Kyiv
As Ukraine loses ground in the east, the mobilization debate becomes more heated
In recent months, Russian forces have been advancing in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since the early days of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia and Ukraine are seeing high casualty rates, which is forcing both sides to mobilize more troops to fill their ranks. But Ukraine’s leadership has been unwilling to mobilize younger men between 18 and 25 years old — despite pressure from its partners.
Flooding from Ukraine’s ‘Hero River’ may be a silver lining of war
In order to prevent Russian troops from advancing toward Kyiv, Ukrainian forces destroyed a dam on the Irpin River early on in the war. The flooding, as it turned out, created new wetland areas. Some conservationists hope to see the wetlands stay. Even residents whose cellars remain flooded are glad the water came and the Russian troops did not.
Farmland off-limits in Ukraine due to mines
Ukraine is now considered the most heavily mined country in the world. Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed or injured by landmines and unexploded ordnances since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. And about a third of the country needs to be cleared of these explosives. Much of that land is farmland.
A coalition of Ukrainians is documenting environmental crimes
The Ukrainian government is doing an unusually thorough job of documenting environmental damages being caused by Russian attacks. Their primary goal, according to the Ministry of the Environment, is to eventually win compensation for these damages.
Denmark welcomes Ukrainians under special law — with an expiration date
Denmark passed a special law last year that allows Ukrainians to bypass the asylum system and expedite the process of obtaining a two-year residency permit. But when the law expires in 2024, it remains unclear whether Denmark’s centrist government — with its overall, hard-line stance against immigration — will extend these temporary protections for Ukrainians.