The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Ukraine’s Mykolaiv holds the line against Russian forces and delays assault on Odessa

By Isabelle Khurshudyan

15 Mar 2022 · 5 min read

YKOLAIV, Ukraine - At the front line of the battle for southern Ukraine, Diana was having her birthday party in the unfinished basement of an apartment building. She turned 5 on Monday. In the absence of a cake, her parents stuck a candle in a mandarin orange and told her to make a wish.

After she blew out the flame, Diana told them she asked for the war to end soon.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms