Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #6

[LadyL]

Former Dallas Police Officer, Father Of 2 Puts Life On Line To Fight For Ukraine

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 34 min ago
Explosions heard in Ivano-Frankivsk. Air raid alerts are on. Residents are asked to head to the nearest shelter.

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
SBU shares vid of an interrogated Russian occupier, where he tells:
Russian army command resumed the practice of "shooting squads" that execute deserters
600 Russian marines refused to unboard ship near Odesa "because they realized what was happening"

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
The head of the #Ukrainian Community of #Crimea believes that in order to achieve peace in #Ukraine, its authorities need to fulfill all of #Russia's conditions and reconsider the current system of statehood.

NEXTA on Twitter
The Yavoriv landfill near #Lviv was probably attacked by #Russian troops, according to #Ukrainian People's Deputy Irina #Gerashchenko.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 17 min ago
Early morning explosions near Lviv were the result of Ukraine’s air defense against Russian missiles, according to local lawmaker Igor Zinkevych. “All military units are working fully, additional information is expected from the head of the region, he wrote March 13.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
Zinkevych also reminded people not to post photos of the movement of Ukrainian troops as to not give up the positions of Ukraine’s military.

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
In the early morning, Russian occupiers launched an air strike on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yaviriv, near Lviv. According to preliminary data, 8 missiles were fired Information on victims is being established - Lviv Oblast Military Administration

Christopher Miller on Twitter
Day 18 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine begins with more attacks. Lviv’s mayor’s office confirms to me that there was a missile strike on Yavoriv’s military facilities before daybreak. Yavoriv is a military town 10 miles from Poland and home to an international training facility.

 

[LadyL]

Eastern Washington man leaves home to help fight for Ukraine | kgw.com

 

[PommyMommy]

More airstrikes by Russia, Ukrainian MFA appeals for air defense | Euromaidan Press
On 11-12 March, Russia again escalated its missile and airstrikes, both on military and civilian objects throughout Ukraine, which led to many deaths among civilians.

The indiscriminate shelling of civilian districts by rocket artillery systems has also intensified. Russians start using even more cruel tactics, deploying rocket launchers among village houses, to prevent Ukrainian artillery strikes in response, and cover neighboring cities with a barrage of rockets. Ukraine asks for air defense systems from the west to effectively stop the Russian invasion and atrocities of the Russian military.

Russian military shelling Mykolayiv in Ukraine by rocket artillery, 12 March 2022

[...]

“Besieged Mariupol is now the worst humanitarian catastrophe on the planet. 1582 dead civilians in 12 days, even buried in mass graves like this one. Unable to defeat the Ukrainian Army, Putin bombs the unarmed, blocks humanitarian aid. We need planes to stop Russian war crimes!”

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
Ukrainians remain optimistic about Ukraine’s prospects in Russia’s war. 91% of Ukrainian feel hope, 92% believe that Ukraine will repel Russia’s attack, 57% believe that Ukraine will defeat Russia in the coming weeks
60% of Ukrainians believe Ukraine will defeat Russia in weeks, 80% contribute to defense: poll | Euromaidan Press

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
RFE/RL: Morgues in Belarus fill up with the bodies of Russian soldiers, locals say. Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine are being brought by truck to the morgues and then sent back to Russia by train or plane, according to residents who talked to RFE/RL.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
The morgues in Belarusian cities of Mozyr, Homel and Naroulia are reportedly full.

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
Deputy chief of National Police Oleksiy Biloshytskyi says Russian occupiers used phosphorous munitions in Popasna (Luhansk Obl). They are prohibited by the Geneva Conventions

Олексій Білошицький | Facebook (Oleksiy Biloshytskyi)
Translated by Google:
It's dangerous.
The use of phosphorus ammunition. A destructive, destructive, destructive force.
This is what the fascists called "Brennende Zwiebel". This is what the racists are releasing in our cities now. Incredible suffering and fires.
Asvabaditeli in all its glory.
Scotty. Not human beings.

White phosphorus munitions - Wikipedia

 

[Charlot123]

Sounds like NATFA - collaboration between countries to produce car parts. I thought the USSR ceased to exist back in 1980 or so. Surely everyone in Ukraine has figured out how to source parts in the last 40 years.

