Jana Zikmundova
@jzk55.bsky.social
Former ambassador of Belgium (ret.) to Ukraine (2011-2014) and Colombia (2017-2021). Memories of Soviet tanks are part of my Czech roots (remember 21.8.1968 ?) Here mainly to denounce Putin's 🇷🇺 war on 🇺🇦. Building resistance with team @DefendDemocracy 🇪🇺
Pinned
Jana Zikmundova
@jzk55.bsky.social
· Sep 3
Ukraine Will Not Accept the Peace of the Graveyard
Cemeteries are tranquil places for a reason. The Kyiv government simply cannot swallow proposals from Kremlin allies and Western appeasers.
cepa.org
No change since this article has been published by @cepa.org ten months ago, except for the worse for 🇺🇦 civilians.
"No war is noble, but some wars are necessary." (Hašek, The Good Soldier Švejk).
"No war is noble, but some wars are necessary." (Hašek, The Good Soldier Švejk).
🖤
#ГероямСлава 🇺🇦
#ГероямСлава 🇺🇦
🕯Vyacheslav Malets, callsign 'Cooper', the 1st contractor of the "18-24" program who returned from Germany to defend Ukraine, was killed a few days ago near Pokrovsk.
He was 21, from Kharkiv region, and dreamed of one day becoming a diplomat. He had already been decorated for his courage in battle.
He was 21, from Kharkiv region, and dreamed of one day becoming a diplomat. He had already been decorated for his courage in battle.
November 18, 2025 at 7:46 AM
🖤
#ГероямСлава 🇺🇦
#ГероямСлава 🇺🇦
Timely reminder of #Terezin 's horror on the anniversary of the 🇨🇿 1989 #VelvetRevolution.
So many stories still to be told about places, events and people of #Czechia...
So many stories still to be told about places, events and people of #Czechia...
For the past three weeks, I’ve been taking readers of my blog around early post-Velvet Revolution Czechoslovakia as I tell the story of writing Fodor’s Czechoslovakia. This week, we go to Prague and the former Nazi-run Jewish ghetto at Terezín. Click here to read: markbakerprague.com/part-3-xxxx/
Part 3: A Visit to Prague and Terezín | Mark Baker | Travel Writer in Prague
markbakerprague.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Timely reminder of #Terezin 's horror on the anniversary of the 🇨🇿 1989 #VelvetRevolution.
So many stories still to be told about places, events and people of #Czechia...
So many stories still to be told about places, events and people of #Czechia...
Everything going according to #Putin 's 🇷🇺 plan in 🇬🇧 ❔️
Sharing this again as today's news programmes seem yet again full of those pushing the obscene suggestion of us leaving the #ECHR
Patrick Stewart sketch: what has the ECHR ever done for us?
YouTube video by The Guardian
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Everything going according to #Putin 's 🇷🇺 plan in 🇬🇧 ❔️
Opblazen spoor is voor Polen zoveelste grens die overschreden wordt.
Opblazen spoor is voor Polen zoveelste grens die overschreden wordt
Het land heeft sinds de invasie van Oekraïne aan de lopende band te maken met sabotage- en spionage-acties, aangestuurd vanuit Rusland.
nos.nl
November 18, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Opblazen spoor is voor Polen zoveelste grens die overschreden wordt.
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
1/2 Viktor Kruglov, director of the Ranok Publishing, shared a video from Triada Print: "If you ever feel like giving up — just come to #Kharkiv. People of Kharkiv are stubborn. We don’t run. We print. And as long as we print knowledge, the country lives."
November 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
1/2 Viktor Kruglov, director of the Ranok Publishing, shared a video from Triada Print: "If you ever feel like giving up — just come to #Kharkiv. People of Kharkiv are stubborn. We don’t run. We print. And as long as we print knowledge, the country lives."
