Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #2

[Mo Thuairim]

Government to shut Irish airspace to Russian carriers

The Government is to move to shut Irish airspace to Russian aircraft and carriers.

The development would affect Russian airplanes flying over Ireland and any direct flights.

It is understood there will be a short notice period before the move takes effect.

Aeroflot had a weekly flight from Dublin to Moscow. It is currently suspended until May.

The decision by the Government follows a similar move by the UK on Friday.

The move will be enforced by the Irish Aviation Authority.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko tweeted "Thank you" in response to the announcement.

(...)

 

[Herat]

The Telegraph UK is reporting: "
Sanctions spark Russia bank run fears as country braces for ‘free fall’ in rouble"

It's behind a paywall so I can't post the full article by WS rules, but I believe I can post this quote in the article, as it shows the SWIFT ban is already having an effect:

"The measures are expected to send the ruble tumbling on Monday morning, as asset restrictions limit the Bank of Russia’s ability to continue propping up the currency. Russia has $630bn (£470bn) in foreign reserves, a large portion of which is held overseas."

The article also has a good diagram of how the Swift system works.

 

[GRT]

On a personal note -- this morning around 3:30 am, my son who is the IT Director for a university was alerted to--and blocked--a DDOS attack against the university's server. The attack came from the Russian Federation and involved more than 40 devices.

(Small) attacks come in all the time but this one was quite large and complex. The university in this case is protected. I can't imagine this was completely unrelated, but maybe it was. As a precautionary move, faculty and staff will not be allowed to use their own devices (cellphones, laptops) in the next few days as those are easier to compromise.

If it wasn't just a fluke ( it could have been), I wonder if other big servers are trying to thwart attacks?

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine latest: Putin orders nuclear deterrence forces on high alert; Zelenskiy says Ukrainian and Russian delegations to meet | World news | The Guardian
GREECE
In Greece the first of two military transport planes, loaded with defence equipment, has departed from Eleusina for Ukraine. Portable rocket launchers, ammunition and Kalashnikov rifles will be aboard the two C130’s. The shipments will be delivered via Poland.

Athens’ deputy defence minister, Nikos Hardalias, will oversee the dispatch of humanitarian assistance later in the day when two cargo carriers also head for Poland.

The aid comes amid a brewing row between Russia and Greece regarding Athens’ stance over Ukraine. Despite the two Orthodox nations having traditionally strong ties, culturally and politically, Greece has sided firmly with its fellow EU and Nato partners throughout the crisis and given US forces unfettered access to four military bases across the country.

[...]

WHO: Thousands of lives at risk by falling Ukrainian oxygen supplies
The World Health Organization is worried about supplies of medicinal oxygen to Ukraine, warning the majority of hospitals could run out in 24 hours.

The director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and WHO’s regional director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, called for a safe passage for supplies, including via a logistics corridor through Poland.

They said: “Trucks are unable to transport oxygen supplies from plants to hospitals across the country, including the capital, Kyiv. 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.”

 

[AliceInPain]

I hear they've turned tail and ran since then. JMO

No. Chechen soldiers are not to mess with. They are the cruelest on the earth. jmo.

 

[Herat]

Map: Which countries are accepting Ukrainian refugees?

This may become more of an issue if this escalates.

This is a very good article, explains a great deal about the refugee situtation.

Also has a great screen capture of the air flight ban:

 

[GRT]

No. Chechen soldiers are not to mess with. They are the cruelest on the earth. jmo.

Yes, they do have that reputation.

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine latest: Putin orders nuclear deterrence forces on high alert; Zelenskiy says Ukrainian and Russian delegations to meet | The Guardian
Nato chief: Putin's nuclear rhetoric is 'dangerous' and irresponsible
Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato, said “this is dangerous rhetoric” over Russian president Vladimir Putin’s order to put the country’s nuclear military deterrence on high alert.

“This is dangerous rhetoric. This is a behaviour which is irresponsible,” Stoltenberg said on CNN.