Vaccines are a different conversation. Countries like Germany, USofA, Australia, Canada all put in an order. It is apparent that it was first come with money, first served regarding vaccines.

Was Ukraine left out of the vaccine conversation? Who did Ukraine look to for vaccines? Did they use Russian, Chinese, or German/EU/UK/USofA etc. vaccines?

What is the history of Ukraine covid vaccine? When did vaccines start, which vaccines were used? What are the demographic stats for vaccine rates?j

Surprisingly, no. I heard it from my FIL who lives in a black soil area of Russia. He said that the tractors were old, and if broken, it would be very difficult to buy spare parts. Again, I guess, the interest of the new capitalists was in pushing the farmers to buy more expensive tractors from abroad than cheaper spare parts from Kharkiv...

What I read in Forbes' article about Ukrainian vaccines looks exactly the same. And please understand me - I tracked the situation with vaccination against measles in Ukraine several years ago. The easiest thing is to blame it on antivaxxers, but the real situation is probably due to lack of vaccines.

This article in Forbes says that own production of vaccines was totally stopped in Ukraine in 1990es. And then one company, Farmac, started the process. Vaccines production requires a lot of capital and quality control and whatnot. It is time-consuming. When they were ready, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine changed the calendar of vaccinations, and it undermined the production of own vaccines.

Another issue; now, Darnitsa, a similar company, has Covid vaccine technology. I think they got it from Merck but might re-read. But to start, they want to be sure that Ukraine guarantees them own distribution market. They don't want to risk and invest, they say, if Ukraine government ultimately decides that it is cheaper to buy elsewhere. So they are far behind vaccination in other countries. And soon, they say, vaccines for Covid might become obsolete, so why invest?

Ergo: from the standpoint of poor management of economy, Russia and Ukraine are comparable. It is true that Ukraine has more independent TV channels, and freedom of speech, but in terms of economy, you see the same. Old Soviet industrial system was destroyed, everywhere, and nothing new was created. The difference lies in Russia being larger and rich in raw materials that they export, but both countries complain of the West not investing into them. Why the West chose not to invest in postSoviet countries, but did invest in China, probably, is easily explained.

P.S. (so that it doesn't look in any way prejudiced - in Uzbekistan cotton farmers lose money because someone above is more interested in importing cotton from Turkey).

 

[Charlot123]

Captured Russian pilot admits to bombing civilians, urges Russia to stop assault: 'We have already lost this war'

A captured Russian pilot admitted to targeting Ukrainian civilians and urged Russia to call off the assault on Ukraine.

Lieutenant Colonel Krishtop Maxim Sergeevich was shot down on March 6 and taken into custody by Ukrainian forces, Interfax Ukraine reported. At a press conference on Friday, Krishtop said he carried out three bombing missions, Newsweek reported.

"In the process of completing the task, I realized that the target was not enemy military facilities, but residential buildings, peaceful people," Krishtop said, per Newsweek. "But I carried out the criminal order."

"I recognize the enormity of the crimes committed by me," Krishtop said, per Newsweek. "I want to ask forgiveness from the entire Ukrainian people for the misfortune that we brought them. I will do everything in my power to end this war as quickly as possible, and bring those responsible for this genocide of Ukrainians to justice."

Krishtop made the comments at a press conference alongside other other Russian pilots held as prisoners of war, according to Interfax. Ukraine has conducted several similar news conferences with prisoners of war in an attempt to counter Russian propaganda about the war, The Washington Post reported.

IRL, I suspect, the truth is in between. I saw a Ukrainian video about a different Russian pilot, who was captured. He was asked if he understood what he was bombing the day before, and he said, no, he had no map (this I doubt). Then he said that he was told to spread his bombs, but he dropped them all as fast as he could, and returned back. Judging by the conversation, his bombing caused many casualties. (People were immensely angry with him).

JMO. This is not a popular war. Who wants to die in it? So to throw the bombs somewhere, as fast as possible, and return back, to not be hit, is highly likely. I don't know if they get orders to bomb civilian quarters, or they merely bomb whatever is closer because they are scared themselves, or it is 50/50, who knows?

