-
Russia’s bombing of population centers to ‘break Ukrainian morale,’ UK intelligence said Sunday.
-
US and Poland are discussing a deal that would involve Warsaw sending Soviet-era jets.
-
Israel’s PM secretly travels to Moscow to meet with Putin, has 3 conversations with Zelensky.
Sen. Marco Rubio says imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine ‘means starting World War III’
Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday warned against implementing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, suggesting that it’ll plunge the US into World War III.
“A no-fly zone has become a catchphrase. I’m not sure a lot of people fully understand what that means,” Rubio said in an interview on ABC’s “This Week.”
“So basically a no-fly zone, if people understand what it means, it means World War II. It means starting World War III,” Rubio added. “It’s not some rule you pass that everybody has to oblige by. It’s the willingness to shoot down the aircrafts of the Russian Federation, which is basically the beginning of World War III.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has for days called on Western leaders to impose a no-fly zone.
The US has seen ‘very credible reports’ of intentional attacks on civilians constituting a war crime, Blinken says
There have been “very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians” in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday.
Russian forces have been targeting civilians, he said in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“We’ve seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians which would constitute a war crime. We’ve seen very credible reports about the use of certain weapons,” Blinken said.
Putin initially said that his invasion of Ukraine would not target any civilians, but the offensive has since indiscriminately bombed multiple towns and cities, hitting hospitals, apartment buildings, and an orphanage.
Secretary of State says the Biden administration is having ‘active discussions’ to ban Russian oil imports to the US
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday said the Biden administration is considering banning imports of Russian oil to the United States.
“We are now in very active discussions with our European partners about banning the import of Russian oil to our country while, of course, at the same time, maintaining a steady global supply of oil,” Blinken said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
The last sanction the US can impose over Russian President Vladimir Putin is a ban on the country’s oil exports. As Insider’s Mattathias Schwartz notes, Russia’s energy resources bring home more than $500 million per day, which makes up about half its government revenue. So the Biden administration would deal a major blow to Russia if the US decides to impose an oil sanction.
Video shows Ukrainian airport ‘completely destroyed’ by eight Russian missiles
Eight Russian missiles “completely destroyed” an airport in Vinnytsia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday.
He called the strike “brutal” and “cynical” in a video posted to social media.
Dramatic footage shows flames and plumes of thick black smoke rising from the site of the Ukrainian airport, 200 miles west of Kyiv, after the attack.
In response to the missile strike, Zelensky released a video in which he renewed his call on Western leaders to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
200,000 civilians remain trapped in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol as Russian cease-fire fails again
Russian troops failed to uphold a second cease-fire in Mariupol, doling out “heavy shelling” as civilians tried to escape through a designated safe route.
“The evacuation convoy with the local population could not leave Mariupol today: the Russians began regrouping their forces and heavy shelling of the city. It is extremely dangerous to take people out in such conditions,” reads a statement on the city’s Telegram channel.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said about 200,000 people remain stuck in the city.
Ukrainian orphanage evacuates hundreds of children to Poland, report says
Hundreds of children were evacuated from an orphanage in Ukraine, Reuters reported.
More than 200 kids — ranging in age from toddlers to teens — left their orphanage located in Zaporizhzhia to head to their new home in Poland.
“My heart is being torn apart,” Olha Kucher, director of the Zaporizhzhia Central Christian Orphanage, told Reuters. Then she started sobbing. “I’m sorry . . . I simply lack words. And I feel so sorry for these children. They’re so young.”
The kids and their caretakers rode a train for 24 hours to flee the country, according to Reuters.
“Putin is simply killing people,” Kucher said. “I don’t understand why the Russian people can’t believe that we’re being bombarded – that we and our children are being killed.”
Russia is indiscriminately bombing population centers to ‘break Ukrainian morale,’ says UK intelligence
The British Ministry of Defence has said the Russian offensive is targeting civilians to try and “break morale.”
Putin initially said that his invasion of Ukraine would not target any civilians, but the offensive has since indiscriminately bombed multiple towns and cities, hitting hospitals, apartment buildings, and an orphanage.
The International Criminal Court is investigating Russia over possible war crimes due to civilian deaths.
The U.N. human rights office on Saturday said 351 civilians have been killed but believe the toll is “considerably higher.”READ FULL STORY
US and Poland are in talks to deliver warplanes to Ukraine
The US and Poland are discussing a deal that would involve Warsaw sending Soviet-era jets to Ukraine to help it defend itself against the ongoing Russian invasion, multiple media outlets reported Saturday.
In exchange for supplying Ukraine with the aircraft, Poland would receive F-19s from the US to help it backfill its stocks. US officials told Politico and The Wall Street Journal about the discussions with Poland.
The reports came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the US and other NATO nations to provide the country with warplanes, especially if they do not declare a no-fly zone over Ukraine.Read Full Story
The International Monetary Fund said the war in Ukraine will greatly impact the global economy
The IMF warned on Saturday that the crisis in Ukraine will “have a severe impact on the global economy.”
In a statement, the organization said its Executive Board met on Friday and said the economic consequences from the ongoing fighting “are already very serious.”
“The war in Ukraine is resulting in tragic loss of life and human suffering, as well as causing massive damage to Ukraine’s physical infrastructure,” the statement said.
The statement said that prices for necessities including wheat have increased.
“Price shocks will have an impact worldwide, especially on poor households for whom food and fuel are a higher proportion of expenses. Should the conflict escalate, the economic damage would be all the more devastating,” the statement said.
The IMF also said that the sanctions placed on Russia will impact the global economy and financial markets, “with significant spillovers to other countries.”
The statement said countries would have to monitor the global economy as the crisis continues to figure out the best ways to respond.
“This crisis will create complex policy tradeoffs, further complicating the policy landscape as the world economy recovers from the pandemic crisis,” the IMF said.
They warned that countries with close ties to Ukraine and Russia’s economy will be the most impacted.
The IMF added that they plan to bring Ukraine’s request for $1.4 billion in emergency financing to the Executive Board for consideration as early as next week.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty becomes latest media group to suspend operations in Russia
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said on Saturday it was suspending operations in Russia in response to Kremlin attacks on the organization and the press in general.
RFE/RL, a nonprofit funded by a US government grant, announced the move in a statement, saying the Russian government initiated bankruptcy proceedings against its Russian entity and increased police pressure on journalists.
“It is with the deepest regret that I announce the suspension of our physical operations in Moscow today,” RFE/RL President and CEO Jamie Fly said, adding that the decision was “forced upon us by the Putin regime’s assault on the truth.”
The statement also noted the law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 4 that could subject journalist reporting on the war with Ukraine to up to 15 years in prison.
“Following years of threats, intimidation and harassment of our journalists, the Kremlin, desperate to prevent Russian citizens from knowing the truth about its illegal war in Ukraine, is now branding honest journalists as traitors to the Russian state,” Fly said.
RFE/RL has been operating in Russia since 1991. The announcement comes after major media outlets like the BBC and CNN also said they were suspending operations in Russia.
Ukraine shares dramatic footage that appears to show a Russian helicopter gunship shot down in flames
Footage appears to show the moment a Russian gunship helicopter was shot down by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) in the Kyiv Oblast province of Ukraine.
In the video, a helicopter immediately bursts into flames and crashes to the ground after being targeted by a weapon.
The footage was shared on Twitter by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on Saturday morning. “This is how the Russian occupiers are dying,” the ministry said in the caption. “This time in a helicopter!”
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett traveled to Moscow in secret to meet with Putin
The Israeli Prime Minister on Saturday secretly traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett took the trip to meet with Putin and discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, according to Reuters. Saturday marks the tenth day of Russia’s war on its neighbor.
Israel has condemned Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and has offered to mediate between the two nations.
Putin warned that Ukraine will be ‘blamed’ for losing its statehood if its leaders ‘continue doing what they are doing’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday called sanctions imposed on his country “akin to a declaration of war” and warned that Ukraine could lose its statehood if its leaders “continue doing what they are doing,” according to The New York Times.
Putin, increasingly isolated from the West as he continues his military advance throughout Ukraine, rejected the country’s resistance against his escalating invasion.
“The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Putin said during a meeting in Moscow. “If that happens … they will have to be blamed for that.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has remained defiant in the face of Russia’s attacks, rejecting offers to leave the country as he guides his citizenry through the conflict.
“Our military, our national guard, our national police, our territory defense, special service, nationals of Ukraine, please carry on. We will win. Glory to Ukraine,” Zelensky steadfastly exclaimed during a speech last week.
US urges Americans living or traveling in Russia to vacate ‘immediately’
The US State Department on Saturday warned Americans to “depart Russia immediately” as the country continues to engage in conflict with Ukraine.
In an advisory with a level-4 rating, the US Embassy & Consulates in Russia said there are limited commercial flight options available to transport Americans out of the country.
“If you wish to depart Russia, you should make arrangements on your own as soon as possible,” the notice says. “If you plan to stay in Russia, understand the U.S. Embassy has severe limitations on its ability to assist U.S. citizens, and conditions, including transportation options, may change suddenly.”
The advisory says Americans are at risk for potential harassment “by Russian government security officials.”
The situation along the Ukraine-Russia border is “dangerous and unpredictable,” the advisory says.
Read Full Story
Russian forces are closing in on another major Ukrainian nuclear plant after seizing Europe’s largest nuclear facility
Russian troops are coming dangerously close to another Ukrainian nuclear plant after their “incredibly reckless” seizure of the plant in Zaporizhzhia, officials said.
Ukraine’s second-largest nuclear plant in Yuzhnoukrainsk is about 215 miles south of Kyiv, and is facing “imminent danger,” the US ambassador to the UN said.
“Russian forces are now 20 miles, and closing, from Ukraine’s second-largest nuclear facility. So this imminent danger continues,” ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Friday at a UN Security Council emergency meeting.
Russian troops previously attacked and seized Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia, leading to a fire at the plant amid intense fighting. The plant provides a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity.
Read Full Story
Putin said any country that tries to impose a no-fly zone will be considered ‘participants in a military conflict’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday spoke out against countries imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
“We will immediately consider them as participants in a military conflict, and it doesn’t matter members of which organizations they are,” Putin said, according to a tweet from the RIA Novosti pool.
“It is impossible to do it, on the very territory of Ukraine, it’s possible only from the territory of some neighboring states. But any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict,” Putin added.
RIA Novosti is a Russian state-run news outlet.
—Кремлевский пул РИА (@Kremlinpool_RIA) March 5, 2022
Aeroflot halts international flights as Russian sanctions increase risk of foreign-leased planes being impounded
Aeroflot, Russia’s flagship airline, has announced it is suspending international flights, except those to Belarus.
There is a high risk of foreign-leased planes being impounded due to sanctions imposed on Russia.
In a statement posted on its website on Saturday, Aeroflot said there would be a temporary suspension of all international flights from March 8, “due to the occurrence of additional circumstances that impede the operation of flights.”
The suspension doesn’t apply to foreign airlines from countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia and haven’t shut down their airspace.
The statement added that the airline would let passengers with one-way tickets fly up until March 8. However, it will cancel return tickets for passengers who are scheduled to depart Russia after March 6 and come back after March 8.
More than 840 children injured amid ongoing conflict, Ukrainian officials say
Over 840 children have been wounded as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, officials said.
Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine’s security council, demanded on Friday that Russia establish a way for women and children to escape the conflict, according to the Associated Press.
“The question of humanitarian corridors is question No. 1.,” Danilov told Ukrainian media, per the AP. “Children, women, elderly people – what are they doing here?”
Earlier this week, Ukrainian officials said 28 children have died so far. There have also been diplomatic talks between Ukraine and Russia to create humanitarian corridors for Ukraine civilians to leave.
Russian forces not observing cease-fire in Mariupol, Ukrainian authorities say
Russian forces are not observing a temporary cease-fire in Mariupol, city officials said, per reports.
“The Russians are continuing to bomb us and use artillery. It is crazy,” Mariupol deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC. “There is no ceasefire in Mariupol. Our civilians are ready to escape but they cannot.”