“And of course when you combine this rhetoric with what they are doing on the ground in Ukraine – waging war against an independent, sovereign nation, conducting full-fledged invasion of Ukraine – this adds to the seriousness of the situation.”

[...]

Ukraine's foreign minister: Ukraine-Russia talks with no preconditions 'already a victory'
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said “we will not give up a single inch of our territory” ahead of talks agreed between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations.

Russia initially said it did not want talks, then said it wanted talks with conditions. Now, after a series of military setbacks that some observers say may have shocked Russian president Vladimir Putin, the conditions have been dropped – which Kuleba said was “already a victory”.

One element of the talks, Kuleba said, are that Belarus agreed it would not use military force against Ukraine “between now and the moment that the talks wrap up”.

[...]

 

[Fika]

No. Chechen soldiers are not to mess with. They are the cruelest on the earth. jmo.

Yes they have a reputation of being cruel and nobody should want to mess with them. Poor Ukrainians

“
r 46 min ago
Pro-Kremlin Chechen leader Kadyrov calls for expanding Russian invasion "in all directions"

From CNN's Nathan Hodge

Ramzan Kadyrov, the pro-Kremlin leader of Russia's Chechnya region, called on the Russian military Sunday to expand its military offensive in Ukraine.

"The time has come to make a concrete decision and start a large-scale operation in all directions and territories of Ukraine," Kadyrov said in a statement on his Telegram account. "I myself have repeatedly developed tactics and strategies against terrorists, participated in battles. In my understanding, the tactics chosen in Ukraine are too slow. It lasts a long time and, in my view, are not effective," he said.
Added Kadyrov: "Full coordination of the actions of the military, competent alignment of forces and a decisive assault. That's it! Nothing else is needed."

Kadyrov has been accused by international and independent observers of gross human-rights violations in his home territory and beyond. He leads sizable paramilitary forces that — while formally a part of Russian security structures — have personal loyalty to him.
”
Pro-Kremlin Chechen leader Kadyrov calls for expanding Russian invasion "in all directions"

 

[LaborDayRN]

Ukraine, Russia diplomats to meet on Belarus border

Great. I remember, as a child, having "nuclear bomb" attack drills at school. I felt secured under my small school desk. Everything was going to be fine.

Sigh.

I remember those too.

 

[Herat]

Former Secretary of State Condoleesa Rice:

Condoleezza Rice: Putin ‘seems erratic,’ ‘descending into something’ never personally seen before

"He was always calculating and cold. But this is different. He seems erratic. There is an ever-deepening, delusional rendering of history, it was always a kind of victimology about what had happened to them, but now it goes back to blaming Lenin for the foundation of Kyiv … in Ukraine," Rice said on "Fox News Sunday."

Rice has met with Putin at least a half a dozen times across her career and said he is "descending into something I haven’t personally seen before."

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine latest: Putin orders nuclear deterrence forces on high alert; Zelenskiy says Ukrainian and Russian delegations to meet |The Guardian
Here’s Sunday’s top headlines on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine so far.

• Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his military command to put nuclear deterrence forces on high alert, in response to what he called “aggressive statements” by Nato countries.
• Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg responded: “This is dangerous rhetoric”.
• Ukraine has agreed to peace talks with Russia “without preconditions”, the office of president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
• Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine won’t surrender “a single inch of our territory” ahead of the talks, saying no preconditions was “already a victory”.
  
• Ukraine’s capital Kyiv remains in Ukrainian hands as Russia has faced a series of military setbacks.
  
• Ukraine claimed its forces repelled a Russian attempt to seize Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, following fierce fighting and street battles with advancing Russian troops.
• The UN refugee agency has said more than 368,000 people have fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries. Up to 4 million people could become refugees if the situation continues to worsen, the UN said.
  
