By Adam Schreck and Andrea Rosa
Andriivka, Ukraine - The mayor of the besieged port city of Mariupol (click here) put the number of civilians killed there at more than 5,000 Wednesday, as Ukraine collected evidence of Russian atrocities on the ruined outskirts of Kyiv and braced for what could become a climactic battle for control of the country’s industrial east.
Ukrainian authorities continued gathering up the dead in shattered towns outside the capital amid telltale signs Moscow’s troops killed civilians indiscriminately before retreating over the past several days.
In other developments, the U.S. and its Western allies moved to impose new sanctions against the Kremlin over what they branded war crimes.
And Russia completed the pullout of all of its estimated 24,000 or more troops from the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas in the north, sending them into Belarus or Russia to resupply and reorganize, a U.S. defense official speaking on condition of anonymity said....
This is an opinion that won't be popular on most fronts of The West, but, with Russia pulling back as a defeat sincerely begins to sink into Putin's presidential quarters, The West needs to think about helping within the borders of Ukraine to return function of the land to resettle the people. The need for a return to functioning land is important. The land is Ukraine and the people belonging on it are Ukrainians. While Europe and the USA as well as other friendly countries bring in refugees, there should be a return to function of the land as soon as possible and that will only occur with allies to Ukraine, whether it is a neutral country or not.
The tragedy of the war needs to be chronicled and made clear to the people of the world that enjoys peace within their borders. The deaths of so many is tragic enough, but, the way they died is what defines the genocide. Tanks running over perfectly helpless people in cars on their own streets was nothing like expected and it is a horror.
Demolition companies will have to be the first to establish a plan in Ukraine. I am impressed by the steel structures that are still standing. They took a beating and are completely open air, but, the fact the external structure is still standing only speaks to the genius that lives in the Ukrainian people. Those structures will still have to come down, but, perhaps the steel can be recycled into strong beams again.
City planning will need architects and engineers to return function to the land where people can find peace once again. When the land clears and the plans are decided then the reconstruction will have to begin while the refugees are safe and their children receiving education and health. The future will be at the heart of the reconstruction with new methods of energy and construction. The cities will be beautiful and a place where allied friends can visit for vacations.
It is time to begin to sow hope in the land of Ukraine. And. Soon.
