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Balloon Juice

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Bark louder, little dog.

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I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Dear elected officials: Trump is temporary, dishonor is forever.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

How stupid are these people?

“Can i answer the question? No you can not!”

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

The snowflake in chief appeared visibly frustrated when questioned by a reporter about egg prices.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

“A king is only a king if we bow down.” – Rev. William Barber

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

This chaos was totally avoidable.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

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Open Thread:  Hey Lurkers!  (Holiday Post)

Open Threads

You are here: Home / Archives for Open Threads

Saturday Open Thread

by WaterGirl|  April 5, 20255:31 pm| 148 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Looks like we could use an open thread!

Saturday Open ThreadPost + Comments (148)

Excellent Read: What Exactly Does Trump Think Is *In* the Smithsonian?

by Anne Laurie|  April 5, 20257:32 am| 182 Comments

This post is in: Democratic Response to Trump 2.0, Excellent Links, Justice, Open Threads

What exactly does Trump think is in the Smithsonian?https://t.co/W70JjM9Xxf

— Anders Carlgren (@AndersCarlgren) April 2, 2025

Novelist / Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse [gift link]:

A few days ago, I spent 14 minutes standing in front of a single piece of artwork, a 1998 installation called “Las Twines.” Life-size, hyperrealistic sculptures of two little girls — the twins — sharing a swing. They were dressed identically in communion dresses and wore boxing gloves featuring Puerto Rican flags, but one had blonde hair and light skin and the other was dark-skinned with dark hair. They stared placidly ahead, while museum visitors like me were left to stare back and ponder how the world might treat these two girls with shared DNA and different complexions. It was uncanny, it was thought-provoking, it was beautiful and sad. I wasn’t sure whether I liked it, I wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to. It’s art, after all.

It was part of an exhibit that Donald Trump had cited by name the day before, in an executive order titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” The president had declared that federally run museums such as the Smithsonian were promoting a “corrosive ideology” that needed to be course-corrected. “Under this historical revision,” the order read, “our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”

This is, of course, a ready-made column idea — Let’s go see the corrosive art in person — but it turns out this is easier said than done: Trump cited an alleged exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, but some googling revealed that the offending verbiage was actually part of an online infographic that hadn’t been displayed since 2020. He dinged the forthcoming American Women’s History Museum for celebrating transgender athletes, but how would he or I know what curators planned to include? The museum is still 10 years away. Ground hasn’t even been broken yet.

There was, however, one exhibit that seemed to be causing Trump particular consternation that I could go visit. The American Art Museum is eight blocks from my office, and is currently hosting “The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture,” which includes “Las Twines” and 81 other artworks created between 1792 and 2023.

So, I walked over on a Friday morning. I hadn’t been in years. I spent about four hours there; I could have spent 40 more. I planned to write — oh, you can probably guess what I planned to write. This order is asinine, this president is terrible, blah blah blah. Whatever you wanted that column to say, it probably would have said.

But here’s the thing: the “The Shape of Power” is just one exhibit, on the museum’s third floor. To get to it, you have to walk past everything else, which, if you keep stopping and looking at things, as museums intend for you to do, will take you hours. And when I was done, what I wanted to share more than anything else wasn’t a screed about Donald Trump, but instead what I saw at the museum….

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On my way to the exhibit that Trump says revises history and makes the country look inaccurately racist, I saw a painting from 1946 called “Frightful New York,” in which the female painter, Hisako Hibi, expressed how jarring it felt to reach the big city after spending three years forcibly incarcerated in an internment camp along with 120,000 other innocent Japanese Americans under orders from a U.S. president. That painting was made 79 years ago, so don’t tell me that we’re rewriting racism into history, it has always been there.

I saw a painting called “A Visit From the Old Mistress,” in which four women who had presumably once been enslaved reluctantly greet the White woman who had once purported to own them. The way the mistress stares at them as though she expected a better welcome. The way they look at her with hatred and exhaustion and impatience and fear. The way they know they can’t express any of this out loud. This painting is from 1876. Don’t you dare tell me this is a new way we are telling history; voices have been trying to tell history this way for 150 years…

On my way to visit the corrosive art, I dropped in on another tour group, this one containing mostly Japanese Americans. On that tour, one tourist gently interrupted the tour guide to ask whether she would like a complete translation of some of the Japanese calligraphy that was written on one of the paintings. The tour guide, who was White, exclaimed delightedly that, yes she would, she would love the full translation. And now she has learned something new about the place where she worked every day, and a painting she walked past every hour.

