Tim Mak

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak | Substack A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the war in Ukraine, and elsewhere on the frontlines for democracy. Issues 3x a week...

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CAT OF CONFLICT:
Today’s Cat of Conflict is Oleksandra’s cat Compote (it’s also the name of a Ukrainian winter drink made from boiled fruit). Compote isn’t the biggest fan of his new sweater, but without it he gets really cold.

How Ukraine’s homeless are faring in freezing conditions Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s heating infrastructure have turned the -20°C winter into a harsh test of survival for homeless people. Ivan hasn’t had a home since he left Crimea in 2011.

To learn more about how homeless people in Ukraine live in the cold, read our story via the link

For Peace, More Ukrainians Consider the Once Unthinkable: Surrendering Land

MORE UKRAINIANS READY TO CEDE DONBAS, BUT WITH SECURITY GUARANTEES:

France dumps Zoom and Teams as Europe seeks digital autonomy from the US European governments are moving away from U.S. tech giants, opting for domestic or open-source alternatives.

EU STATES LEAVE ZOOM AND TEAMS TO DISTANCE U.S.: Last week, Paris announced that 2.5 million public sector employees will stop using American video conferencing tools by 2027, AP reported.

The last US-Russian nuclear pact is about to expire, ending a half-century of arms control The last remaining nuclear arms pact between Russia and the United States is set to expire this week, removing any caps on the two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-centur...

NEWS OF THE DAY:

RUSSIA-U.S. NUCLEAR PACT EXPIRES: On Thursday, the last U.S.-Russia nuclear deterrence pact expires, AP reported. Opening up the possibility of the resumption of a nuclear arms race between the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world, after a half-century of nuclear deterrence.

Why cold, darkness worsen PTSD among ex-POWs We explore the tragic, unusual link between cold and post traumatic stress. Amid blackouts, former POWs face a surge in flashbacks. Oleksii is waking up from nightmares for the first time in years.

To learn more about how the conditions of Russian captivity continue to shape Oleksii’s life long after his release, read the full story via the link

Cold is one of the forms of torture Russian forces systematically use against Ukrainians held in Russian prisons. Today, that same cold has turned into a tool of pressure on civilians, aimed at breaking society and forcing Ukraine into concessions.

He is not alone. Traumatic memories have intensified among former prisoners of war, with the onset of blackouts, as power outages have become a powerful trigger.

Yet, this winter Oleksii has begun waking in the middle of the night to flashbacks, as the darkness and cold in his own home resembles the conditions of captivity.

It has been three years since he was released from the punishment cell, where the air was saturated with mold and the stench of urine and feces.

"I've started having bad dreams. I remember my punishment cell. It was constantly cold there. Even in summer, it was always cold in our cell," said Oleksii Anulia, who spent nearly ten months in Russian captivity in 2022.

Why cold, darkness worsen PTSD among ex-POWs We explore the tragic, unusual link between cold and post traumatic stress. Amid blackouts, former POWs face a surge in flashbacks. Oleksii is waking up from nightmares for the first time in years.

Good morning to readers; Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands.

Russian captivity was hell for Oleksii - painfully dark and cold.

For him, Ukraine's power cuts aren't just uncomfortable, they are worsening his PTSD and triggering flashbacks from the worst days of his life.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak | Substack A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the war in Ukraine, and elsewhere on the frontlines for democracy. Issues 3x a week...

Think you’ve seen it all? Ukraine has more to tell.

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YouTube video by River Tiber River Tiber - Hypnotized (Official Video)

Here’s what Sasha is listening to today:

River Tiber - Hypnotized

How Ukraine’s homeless are faring in freezing conditions Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s heating infrastructure have turned the -20°C winter into a harsh test of survival for homeless people. Ivan hasn’t had a home since he left Crimea in 2011.

If you want to learn more about how homeless people in Ukraine live in the cold, read our story via the link.

Russia bombards Ukraine with its biggest attack of the year so far

Russia launched the biggest attack on Ukraine of 2026 before the next round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for Feb 4.