The cease-fire was agreed upon to set up humanitarian corridors, allowing civilians to leave Mariupol.
But city authorities are now putting evacuations on hold and are urging civilians to go back into bomb shelters, BBC’s Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford said on Twitter.
Russia announces temporary cease-fire in 2 Ukrainian cities
Russian media outlets are reporting that the Russian military has announced a cease-fire in Mariupol and Volnovakha.
It will last for six hours, creating humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to leave.
The Ukrainian military has not publically recognized the cease-fire.
The Russian offensive will continue throughout the rest of Ukraine.
Elon Musk declines to block Russian propaganda from Starlink
Elon Musk said several governments have asked him to block Russian media from Starlink but he has refused.
“Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint,” Musk tweeted early Saturday.
“Sorry to be a free speech absolutist,” he added.
Musk did not specify which governments have made the request. Russian media outlets like RT are state-run and serve as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “global megaphone,” CNN reported.
PayPal shut down its services in Russia
PayPal shut down its services in Russia early on Saturday, Reuters reported.
“Under the current circumstances, we are suspending PayPal services in Russia,” President and Chief Executive Dan Schulman said in a statement, Reuters reported.
Schulman said his company “stands with the international community in condemning Russia’s violent military aggression in Ukraine.”
The company stopped accepting new users on Wednesday.
Samsung joined Apple in suspending product shipments to Russia
Samsung on Saturday announced that it suspended shipment of products to Russia, Bloomberg reported.
Shipment of products, including smartphones, have been suspended.
The company told Bloomberg that it was monitoring the situation.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been impacted and our priority is to ensure the safety of all our employees and their families,” Samsung said in the statement. The company is donating $6 million, including $1 million in consumer electronics products, to humanitarian efforts in the region.
The New York Times reported that Samsung and Apple, which announced that it was suspending sales on Tuesday, combined account for about half of all smartphone sales in Russia.
Singapore imposes sanctions on Russia
Singapore on Saturday announced sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
“Singapore is a consistent and staunch supporter of international law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Charter. The sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of all countries, big and small, must be respected,” a press release from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs read.
The press release said the sanctions were meant to “constrain Russia’s capacity to conduct war against Ukraine and undermine its sovereignty.”
Singapore has also prohibited certain sectors from conducting business in the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Zelensky called NATO summit ‘weak’ and ‘lost’ over its rejection of a no-fly zone
The Ukrainian president criticized NATO after the alliance said it would not intervene in Ukraine by land or air, The New York Times reported.
NATO said it made the decision so it would not cause a bigger conflict with Russia.
“We have a responsibility as NATO allies to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine,” NATO’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, said on Friday. “So we have made it clear that we are not going to move into Ukraine, neither on the ground or in Ukrainian airspace.”
Stoltenberg said creating the no-fly zone over Ukraine would mean that NATO would send fighter planes and potentially shoot “down Russian planes,” which he could escalate into “a full-fledged war in Europe, involving many more countries and causing much more human suffering,” the Times reported.
Zelensky said the lack of a no-fly zone gave Russia “a green light” for more bombardment, The Times reported.
“All the people who will die from this day will die because of you, as well,” Zelensky said. “Because of your weakness. Because of your disunity.”
Zelensky addresses pro-Ukraine protestors in Bratislava, Frankfurt, Prague, Lyon, Tbilisi, Vienna over Zoom
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed protestors via Zoom in European cities including Bratislava, Frankfurt, Prague, Lyon, Tbilisi, and Vienna on Friday.
During the speech, he reportedly said that if Ukraine falls to Russia, “Europe will not stand.”
The video below shows pro-Ukraine supporters in Prague listening to Zelensky’s address.
“If we will fall, you will fall so please don’t be silent, do not turn the blind on eye on this,” Zelensky said during the speech, according to Axios.
“If we win, and I’m sure we’ll win, this will be the victory for the whole democratic world,” he added.
Ukrainian officials say Russia is breaking its promise to allow humanitarian aid into a captured city
Ukrainian officials in the Russian-occupied city of Kherson said that Russia has not allowed humanitarian corridors as agreed upon as food supplies run low, according to The Washington Post.
On Thursday, Russian and Ukrainian leaders announced that temporary cease-fires would be implemented so that humanitarian corridors could be established in Kherson so that civilians could safely leave and so that food and medical supplies could be distributed.
On Friday, Stanislav, a Kherson local, told Insider that food supplies are scarce days into Russia’s occupation, and that he was only able to secure food provisions for one day. “There is simply no food in supermarkets,” Stanislav told Insider.
On Wednesday, Russian forces gained full control of Kherson, which is Ukraine’s third-largest city and a strategic southern port city along the Black Sea.
CNN, BBC Russia, Bloomberg, CBS suspend operations in Russia
CNN, BBC Russia, Bloomberg suspended their operations in Russia on Friday after Russia’s parliament passed a draconian media censorship law that punishes independent journalists and those who publish “false information” about Russia’s war in Ukraine with up to 15 years in prison.
The bill, approved by Russia’s state Duma, is expected to be signed by Putin and go into effect on Saturday. According to The New York Times, a journalist could face penalties under the new law for describing the war in Ukraine as a “war.”
Bloomberg’s editor in chief said that the “change to the criminal code, which seems designed to turn any independent reporter into a criminal purely by association, makes it impossible to continue any semblance of normal journalism inside the country.”
“This legislation appears to criminal ise the process of independent journalism,” the BBC told Insider in a statement. “Our BBC News service in Russian will continue to operate from outside Russia.”
“CNN will stop broadcasting in Russia while we continue to evaluate the situation and our next steps moving forward,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement.
CBS News also followed suit on Friday. “CBS News is not currently broadcasting from Russia as we monitor the circumstances for our team on the ground given the new media laws passed today,” the network said in a statement.
UN sets up independent commission to investigate possible human rights violations by Russia against Ukrainians
The United Nations Human Rights Council said it has set up an independent commission to investigate possible human rights violations committed by Russia against Ukrainians.
A resolution was passed in Geneva during a meeting Friday morning, officially authorizing the agency to investigate any possible human rights violations “in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine,” according to a statement from the agency.
Russia starts blocking and throttling Western tech platforms including Facebook and Twitter
Russia is beginning to block or limit access to Western technology platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, cutting itself and its citizens off from the rest of the world’s internet in drastic fashion as the Ukraine invasion intensifies and criticism increases.
Roskomnadzor, the country’s tech and communications regulator, said Friday it has fully blocked access to Facebook, owned by the US tech giant Meta Platforms.
The regulator did not specify if access would also be restricted to Instagram or WhatsApp, which are also part of Meta.
Twitter has been throttled in Russia over the past week, and on Friday local Russian media outlets began to report the platform was also blocked by Roskomnadzor.
A Russian general has been killed in the fighting in Ukraine
A Russian general was killed in fighting in Ukraine earlier this week, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, 47, was the commanding general of Russia’s 7th Airborne Division and deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army. His death was confirmed Thursday by a local officers’ organization in southern Russia, but the circumstances of his death remain unclear, according to the AP.
Sukhovetsky is the most senior Russian military official to have died in the conflict in Ukraine thus far.
Video shows Ukrainian members of parliament singing the national anthem in their street clothes as Russia targets Kyiv
As Russian forces continue to advance on Kyiv, Ukrainian members of parliament met on Thursday and sang the national anthem in their street clothes.
“Despite Russian bombs attacking Kyiv, they had a session in the parliament today to vote for the essential laws,” Sasha Ustinova, a Ukrainian politician, wrote on Twitter.
In a video included in the tweet, members of parliament could be seen singing Ukraine’s national anthem in their everyday clothes — some in military garments.
Russia is cluster bombing Ukraine as it intensifies its invasion, NATO says
NATO accused Russia of using cluster bombs in Ukraine on Friday as evidence emerged that Russia has been using these highly dangerous weapons as part of its intensifying war.
“We have seen the use of cluster bombs and we have seen reports of use of other types of weapons which would be in violation of international law,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, according to CNN’s Jim Sciutto.
Zelensky taunts Russia with image of apparent missile part near his presidential residence in Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky taunted Russians after a top aide claimed what appeared to be a missile fragment fell near the presidential residence in Kyiv
Press secretary Sergii Nykyforov posted on Facebook on Friday that an apparent piece of a missile was found near the presidential residence in Koncha Zaspa, Kyiv.
Zelensky responded: “Missed.”
Russia appears to control Ukrainian nuclear power plant after attack, but ‘a great concern’ is who’s running it, US official says
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant appears to be in Russia’s control after its forces attacked early on Friday, a senior US defense official said.
But the official noted it’s “a great concern” who is actually running the plant.
“We are in no position to refute claims that [Russian forces] are in control of the nuclear power plant, but we don’t know exactly right now what that control means and what it looks like,” the official said during a US Department of Defense briefing on Friday.
Man in Kherson, the first major Ukrainian city Russia seized, says stores are empty and he only has enough food to last until tomorrow
A Ukrainian man living in the first major Ukrainian city captured by Russia told Insider he can’t find food in stores and he only has enough food at home to last his family until tomorrow.
Stanislav, who lives near the center of the city with his wife and nine-year-old child, told Insider on Friday that he had food “only for tomorrow.”
He said he went into stores on Friday to try and buy food, but that shelves were empty: “There is simply no food in supermarkets.”
UK deputy PM suggests seizing the mansions of Russian oligarchs and using them to house Ukrainian refugees
UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab suggested on Friday that the mansions of Russian oligarchs could be seized and used to house Ukrainian refugees.
“If we’ve got the evidence and the legal basis, then we’ll do it,” Raab said on LBC radio after he was asked if the UK could seize property owned by Russian oligarchs, the Guardian reported.
Putin signs new law punishing those who share ‘false information’ with up to 15 years in prison
Russia’s legislature approved a draft law on Friday that would punish anyone who shares “false information” about the war in Ukraine.
The new law targets “criminal liability” for those who share “false information about the activities of the armed forces (AF) of the Russian Federation, for ‘discrediting’ the Armed Forces, and ‘calls to prevent their use,'” according to the Russian media outlet Kommersant.
Putin says he has ‘no ill intention’ toward Russia’s neighbors as his troops are accused of war crimes in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said he has “no ill intention” toward Russia’s neighbors as his troops continue their brutal assault on Ukraine.
“We see no need to exacerbate the situation or worsen our relations,” Putin said on the state-owned Russia-24 news station, according to a translation from Financial Times reporter Polina Ivanova.
Putin added: “I think everyone should think about normalizing relations and cooperating normally.”
Kremlin staff didn’t expect Putin to invade Ukraine and were shocked by the severity of Western sanctions, report says
Kremlin officials say they didn’t know Russian President Vladimir Putin would invade Ukraine and were shocked by the severity of Western sanctions imposed upon it, the independent Russian investigative outlet Agency reported.
One unnamed senior official said people in the Kremlin “did not know” that it would be an all-out invasion and that many were shocked when news of the military assault broke, the outlet said.
NATO chief warns ‘days to come are likely to be worse’ but says he will not send troops to Ukraine
NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels on Friday:
“This is the worst military aggression in Europe for decades, with cities under siege, schools, hospitals, and residential buildings shelled, reckless actions around a nuclear plant last night, and many civilians killed or wounded.”
“The days to come are likely to be worse, with more death, more suffering and more destruction as Russian armed forces bring in heavier weaponry and continue their attacks across the country,” he said.
He said, however: “Allies agree that we should not have NATO planes operating over Ukrainian airspace or NATO troops on Ukrainian territory.”
Ukraine is not a NATO member country, and Russia has strongly spoken against the possibility of Ukraine joining the alliance.
US calls attack on Russian nuclear power plant a war crime
The US Embassy in Kyiv tweeted on Friday in response to the Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant: “It is a war crime to attack a nuclear power plant. Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.”
Earlier on Friday, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm described Russia’s military operations near the plant as “reckless” and said they “must cease.”
Experts say Ukraine’s nuclear power plants are built to withstand war, leaving little chance of a Chernobyl-like disaster
Despite dire warnings from Ukrainian officials, fighting at any of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants is extremely unlikely to trigger a nuclear disaster, experts said.