And that is America. That is how we tell the story of America. Together. Each one of us contributing what we can, and when we learn something new, we think about how wonderful it is to learn it, rather than burying the new information down where it can’t hurt us.

I made it, finally, to “The Shape of Power.” I spent 14 minutes with “Las Twines,” and another 45 just wandering around, through sculptures massive and small, old and new, literal and inscrutable. If you are looking for something to be shocked by, you can probably find it. But no more so than anywhere else in the museum. No more so than anywhere else in our history. America is a shocking place — shockingly beautiful and shockingly violent. And the people in it will make you weep with every emotion that can prompt tears. Jubilant, sad, ridiculous, sublime. It’s America, after all.

You cannot love America without hating it a little bit. But you cannot hate it without loving it so, so much. Wanting it to be better. Wanting it to be what we all deserve.

As I stood with the tour groups and the lunch crowd and the tired families pushing strollers and doling out juice boxes — as I stood in this completely free institution that exists for no other reason than to help America learn something about itself, that was the most shocking realization of all: The Smithsonian is not filled with hatred toward our busted, struggling, awesome country; it is filled with the deepest love, and that is what I learned at the museum.

Excellent Read: <em>What Exactly Does Trump Think Is *In* the Smithsonian?</em>Post + Comments (182)

War for Ukraine Day 1,135: There Will Be No Truce, Ceasefire, or Real Negotiation Because Putin Is Only Interested in All of Ukraine

by Adam L Silverman|  April 4, 20259:16 pm| 7 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Russia murdered five people in Kharkiv last night and at least twelve (I fear the number will rise) in Kryvyi Rih just now. Where are the headlines? I’m so sick and tired of the world press treating Russia’s murder of Ukrainians as something unworthy of mention.

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 12:54 PM

Putin’s/Russia’s continual pounding on civilian targets, largely in but not limited to eastern and central Ukraine, is the best evidence that there will be no real truce, no ceasefire, no real negotiation because Putin isn’t interested in those things. His only interest is taking Ukraine. It has been his only interest since he started the genocidal re-invasion. He has repeatedly made it clear that if he cannot have Ukraine than no one can, especially the Ukrainians. This is why he is trying to break Kharkiv. This is why the Russians bombard Kryvyi Rih, President Zelenskyy’s hometown, several days a week. It is why the Russians use their drones for the humans safaris in Kherson and other places.

Trump: “Zelensky’s ready to make a deal, and I think Putin is too. There’s a lot of progress—they want to stop the killing of thousands of young people every week. Good talks are happening about Ukraine and Russia.”

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 2:22 AM

This is just delusional thinking on Trump’s part.

Russia escalated its drone attacks on Ukraine by 50% following the initiation of peace talks, indicating clearly that they do not want to pursue peace. Just yesterday, they killed 5 people in Kharkiv, including a 12-year-old girl.

Thanks to @telegraphnews.bsky.social for the infographic.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 9:38 AM

Those who want peace do not bomb children!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.

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Every Russian Promise Ends with Missiles or Drones, Bombs or Artillery; Diplomacy Means Nothing to Them – Address by the President

4 April 2025 – 21:07

Dear Ukrainians!

Rescue operations are currently underway in Kryvyi Rih following a Russian missile strike. Preliminary reports suggest it was a ballistic missile. As of now, 14 people are confirmed dead, including six children. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Many people are injured, and buildings have been damaged. The missile struck an area near residential buildings – hitting a playground and regular streets. They are nothing but inhuman scumbags – everyone who can do such things. There are no decent words to describe these Russian bastards. Also today, in Kharkiv, rescue efforts continued all day after a targeted Russian drone strike. A deliberate attack by six “Shahed” drones. Sadly, five people were killed. 34 others were injured. In total, 78 attack drones were launched during the past night alone, 56 of them “Shaheds.” Also today, in Kherson – another targeted strike by a Russian FPV drone hit an energy facility – the Kherson thermal power plant. These strikes cannot be accidental – the Russians know exactly that these are energy facilities and that such facilities should be protected from any attacks under what Russia itself promised to the American side. Every Russian promise ends with missiles or drones, bombs or artillery. Diplomacy means nothing to them. And that’s why pressure is needed – sufficient pressure on Russia so they feel the consequences of every lie of theirs, every strike, every single day they take lives and prolong the war. A ceasefire could have already been reached, and it is Putin who rejects it; it is Moscow that has refused a ceasefire since March 11; and it is they, in Russia, who want this war. And it’s obvious that Russia won’t be forced into peace just by talks or expectations. I’m grateful to everyone in the world whose strength helps diplomacy and all efforts for a just peace become effective. We count on America, on Europe, on other partners – we count on their ability to put pressure on the sole cause of this war – namely, Russia’s desire to destroy and kill.

