Ukraine War discussion - Threat to Public Health

[Pathfinder]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on February 23, 2023
...
Director Wang noted that despite the complex and challenging international landscape, China-Russia relations have stood the test of time and been mature, resilient and rock-solid. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination never targets any third party, nor does it tolerate any third party interference or coercion. This is because China-Russia relations have enjoyed a solid political, economic and cultural foundation and been blessed with the calm and soberness that stem from a keen grasp of historical experience. More importantly, this is because the multipolar world and greater democracy in international relations, which China and Russia jointly support, are in line with the trend of the times and the aspirations of most countries. China and Russia advocate and practice true multilateralism, oppose all forms of unilateralism and bullying, firmly safeguard our respective sovereignty, security and development interests, actively explore development paths suited to our respective national conditions, and tap the cooperation potential in various fields. No matter how the international landscape may change, China will maintain a sound momentum in growing a new type of major-country relations with Russia. China is willing to work with Russia to maintain strategic resolve, deepen political trust, strengthen strategic coordination, expand practical cooperation, safeguard the legitimate interests of both countries and play both countries’ constructive role in promoting world peace and development.

The Russian side noted that at present, Russia-China relations are moving towards the established goals, and bilateral cooperation in various fields and coordination in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and other multilateral organizations are fruitful. Strengthening unity and coordination in international affairs is of great importance to promoting greater democracy in international relations and the balance and stability in global dynamics. The two sides agreed to continue to strengthen coordination in the UN and other international multilateral mechanisms, practice true multilateralism, jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and firmly oppose hegemonism and bloc confrontation and promote democracy in international relations and a multi-polar world. Both sides believe that peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific should be firmly maintained and that the introduction of Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and ideological conflict should be opposed.

During the visit, Director Wang had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukraine issue with the Russian side. He commended Russia’s reaffirmation of its willingness to solve the issues through dialogue and negotiations. Director Wang stressed that the more complicated the situation is, the more important it is not to give up efforts for peace. We hope that all parties will overcome the difficulties, continue to create conditions for dialogue and negotiation and find an effective way towards a political settlement. China will, as always, follow an objective and just position, and play its constructive role in seeking a political settlement of the crisis. 

AFP: Russia said China has made some important points about finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis. But a Ukrainian official said China has not held similar consultations with Ukraine. What’s your response? If China really believes there is a viable peace plan, then why has it not discussed it with the Ukrainian side?

Wang Wenbin: China’s position on the Ukraine issue has been consistent and clear. We will continue to play a constructive role in our own way to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the crisis. China and Ukraine have maintained smooth communication.
...
AFP: Yesterday President Biden met with NATO and European leaders. They reiterated their support for Ukraine on the conflict between Russia and Ukrain and vowed to strengthen defenses from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Do you have any comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: Our position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. We always believe that conflicts and confrontation produce no winner and dialogue and negotiation is the only right and viable way out of the crisis. We hope that all parties will act in a constructive and responsible manner and play a constructive role in promoting the peaceful settlement of the crisis through dialogue and negotiation.
...
Reuters: I have two questions on Russia. During the meeting between Wang Yi and Russian foreign minister Lavrov, can you confirm whether they did discuss the upcoming Chinese position paper on a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and what conclusions were reached? The second question, Russia said that it’s studying China’s recently published concept paper on the Global Security Initiative. What’s China’s comment? And does the GSI align closely with Russia’s position on international security?

Wang Wenbin: I just shared with you details about Director Wang Yi’s visit to Russia. We have shared information on the upcoming position document on seeking political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. Details will be released in a timely manner. Please check back for updates.

As I have learned, Russia has openly expressed its firm support for the GSI. China welcomes this. So far, more than 80 countries and regional organizations have commended and expressed support for the GSI. We believe more countries will join China in implementing the GSI and making contributions to safeguarding world peace and tranquility.

Reuters: The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration may release intelligence that shows that China is considering whether to supply weapons to support Russia’s war in Ukraine. What’s China’s comment on this?

