#Where's Yaroslav?

[immaculatasknight]

Overturning rocks

[randomfsnews]

In case you're wondering how things went at Glacier Falls here's Yaroslav Paniot's free skate costume

Very normal figure skating things clearly

[dontforgetukraine]

Illia Ponomarenko shows us one of the many gems Kyiv has to offer: The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (or the Kyiv Lavra of the Caves). It is considered the most significant and holiest of places in Eastern Slavic Orthodox Christianity. This is an example of what is at stake for Ukraine as Russia continues its efforts to eradicate Ukrainian history and identity.

So, about 1,000 years ago, Kyiv was living its golden age as the center of a large medieval kingdom of Rus under Prince Yaroslav the Wise—very possibly the greatest ruler of Kyiv ever. The official residence of the rulers of Kyiv Rus was located in the town of Berestove outside Kyiv (it's now where Kyiv's Park of Eternal Glory is). The Berestove priest Illarion sought comfort and solitude, so he dug a lonesome cave in the hills at the Dnipro riverside, where he could spend his time alone in prayers. That happened around 1051 A.D. That guy soon became the head of the Kyiv Church and left, but more hermits followed his suit and established their shelters in those caves. Over many years, they burrowed long mazes of catacombs and established churches and monastic cells. The monastery gradually became a grandiose Lavra, a magnificent center of religious and cultural life, the greatest in this corner of human civilization. As early as 1073 A.D., the Cathedral of the Dormition (or the 'Great Church') was established (and you can see the modern iteration of it, the magnificent white cathedral bearing images of the saints on its walls. Just like Kyiv, the Lavra was ruined and resurrected from ashes several times over its 1,000-year history. Mongolians seized and desolated Kyiv in 1240, and the Lavra was devastated so hard that it spent well over a century in empty ruins. Yet, it would always rise again in all of its glory. During WWII, the Great Church was blown up just as many other iconic locations of Kyiv, such as Kherschatyk Street (in my opinion, what happened was that the Soviets planted bombs at the Lavra upon their withdrawal from the city in 1941 and failed to detonate them on time; and Nazis took out the treasures of the Lavra and got rid of the Soviet bombs by blowing up the cathedral. Like many other significant treasures of Kyiv, the Great Church of the Lavra was resurrected by independent Ukraine by the 2000s. The Lavra is indeed a city within a city—I'm only showing you a tiny part of it that is popular with tourists. Unfortunately, the ancient monastery caves have been closed to visitors for over a year. Technically, the Lavra is a giant museum with many art exhibitions, collections of historical artifacts, and recreation zones for anyone. Right now, for instance, the Lavra Historical Museum exhibits ancient Scthyntian gold from Crimea that was recently returned to Ukraine. At the Lavra, you can easily find the resting places of many historical figures of the past, such as the one of Kostiantyn Ostrozky, the legendary ultra-rich magnate of the 15th and 16th centuries and the Lavra's lavish sponsor, or Petr Stolypin, the Russian imperial prime minister who was assassinated at the Kyiv Opera House in 1911. Of course, the Lavra is about the iconic Great Bell Tower, one of Kyiv's most legendary landmarks. The tower is 96 meters high and can be seen from around 30 kilometers away from the Lavra. It takes over 370 stairs to reach the tower's top -- but I'm telling you, it's 100% worth it as the Great Bell Tower shows you a truly stunning view of Kyiv, especially when the weather is fine. Fucking legend. For centuries, until recently, the Lavra was under complete control by the Russian Orthodox Church, which is fundamentally loyal to Russia. In 2023, amid the war against Russia, Kyiv authorities and the Zelensky administration tried (and failed) to terminate the Moscow clergy's legal presence at the Lavra in 2023. Currently, the Russian church and its monks remain in control of the so-called Lower Lavra. In the Upper Lavra, which has most of the iconic places and locations, the recently re-established Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the de-facto successor of the old original Christian church of the Kyiv Rus, now has its divine service again. Welcome to the beautiful ancient Kyiv.

[zvaigzdelasas]

The Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals, headed by Justice Jules Deschênes, completed an important report into its investigation on Holocaust war criminals living in Canada in 1986. It was accompanied by an assessment by scholar Alti Rodal, a document that Justice Deschênes said deserved “wide distribution.”

But it’s been 38 years, and we’re still waiting to read Ms. Rodal’s report as well as the full version of the Deschênes report itself. To this day, many Canadian Holocaust-related records and investigations are inaccessible[...]

The U.S. government provides researchers and the public various avenues of access to Holocaust records through its National Archives and the robust Freedom of Information Act, where scholars and others are empowered to access sensitive documents about Nazi war criminals who took refuge in the U.S. No such system exists in Canada, neither through Library and Archives Canada nor via the federal Access to Information Act.[...]

Most governments became aware of the hundreds, if not thousands, of potential war criminals living in their societies in the late 1970s and 80s, and Canada was no different. In response, Canada decided to conduct the Deschênes Commission, an internal two-year investigation tasked with finding out if and how Nazis found refuge in Canada. The final report, which was released publicly with extensive deletions, marked the premature end of investigations into hundreds of war criminals and called for the federal Justice and Immigration departments to take the lead on future prosecution.[...]

The post-Deschênes era has been a failure. The commission asked for 218 individuals to be investigated, and specifically targeted 20 “really bad guys,” as Ms. Rodal recently remarked. The 218 other cases were bad, too – they included gas chamber operators, policemen who shot thousands of Jews and murderers of Jewish children. The Canadian government has charged just four alleged Holocaust perpetrators over four decades, all of whom were acquitted. [...]

The fact that a soldier of the Third Reich was welcomed into the Canadian Parliament, and that there was such shock as to how this could happen, demonstrates how Canada has yet to confront its past relationship with Nazi war criminals in earnest. And perhaps the blanket denial of access to the nation’s own government records and investigations is an underlying cause. In response to the Yaroslav Hunka affair, the federal government has flirted with new disclosures. In October, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remarked, “There are top public servants looking very carefully into the issue, including digging into the archives. We’re going to make recommendations.” Months have passed – we are still waiting.

27 Jan 24

[theculturedmarxist]

If you were wondering where we're at in the discourse, it currently seems to be "actually some Nazis had good reasons for being Nazis, so, you know, maybe appreciate the nuance a bit 😌"

When the Second World War broke out, Ukraine was part of Soviet Russia. In his memoir post, Hunka describes the disappearance of friends and acquaintances to Siberia at the hands of the secret police.

Well, gee, I wonder why.

He recounts that Germany was reputed to be a highly civilised country; no one, he recalls, understood why so many Jews seemed to be fleeing this beacon of light.

You've got to be kidding me.

The world is often an ugly place, where sometimes there are no unambiguously good choices. The most measured way of understanding Hunka’s story would be in this light. And perhaps, whether national or international, contemporary political debates would also be less unhinged if we were willing to embrace this tragic dimension.

Guys you've got to understand that there is no such thing as good and evil okay just shades of gray alright look the workers' state that completely transformed an entire society and which was one of the most progressive forces on Earth at the time is just as bad as the fucking genocidal Nazi state alright and you're unhinged if you don't agree with me so maybe you could get off your high horse before you go judging a heroic war veteran that had to make some really really tough choices between the fucking Nazi regime that everyone knew exactly why the Jews were fucking fleeing it and the Soviet Union which instead of putting a bullet into the heads of people like Hunka like they should have fucking done sent them to labor camps because these two things are moral equivalents.

[emeraldskulblaka]

Hey! So I recently got a VK account, but I'm struggling to find my way around. Thanks to your masterposts I found the theatres' pages, but I don't know where to start looking for the actors. Could you please share the most important ones? Finrod, Leithian, Trial maybe ( Please ignore this if it's too much work )

Ngl, it was quite a lot of work 😅 I listed the actors' creative pages, not their personal ones, because that's the best way to keep up with their work and performances.