Nuclear power plants can’t “blow up” like an atom bomb, and although the war in Ukraine is a catastrophe for millions of people, an attack on its nuclear facilities has no prospect of wiping out an entire continent.
Experts say that modern power-plant design, and nuclear physics itself, make that almost impossible.
Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant’s radiation levels are stable, officials say
Ukrainian and international energy officials said radiation levels at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Russia seized Friday morning, were stable.
Oleksandr Starukh, the head of the Zaporizhia regional military administration, said Russian forces had taken the plant but that its “nuclear safety is now guaranteed,” citing the facility’s director.
He added that nuclear safety levels were “stable, because the appropriate mode of operation of the units was turned on in time.”
The State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine said employees were still working at the plant to keep it safe. It reported no changes in radiation levels, but warned that could change.
In a Friday statement, IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said the plant was hit by a Russian projectile and that there was no change in radiation levels.
Ukraine’s president has survived at least 3 assassination attempts from Russian-backed agents in the past week, report says
The Times of London reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky survived three assassination attempts over the past week.
The report said the attacks came from mercenaries with the Wagner Group private army as well as Chechen special forces working under Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia’s Chechen Republic.
Kadyrov and the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, are both allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian security officials were tipped off by people working for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) who opposed the invasion, The Times reported.
City of Mariupol ‘subjected to intense Russian strikes,’ UK intelligence says
The UK Ministry of Defence said on Friday that the strategic port city of Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine, “remains under Ukrainian control but has likely been encircled by Russian forces.”
“The city’s civilian infrastructure has been subjected to intense Russian strikes.”
Meet the men hoping to join Ukraine’s voluntary International Legion of Territorial Defense
Young men are turning up at the gates of Ukraine’s embassy in Holland Park, west London, eager to become recruits in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s newly formed International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.
Several men told Insider that they were fully aware of the dangers and, nonetheless, were ready to fly out to Ukraine and fight as soon as they were needed.
They included a nightclub worker, a boxer, and a pizza-maker.
Russian forces seize Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Russian forces seized Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials reported. It is the largest nuclear plant in Europe.
Oleksandr Starukh, head of the area’s regional military administration, also confirmed reports that a fire had broken out at the plant amid intense fighting in the area earlier in the day.
“The fire that broke out was localized by our [State Emergency Service] units. There was a fight. The nuclear power plant is currently under the control of the Russian military, which is responsible” for the fire, Starukh said in a statement.
Safety of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been secured, officials say
The safety of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been secured after it took fire earlier from Russian forces, according to a tweet by AFP on Friday.
“The director of the plant said that the nuclear safety is now guaranteed,” said Oleksandr Starukh, the governor of Zaporizhzhia province, per the wire.
Multiple media outlets had reported earlier that the plant, which provides a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity, had been attacked by Russian forces.
Over Telegram, plant spokesperson Andriy Tuz accused Russia of shelling the facility. “We demand that they stop the heavy weapons fire,” he said, per the Associated Press.
Tuz also said there was no threat of radiation spilling out from the plant, per the AP.
A live-streamed video feed from the plant appeared to show at least one building on fire and sporadic explosions at the facility.
Russian forces are fighting to take over Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant
Russian forces are battling for control of Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.
In a video posted on Telegram, Andriy Tuz, a spokesperson for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, accused Russia of shelling the facility, which provides a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity.
“We demand that they stop the heavy weapons fire,” Tuz said, the Associated Press reported. “There is a real threat of nuclear danger in the biggest atomic energy station in Europe.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky called on Vladimir Putin to meet him “at the negotiation table.”
In a compelling news conference Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Vladimir Putin to talk things out with him rather than continuing to wreak havoc on his country.
“What do you want from us? Go away from our land,” Zelensky pleaded, according to Time Magazine’s translation of the video. “You don’t want to leave now? Sit down with me at the negotiation table.”
“I’m available. Sit with me, but not at 30 meters like you welcomed Macron and Scholtz and others. I’m your neighbor,” he said.
The Ukrainian president also added, “If we don’t exist anymore, God forbids, remember our meeting, next will be Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Moldova, Georgia, Poland. They will then be walking until the Berlin Wall.”
He added that Ukraine does not plan to attack Russia in return — in part because they are not in NATO and do not have nuclear weapons.
“How many people have to be exploded?” he asked.
US grants Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians
Ukrainians residing in the United States will be protected from the threat of deportation for at least the next 18 months, the Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday evening.
“Russia’s premeditated and unprovoked attack on Ukraine has resulted in an ongoing war, senseless violence, and Ukrainians forced to seek refuge in other countries,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.
Temporary Protected Status is awarded to residents of countries who are facing natural or human-made disasters.
Since the start of the February 24 war, roughly one million Ukrainians have fled the country, the vast majority to neighboring Poland.
There are as many 96,000 Ukrainians living in the US who are not citizens, according to the Center for American Progress, including 27,000 who are undocumented.
Ukrainian presidential adviser said talks with Russia led to an agreement on humanitarian corridors
The second round of talks between Ukraine and Russia have come to a close, but Adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, said “the results Ukraine needs are not yet achieved.”
According to Reuters, the two sides came to an agreement to create humanitarian corridors in order to evacuate citizens and provide aid where needed.
There will be a temporary ceasefire to allow citizens to leave, Podolyak told Reuters.
“That is, not everywhere, but only in those places where the humanitarian corridors themselves will be located, it will be possible to cease fire for the duration of the evacuation,” he said.
Russian state-run news outlet RT America is shutting down and laying off staff, report says
The American branch of Russian state-run media outlet RT is shutting down and laying off most of its staff, CNN reported on Thursday.
RT America will be “ceasing production” at all locations because of “unforeseen business interruption events,” according to a memo obtained by CNN.
Putin says the brutal and poorly planned war on Ukraine is going ‘according to plan’
One week after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine, he has said the war is going “according to plan.”
In a televised appearance with his security council, Putin said the war is going “according to plan” and blamed “neo-Nazis” for the rising death toll in the conflict.
Evidence on the ground, however, has suggested otherwise. Russian forces have been stymied by logistical mistakes and fierce opposition from Ukrainian forces, according to Western defense officials.
Zelensky says he doesn’t want Ukraine’s history to be ‘a legend about 300 Spartans’ and calls for peace
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said he doesn’t want Ukraine’s history to be “a legend about 300 Spartans,” and called for an end to Russia’s ongoing war.
“I don’t want Ukraine’s history to be a legend about 300 Spartans,” Zelensky said during a press conference, which was translated for a broadcast.
“I am so confident with our military and with our people defending our state, because our state is very special and our people are very special,” Zelensky said. “I don’t want them destroyed, I want them all to remain.”
Analyst on Russian TV drinks to the ‘death’ of the stock market in front of stunned host
An analyst on Russian TV drank to the “death” of the country’s stock market in front of a shocked host.
“I say hello to Sergey Usichenko who drank 12-13 years ago for the death of the stock market. Today I drink soda,” Alexander Butmanov, a Russian economist, said while holding up the bottle.
He added: “Dear stock market, you were close to us, you were interesting. Rest in peace dear friend.”
President Zelensky’s office said the second round of talks with the Russians is underway
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office said that the second round of talks with the Russians over the war in Ukraine has begun, ABC News reported.
Nancy Pelosi calls for a ban on Russian oil imports: ‘I’m all for that. Ban it’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for a ban on Russian oil imports on Thursday, the highest-ranking official to endorse a move that President Joe Biden has said is on the table but has thus far avoided enacting over fears that it would send gas prices skyrocketing.
“I’m all for that. Ban it,” Pelosi told reporters during her weekly press conference.
France’s Macron thinks ‘the worst is yet to come’ in Ukraine after talking with Putin, reports say
French President Emmanuel Macron thinks “the worst is yet to come” in Ukraine after talking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
A senior French official said Putin was determined to carry out the ongoing war in Ukraine until “the end,” one report said.
Putin also told Macron that Russia’s goals in Ukraine would be “fulfilled” and that the war was going “according to plan,” Reuters reported, citing a statement issued by the Kremlin.
Russia axed joint experiments on the International Space Station in response to crippling sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine
Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, will no longer cooperate with Germany on science experiments aboard the Russian side of the International Space Station (ISS), it said in a tweet Thursday.
“The Russian space program will be adjusted against the backdrop of sanctions, the priority will be the creation of satellites in the interests of defense,” Roscosmos said in the tweet.
Russia will instead continue the experiments independently, the agency said in the same tweet.
Russia’s foreign minister says nuclear war ‘not in the heads’ of Russians and accused Western leaders of stoking fear
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday lashed out at Western leaders and claimed they, not Moscow, are stoking the fears of a nuclear war.
“I would like to point out that these are statements of the Western politicians, they are repeating nuclear war,” Lavrov said during a news conference with state-run and foreign media.
Mayor of Kherson tells residents to follow troops’ orders and not to fight back
The mayor of Kherson — the Ukrainian port city that fell to Russian forces on Wednesday — said residents should follow the orders of occupying troops and refrain from fighting back.
He published a list of rules and advisories for residents to follow, including that civilians “stop at the first request” and “do not fight.”
The others are:
-
To only go out into the city during the day.
-
To abide by a 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
-
Only cars carrying food or medicines can enter the city.
-
Public transport will run so that workers in bakeries, shops, and pharmacies can go to work.
-
Pedestrians must walk one by one or two by two.
-
Cars must drive slowly and consent to searches.
Second round of Russia-Ukraine talks expected later Thursday
Negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are expected to take place later on Thursday, both sides reported.
Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to Ukraine’s president, tweeted around 2 p.m. Thursday local time (7 a.m. ET) that he was “on his way” to talks with Russia via helicopter, and that they would start “in a couple of hours.” Podoliak did not specify a location.
Russian state media reported that negotiations were due to take place in Brest, Belarus, on Thursday.
Officials from both countries met near the Belarus border for negotiations on February 28, but made no progress in stopping the invasion.
Georgia, another former Soviet state that Russia invaded, asks to join EU days after Ukraine application
Georgia, the former Soviet satellite state that Russia invaded in 2008, applied to join the European Union on Thursday.
Ukraine applied to join the EU three days ago, amid Russia’s invasion.
Both countries share a border with Russia.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in a statement Thursday: “History has made the European choice of the Georgian people a strategic goal. Since the day of gaining independence, our country has consistently continued to move in this direction, and today is another demonstration of our efforts.”
He did not mention Russia or Ukraine.
Video shows crowd of Ukrainian civilians blocking Russian army from reaching nuclear power plant
Ukrainian civilians blocked the road in a huge crowd to deny the Russian military access to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.
Drone footage shared Wednesday by Dmitro Orlov, the mayor of Enerhodar, showed hundreds of people on a long stretch of road, some behind barricades of sandbags and tires, and some waving Ukrainian flags.
Ukrainian colonel says Russian troops are ‘hungry, without fuel, demoralized’ as 40-mile-long convoy near Kyiv stalls
The Ukrainian colonel told The Wall Street Journal: “The Russians thought they could break through and be in Kyiv in a couple of days. They didn’t realize that we have learned how to wage war in the past eight years.”
“Now they sit there, hungry, without fuel, demoralized, and we just come in every little while and pop them off. And every day, we are pushing them back.”
The UK Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that convoy was about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Kyiv’s center, having been “delayed by staunch Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.”
“The column has made little discernible progress in over three days,” it said.
A US official said on Wednesday of the 40-mile convoy near Kyiv: “We believe that the convoy is stalled.”
Trump called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a ‘holocaust’ just one week after calling Putin a ‘genius’
Former US President Donald Trump told Fox News on Wednesday that Russia has to “to stop killing these people.”
“We’re watching a holocaust. We’re watching something that I’ve never seen before, the way that they’re going to go in — they’re blowing up buildings with children, with women, with professionals, with people — think of just people,” Trump said.
He had called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s justification for invading Ukraine “genius” and “very savvy” on week earlier, on February 23. Russia invaded Ukraine the following day.
