Author: Mark Raczkiewycz

Dozens in Chicago turn out to voice frustration over lack of Western aid CHICAGO – In 1994, Ukraine surrendered the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal when it signed the Budapest Memorandum, which provided Kyiv security guarantees from Russia, Great Britain and the United States In 1998 and 2005, it then gave Russia all of its long-range...

Ukraine sinks another Russian Black Sea vessel and hits targets in occupied Crimea CHICAGO – Russia launched a record barrage of various aerial projectiles and drones that targeted mostly civilian areas across Ukraine over five consecutive days from December 29 through January 2, killing dozens and causing millions of dollars in damage to non-military infrastructure....

Acknowledges mounting challenges, touts ouster of Russian navy from western Black Sea CHICAGO – In his final news conference of the year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the growing domestic and foreign challenges his country is facing in its fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion that began 22 months ago. The question-and-answer session of the press...

CHICAGO – Much was expected of Ukraine’s vaunted summer counteroffensive. Behind closed doors in Kyiv, officials and military leaders said the West pressured Ukraine’s Armed Forces – equipped with freshly provided Western armor and artillery – to make progress and reclaim land taken by Russian forces. In fact, by the time that material arrived –...

European countries pledge more funding for Kyiv as defense minister hints at 2024 military plan CHICAGO – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s two-day visit to Washington this week failed to sway a cohort of Republican lawmakers, including House of Representatives speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), to provide additional military aid to Ukraine to defend against an all-out...

CHICAGO – At least seven buildings in the heart of the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of the U.S.’s third most populous city were defaced with a prominent symbol of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war on Ukraine that is entering in 10th year. The Saint Volodymyr & Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, as well as the National...

Bottlenecks for crucial Ukraine goods, aid get chocked in three E.U. countries CHICAGO – Ukrainian President Volody­myr Zelenskyy has ordered existing positions at all major hotspots along the front line to be reinforced as subzero winter conditions begin to set in on the country. After holding a nationwide staff meeting and visiting southern Ukraine over...

Additional Congressional funding for Kyiv looks to pass before New Year CHICAGO – Last month, Russia suffered the highest casualties in the war since it initially invaded Ukraine in 2014. Most of the losses took place around the Donetsk regional town of Avdiyivka. Itaveraged more than 900 killed and surpassed 1,000 lost over 10 days...

Assembly draws attention to Russia’s ongoing war to eradicate Ukrainian nation CHICAGO – Several hundred supporters of Ukraine assembled at the Chicago Water Tower on November 25 to call attention to the 90th anniversary of a Soviet man-made famine that was perpetrated against Ukrainians in 1932-1933 in which millions were starved to death. Known as...

U.S. government stopgap funding passes Congress as Ukraine to lean on E.U. CHICAGO – Kyiv and Moscow this week acknowledged that Ukraine has established a formidable bridgehead on the eastern side of the Dnipro River in the occupied part of the Kherson region that offers the shortest route to liberate the Crimean Peninsula that was...

CHICAGO – A Russian-Ukrainian former lawmaker with pro-Moscow views has retained a London law firm to lobby Washington and push U.S. officials to dissuade Kyiv from passing a religious bill that would ban religious groups based in Russia. “The Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Ortho­dox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate’s representatives and lobbyists have been soliciting meetings on...

Kyiv’s week-long deep strikes on Russian targets slow enemy logistics, weaken air defenses CHICAGO – The White House’s purse has only $1.1 billion – out of $60 billion that the U.S. Congress had previously approved since February 2022 when the Russo-Ukrainian war escalated – left for dispersal to Kyiv as Ukraine withstands a bloody Russian...