Amira Barkhush

David Chichkan’s family, friends, and comrades gathered to honor the artist, who lived his art and remained committed to his principles of freedom and equality until the very end.

From nostalgic TikToks to fake Facebook groups, Russia is flooding the Baltic states with disinformation designed to stir division. Memes, mask manipulation, and Russian-speaking communities are weaponized to weaken the region from within.

Russia stole the works of Ukraine’s renowned 20th-century painter Leonid Chichkan in 2022. Three years later, it claimed the life of his great-grandson, David Chichkan, an artist, anarchist, and soldier.

At least 11 people, including a six-year-old boy, were killed following a large-scale Russian drones and missile attack on Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, July 31, 2025.

“Russia has come to our land and is killing us. What more motivation do you need?” Zoits, a drone operator, speaks with the calm precision of someone who has destroyed a Russian tank, standing tall despite her petite frame. Once civilians with careers in sports, marketing, and sales, more Ukrainian women are now picking up military uniforms as Russia’s full-scale invasion rages on into its fourth year.

Russian state media is notorious for promoting its own interests while ridiculing other countries and cultures. Among its frequent targets are US President Donald Trump and the American people who support him.