NEW RESOURCES

It’s Nice That: A new identity makes language learning a safe, friendly experience for Ukrainian children. “Language Supp Ukraina is an initiative of free online language platforms; it supports children from refugee families who have fled Ukraine in learning a new language and, in this instance, with Polish lessons, to help aid in the transition to a new country.”

The Odessa Journal: The online library of world media columns about the Russian-Ukrainian war has been launched. “A selection of covers can be found by the link. They can be searched by time, country, or edition. Columns are available on the website in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and other languages.”

EVENTS

US Department of State: Gamers Around the World Celebrate Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage at the United With Ukraine Game Jam. “This videogame development competition was organized by GovTech Poland, in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Center from the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Over two days, the jammers, representing 22 countries, came together virtually, and in person, to create working prototypes for new video games that celebrate and support Ukraine’s cultural heritage.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

CNN: UK sanctions British blogger over videos from Ukraine. “Blogger Graham Phillips was added to the UK sanctions list on Monday, according to the Foreign Office. He is the only British national sanctioned in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to public records.”

Reuters: Russia’s Yandex says investments could pick up as revenues rise. “Russian internet giant Yandex reported on Tuesday a jump in second-quarter revenue and profit, saying efforts to save cash had helped it weather external challenges and that investments may accelerate in the coming quarters.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

CNBC: Meta takes down Russian troll farm. “Meta says that it’s continuing to crack down on bad actors across its social media sites. The company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, reported Thursday that it had taken down a Russia-based troll farm from Instagram earlier this year that had been churning out phony posts about the war in Ukraine.”

BBC: Ukraine war: How Russia uses social media to steal sunflower seeds. “The BBC has seen significant evidence that Russian forces in occupied areas of Ukraine have been systematically seizing not only Ukrainian grain, but also sunflower seeds from local farmers. We have spoken to farmers who have lost their crops, and tracked messages in private and public social media groups showing how the seeds are transported from southern and eastern occupied parts of Ukraine to Russia.”

NPR: The Ukrainian women who make art in the face of war. “Stories of war are being told now by some of Ukraine’s leading female artists at New York’s Fridman Gallery, as well as a gallery in Kyiv. The women are activists as well as artists, and are responding in paint, photographs and videos to the Russian invasion, and earlier conflicts over the annexation of Crimea. The powerful, haunting works prove that art is not just about pretty pictures.”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Washington Post: Did Russia mess up its cyberwar with Ukraine before it even invaded?. “Jan. 14 was a rough day for the Ukrainian government: Destructive malware wiped out computers at two agencies, and hackers temporarily took down dozens of agency websites and left a message on the Foreign Ministry site to ‘Be afraid and expect the worst.’ Now, though, Ukrainian officials say that the assault was a huge miscalculation on the Russians’ part.”

Moscow Times: Ex-Yandex Head Takes EU to Court Over Sanctions. “The former head of Russia’s top tech firm Yandex Tigran Khudaverdyan has challenged sanctions against him over the Ukraine war in a European Union court. Khudaverdyan filed a lawsuit on June 7 demanding the European Council lift its ‘discriminatory and disproportionate’ sanctions against him. The lawsuit was first reported by TV channel RTVI on Monday evening.”

Bleeping Computer: Movie torrents hijacked to send tips on bypassing Russian censorship. ” A team of Ukrainian cyber-activists has thought of a simple yet potentially effective way to spread uncensored information in Russia: bundling torrents with text and video files pretending to include installation instructions.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

The Dispatch: It’s Not Just Ukraine. “Through increased meddling in Moldova, Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Putin has made it clear that he can pull the trigger and defrost frozen conflicts whenever he pleases. The U.S. and Europe must send information warfare teams to counter Moscow’s weaponization of secessionist movements.”

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