Agata Vavilova

Alexander Chernyshev

Alexander Kazmin

Alexander Khananin

Alexander Rychkov

Alexey Tolstokorov

Andrey Birin

Andrey Shkoldichenko

Anton Avdeev

Danila Polyakov

Danila Zhilyaev

Daria Burlyukalo

Daria Vorobyova

Daria Yanvarina

Edrian Bernada

Ekaterina Agafonova

Ekaterina Busygina

Elena Gazaeva

Elena Khanpira

Elena Minina

Emil Sales

Evdokia Malevskaya

Evgeny Gradusov

Evgeny Egorov

Fedor & Semyon Nemtsev

Galina Shimanskaya

Ilya Zhigarev

Iria

Irina Demidova

Irina Potekhina

Kirill Gordeev

Konstantin Baryshnikov

Konstantin Skripalev

Ksenia Spiridonova

Lora Moskovskaya

Maxim Rakovsky

Mikhail Sidorenko

Pavel Dorofeev

Pavel Plamenev

Pavel Stukalov

Roman Susalev

Rostislav Kolpakov

Ruslan Gerasimenko

Selected Dreik

Seraphim

Sergey Smolin

Sofiko Kardava

Sviatoslav Besedin

Taria Baturina

Tatyana Shaikova

Vilena Sokolova

Yaroslav Bayarunas

I hope I've got everyone, or at least most of those you're interested in. I'm not responsible for the contents of the pages I linked and do not endorse their opinions and actions, naturally.

[silent-calling]

And now time for: Echoes of History, first installment.

So I saw this tweet earlier,

- and thought "huh, that seems odd anyone might celebrate a Nazi." so, I did a little bit of digging, and found the Politico article to read for myself what the hubbub was about.

Now, I'm on principal skeptical of headlines, so I read through it, and the article details the ovation was for one Yaroslav Hunka, a 98 year old WWII veteran from modern day western Ukraine. He was heralded as a hero, not just to Ukraine, but to Canada as well, having been cited as a freedom fighter against Soviet rule.

However, at least one Jewish advocacy group took issue with this, because this man was a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier division in the Shutztaffel, 1st Galician unit (Wikipedia article, well sourced) - meaning, this man served in the Nazi party's paramilitary forces, along with a collection of men from Galicia, which can be seen below.

Pretty shocking, huh? How could we possibly honor a man who obliged to such a heinous group as the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, commonly known as the Nazis?

Well, the answer might surprise you, if you're not familiar with the history of the region.

See, Nazi Germany marched through Poland in 1939, same years as the Soviets. But what happened prior to these invasions is arguably as heinous or moreso - the Holodomor, or "terror famines," of Ukraine. Ukraine was subsumed by the USSR, and in the aftermath the farmers of fertile Ukraine would be forced to surrender nearly all their yield to the Party for redistribution, which led to the starvation of between 3.5 and 7 million Ukrainians and some of the worst famines across Europe. Those who didn't starve were often rounded up, executed or imprisoned, and their land redistributed to the comrades of the Party.

Needless to say, Ukraine and her neighbor Poland were in dire straits.

Well, here's the thing about this scenario: the terrors of the Soviet Union were largely hidden from the outside world, and would remain such until the 1960s, when we got a peek into the Iron Curtain to see what Stalin's Party was doing. And what we would learn years later was the depths of depravity the USSR had went to in order to bring forth the great revolution.

Many Ukrainians and Polish saw the Soviets are, believe it or not, worse than Nazis, because of the simple fact that the Soviets were much less discerning on who they killed and how - any opposition, no matter how small, against the Party would be a death sentence. So, they got desperate, and some would opt to side with the devil they don't know, who wasn't actively genociding them, over the devil they did. This is where the 14th Waffen Grenadier comes in.

See this unit would become disbanded and reformed before the conclusion of World War II, being renamed toward the end as the First Division, Ukrainian National Army. Further, during its formation, one of the three major concessions made by the Germans at the request of the Ukrainian-majority unit Was they would not be sent westward, but would remain in the east to fight "Bolsheviks" - the old name of the Communist Party. (citation here)

Essentially, the unit was stood up as a sort of freedom fighter against Soviet oppression.

They would then surrender to the allied forces in 1945 at the end of the war in Europe.

And that is how a man who fought under the banner of the Shutztaffel could possibly be heralded as a hero to Ukraine - because he essentially joined a group of Ukrainian men in using Nazi equipment to fight Soviet oppression.

[bumblesimagines]

