Newsletter of PEN Ukraine (March 15 )

What’s going on?

• Russians continue shelling the civilian population using prohibited phosphorous bombs on peaceful Ukrainian cities. Since the beginning of war Russia has launched more than 900 missiles. The number of victims is so great that citizens bury civilian victims in mass graves.
• Occupants continue destroying Ukrainian cultural sites. On 12 March, they damaged Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library, one of the largest libraries in Ukraine and Europe. On 13 March, Russians robbed and smashed Popov’s Manor House in Zaporizhzhya region, the biggest castle in Eastern Ukraine.
• In temporary occupied areas occupants are imposing a regime of terror and censorship, attempting to install a Russian-controlled military-civilian administrations. On 10 March, in occupied Melitopol (Zaporizhzhya region), Russians kidnapped director of the Melitopol City Museum of Local Lore and member of regional council Leila Ibragimova. On 12 March, Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov was abducted by Russian soldiers with a bag over his head. The same day Olha Haisumova, the coordinator of the daily protests against the Russian invasion in Melitopol, was kidnapped from the protest. In occupied Kakhovka (Kherson region) journalist Oleg Baturin disappeared on 12 March. There are legitimate fears that he has been abducted by Russian occupants. On 13 March, Russians abducted the mayor of Dniprorudne (Zaporizhzhya region) Yevhen Matveyev.

PEN Ukraine webpage on war

PEN Ukraine launched one page with the latest news and materials on Russia’s war against Ukraine with information on the situation in Ukraine, links on important materials and information resources, petitions, addresses, the list of editions about Ukraine to read in English, and books by Ukrainian authors recommended for translation. The page is being continuously updated with the latest news and links. Go to the page and share with colleagues: war.pen.org.ua.