Zelensky says 9,000 Russian troops are dead — 18 times Russia’s count
In a video he shared early on Thursday morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that almost 9,000 Russian soldiers had died since Russia’s invasion started seven days ago.
Russia reported its death toll for the first time on Wednesday, when it said that 498 of its soldiers had died.
A senior US defense official told reporters on Wednesday that people should be “extremely skeptical” of Russia’s Russia’s figures, Reuters’ Idrees Ali reported.
Both Ukraine and Russia’s figures have not been independently verified.
Zelensky said on Thursday that Russian soldiers were dying needlessly and that captured Russian soliders are saying ” they don’t know why they’re here.”
He told Russian soliders: “Ukraine does not want to be covered with military corpses. Go home. Your whole army. Tell your commanders that you want to live. Not to die. To Live.”
And he said to Russia: “These are confused children who were used. Take them home.”
Zelensky praised everyday Ukrainians who stood in front of Russian vehicles
Ukraine’s president praised Ukrainians who have blocked Russian vehicles across the country.
In a video shared early on Thursday morning, Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to “towns and villages who do not let the invaders in by blocking the roads.”
“People come out in front of enemy vehicles. This is extremely dangerous. But this is brave. It is also salvation.”
Reports have emerged of Ukrainians protesting or standing in front of Russian tanks and other vehicles.
Multiple videos show solitary Ukrainians trying to stop Russian forces, including one video that showed a Ukrainian man trying to push a Russian tank away with just his bodyweight in Bakhmach, northern Ukraine.
Zelensky said in his speech that he believed Ukrainian opposition was wearing Russia down: “Despite the fact that their quantity is 10 times bigger, the morale of the enemy is deteriorating. More and more invaders are fleeing back to Russia. From us. From you.”
Video appears to show captured Russian soldier crying during call with his mother
A video that appears to show a captured Russian soldier being given food by Ukrainians and making a video call to his mother has gone viral over social media.
In a video tweeted Wednesday by Matthew Luxmoore, a Wall Street Journal reporter in Moscow, a young man in military fatigues is seen breaking down as he is seemingly put in touch with his mother through a video call.
International Paralympic Committee bars Russian and Belarusian athletes
Russia and Belarus are out of the 2022 Beijing Paralympics after the International Paralympic Committee reversed its initial decision to let the two nations compete under neutral banners.
Paralympic athletes representing the two countries were initially allowed to “participate as neutrals” at the Beijing Games, per a Wednesday decision by the IPC. According to the IPC’s statement, athletes would compete under the Paralympic flag and not be added to any medal standings.
In its statement, the IPC said it would “not hold any events in Russia or Belarus until further notice.”
Russian billionaires’ superyachts headed to the Maldives amid sanctions: report
At least five superyachts belonging to Russian billionaires are anchored in or cruising around the Maldives, Reuters reported, citing ship-tracking data.
The vessels’ arrival in the area comes as sweeping sanctions hit Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The US Justice Department on Wednesday launched the Task Force KleptoCapture to seize assets belonging to sanctioned Russian individuals.
The Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation, doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the US.
Social-media users in China upset over ban on Russian cats following invasion of Ukraine
As the world bears witness to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, social-media users in China have been fixated on an unlikely topic: Russian cats.
The search term “Russian cats are banned” went viral on China’s Twitter-like Weibo on Wednesday, receiving more than 118 million views in 24 hours. The trending topic also spawned close to 170,000 topic threads overnight.
At the heart of all the furor is the Fédération Internationale Féline’s decision to bar Russian cats from participating in international cat shows.
Moscow police officers detained 5 children who tried to lay flowers at the Ukrainian Embassy
The Moscow police on Tuesday detained five children — ages 7 to 11 — and two mothers who tried to lay flowers at the Ukrainian Embassy, according to a Russian professor.
Photos posted on Facebook by the anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova appear to show some of the children sitting in a police van and later being held behind bars.
Wealthy Russians are snapping up luxury goods as the ruble crumbles
Rich Russians are buying luxury jewelry and watches as the ruble lingers at record lows following sweeping Western sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine.
Sales at the LVMH-owned Italian brand Bulgari have grown in recent days, the jewelry house’s chief executive, Jean-Christophe Babin, told Bloomberg.
“In the short term it has probably boosted the business,” Babin told the media outlet.
Ron DeSantis likens Putin to an ‘authoritarian gas station attendant’
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida says he thinks countries like France would “probably not” put up a fight against a Russian invasion.
“A lot of other places around the world, they just fold the minute there’s any type of adversity,” DeSantis told reporters at an event at the University of South Florida in Tampa on Wednesday. DeSantis was there to announce a $20 million grant program for cybersecurity training.
“I mean can you imagine if he went into France?” he said of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Would they do anything to put up a fight? Probably not.”
US intel says China asked Russia to not invade Ukraine until Winter Olympics were over: reports
Senior Chinese officials are believed to have asked their Russian counterparts to delay invading Ukraine until the Winter Olympics in Beijing were over, multiple news outlets reported, citing Western senior intelligence officials including those from the Biden administration.
A Western intelligence report detailed the exchange, said to have taken place in early February, between Chinese and Russian officials. The New York Times first reported the news.
Germany has seized the world’s largest megayacht, which belongs to a Russian oligarch
Germany seized the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s megayacht, according to Forbes, which cited unnamed sources.
Usmanov’s yacht, which has been docked in Hamburg, Germany, for months for a refitting, would be the first known to be seized since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began February 24.
Dilbar, a 512-foot yacht that weighs 15,917 tons, “is the largest motor yacht in the world by gross tonnage,” according to Lürssen, the German ship’s maker.
One million people have fled Ukraine during Russia’s invasion: UN refugee agency
One million people fled Ukraine in the first week of Russia’s invasion, according to Filippo Grandi, the UN’s high commissioner for refugees.
“For many millions more, inside Ukraine, it’s time for guns to fall silent, so that life-saving humanitarian assistance can be provided,” he said in a tweet in the evening of Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, European Union nations unanimously agreed to accept Ukrainian refugees for up to three years while also waiving any requirements for asylum applications.
The move will allow the refugees to live and work in the EU countries they are accepted into, per The Guardian.
International Criminal Court launches investigation of war crimes in Ukraine
The International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of war crimes in Ukraine, the prosecutor of the court said in a statement Wednesday.
The prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan, argued in a statement Monday, just four days into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, that he had “reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine.”
Thirty-nine countries that are part of the ICC sent referrals on the matter to Khan’s office, he said in the Wednesday statement.
The investigation’s purview reaches as far back as November 2013.
The US dispatched hundreds of Stinger missiles to Ukraine
The US delivered hundreds of Stinger missiles to Ukraine to aid in defense against Russian aircraft, two congressional officials told NBC News.
At least 200 were delivered Monday, the outlet reported.
The US has provided and plans to provide more lethal weaponry to Ukraine as part of a $350 million military-aid package.
Other countries, such as Spain and Germany, also announced plans to send weapons to Ukraine.
Ukraine revealed secret battle plans left behind by Russian troops and said they showed Russia planned a 15-day war
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its armed forces had seized secret battle plans left behind by Russian troops suggesting Russia expected its war with Ukraine to last 15 days.
The seized “classified” documents were posted to Facebook by the ministry and are said to show the war plans of one of the units of the battalion tactical group of the 810th Separate Guards Naval Infantry Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
An invasion map, a table of callsigns, and a list of personnel were among the documents, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
Russia captures its first major Ukrainian city after nearly a week of failure to break Ukrainian resistance
Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine along the Black Sea, has become the first major city to fall to Russian forces.
The city of nearly 300,000 residents was captured by the Russians after nearly a week of failure to break Ukrainian resistance, The New York Times reported.
“There is no Ukrainian Army here,” the city’s mayor told the paper. “The city is surrounded.”
US ambassador to the UN tells Russian troops ‘your leaders are lying to you’ as she urges them not to commit war crimes
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield pleaded with Russian troops not to commit war crimes during their attacks on Ukraine.
“Your leaders are lying to you — do not commit war crimes, do everything you can to put down your weapons and leave Ukraine,” she said during a special session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner says proceeds from selling the club will go toward ‘victims of the Ukraine war’
Chelsea FC’s Russian billionaire owner who announced he is selling the club said net proceeds from the sale will go toward helping victims of the war in Ukraine.
“I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine,” Abramovich said in a statement.
The Russian billionaire who owns Chelsea FC announced he will sell the club as sanctions target oligarchs
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich announced on Wednesday that he is selling English Premier League team Chelsea FC.
“As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the Club’s best interest at heart,” he said in a statement. “In the current situation, I have therefore taken the decision to sell the Club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the Club, the fans, the employees, as well as the Club’s sponsors and partners.”
Zelensky aide warns Russia-Ukraine war ‘could be a prologue to a greater European or even global massacre’ in op-ed written from bunker alongside Ukrainian president
An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in an op-ed written from a bunker alongside the leader that Russia’s war with Ukraine “could be a prologue to a greater European or even global massacre.”
“We will fight to the last breath to protect our country,” Andriy Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine, vowed in the New York Times column published Wednesday, which he said was penned inside a bunker from the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv with Zelensky “by my side.”
Russia says nearly 500 of its troops have been killed in its invasion, but Ukraine says the number is much higher
Russia announced on Wednesday that nearly 500 of its troops have been killed in battle so far, but Ukraine claims this number is significantly higher.
Russia’s defense ministry said 498 Russian soldiers had died in Ukraine and another 1,597 were wounded, according to Russia’s RIA news agency. The Russians claimed that the number of war dead for the Ukrainian forces was 2,870, with the number of wounded nearing 4,000.
A senior US defense official told reporters Wednesday that people should be “extremely skeptical” of Russia’s casualty figures, Reuters’ Idrees Ali reported.
Russia’s jailed opposition leader urges global protests of Putin’s brutal Ukraine war: ‘We cannot wait any longer’
Russia’s jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny urged the global community to protest against Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine.
“We cannot wait any longer,” Navalny wrote in a tweet on Wednesday. “Wherever you are, in Russia, Belarus or on the other side of the planet, go to the main square of your city every weekday and at 2 pm on weekends and holidays.”
The UN General Assembly voted to condemn Russia Wednesday for its attacks on Ukraine
The United Nations voted to condemn Russia Wednesday for the country’s invasion of and attacks on Ukraine.
Of the 180 member states, 141 voted in favor of the resolution while five countries voted against it and 34 abstained.
Biden doesn’t rule out banning Russian oil exports: ‘Nothing is off the table’
President Joe Biden on Wednesday said that he is open to the idea of banning Russian oil exports as a punishment for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Nothing is off the table,” Biden told reporters on the White House lawn when asked whether he would consider barring oil exports from Russia — one of the world’s largest oil producers — according to a White House pool report.
Russia is reportedly forcing teachers to teach the government’s justification for the Ukrainian invasion to schoolchildren
As the West widely condemns Russia for what it deems is an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Russia is planning to force schoolchildren to watch a broadcast about the government’s justification for the Ukrainian invasion.
Russia’s Ministry of Education said in a notice on Wednesday that schoolchildren will be forced to watch a broadcast on March 3 about the “necessity” of a “liberation mission” in Ukraine.
The notice said that children will be forced to learn about why Russia believes NATO seemingly poses a danger, and why Russia felt like it needed to intervene in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.
Ukraine is asking Russian mothers to come pick up their sons captured in Putin’s invasion
Ukraine’s defense ministry is asking mothers of captured Russian troops to come pick up their sons.
“Mama! Your [prisoner of war] son is waiting for you!” the defense ministry wrote on a flyer posted to Facebook on Wednesday. “Ukraine has made the decision to return POW to their mothers if they come to Ukraine.”
Jon Stewart commends Ukrainian President Zelensky’s ‘courage and tenacity and the way that he’s leading his country’ amid Russian invasion
Jon Stewart commended Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s efforts during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in an appearance on “Morning Joe” Wednesday.
“You see this gentleman’s courage and tenacity and the way that he’s leading his country,” he said of Zelensky. “It’s incredibly moving.”