Under The Moonlight

Part 11

Request: Yes or No

~~~

Novgorod was what he expected and more. A fairly sized city protected by tall stone walls. Surrounding the exterior of the city sat ships on sleds, collecting snow as they waited to be used. (Y/N) noticed the tall buildings peeking out from beyond the walls with domes resting on top. Such an odd shape for a roof. Within the city were many merchants and traders, calling out offers and the services they provided.

(Y/N) stopped briefly, watching two men ride past him on a sled pulled by a bulky horse. Harald chuckled and patted his back before approaching one of the sellers and offering his silver ring in return for three bowls of broth. (Y/N) took the small wooden bowl into his hands and brought it to his face, letting the steam warm his face before he drank and chewed on the chunks of meat floating in the broth. 

"What are they doing?" Leif asked and (Y/N) turned to look at him, following his line of sight toward two men in front of an old wooden building. One of the men sat on the snowy ground, slumped over and looking half-dead. The other man stumbled about before leaning back against the building and sliding down to the ground, head limply going from side to side. 

"Opium," Harald answered, pitifully looking at the men and shaking his head. "They say its smoke enters your body and steals your soul." 

"Why would they do it?"

"To escape this Earth. To talk to the dead." Harald shrugged lightly, finishing his broth and using his sleeve to wipe the snow and remains off his lips. (Y/N) hummed lightly, drinking the last of his broth and turning around at the sound of loud cheering coming from a large perched tent behind them. Harald grinned widely and nodded toward it, eagerly walking forward. The brothers followed him inside and (Y/N) took note of the multiple shirtless sweaty men of varying ages hanging about. Many with bruises. Wooden beams for lanterns and seating areas had been built within the tent. Toward the back of the tent, perched on a wooden stage of sorts, sat a middle-aged man drinking from his goblet. In the middle was an open area where two men connected at the wrist by rope swung at each other, blood dripping down their skin and bruises littering their bodies. Some men walked around the seating areas with bowls, taking coins from the spectators. 

"That's him," Harald whispered to them, motioning to the middle-aged man (Y/N) had noticed minutes prior. Harald walked along the sidelines as the fight ended with one of the men roaring in victory. Before Harald could get to his uncle, two guards stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Frowning at them, Harald scoffed. "Let me by. I'm Prince Harald Sigurdsson. I'm here to see my uncle!" The guards refused to budge, even shoving Harald back when he got too close. 

A gong sounded off and (Y/N) looked back at the middle, noticing two new shirtless men fighting each other. Suddenly, Harald handed Leif his sword and rushed forward, kicking the man holding the other down. The second man scrambled to his feet and stood up, only for Harald to whirl around and punch him. Turning to face his surprised uncle, Harald spoke despite being swarmed by guards, "What this fight needs is a Viking named Prince Harald Sigurdsson of Norway, great-grandson of Harald Finehair and blood relative of the esteemed Yaroslav the Wise!"

"Stop!" Yaroslav ordered, standing from his seat. He stopped and squinted down at Harald, hooking his fingers into the belt around his waist and raising a brow. "Harald?"

Shoving away the guards, Harald panted and greeted him. "Uncle."

"Look at you... What has brought you to Novgorod?" Yaroslav questioned curiously, eyeing the worn clothes on his body. Harald looked far from princely with his long snow-covered beard and messy hair. Unlike his nephew, Yaroslav appeared well-put together. He wore black clothes with gold designs embroidered on them. He had short curly black hair that swooped delicately over his forehead and a neatly trimmed beard. From everything Harald had told them, Yaroslav was a reasonable and hospitable man.

"It's a long story, Uncle. One told better over food and drink." Harald responded and a large smirk spread across Yaroslav's face.

Everything afterward passed by in a blur. They were taken to the finest inn in the city and given rooms where they bathed and changed into fresh clothes before being taken to a brightly lit room. Many colors covered the walls and the fabrics the people wore were eye-catching. (Y/N) supposed when one lived in a barren land, it was only natural to want to stand out. They sat at a long table with other guests, though Harald sat near his uncle. They were served a lot of food and given wine to drink. Harald spoke with his uncle and another man while Leif listened in on their conversation and (Y/N) occupied himself with the food.

"Greenlanders!" Yaroslav called out to them and (Y/N) paused mid-chew, turning his head toward the ruler. Yarslav grinned at them. (Y/N) wondered if everyone related to Harald was so friendly. "They have language at the edge of the world, don't they?"

"Last time I was there," Leif responded as chatter at the table ceased and eyes turned to look at them curiously. (Y/N) swallowed down his food and licked his lips, glancing at Harald. The prince smiled at him encouragingly.

"And tell us, what is it like to live so removed from civilization?" 

"Greenland is quiet," Leif answered again and shrugged lightly. Yaroslav stared at him, slowly nodding as his gaze flickered between the brothers and then to Harald. Not a good enough reply to quench the ruler's curiosity. 

"Quiet, and...?"

"Gives you time to think about things. At night, we would watch the norðurljós. Colors of all the heavens would light up the sky." Leif smiled, looking across the table at his brother, gaze turning fond as he spoke. The woman beside Leif watched him with a warm smile. "We heard stories when we were younger that they were the reflections of the Valkyries' armor. (Y/N)'s mother had a different story, though. When the moon is low, and the sea is sleeping, you can hear the songr of the hvlar swimming at the bottom of the ocean. And then, all at once, they explode from the darkness. Mouths open wide enough to swallow ships." (Y/N) smiled. He could still remember when his mother sat them outside to watch the dancing lights in the sky while she told them the story.

"I hated Greenland when I lived there," Leif confessed with a grimace, gaze falling onto the table. "Now I miss it. I miss the people I knew there." 

"I understand that," Yaroslav said with a hint of longing in his voice. Reaching for his cup, he lifted it in the air and smiled widely. "Welcome to Novgorod, where, unfortunately, quiet does not exist." Laughter scattered across the table and the guests raised their cups in turn. (Y/N) sipped on his wine and returned to his food, finishing his plate, and then hearing Yaroslav raise his voice at Harald.

"I cannot risk upsetting him or his crazy father just so that you can fight for something you never had!" He shouted and Harald looked away from him with a frown, leaning back in his seat as silence fell over the table again. Never taking his green eyes off Harald, Yaroslav continued more calmly. "As I see it, beloved nephew, you have two options: return to Kattegat and swear fealty to Olaf-"

"No."

"-Or do what Vikings have always done. Reivent yourself." His words made Harald's brows furrow but an interest blossomed in his eyes. 

Once Yaroslav finished eating, the dinner was considered finally over and most quests excused themselves to their lodgings. (Y/N) bid his brother goodnight and headed to his own lodgings, looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed that wouldn't make his muscles ache. Pushing open the door and stepping inside, he couldn't bring himself to be surprised when he noticed Harald sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms on his knees. With his gaze on the floor, (Y/N) couldn't get a clear view of his face. (Y/N) closed the door and stepped further into the room, slipping his dagger off his waist and setting it down on a chair before walking closer to Harald. He gently began running his fingers through Harald's soft locks, feeling Harald nuzzle against him and sigh heavily.

"My uncle is well within his rights to refuse me in favor of Canute. He claims the southern river trade route is blocked by a group of brutal nomadics called Pechenegs. Trade is what keeps Novgorod flourishing. He cannot risk going to war with Canute and losing his northern trade." Harald explained quietly, arms slowly slithering around (Y/N). 

"What will you do then? Reinvent yourself?" 

"Yes." Harald tilted his head upward, pressing his chin against (Y/N)'s stomach. Chuckling when (Y/N) gave him a puzzled look, he explained. "I cannot keep expecting others to help me. I need to work for it. I just need to find something that will sell for a good price."

"And what will you do then?"

"I will gather an army and take Norway," Harald answered confidently and (Y/N) hummed softly, tucking a brown strand behind Harald's ear. Harald smiled lovingly, leaning into (Y/N)'s hand and pressing a fluttery kiss to his wrist. (Y/N) shifted slightly, pressing the front of his feet to his ankles and carefully slipping out of his boots. 

"I hope you have a proper plan this time, Harald. We do not need a repeat of Kattegat." (Y/N) murmured, shedding the first layer of clothes and stepping around the bed. Laying down, he moved under the many warm blankets and snuggled into the pillow, watching Harald take his boots off and get comfortable. 

"I know, my love." Harald reached out and tugged him closer, rubbing his hands against the fabric of (Y/N)'s tunic. 

"Harald, we should talk about what I said back in-"

"We've had a long day, love," Harald interrupted quietly, kissing his forehead and pulling him further against his chest. Resting his chin on top of his head, Harald stared forward at the dim lantern keeping the room lit as his mind desperately tried to scrub away the words that made his heart ache. He'd found a love that made him stronger. He couldn't lose that. Not after the betrayals from Canute and his own brother. "Get some rest."

                    ➸        ➸       ➸       ➸       ➸       ➸