Wang Wenbin: The US has repeatedly alleged that China might supply weapons to Russia, and we have responded to this multiple times. We can easily imagine that the “intelligence” the US referred to is most likely chasing shadows and smearing China. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, China has firmly stood on the side of dialogue and peace. We have promoted peace talks in our own ways and played a responsible and constructive role in easing tensions and alleviating the crisis. The US is the biggest source of weaponry for the battlefield in Ukraine, yet it has kept smearing China by falsely claiming that China might offer weapons to Russia. This will not only hinder the process of the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis but also do further harm to China-US relations. We urge the US to stop smearing China and shifting blames, and stop fanning the flame and fueling the fight with more weaponry. The US needs to work with China and the rest of the world to promote diplomatic negotiations with a view to settling the crisis. 

...

https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/202302/t20230223_11030365.html

[Emily]

Thyroid meds are critical to life. I can't imagine what it would be like to endure the stress of war and be under medicated or unmedicated with thyroid disease. It's outrageous that they are being diverted to the black market in Ukraine. And the peas aren't being sold back to Ukraine; they are being donated back and then diverted to the black market at that point. It's pathetic.

Neither the US nor Russia is short on thyroid meds while they wage their proxy war at Ukraine's expense. I even read on a thyroid patient forum that Russia is building their own factories to produce thyroid meds. Both countries have a legacy of thyroid disease from their nuclear weapon testing.

https://t.me/ukraina_ru/137144

A video from one of the storage facilities for Western humanitarian aid in Zaporizhzhia appeared at the disposal of the @rybar channel. A man behind the scenes gives an overview of the products and offers a potential buyer to take out of the warehouse any goods for a certain price.

For example, the author estimates a pack of deficient thyroxine to treat endocrine diseases at 1 thousand hryvnias. He also shows boxes of baby food and bags of peas, and does not hesitate to add that they can also be negotiated at wholesale.

By the way, bags of peas are labeled "Origin: Ukraine," i.e., the country of origin is Ukraine. It turns out that Western countries, under the guise of humanitarian aid, sell their own products to Ukraine?
t.me/ukraina_ru/137144
73.8K views
Mar 12 at 07:48

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

[Emily]

I would have warned them not to move to the Seattle area. They weren't able to get insurance yet, so the car is a total loss. Worse, they could be sued by the criminals who stole the car, or by the criminals' fine families if they die. Also, the innocent driver could sue them. They'll need to be able to show their keys were not in the car, etc. With no insurance company lawyer to defend them...

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/ukr...NFWSBGTWJT2BY/
Ukrainian family’s new KIA stolen, crashed next day in Renton
By Deborah Horne, KIRO 7 News and KIRO 7 News Staff March 12, 2023 at 4:26 pm PDT

A Ukrainian family is desperate after their brand new KIA was stolen and then crashed into another car the next day.

The theft happened last Tuesday outside the family’s apartment building in Covington.

The very next day, Renton police say an 18-year-old driver ran a red light and plowed into an unsuspecting driver.

That driver wasn’t badly injured but three teens in the KIA were critically injured and the car is undrivable.

It has left this family with no way to get around.

The family really needs a car, as they are trying to build a new life in America.

“No, we don’t have a car,” said Olena Stasiuk, “and we don’t have money for another car.”

This is not how Olena imagined a new life in America. After all, her family was following in the footsteps of their neighbor and friend Olha Myrhodskay, fleeing the devastating war in their native Odessa, Ukraine....

[Emily]

So far I've seen western media downplay the importance of this, but both sides seem more aggressive to me. I hope this settles down. War is a sickness.

zhttp://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/70750

Brief points of importance are listed here:

https://sonar21.com/you-have-witnessed-history-today-in-moscow-and-it-is-consequential/

You Have Witnessed History Today in Moscow and It Is Consequential
21 March 2023 by Larry Johnson

[alert]

Multiple stories from the Russian side that aren't reaching Western news outlets, courtesy of a Russian blogger in Tbilisi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVvmeKUyIvo

The story of 12-year-old Marsha Moskaleva, who is apparently sitting in a Russian orphanage while her father sits in a Russian jail, the result of a pro-Ukrainian drawing in a middle school art class, is particularly foul, even by the standards of this war.

[alert]

Her father has now fled and his whereabouts are unknown:

https://www.aol.com/news/russia-convicts-father-teen-drew-194326214.html

[kiwibird]

The young girl has been collected by her mother while her father has not absconded and abandoned her - but serves a two year sentence in a russian jailhttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-girl-who-drew-anti-war-picture-collected-orphanage-by-her-mother-2023-04-06/

[Emily]

I'm glad the girl's mother stepped up. I hope it goes well. The father DID run according to your article. He got caught in Minsk.