Today, reports were made by our military officials: the Commander-in-Chief, the Chief of the General Staff, and the Minister of Defense of Ukraine. We are strengthening our defense. We are explaining to our partners what is needed to strengthen our position and thus make diplomacy more effective.

It is very significant that today in Ukraine, our military officials met with our partner’s representatives: the United Kingdom and France, specifically military teams. And the discussion is already very detailed – on the deployment of security contingents in Ukraine. There is tangible progress, and I personally thanked our partners today for this – we are shaping a shared vision and a concrete foundation for guaranteeing security. In Ukraine, we are not only striving for peace but also building a clear strategy to ensure that peace is truly reliable and truly lasting. I am grateful to all in Europe who are helping us with this, and it is important that this work and future security be supported by the United States.

And one more thing – based on the dialogue with our communities in the Chernihiv region yesterday. We have agreed with the communities that we will provide special support to the frontline and border communities adjacent to Russia. Today, government officials have already approved the parameters of this support. I am referring to the first installment – at least UAH 2 billion will be allocated to 200 communities in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, and Luhansk regions. As well as communities in the Dnipro region. We will assess the results achieved through the use of these funds and will continue this financial support. These funds can be used for the most urgent security needs – primarily for the protection of people, repairs and reconstruction, special transport, and the construction of shelters. I have instructed the Government to promptly allocate the funds to the communities. I thank everyone working for Ukraine, all those who are supporting and helping us!

Glory to Ukraine!

President Zelenskyy also presented awards to Ukrainian troops and their families today.

We Will Undoubtedly Endure This War and Ensure a Dignified Life for Ukraine – The President During the Ceremony of Presenting the Orders of the Golden Star and Crosses of Military Merit

4 April 2025 – 19:08

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of the Golden Star to the defenders awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine and to the family members of fallen warriors who received this title posthumously; he also presented the Crosses of Military Merit.

“Each name spoken today is a story of feats – both of an individual and of all our Defense and Security Forces. There would be no Ukraine without such people, without such heroism. Our blue and yellow flag remains on Ukrainian soil thanks to every one of our warriors who holds the line, fights for themselves, their brothers-in-arms, their families, and for all of Ukraine – achieving the result we so desperately need on the battlefield,” the Head of State emphasized.

The President also thanked the families of Ukrainian defenders for their strength and resilience.

“We will undoubtedly endure this war. We will certainly ensure a dignified life for Ukraine. And we will definitely hold Russia accountable for everything it has done,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The participants honored the memory of all the defenders who gave their lives for Ukraine with a minute of silence.

The Head of State handed over the Orders of the Golden Star to the family members of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine. This title was posthumously awarded to:

Junior Sergeant Yurii Haponenko. In 2022, he took part in the liberation of settlements in the Kyiv and Kherson regions, and later in the defense of Bakhmut, Kurdyumivka, and Soledar in the Donetsk region. Thanks to his reconnaissance efforts, three enemy T-72 tanks, two BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, three BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, and more than 50 occupiers were destroyed. In February 2023, he was severely wounded in a mortar attack and died in hospital.

Junior Sergeant Yulian Matviychuk. From September 2022, he carried out missions to protect the state border in the Kharkiv, Sumy and Donetsk regions. His effective command of the UAV crew thwarted plans to assault Ukrainian positions. In May 2023, near Marinka, he sustained a serious injury during enemy shelling and died in hospital a few days later.

Lieutenant Colonel Yurii Tymus. In February and March 2022, the senior navigator-pilot carried out 28 combat sorties, destroying or damaging three tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, seven armored personnel carriers, and eliminating up to one hundred invaders. He delivered ammunition and medical supplies and evacuated the seriously wounded from Azovstal. He also helped destroy an enemy camp that was preparing for an assault. Despite the difficult conditions, he organized the group’s safe landing and takeoff. However, his helicopter was hit by a missile amid intense enemy fire, resulting in the death of the entire crew.

Junior Sergeant Denys Dorofieiev. In March 2022, an anti-tank minefield installed by his engineer-sapper group in Zaporizhzhia prevented the occupiers from breaking through. Since July 2023, he has been carrying out combat missions in the Donetsk region without loss of personnel or equipment. In January of last year, he was installing an anti-tank mine near Kostyantynivka, which detonated after being hit by an FPV drone. Denys Dorofieiev died from life-threatening injuries.

Senior soldier Ruslan Piskovyi. He volunteered for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the first hours of the full-scale Russian invasion. In May 2022, he fought in the Kharkiv region as part of the Territorial Defense Forces, and at the end of the year, he took part in the battles in Bilohorivka, Luhansk region. In April 2023, in the Donetsk region, he masterfully organized the defense of positions during a night battle but died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Soldier Andrii Cheverda. In May 2023, as a machine-gunner of a rifle squad, he took part in repelling an assault on Ukrainian positions in the Luhansk region. The defenders of Ukraine fought against the enemy’s superior forces, which numbered 80 people. Our warriors did not allow the occupiers to advance deeper into the positions, but Andrii Cheverda was killed in that battle.

Senior Lieutenant Andrii Fedosov. He carried out combat missions involving reconnaissance, repelling attacks, and detaining enemy fire spotters. On June 30, 2022, in Pryvillya, Luhansk region, Ukrainian warriors came under ambush fire when they were trying to push the Russian occupiers out of the city. Andrii Fedosov assisted four wounded brothers-in-arms and evacuated them but sustained terminal injuries himself.

Senior Lieutenant Ruslan Danko. On the outskirts of Malynivka, in the Zaporizhzhia region, he evacuated the bodies of fallen defenders from the “gray” zone and, together with the advanced group of the Special Operations Forces, inflicted fire. While covering the advanced assault group, he suppressed a Russian machine gun crew and cut off the infantry. However, as a result of the FPV kamikaze drone attack, he sustained fatal injuries.

Soldier Artur Stankus. In the Luhansk region, a unit under his command repelled assaults by superior enemy forces. He was severely wounded, but continued to carry out his mission, assisted others, and covered the retreat of the wounded. He held the position by himself, preventing the Russian occupiers from taking control and advancing further. After the reinforcements arrived, Artur Stankus led the evacuation of the wounded and was killed in a shelling.

Junior Sergeant Maksym Piasetskyi. In 2022, together with his unit, he was defending positions in Kamyanka, Kharkiv region, for more than 40 days and repeatedly destroyed enemy vehicles. His Stugna-P ATGM unit destroyed two tanks moving from Izyum, forcing the occupiers to retreat. Maksym Piasetskyi was killed by artillery fire while holding back another attack.

Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Tsebrii. He killed almost 30 invaders and captured an enemy infantry fighting vehicle in the Donetsk region. He was wounded during the assault but continued to hold his position. Despite the shelling, he evacuated three wounded brothers-in-arms. Last year, on the night of July 24, he led an assault group. The occupiers suffered losses and were forced to retreat. Oleksandr Tsebrii evacuated a wounded warrior but was killed while continuing his mission.

Junior Sergeant Oleh Andriichuk. He defended Ukraine in the area of Toretsk and Bakhmut. In April 2023, he took an active part in planning and preparing an assault and defense operation near Khromove. Despite being wounded, he refused to evacuate, gave the command to evacuate the most severely wounded, and continued to lead the defense until the rotation team arrived. As a result of his injuries, Oleh Andriichuk died at the stabilization point.

Sergeant Dmytro Shevchenko. Last year in May, near Chasiv Yar, he hit an armored vehicle, which disrupted the enemy’s offensive. He blocked a group of Russian paratroopers, killing two and wounding seven others. On May 29, the unit under his command destroyed four units of military machinery and a significant number of invaders. While the warriors were moving to the evacuation site, the enemy hit them with FPV drones. Dmytro Shevchenko, sustained fatal injuries while covering his brothers-in-arms.