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Russische framing van de Nederlandse verkiezingen: geopolitiek, delegitimatie en mediaspektakel,
Hoe Russische media onze verkiezingen ombuigen tot een spiegel van Moskou’s eigen wereldbeeld.
www.web-watch.org/news/russisc... #NLpol #TK2025 #verkiezingen
Hoe Russische media onze verkiezingen ombuigen tot een spiegel van Moskou’s eigen wereldbeeld.
www.web-watch.org/news/russisc... #NLpol #TK2025 #verkiezingen
November 17, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Russische framing van de Nederlandse verkiezingen: geopolitiek, delegitimatie en mediaspektakel,
Hoe Russische media onze verkiezingen ombuigen tot een spiegel van Moskou’s eigen wereldbeeld.
www.web-watch.org/news/russisc... #NLpol #TK2025 #verkiezingen
Hoe Russische media onze verkiezingen ombuigen tot een spiegel van Moskou’s eigen wereldbeeld.
www.web-watch.org/news/russisc... #NLpol #TK2025 #verkiezingen
"Democracy won’t defend itself. With Trump, Putin and the ‘techbros’ teaming up, it is time we stand up to defend democracy while we still can. Our window of opportunity is closing fast."
🎯
🎯
Why Europe needs a security update: the era of hybrid warfare.
"When updating security assets, we must not only invest in hardware and software but also in ‘wetware’."
Our latest:
defenddemocracy.eu/europe-secur...
"When updating security assets, we must not only invest in hardware and software but also in ‘wetware’."
Our latest:
defenddemocracy.eu/europe-secur...
November 17, 2025 at 5:20 PM
"Democracy won’t defend itself. With Trump, Putin and the ‘techbros’ teaming up, it is time we stand up to defend democracy while we still can. Our window of opportunity is closing fast."
🎯
🎯
One keeps asking : what is next for #Putin 's 🇷🇺 ❔️
Russia published its budget report for Q3 of 2025. Military spending is not slowing down. In Q3, it was 38% higher than last year (3.6 trillion rubles in Q3, 11.9 trillion rubles so far for the year). Good news: Federal recruitment data is back!
November 17, 2025 at 5:08 PM
One keeps asking : what is next for #Putin 's 🇷🇺 ❔️
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Cutting diplomacy and foreign aid comes with a price.
“You realize ‘soft power’ is not soft when you lose it.”
#USAID #EUpol #EUdiplomacy
www.politico.eu/article/arms...
“You realize ‘soft power’ is not soft when you lose it.”
#USAID #EUpol #EUdiplomacy
www.politico.eu/article/arms...
The West’s new arms race: Selling peace to buy war
Military spending is rising faster than at any time since the end of the Cold War, but the retreat from diplomacy and foreign aid will come at a price.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Cutting diplomacy and foreign aid comes with a price.
“You realize ‘soft power’ is not soft when you lose it.”
#USAID #EUpol #EUdiplomacy
www.politico.eu/article/arms...
“You realize ‘soft power’ is not soft when you lose it.”
#USAID #EUpol #EUdiplomacy
www.politico.eu/article/arms...
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Dangerously ill Crimean Tatar political prisoner ‘not allowed’ life-saving medication
khpg.org/en/1608815263
khpg.org/en/1608815263
Dangerously ill Crimean Tatar political prisoner ‘not allowed’ life-saving medication
Fears that Russia’s withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture would remove any last restraints were probably justified judging by its life-threatening medical torture of Am...
khpg.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Dangerously ill Crimean Tatar political prisoner ‘not allowed’ life-saving medication
khpg.org/en/1608815263
khpg.org/en/1608815263
"Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has begun a trek to key European capitals as he looks to shore up Ukraine's energy supplies and weapons deliveries as it struggles to fend off Russian air and ground offensives."
In a whole new political climate, *much harder* to navigate. What a pitty for the 🇺🇦 people.
In a whole new political climate, *much harder* to navigate. What a pitty for the 🇺🇦 people.
November 17, 2025 at 6:23 AM
"Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has begun a trek to key European capitals as he looks to shore up Ukraine's energy supplies and weapons deliveries as it struggles to fend off Russian air and ground offensives."
In a whole new political climate, *much harder* to navigate. What a pitty for the 🇺🇦 people.
In a whole new political climate, *much harder* to navigate. What a pitty for the 🇺🇦 people.
