Euan MacDonald

Editor-At-Large, NV English

MA Artificial Intelligence and Linguistics (Edinburgh), MSc Information Technology (Glasgow)

Twenty-seven-year career in journalism in Ukraine as editor at Eastern Economist, Kyiv Post, Interfax Ukraine, UNIAN, Novoye Vremya. Correspondent for BBC local radio, RTE. Writer and content creator.

Likes cats, playing guitar and piano, and geolocating things.


Stabbed in the back /
Russia planning to involve Belarusian troops in invading Ukraine, says Ukraine’s General Staff

Russia is planning to involve “the most trained military units of Belarus” in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine’s General Staff wrote on Facebook on March 1.
1 March 2022, 12:18 PM 1705
Nation

That'll do nicely /
Mastercard cuts several Russian financial institutions off

A number of Russian financial institutions have been disconnected from the Mastercard international credit card payment system due to the launch of Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression on Ukraine, Reuters reported on Feb. 28.
1 March 2022, 12:09 PM 437
Business

War crimes /
Russian invaders launch rocket attacks killing two near Kyiv

Two civilians were killed and three more were injured a result of rocket attacks by invading Russian troops on Vasylkiv, the town’s mayor, Natalia Balasynovych, said in a video message.
1 March 2022, 12:02 PM 654
Nation

No air cover /
US once again rules out no-fly zone over Ukraine

The White House is not considering establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Feb. 28.
1 March 2022, 11:42 AM 596
Nation

Useful list /
How and where to cross Ukraine’s western borders, where to find help

Almost 400,000 people have left Ukraine over three days. European countries let Ukrainians in under a simplified procedure and grant them refugee status.
1 March 2022, 11:34 AM 873
Nation

War crimes /
Russians continue shelling city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine

Invading Russian forces resumed shelling the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on the morning of March 1, according to the videos published by the adviser to the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko.
1 March 2022, 11:21 AM 502
Nation

State piracy /
Russian warships capture two civilian Ukrainian ships in Black Sea, say Ukraine's border guards

Russian Navy vessels captured two civilian Ukrainian ships on Feb. 26 during what Russia said was a “counter-terrorist operation” in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service wrote on Facebook on Feb. 27.
27 February 2022, 02:56 PM 5243
Nation

Economic warfare /
Conflict with Russia has cost Ukrainian economy $280 billion since 2014 – CEBR

The military conflict with Russia and the Russian occupation of Crimea cost the Ukrainian economy some $280 billion from 2014 to 2020, and the conflict has a $40 billion annual price tag, according to a new report by UK-based Center for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).
12 February 2022, 05:08 AM 338
Business

Military aid /
Another shipment of ammo from the US arrives in Ukraine

A twelfth installment of U.S. military aid to Ukraine arrived at Boryspil airport outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Feb. 11, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov reported in a tweet.
11 February 2022, 04:23 PM 426
Nation

Furry friends /
Kyiv rescue workers pose with stray animals for charity photoshoot

A Ukrainian animal shelter in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha has staged a charity photoshoot with animal rescue workers from Ukraine’s State Emergency Service to raise money for stray animals, the shelter announced via social media.
4 February 2022, 04:49 AM 3918
Life

Substitution /
Ukrainian national biathlon team may replace captain after COVID diagnosis prior to Winter Olympics

Ukrainian biathlete Anastasiya Merkushyna may take over as team captain for Ukraine’s national Olympic biathlon team, the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine said on its official website on Feb. 2, as Olena Bilosiuk, the usual team captain, has tested positive for COVID-19.
3 February 2022, 08:43 PM 270
Life

‘A very serious situation’ /
Germany’s Scholz plans to meet Putin in Moscow to talk about Ukraine

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s border, German public broadcaster ZDF reported on Feb. 2.
3 February 2022, 05:05 PM 89
Nation

Still surging /
Nearly 40,000 new COVID-19 cases over the past day: Ukraine sets another coronavirus record

Over the past day, 39,620 Ukrainians have been diagnosed with COVID-19, a total of 210 deaths were recorded, and 9,380 patients recovered from the disease, according to official data from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health as of the morning of Feb. 3.
3 February 2022, 04:22 PM 64
Nation

This way and that /
Ukraine begins imports of natural gas from Hungary, boosting energy security

Ukraine has begun importing natural gas from Hungary for the first time in its history, the CEO of Ukraine’s Gas Transmission System Operator, Serhiy Makohon, announced on his Facebook page on Feb. 1. 
2 February 2022, 02:38 AM 99
Business

Anxious and helpless /
Russian sociologist claims Russian public doesn’t want war with Ukraine

In a new column for NV, Russian sociologist and director of polling firm Levada Center Lev Gudkov has analyzed how Russian citizens feel about the possibility of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, and its likely consequences.
1 February 2022, 09:33 PM 471
Nation

Not a NATO alternative /
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba fleshes out new alliance between Ukraine, Poland and UK

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described some details of the new security framework declared between Ukraine, Poland and the UK, in a Facebook post on Feb. 1.
1 February 2022, 06:24 PM 203
Nation

Resource curse /
Former Naftogaz chief’s home and office raided by law enforcement

Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations has conducted a search of the home and office of Andriy Kobolyev, the former head of Ukraine’s state-owned oil and natural gas monopolist Naftogaz, the bureau said on Feb. 1.
1 February 2022, 05:07 PM 169
Business

State Suicide /
Ukrainian top official warns fulfillment of Minsk accords means ‘country’s destruction’

The fulfillment of the Minsk agreements would mean Ukraine’s "destruction,” Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told The Associated Press in an interview on Jan. 31.
1 February 2022, 02:03 PM 230
Nation

Hitting them where it hurts /
US ready to target Kremlin leadership directly with personal sanctions, says White House

The United States will impose personal sanctions against the Kremlin’s inner circle and their families if Russia further invades Ukraine, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing on Jan. 31 in Washington DC.
1 February 2022, 01:17 PM 104
Nation

Self isolating /
UK foreign secretary skips Ukraine trip after positive COVID test

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will not now visit Ukraine on Feb. 1 after testing positive for COVID-19 the previous evening and going into self-isolation.
1 February 2022, 12:02 PM 68
Nation