Invasion day +99 Today is the 100th day since the invasion and war began in Ukraine. Last night Ukraine beat Scotland at football and whilst we are sorry for the Scots we are thrilled that for two hours Ukrainians everywhere could enjoy respite and a victory that shows the world they all fight on wherever they can to bring joy and hope back to their people.
In the words of the amazing Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 'Ukraine is a strong collective, we have a great spirit, we fight, we endure. we win!' And you will Mr President, you will.
Thank you Aljazeera for the great image. We hope you don't mind us using it under your common access policy. It's a good cause.
Meanwhile...
The war rages on in the east but western military might is starting to collect in the preparations for a Ukrainian offensive, the terrible losses inflicted on both sides and more than ever to the civilians caught in the middle, continue to mount.
In the UK the country starts to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. This is important because we believe that the greatest show of democracy is for normal life to go on: we shall watch the Trooping of the Colour with a mixed feeling of enjoyment in the spectacle coupled with a feeling of concern over the glorification of military prowess. But it is important that life goes on, a display of democracy over evil. And the precision, the discipline, the order, gives Putin a message that we shall not be overawed by the brutality of his ill discipled rabble of an army acting under his deranged orders. We shall fight for every inch of democracy led in the front line by Ukraine but Putin know that behind Ukraine there are layers and layers of democratic defence that you will never be able to subdue.
But for today, Putin, you can watch the might of democracy on full and victorious display making your shows of bullying brutality in Red Square look pathetically shallow. We suggest you leave Ukraine and save your country from annihilation as a respected body across the world.
Todays Letters.
From Geoff Jackson, Essex.
Dear Hoggy,
I have pleasure in enclosing a cheque for £200 being the proceeds of sale of 'Sunflowers for Ukraine' a book which has given pleasure to many of my friends.
Thank you for he work for Ukraine and for allowing us all as writers to express our feelings in print. It is a most worthy cause.
Best wishes to you all,
Geoff.
Dear Geoff,
Thank you so very much for this heart-warming contribution from all of your friends, please convey the grateful thanks of all those we are helping in Ukraine.
The fund now stands at £1500 of the £4000 target and our view here is that we should part use some of this to support Sergii, a newly arrived Ukrainian with up to date social media skills to help the project. He will send all the support we can give him straight to Ukraine to feed his family and relatives who are suffering from the struggle. We are interviewing him on Sunday to see if we can match our needs to his skills. His contribution will be to expand the blog which has now reached its high point in this form and needs the greater exposure to keep relevant.
Thank you again Geoff and please keep writing in. We need your poems!
Best wishes,
Hoggy
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