russia. To a father whose son has been held in Russian prison for almost 10 years Remember, war started in 2014.. To wife and daughter, whose loved husband and father was killed in prisoner camp in Olenivka. And none of them found justice in any of those fancy international organizations that we are so proud of. Red Cross is an absolute shame, going so far as mocking instead of supporting. I will tell you about that later. And UN is broken and Amnesty is doing nothing. So they just want their stories to be heard and I have honor to very soon start sharing them. Heroiam Slava NGO

We, in Heroiam Slava NGO continue to search for the deported Ukrainian children, support the team of Ombutsmen of Ukraine in children´s return, and in creating the database for children in search. However, it is crucial to sanction and put on trial those responsible for forced deportation and russification. It is a war crime. Russian Duma Deputy Sergey Mironov and his wife Inna Varlamova forcefully deported and adopted a toddler, Margarita Prokopenko, from Kherson, taking a 1-year old child to Moscow and changing her name to Marina and birthplace to "Podolsk". Also her little brother was taken by Mironov and Varlamova and then left behind, when they found out that the boy had health issues. Please read more: https://lnkd.in/d4jBTuKr It turns out that little girl does have an official guardian in Ukraine, Darina, and, of course, wants Margarita and her 2-years old brother Ilya back. Russia is not giving the children back, which is an internationally acclaimed sign of the genocide against nation. Against Ukraine. Sergei Mironov and Inna Varlamova are both under EU sanctions, with Varlamova´s name included in the most recent 13th package of sanctions, restricting her from travelling to the EU and freezing the assets. We hope sanctions will be followed by a trial, and we will manage the return a little Margarita to her family.  

This week in my newsletter: - 61B to Ukraine ..and US - Frozen Russian assets turn into ice-cold confiscation? - "Glamorous General" Timur Ivanov arrested - Drones for Ukraine and much more

Thank you, US, for doing the only possible right thing! (not quoting Churchill)   After a vote in Senat (hopefully on Tuesday) and being signed by POTUS, the bill will allow for the delivery of much-needed weapons ASAP. And by that, we mean days and weeks, as much of the quickly needed aid has already been packed in the US as well as in warehouses in Europe. Allegedly, it includes 155mm shells for artillery as well as missiles for air defence. Not sure about ATACMS yet.   Most of the US aid will stay in the US, though, as $23B would go to replenishing Pentagon warehouses in account for aid that has already been sent to Ukraine; $14B would be dedicated to purchasing weapons (which are usually purchased from US manufacturers); $11B would be sent to training troops, pilots, etc.; and $9.5B would be in credit.   My friend journalist Roman Tsymbaliuk told me this morning that the defenders were watching via Starlink the Congress vote live stream and really crying from relief.   Thank you.

"I do not believe that the huge army of US does not have one Patriot battery that can save billions of dollars worth of infrastructure and priceless lives of Ukrainians. If the partners would say "we are giving you tomorrow 7 batteries of Patriot but we have a request - could you please not do this and this", then we have something to discuss. But if you do not have support package, do not have those batteries then we don't actually have a topic for discussion, everyone survives as they can," - Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba (on US allegedly prohibiting launching drones on Russian oil refineries).

This is heartbreaking. The biggest thermal power plant in Kyiv region was destroyed because there was no missiles for air defence. No. Missiles. For. Air. Defence. Of. Main. Powerplant. "The Tripilska power plant, electricity in the Kiev region depends on it. Eleven missiles were headed towards it. The first seven we took down. Four destroyed Tripilska. Why? Because we had zero missiles. We ran out of all missiles. You know, when someone says that our allies cannot provide us with this or that weapon, or they cannot be in Ukraine with this or that force because that would be perceived as if Ukraine is engaging NATO in the war, well, after yesterday's attack I want to ask you a question. Is Israel part of NATO or not? Here is the answer. Israel is not a NATO country. The NATO allies, including NATO countries, have been defending Israel. They showed the Iranian forces that Israel was not alone. And this is a lesson. This is a response to anyone on any continent who says you need to assist Ukraine very carefully This is a response to anyone on any continent who says you need to assist Ukraine very carefully so you don't engage NATO countries in the war." - President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy

I always believe in sharing the best experiences and learning from the best. 🇪🇪 Estonia is currently upgrading its eHealth strategy to respond more agilely to ever transforming challenges and possibilities. When the European Commission provided a Twinning program to exchange experiences with other countries, we jumped at the opportunity to study and "compare" notes on the eHealth strategies with 🇳🇴 Norway and 🇩🇰 Denmark. And I hope we have some excellent lessons to offer in exchange:) I must admit that late evening we did complete a great brainstorming marathon session in Munch. Thank you, Oslo, Sevala Malkic and team for load of new ideas, information and warm welcome! And thank you European Commission, Empirica Anja Hirche and Strahil Birov for great twinning program.

War crime after war crime and heartbreak after heartbreak while "West with right values" is delaying aid. Russia is using "double-tap" to cause maximum pain. First they hit the civilian location and when rescuers arrive, they hit it again, killing the rescuers, medics and firefigthers. Kharkiv. A young firefighter cries at the site of a night attack minutes after Russian terrorists killed his father, a 52-year-old rescuer. Vladyslav Loginov devoted his life to working in the fire service. His son, Volodymyr, followed his father's steps becoming a firefighter and working as a guard chief at a neighboring fire station. On that hellish night, immediately after the first explosions, father, son and their colleagues went to the site of the attack. Vladyslav and Volodymyr were working next to each other, just a few houses away. When a powerful explosion occurred, the son immediately realized that it had most likely hit where his father was, reported Ihor Klymenko, Minister of Internal Affairs. - United24nd

💙💛 Happy to share that we started even closer cooperation with the Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets and his team in helping to find and return deported Ukrainian children. So far, we have helped to return 26 children, but we have located thousands that Russia has not been willing to return from Russia or temporarily occupied territories. But the time will come and it is important that we know where they are and we are ready. Following our strong cooperation since the summer of last year, yesterday we signed a memorandum to work even more closely to locate and bring back Ukrainian children. Even if it takes many years. Thank you to every one of you who helps our cause and supports our Heroiam Slava NGO www.heroiamslava.org

Sadly spot-on piece from one of my favorite series "Yes, Prime Minister". Mid-eighties. Nuclear deterrence against Russia and "salami tactics". Resonates sadly well with the current situation.