“My fear for Ukraine is that we’re going to get sucked into this idea of a heroic narrative while these folks get surrounded in a long-term siege that’s just going to cause so much more death and destruction,” Stewart added.
Ukrainian mom helping the war effort says she’s making the two ‘most important things’ for the troops: borscht and Molotov cocktails
A Ukrainian mom aiding her country’s resistance efforts against Russia’s invasion says she has been making the two “most important things” for Ukraine’s troops: borscht and Molotov cocktails.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began last week, Yurko has been cooking up Ukrainian borscht — a traditional eastern European soup — to nourish her country’s Territorial Defense units.
And Yurko is creating Molotov cocktails to support the troops in their fight against Russian forces.
Jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny urges Russians not to be a ‘nation of frightened silent people’ on the Ukraine war
Top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny urged Russians on Wednesday to continue protesting President Vladimir Putin and the increasingly brutal war he’s launched against Ukraine.
“Let’s at least not become a nation of frightened silent people. Of cowards who pretend not to notice the aggressive war against Ukraine unleashed by our obviously insane czar,” Navalny tweeted.
He urged individuals “in Russia, Belarus or on the other side of the planet” to plan demonstrations and take to their main squares to protest on weekdays, weekends, and holidays.
“Everything has a price, and now, in the spring of 2022, we must pay this price,” he said. “There’s no one to do it for us. Let’s not ‘be against the war.’ Let’s fight against the war.”
Ukraine and its allies are shaming and embarrassing Russian diplomats at the UN and other international bodies
Diplomats and other Western representatives are staging dramatic gestures in high-level diplomatic settings to admonish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
More than 140 envoys walked out as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed UN Human Rights Council and the Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday.
Kremlin advisor says he’s ‘shocked’ by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marking a rare dissent against Putin
An advisor to the Kremlin says he was caught off guard by President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and can’t understand his reasoning.
“I was shocked because for a long time, I thought that a military operation was not feasible. It was not plausible,” Andrey Kortunov, who sits on a Kremlin panel of foreign policy experts, told Sky News.
Map shows countries that have closed their airspace to Russia over Ukraine invasion
Thirty-three countries as of Wednesday blocked Russian flights from their airspace following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
All 27 EU countries, as well as Albania, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and the US imposed the ban after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. The ban is shared by some of the world’s most powerful nations, including most members of NATO.
Zelensky says 6,000 Russian troops are dead
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Wednesday morning: “Russian mothers are losing their children in a completely foreign country. Think of this number: almost 6,000 Russians died, Russian military, in six days of war.”
He said this figure did not include any deaths on Tuesday night.
Russia has not given its own figures, and current figures for Ukrainian military deaths are unclear.
Zelensky says Russia has managed to unite both Ukraine and the EU
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Wednesday morning video address that Russia’s invasion had managed to unite Ukrainians as well as the European Union.
He said of Ukrainians: “During this time we have had more unity than for over 30 years before.”
“At first we were equally scared, then we felt equally painful. And now we do not care. Except for victory. Except for the truth. Except for peace. Except for the tranquility we want to achieve. Except for the lives of our people, for whom we are worried. Except for Ukraine. During this time, we have truly become one.”
“We forgave each other a lot. We started loving each other. We help each other. We are worried for each other.”
He added: “During this time we have united the European Union already on a new level.”
“Higher than formal. Higher than interstate. At the level of the ordinary people. Millions and millions of Europeans. From the Atlantic Ocean to the suburbs of Kharkiv, where fierce fighting continues. When the European parliament stood and applauded us, our struggle, it was an assessment of our efforts. Our unity.”
Zelensky applied for Ukraine to join the EU earlier this week and asked the European Parliament on Tuesday to admit his country. His speech to the parliament was met with a standing ovation.
Zelensky says Russia has ‘orders to erase our history, erase our country, erase us all’
In his Wednesday video message, Zelensky also condemned Russia’s Tuesday missile strike on Babyn Yar, a Holocaust memorial in Kyiv.
“This strike proves that for many people in Russia our Kyiv is absolutely foreign,” he said.
“They don’t know a thing about Kyiv, about our history. But they all have orders to erase our history, erase our country, erase us all.”
Speaking to Russians, he said: “You are killing Holocaust victims for a second time.”
Zelensky, who is Jewish, said he was “addressing all the Jews of the world.
“Don’t you see what is happening? That is why it is very important that millions of Jews around the world do not remain silent right now. Nazism is born in silence. So shout about the killings of civilians, Shout about the killings of Ukrainians.”
Russia baselessly claimed that it was invading Ukraine as part of “de-Nazification” efforts.
Ukraine denies Russian claim that it captured major port city
An advisor to Zelensky’s office denied Russia’s Wednesday claim that it had seized the major port city of Kherson.
“The city has not fallen, our side continues to defend,” Oleksiy Arestovych said, per Reuters.
Russia’s defense ministry said earlier Wednesday: “The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional center of Kherson under full control.”
Ukraine says airborne Russian troops landed in Kharkiv amid reports of rocket attacks
Ukrainian officials said Russian airborne troopers landed in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service shared video on Wednesday morning of fire on the roof of the National Police Department building in Kharkiv after “enemy shelling.”
A hospital was also reportedly attacked.
The city was also hit by missiles on Tuesday, killing multiple people.
UK defense minister says Russia does not have the ‘moral component’ needed to win, but warns of greater brutality
Ben Wallace said Russia does not have the “moral component” to achieve its goals in the Ukraine conflict.
He told BBC Breakfast that the Russians were “starting to change their tactics as a result of the poor start.”
“That means we’re seeing much more of those awful artillery bombardments into the city, not just Kyiv, Kharkiv every night has seen horrendous bombardment. Those are happening predominantly at nighttime in an attempt to break the cities. And that is what is their current tactic, to try and surround a city and bombard it into submission then come into the city,” he said.
He also told LBC radio on Wednesday that Russia was likely to adopt more brutal tactics: “Anyone who thinks logically would not do what [Putin] is doing, so we are going to see … his brutality increase.”
“He doesn’t get his way, he surrounds cities, he ruthlessly bombards them at night … and he will then eventually try and break them and move into the cities.”
The UK Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that Russia has been frustrated by logistical issues and strong resistance from Ukraine.
Putin doesn’t want to ‘own’ Ukraine, says former US envoy
Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch said in a recent interview that Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t intend to “own” Ukraine because it would make him responsible for the country.
“When I was in the country, from 2016 to 2019, I always felt that he didn’t really want to ‘own’ Ukraine because then there’s at least a modicum of responsibility. He would have to provide services,” she told The New Yorker’s David Remnick, in an interview published on Tuesday.
Ukraine claims a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky was foiled
A Ukrainian security and defense chief said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces have thwarted an assassination plot against President Volodymyr Zelensky, using a tip-off from members of Russia’s security services.
An elite group of Chechen special forces — known as the Kadyrovites — was dispatched by Russia to “eliminate our president” but was “destroyed directly,” said Oleksiy Danilov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, according to a Telegram post written on Tuesday by the Center for Strategic Communications. Axios first reported the story.
Ukrainian authorities say citizens don’t need to worry about taxes on captured Russian tanks
Ukrainian authorities have reassured citizens that they don’t need to declare captured Russian tanks or any equipment they pick up as personal income.
“Have you captured a Russian tank or armored personnel carrier and are worried about how to declare it? Keep calm and continue to defend the Motherland!” read a statement from the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) seen by Interfax Ukraine.
How China’s tech giants are reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Chinese tech giants are diverging in their responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, the US, Canada, Europe, and the UK have imposed sanctions on Russian elites and entities. In contrast, China has avoided outwardly condemning Russia’s actions. A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said on Monday the country doesn’t believe in using sanctions to resolve diplomatic issues, a Chinese transcript published on the ministry’s website shows.
That’s put Chinese tech companies in a bind. Unlike their Silicon Valley counterparts — many of whom don’t rely as heavily on Chinese consumers — Chinese tech giants find considerable support for their products and services both within China and elsewhere.
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina pledges to donate prize money to her country’s army
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has pledged to donate her prize money to her country’s army after defeating Russia’s Anastasia Potapova at the Monterrey Open in Mexico on Tuesday.
“I was on a mission for my country,” Svitolina said in an on-court interview after the opening-round match, which drew a roar from the audience, per CNN.
Russian and Belarusian ice skaters banned from international competitions
The International Skating Union (ISU) has banned Russian and Belarusian skaters from all its events following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The ISU made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday. With immediate effect and until further notice, no skaters from Russia or Belarus will be invited to or allowed to compete in international ice skating competitions, the ISU said.
“The ISU Council reiterates its solidarity with all those affected by the conflict in Ukraine and our thoughts are with the entire Ukrainian people and country,” the statement read.
WATCH: Biden’s first State of the Union address focuses on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
President Joe Biden condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during his first State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday.
In his speech, he announced measures to punish Russia for invading Ukraine and said that the US would be shutting down its airspace to all Russian flights.
Biden also emphasized that American troops will not be going into Ukraine to fight Russian forces.
Trump wouldn’t have stood in Putin’s way if a Russian invasion took place during his term: John Bolton
John Bolton, the US’ former national security advisor, said his ex-boss, former President Donald Trump, would not have stood in Putin’s way if a Russian invasion of Ukraine had happened when he was in office.
“Well, I’m not sure he would have done much of anything, frankly,” Bolton said in an interview with Vice published March 1, responding to a question about what Trump might have done had Russia attacked Ukraine while he was president.
“But you never know with Trump. It depends on what time of day it is, it depends on what he thought his political benefit would be at any given moment. I don’t think ultimately he would have stood in Putin’s way,” Bolton told Vice.
Taekwondo’s governing body strips Putin of honorary black belt
Russian President Vladimir Putin had his honorary Taekwondo black belt revoked on Monday by the sport’s international governing body, which also condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement, World Taekwondo said it “strongly condemns the brutal attacks on innocent lives in Ukraine, which go against the World Taekwondo vision of ‘Peace is More Precious than Triumph’ and the World Taekwondo values of respect and tolerance.”
Tech giants take unprecedented action against Russia
As technology giants face rising pressure to act over the Ukraine crisis, Google and Apple have moved to curb Russian state media on their platforms, including limiting the reach of Russia state-backed media on their app stores.
Like Meta and other tech companies, Google and Apple have acted under pressure from lawmakers and European governments, reflecting the reach of these giants and their exposure to geopolitical events.
Hackers changed the call sign of a Putin-linked superyacht
The Anonymous “hactivist” collective has messed with the call sign of a superyacht said to be owned by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The group claimed credit on Tuesday for the hack, which involved changing the call sign of the vessel — named Graceful — to “FCKPTN” and altering the craft’s destination to “hell.”
Biden says the US will seize yachts and luxury apartments from Russian oligarchs
President Joe Biden fired a warning shot at Russian oligarchs during his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, saying that the US will soon seize much of their wealth in the country.
“We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets,” Biden said in his address. “We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.”
ExxonMobil says it will discontinue its operation in Russia
ExxonMobil announced on Tuesday that it would begin the process to discontinue operations and develop steps to exit the Sakhalin-1 venture in Russia.
The company said it operated the project on behalf “of an international consortium of Japanese, Indian and Russian companies.”
The Sakhalin-1 website said it was one of the largest single international direct investments in Russia.
“ExxonMobil supports the people of Ukraine as they seek to defend their freedom and determine their own future as a nation. We deplore Russia’s military action that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and endangers its people,” ExxonMobile said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives and support the strong international response. We are fully complying with all sanctions.”
The company said it would not invest in new developments in Russia, due to the current situation.
State of the Union: Biden says Putin ‘badly miscalculated’ in Ukraine
On Tuesday night, in his first State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin “badly miscalculated” with his invasion of Ukraine.
“Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated,” Biden said.
“He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined,” Biden said of Putin, adding, “He met the Ukrainian people.”
