​The new phase of the war in Ukraine, explained

 

People walk down a debris-laden Mariupol avenue on April 12.

“This week, the new phase of Russia’s war in Ukraine has taken form. It is a war over control of the Donbas, the eastern Ukrainian region where Russia has been supporting a separatist rebellion since 2014. Whereas the war — which began with the Russian invasion on February 24 — previously spanned the country, centering on a Russian push to seize Ukraine’s capital and most populous city, Kyiv, its newest offensive is narrowly focused on a region several hundred miles to the east. ‘The Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas,’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in a Tuesday address.This is, in one sense, a smart move by the Russians. ...”

VOX

Aljazeera: At Venice Biennale, Ukrainian artists defy Russia’s invasion (Video)

Guardian - ‘We are fighting for our culture’: Ukrainian artists head to Venice Biennale

Guardian - Empty galleries and fleeing artists: Russia’s cultural uncoupling from the west (Video)

NY Times: Opinion | Acknowledging the Limits of Sanctions

Jacobin: The US Has No Idea Where Its Ukrainian Military Aid Is Going

 

People hide in one of the official underground shelters during an air alarm in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 22. - Ukraine war in photos, April 21: Life underground