Soldier Mykyta Kolisnyk (National Guard). In January 2023, in Bakhmut, during an enemy offensive on a National Guard stronghold, he eliminated nearly 20 invaders with precision fire. Later, he killed 11 more invaders, shot down one armored personnel carrier and destroyed another. Later, during a battle, an enemy grenade exploded near Mykyta Kolisnyk’s position, causing him to sustain a fatal injury.

Junior Lieutenant Andrii Siadrystyi (National Guard). In the Zaporizhzhia direction in July 2023, on his orders, a combat unit stopped the enemy’s advance and destroyed an armored personnel carrier and two infantry fighting vehicles. Then the Junior Lieutenant personally eliminated six occupiers. Near Robotyne, Andrii Siadrystyi was the first to open fire on the enemy’s superior forces, eliminating four invaders and destroying a Tiger light armored vehicle.

Major Andrii Hutsal (State Border Guard Service). On February 25 of last year, during an assault, he coordinated the evacuation of the wounded under enemy fire, helping the defenders repel the attack. After being wounded himself, he refused to leave the position and returned to complete the evacuation. During the withdrawal, he came under fire and was severely wounded. While the infantry fighting vehicle was heading to the stabilization point, it was hit by a missile, killing everyone inside.

Lieutenant Ihor Poliovyi (State Border Guard Service). In May 2024, his reconnaissance group occupied one of the forward positions in Vovchansk and halted the enemy’s advance. This allowed for the rapid encirclement of a group of occupiers at one of the local plants. In June, he personally eliminated two occupiers in an enemy trench, wounded two more, and captured one, holding the position alone. Ihor Poliovyi was killed on October 23 while carrying out a combat mission in the Kursk region.

Senior Lieutenant Ivan Ulezko (Security Service of Ukraine). As part of a sniper team, he personally eliminated four occupiers and wounded three more in the Bakhmut area. In the Kharkiv region, acting as both a sniper and UAV operator, he conducted aerial reconnaissance and engaged in drone-kamikaze operations against enemy infantry: eliminating nine occupiers and wounding eleven. Last November, during an operation to neutralize an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group, his tactical team was ambushed. Ivan Ulezko ensured the withdrawal of his team but was fatally wounded.

The President presented warriors with the Golden Stars of the Hero of Ukraine. The highest state award was conferred upon:

Junior Sergeant Bohdan Masko. During the fighting in the Kherson region, he sustained combat injuries four times but continued to carry out his missions. In the Donetsk region, he conducted aerial reconnaissance and adjusted artillery and mortar fire. During one of the battles, he provided aid to a wounded brother-in-arms and helped transport him to the evacuation point. In 2024–2025, he eliminated nearly 50 occupiers using drones.

Soldier Vitalii Shuba. He has been defending Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. As a member of an assault group, and later its commander, he took part in recapture and defense of strongholds. He repeatedly adjusted artillery fire. Over seven days, single-handedly eliminated ten occupiers and three infantry fighting vehicles, when replacement was impossible due to full enemy fire control. In total, his actions led to the destruction of 90 invaders, 12 IFVs, and a T-72 tank.

Soldier Vladyslav Stepanchuk (State Border Guard Service). In July 2023, he enrolled at the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi National Academy of the State Border Guard Service, and by April 2024, at his own request, he joined the newly created fire support unit. In the same month, during shelling, the 18-year-old soldier saved a 105-mm cannon. In the Kursk region, together with his crew, he brought to backup firing positions soldiers from adjacent units who had lost communication. In total, he saved 21 defenders, two of whom were injured.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy also awarded warriors with the Crosses of Military Merit. The recipients are:

Junior Lieutenant Valentyn Roman. He performed combat missions in the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Luhansk regions. He led assaults and defensive actions, strengthening the front-line positions. Last October, during his shift, he personally held the observation post and repelled an enemy attack. Valentyn Roman and the groups under his command destroyed over 170 occupiers, as well as infantry fighting vehicles, MT-LB armored fighting vehicles, and tanks.

Captain Vladyslav Bondarenko. He assembled an assault squad and recaptured two lost positions. Later, in conditions of encirclement, he was severely wounded but continued to lead the fight. After two days, communication with the group was lost. The captain, who was unconscious, was found and evacuated to the nearest position, but the warriors were noticed by the occupiers. To prevent a breakthrough, Vladyslav Bondarenko called down fire on himself. On the fifth day, he was finally evacuated to the stabilization point.

