Stories about War & Conflict from February, 2022
#AfricansInUkraine: We are students, we don’t have guns
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused displacement of thousands of people. Among them also an African diaspora which had to mobilise informally while also dealing with racial discrimination on the ground.
Films on human rights abuses and courageous opposition in Myanmar
EngageMedia has curated a playlist of films that shows the extent of rights abuses in the country, as well as courageous forms of resistance against the continuing infringement on rights.
Fleeing Kyiv: How we escaped the Ukrainian capital as war broke out
Tetiana Bezruk chronicles how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced friends and families to leave their homes in Kyiv for the second time, eight years after they escaped the Donbas conflict.
Jamaicans anxious as the government attempts to get nationals out of Ukraine
"My soul is in joy and peace despite all the pain and sadness I have encountered here in Ukraine."
#StandWithUkraine: Protesters in North Macedonia call for an end to ‘Russian aggression’
Ukrainians residing in the North Macedonian capital of Skopje and local citizens protested against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in front of the Russian embassy on February 25.
Until recently, politicians in North Macedonia usually treaded lightly over Russia
"In some of the information related to the conflict over Ukraine, some Macedonian media very openly take sides with the use of appropriate wording and context ... "
How fascination with Russia’s power is created in the media and on social networks in North Macedonia
In North Macedonia, Russia’s military power is talked about in a way and in a quantity that cannot be found about any other country.
Georgians rally in support of Ukraine as MPs scramble for response
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of the Georgian capital Tbilisi to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian refugees gather at the borders with Moldova, Slovakia, Poland
"At five in the morning, friends called us to tell us this is war. We packed what we had and took to the road."
Russia and Latin America: So far, and yet so near
"Putin believes that the United States continues to regard Latin America as its backyard and claims that Russia has the same right to influence Ukraine."
Azerbaijan keeps quiet on Ukraine crisis as President Aliyev visits Moscow
As a majority of Western countries were condemning Putin's decision to recognize the independence of two Ukrainian separatist regions, Azerbaijan's ruling government kept silent.
Undertones: How extremist Hindu nationalists use Instagram
See these examples of memes, photos, and videos on Instagram promoting electoral propaganda and violence as a means to create a Hindu state.
‘We got used to the war': life for a frontline family in Ukraine
A resident of Avdiivka, an eastern Ukrainian town only a few kilometres from occupied Donetsk, discusses living with the Donbas war on the doorstep, and the threat of further fighting.
Russian influence in North Macedonia is particularly present around key political events, disinformation researcher says
"What is surprising is that certain structures in society still behave as if North Macedonia is not a member of NATO, although it will be almost two years since its accession to NATO."
Court in Russia-occupied Crimea sentences freelance journalist to six years in prison
Vladyslav Yesypenko was detained in Crimea in March 2021 on suspicion of collecting information for Ukrainian intelligence, charges the journalist has denied. While in detention, has reportedly endured torture.
Undertones: What Russian media says about the Russia-Ukraine crisis
Inside Russia, mainstream media have treated the crisis as a joke, reminded their audience of Russia’s position as a nuclear superpower, or stated that Putin does not know how to retreat from the situation.
Myanmar activists oppose sale of Telenor telecom to military-linked firm
"They have not consulted with the people risking their lives to resist the military junta, whose lives are in Telenor's hands."
From Kosovo 1999 to Russia 2021: The ‘cheapfake’ photo trend fuelling dangerous propaganda
"It is important to raise awareness of the widespread use of cheapfake images and to acknowledge that some governments use the practice to influence people's opinions."
Everyone is talking about the Minsk Agreements, but what do they mean for Ukraine?
If Ukraine accepts Russia’s interpretation of the Minsk Agreements it could face indefinite Russian influence in its affairs and an internal backlash.
In Azerbaijan, a man arrested for disrespecting a flag
This is perhaps the first instance of strong public backlash against someone disrespecting a foreign flag in Azerbaijan.
Myanmar’s pro-democracy forces mark coup anniversary with a ‘silent strike’
"The people have refused to allow themselves to once again become slaves of the military, and will never give up."