Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #2

[PommyMommy]

Just stumbled across this interactive map which is pretty nifty. When you click on the pins, you get an incident's date, description, location, source link, etc. I don't know how far back it goes but I've seen a few pins from January.

Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map by Cen4infoRes · MapHub

Example of one pin from Feb 3:

03/02/2022 Movement of heavy weaponry

DATE: 03/02/2022
LINK: https://twitter.com/4emberlen/status/1491367231812702215
GEOLOCATION: https://twitter.com/gfusfus/status/1491435131873431553
BRIEF DESCRIPTION: Movement of heavy weaponry
COUNTRY: Belarus
PROVINCE:
DISTRICT: Mogilev
TOWN/CITY: Chapayeva
COORDINATES: 53.948861, 30.326889
ARMS/MUNITION:
VIOLENCE LEVEL: 1
ENTRY: UW0103

According to the link below, the map is a crowdsourced effort by Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) and the wider open source community to map, document and verify significant incidents during the conflict in Ukraine. Its aim is to provide reliable information for policymakers, journalists as well as justice and accountability bodies about the evolving situations both on-the-ground and online.

Follow the Russia-Ukraine Monitor Map - bellingcat

 

[Amonet]

Stomach turning.

BBM:
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has edged even closer to Russia amid crippling Western sanctions over his crackdown on domestic protests, said he was confident that Belarusians will support a set of constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay in power until 2035.

The revised main law also sheds Belarus’ neutral status, opening the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, which deployed forces to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of the invasion that began Thursday.

Belarus holds constitutional vote as crisis in Ukraine rages

So why would Ukraine believe them if they say they want Ukraine to be neutral? Belarus chooses that path and puts in a pro-Putin leader and look what happens next...why would anyone think it would be different in Ukraine?

 

[Simply Southern]

US company tracking power outages in Ukraine in first-of-its-kind war zone effort

Unveiled in 2016, PowerOutage.com has grown into an exclusive, one-stop shop for experts to see which areas have been hit the hardest during significant weather events.

Bluefire Studios LLC, the company behind the website, says its systems constantly collect, record and display publicly available power outage data that makes it easy for consumers to read.

 

[PommyMommy]

1h ago 18:47

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: US condemns Putin’s nuclear deterrence order; Russian tank column heading towards Kyiv – live updates | The Guardian

As Russian troops draw closer to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv’s mayor has confirmed that nine civilians in the city have been killed so far, including one child, in an interview with the Associated Press.

Vitali Klitschko ordered a curfew began about sundown on Saturday and is to extend until at least 8am Monday. His order pointedly stated that any unauthorised person outside during this time could be considered a saboteur.

“We are hunting these people, and it will be much easier if nobody is on the street,” Klitschko explained, saying that six Russian saboteurs were killed Saturday night.

Russian troops’ advance on the city has been slower than many military experts had expected but the overall Russian military advantage is well-known to all.

“I just talked to the president (Zelenskiy). Everybody is not feeling so well,” Klitschko said, adding that city government employees were in shock but not depressed. “We show our character, our knowledge, our values.”

 

[whitelilac]

Rouble crashes 30% as market opens
The rouble plunged nearly 30% to an all-time low versus the US dollar on Monday as markets openbed for trading on the first day after western nations announced punishing economic sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The rouble dropped to as low as 119 per dollar, and was last down 28.77% at 118 from its closing price 83.64 on Friday.

The sanctions include blocking some Russian banks from the Swift international payments system, leading investors to anticipate a run on the Russian currency as people try to change their money for dollars and other denominations.

“The escalating crisis in Ukraine will force markets to price in a substantially higher geopolitical risk premium,” strategists at the Australian bank Westpac said on Monday. “The Ukrainian situation is volatile.”

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: US condemns Putin’s nuclear deterrence order; rouble crashes as markets open – live updates

 

[Dontknow?]