 

[badgersmythe]

Putin's forces strike military base 20 miles from Nato border


Putin's forces strike close to Nato border: Russia targets military base 20 miles from Poland | Daily Mail Online

 

[Charlot123]

Sh@t this is really scary…

 

[Mo Thuairim]

35 killed in strikes on western Ukraine military base

A Russian missile attack on a large Ukrainian military facility near the border with NATO member Poland killed 35 people and wounded 57, local officials said.

The regional governor of Lviv said Russia fired 30 rockets at the military complex in what appeared to be the westernmost attack of the war.

Foreign military instructors worked at the Yavoriv military facility and were present during the strikes, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said.

"Russia has attacked the International Center for Peacekeeping & Security near Lviv. Foreign instructors work here. Information about the victims is being clarified," Mr Reznikov said in an online post.

Meanwhile Poland's President Andrzej Duda has said the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine by Russia would be a game changer and NATO would have to think seriously about how to respond.

(...)

 

[GRT]

It's a misrepresentation of the facts. The 14,000 deaths is correct but only around a quarter of them were civilians. Also that number represents deaths on both sides. Not all were killed by the Ukrainian army. It includes the people killed by the Russian-backed separatists, Ukrainian military deaths and separatist deaths.

22 Jan 2022 — Approximately 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict, more than 3,000 of them civilians, according to the United Nations.

The human toll of the Russia-Ukraine conflict since 2014

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/russia-ukraine-conflict-photos-2014/

Thank you. In the end, 14,000 still died. To me--and this is just my opinion--death is death and each death in a conflict such as this is a tragedy.

The 14K indicates a near-civil-war atmosphere in that region for a number of years now. I think there were a few foreign fighters in that death toll, but the vast majority were Ukrainian "citizens" (I didn't specify "civilians.") fighting on two sides of a conflict.

Ukrainians fighting Ukrainians.

JMOO

 

[GRT]

The problem with a declaration such as this is that it doesn't account for males who are needed to get their families to safety. And, what of the males who already left with families? Are they supposed to come back and fight?

"Ukrainian males aged 18-60 are banned from leaving the country, Zelensky says in new declaration
From CNN's Tamara Qiblawi and Caroll Alvardo

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a general military mobilization.

In a declaration signed late Thursday, Zelensky said that "in order to ensure the defense of the state, maintaining combat and mobilization readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations," a broad-based mobilization was ordered, including in the capital, Kyiv and all Ukraine's major cities."
​

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-new...24-22-intl/h_4309a4916d57670f85519210a07fb2c9

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Thank you. In the end, 14,000 still died. To me--and this is just my opinion--death is death and each death in a conflict such as this is a tragedy.

The 14K indicates a near-civil-war atmosphere in that region for a number of years now. I think there were a few foreign fighters in that death toll, but the vast majority were Ukrainian "citizens" (I didn't specify "civilians.") fighting on two sides of a conflict.

Ukrainians fighting Ukrainians.

JMOO

Of course. It's an absolute tragedy, 14,000 deaths too many.

I just wanted to clarify that these deaths were not all caused by the Ukrainian military, as that link misstated. 'Citizens' could imply non-combatants to many readers and of course the deaths on MH17 are included.

Here is an article from 2019 with a breakdown of the deaths. Sadly 1,000 more people have been killed since then so I don't know how those break down in the various categories but it seems it was mostly combatants.

(...)

The estimated toll includes more than 3,300 civilian deaths, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a document dated February 25 and provided to RFE/RL the same day.

(...)

The estimated death toll includes 3,321 civilians, among them the 298 passengers and crew members who died when Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down on July 17, 2014 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

A Dutch-led international investigation concluded that the jet was shot down by a Buk missile from a Russian system that had been brought from Russia into separatist-held territory in Ukraine and later returned to Russia.

(...)

The estimated death toll also includes 4,000 members of Ukrainian forces and 5,500 "armed groups," the OHCHR document said.

(...)