"Moskalyov went on the run and was arrested in Minsk. While on the run, he was sentenced in absentia to two years in a penal colony for discrediting the armed forces."

[Emily]

After the war, there will be lands in Donbas unsuitable for life. Ecologists have published research on soils (Local and international food supply threatened with heavy metals contamination.)


Uranium weapons being employed in Ukraine have significantly increased Uranium levels in the air in the UK/Europe

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-65051330

Depleted uranium shells: Why are they used and are they harmful?

• Published 1 day ago

Russia has warned the UK not to provide depleted uranium shells as ammunition for the tanks it is sending to Ukraine, saying they contain a "nuclear component".

Depleted uranium makes weapons more powerful, but it is feared those weapons could be a threat to people in areas where they are used.

What is depleted uranium?

Depleted uranium is naturally-occurring uranium, which has been stripped of much - but not all - of its radioactive matter.

It is a waste product from the process through which uranium is enriched for use in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.
...

How dangerous are depleted uranium weapons?

Depleted uranium is mildly radioactive.

"The fear is that if depleted uranium shells land on the ground, they may contaminate the soil," says Dr Miron. "That is why the US and its Nato allies sparked controversy when they used them in Kosovo."
...

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says there could be a risk of radiation to individuals who handle fragments of depleted uranium rounds.

A study published in the journal Environmental Pollution in 2019 suggests there may be links between the use of depleted uranium weapons and birth defects in Nasiriyah, in Iraq.

Another concern, says the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, is that "in a post-conflict environment, the presence of depleted uranium residues can further increase the anxiety of local populations".

A 2022 UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report said it was concerned about possible depleted uranium use in Ukraine, warning it can cause "skin irritation, kidney failure and increase the risks of cancer".

"The chemical toxicity of depleted uranium is considered a more significant issue than the possible impacts of its radioactivity," it says. residues can further increase the anxiety of local populations"....

[Pathfinder]

Putin says will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus

AFP
Sat, 25 March 2023 at 1:11 pm GMT-5·2-min read

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus.
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He also said he would deploy depleted uranium ammunition if Kyiv received such munitions from the West following a British suggestion that it could supply Ukraine.

"There is nothing unusual here either: the United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies," Putin said.
...
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has warned nuclear threats were creating a dangerous sense of uncertainty around their possible use.

The longer Russia's operation in Ukraine grinds on, the greater the nuclear strike risk, ICAN warned last month ahead of the offensive's first anniversary.
...

https://news.yahoo.com/putin-says-deploy-tactical-nuclear-181122475.html

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2 minute read March 25, 202312:33 PM CST Last Updated 10 min ago

Putin says Moscow to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, first time since 1990s

March 25 (Reuters) - Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, marking the first time since the mid-1990s that Moscow will have based such arms outside the country.

Putin made the announcement at a time of growing tensions with the West over the Ukraine war and as some Russian commentators speculate about possible nuclear strikes.

Putin told state television that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had long raised the issue of stationing tactical nuclear weapons in his country, which borders NATO member Poland.
...

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-moscow-has-deal-with-belarus-station-nuclear-weapons-there-tass-2023-03-25/

[kiwibird]

The only country that has had access to depleted uranium weapons has been russia as the USA has refused to supply them until at least July 7th of this year. This article provided by Emily shows an increase in radioactivity in the UK - the article covers data only until November 2022. https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-2681787/v1 the conclusions are obvious.

[Emily]

There are a lot of mercenary forces operating in Ukraine, so I'm not sure if anything is obvious. Also, several other countries, including the UK, use these weapons. They might not announce sending them to Ukraine.

https://hir.harvard.edu/depleted-uranium-devastated-health-military-operations-and-environmental-injustice-in-the-middle-east/

[kiwibird]

Speculation and guesses are not evidence or even indication of use. We should try and look at the facts before we come to conclusions.

[sharon sanders]

Russian Security Service Detains Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich

The reporter is part of the newspaper’s Moscow bureau; the Journal ‘vehemently denies’ allegations against him, seeks his immediate release


snip

Russia last March passed a censorship law that makes it illegal to publish what authorities deem false information about military operations in Ukraine. In response, many domestic news outlets ceased operations or left the country and foreign media significantly restricted reporting inside Russia and withdrew many staff.

more....