Lieutenant Colonel Andrii Horian. He commanded units of the airmobile battalion and coordinated assault actions in the Kursk region. He ensured the timely arrival of the unit at the designated positions, provided instructions to assault units to recapture new positions, led the battle, and effectively coordinated tasks for the assault groups.

Junior Sergeant Oleksandr Vlasov. In August 2024, in the Kursk region, he led groups out of the shelling and coordinated the evacuation of the wounded. Thanks to this, he saved the lives of 17 warriors. In October, under difficult conditions, he quickly responded to the changing combat situation, planned and carried out a clearance operation, destroying 16 occupiers

Senior Soldier Yurii Hrytsenia. Thanks to him, full control was restored over the village of Plekhovo in the Kursk region. He led his unit, personally killing three Russian soldiers and saving the lives of five wounded brothers-in-arms. In the village of Pohrebky, he eliminated nine enemies and seized radio stations, which allowed for the recapture of lost positions and halted the enemy’s advance. In December, Yurii Hrytsenia lost his arm due to a wound.

Colonel Maksym Lanovyi. Deputy Head of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Army Academy. Last September, in the areas of Vuhledar, Kostyantynivka, and Hostre, he carried out simultaneous offensive actions across the areas of responsibility of three brigades. In total, under his command, brigade units destroyed 30 artillery pieces, 33 mortars, 4 self-propelled guns, 17 tanks, 106 armored vehicles, eliminated 428 occupiers, and wounded nearly a thousand.

Captain Ihor Sudomiy. Near Hostomel, he prevented the capture of Ukrainian positions by an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group, killing three occupiers and wounding four more. In the Luhansk region, his assault group attacked enemy positions, destroying 10 invaders and two enemy IFVs. In the Kharkiv region, his unit took two strongholds and destroyed two tanks, eight APCs, three MT-LBs, six vehicles, and nearly a platoon of occupiers.

First Lady Zelenska announced that a new Ukrainian-language audio guide is now available at the Hamburger Kunsthalle.

“Our project to introduce Ukrainian audio guides at major cultural landmarks around the world is all about preserving our identity. And the fact that Ukrainian is now heard in this distinguished place, the Kunsthalle, is not just a convenience for Ukrainian visitors. It’s a gesture of solidarity and support that we deeply appreciate,” the First Lady said in a video message to gallery visitors.

She thanked the Consulate General of Ukraine in Hamburg for its assistance in implementing the project, Professor Alexander Klar, Director of the Kunsthalle, and his team for supporting the initiative, as well as all the volunteers from Hamburg’s Ukrainian community who contributed to the translation and narration of the tour.

This is already the 97th Ukrainian-language audio guide now available in museums and galleries across 52 countries. The project is carried out by Ukrainian embassies and consulates under the patronage of the First Lady.

“I hope this guide, like all the others in the project, will help foster mutual understanding – both for Ukrainians and for the countries that have given them shelter,” Olena Zelenska concluded.

Georgia:

Day 128. No way that we stop. And they cannot consolidate “painlessly,” without years of instability.

You can help us avoid costs that can be avoided in our liberation struggle through sanctions that are tailored to push the regime to schedule free elections.
#GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM

Batumi’s also out tonight again. ✊🏻
📷 Luka Kurshubadze

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM

According to Georgia’s Public Defender, 2024 saw severe human rights violations during protests. Some cases of mistreatment were so extreme they amount to alleged torture intended as punishment.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 4:35 AM

These changes in the electoral rules are an outright confession that mass ID fraud is one of the key methods how they rigged the October 2024 elections, as we have been saying.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 4:56 AM

transparency.ge/en/post/path…

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 6:27 AM

Back to Ukraine.

Kryvyi Rih:

Parents sit by the body of their 15-year-old son…
Russian ballistic strike on Kryvy Rih killed 14 people today, including 6 children. Right next to a playground.

Who still dares to “understand” Russia after this massacre?

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— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 2:21 PM

WARNING!! WARNING!! GRAPHIC CONTENT!! WARNING!! WARNING!!

