What is Ukrainian nationalism and how close is it to fascism, as Russia claims? Did Ukrainians really cooperate en masse with the Germans during the occupation of the country during World War II? What is Azov? The leading Israeli newspaper Haaretz is looking for answers to all these questions. In a long article, journalist Lisa Rozowski dwells in detail on each of these trigger topics for the Russian propagandist. Her answers, based on historical facts and conversations with experts in various fields, are disappointing for Soloviev or Skabeyeva: nationalism in Ukraine is close to the Western understanding of patriotism and was one of the few ways to preserve Ukrainianness during the Russian occupation. The cooperation of Ukrainians with the Nazis was situational, and a smaller proportion of Ukrainian nationalists did so. Azov was originally founded by supporters of right-wing movements, but is now a regular unit of the Ukrainian army. The liberality of Ukrainian society is confirmed by the fact that high positions in Ukraine were often held by Jews, Crimean Tatars, Armenians, and Georgians ― and their origins were not a significant component of their criticism.
The American publication The New Republic, in turn, addresses the left in an attempt to explain why hatred of America is not a reason to justify the war in Ukraine. Yes, the United States can be considered an avanturist on the world stage, trying to force the world to live by its own rules, says journalist Matthew Doss. However, Putin is just as avanturistic, and by ignoring the war in Ukraine, the left is actually supporting his recklessness. Putin is not talking about building a utopian future with equal opportunities. The word "peopleʼs" in the names of the Russian proxy republics in the Donbass does not mean the power of the people. After all, Putin himself has more right-wing views, particularly on Russiaʼs role in the world. Resisting American imperialism, the left actually supports Putinʼs imperialism, the author writes. And for all the hatred of Washington, there is no reason to justify this gratuitous and extremely brutal Putin war.
After several months of defeats, Russia has had some success in its attack on Ukraine, Business Insider reports. But, adds the publication, this success probably wonʼt last long. Yes, Russia now has a narrower frontline and better logistical capabilities than at the beginning of the war, according to Western military experts interviewed by the publication. The Russians also make the most of all their non-nuclear weapons, including using old tanks from the middle of the last century. However, this slow offensive is actually the maximum that the Russian army is capable of today. For example, in Kherson Oblast, where the concentration of its forces is somewhat lower, the Russians in some places simply dug in, not conducting active offensive operations ― and somewhere they retreated. The publication predicts that in a few weeks at most we will again witness a positional war, as it was a month and a half or two months ago. And further, if the Ukrainians can effectively use new weapons and successfully consider the deployment of their forces and supply routes, the current achievements of the Russians may disappear. After all, they are unlikely to be able to fight more actively than they do now.