Lots of questions. Hate and ignorance are never the answers. ๐บ๐ฆ#StandwithUkraine ๐บ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ป๐ฑ๐น๐ช๐ช #Vote Blue #GunReform ๐๐๐๐๐
Friends, Matrix 7 is reloaded. Promise again that no matter what happens, if we all disappear, you will be our witness & our voice. You will be our memory. Linked below are threads to educate on Russian crimes across centuries. Promise me you will be our voice. Slava๐บ๐ฆโค๏ธ
Are you planning to visit Ukraine soon? Or would you like to show your support and learn a little Ukrainian?
Check out this short glossary of the most useful words and phrases.
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35 years ago today, 2 million hands united across Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn in a 600km chain for freedom.
The #BalticWay wasnโt just a moment, it was a movement.
Our freedom was hard-won, and now we stand with #Ukraine as they fight for theirs.
๐ฑ๐น๐ฑ๐ป๐ช๐ช 35 years ago, more than 2 million people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined hands to form a human chain, condemning the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact that divided Europe and expressing their will to restore their countries' freedom #BalticWay
On this day, 35 years ago, two million brave people formed a 675-km long human chain from Tallinn to Vilnius in peaceful protest against russian occupation.
Historic moment, organised and planned for weeks in the walkie-talkie era no less.
This protest was historic. It forced the Soviet leadership to admit their secret Molotov-Ribbentrop pact with the Nazis that started WWII, declaring them null and void on December 24th, 1989 - over 50 years after signing it.
It proved decisively that small countries can stand up to nuclear-armed aggressor states. Important context for the lack of protests within russia - the Baltic population actually opposed russian tyranny.
The Soviet regime made threats against them, including annihilating their existence, as the kremlin does now against Ukraine.
It did not deter their push for independence. They won - the USSR collapsed and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regained their independence in 1991.
Now, all three are flourishing democracies part of the EU and NATO. Unthinkable then, but a firm reality now.
So many "experts" said the USSR could never fall, that it will always exist, that the Baltic countries would remain in russia's "sphere of influence", that they wouldn't join NATO.
All proven nonsense. So when they say the same about the russian federation and Ukraine, remember that. russian can lose, it can collapse, Ukraine can join the EU & NATO. Ukraine can flourish as a fully sovereign country far away from russia's hegemony.
We must make this a reality. The Baltics know this, that's why they support Ukraine so fervently. The world is a better place because of their actions 35 years ago.
Glory to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Glory to Ukraine.
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Alright, beautiful people.
It's time to cheer ourselves up in this dark time and experience the beauty of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.
This will remind us and show you what is at stake in this war - and what it is that we're trying so hard to save from the blood-stained jaws of fascist Putin Russia.
I'm inviting you to take a walk through the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (or the Kyiv Lavra of the Caves), one of the most beautiful places in Kyiv and the most significant holy place in Eastern Slavic Orthodox Christianity.
It's really as important as, for instance, St. Peter's Basicila to Italy or Notre Dame de Paris to France -- one can't imagine Kyiv without the Lavra, and I'm sure you couldn't help but have seen those silhouettes.
So, about 1,000 years ago, Kyiv was living its golden age as the center of a large medieval kingdom of Rus under Prince Yaroslav the Wiseโvery possibly the greatest ruler of Kyiv ever.
The official residence of the rulers of Kyiv Rus was located in the town of Berestove outside Kyiv (it's now where Kyiv's Park of Eternal Glory is).
The Berestove priest Illarion sought comfort and solitude, so he dug a lonesome cave in the hills at the Dnipro riverside, where he could spend his time alone in prayers. That happened around 1051 A.D.
That guy soon became the head of the Kyiv Church and left, but more hermits followed his suit and established their shelters in those caves. Over many years, they burrowed long mazes of catacombs and established churches and monastic cells.
The monastery gradually became a grandiose Lavra, a magnificent center of religious and cultural life, the greatest in this corner of human civilization.
As early as 1073 A.D., the Cathedral of the Dormition (or the 'Great Church') was established (and you can see the modern iteration of it, the magnificent white cathedral bearing images of the saints on its walls.