Stepping out into the cold, (Y/N) felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. For a split second, he could see the icy ocean in the distance and hear the roaring wind slipping between the sparse trees near their home. But those visions were replaced by bustling crowds and the sound of chatter. With a sigh, (Y/N) headed down a staircase, easily finding Harald amongst the crowd. He spoke with a man selling all sorts of furs. (Y/N)'s brows furrowed at the sight. 

"Sleep well?" His brother asked as he approached, voice gruff and slightly shakey. His head turned back in the direction of the old building where opium was given, gaze lingering on it for far longer than (Y/N)'s liking. Taking Leif's arm gently, he pulled Leif's attention off the building and onto him but Leif averted his eyes upon seeing the frown on (Y/N)'s face.

"Leif-"

"What is Harald up to?" Leif cleared his throat, tugging his arm free and quickening his pace to greet the prince. (Y/N)'s frown only deepened and he followed after him, eyeing the furs bundled up and scattered across the tables. Harald grinned widely when he spotted them, stepping away from the seller and extending his arms to either side of him.

"I have a new plan!" He declared, slinging his arms around their shoulders and bringing them closer to the tables. "I must fund my own army since Yaroslav will not back one for me. I intend to buy as many furs as possible here and sell them in Constantinople."

"And how do you plan to get there?" Leif questioned, looking at his brother and quirking a brow in question. (Y/N) only shrugged in response.

"I will worry about that detail tomorrow, my friend." Harald chuckled rather sheepishly, tightening his hold on the brothers again and dragging them away from the table and toward the large fighting ring tent. (Y/N) grimaced, hearing an eruption of cheers slip out from the tent. "Today, we must make money doing what we're good at." 

Just like the prior day, the tent had been packed with both spectators and fighters. The fighters all dressed similarly. They wore no armor and carried no weapons. The only article of clothing on them were loose pants, leaving the rest of their body exposed to their opponents. A quick way of painting one's body in purple and green. The next fighter had been the victorious one from the day before. He was a tall dark-skinned man with short dark hair braided back tightly against his skull. When he turned slightly under the lantern light, (Y/N) spotted the scars littering his body. He carried an air of confidence, searching the crowd for any fighter bold enough to step up to the challenge as another man, his partner most likely, stepped forward.

"Who wants to bet against Kaysan, the great African warrior?" His partner called out, cackling when no one stepped forward. Shorter than Kaysan and less muscled, the man had fair skin and big brown eyes filled with arrogance. His hair had been cut short and trimmed even shorter on the sides. He seemed particularly proud of Kaysan, exchanging smirks with him when the other fighters looked away. "No one wants to bet against Kaysan?"

When no fighters stepped up, the man looked toward one of his own, motioning for him to step forward. "Maybe some of you will bet against Kaysan now!"

"I'll bet against both of them!" (Y/N) blinked, head snapping in Harald's direction. The prince stepped forward, turning sideways to point back at Leif. (Y/N) scoffed softly. "Two against two."

"Harald," Leif called quietly, lightly shaking his head and glancing around as the crowd grew louder and tossed their coins into the bowls the collectors carried. 

"Come on," Harald breathed, walking toward them and clapping his hands over Leif's arms. "We need the money."

"You need the money." Leif chided and frowned. 

"We're not gonna fight for the entertainment of these people, Harald." (Y/N) told him, gaze hardening. Harald looked at him, taking in the disappointment on his face. Pursing his lips, Harald nodded and sighed, looking back toward the three men. 

"I have a better idea!" Harald called and approached Kaysan's partner, smirking at him. "If this man accepts my bet of 100 hryvnya, I'll fight against both of his fighters." Harald looked back at the brothers, meeting (Y/N)'s eyes. His lover shook his head at him but Harald ignored it, giving him a small smile instead and looking back at the man. Kaysan chuckled softly under his breath as Harald and his partner shook hands. Harald walked off to get dressed and Kaysan powdered his hands, rubbing them together and walking by the two brothers. 

"Don't worry," He smirked lazily. "I'll try not to kill your brother."

"I can't promise he'll return the favor," Leif murmured and Kaysan chuckled before strolling back toward the center. (Y/N) folded his arms over his chest, feeling every muscle in his body tense. The crowd shouted Kaysan's name and poured more coin into the bowls. If Kaysan had so many fans, it meant he fought pretty often. And won. Harald's carelessness would get him killed, (Y/N) just knew it would.

Harald returned and powdered his hands, looking at the brothers with a confident smile. When the gong sounded off, he reared up his fists and charged first, punching the second fighter in his stomach and then connecting his fist to Kaysan's jaw. Kaysan stumbled back from the hit and Harald turned, swinging at the second fighter who blocked most of his hits. Grabbing the man by the arms, Harald turned and threw him to the ground, causing Kaysan to trip over him. Taking advantage of the moment, Harald kicked Kaysan in the face and stepped back, waiting for the men to get back onto their feet. 

Kaysan stood first, snarling as he swung at Harald. Harald dodged and blocked, landing a hit on Kaysan's side before pressing his forearm to Kaysan's chest and pushing him back against a support beam. Kaysan swung at Harald's stomach and Harald grunted, baring his teeth and punching Kaysan's cheek. He turned in time to see the other fighter close to him and ducked before the punch could land. Harald grabbed the man's leg and tossed himself onto the ground, rolling over and forcing the man to fall back. As he moved to stand, Kaysan charged, kneeing him in the stomach. Harald fell back, grunting softly and quickly moving onto his hands and knees. Kaysan grabbed his long hair and pulled him up onto his feet, grasping the sides of Harald's face and bringing his head down while also bringing his own knee up. (Y/N) grimaced when Kaysan's knee connected to Harald's face. 

Breaking free of Kaysan's grip, Harald dodged the punches thrown by both fighters and caught Kaysan's forearm, tossing his leg up and nearly hitting Kaysan in the groin. He punched Kaysan's face again but before he could turn, the other fighter, wrapped his arms around his waist and heaved him up, tossing him down on the ground. The weight of Harald forced the fighter to fall as well and the two men took big gulps of air as they recovered from the fall. Once orientated again, Harald moved forward and got on top of the fighter but the fighter quickly rolled over, shoving Harald off of him and right next to Kaysan. Harald tried scrambling back but Kaysan loomed over him, large hands reaching for Harald's throat. (Y/N) wrapped his fingers around his necklace and winced, almost looking away when Harald was picked up by the throat and tossed back down on the ground. With that, the gong rang again, signaling the first round was over. Leif reached back, taking the cup of water someone offered him for Harald.

Harald staggered onto his feet, drenched in sweat. His hair stuck to his face and trickled down from his lips. Harald walked toward the brothers, panting heavily and chuckling breathlessly. "See what you're missing?" Harald laughed, taking the cup and drinking.

"You're gonna get yourself killed." (Y/N) muttered, running his thumb back and forth over the bones and listening to the hollers from the crowd. He didn't miss the way one spectator shouted for Harald's death.

Tugging at his own necklace, Harald's grin widened. "I've got my lucky charm." He reminded him, chugging back more of the water and cringing at the taste of metallic. Leif eyed the other two fighters as they drank and gathered themselves again.

"Watch the left of the big one. He's slow to defend." Leif quietly told him and Harald hummed, handing back the cup and taking in a big gulp of air before turning around and walking back toward the center. 

Once the gong sounded off, Kaysan attacked first and Harald dodged his first punch, only for Kaysan to throw another punch at him with his other arm and hit the side of his face. Harald notably staggered more, the exhaustion of the first match beginning to take hold. Luckily, Harald recovered quickly and dodged the next punch, rearing up and repeatedly punching Kaysan in the face before shoving him back to have some space when he backhanded the other fighter. He turned back to Kaysan and attempted to throw another punch but Kaysan blocked it and shot his arm forward, grabbing Harald by the throat again and sneering down at him. The other fighter came up behind Harald, repeating his move of wrapping his arms around him and tossing him to the ground, only this time he landed on Harald. With the man on his back, Harald elbowed his side only to get kicked down by Kaysan. The other fighter moved fully onto Harald's back and slipped his arm around Harald's neck, forcing his face up for Kaysan to kick. But Harald used his weight to push back against the fighter on him, rolling over and causing Kaysan to miss. Before he could land some hits on the smaller fighter, Kaysan kicked his side again, hitting him hard enough to force him away and onto his back. 

As Kaysan approached, Harald threw a punch at his groin and Kaysan instantly leaned over in pain, giving Harald a clear opportunity to punch his square on the nose. Kaysan fell back from the force and Harald rolled onto his belly but before he could get up the other fighter crawled toward him and grabbed his ankle. Harald easily kicked his face and got up, letting the two men gather themselves and stand. The other fighter moved first, stumbling forward with a bleeding nose. Harald wrapped his arm around the man and used it to hold himself up and kick Kaysan in the stomach with both feet. With his arms still around the fighter, he used his weight to turn and slam the man onto the ground. Getting on top of him, Harald punched him again and again until there was a sickening crack and Harald got off the heaving man. 

