Zhenya Oliinyk

Opinion | The War in Ukraine Is One Border Away From the European Union You get out of reach.

The most magical things happen at the western border of Ukraine, @zhenyao.bsky.social writes from Kyiv in an illustrated guest essay.

#RussianOilFundsViolence campaign calls on the EU, UK, and US to sanction every single ship in this fleet as part of their next sanctions packages, especially as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year.

Russian oil keeps funding Russian violence that extends worldwide. Russia invested billions into a shadow fleet of rusty old oil tankers to overcome restrictions on Russian oil in 2022. As I'm writing this, two Russian tankers are spilling oil in the Black Sea.

For example, while the Czech Republic has been supportive of Ukraine’s defense, it has sent over five times more money to Russia via fossil fuel purchases than it provided in aid to Ukraine since the start of the invasion.

Some EU countries were granted an exemption from the EU’s ban on Russian oil imports to allow them more time to reduce their reliance on Russian oil, yet their purchases have barely changed.

The EU prioritizes Russian oil over Ukraine's support. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, EU countries have paid Russia more than €204 billion for fossil fuels—almost twice as much as the support it has granted Ukraine.

My Friday began at 7 AM with the explosions—some further, some closer. Russia launched 5 hypersonic missiles onto Kyiv, missiles it can afford because the world is still high on Russian fossil fuels.

I drew a similar illustration three years ago, yet there's not been enough change since.

I feel like today's a good day to try making my way back here. This one's for #RussianOilFundsViolence campaign. Thread 🧵

10 years ago the Revolution of Dignity began in Ukraine. A good day to post this comic I did for Bosla Arts zine Beyond Resilience last year.

Illustrations for the @nytopinion.bsky.social piece by Angelina Kariakina about pregnancy and birth in Ukraine at war.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Illustrated this brilliant piece about pregnancy and birth in Ukraine at war by Angelina Kariakina.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

My new essay in @newyorktimes.bsky.social on the high-stakes storytelling acrobatics Ukrainians must perform to keep the world invested in their existential fight.

www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/o...

For Kharkiv Pride campaign for equal marriage rights.

The war makes these even more relevant. As of now, LGBTQ people in Ukraine don't have the right to be notified in case of their partner's death, to visit them in the ICU, to make decisions about their treatments, or even bury them.