Kryvyi Rih💔 The death toll from the russian missile attack has risen to 18, including nine children. 58 other civilians are injured.
#Ukraine

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM

‼️UPD Kryvyi Rih. 16 people killed, including six children. Over 40 injured, among them two children in critical condition.
#Ukraine

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM

Kryvyi Rih is under russian attack for the second time today

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 5:01 PM

🇺🇦🔥 The first minutes after the missile strike in Kryvyi Rih.
Terrible screams are heard on the playground, which became the center of the hit.
It is known that the missile was equipped with a cluster warhead to maximize the number of victims.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM

Kryvyi Rih right now 💔

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM

🙏🇺🇦 “You’re my sunshine”: the parents are sitting over the body of their dead son, not looking up for a second.
💔 Kryvyi Rih…
Doctors are now fighting for every life there. Many of the victims are in surgery.
Preliminary, there are more than 30 people in medical institutions.

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM

🤬🔥 The missile was programmed so that the cluster elements would eject while still in the air, so there was no “funnel”. The target exploded at an altitude of about 100 meters and threw more than 50 submunitions directly at people.

— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 3:10 PM

The death toll from the Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih has risen to 14, including 5 children.

The attack was near children’s playground, according to local authorities.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM

Russia just struck a restaurant in Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile.

At least 12 people are dead, at least 2 of them are children.

When will this horror stop?

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 12:35 PM

ALL CLEAR!!!!

Kharkiv:

Russian Shahed slammed into apartment in Kharkiv last night. 5 killed — including a family with a child. Bodies burned beyond recognition, identified only by DNA. This is what Russia calls a “peace effort.”

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— Maria Avdeeva (@mariainkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 6:29 AM

Drone footage of the aftermath of a russian drone strike on Kharkiv last night, which murdered five people, including a 12-year-old girl.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 8:50 AM

‼️An 88-year-old man has died in the hospital from injuries sustained in russia’s drone attack on Kharkiv, bringing the death toll to five.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 3:51 AM

Kharkiv💔 Russian drone strike erased an entire family—a father, mother, and their 12-year-old daughter—inside their own home. Words won’t save lives. Air defenses will.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 6:07 AM

Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast:

Russia’s so-called “human safari”—a chilling drone hunt targeting civilians—is spreading. This is Zolochiv community of the Kharkiv region.

Look closely at the pictures.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 8:42 AM

Toretsk:

In Toretsk, a T-64BV tank from the 12th Azov Brigade epically destroyed an abandoned Russian BTR-82A. A precise shot triggered a detonation of the ammo inside the BTR.

[image or embed]

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM

The Kursk cross border offensive:

Reports say Ukrainian fighters regained control of the Sudzha border crossing during a counterattack, reclaiming a key strategic point in Russia’s Kursk region previously seized by Russian forces.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 9:08 AM

Saransk, Republic of Mordovia, Russia:

«Optic Fiber Systems», the first and only optical fiber manufacturing plant in Russia, located in Saransk (Republic of Mordovia), was attacked by kamikaze drones.

The company’s shareholders are RUSNANO, Gazprombank and the Government of the Republic of Mordovia.

(54.2250739, 45.1957191)

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 8:08 PM

Saransk 🦅🔥💥

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— MAKS 24 👀🇺🇦 (@maks23.bsky.social) April 4, 2025 at 8:11 PM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

💙😻 We’ve got everything under control! No orc gets past us anywhere! 🔥

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 4:22 PM

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 1,135: There Will Be No Truce, Ceasefire, or Real Negotiation Because Putin Is Only Interested in All of UkrainePost + Comments (7)

It’s Too Bad My Friday Night Music Thread Posted on Wednesday (Open Thread)

by WaterGirl|  April 4, 20257:04 pm| 76 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

It used to be that I could check Weather Underground and maybe 1 time out of 10 or 20 there would be some sort of active weather WATCH.  High winds, tornado, flooding, etc.

Now it seems like every other day.  Today it’s a flood watch.  Global warming, or the universe saying fuck it, everything else is fucked up, let’s do that with the weather, too?

The weather here does not look good for the protest events tomorrow.

Open thread.

It’s Too Bad My Friday Night Music Thread Posted on Wednesday (Open Thread)Post + Comments (76)

This May Be Our Most Critical Day Yet – Call Every Office Your Elected Official Has – Today!

by WaterGirl|  April 4, 202510:08 am| 112 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

We need to call, call, call our elected officials today.  Call every office they have.  I think Durbin has about five!