With his fighters losing, Kaysan's partner looked at his last fighter and motioned for him to get into the fight. (Y/N) glanced toward the man at the gong but he remained still, even as the new fighter grabbed Harald from behind and tossed him toward a support beam. With the fight turning into three vs one, Leif shed his coat as Kaysan got on top of Harald. Harald raised his arms up to block Kaysan's repetitive punches while the new fighter checked on the other man.

"Fuck!" (Y/N) hissed when Leif charged, tackling Kaysan off bloody and bruised Harald. He got a punch in before standing to face the third fighter and grabbing his arms. Leif shoved him back against a support beam, taking the side of his face and slamming it against the beam again. When the man fell to the floor, Leif wrapped his arms around his neck and rolled onto the floor so the man was on top of him. Wrapping his legs around the man's body, he squeezed his forearm around the man's neck, and then seemingly out of instinct, he snapped it. Kaysan and his partner quickly fled the tent, whether out of fear or not wanting to pay, (Y/N) couldn't tell nor force himself to care. Harald scrambled onto his feet and pulled Leif up.

"We won, Leif!" Harald laughed, holding Leif by the shoulders and lightly shaking him. Leif panted, breath going in and out in short bursts. His widened eyes stared down at the dead man at his feet and (Y/N) picked up Leif's coats, approaching them and handing them off. Leif slipped them on and quickly walked away, looking disoriented and panicked.

"(Y/N)-" Harald began, reaching out toward him but (Y/N) ripped his arm away when Harald's fingers grazed it. One would've thought Harald had burned him. Harald's throat tightened when (Y/N) didn't even look back at him as he walked away from him and exited the tent.

(Y/N) caught up to his brother, his heart cracking when Leif flinched. "Come, Leif." (Y/N) whispered, rubbing his hands against Leif's arms and guiding him back toward the inn. Leif's breathing slowly returned to normal but his gaze remained distant. Guilt clouded his eyes. (Y/N) headed toward Leif's room, opening the door and closing it behind them. 

"I... I killed a man." Leif breathed out, slumping down on his bed and burying his face in his hands.

"You saved Harald's life." (Y/N) pointed out softly, taking a seat beside his brother and rubbing circles along his back. But they both knew it hadn't been the act itself that had shaken Leif. It'd been the way he lost control of himself, just like their father did. For a man who spent most of his adulthood hoping to prove he wasn't like his father, flipping the switch so easily meant everything he worked toward was a mere mask. It meant a day would come when he'd fully lose himself to blind rage and bloodlust. 

Inhaling deeply, Leif pulled his hands away from his face and (Y/N) noticed the unshed tears in his eyes. "I did not need to kill him... it-it just happened so quickly-"

"I know, Leif." (Y/N) cooed, wrapping his arms around Leif's shoulders and pulling him close. Placing a hand on the side of Leif's face, (Y/N) kissed the top of his head and murmured soft comforts into his ear. He sat still on the bed, allowing his brother to weep for as long as he wanted. For months, Leif had been swallowing his grief and letting it eat him up inside. (Y/N) waited until Leif grew tired before letting him have a moment alone. 

Stepping out of Leif's room and heading toward his own, (Y/N) heard the distant clap of thunder. When he entered his room, he spotted Harald sitting on one of the chairs and tending to the countless bruises and cuts on his body. Harald gently dabbed at his skin with a piece of wet cloth, wiping away the dust and blood on his body. (Y/N) stared at him. No part of him wanted to help Harald with his injuries. 

"A friend of my uncle's has given us two thousand hryvnya to get him to Constantinople. I've already bought the furs. All we must do now is-"

"Leif killed a man for you... and you're talking about furs?" (Y/N) remained rooted in his spot by the door, watching Harald pause his movements and look up at him. Harald swallowed, squeezing blood and water from the cloth before setting it on the table and standing up. 

"I understand you're upset-"

"Upset? I'm exhausted, Harald. I've been away from home for almost a year, I've been forced into two wars, and my brother isn't well. You... You are so..." (Y/N) pressed his quivering lips together, tearing his eyes away from Harald and shakily exhaling. The disappointment and sadness washed away, becoming muddled with anger and exhaustion. A small chuckle escaped him. "You and your brother are the same, Harald. All you desire is power. You've spent your whole life wanting a throne that was never yours."

Clenching his jaw, Harald spoke, "My great-grandfather was Harald Finehair. My family has sat on the throne for many years. Olaf promised the throne would pass to me and it has been given to a boy instead. The throne belongs to my family, (Y/N). It does not belong to the son of an oathbreaker."

"It belongs to your family, yes. But not you. You were born too late. You never had a claim to it." (Y/N)'s tone turned icy and filled with irritation, teeth grinding together as his eyes shot back to look Harald in the face. The prince stared at him, disbelief settling on his face. "The throne would've been yours long ago if you had a proper claim."

"Not true."

"You think all this has happened for no reason? Canute's betrayal? Olaf's betrayal? Why else would the Gods stop you from sitting the throne? You were never meant to be king, Harald!" (Y/N) snapped abruptly and Harald flinched slightly, lips parting. His eyes flickered between (Y/N), his hands growing clammy and his throat tightened. Harald shook his head repetitively, collecting his shirt and coats. His gaze remained downcast when he walked forward, arm brushing against (Y/N)'s as he walked past him. The door slammed loudly behind him, nearly rattling the walls. (Y/N) felt himself deflate, staggering forward toward his bed and collapsing onto it. Curling into himself, he stared at the fireplace, listening to the fire crackle and the thunder grow closer. Pain and guilt flooded his veins like a wave. But he couldn't deny the trickle of relief.

[the-ghost-bird]

OC's from The Taste Of Our Blood:

Yaroslav Volkov: First of the family to become a mercenary. Born and raised in the US. Russian father, australian mother. Looks mostly like his mother, though he has his father's eyes. Learned russian, sambo, and wrestling with his father. He entered the military hoping to find brotherhood and a sense of belonging but instead found the darker side of himself. Was subjected to experimentation, which left him with nothing but emotional scars. After leaving the military, he got into the mercenary business, where he became known as one of the best. After a couple of years, he sought out an old lover, Margot, and found out she had been hiding a child from him.

Margot Hawthorne: Dealt with depressive psychosis from a young age but managed to survive long enough to get into Law school. Dreamt of being a judge. She had an on and off relationship with Yaroslav for many years. One day, he confesses that he entered the merc business and, thinking about her own safety, Margot dumped him. Despite loving Yaroslav, she promised herself that she would never let her emotions make her act irrationally, and that promise led her to ending what they had. Months later, she finds out she's pregnant and moves across the country to restart her life. Loving mother, too soft for her own good. Years later, Yaroslav finds her and their daughter, Lyra. He becomes enraged when he realizes she had been hiding his child, and after a huge fight, Yaroslav took Lyra from Margot and disappeared. Margot, who already had a history of mental illness, became severely affected by this. She slowly became and alcoholic, and after 5 years of her daughter's disappearance, she commits suicide in a drunken haze.

Lyra aka Dima Volkov: Born Lyra Hawthorne, her name was changed after her father took possession of her at age 8. Looks too much like her father, more than she's comfortable with. After taking her away from her mother, Yaroslav brought her to Russia and raised her for a couple of years in an isolated cabin, leaving only for jobs. Lyra/Dima has a love-hate relationship with her father. Despite kidnapping her, he was a good father. He listened to her, knew how to discipline her properly, taught her how to fight, hunt, cook, shoot, etc. But Lyra also knew that her father was manipulative and much of his love was a way of making sure she'd stay with him even after she grows into an independent adult. Lyra cant bring herself to care; her mother is a foggy memory and her father was all she had for years. Yaroslav raises Lyra for the merc business. She becomes a skilled fighter and assassin and accompanies her father during jobs until she turns 25 and "leaves" after a fight.

Ezra Albiar: A couple years older than Lyra. Started working as a kill for hire at a young age. Had the talent but not the training, not until he came across Yaroslav. When he met him, Yaroslav had just fought Lyra, and impulsively took Ezra under his wing as an apprentice. When Lyra finds out her father took someone in to train, she becomes enraged. Takes a couple years for her to accept Ezra, and when she finally does, it doesn't take long for her to fall in love with him.

Dahak Volkov: Lyra and Ezra's daughter. She was unlucky enough to inherit some of grandma Margot's mental illness. Would be diagnosed with high functioning sociopathy and psychosis if she ever went to a psychiatrist. Spoiler alert: She doesn't. The psychosis is minor, it's not severe enough to need medication but it definitely flares up every once in a while with stress. Just as ruthless as her mother and as talented as her father, but enjoys killing more than both of them combined. Don't ever let her get close to you with a knife.

[mariacallous]

A Russian missile strike on Lviv, in western Ukraine, left Yaroslav Bazylevych the sole survivor of his family this week. His wife and three daughters were killed, victims of a war where, in the words of Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, "Russian planes are better protected by Western guarantees than Ukrainian civilians."

