Video Shows Rockets Destroying Ukrainian Theme Park

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

The ongoing Russian and Ukrainian conflict is one of the most documented in global history. Cell phones, news cameras, and even surveillance cameras have broadcasted some of the worst moments for the world to see.

Among them is new footage from ABC News out of Kharkiv, Ukraine, a city with a pre-war population of nearly 1.5 million. According to the AP, it is the most recent victim of brutal attacks and unprecedented death.

A new surveillance video shows the moment Russian rockets hit Maxim Gorky Central Park for Culture and Recreation, a small theme park in Kharkiv. The cameras captured over three minutes of footage at multiple spots in the park.

Closed since early on in the war, Gorky Park was empty at the time – video shows rides with tarps over the seats and eerily empty brick roads. Bright yellow rollercoaster tracks and pastel show buildings sit quietly before the camera shakes, a fiery blast fills the screen, and the air is filled with thick, gray dust.

According to a tweet from ABC, no one was killed, and only one person was injured. They wrote:

Dramatic footage captures the moment rockets hit an amusement park in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Fire crews eventually contained the fire and one woman suffered shrapnel wounds from the shelling, according to State Emergency Services.

This latest footage is just another reminder of how the war affects the everyday lives of Ukrainians. A few months ago, Gorky Park would’ve been full of families and children, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. Now, it remains quiet and dusty, a symbol of how quickly life can change.

According to CNN, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war as of two weeks ago. But no such meeting has occurred and the destruction continues.

Still, 90% of Americans planned to travel soon amid the ongoing war as of March. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been more eager to travel despite increasing inflation. Several factors are at play: saved stimulus checks, more flexible work-from-home schedules, and the recent removal of mask mandates on public transportation, including airplanes, within the United States.

Disney Pauses ALL Business In Russia

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

On March 1, Disney announced that it was stopping all planned theatrical releases in Russia. This included its newest Pixar film, Turning Red. The move came less than one week after Russian forces invaded the country of Ukraine. The invasion and subsequent attacks were unprovoked. Following Disney’s move, other major studios stopped their theatrical releases as well. Those studios were Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Warner Bros. At this time, NBCUniversal has not made a statement regarding Russia, and it appears as though all Universal films are still scheduled to be released in the country.

Not long after stopping its film releases, Disney also announced that its cruise line would be removing Russia as one of its ports of call. Well, Disney is now announcing that they are not stopping there. Effective immediately, The Walt Disney Company will be stopping ALL business activity in Russia. A Disney spokesperson spoke with The Hollywood Reporter, which wrote:

Turning Red

The company says that it will be pausing “content and product licensing, Disney Cruise Line activities, National Geographic magazine and tours, local content productions and linear channels.

“Some of those business activities we can and will pause immediately. Others—such as linear channels and some content and product licensing—will take time given contractual complexities,” a company spokesperson added.

Disney has a number of linear channels in Russia, and St. Petersburg has long been a port of call for its cruise ships. Likewise, Disney-branded consumer products and National Geographic magazine have long been available around the world, including in Russia.

The Disney spokesperson added that the company’s Russia-based employees will remain employed.

st petersurg russia disney magic

Disney was the first company to stop theatrical releases in Russia. Its move to pause all business entirely is following in the footsteps of other companies, including Netflix, Amazon, WarnerMedia, and others. None of these companies have said how long the stoppage will last, but it will certainly be for at least as long as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. Even if they pull out of the country, there is no guarantee that business will be back to normal soon after.

Disney Releases Statement on Crisis in Ukraine

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Less than one week ago, Vladimir Putin instructed hundreds of thousands of Russian troops to invade the neighboring country of Ukraine. While the movement started off slowly, the Russian army has advanced and is now in the capital city of Kyiv. Russian troops have bombed buildings, including hospitals. The world has been standing with Ukraine, with many businesses refusing to do business with Russia. The United States has also issued sanctions, hoping to cripple the Russian economy.

Many large companies who have done business with Russia in the past are also speaking out against the invasion. Disney is the first film studio to release a statement about the crisis. Disney, which was preparing to release several films in the country, has released the following statement.

Even though many businesses have cut ties with Russia, Putin has not indicated that he has any intention of slowing down. The Russian President has never his the fact that he wants to change the area back into the USSR. Putin — a former member of the KGB — first became President in 2000 and was in power for eight years. He then became president once again in 2012 and has been there ever since. His critics have claimed that those who run against him will either end up in jail or dead.

Vladimir Putin

As millions around the globe watch in horror as thousands of Ukrainians flee to safety, some have been giving updates from the ground. Ukrainian-born Dancing With the Stars pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has informed followers that there is fighting everywhere in the city of Kyiv. He has revealed on Instagram that he was arrested and then released. He has shared that he is working on a way to get out of the country. Chmerkovskiy was there filming the show World of Dance, where he was a judge.

Dancing With the Stars Maksim

Currently, Ukraine still holds the country and the Ukrainian President has said that he is attempting to negotiate peace talks.