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian...bd505?mod=e2tw


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The regime was probably not to happy with this report 2 days ago:



Russia’s Economy Is Starting to Come Undone

Investment is down, labor is scarce, budget is squeezed. Oligarch: ‘There will be no money next year’

By Georgi Kantchev and Evan Gershkovich

March 28, 2023 10:45 am ET

MOSCOW—The opening months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year drove an increase in oil and natural-gas prices that brought a windfall for Moscow. Those days are over.

As the war continues into its second year and Western sanctions bite harder, Russia’s government revenue is being squeezed and its economy has shifted to a lower-growth trajectory, likely for the long term.

more....

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias...ing_now_news_3

[Emily]

Russia has said they will consider a trade after his trial, which may take a year. He might have been talked into doing something stupid for propaganda purposes by US interests or covertly for trade purposes by Russian interests.

[Emily]

Haass says maybe in 10-15 years there could be a diplomatic return of Ukraine's territories.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-65716503

US diplomat: Ukraine’s allies need new diplomatic tactic

Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, explains to the BBC why calls for a diplomatic end to the conflict are increasing. Regaining invaded territory will only come after a ‘change in Moscow’s leadership', Haass said.

• Subsection
  US & Canada
• Published
  11 hours ago

[Emily]

https://eisenhowermedianetwork.org/russia-ukraine-war-peace/

The U.S. Should Be a Force for Peace in the World


The Russia-Ukraine War has been an unmitigated disaster. Hundreds of thousands have been killed or wounded. Millions have been displaced. Environmental and economic destruction have been incalculable. Future devastation could be exponentially greater as nuclear powers creep ever closer toward open war.

We deplore the violence, war crimes, indiscriminate missile strikes, terrorism, and other atrocities that are part of this war. The solution to this shocking violence is not more weapons or more war, with their guarantee of further death and destruction.

As Americans and national security experts, we urge President Biden and Congress to use their full power to end the Russia-Ukraine War speedily through diplomacy, especially given the grave dangers of military escalation that could spiral out of control.

Sixty years ago, President John F. Kennedy made an observation that is crucial for our survival today. “Above all, while defending our own vital interests, nuclear powers must avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to a choice of either a humiliating retreat or a nuclear war. To adopt that kind of course in the nuclear age would be evidence only of the bankruptcy of our policy–or of a collective death-wish for the world.”

The immediate cause of this disastrous war in Ukraine is Russia’s invasion. Yet the plans and actions to expand NATO to Russia’s borders served to provoke Russian fears. And Russian leaders made this point for 30 years. A failure of diplomacy led to war. Now diplomacy is urgently needed to end the Russia-Ukraine War before it destroys Ukraine and endangers humanity.

The Potential for Peace

Russia’s current geopolitical anxiety is informed by memories of invasion from Charles XII, Napoleon, the Kaiser and Hitler. U.S. troops were among an Allied invasion force that intervened unsuccessfully against the winning side in Russia’s post-World War I civil war. Russia sees NATO enlargement and presence on its borders as a direct threat; the U.S. and NATO see only prudent preparedness. In diplomacy, one must attempt to see with strategic empathy, seeking to understand one’s adversaries. This is not weakness: it is wisdom.

We reject the idea that diplomats, seeking peace, must choose sides, in this case either Russia or Ukraine. In favoring diplomacy we choose the side of sanity. Of humanity. Of peace.

We consider President Biden’s promise to back Ukraine “as long as it takes” to be a license to pursue ill-defined and ultimately unachievable goals. It could prove as catastrophic as President Putin’s decision last year to launch his criminal invasion and occupation. We cannot and will not endorse the strategy of fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian.

We advocate for a meaningful and genuine commitment to diplomacy, specifically an immediate ceasefire and negotiations without any disqualifying or prohibitive preconditions. Deliberate provocations delivered the Russia-Ukraine War. In the same manner, deliberate diplomacy can end it...

Hat tip: More Cowbell For Ukraine While Former U.S. Military Officers and Diplomats Plead for Sanity

[kiwibird]

These are all russian propaganda talking points. The plain fact of the matter is that Ukraine was at peace until invaded by russia,( https://www.gov.uk/government/topica...nment-response), is obviously not afraid of NATO as they have reduced most of their troops on the NATO Scandinavian borderhttps://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-forces-near-norway-are-20-fewer-than-before-ukraine-war-norways-armed-2023-09-16/

[Emily]

Whatever your own opinion right now, this is not Russian propaganda.