The proportion of civilians in the casualty figures has declined sharply, with the estimated share of civilians in total conflict-related deaths at 33-34 percent in 2014 and 10-11 percent in 2018, the OHCHR said.

(...)

Death Toll Up To 13,000 In Ukraine Conflict, Says UN Rights Office

 

[sunshineray]

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
SBU shares vid of an interrogated Russian occupier, where he tells:
Russian army command resumed the practice of "shooting squads" that execute deserters
600 Russian marines refused to unboard ship near Odesa "because they realized what was happening"

Above quoted post snipped by me for focus.

Followed your linked tweet to the Telegram@SBU video.
(link below at the bottom of my post)

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1502871751923048450

This is the Ukraine to English online translation...

"Putin does not believe in his own army and resorts to Stalinist repression

However, this does not save him from the riots that have already begun to arise among the Russian military.

The next captured occupier tells about it during interrogation in SBU. They say that the army leadership has resumed the practice of "shooting squads" - echelons that follow the main forces of the Russian Federation and kill those who want to flee.

According to him, in the course of advancing deep into Ukraine, the occupying army is beginning to realize that they have far from a peacekeeping mission.

"But we have been told that we will not return, because we are being followed by echelons of assassins who are trying to return home," he said.

Now, having become an accomplice in the crimes, the occupier regrets that they did not have the courage to act like the Russian Marines: "... near Odessa, 600 Marines rebelled and did not get off the ship, because they understood what was happening."

The occupying army is demoralized and oppressed.

So the victory of Ukraine is not far off!

#Stop the Occupiers
#Putin to The Hague
#ZSU"

Служба безпеки України

 

[sunshineray]

Alec Luhn
@ASLuhn

Scripps environmental journalism fellow interested in the far north. Former Russia correspondent for@guardian&@telegraph

The missile strike on the base near Lviv is significant not because foreign instructors "work" there (they were pulled out in Feb) but because foreign volunteers are reportedly there now. Russia said it would consider foreigners "mercenaries"



theguardian.com
Russia missile strike on Ukraine base close to Polish border kills 35, governor says
6:31 AM · Mar 13, 2022·Twitter for Android


https://mobile.twitter.com/ASLuhn/status/1502955487679193091

 

[sunshineray]

Another source about the airstrike very near Poland. Sounds like NATO involvement...frightening and interesting.

"The military base in Yavoriv, located some 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of the city, was a training center for Ukrainian forces with foreign instructors, including from the United States and Canada.

It was also a hub for joint exercises involving Ukrainian soldiers and NATO allies."

35 Dead in Air Strike on Ukraine Military Base Near Poland - The Moscow Times

 

[sds71]

@MartaDhanis

BREAKING: A journalist was shot and killed in Irpin, a second American journalist was also shot and has been taken to a hospital


@cliffordlevy
@nytimes is deeply saddened to learn of the death of an American journalist in Ukraine, Brent Renaud. Brent was a talented photographer and filmmaker, but he was not on assignment for@nytimes in Ukraine. Full statement is here

Brent's death is a terrible loss. Brave journalists like Brent take tremendous risks to bear witness and to tell the world about the devastation and suffering caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

 

[worldwatcher]

@MartaDhanis

BREAKING: A NYT journalist was shot and killed in Irpin, a second American journalist was also shot and has been taken to a hospital

Here is the vid of the journalist in the hospital:
https://twitter.com/annalisacamilli/status/1502978846500573185

 

[Elley Mae]

China warns of 'worst consequences' for any country that supports Taiwan militarily

China warns of 'worst consequences' for any country that supports Taiwan militarily

…

So now X threatens “worst consequences”.
…


Will the world be held hostage?

Jmo

 

[Elley Mae]

“Today we barely produce 10 percent of the computer chips, despite being the leader in chip design and research,” Mr. Biden said. “And we don’t have the ability to make the most advanced chips now — right now. But today, 75 percent of production takes place in East Asia. Ninety percent of the most advanced chips are made in Taiwan. China is doing everything it can to take over the global market so they can try to outcompete the rest of us and have a lot of applications — including military applications.”

How the Computer Chip Shortage Could Incite a U.S. Conflict With China

…