• Western allies have agreed to block Russia’s access to the Swift international banking payment system.
• German chancellor Olaf Scholz said he will spend €100bn on defence in a U-turn over the country’s longstanding military policy.
• The World Health Organization warned thousands of lives are at risk by falling Ukrainian oxygen supplies.
• Pope Francis said he was “heartbroken” by the war and appeared to take direct aim at Putin by condemning people who “trust in the diabolic and perverse logic of weapons”.
• The US said it is sending nearly $54m (£40m) in new humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s deputy defence minister Hanna Malyar claimed Russian forces have lost about 4,300 servicemen, a figure it was not possible to independently verify.
• Turkey called the conflict a “war”, which could lead to the country blocking access between the Mediterranean and Black seas to Russian ships.
  
• The UK foreign secretary Liz Truss said she’s preparing a “hit list” of oligarchs to sanction. She also said the war could spell the “beginning of the end” for Putin and said she would back Britons going to fight for Ukraine as private citizens.
  
• Russian police detained more than 900 people at anti-war protests on Sunday, an independent monitoring organisation said, lifting the tally for crackdown arrests to over 4,000.
• Over 17 European countries have now blocked airspace access to Russian flights, with Russia retaliating – marking a pivot back towards Cold War-style relations.

 

[Sundog]

Ukraine battles Russian forces: LIVE UPDATES

US Embassy warns Americans in Russia: Expect credit card troubles after SWIFT sanctions

The start of sanctions on SWIFT may leave Americans in Russia stranded as their credit cards may not work.

Fox News correspondent Amy Kellogg reported that the U.S. embassy warned Americans to expect their credit cards not to work after the sanctions start.

She said her cards still worked as of today. The increasing isolation of Russia is causing the American community to worry about access to money and flights out, Kellogg added.

An NBC correspondent in Moscow also reported that his hotel asked him settle his bill early over concerns that his credit cards wouldn’t work after SWIFT sanctions started.

 

[badgersmythe]

World rages at Putin's war: Hundreds of thousands protest


World rages at Putin's war: Hundreds of thousands of protestors take to streets of Berlin, Madrid | Daily Mail Online

 

[Herat]

A few thoughts for USAnians:

A nuclear attack would most likely target one of these 6 US cities — but an expert says none of them are prepared.

I admit, I've got an urge to get to Costco today and stock up on stuff
Get more cash out of my ATM

 

[Sundog]

On a personal note -- this morning around 3:30 am, my son who is the IT Director for a university was alerted to--and blocked--a DDOS attack against the university's server. The attack came from the Russian Federation and involved more than 40 devices.

(Small) attacks come in all the time but this one was quite large and complex. The university in this case is protected. I can't imagine this was completely unrelated, but maybe it was. As a precautionary move, faculty and staff will not be allowed to use their own devices (cellphones, laptops) in the next few days as those are easier to compromise.

If it wasn't just a fluke ( it could have been), I wonder if other big servers are trying to thwart attacks?

Thanks for this information.
We all need to be ready for more aggressive cyberattacks, IMO.

After Ukraine, Russian cyberattacks could come to US: How to defend yourself

 

[Boxer]

Former Secretary of State Condoleesa Rice:

Condoleezza Rice: Putin ‘seems erratic,’ ‘descending into something’ never personally seen before

"He was always calculating and cold. But this is different. He seems erratic. There is an ever-deepening, delusional rendering of history, it was always a kind of victimology about what had happened to them, but now it goes back to blaming Lenin for the foundation of Kyiv … in Ukraine," Rice said on "Fox News Sunday."

Rice has met with Putin at least a half a dozen times across her career and said he is "descending into something I haven’t personally seen before."

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

 

[Sundog]

Map: Which countries are accepting Ukrainian refugees?

This may become more of an issue if this escalates.

These countries, like Poland, will need humanitarian aid, big time.

 

[Angleterre]

Just put the article link into Google translate.
I usually use "detect language" and translate to English.

Everyday is a school day
Thank you so much for teaching me something new
I appreciate it

 

[Angleterre]

I've been using the online translators. Just copy and paste in one of those.

Thank you so much
I didn’t think of that
Sometimes my common sense takes a walk lol