The Nazis who stormed Leningrad could hear Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony playing during its siege, severely demoralizing the Army Group North’s mistaken belief in the Untermenschen it sought to subdue. Today marks the 82nd anniversary of the Leningrad’s Symphony’s playing of Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony.

Due to Russia’s ban on YouTube, Russians who would have liked to celebrate the 82nd anniversary of the Leningrad Symphony’s playing Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony are not able to do so.

Just as the United States shut down access to testing services for the TOEFL, Russia shuts down access to social media such as YouTube. The Ukraine war’s effect has been to reduce the freedoms and freedom of information working people around the world would have continued to enjoy, had the Ukraine war never occurred or stopped sooner rather than later.