Just like Kyiv, the Lavra was ruined and resurrected from ashes several times over its 1,000-year history. Mongolians seized and desolated Kyiv in 1240, and the Lavra was devastated so hard that it spent well over a century in empty ruins.
Yet, it would always rise again in all of its glory.
During WWII, the Great Church was blown up just as many other iconic locations of Kyiv, such as Kherschatyk Street (in my opinion, what happened was that the Soviets planted bombs at the Lavra upon their withdrawal from the city in 1941 and failed to detonate them on time; and Nazis took out the treasures of the Lavra and got rid of the Soviet bombs by blowing up the cathedral.
Like many other significant treasures of Kyiv, the Great Church of the Lavra was resurrected by independent Ukraine by the 2000s.
The Lavra is indeed a city within a cityโI'm only showing you a tiny part of it that is popular with tourists. Unfortunately, the ancient monastery caves have been closed to visitors for over a year.
Technically, the Lavra is a giant museum with many art exhibitions, collections of historical artifacts, and recreation zones for anyone. Right now, for instance, the Lavra Historical Museum exhibits ancient Scthyntian gold from Crimea that was recently returned to Ukraine.
At the Lavra, you can easily find the resting places of many historical figures of the past, such as the one of Kostiantyn Ostrozky, the legendary ultra-rich magnate of the 15th and 16th centuries and the Lavra's lavish sponsor, or Petr Stolypin, the Russian imperial prime minister who was assassinated at the Kyiv Opera House in 1911.
Of course, the Lavra is about the iconic Great Bell Tower, one of Kyiv's most legendary landmarks. The tower is 96 meters high and can be seen from around 30 kilometers away from the Lavra.
It takes over 370 stairs to reach the tower's top -- but I'm telling you, it's 100% worth it as the Great Bell Tower shows you a truly stunning view of Kyiv, especially when the weather is fine. Fucking legend.
For centuries, until recently, the Lavra was under complete control by the Russian Orthodox Church, which is fundamentally loyal to Russia. In 2023, amid the war against Russia, Kyiv authorities and the Zelensky administration tried (and failed) to terminate the Moscow clergy's legal presence at the Lavra in 2023.
Currently, the Russian church and its monks remain in control of the so-called Lower Lavra.
In the Upper Lavra, which has most of the iconic places and locations, the recently re-established Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the de-facto successor of the old original Christian church of the Kyiv Rus, now has its divine service again.
Welcome to the beautiful ancient Kyiv.
Completely blown away to be Knighted this evening on the King's birthday's honours list. Iโve spent the last 15 years fighting to make sure that Sergei Magnitskyโs death in Russian custody would never happen again. Being knighted by King Charles is the ultimate recognition that my work has left a lasting legacy for Sergei Magnitsky and helped other victims around the world.
It is the honour of a lifetime.
Today I will not show you the destruction in my country, today I want to show you the beauty of Ukraine, what Ukrainians are defending to prevent Russia from destroying what is left.
Thank you to everyone who stays with Ukraine, enjoy your viewing and relaxation over the coming weekend.
Ukraine's battle to preserve democracy is crucial. If Putin wins, his ambitions won't end there; he'll want to reclaim former Soviet bloc nations. Protecting Ukraine's democracy protects democracies across Europe.
#DemVoice1#DemsUnited#ProudBlue#ResistanceUnited#FreshResists
Bandura is a Ukrainian folk string-plucked musical instrument.
During the times of the Cossacks, it became a symbol of Ukrainian will and unbreakable. Kobzars, itinerant bandurists, carried the truth about the heroic past, glorifying exploits and calling for the struggle for freedom.
๐ฝ๏ธ tetiana_mazur (Instagram, TikTok)
Spring always reminds me of impressionism. So I've prepared a thread for you about amazing ๐บ๐ฆ impressionist โ Oleksandr Murashko. Enjoy, read, share ๐ธ๐ท
"Sunday", 1911
In this moving video, 94 violinists from around the world come together to accompany violinists in Ukraine, some in basement shelters, in a Ukrainian folk song.
London-based violinist Kerenza Peacock coordinated the effort: 'In the space of 48 hours, I received videos ...