Biden announces ban on Russian aircraft from US airspace, says Putin has ‘no idea what’s coming’
President Joe Biden has announced that Russian flights will be banned from US airspace following the escalating Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Tonight I’m announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American airspace to all Russian flights,” Biden said during his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has no idea what’s coming.”
The move comes after the European Union and Canada closed their respective airspaces to Russian-owned and -operated aircraft.
Zelensky says Ukraine-Russia talks may be a waste of time as attacks continue
Inside the basement of a building at an undisclosed position in Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “we’ll see,” when asked if correspondence between Ukraine and Russia Moscow was a “waste of time,” as Russia continues to invade his country, according to a joint interview between Reuters and CNN.
“You have to speak first of all. Everybody has to stop fighting and to go [back] to that point from where it began five, six days ago,” Zelensky told reporters at the exclusive interview Tuesday. “It’s important to stop bombing people and then we can move on and sit at the negotiation table.”
Some reporters are showing implicit bias by comparing Ukraine to the Middle East
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine resulted in a sadly familiar sight of thousands of people fleeing the violence – a sight mainly seen in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other Middle Eastern and African countries in the past few decades.
However, for some watching the latest crisis unfold, reporting on the chaos showed a double standard.
Biden to call out Putin by name in State of the Union address
US President Joe Biden will use his first State of the Union address to argue that history shows leaders like Vladimir Putin will only be emboldened if they do not face the consequences for threatening others.
“Throughout our history, we’ve learned this lesson: when dictators do not pay a price for aggression, they cause more chaos,” Biden plans to say, according to his prepared remarks. “They keep moving. And the costs and threats to America and the world keep rising.”
Ukrainian film producer shares ‘rollercoaster’ of emotions she felt while hiding in a subway bunker
Last Wednesday night, Ukrainian film executive Kateryna Vyshnevska attended a premiere party for one of her company’s films, a comedy called “Big Picnic.” The next day, Russian forces invaded her country and began making their way toward Kyiv.
“I’ve lived through big moments of history. And I guess this is another one,” Vyshnevska told Insider by phone from the Kyiv apartment where she’s sheltering with her family.
Ukrainians are ‘trembling and crying’ as they shelter and listen to bombs and planes flying over Kharkiv
Ukrainians say they’re “trembling” as they listen to bombs go off in Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city.
One Ukrainian woman said she’s hiding out in the basement of her apartment building as she hears planes fly over Kharkiv.
Marina, a 35-year-old mother, told Insider she’s sheltering with her mother, her 6-year-old son, and some neighbors.
At 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday at least four planes passed by within the hour, she told Insider.
“I am scared to death,” she said. “I am trembling and crying.”
President Zelensky brushed off praise for his wartime response: ‘I’m not iconic, I think Ukraine is iconic’
It’s been less than a week since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — a former comedian and actor turned statesman — has quickly garnered global praise for his stalwart presence and defiant demeanor in the face of increasing danger.
On Tuesday, Zelensky sat for an exclusive interview with CNN and Reuters from the bunker in Kyiv in which he is directing his country’s military response.
The Ukrainian president discussed an array of topics, including the status of ceasefire talks with Russia, the possibility of a NATO-imposed no-fly zone over Russia, and the broad consequences to all of Europe should Ukraine fall.
But when asked by CNN about his journey from television performer to a global wartime leader, Zelensky brushed off praise.
Russia could fall into a recession by summer, an economist says
A Russian economist says the country could fall into a recession as early as next month as sanctions from the US, UK, and EU take their toll.
Already, some of the country’s banks have been blocked from key global financial communications system SWIFT. The US and its European allies have frozen Russian assets and imposed personal sanctions against figures like President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian ruble, the country’s currency, fell to a record low, and interest rates have already more than doubled. As Insider’s Joseph Zeballos-Roig and Ben Winck reported, some of these sanctions might still take months to have a visible impact, but others are already rippling across the country.
Belarus’ Lukashenko may have accidentally revealed a map of Russia’s Ukrainian invasion plans
Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko may have accidentally revealed Russia’s invasion plans of Ukraine on live television.
A short video shared by Belarusian journalist Tadeusz Giczan on Twitter showed Lukashenko pointing to a map of Ukraine. He is a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelensky says Biden personally ruled out a ‘no-fly zone’ over Ukraine as Russia attacks
President Joe Biden personally told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky that forces from the US or NATO would not impose a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine as Russia continues its assault on the country, Zelensky said Tuesday.
In an interview with Reuters and CNN, the Ukrainian president reiterated his request that NATO countries impose the “no-fly zone,” allowing the alliance to police the skies over Ukraine and deny Russian the ability to bring its superior air power to bear on Ukrainian defenders and civilians. Zelensky also asked NATO to accelerate its bid to include Ukraine into the alliance.
Some Russian troops are surrendering to Ukrainian forces without a fight as morale drops, US defense official says
Some Russian troops have been surrendering to Ukrainian forces “without a fight” as morale drops amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, a US senior defense official told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday.
The US official said that there has been evidence “of a certain risk averse behavior by the Russian military,” in the last six days since Russia launched its attack on the eastern European country, CNN reported.
The official said that many among Russia’s military are young draftees who have never faced combat.
Biden is sending Stinger missiles to Ukraine for the first time, which could be used to shoot down Russian helicopters
President Joe Biden for the first time is sending Ukraine Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which could be used to shoot down Russian helicopters.
The direct delivery of Stinger missiles is part of a military aid package approved last week by the US, Army Times reported on Monday.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that he authorized the Defense Department to send Ukraine $350 million in military aid “to help defend itself from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war.”
Russian forces attacked a Kyiv TV tower, knocking out broadcasting in Ukraine’s capital
Russian forces hit the site of a TV tower in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials confirmed.
“The hardware of the broadcaster on the TV tower was hit,” Ukraine’s defense ministry tweeted. “For a while, the channels won’t work.”
Ukrainian officials accuse Russian forces of bombing the site of a Holocaust memorial
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that bombs were dropped on Babyn Yar, a site where Nazis carried out massacres during World War II that now serves as a memorial to the Holocaust.
“To the world: what is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar?” Zelensky tweeted.
“At least 5 killed,” he added of the bombing. “History repeating…”
Russia warns it will begin missile strikes against parts of Kyiv. Western officials have warned Putin’s forces may step up attacks against civilians.
Russia said it will launch missile strikes in parts of the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv as it urged those living near the targets to flee their homes, Russian state media reported on Tuesday.
Russia’s defense ministry was quoted by Moscow-controlled news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS, as saying that Russian forces are set to strike the site of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and a special operation unit in Ukraine.
“In order to thwart informational attacks against Russia, [Russian forces] will strike technological objects of the SBU and the 72nd Main PSO [Information and Psychological Operations] Center in Kyiv,” Russia’s defense ministry said, according to TASS.
The ministry added, “We urge Ukrainian citizens involved by Ukrainian nationalists in provocations against Russia, as well as [Kyiv] residents living near relay stations, to leave their homes,” TASS reported.
Zelensky calls Russia’s missile strike on Kharkiv’s Freedom Square a ‘war crime’ and ‘state terrorism’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia’s missile strike on Kharkiv’s Freedom Square a “war crime” and “state terrorism.”
“This attack on Kharkiv is a war crime. This is state terrorism of the Russian Federation,” Zelensky said in a video statement posted on Telegram on Tuesday. “After that, Russia is a terrorist state, obviously.”
Zelensky said that Freedom Square in Ukraine’s second-largest city was hit on Tuesday by a cruise missile strike and that there were “dozens of victims.”
Ukrainian sailor accused of trying to sink his Russian boss’ yacht says he is now going to Kyiv to fight
A Ukrainian sailor accused of trying to sink the yacht of his Russian boss told Spanish media he was returning to his home country to help fight the Russian invasion.
Taras Ostapchuk, 54, was arrested on suspicion of sabotaging an $8 million luxury yacht where he worked in Mallorca, Spain, over the weekend, Ultima Hora reported.
Ostapchuk said he had acted out of “revenge,” Ultima Hora reported.
The sailor told Ultima Hora on Monday that he planned to take a flight to Warsaw, Poland, that afternoon, to transfer to Kyiv via bus or train.
Dozens of Western diplomats staged a walkout while Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the UN Human Rights Council
Dozens of diplomats on Tuesday staged a walkout as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Lavrov was giving a virtual speech at the forum in Geneva when diplomats from the European Union, United States, and Britain walked out, Reuters reported.
Alexander Vindman says Trump, Mike Pompeo, and Fox News helped bring about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine
Former Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman said the the Republican Party has “blood on its hands” for emboldening Russia to invade Ukraine.
Vindman, who is Ukrainian-American, made the comments in an interview with Salon that was published on Monday.
He said that Trump’s refusal to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the factors that led Putin to act. He also blamed Trump for weakening the US internally with his divisive politics.
He singled out Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Fox News host Tucker Carlson for criticism, highlighting their praise for Putin even as it became clear that he would invade.
Zelensky speaks to European Parliament after applying for EU membership: ‘Do prove that you are with us’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to European Parliament on Tuesday, where he urged the EU: “Do prove that you are with us.”
His virtual speech came the day after he applied to have Ukraine join the European Union.
“The EU is going to be much stronger with us,” Zelensky said.
“We have proven our strengths, we have proven that, at a minimum, we are exactly the same as you are. Do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you indeed are Europeans, and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness.”
He also said Ukrainians were fighting for “freedom.”
“Nobody is going to break us,” he said.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, the chairman of Ukraine’s parliament, also told the European Parliament on Tuesday: “The best support to the people of Ukraine in its darkest hours will be the real recognition of our European aspiration. Give us the membership of the European Union.”
He also warned: “Ukraine is defending the border of the civilized world. God forbid if Ukraine should fall.”
Both Zelensky and Stefanchuk’s speeches were received with a standing ovation from the European Parliament.
Freedom Square in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, hit by Russian missiles
Kharkiv’s Freedom Square was hit by missiles on Tuesday as Russia targeted Ukraine’s second-biggest city.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the European Parliament on Tuesday that the square, which he said was the largest in Europe, was hit by two missiles.
“Two cruise missiles hit Kharkiv, a city that is located on the border of the Russian Federation,” he said.
“This morning was a very tragic one.”
At least 20 people, including a child, were injured, and one person, an Indian student, has been confirmed dead, the BBC reported.
Zelensky said there had always been many Russians in the city.
Western officials say Putin is furious at Ukraine resistance, warn of more aggressive offensive
Western officials think Russian President Vladimir Putin is so angry with the rate of Russia’s progress in Ukraine that he might start a more aggressive attack, multiple outlets reported.
One Western official told Insider on Monday evening: “There are … some risks that come as a consequence of Russia’s lack of progress.”
“I fear the way in which Russia is frustrated in achieving its aims on the ground is leading to the use of more indiscriminate fires and as a consequence we’re going to see an increase in civilian casualties.”
And a senior US defense official told reporters on Monday, according to CNN: “They have been slowed and they have been frustrated by their lack of progress on Kyiv, and one of the things that could result is a reevaluation of their tactics and the potential for them to be more aggressive and more overt in both the size and the scale of their targeting of Kyiv.”
Russia says it is pushing ahead with building natural gas pipeline to China
Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled energy giant, said on Monday that it had signed a contract to perform design and survey work as part of the construction of the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline.
The proposed pipeline would deliver up to 50 billion cubic meters (1.77 trillion cubic feet) of Russian natural gas each year to China via Mongolia, Gazprom said.
Sanctions imposed by Western nations have hobbled Russia’s economy after it invaded Ukraine.Read Full Story
Kremlin says Western sanctions will never make Russia change its mind on Ukraine
Sanctions imposed by the West over Russia’s invasion will not make it change its mind, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
“They are counting on forcing us to change our position. This is out of the question,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.
Russia has repeatedly brushed off the punitive sanctions and claimed they were unlawful. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the country’s nuclear weapons on high alert in response to the sanctions, a move that the US and UK said was merely a distraction.
Granddaughter of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev says she is embarrassed by Putin invasion of Ukraine
Nina Khrushcheva, the granddaughter of former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, told the Independent that she was embarrassed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and that she doesn’t think her grandfather would have supported it.