💥Viktor Orbán’s media doxxed 200,000 opposition supporters by publishing stolen personal data, including names & addresses – unprecedented in Hungarian politics. Recovering from this, opposition leader Péter Magyar held a rally in Győr, saying they are the majority — and they’re not afraid of Orbán.
November 16, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
While the rest of Europe prepares for Christmas with bright lights and decorations, Kherson is hanging anti-drone nets over its streets, trying to shield civilians from russia’s “human safari.”
November 16, 2025 at 3:33 PM
While the rest of Europe prepares for Christmas with bright lights and decorations, Kherson is hanging anti-drone nets over its streets, trying to shield civilians from russia’s “human safari.”
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Good to remember that even if Ukraine faces tough manpower challenges and the war is unlikely to end soon, Russia is still fighting for Donbas four years into its full-scale invasion.
That is a massive Russian failure that will be studied in history books
Map: @thestudyofwar.bsky.social
That is a massive Russian failure that will be studied in history books
Map: @thestudyofwar.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Good to remember that even if Ukraine faces tough manpower challenges and the war is unlikely to end soon, Russia is still fighting for Donbas four years into its full-scale invasion.
That is a massive Russian failure that will be studied in history books
Map: @thestudyofwar.bsky.social
That is a massive Russian failure that will be studied in history books
Map: @thestudyofwar.bsky.social
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Russian nazi unit "Rusich" announced a contest for best picture of murdered Ukrainian Prisoners of War‼️❗️‼️
“We are announcing a contest.
The first three people who send in photos with obviously ‘zeroed-out’ [killed] prisoners in the background will receive material rewards in cryptocurrency
“We are announcing a contest.
The first three people who send in photos with obviously ‘zeroed-out’ [killed] prisoners in the background will receive material rewards in cryptocurrency
November 16, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
With Russia throwing enormous forces into Pokrovsk to finally capture the eastern coal-mine city, questions are rising over what will happen next and whether Ukraine is ready.
What the fall of Pokrovsk would mean for Ukraine — and Russia
With Russia throwing enormous forces into Pokrovsk to finally capture the eastern coal-mine city, questions are rising over what will happen next and whether Ukraine is ready.
Taking advantage of fog...
kyivindependent.com
November 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM
With Russia throwing enormous forces into Pokrovsk to finally capture the eastern coal-mine city, questions are rising over what will happen next and whether Ukraine is ready.
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Der Treffer bei Rubikon ist ein wichtiger Erfolg.
⚡️Ukraine strikes major oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast, hits elite Rubikon drone base, Ukraine's General Staff says
Ukraine strikes major oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast, hits elite Rubikon drone base
Ukrainian forces struck the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in Russia’s Samara Oblast and a drone storage site belonging to Russia’s elite Rubikon unit, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Nov. 16.
kyivindependent.com
November 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Der Treffer bei Rubikon ist ein wichtiger Erfolg.
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
15 November 2025, back in Belgium after several weeks in the Netherlands.
The weather has been so exceptionally mild that in many gardens roses are blooming.
I’m torn between being delighted by their beauty and being concerned about the climate crisis.
The weather has been so exceptionally mild that in many gardens roses are blooming.
I’m torn between being delighted by their beauty and being concerned about the climate crisis.
November 15, 2025 at 9:16 AM
15 November 2025, back in Belgium after several weeks in the Netherlands.
The weather has been so exceptionally mild that in many gardens roses are blooming.
I’m torn between being delighted by their beauty and being concerned about the climate crisis.
The weather has been so exceptionally mild that in many gardens roses are blooming.
I’m torn between being delighted by their beauty and being concerned about the climate crisis.
To resist the imperialist aggression by #Putin 's 🇷🇺 is one thing, to defeat the "homo sovieticus" that still lingers within the souls of too many 🇺🇦 politicians, quite another.
Devoid of propaganda, excellent reporting by @kyivindependent.com
#FactsMatter #OnlyFacts
Devoid of propaganda, excellent reporting by @kyivindependent.com
#FactsMatter #OnlyFacts
"The President’s Office felt that this investigation was coming," Volodmyr Kudrytskyi, Ukrenergo’s ex-CEO, told the Kyiv Independent on Nov. 10 in an exclusive interview. "They wanted to find a scapegoat quickly, hoping to prevent this shitstorm."
