Lesia Ogryzko is a fellow and the head of analytics and strategic advocacy at the Center for Defence Strategies, an independent Ukrainian analytical organization that focuses on defense and security. Ogryzko has previously worked in the Ukrainian government in the implementation of democratic reforms, served in the UN system, and engaged as a humanitarian aid worker amid the war. She holds two master's degrees, one from Maastricht University and another from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
The Russian army’s blow-up of the Kakhovka dam, a strategically important facility providing water to southern Ukraine, Crimea, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, shocked Ukraine and the world.
Another shocking development that did not go unnoticed by Ukrainians and the country’s officials was the only tweet by the UN’s official Twitter account that morning, celebrating Russian Language Day. The irony could not be greater.
What is already clear to observers is that we are dealing with t
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in our op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.
A year ago, on Feb. 21, just three days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed the independence of two Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions – self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic.”
At the time, many rightly feared that this might serve as a pretext for Russia