Yaroslav, his wife, Yevheniya, and three daughters – Emilia, Daryna and Yaryna – all lived in Lviv, a city near Ukraine’s border with Poland which has long been considered a safer haven within Ukrainian territory. Until recently, it has experienced limited Russian attacks. This recent bombardment came after devastating missile strikes on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, which claimed the lives of over 50 people, making it one of Russia’s deadliest attacks on Ukraine to date.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is intensifying, and yet still the Western posture seems to be utterly stuck in a rut. Ukraine complains – rightly – that Western weapons deliveries are simply not enough, that they take too long to arrive and that too many restrictions are placed upon their use. This has become a particular point of focus as Western partners – principally the Biden administration – insist on a blurred policy when it comes to using American-made weapons to strike military targets within Russia.

Nuclear sabre-rattling

Although the White House lifted its blanket ban on targeting assets in Russia earlier this year, they continue to dole out a whole range of excuses as to why certain weapons systems must not or should not be used. Usually, “unnamed officials” at the State Department reference the risk of nuclear escalation or claim that the use of longer-range weapons hitting inside Russia won’t change the strategic outlook of the war because the targets aren’t worth hitting.

If the war has shown us anything, it’s that Putin’s nuclear sabre-rattling is just that. But the idea that Ukraine can’t change the strategic outlook is simply for the birds. A recent study from the US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War, argues that there are around 250 military objects – airfields, military bases, communications stations and logistics hubs – within range of Army Tactical Missile Systems, a tactical ballistic missile built by Lockheed Martin and supplied by the US.

Ben Hodges, a former commander of American forces in Europe, told The Economist that the “constant excuse-making is both misleading and inaccurate. There is no moral or legal reason for not going after these targets.” He was even more blunt when he took to X/Twitter after the Russian bombing of a housing block in Kharkiv when he said: “US policy is protecting Russia’s ability to do this.”

Biden says no

Another example would be the UK and French-supplied Storm Shadow/Scalp cruise missiles. Ukraine wants to use these to target legitimate Russian assets but because they contain American components, the US gets an effective veto.

The supply of Storm shadow missiles – albeit limited – is not insignificant. They have a long range and can, for example, penetrate hardened aircraft hangers. They would present a headache for Russian military planners, who have already moved significant assets further away from the Ukrainian border. But Joe Biden says no. With his pushback, Russian bombers sleep a little more soundly.

In recent days, Ukrainian officials have travelled to Washington in the hope of securing a readjustment to the current policy of ‘yes but, no but’. It’s understood Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also raise the issue directly with Biden when the pair meet at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.

Prolonging the war

A change is indeed needed if Ukraine is to win, and this war is to come to an end. How can it possibly be that we – politicians and citizens of the West – allow Russian bombers to be better protected than Yaroslav’s wife and three children? Ukraine must be allowed to strike back if they are to protect their sovereignty, which is entirely the point of article 51 of the UN Charter.

What we are witnessing in Washington is the slow boiling of a frog. Biden’s stubbornness, and his inability to see the bigger strategic picture, will prolong the war, deteriorate European security even further and only encourage Russia to push the envelope as they seek to create a new wave of Ukrainian refugees in Europe.

John Foreman, the former British Defence Attaché in Moscow, put it rather well to me earlier this week when he said: “The US strategy is the inverse of Roosevelt's. Biden speaks loudly but carries a small stick.”

China is watching

As the war against Ukraine has slowly slipped down the headlines and the political agenda, it is worth pausing to remind ourselves that Ukraine isn’t only fighting for their existence and freedom, but also for ours. They fight to defend the international system that has given Europe the longest period of relative peace in its history. When we say we will stand with Ukraine, we shouldn’t do it whilst chaining one hand behind their back.

All of this, of course, is being noted in China – which is, it’s worth remembering, a party to Russia’s war against Ukraine – where President Xi Jinping will be licking his lips as he weighs up any future moves on the free people of Taiwan.

The limits of the liberal international order are being assaulted, violated and probed every day and across every continent. War, climate change, economic uncertainty and technological advancements are all contributing to what former Prime Minister Tony Blair described this week as an “anxious zeitgeist” that characterises today’s mood.

This period of messy transition requires clear-eyed leadership and the boldness to defend what’s right. Ukraine knows better than anyone else how to win this war and secure their freedoms and ours. We must give them it.

[renegade-hierophant]

Ukrainian features in Old Church Slavonic texts

Already in the 11th century when Old Church Slavonic became the official written language in Kyivan Rus, after ton of books were brought in from the collapsed First Bulgarian Empire after Rus warriors conquered Preslav in 971, and 60 years later under Yaroslav the Wise began copying them and composing new texts, features of the vernacular entered the texts here and there when the scribes failed to write them in the Bulgarian spelling. So for example in the Izbornik of Svyatoslav of 1073 we have the following words:

жития instead of житие чоловика instead of человѣка уставивъ instead of уставилъ помогає instead of помогаетъ Володимиръ instead of Владимиръ Дмитрови instead of Димитрию попови Ивану instead of попу Ивану

The theory is that there never was a common East Slavic language, but rather from the very beginning there were dialects that evolved directly from Proto-Slavic to modern Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Muscovite Russian without an intermediary dialect common to all of them.

The idea of a common East Slavic or Old Russian language is, as most things in East Slavic linguistics are, the product of Russian imperialist agenda to claim all of former Kyivan Rus under their dominion.

"One language to rule them all, in the land of Russia where the shadows lie."

[maxverstepponme]

Hi Steppy, hope you're doing okay, just wanted to go on a little rant.

I know Kellys been shameless in using GP's for ads and things before, but she really is milking each and every part of this GP.

First off the Patbo lunch that she 'co-hosted' and made 2 posts about.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6cbTCURF35/?img_index=1

Then the dinner for silviatcherassi (which we have since learnt had to beg for an invite)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6kCzimgqsv/?img_index=7

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6lvM7kADm_/?img_index=7

Then another dinner for the brand brunellocucinelli, which the other wags attended.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6lGLu0tUAO/?img_index=1

And then the APM Monaco ad, with her awful voice over cause she keeps moving the mic so the sound is funny

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6hcVuOx5od/

An insta post to promote Charlotte Tilbury I think, I'm not sure as Kelly very rarely discloses ads (which is actually now illegally lol)

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6j_j0ARJFs/?img_index=1

But it reached another level yesterday at the actual track, I didn't like that they used the wags to promote the F1 academy but at least Rebecca and Alex actually made a video about the F1 academy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6jaJP3tGLv/

Kelly just used it to suck up to Charlotte Tilbury

https://www.instagram.com/stories/kellypiquet/3361427712542898438/

https://www.instagram.com/stories/kellypiquet/3361429953492349857/

So Kelly can use the aesthetic of being a female racing driving when it's for vogue but actually making a post promoting the F1 Academy is too hard

And material good are using the wags this weekend to promote their stuff cause they've also used Carmen

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6mBi2YtvE4/?img_index=1

But at least Carmen is using the Hard Rock stadium as her backdrop and not the track. Kelly reached a new low even for her, hiring a photographer to come and film her all around the track, just reeks of desperation and attention seeking.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6khTybs7nS/?img_index=1

https://www.instagram.com/stories/kellypiquet/3360980341651155817/

Here's her walking round with her photographer and he basically followed her round all day taking photos and videos.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6kIypxPTBv/?img_index=4

https://www.instagram.com/stories/kellypiquetupdates/3360830542495854954/

She then promoted both the jewellery and a clothes brand via an ig post

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6l2ZYArlvi/?img_index=1

And today she walked in without Max thinking she was the star attraction, like didn't even walk next to her friend Martha

https://www.alamy.com/miami-gardens-fl-usa-5th-may-2024-kelly-piquet-race-day-f1-miami-gp-at-miami-autodrome-in-miami-gardens-florida-usa-credit-yaroslav-sabitovyes-market-mediaalamy-live-news-image605388353.html?imageid=B1D0444F-8AD5-4236-9BE7-CC7A7B1E0405&p=0&pn=1&searchId=305f121a667a0c6fe2f6ee690721d94e&searchtype=0

But they must have walked in together at least cause Martha posted the back of Max and Raymond walking, meaning either Max or Kelly said "I don't want to walk in with you, walk in later"