The Kyiv Independent
@KyivIndependent

Multiple sources say the decision has been made — and as soon as on Feb. 28 at 5 a.m. local time, the first Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft is very likely to take off carrying Belarusian paratroopers to be deployed against Ukraine.

It's 3:32 am now. Below freezing too there.

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine invasion: Putin has raised the abhorrent spectre of a nuclear option - could it be a sign of desperation? | World News | Sky News

Russia's decision to raise the spectre of a nuclear option in the Ukraine war is a significant escalation, but also perhaps a sign of desperation.

[...]

Unlike for example UK nuclear weapons policy, Russia's nuclear doctrine allows for smaller, tactical nuclear warheads to be threatened in a conventional conflict - including against a non-nuclear-armed country such as Ukraine - in the hope that the other side capitulates in fear.

It is referred to as "escalate to de-escalate".

If the enemy does not back down, then Russia could in theory launch a limited - in relative terms - nuclear strike to inflict such punishing damage as to force a victory.

[...]

But President Vladimir Putin's invasion is not going to plan. Four days in, his forces, despite their superior firepower, have failed to capture and hold any major cities.

[...]

As the invading force, they will know they only have finite supplies, from weapons to rations, so they will need to meet their objectives or face the prospect of retreat.

[...]

In the biggest gamble of his extended time in power, Mr Putin chose to send his troops and missiles into Ukraine last Thursday in defiance of Western warnings to hold back.

It means he cannot afford to fail or else he knows his time in power will almost certainly be over, leaving a legacy of humiliation and defeat.

 

[PommyMommy]

Sources: Belarus to join Russia’s war on Ukraine within hours (kyivindependent.com)
As Russia fails to inflict quick defeat upon Ukraine after four days of fierce hostilities, Vladimir Putin is about to pull his Belarusian ally, dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko into his war of occupation.

Amid many speculations, multiple sources in Belarus say the decision has been made — and as soon as on Feb. 28 at 5 a.m. local time, the first Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft is very likely to take off carrying Belarusian paratroopers to be deployed against Ukraine.

It’s not clear whether the local time the messages refer to is Belarusian or Ukrainian; 5 a.m. in Minsk is 4 a.m. in Kyiv.

[...]

On Feb. 27, Lukashenko said that Belarusians started facing violence in Ukraine and that Kyiv threatens Belarus with terror activities. It echoed the pretext that Putin gave for launching the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Amid concerns, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone call with Lukashenko on Feb. 27, following which the Ukrainian leader said Lukashenko reassured him of his non-involvement in Russia’s war.

However, according to former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk, in reality, the Belarusian dictator, whose existence highly depends on Putin, has no choice other than to join.

[...]

“If god forbid, Lukashenko gives an order to go in, I hope many would refuse to shoot at Ukrainians,” he said. “Otherwise, this will be a historic tragedy between the two peoples.”

 

[Love Never Fails]

To put the USSR back.
MOO Ukraine is its own region and was until the USSR took them over and then they got free in 1991.
They know what living under Russian rule is, and that is why they are fighting.

Oh I Know. I can see it coming here also. But its all for land and power on the part of Russia. Its so sad and unnecessary. I am not blaming anyone who fights back. We all would.

 

[Simply Southern]

The Kyiv Independent
@KyivIndependent

Multiple sources say the decision has been made — and as soon as on Feb. 28 at 5 a.m. local time, the first Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft is very likely to take off carrying Belarusian paratroopers to be deployed against Ukraine.

It's 3:32 am now. Below freezing too there.

Makes me sick.

Guess the peace talks are a ruse.

 

[MsMarple]

Following but I don't have the heart to post. Thanks all for keeping the news rolling.

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️President Volodymyr Zelensky told British PM Boris Johnson this evening that he believed the next 24 hours was a crucial period for Ukraine.

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: US condemns Putin’s nuclear deterrence order; Russian tank column heading towards Kyiv – live updates | The Guardian

24m ago 01:27

Ukraine’s state special communications service has said fighters from Belarus are en route towards Ukraine.

“Fighters from Belarus are now flying towards Ukraine,” the agency said in a statement on its Telegram account about 2am local time (12am GMT).

A video accompanying the statement purports to show aircraft in the night sky from Zhlobino in the Gomel region of Belarus.

The nationality of the forces remains unclear.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Following but I don't have the heart to post. Thanks all for keeping the news rolling.

I'm completely deflated, too.

 

[Dontknow?]

Velina Tchakarova@vtchakarova·8m The Ukrainian military has claimed its forces made successful attacks against Russian forces through the use of drones. The chief of Ukraine’s air force, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, called Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 drones “life-giving”.

https://twitter.com/vtchakarova

 

[whitelilac]

Alphabet Inc’s Google has temporarily disabled some Google Maps tools in Ukrainewhich provide live information about traffic conditions and how busy different places are, the company confirmed on Sunday.

The tech giant said it had taken the action for the safety of local communities in the country, after consulting with sources including regional authorities, Reuters reports.
Russia-Ukraine war latest news: US condemns Putin’s nuclear deterrence order; rouble crashes as markets open – live updates

 

[PommyMommy]

Love Survives Russia’s Onslaught in Kyiv’s Underground - New Lines Magazine

As the Kremlin continues its assault on Ukraine, 25-year-old Platon and 19-year-old Barbara will spend another night underground in Kyiv’s metro. Platon, who is Russian, and Barbara, from Ukraine, first met on Tinder two years ago. Now they lie in each other’s arms on the cold stone floor of Kyiv’s Lva Tolstoy metro station sheltering from Russia’s bombs. They came well prepared with two 500 milliliter bottles of Jack Daniels, one of which they’ve already polished off.

[...]

These young lovers are just two of the thousands of civilians hiding out in Kyiv’s network of bomb shelters. Kyiv’s underground tunnel network was built to withstand not just a conventional air bombardment, but a nuclear war, and it boasts the world’s deepest metro system. The stations of Kyiv, some of which are over 230 feet deep, offer the best protection against the rocket systems and cruise missiles that have been slamming into military and civilian targets in Kyiv for the best part of four days. ...

[...]

Conditions in the metro’s shelters are getting worse. People huddle on the floor with blankets, many with young children, others with cats, dogs and even a few pet rabbits. There is nothing in the way of insulation, and a cold draft blows toward everyone from the train tunnels. There is only a pair of squat toilets to share with any of the hundreds of people down here.

[...]

Many Kyiv residents see those in the bomb shelters as the lucky ones. “If I die, tell all my haters, I’ll be torturing you in the next life,” Anastasia Alexeynuk, 24, said as Russian fighter jets streamed over her house in Bucha, not far from the hotly contested Hostomel airport on the outskirts of Kyiv. For hours, she posted video stories on Instagram where you could hear constant fighting between Russian paratroopers, who seized the airport in the middle of the afternoon. The Ukrainian army later regained control, but fierce fighting has continued. When I sent her a message on Friday to ask how she was doing, she replied, “Chechens outside my apartment block … I’m hiding!”

[...]

 

[whitelilac]

Over 90% of Ukrainians surveyed in a poll this weekend said they support President Zelensky - a threefold increase from December last year.

According to the poll, conducted by the respected Rating Sociological group, 91% backed him, only 6% do not support him and 3% were undecided.

Two thousands respondents from across Ukraine were questioned, though residents in the Crimea and the rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine were excluded.

When asked about the chances of Ukraine being able to repel the Russian assault, 70% said they believed it was possible.

Support for the Ukrainian armed forces has also increased considerably since just before the start of the invasion.

Ukraine live updates: Next 24 hours are 'crucial' says President Zelensky - BBC News

 

[LaborDayRN]

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces says Russia suffers significant losses.
As of 6 p.m., Feb. 27: estimated loss of personnel – about 4,500 people, tanks – about 150, armored vehicles – over 700, fuel tanks – 60, Buk system – 1, Grad systems – 4, helicopters – 26.