"What We Do

EMN hones and focuses the existing energy and talent of experts who have been there, done that, and taken the time learn and apply lessons “from the inside” of generational war and the military-industrial complex that feeds it.

Our experts offer alternative analyses untainted by Pentagon or defense industry ties. They counter Washington’s establishment narrative on most national security issues of the day.

They oppose systemic corruption, nepotism, and the undue influence that the military-industrial-congressional complex — through its money and army of “revolving door” lobbyists — has on the policymaking process."

[Emily]

https://news.antiwar.com/2023/05/28/state-department-wont-say-if-its-working-to-free-us-citizen-detained-in-ukraine/

State Department Won’t Say If It’s Working to Free US Citizen Detained in Ukraine

Gonzalo Lira, a popular YouTuber and writer, was arrested by the SBU for his political views on the war by Dave DeCamp Posted on May 28, 2023Categories NewsTags Ukraine The State Department has refused to say if it’s engaging with the Ukrainian government over American citizen Gonzalo Lira, who was detained by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) due to his political views on the conflict with Russia.
Lira has a popular YouTube channel and a large following on Twitter and Telegram. He is also a writer who has contributed to several media outlets, including Business Insider. Lira was born in California and is a dual citizen of the US and Chile and had been living in Kharkiv, Ukraine, throughout the war...

[Emily]

Bielka, K., Kuchyn, I. & Horoshko, V. Intensive care units during the Ukraine war: challenges and opportunities. Intensive Care Med (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-023-07117-5
... Pain management and long-term consequences

Acute and chronic pain management has become one of the most significant problems during the war in Ukraine. Approximately 80% of ICU patients injured during war experience severe pain [3]. Pain becomes chronic in nearly 83% of combatants with blast injuries and 75% with gunshot wounds [4]. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in 82% of traumatized combatants, becoming a national challenge in the future years.
... Resistant wound infections management

Since 2021, we have had a national standard on antibiotic therapy prescription and de-escalation in Ukraine, although it does not include antibiotic therapy guidelines for patients with blast injuries and deep soft-tissue infections. The Joint Trauma System also gives no clear guidance for the treatment of combat trauma-related infections [8]. Combat injuries, especially from blast-related trauma, are usually more complicated than civilian trauma.
Deep soft-tissue infections and osteomyelitis develop in 50–75% of blast-trauma cases and result in substantial mortality [8, 9]. The most common pathogens, which caused wound infections during the war in Ukraine, are Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.5%), Proteus mirabilis (21.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (23.8%), Streptococcus pyogenes (18.8%), and Escherichia coli (13.8%); with resistant wound infections increasing mortality up to 12% [10]. Almost all patients receive antibiotics from the first day of injury, with nearly 80% being carbapenems, often in combination with vancomycin or fluoroquinolone. As the patient moves from one hospital to another at the stages of evacuation, there is little antibiotic stewardship and heterogeneity in the used dosages and antibiotics in different hospitals. Highly variable antibiotic prescriptions have resulted in selective resistance for frequently used and currently effective antibiotics. Resistant infection also causes delays in patient transfer to specialized centers and surgical treatment due to the need of isolation...

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00134-023-07117-5

[Pathfinder]

Ukraine war: Putin says Russia does not reject peace talks

Published
7 hours ago

President Putin gave a wide-ranging press conference in St Petersburg following a meeting with African leaders

By Marita Moloney
BBC News

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he does not reject the idea of peace talks on Ukraine.

Speaking after meeting African leaders in St Petersburg, he said African and Chinese initiatives could serve as a basis for finding peace.

But Mr Putin also said there could be no ceasefire while the Ukrainian army was on the offensive.

In the hours after he spoke, Russia said a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow had damaged two office blocks.

...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66351867

-------------------------------

Zelensky after Moscow drone attack: War coming back to Russia

Published
47 minutes ago

By James Gregory
BBC News

Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has warned war is coming to Russia after a drone attack on the capital Moscow.

Mr Zelensky said attacks on Russian territory were an "inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process" of the war between the two countries.

