A lot more people and cars on the streets of Donestk than a few months ago, as people are returning. Shelling of the centre has died down so much that parents are even brave enough to take their kids out. Ukraine focussing on counter offensive? Will it last?

“I do not want to go to war, as I do not want to kill my brothers.”

This aid worker I met on the Crimean border explains one of the reasons we see so many forced mobilisation videos in Ukraine and why so many are trying to flee the country.

Pro-Russian population along frontiers facing horror of Ukrainian forces

Next to the war in Ukraine. With the country’s much-talked-about counter-offensive against Russia faltering, stories are coming out about the horror that civilians are facing around the frontlines.

Press TV's @johnnyjamesmiller reports from Donbas

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▶️ Press TV's @johnnyjamesmiller says in case of a possible attack on the Russian mainland with Western-made weapons, Moscow may consider the producers of these weapons, specially the US and the UK, as the parties to the conflict.

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While pro-Ukrs flee West from the fighting, those who remain are seen as pro-Rus by Ukr soldiers. In the lawless, vengeful hellscape of frontline combat, it can mean death. Especially with the many extremists in Ukrainian ranks.

“They cannot be called people. They are killers.”

At a press conference in Donbass this week, Anna gives a chilling account of her last days in Bakhmut.

“If we had to retreat. We wouldn’t leave anything or anybody behind us. We hate Donbass.”

This woman I interviewed a few months ago, says Ukrainian soldiers told her this. Many refugees don’t show their faces in fear of reprisals.

“There was a couple working at the meat factory and the woman was pregnant but the snipers shot both of them in the back.”

Snipers shooting civilians is a common allegation.

These ladies tell me that Ukraine is responsible for much of the shelling. This is a very common allegation from survivors and refugees.

While Russia has clearly caused widespread destruction across the frontlines leading to the death of a large number of civilians. The crimes by Ukrainian soldiers against those they see as pro-Russian are being massively under reported. They deserve attention.

“For one word you can be beaten up… there is no freedom of thought there.”

Away from the front lines it’s also incredibly dangerous for people seen as pro Russian. I spoke to this man, from West Ukraine, as he escaped over the Crimean border.

▶️ Press TV's correspondent @JohnnyJamesMiller says the recent counter-offensive by Ukraine in its war with Russia has been a failure despite efforts by Kiev to portray it as a major feat.

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Post from my friend Chay Bowes

On an emotional visit to St Petersburg I was privileged to visit “Dom Radio” a beautiful building once the home of Soviet Radio and recital rooms, now a community arts centre. During WW2 The city of Leningrad as St Petersburg was then known, suffered an horrific siege which lasted 2 years, 4 months, 2 weeks and 5 days. During this time the citizens of Leningrad suffered medieval levels of suffering and cruelty at the hands of the besieging Nazi forces. Over 1.5 million souls died in the city from starvation, indiscriminate bombing and disease, the same number were evacuated many of whom were murdered while fleeing the city, the majority being women and children. During the siege Many artists shared all the hardships of the siege with the people. The poetess Olga Bergholz wrote poems and read them on the radio, becoming a friend for exhausted Leningraders, a consolation, confirmation that people “must hold on” Musical Comedy players continued to entertain though themselves on the verge of evacuation, Athletes held a legendary siege football match, all this so that the people of Leningrad, and most importantly, the bridging German forces who hoped to break the spirit of the people, would know that the city lived, resisted and hoped.

In the spring of 1942, a call was announced on the radio for all musicians in the city to come to the orchestra of the Radio Committee to prepare the premiere of Dmitri Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony conducted by Karl Eliasberg.

The conductor of the Eliasberg symphony, who had weakened so badly he had to been brought to the first rehearsals on a sled by his wife, pianist Nadezhda Bronnikova insisted on making the journey despite being near death from starvation, despite having nothing left but the love of their people and the music which sustained them.

Shostakovich dedicated his famous symphony, borne of the suffering he shared with his ordinary fellow citizens, to the “Fight against Fascism” legendary courage from an icon of the arts. Still loved by the people to this day.

▶️ War crimes alleged as two bodies found in shallow grave outside Mariupol

@johnnyjamesmiller reports from Donbass.

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No change in Donestk. ‘Peaceful’ life carries on in the centre while war rages around the outskirts. Huge explosions in Avdeevka direction last night but nothing unusual about that. No military or security on the streets here.