She said of her grandfather: “He’d think it was outrageous and despicable and impossible.”
“I can’t believe that although [Putin] is claiming he’s trying to prevent the war, he’s actually waging a war on a nation he says is the same as Russia — a brotherly nation of Ukrainians,” she said.
Ukraine’s parliament says Belarus has joined the war
Ukraine’s parliament said on Tuesday that Belarusian troops had entered the Chernihiv region in northern Ukraine, near the country’s border with Belarus.
It said the information was confirmed by Vitaliy Kyrylov, spokesman for the North Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The development came hours after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told state news media that his country’s troops were not joining the Russian operation.
Satellite images show 40-mile-long Russian military convoy near Kyiv
New satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies showed a 40-mile-long Russian military convoy north of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, as well as houses and buildings burning along the road.
The high-resolution pictures show the convoy on the outskirts of Kyiv at its nearest point.
Maxar said the photos suggested Russian ground forces were moving closer to Kyiv.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the US warns Ukraine’s weapons will run out soon
Oksana Markarova told senators on Monday that Ukraine needs help with weapons as it will soon run out, lawmakers told The Hill.
Sen. Chris Murphy told reporters after the meeting: “It’s no secret they need more help. They’ve got the weapons they need right now but they’re going to run out of what they need soon so we’ve got to get a supplemental [spending bill] passed quickly.”
The UK says Russia has made ‘little progress over the last 24 hours’ but warn of civilian deaths
The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday morning: “The Russian advance on Kyiv has made little progress over the past 24 hours probably as a result of continuing logistical difficulties.”
It warned that Russia had increased its artillery use in some areas, and warned that “the use of heavy artillery in densely populated urban areas greatly increases the risk of civilian casualties.”
It also said Russia had “failed” to get control over Ukraine’s airspace, “prompting a shift to night operations in an attempt to reduce their losses.”
Photos: Inside Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital amid Russia’s invasion
As Russia’s siege of Kyiv continues, the shelling of the city has forced staff of the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital to move patients into the building’s basement.
According to Reuters, the hospital is the largest of its kind in Ukraine and typically handles up to 600 patients, said its chief surgeon Volodymyr Zhovnir on Monday.
However, amid Russia’s invasion, the hospital’s patient count has dropped to around 200, said Zhovnir, per the wire service.
Russian billionaires’ losses have more than doubled since Russia invaded Ukraine
The fortunes of Russia’s richest individuals are getting hammered amid a massive market selloff as Western countries impose sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
Russia’s 21 wealthiest individuals have collectively lost $84 billion this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Their financial losses have more than doubled since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: This same group of billionaires lost a collective $39 billion in just one day after the invasion, which sent the country’s stock market diving 50% last week.
3 members of Russia’s parliament speak out against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine
Three members of Russia’s parliament have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, The New York Times reported.
The three members — Vyacheslav Markhaev, Oleg Smolin, and Mikhail Matveyev — are all members of the country’s Communist Party. They’re part of the Duma, the country’s lower house of the federal assembly.
Defiant Snake Island border guards ‘alive and well,’ says Ukrainian navy
A group of 13 Ukrainian border guards who were thought to be dead after defiantly telling a Russian warship to “go fuck yourselves” last week are actually “alive and well,” according to the Ukrainian Navy.
The navy’s Facebook update comes hours after the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on Sunday posited that the defenders may still be alive.
No satisfactory result obtained from first round of Ukraine-Russia talks, says Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his delegation did not receive a satisfactory result from its negotiations with Russia on Monday.
“So far, we do not have the result we would like to obtain,” he said after meeting Russian negotiators in Belarus.
“We received some signals. When the delegation returns to Kyiv, we will analyze what we have heard, and then we will decide how to proceed to the second round of talks,” Zelensky added.
He noted that the meeting took place while “bombing and shelling” of Ukrainian territories was still going on.
“The synchronization of the shelling with the negotiation process was evident. I believe that Russia is trying to put pressure on us in such an unsophisticated way,” said Zelensky.
“Don’t waste your time. We do not accept such tactics,” he added.
Ukraine’s US ambassador says Russia used a vacuum bomb during its invasion
Russia has used a vacuum bomb in its attack on Ukraine, said Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova on Monday.
“They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention,” she said after a meeting with US lawmakers.
“So, you know, the devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large, but we Ukrainians will resist,” she added.
Vacuum, or thermobaric, weapons use oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion and do more damage than conventional explosive weapons.
Putin may intensify Ukraine invasion as frustrations over military mount
US intelligence agencies say Russian President Vladimir Putin may intensify his country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, NBC News reported on Tuesday, citing current and former US officials.
The sources told NBC News that Putin is getting increasingly frustrated with Russia’s struggling military and has lashed out at his underlings.
“This is somebody that’s clearly been caught off guard by the size of the Ukrainian resistance,” said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Sen. Mark Warner on MSNBC, per the outlet.
Russian forces have faced fierce fighting in Ukraine, with experts saying that Moscow may adjust its approach to the invasion and intensify its attacks.
Ukraine waives visa requirements for foreigners who want to come and fight Russia
Foreigners who come to Ukraine in order to help fight against the Russian military will not have to worry about first obtaining a visa.
In a decree signed on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky authorized a “temporary visa-free regime” for foreigners who want to aid the country’s defense, effective immediately.
The policy does not extend to Russian nationals, referred to as “citizens of the aggressor state.”
Citizens of the United States and European Union previously required visas for tourist visits of more than 90 days within a six-month period.
The visa-free policy comes a day after Zelensky announced the creation of an International Legion for foreigners who want to volunteer for the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the Territorial Defense Forces.
Russian army deploys its TOS-1 heavy flamethrower, capable of vaporizing human bodies, near Ukrainian border, footage shows
Footage from inside of Russia appears to show a thermobaric rocket launcher being deployed towards the Ukrainian border, according to The Guardian.
The video, shared on Twitter by CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen, displays a TOS-1 heavy flamethrower, which can shoot thermobaric rockets mounted on a T-72 tank chassis.
The footage was captured south of Belgorod, Pleitgen said, which is about 45 miles away from Kharkiv, Ukraine.
This TOS-1 can launch two types of warheads — incendiary and fuel-air explosives. The latter, also called vacuum or thermobaric rockets, work by using oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion.
Billboards in Kyiv are flashing messages to Russian soldiers, telling them to ‘go away without blood on your hands’
A billboard in Kyiv is flashing messages to Russian soldiers in Ukraine’s capital city, urging them to leave “without blood on your hands.”
Associated Press correspondent Francesca Ebel posted a video on Twitter Monday showing a digital billboard cycling through four messages for Russian soldiers:
-
“Russian soldiers are not welcome here. Instead of flowers, expect bullets. Go away to your family!”
-
“Russian soldier, stop. Putin lost. The whole world stands with Ukraine. Go away without blood on your hands.”
-
“Russian soldier, stop. Don’t kill your soul for Putin’s oligarchs. Go away without blood on your hands.”
-
“Russian soldier, stop. How will you be able to look your kids in the eyes? Go away! Stay human.”
International prosecutor at the Hague announces he’s seeking to investigate Russia for ‘war crimes and crimes against humanity’ in Ukraine
The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor announced on Monday that he is seeking approval to investigate Russia for “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in Ukraine.
“I am satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine,” Karim Khan said in a statement.
Khan added: “Given the expansion of the conflict in recent days, it is my intention that this investigation will also encompass any new alleged crimes falling within the jurisdiction of my Office that are committed by any party to the conflict on any part of the territory of Ukraine.”
The Us is expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission
The US Mission to the UN announced they are expelling 12 intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission.
USUN spokesperson Olivia Darcy said these operatives have “abused their privileges of residency in the US by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.”
The US, EU, and others have hit Russia with a pile of sanctions, but they still have more tools to hammer its economy
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked powerful economic and financial retaliation from major Western powers — perhaps the strongest actions taken against a major global power since World War II.
The sanctions already announced have been historically severe. The initial wave of punitive measures targeted Russian banks and elites close to the Kremlin, while follow-up actions have already dealt a major blow to the Russian economy.
Russian state news accidentally publishes article saying Russia has defeated Ukraine and restored its ‘historical borders’
A Russian state-run news agency prematurely published an article that said Russia has taken back Ukraine.
“Ukraine has returned to Russia,” said the article, which ran on RIA Novosti and has since been taken down. “The West sees the return of Russia to its historical borders in Europe.”
Psaki rules out ‘no-fly zone’ over Ukraine because it could lead to war between the US and Russia
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday ruled out the idea of using US troops to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine amid the Russian invasion of the eastern European country, saying it could lead to a war between the US and Russia.
Psaki said during an interview with MSNBC that a no-fly zone would require “implementation by the US military — it would essentially mean the US military would be shooting down planes, Russian planes.”
Zelensky says he has officially applied to make Ukraine a member of the European Union
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said he officially applied to have Ukraine join the European Union as his country remains under attack by Russian forces.
“Today I signed the application for Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. I’m sure it’s feasible,” Zelensky said in a post on his social media platforms alongside photos of him signing the documents.
Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine to return to their countries to prepare for potential second round of talks
Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine will return to their countries to discuss first round of talks since war broke out and to prepare for future meetings.
“The delegations are returning to their capitals for consultations and have discussed the possibility of meeting for a second round of negotiations soon,” Ukrainian negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak said.
Zelensky tells Russian troops not to trust their commanders or Kremlin propaganda: ‘Just save your lives. Leave.’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Russian troops on Monday that they should not trust their commanders or Kremlin propaganda.
“Throw away your equipment and leave,” Zelensky said in a video statement posted on Telegram on Monday. “Do not believe your commanders. Do not believe your propagandists. Just save your lives — leave.”
He added: “We dedicate every hour to strengthening our state. Anyone who can join the fight against the invaders must do so.”
State Department accuses Russia of ‘widespread’ human rights abuses in Ukraine as troops reportedly fire missiles at civilian areas
Ths US State Department has accused Russia of “widespread” human rights abuses in Ukraine as troops reportedly fire missiles at civilian areas.
“Russia’s invasion has damaged and destroyed schools, hospitals, radio stations, and homes, killing and injuring civilians, including children,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement during a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting.
He added: “Since the opening moments of Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine, reports of human rights abuses have been widespread.”
The US warned citizens not to travel to Russia because Putin’s security officials could target them for ‘harassment’
The US State Department warned citizens to avoid traveling to Russia because government security officials could target them for “harassment” as the country reels from sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.
In a new advisory posted on Monday, officials warned of “the potential for harassment against US citizens by Russian government security officials” and “the embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia.”
Officials warned US citizens to leave Russia “immediately” by using any commercial means of transportation available.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that the US is authorizing the voluntary departure of non-emergency embassy staffers and their family members.
Switzerland breaks neutral status to sanction Russia over Ukraine invasion
Switzerland broke its historically neutral status to sanction Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
In a statement Monday, Switzerland’s federal council said it was adopting the European Union’s sanctions against Russia, effective immediately.
The sanctions package targets various Russian companies and individuals, and involves freezing the personal assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“Switzerland reaffirms its solidarity with Ukraine and its people,” the statement said.
US closes embassy in Belarus amid warnings that its troops may join fight with Russia
The US embassy has suspended its operations in Belarus, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday.
“We have suspended operations at our Embassy in Minsk and authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency employees and family members at our Embassy in Moscow,” he shared on Twitter.
He added: “We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens.”
Blinken’s statement comes as a Ukrainian and Russian delegations met for talks along Ukraine’s border with Belarus.
Meanwhile, a senior US official told The Washington Post that Belarus was preparing to send troops to fight alongside Russia.
High-level delegations from Ukraine and Russia are meeting in Belarus
High-level delegations from Ukraine and Russia are meeting by the Ukraine-Belarus border for talks on Monday.
They began around 2 p.m. local time (6 a.m. ET). The talks were still going on as of 4:15 p.m. (8:15 a.m. ET).
