Saturday, March 7, 2026

Explosions rock Kyiv, 3 killed in Kharkiv as Russia strikes residential building -- Inside Russia's everyday manhunt of civilian Ukrainians in Kherson -- White House responds to reports that Russia is helping Iran target US forces in Middle East -- Ukrainian drones successfully hit Russian aircraft repair plant in occupied Crimea ... and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/03/saturday-march-7-2026/

I promised you another #HistoryLessonWithBella. However, this one won't bring much joy. It's about #war. Wars that are useless, unjust and only bring pain. So much pain.

This is the #Pozières #Memorial, a World War I memorial which was unveiled in August 1930. It lists the names of 14,657 British and South African #soldiers of the Fifth and Fourth Armies with no known grave who were killed between 21 March 1918 and 7 August 1918, during the German advance known as the #SpringOffensive (21 March–18 July), and the period of Allied consolidation and recovery that followed.

This place is incredibly beautiful and immensely sad. And as a German, I feel very uncomfortable in places like this. Because Germany has brought a lot of suffering into the world. Yes, many other countries have done so too and still do today, but I can only speak from the perspective of a German. I feel ashamed, sad and angry.Why can't we see each other as equals? What is so difficult about being respectful towards all people? What is there to gain from war? I know I won't find answers here. I just feel so helpless ...

Sorry, this is not a beautiful post. But it is one that matters to me. Because of what we have done to eachother. And still do. Look at it!

And by the way: Many of the dead here were just 18 or 19 years old. They were children!
#WWI #Somme #BellaEnVacances #StopWars

I sometimes wonder if the reason #Ukraine #SpringOffensive had such a grip on the media was related to Wilfred Owen's famous poem of the same name (perhaps just the British imagination?), it's an evocative phrase.

But in yet another excellent video @anderspuck argues we should probably stop assigning it to seasons and just call it the #UkrainianOffensive, because it will keep going until #UkraineWillWin.
Nice update: "How is the war going? – Early October 2023"
https://youtu.be/Qmd-QG7Ve0E?

How is the war going? – Early October 2023

YouTube
If this IS the long-waited Ukranian spring offensive, I hope they achieve victory with few casualties. I hope the Russian soldiers realize they’re dying for nothing and flee from combat.
#Ukraine #SpringOffensive #Russia #War
Are there any nations or arms manufactures thinking about new vehicle designs that can conduct successful operations on wet and muddy conditions? We've had decades of creating bigger and heavier tanks, but they all end being mostly unusable for half the year during the largest #European conflict since #WWII? #ukraine #springoffensive
Putin's Spring 2023 offensive will likely come from all directions - North, East, and South, a repeat of Feb 2022 invasion but with lessons learned & hundreds of thousands more troops. It will be bloody. Time is running out for the West to act decisively. Too little too late. (Igor Sushko) #Russia #SpringOffensive #UkraineRussiaWar #Putin https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1614711789891235841?s=12&t=kUcxxxWl2Y4AN8C3jVd1tw
Igor Sushko on Twitter

“Putin's Spring 2023 offensive will likely come from all directions - North, East, and South, a repeat of Feb 2022 invasion but with lessons learned & hundreds of thousands more troops. It will be bloody. Time is running out for the West to act decisively. Too little too late.”

Twitter