Russia's defence ministry said three Ukrainian drones were downed on Sunday, with two crashing into offices.

Vnukovo Airport, southwest of the city centre, was also briefly shut.

The drone attack in the early hours of Sunday is the latest that Moscow has blamed on Kyiv. Ukraine rarely claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia.

But in a video address on Sunday from the western Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine was getting stronger.

"Today is the 522nd day of the so-called 'Special Military Operation', which the Russian leadership thought would last a couple of weeks," he said.

"Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia - to its symbolic centres and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process."

...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66352765

[Emily]

There are photos of the family's surviving 5 eyes. The little boy who kept both eyes clearly has severe damage. Though cluster munitions are used by several countries, only two, Ukraine and Syria, have used them on their own citizens. - E.

CASE REPORT article


Front. Med., 18 May 2023
Sec. Ophthalmology
Volume 10 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1171954

Case report: Bilateral eye injuries in members of one family due to a cluster munition in Ukraine

Katarzyna Nowomiejska^1* Katarzyna Adamczyk¹ Dariusz Haszcz¹ Nataliya Preys² Robert Rejdak¹

• ¹Chair and Department of General and Pediatric Ophthalmology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
• ²Lviv Regional Hospital, Lviv, Ukraine

The aim of the study was to report the effects of surgical treatment of three victims of a cluster munition in Ukraine. A 32-year-old woman and her sons—6-year-old male twins—presented in Poland after 18 days of delay in treatment. All ocular injuries were bilateral. One of the boys presented with total retinal detachment and a post-traumatic cataract as well as corneal sutures in one eye and a post-traumatic cataract in the other eye. The other boy had already developed atrophy in one eye and a vitreous hemorrhage in the other eye. The woman suffered from bilateral post-traumatic cataract with multiple glass intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs). The surgical treatment included cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation in three eyes, removal of IOFBs in one eye, and enucleation of the atrophic eye with implantation of an ocular prosthesis preventing constriction of face tissues. The eye with retinal detachment underwent pars plana vitrectomy, and the vitreous hemorrhage resolved itself. Postoperatively, visual acuity improved significantly in four of six eyes. Only in the eye with an open-globe injury and persistent retinal detachment, the final visual acuity was still poor. In conclusion, cluster munition may lead to bilateral ocular trauma with IOFBs, open-and close-globe injuries, and severe vision loss if left untreated. Modern ophthalmic surgery leads to vision with IOL improvement and solving the eyes after severe combat injury.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2023.1171954/full

[Emily]

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/10/timeline-use-of-controversial-cluster-bombs-in-past-conflicts

2014-15, Crimea:

Russia and Ukraine used cluster munitions during Moscow’s invasion to annex Crimea, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
...
2022, Ukraine War:

According to HRW, Russia and Ukraine have extensively used cluster bombs during the conflict.

[kiwibird]

The date of the article you have quoted stating Ukraine is using cluster munitions effectively is the 20th of July this year, a year after the eye damage article previously quoted. Crimea was invaded without a shot being fired. You have not provided any evidence otherwise - let alone of cluster munitions being used by either side at that time.https://www.haaretz.com/2014-03-01/t...f-fbf706de0000

[Emily]

Kiwi, I did NOT state the eye injuries in the medical report were caused by a weapon from either side. You don't know the source, either. Both sides are using these weapons and they persist and kill and injure civilians. The only way to end this is to end the war.

[Emily]

19 Sep 2023
Military.com | By Katie Livingstone

...
Analysts now estimate that between 20,000 to 50,000 amputees are in Ukraine, with tens of thousands more killed or otherwise injured. Such a massive influx of amputees has not been seen in Europe since World War I, and with the war’s end nowhere in sight, Ukraine has already become home to one of the largest populations of amputees anywhere in the world, joining countries like Afghanistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sudan, Bosnia and Rwanda. Several new rehabilitation centers opened in Ukraine last year in response to the exponential growth in amputee victims.
...
“We want to become the biggest rehabilitation center in Europe,” Sadovyi said.

The Unbroken consortium is already the largest medical group in the country, made up of over 1,000 doctors, and has already treated thousands of patients, including adult and child victims of the war. A big part of the project is focused on sharing best practices and other resources amongst rehabilitation centers across the country...

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/09/19/ukrainian-vets-learn-navigate-world-bodies-war-has-changed.html