A statement from the office of Ukraine’s president said: “The key issue of the talks is an immediate cease-fire and the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine.” Russia has not said what its aim was.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Sunday that said he isn’t convinced the meeting with Russia will have a result, but wanted to try anyway.
He said: “I will say frankly, as always: I do not really believe in the result of this meeting, but let them try. So that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war when there was even a small chance.”
Dozens dead in rocket strikes in Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian official says
Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said on Monday that dozens of people were killed in rocket strikes in Kharkiv.
He said on, according to Reuters: “Kharkiv has just been massively fired upon by grads (rockets). Dozens of dead and hundreds of wounded.”
Ukraine to release people with combat experience from prison so they can help fight
President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video released on Monday that Ukrainians with combat experience would be released from the country’s jails and prisons to help with the conflict.
“Anyone who can join the fight against the invaders must do so. Therefore, a decision was made — not easy from a moral point of view, but useful from the point of view of our protection,” he said.
“Under martial law … Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for the guilt in the hottest spots of war.”
The Kremlin says Western sanctions have ‘considerably changed’ the ‘economic reality’ for Russia
The Kremlin said Monday that Russia’s “economic reality” had “considerably changed” in response to of “heavy” and “problematic” Western sanctions.
Russia’s ruble hit a new low on Monday and the country’s central bank more than doubled its base interest rate, to 20%. Russians were reportedly waiting in long lines to withdraw foreign currencies from ATMs.
Key Putin ally calls for Russia to take a more brutal approach, saying ‘chosen tactics in Ukraine are too slow’
Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Russia’s Chechen republic, said Russia’s strategy in the first days of the war weren’t working, and called for more brutal ones.
“In my understanding, the chosen tactics in Ukraine are too slow. They take a long time and, in my opinion, are not effective,” he wrote on Telegram.
He said Russian forces had so far only been “fiddling” with the Ukrainian army.
He also called on Putin to carry out a “full coordination of the actions of the military, competent alignment of forces and a decisive assault. Everything!”
UK defense minister says Putin’s nuclear alert is an attempt at distraction
Ben Wallace told Sky News on Monday that Putin decided to put Russia’s nuclear weapons on high alert to try and distract from its invasion of Ukraine.
He said Russia did not seem more ready than it normally is to actually use its nuclear weapons.
“The language that President Putin has used doesn’t actually link to anything of Russian readiness procedure,” Wallace said.
“It’s really, we assess, him putting the deterrent into the communications space, reminding people that he has a deterrent.”
“It’s also about distracting the world and the public from what he’s actually doing in Ukraine. It doesn’t link to anything specific in their readiness structures of their forces.”
More than half a million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded, UN says
The UN Refugee Agency said on Monday that there had been “more than half a million Ukrainian refugee arrivals” into the countries neighboring Ukraine since the invasion.
Ukraine asks to be fast-tracked for EU membership
Ukraine’s president on Monday called for the EU to immediately make Ukraine a member: “We call on the European Union to let Ukraine become an EU member immediately under a new special procedure.”
“We are grateful to our partners for being with us. But our goal is to be with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be equal. I am convinced that this is fair. I am sure that it is possible,” he said, according to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament.
The president of the European Commission said on Sunday that the EU wants Ukraine as a member.
Russian troops being slowed in Ukraine, UK and US officials say
The UK’s Ministry of Defence said on Monday morning that Russia had been slowed by Ukraine’s efforts.
“Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance,” it said.
It also said Russian ground forces had been “slowed” by Ukrainians defending an airfield.
Two senior US officials separately told CNN that Russia was facing “stiffer than expected” resistance from Ukraine, and that it was also struggling with unexpected difficulties in getting supplies to its forces.
Belarus is preparing to join Russia’s attack, US official says
A senior US official told The Washington Post that Belarus was preparing to add its troops to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “It’s very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin.”
They said Belarus could join Russia’s attack as early as Monday.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Stark photos show Ukrainians, and even a local brewery, making Molotov cocktails
Across Ukraine, citizens are heeding their government’s call to build Molotov cocktails — a kind of improvised firebomb — in an effort to defend their cities against Russia’s invasion.
China tells citizens in Ukraine not to display ‘identifying symbols’
On Saturday, the Chinese embassy in Ukraine appealed to its citizens in the country to not highlight their identities in public.
The recommendation comes two days after the embassy advised Chinese nationals to display their national flag when driving.
In a WeChat post on Saturday, the embassy said that there’s an uptick in “extreme behavior” in Ukraine that constitutes heightened security risks for Chinese citizens.
A former US ambassador to Russia says Putin is becoming ‘increasingly unhinged’
A former US ambassador to Russia said Sunday that, after decades in power and intense isolation from COVID-19, Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming “increasingly unhinged.”
Michael McFaul, an Obama-era ambassador to Russia, made the observation during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
When asked if Putin was a “rational actor,” McFaul said: “To get kicked out of SWIFT as it happened to Russia yesterday, and then to have the president of Russia get in front of his generals and say ‘We need to prepare for nuclear war.’ That doesn’t sound very rational to me.”
Russians are scrambling to withdraw US dollars at ATMs as ruble hits record low
Russians are standing in long lines to withdraw foreign currencies from ATMs as Western sanctions send the ruble to a record low against the US dollar.
On Monday, the Russian ruble tumbled nearly 30% against the greenback, dropping to as low as 119 against the dollar, according to Reuters.
The plunge came after the European Commission said on Saturday that Western allies will slap restrictive measures on the Russian Central Bank’s international reserves worth $630 billion.
Like Ukraine, the US and Canada also need liberation: Rep. Lauren Boebert
Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert on Sunday suggested that the US and Canada need to be “liberated” like Ukraine, lauding the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for his “live free or die” attitude.
“I pray for Ukraine, and I wish them the best. They have a great president right now who has really said clearly, ‘Live free or die.’ He said, ‘I don’t need a ride, give me ammunition. The fight is right here,'” she told Fox Nation while attending the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“But we also have neighbors to the north who need freedom and need to be liberated, and we need that right here at home as well,” Boebert added.
Weibo, China’s Twitter, bans 10,000 accounts over posts mocking Ukraine crisis
China’s social-media platforms have deleted posts and banned thousands of accounts following a flood of “vulgar” content online mocking the invasion of Ukraine.
On Sunday, Twitter-like service Weibo said it had banned 10,000 accounts and removed more than 4,000 posts that “ridiculed war” and mocked the situation in Ukraine. Besides misinformation, Weibo said offending posts include “vulgar content” related to jokes about Ukrainian women.
“The platform continues to investigate and deal with inappropriate and unfriendly remarks related to ‘Ukrainian beauties’, which promote hatred and sexism,” Weibo said in a separate post a day earlier.
Interpreter breaks down while translating Ukrainian president’s speech
An interpreter for a German news outlet was heard breaking down on-air while translating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech on Sunday.
In a video of the speech, the unidentified interpreter for Welt is heard translating into German a part of Zelensky’s speech in which he said: “Russia is on the path of evil. The world must deprive Russia of the right to vote on the UN Security Council.”
The translator then slows down and chokes up while delivering the lines: “Ukrainians, we know exactly what we are defending. We will definitely win.”
EU wants Ukraine to join it, says European Commission President
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union wants Ukraine as a member, Euronews reported.
“They belong to us. They are one of us and we want them in,” von der Leyen told EuroNews on Sunday.
The outlet reported that von der Leyen did not specify if the process for Ukraine to join would be as quick as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for.
The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund said it will dump its Russian assets
Norway’s massive sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest — will dump its Russian investments following the invasion of Ukraine.
“We have decided to freeze the fund’s investments and have begun a process of selling out (of Russia),” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told a news conference on Sunday, per Reuters.
Mitt Romney says its ‘almost treasonous’ for some GOP figures to back Putin
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney said Sunday that it is “unthinkable” and “almost treasonous” for anyone who loves freedom to also support Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the Utah senator was asked about the “pro-Putin sentiment” held by some factions of the Republican Party.
“Well, a lot of those people are changing their stripes as they’re seeing the response of the world and the political response here in the US,” replied Romney. “But how anybody, how anybody in this country, which loves freedom, can side with Vladimir Putin, which is an oppressor, a dictator.”
Belarus votes to remove its non-nuclear status
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
Belarus voted to renounce its non-nuclear status in a constitutional referendum on Sunday, Reuters reported, citing Russian news agencies.
The vote was called by the country’s authoritarian leader, President Alexander Lukashenko, as a way to “cement his 27-year old grip on power,” the Associated Press reported.
The referendum means nuclear weapons could be used on Belarus’ soil for the first time since the Soviet Union fell in 1991.
The vote comes at a time when Russia is using Belarus as a staging ground to invade Ukraine.
European leaders imposed tough sanctions on Russia after speaking with Ukrainian president
Several prominent European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, were initially hesitant to impose the toughest sanction proposals against Russian President Vladimir Putin, some of his top administration officials, and some Russian banks, but changed their mind after speaking with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, The Washington Post reported.
Zelensky video-conferenced into a Thursday night meeting with leaders of the European Union and appealed to the leaders.
The Post reported that some became “watery-eyed” following Zelensky’s remarks from a Kyiv battlefield.
“It was extremely, extremely emotional,”a European official briefed on the call told the Post. “He was essentially saying: ‘Look, we are here dying for European ideals.'”
In the days since the call, countries across Europe and the world have imposed some of the strictest sanctions against Russia.
More than 300 Ukrainians have died during Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry says
Citing Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, the Associated Press reported that 352 Ukrainians have died during Russia’s invasion of the country.
The death count includes 14 children.
Additionally, the ministry said an additional 1,684 people – including 116 children – were wounded, the AP reported.
Ukraine’s hospitals could run out of oxygen in the next day as Russia’s invasion prevents transportation of supplies
The World Health Organization on Sunday warned that hospitals across Ukraine could run out of oxygen in the next 24 hours as trucks struggle to deliver supplies from plants to facilities during Russia’s invasion.
“The oxygen supply situation is nearing a very dangerous point in Ukraine,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Europe Regional Director Hans Kluge said in a joint statement “The majority of hospitals could exhaust their oxygen reserves within the next 24 hours. Some have already run out. This puts thousands of lives at risk.”
WHO said the country needed a 25% surge of oxygen supplies compared to what it needed before Russia’s invasion.
The organization called for critical medical supplies to reach those in need and said they’re working with “partners to establish safe transit for shipments through Poland.”
Beyond the limited supply of oxygen, WHO warned that critical hospital services were being “jeopardized by electricity and power shortages, and ambulances transporting patients are in danger of getting caught in the crossfire.”
The supplies are needed to treat people dealing with conditions ranging from COVID-19, which could surge as people flee, and other conditions, as well as injuries sustained as a result of the conflict, WHO said.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his country will send an additional $53 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
In a statement on Sunday, Johnson said the decision to send $53 million (£40m) came after he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and met with Ukrainian community leaders in London this weekend.
The funds will be used to “provide vital medical supplies and other help to Ukraine.”
“The funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, creating a lifeline for Ukrainians with access to basic necessities and medical supplies such as medicines, syringes, dressings, and wound care packs. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine,” the statement said.
Additionally, the statement said that “in response to the growing concern of Ukrainians living in the UK about their welfare of their families back home,” Johnson also confirmed that anyone settled in the UK can bring their immediate Ukrainian family members to join them.
“The UK will not turn our backs in Ukraine’s hour of need. We are providing all the economic and military support we can to help those Ukrainians risking everything to protect their country,” Johnson said in the statement.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Putin’s decision to put nuclear forces in a state of higher readiness is part of a pattern of “manufactured threats”
Psaki on Sunday told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “This Week,” that Putin’s decision was a way for him to further justify his attack on Ukraine.
“This is really a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression. And the global community and the American people should look at it through that prism. We’ve seen him do this time and time again,” Psaki said.
Earlier on Sunday, Putin put his nuclear force on high alert, meaning they will be prepared for the increased possibility of launch. Putin claimed that the move was in response to statements from countries that are a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other western nations.
US embassies in Russia and Ukraine issue messages warning Americans to …