I’m gonna outsource most of this post to Simon Rosenberg.

Call/Contact Your Senators And House Member Today, Demand They Fight To End These Terrible Tariffs, Help Little Cracks Become Big Cracks

The new Reuters/Ipsos poll released yesterday captures it well:

  • Trump Week 1 – 47% approve, 41% disapprove (+6)
  • Trump April 3 – 43% approve, 53% disapprove (-10)

This is a 16 point swing against him even before the terrible events of the last 36 hours.

His undeniable madness and Russian-backed wrecking ball government are loosening his grip on the public, and Washington.

All of us have one job today – we must call/contact our Senators and House Member and demand they work to roll back these deeply destructive tariffs and rein in our madman leader.

As we discussed in yesterday’s post, Republicans are showing signs of an increased willingness to buck Trump as the economy craters, his numbers plummet, they lose elections and his madness becomes impossible to ignore. 9 Rs voted with Dems to block the House leg package this week. Senator Tim Kaine helped bring 4 Senate Rs along to vote with Dems on Wednesday night to override Trump’s Canada tariffs. Yesterday Republican Senator Grassley teamed up with Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell to introduce a bill that would establish a Congressional review of Trump’s tariffs.

As we’ve say here little cracks can become big cracks and this week we’ve begun to see much bigger cracks in Trump’s Congressional support. Note this new Tweet this morning from Trump enthusiast and Senior Fox Business Correspondent Charles Gasparino. It’s another big crack.

Twitter will not let me see this tweet – now I understand the jumble of tweets you guys talk about where nothing is chronological and all the dates are scrambled –  so all I’ve got is this screen capture from Simon Rosenberg

Actually scratch that.  2/3 of the tweet makes me puke with the Trump admiration.  But even Trump’s guy wrote this before he went back to boot-licking:

Wall Street’s pretty large contingent of True supporting Republicans is doing a lot of soul searching these days as Trump goes all in on trade.  They can’t believe he’s blowing up the economy and the markets and he isn’t in office three months.  They’re right on this: The markets are reeling and the economy will suffer if this trade war persists.  Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Back to Simon Rosenberg:

Why we need to be loud today, as loud as we can be, and put as much pressure on Ds to fight with everything they got and on the Rs to keep challenging Trump.

Trump is breaking things that will be very hard, if not impossible to repair, and we need to leave it all out there on the playing field today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you call, let us know in the comments.

Open thread.

This May Be Our Most Critical Day Yet – Call Every Office Your Elected Official Has – Today!Post + Comments (112)

TGIF! Oh, wait…

by Betty Cracker|  April 4, 20258:16 am| 246 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Republican Stupidity

It’s shaping up to be another day NOT to look at your stock portfolio, if you’re lucky enough to have one.

CNBC headline that reads: Dow futures tumble a second day, losing 1400 points after China retaliates to Trump tariffs

Will Trump keep punching the economy in the dick? His sycophants fanned out on TV and right-wing social media platforms last night to assure us that yes, he will, because “pain” (yours, not his) is necessary to usher in the Golden Age.

But according to CNBC, Trump undercut that message, expressing openness to tariff negotiations. So who the fuck knows?

***

To make up for possibly ruining your breakfast with nonsense from the Dunning-Kruger circus, here’s a pair of river turtles making their way through the swampy muck. I believe they are Florida Cooters.

TGIF! Oh, wait...

Stop snickering! That’s really the name! In fact, my little town has an annual Cooter Festival, and for some reason, they sell more t-shirts online with that logo than sell tickets to attend the event.

Open thread!

TGIF! Oh, wait…Post + Comments (246)

What’s Everybody Up to This Weekend? (Open Thread)

by WaterGirl|  April 3, 202510:00 pm| 79 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

Anybody have plans for this weekend?

show full post on front page

Everything feels like too much today, so I’ve got nothing productive to say, except that evil is evil.  But someone earlier today asked for a post to share ideas for signs for Saturday, and I can do that, at least.

So this is a place where you can do that or talk about anything else.

What's Everybody Up to This Weekend? (Open Thread)

In case just one sweet image is not enough.

Totally open thread.

 

What’s Everybody Up to This Weekend? (Open Thread)Post + Comments (79)

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