If you saw it in an action movie you’d be impressed. A giant fireball, burning and consuming the only bridge connecting enemy territory. It sounds pretty cool in theory, but when it happens in the occupied Crimean Peninsula to Russia, it has some gnarly consequences. By blasting this bridge, Ukrainian forces managed to disrupt the most important supply line for Russian troops fighting in southern Ukraine and also embarrass Ol’ Vladdy Daddy War Crimes McPutin.
The 12-mile Kerch Strait Bridge, a Russian geo-political treasure, was blasted overnight, sending parts of it tumbling into the sea and killing at least three people, according to Russian authorities. A Ukrainian official said that Ukraine’s intelligence services had orchestrated the explosion, using a bomb loaded onto a truck being driven across the bridge.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the conflict, at least 17 people were killed by Russian missile strikes on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, home to the nuclear plant. Although the city is under Ukrainian control, it is part of the regions recently annexed by Russia and claimed by Putin. The senseless violence has no clear end in sight, and things are just as unpredictable on day 228 as they were on day 1.
Side Items
Ethiopian Civil War Escalates: The situation in Ethiopia has devolved and any hope of peace is fading. Illustrating the infinite wisdom of those in power in the US, officials held three secret meetings outside Ethiopia, bringing together warring leaders for the first time since the war erupted in November 2020. Shockingly, the US-brokered peace talks were unsuccessful, and may have actually brought on the worst of the violence so far. An accurate death toll remains difficult to assess, as the Tigray region is under siege with communications severed and outside reporters barred from entering
Dog Killer Fallout: This thorough investigation breaks down what happens in a progressive community when someone’s dog is killed and they want justice. But what does justice look like to a group of intersectional abolitionists? And how do elements like race, class, and mental illness factor into this pursuit of justice?
In Defense of Clean Butts: One of the loyal Mourning readers shared this piece with me, saying, “This is such a strange article. It seems targeted to Muslims but introduces the bidet as if it’s an entirely new concept.” Indeed the article appears to be a confusing bit of marketing for bidets, because the New York Times readership may be educated, but they’re still heathens with no concept of how to clean themselves in the bathroom
Medicare Exploitation: Healthcare in this country is known to be a scam. Still, this story of healthcare providers diagnosing serious diseases that never existed in order to make more money came as a surprise. The Medicare Advantage program was designed by Congress 20 years ago as a private-sector alternative to traditional Medicare. As evidenced by the ongoing lawsuits against multiple insurance companies, it’s not quite as popular as they thought it would be