https://www.instagram.com/stories/marthagraeff/3361425717647163633/

To make things even funnier her friend Martha posted a pic of them in the hotel room and it just looks like Max's posing with 2 influencers

https://www.instagram.com/stories/marthagraeff/3361355333442911897/

She's made 6 posts since being in Miami (surprised none of P, although looks like Martha's being looking after her).

And while Kelly is normally desperate this is to a whole new level, like I don't even think she stayed for the Sprint race or didn't watch it cause all she did was post a comment on Max's ig post about it.

Idk it's crazy how much her life and career depend on Max, without him she would be no where near any of this and doing this as her 'job'. She'd be stuck doing 'photoshoots' for her 'friends' back in Monaco.

And it's not only that she using the races for her own gain but that fact she acts like she doesn't, that's she above the average influencer and a real 'model'.

An example of a Wag who using her bf as her platform is Moorgs. Her bf is the tennis player Taylor Fritz, and while her videos consists of 'this is what I'm wearing to my bf's match' she's branched out of her bf's shadow and into the fashion influcery world cause people like her personality. If you want to be a good influencer people need to like you and need to feel like they could have a conversation with you, Moorgs has now done collaborations with Miu Miu and Wilson. She posts luxury and travel, but does it so much better than kelly as kelly parades around pretending to be this super model. Once I see kelly doing an actual editorial for a designing clothes brand, I might actually consider calling her a model for now she's an influencer who isn't even good at influencing.

She’s all over the place, it’s hilarious

[workersolidarity]

Another crash course in the United States' connection to Nazis in Ukraine:

When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in WWII, various Nazi groups were formed locally, in particular in Western Ukraine where they believed the historical population to be of "Aryan" ancestry.

Many western Ukrainians readily joined these Nazi organizations, believing themselves to be part of a master Aryan race superior to the Slavs, Jews, Poles, Roma and Russians whom they intended to purge from an independent Ukraine, free of non-Aryan ethnic groups.

The history of the Ukrainian Nazis such as Yaroslav Hunka's 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, to Stepan Bandera's Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and how they slaughtered their way through Ukraine is well documented. Together, they were responsible for the genocide of men, women and children by the hundreds of thousands. Their brutality was extreme beyond words and on an industrial scale.

When the Soviet Union managed to finally push the Nazis out of Ukraine, more than 150'000 Ukrainians who had collaborated with the Nazis fled to Germany, but equally many stayed behind, with more than 30'000 soldiers and members of the OUN ingratiating themselves locally and using terror to keep others silent.

During this time, these tens of thousands of Ukrainian Nazis formed a resistance that continued to fight a guerilla war, as well as an espionage, sabotage, assassination, and terrorism campaign across Ukraine. The resistance was led by the OUN and like-minded Nazi and Fascist groups in Ukraine, but was run by the Nazi Galen organization which ran intelligence on the Eastern front, which in turn was managed and funded by the Nazi German leadership in Berlin.

When the war ended, the OSS (the forerunner to the CIA to which it became after 1947) then took control over the Galen organization and its operations, including local Ukrainian Nazi stay-behind militias like the OUN which continued to fight a bloody guerilla war throughout Ukraine well after the war ended.

This went on well into 1954, and in that time roughly 200'000 people died, with over 40'000 Soviet soldiers killed in Ukraine from 1945-1954. To put that into perspective, the United States lost 50'000 soldiers in 10 years of Vietnam, so similar rates of losses, except this was inside their own territory. This was a war, and the Soviets won.

Eventually, these Ukrainian Nazis fled to Western countries like Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States and many more were captured and justly sent to the gulags where they should have rotted for the rest of their days as they deserved.

But, of course, Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev famously released them from the Gulags as part of reconciliation between the Soviet peoples during his "De-Stalinization" process, and so eventually, the CIA re-activated these troops who maintained a loose underground organization of Ukrainian Nazis under US control.

Slowly, over many decades, these Nazi organizations and their members have infiltrated every level of Ukrainian governance and society. This assisted in a significant way the fall of the Soviet Union, and this was also how a Maidan Coup was even possible in 2014.

It's all a part of a continuous policy by a feudal Nazi elite in Ukraine with roots stretching back to the very initial founding of the Ukrainian People's Republic of Soviets in December 1917 and these feudal powers' subsequent fall from power.

The United States has stood firm in assisting the Nazi Ukrainian oligarchs in their goals from the very beginning, just as they did the Russian oligarchs, having joined the Western Powers' invasion of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic immediately following its founding after the October Revolution.

The US government is, and always has been, neck deep in this Nazi mess.

[curiouselleth]

Finrod at the first kinslaying?

hi anon!

This one is inspired by Yaroslav Bayarunas's performance as Finrod in the Finrod rock opera!

This is basically the whole idea, but this is a shorter one and I don't think there's a non-spoiler-y way to talk about this one without saying too little.

I noticed how during the Feanorian's coop, his duel with Sauron, and during his death song, that he would hold one of his arms over a specific spot on his abdomen in a way that could imply an injury, or an old injury. During the duel and before his death, he is even limping a bit as if he was injured there. So I thought, what if he was? But he was never touched during the duel.

But the duel does speak of the kinslaying at alqualonde.

He chanted a song of wizardry, Of piercing, opening, of treachery, Revealing, uncovering, betraying.

Then the gloom gathered; darkness growing In Valinor, the red blood flowing Beside the Sea, where the Noldor slew

And Finrod fell before the throne

These lines all made me think, what if the magic from the duel opened an old wound Finrod got there? In the Finrod rock opera, it is not the werewolf that kills Finrod. Finrod seemingly sacrifices himself for Beren, and his magic brings him back, but it killed Finrod. What if it wasn't just that? But that old, near fatal wound that was opened by the duel was what killed him?

And I got the idea of, what if Finrod was at the first kinslaying? Protecting the Teleri, not killing anyone. Just deflecting blows and knocking the attacking noldor down, and such?

And what if, in the rage of the battle, Caranthir wasn't thinking or seeing clearly?

Finrod lowers his weapon upon seeing Caranthir. Caranthir could have a bit of a temper, but he was rational! Surely he wouldn't attack the teleri with Finrod standing in front of them, protecting him. Surely they could talk, try to figure this out.

Caranthir realizes too late that it is Finrod, and Finrod is falling, falling, bleeding, gasping.

The teleri Finrod was protecting scatter. They feel guilty, but they have children to protect, and they cannot fight.

Angrod rushes forward at Caranthir, strikes, strikes again, and knocks him to the ground before a large part of the Feanorian host. Angrod wears no armor, and has little training. It is a massive embarrassment to Caranthir.

Angrod does not care, he struggles to take Finrod in his arms, and flees.

Finrod nearly dies of his wounds, but recovers, for the most part.

Caranthir nurses quite a grudge to Angrod, and the house of Finarfin. Not just because of the embarrassment like everyone things. That was a small thing. But it was because they could not take a side. They would not fight for the Noldor, or the Teleri. He viewed that action as cowardly. And he also hates Finrod for letting him hurt him. Damn his peacemaking nature, damn his friendliness, damn him. He was family, and Caranthir never wanted to hurt his family.

[zorkaya-moved]

THIS POST MAY BE UPDATED/EDITED IN THE FUTURE IF BETTER WORDING COMES TO ME.

There are many things Zarina remains completely unchanged and inflexible about, but one of the most prominent ones remains her view on WHAT family is like and WHO deserves to be called said FAMILY. It's something she'll never change, she'll never look at differently, and she'll never allow anyone to tell her otherwise.

IMPORTANT! Please know that this is not meant to confront anyone and simply dictates Zarina's inflexibility, personal views, and it also partially underlines her negative traits in terms of how hard-headed and blunt/brash she can be to others in regards to these viewpoint. Zarina is NOT a good person and she WILL use extreme measures if she sees fit. Now that we've established this is purely based on her views, let's proceed.

Family values remain Zarina's core principles and core concepts right on the same level as her own self and her own satisfaction, perhaps even stands higher, if it comes to her choices in the most dangerous situations where it's either herself or someone she sees as her family. However, let's talk about what makes Zarina so incredibly inflexible and adamant about HER VIEWPOINT on what a family should be like and what it should have in itself.

I've touched upon this before, but Zarina's mind is hard to change, sometimes even impossible when it comes to some of her views and it causes an incredibly large amount of conflicts when it comes to her personal relationships.

When it comes to how she views family, it becomes even more prominent because Sokolova was born and raised with a very specific image of a family: someone who protects you, loves you, and accepts you. It is a healthy view on the family for someone who was born and raised in a criminal/dangerous environment. For Zarina, family does not have to be blood-related. She considers her team her family because she cares about them and they, too, care about her back (even if some do not show or haven't yet reached that point yet). Thus, Sokolova's view of what a 'family' can include her blood-related close family (parents and brothers, grandparents and some uncles/aunts and cousins), her team, her significant other, and her closest friends. Those are the people she will always write down as her family - people she considers the closest to her heart and whom she trusts with her life without a second guess.

Sokolova believes that a family should have the right to voice their opinions without being ridiculed, to make mistakes without explaining how to avoid them in the future, and to be helped when it is needed. Sounds quite obviously positive and correct, this is how families should be. Naturally, there are moments of arguments, there are moments of emotional explosions or hardships that may or may not go away. Of course, it happens, she does not reject it and does not have everything has to be perfect.

Families are NOT perfect, but the three rules of being accepted, loved, and protected must never be abandoned. If any of those three rules are broken, Zarina may or may not cut away someone who has abandoned the meaning of the family in her eyes. Betrayal is not allowed. Zarina may have a moment of understanding if the betrayal was done to protect their own family (as in, if Yaroslav is forced to choose between his wife and kids vs. Zarina, she'd understand him but will still strike him down to protect the rest even if it hurts) but in other ways? She will not. Zarina will put down her own life for her family. Because only those people are worth more than her own life, they are more worth than the world and anyone who is outside that circle of people.

The brashness and frigidity comes when Zarina meets those who do not follow those three rules she has established for families. What do I mean by that? If a parent does not care or love or protect their child, abandoning them or hurting them no matter the circumstances, she will never see them as a parent and a child. She has no personal respect for parents who abandon their children or who hurt their children.

It is obvious from the example from her personal canon lore: Zarina refuses to call Matthew's and Derek's parents their parents, instead of referring to them as 'other people' even if Derek tries to love his parents and is insulted when Sokolova says that a mother would never abandon her own child after learning he has abilities/mutation. Matthew despises his parents while Derek still tries to love them, but Zarina still says they are not 'his parents' but simply biological birth-givers because there is no love in that family. It's the same when Zarina met Evgenia's father who treated his own daughter as a weapon instead of his daughter, seeing nothing but a pest before her eyes. Any parent who mistreats their child one way or another not only loses her personal respect but also becomes akin to an insect in her mind, a person who she won't hesitate to kill, even if they are important to someone she cares about. Sometimes, it's an insect she should get rid off.

Some children (like Derek) may make excuses for their parents' behaviors or genuinely know that those parents couldn't do anything in certain situations, but that's where the problem comes in. Zarina does not exactly seem to change her mind in 99% cases. If a parent abandons their child or hurts their child, they are no longer seen as a parent but a stranger, an unknown figure she doesn't need to impress or gain their favor to ensure her stable future with certain people. It's the same if parents prefer one child but neglect another - they are in her shit-list. Certain intense or dangerous situations MAY alter her mindset, they MAY but NOT 100% WOULD. It depends on the exact situations because there are moments when she does have to take into consideration certain topics, but 90% out of 100%, she will not bend her opinion and will remain adamant.

If Zarina does not seem to have respect or any wish to make a good impression on a parent of someone she cares about (her lover, her team, her best friends), she might as well find ways to make their lives hell as retribution or as a personal vendetta for harming those people she does come to care about (because NO ONE hurts who belongs to her family). Her wish for vengeance may be petty or may become deadly depending on how much she can abuse her own authority and power. She does not hold back from manipulation, gaslighting, and other dangerous strategies to ensure they suffer here and there without knowing who actually causes their suffering.

Naturally, she will NOT do anything if someone she cares about may get backlash for any negative events she may force upon those who brought out her wrath. In those cases, she may attempt to distance her important person from said family member one way or another, seeing this as 'protection' but she will not force it upon her [family]. What Zarina will do regardless is share her personal opinion on any family member when they are both alone. This means that if Sokolova see/hears a parent who neglects their child (aka a person she cares about) or a sibling who genuinely abuses their other sibling (being the person she cares about), she will not hesitate to share exactly what's on her mind: That person is not your family and if you'd let me, I will ensure they will never touch you again or never have a safe day in their lives. She is extreme with her propositions if she feels it's alright to say them out loud. If not, she will simply state that those people do not deserve to be called parents/siblings/family.

At the end, it's essential to know that Zarina - as someone who lack moral compass or so casually ignores it - will not hesitate to use any and all means to protect those she consider her family. And the thing is? Her family may not approve, but if they don't know and cannot link it to her... Then there is no problem, right? That's how she things. She may find all the blackmail on those people, she may do anything and everything to ensure she has 'weapons' against those types of people. Will she use them or not? Depends on how she sees her [family member] act or react. Usually, she keeps it to herself for any future 'emergency'.

However, she also does not wish to cause harm to her family with her actions; thus, she won't do anything rash until she is 100% sure it's a worth plan to pursue. Though, Sokolova may put on a sweet facade before parents/siblings who hurt her family, internally she might as well plan their execution in the most excruciating manner. She also may want to manipulate those people for the sake of getting information from them. It's especially evident when said parent/sibling does NOT know Zarina is affiliated with their child/sibling as Sokolova proceeds to use her charms to lure them into a false sense of security akin to a siren before deciding to drown them or let them live for a bit longer.

A parent must never abandon their child. A parent must never abuse their child. A parent must never make their child feel unwanted.

And if someone from her family experiences such hardship? It will hurt her, it will hurt her like nothing else because 'How dare they do this to you, that is not how a family should be, that person is NOT your family.' Thus, those people can be written off as 'people to have all the dirt on for future usage'. They will never be safe if Zarina learns. Never. Because NO ONE will taint the meaning behind 'family' in her presence when HER PEOPLE are involved. They can try to pretend to be good parents, she'd laugh at them (internally if it's required for her goal), but if they act like they do not have a child under a [her important person's name]? Oh, they might as well forget about peace if she's allowed to 'play around'.

[anna-dreamer]

Hi there! So, to whom it may concern, as they say. 

Finrod is finally being livestreamed. And you get to be sent a recording after the fact for an additional fee. 

WHEN

There will be two shows on 23rd October (4 pm MSK and 7.30 pm MSK), and both will be livestreamed. 

WHERE 

You can buy the access through a post on bootsy. Then you have to leave a comment to that post on bootsy which livestream you would like to see and whether you want a recording after the fact. The recording will be sent to you in 2 months after the show. 

HOW MUCH

One livestream costs about 20 dollars, additional fee for the recording is about 10 dollars. 

CAST

23 OCTOBER 4 PM Финрод - Ярослав Баярунас Саурон - Эмиль Салес Берен - Андрей Бирин Лутиэнь - Елена Бахтиярова Тингол - Алексей Толстокоров Мелиан - Екатерина Медведева Келегорм - Максим Раковский (!) Куруфин - Андрей Антипов Галадриэль - Тарья Батурина

23 OCTOBER 7.30 PM Финрод - Ярослав Баярунас Саурон - Михаил Сидоренко  Берен - Павел Дорофеев Лутиэнь - Ирина Демидова Тингол - Алексей Толстокоров Мелиан - Агата Вавилова Келегорм - Евгений Градусов Куруфин - Эмиль Салес Галадриэль - Елена Бахтиярова

QUESTIONS AND DISCLAMER

Any questions you have feel free to ask Oleg Markelov on bootsy through DMs and/or comments, or on his VK page if you happen to have an account there. 

I have nothing to do with Eterius theatre or Finrod’s creative team. All information above i got from an official Finrod newsletter and from Oleg Markelov. I’m just a fan who decided to share some fun stuff with you guys. :)

MY THOUGHTS ON CAST (SORT OF)

I am not big on musical theatre, my knowledge usually ends on Finrod XD

The leading man Yaroslav Bayarunas (both livestreams) is a renown musical actor, but i’ve never seen him on stage, alas, excited to see him as Finrod though! 

Elena Bakhtiyarova (both livestreams) is an amazing musical actress, I’ve seen her in Phantom of the Opera, and she is a terrific Luthien. Gotta see her as Galadriel too (2nd livestream)! 

Highly recommend to see Maxim Rakovsky, our usual Finrod, as Celegorm (1st livestream), i’ve seen him play the part once, and it was damn terrific! 

Mikhail Sidorenko (2nd livestream) is the best Sauron i’ve seen on stage. Yes, he is better at it than even Seraphim, go get me.