Rain rain rain rain

I puttered/futzed around. I put compost from last year's leaves around the garden, being careful to avoid the mitchella repens aka partridge berry. I exercised. I cooked. I edited. 

Today is veterans' day. Zelensky thanked the US. 

Russia has lost power and prestige in international bodies. The General Assembly has twice condemned Russia's invasion. It demanded Russia's unconditional withdrawal. It rejected Russia's annexation. Only five countries stood with Russia. Putin will not go to the Group of 20. Russia wanted to lead the UN International Telecommunications Union and was drafting a plan that favored authoritarian control over openness. An American was elected instead. Russia failed to get a seat on its 48 member council, its 12 member Radio Regulations Board, or any of its oversight bureaus. It has been suspended from the UN Human Rights Council and the UN World Tourism Organization. 

Russian state media was rooting for Republican gains in the US, thinking this would shift the US policy toward Ukraine. THey boasted about their ability to influence our politics. On Tuesday Vladimir Solovyov stared his show by saying, "Happy interference in the US elections day." The EU  ambassador in Washington said he was certain that there would be "continuity" in US aid to Ukraine because support for Ukraine is bipartisan. 

The European Commission announced a proposed package of $18 billion to help Ukraine's funding needs. 

There is a non-profit run by a man, Andrii Kolesnyk, who can't serve in the Ukrainian army because of disability, but his sister does. The non-profit provides women soldiers with uniforms and other supplies, like menstural supplies. Otherwise the women soldiers get men's uniforms and men's underwear! Thanks to his NGO they get clothing that fits. 

Some wives of Russian soldiers are threatening to go to the front lines in Ukraine to bring back their husbands. More than 20 relatives who were drafted as part of the September 21 order went to a military unit in a town near the border with Ukraine. This sort of thing is happening with increasing frequency. 

Access to Kherson may make it easier for Ukraine to hit more of Russia's supply routes with HIMARS. 

The night Russia left Kherson the Ukrainians there threw parties. The next morning they went to the streets, including carrying an enormous Ukrainian flag through town. Russia cut the power lines before leaving. "Jubilant Ukrainian civilians lit bonfires to keep the celebrations going into the night, singing Ukrainian nationalist songs that had been banned under Russian occupation."