NATO’s Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the attacks demonstrate Russia’s lack of seriousness about peace.

Balloons from Belarus enter Poland's airspace for 3rd night in a row After spotting "objects resembling balloons" on radar, Polish military and security forces quickly intercepted them and detained individuals suspected of involvement, the Polish military said.

On January 28, an unidentified drone crashed 70 m away from a weapons storage unit in the north of Poland, an investigator reported.

Meanwhile, balloons from Belarus have entered Polish airspace for three nights in a row, as Russia continues to probe European air defense capacity.

Ukraine agrees multi-tier plan for enforcing any ceasefire with Russia European forces would be dispatched and backed by US military in case of repeated Russian violations

Here’s what The Counteroffensive is reading today:

Kyiv agreed to a plan if Russia breaks any future ceasefire agreement.

The EU’s Coalition of the Willing will respond with military action if the attack continues for 48 hours, and the U.S. will step in if it continues for 72.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak | Substack A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the war in Ukraine, and elsewhere on the frontlines for democracy. Issues 3x a week...

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YouTube video by Radiohead - Topic Fake Plastic Trees

Here's what Tania is listening to today:
Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead

How Ukraine’s homeless are faring in freezing conditions Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s heating infrastructure have turned the -20°C winter into a harsh test of survival for homeless people. Ivan hasn’t had a home since he left Crimea in 2011.

Missed our latest story about people experiencing homelessness struggling to survive on the streets of Kyiv in this freezing weather? Read via the link!

Україна нарощує імпорт електроенергії після підвищення прайс-кепів — EXPRO Consulting Україна нарощує імпорт електроенергії після підвищення прайс-кепів на короткострокових сегментах ринку, йдеться в аналітиці ExPro Electricity.

Over the past two weeks, Ukraine has increased its electricity imports by more than 40%.

On the night of February 1, Russia resumed strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving Ukrainian four regions of Ukraine without power.

Greek joint venture will supply US LNG to Ukraine in March A Greek joint venture has signed its first deal to supply U.S. liquefied natural gas to Ukraine in March, it said on Monday, as Greece seeks to bolster its role as a transit route for gas into Europe ...

A Greek joint venture signed its first agreement with Ukraine to supply U.S. gas in March during Ukraine's worst wartime energy crisis

Greece is strengthening its role as a transit route for gas to Europe, as the bloc aims to ban Russian gas imports by 2027.

FEDOROV Запускаємо верифікацію терміналів Starlink в Україні Уряд ухвалив постанову про впровадження «білого списку» для терміналів супутникового Starlink. Незабаром в Україні працюватимуть лише перевірені й...

Here's what The Counteroffensive is reading today:

Ukraine launched Starlink verification to prevent Russian usage.

Since 2024, Russians have used Starlink to fly drones and avoid electronic warfare.

The issue recently resurfaced when it was raised by Ukraine's new DefMin.

The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak | Substack A war correspondent's open notebook, reporting live from Kyiv. Human stories that illustrate what’s happening during the war in Ukraine, and elsewhere on the frontlines for democracy. Issues 3x a week...

See past just the statistics – hear the voice of Ukraine.

Support reporting that puts human stories first.

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CAT OF CONFLICT:

Oksana’s Mary used to resist the attempts to cover her with a blanket, but since Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure took out the heating in her apartment, Mary started to actually enjoy blankets.

Trump’s weeklong ceasefire? Russia says 2 days Yesterday Trump announced an energy ceasefire for one week, crucial for Kyiv during its power and heating crisis. But today Russia responded — they will halt attacks only until February 1st.

Missed our latest story about Russia shortening the energy ceasefire? Check it out via the link

Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia injure at least 9, maternity hospital damaged Russian troops launched two attacks on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Feb. 1, injuring at least nine people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

RUSSIA STRIKES MATERNITY HOSPITAL: Russia attacked a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia on February 1, injuring at least six – two of whom were patients.

SPACEX BLOCK STARLINK USAGE FOR RUSSIAN MILITARY: At the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken steps to block Russian forces from using Starlink.