'They could go after anyone' — Ukraine’s ex-energy chief on Zelensky’s blackout blame game
President Volodymyr Zelensky knew a major energy scandal involving his allies was about to break and moved to pin the blame elsewhere, according to the recently detained former head of Ukrenergo, who ...
kyivindependent.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:24 AM
To resist the imperialist aggression by #Putin 's 🇷🇺 is one thing, to defeat the "homo sovieticus" that still lingers within the souls of too many 🇺🇦 politicians, quite another.
Devoid of propaganda, excellent reporting by @kyivindependent.com
#FactsMatter #OnlyFacts
Devoid of propaganda, excellent reporting by @kyivindependent.com
#FactsMatter #OnlyFacts
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Well timed! A day after @ec.europa.eu Democracy Shield publication, #DefendDemocracy joined a Rapid Alert System (RAS) meeting of EU & its member states for an exchange on the role of civil society in defending democracy from hybrid attacks, in particular FIMI & disinformation.
November 14, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Well timed! A day after @ec.europa.eu Democracy Shield publication, #DefendDemocracy joined a Rapid Alert System (RAS) meeting of EU & its member states for an exchange on the role of civil society in defending democracy from hybrid attacks, in particular FIMI & disinformation.
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Ontbijt in #Kramatorsk. Zoals het in 2014 was, zo is het nu nog.
November 14, 2025 at 7:31 AM
Ontbijt in #Kramatorsk. Zoals het in 2014 was, zo is het nu nog.
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Russia's insatiable demand for bodies to feed the meatgrinder of its war on Ukraine has a real and tragic human cost for the Global South. Here @munira.bsky.social in @engelsbergideas.bsky.social describes deceit and exploitation in Africa, South Asia and beyond.
engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the...
engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the...
The trafficking networks sustaining Russia’s war of attrition
As Putin seeks to avoid another politically damaging mobilisation, the temptation to draw on Moscow's extensive global trafficking networks will only grow.
engelsbergideas.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Russia's insatiable demand for bodies to feed the meatgrinder of its war on Ukraine has a real and tragic human cost for the Global South. Here @munira.bsky.social in @engelsbergideas.bsky.social describes deceit and exploitation in Africa, South Asia and beyond.
engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the...
engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the...
Reposted by Jana Zikmundova
Again and again, massive and deadly missile and drone attacks against Kyiv.
When will European leaders finally decide to save lives? When will they decide to defeat russia? When will they start acting responsibly?
More than ever, #SkyShieldNow is imperative.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
When will European leaders finally decide to save lives? When will they decide to defeat russia? When will they start acting responsibly?
More than ever, #SkyShieldNow is imperative.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Russia attacks ‘every district’ of Kyiv, sparking fires across Ukrainian capital
Pictures posted on social media showed different sites in flames and residents gathering in rubble-strewn streets outside apartment buildings
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Again and again, massive and deadly missile and drone attacks against Kyiv.
When will European leaders finally decide to save lives? When will they decide to defeat russia? When will they start acting responsibly?
More than ever, #SkyShieldNow is imperative.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
When will European leaders finally decide to save lives? When will they decide to defeat russia? When will they start acting responsibly?
More than ever, #SkyShieldNow is imperative.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
"If you’ve been thinking about owning your own apartment by the sea, now is the best opportunity to realise your dream.”
Shame on #Putin 's 🇷🇺 for flouting all principles of decent society.
The #downfall could not come soon enough ❕️
#нетвойне
Shame on #Putin 's 🇷🇺 for flouting all principles of decent society.
The #downfall could not come soon enough ❕️
#нетвойне
Streets have been renamed, Ukrainian monuments removed, and murals painted over. Bellingcat investigates how apartment blocks in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol have been demolished to make way for a new Russian suburban utopia… www.bellingcat.com/uncategorize...
Building on Ruins: The Russification of Mariupol, One Apartment Block at a Time - bellingcat
Bellingcat has identified 23 multi-storey housing complexes being built in occupied Mariupol and advertised for sale to Russian citizens.
www.bellingcat.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM