Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #2

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️A video shared by the UNIAN news agency on Telegram shows dozens of Russian soldiers walking though streets of Kherson early on March 1.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️ Russian forces shelled a rehabilitation center of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in the village of Borodyanka near Kyiv.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️The UK government orders ports to block Russian vessels.
The UK’s Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps announced the decision in a letter on Feb. 28.

 

[gitana1]

Russian Ruble Is Now Worth Less Than 1 U.S. Cent After SWIFT Bank Sanctions

(TOKYO) — The ruble plunged to a record low of less than 1 U.S. cent in value Monday after Russia was cut off from the global bank payments system in retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Good.

We are all going to have to be watching China.... They are spinning great tales in China right now..... This is from the NYT..so behind a pay wall for some... but here is just a bit of the indoctrination...


""If President Vladimir V. Putin is looking for international support and approval for his invasion of Ukraine, he can turn to the Chinese internet.

Its users have called him “Putin the Great,” “the best legacy of the former Soviet Union” and “the greatest strategist of this century.” They have chastised Russians who protested against the war, saying they had been brainwashed by the United States.

Mr. Putin’s speech on Thursday, which essentially portrayed the conflict as one waged against the West, won loud cheers on Chinese social media. Many people said they were moved to tears. “If I were Russian, Putin would be my faith, my light,” wrote @jinyujiyiliangxiaokou, a user of the Twitter-like platform Weibo.

the world overwhelmingly condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Chinese internet, for the most part, is pro-Russia, pro-war and pro-Putin.""

Why the Chinese Internet Is Cheering Russia’s Invasion

What the heck! Why? Why would citizens of China be moved to tears by Putin’s unprovoked invasion of an innocent nation?

 

[gitana1]

United States (has committed)
United Kingdom (will supply)
France (already sent)
The Netherlands (will supply)
Germany (will supply)
Canada (is sending)
Sweden (has sent)
Belgium (will supply)
Portugal (is giving)
Greece (is sending)
Romania (is sending)
Spain (has promised)
Czech Republic (is sending)
Australia (sending via NATO)
Finland (will send)


I think there are others, because some - like Australia - are supplying via NATO.
It is not clear what has arrived in Ukraine.

Which countries are sending military aid to Ukraine?
Australia to help send weapons to Ukraine via NATO
Finland sends weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in policy shift

Thanks so much. I hope it can be fast.

 

[PommyMommy]

Very nice. If love to know what’s gotten there and when it will all get there. They needed it yesterday. I’m so worried about that convoy coming

BBM Me too. The photos are terrifying.

17m ago06:06

Huge Russian convoy north-west of Kyiv, images show
Satellite images taken on Monday show a Russian military convoy north of Kyiv that stretches for about 40 miles (64 km) in an area north-west of Kyiv. It is substantially longer than the 17 miles (27 km) reported earlier in the day, according to the US company Maxar.

Military vehicles stretched out alon a highway near Ivankiv, north-west of Kyiv, according to Maxar. Photograph: Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Tech/AFP/Getty Images

Maxar, which filed a series of satellite images on the Russian military buildup on the Ukraine border, also said additional ground forces deployments and ground attack helicopter units were seen in southern Belarus, less than 20 miles (32 km) north of the Ukraine border.

A satellite image shows the southern end of the reported convoy near Hostomel airport close to Kyiv. Photograph: Maxar Technologies/Reuters

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 40-mile-long Russian army convoy nears Kyiv, satellite images show – live updates | World news | The Guardian

 

[gitana1]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️Disney stops releasing films in Russia “given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis.”
Warner Bros Studios also announced that it was canceling the release in Russian cinemas of the new Batman movie, one of the most anticipated films of the year.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️Mastercard has blocked multiple financial institutions as a result of sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The company has also promised $2 million in humanitarian relief to Ukraine.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️Netflix will not comply with new Russian rules to carry 20 state-backed channels.
“Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service,” a Netflix spokesperson said on Monday evening.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️Ukraine to receive 70 fighter jets from the EU. Ukraine’s Air Force said on March 1.
Bulgaria will provide 16 MiG-29s and 14 Su-25s, Poland will provide 28 MiG-29 units, and Slovakia – 12 MiG-29s.

I love to hear all this.

 

[PommyMommy]

13m ago

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 40-mile-long Russian army convoy nears Kyiv, satellite images show – live updates | World news | The Guardian

Peter Beaumont in Lviv has more on the deaths of more than 70 Ukrainian troops at a military base in Okhtyrka. Here it is:

Dmytro Zhyvytskyy, head of the region, posted photographs of the charred shell of a four-storey building in Okhtyrka which is located in Sumy oblast between Kharkiv and Kyiv. Rescuers can be seen scouring the rubble for survivors.

People remove debris at the site of a military base building that, according to the Ukrainian ground forces, was destroyed by an air strike. Photograph: Press Service Of The Ukrainian Ground Forces/Reuters
In a later Facebook post, he said many Russian soldiers and some local residents died in the Sunday bombardment.

According to some reports shelling or missiles hit a building being used as a base by the Ukrainian military, as well as fuel tanks. One local official claimed fuel-air explosive had been used although that could not be independently confirmed. Video from the time of the attack showed a column of thick black smoke above the town.

Okhtyrka mayor, Pavlo Kuzmenko, posted on Facebook, saying: “Again, the enemy is waging a vile war. A fuel-air bomb was dropped on an oil depot, oil tanks were blown up.”

 

[gitana1]

BBM Me too. The photos are scaring the **** out of me.

17m ago06:06

Huge Russian convoy north-west of Kyiv, images show
Satellite images taken on Monday show a Russian military convoy north of Kyiv that stretches for about 40 miles (64 km) in an area north-west of Kyiv. It is substantially longer than the 17 miles (27 km) reported earlier in the day, according to the US company Maxar.

Military vehicles stretched out alon a highway near Ivankiv, north-west of Kyiv, according to Maxar. Photograph: Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Tech/AFP/Getty Images
Maxar, which filed a series of satellite images on the Russian military buildup on the Ukraine border, also said additional ground forces deployments and ground attack helicopter units were seen in southern Belarus, less than 20 miles (32 km) north of the Ukraine border.

A satellite image shows the southern end of the reported convoy near Hostomel airport close to Kyiv. Photograph: Maxar Technologies/Reuters

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 40-mile-long Russian army convoy nears Kyiv, satellite images show – live updates | World news | The Guardian

It’s a helpless feeling.

 

[cujenn81]

I added Kyiv to my world clock the other day and haven’t been able to sleep until I know the sun has risen there.



Goodnight, Kyiv. I’ll still think of you in my dreams.

 

[Amonet]

Good.



What the heck! Why? Why would citizens of China be moved to tears by Putin’s unprovoked invasion of an innocent nation?

It makes me think they are Russian troll accounts on Weibo? It's so overboard it doesn't sound real?

 

[PommyMommy]

[URL='https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/mar/01/ukraine-russia-latest-news-live-updates-war-vladimir-putin-kyiv-kharkiv-russian-invasion-update?page=with:block-621dbc3b8f08dd0c86718204#block-621dbc3b8f08dd0c86718204']5m ago[/URL]

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 40-mile-long Russian army convoy nears Kyiv, satellite images show – live updates | World news | The Guardian

Kherson 'surrounded' by Russian forces – reports
The southern Ukraine city of Kherson is “surrounded” by Russian soldiers according to accounts by a Ukrainian journalist, Alyona Panina, and the city’s mayor.

The Kyiv Independent reported that Panina told Ukraine 24 TV on Tuesday morning: “The city is actually surrounded, there are a lot of Russian soldiers and military equipment on all sides, they set up checkpoints at the exits.”

She also told the TV channel that it was difficult to bring food to the shops of city, which is close to odesa on the Black Sea, because the warehouses are located outside the city. Power and water were still connected in the city, she said.

Posting on Facebook, the city’s mayor, Igor Kolykhayev, said: “The Russian army is setting up checkpoints at the entrances of Kherson. Kherson has been and will stay Ukrainian.”

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️ Air raid sirens go off in #Kharkiv, residents should proceed to the nearest shelter.

Hanna Liubakova on Twitter - Video
#Ukraine Kharkiv. Missile strike on the city’s administration on central square. Russians must be stopped

Alexander Khrebet/Олександр Хребет on Twitter - Video
#Russia targets Kharkiv regional government building in the heart of the 2nd largest city in #Ukraine. They missed to hit the building but missile hits just right next to. #StopPutin

Shaun Walker on Twitter - Video
Absolutely shocking via @maria_avdv
- missile strike on the administration building in Kharkiv. It’s right in the centre of the city and is a beautiful example of post-war architecture, recently renovated. Protecting Russian speakers and culture…

 

[sunshineray]

Has this been reported by any other sources?

———-

Russia used a vacuum bomb on the fifth day of its invasion of Ukraine, it has been claimed.

The bomb, also known as a thermobaric weapon or aerosol bomb, draws oxygen from the atmosphere to create a bigger and more devastating explosion.

The claim was made by Oksana Markarova – the Ukrainian ambassador to the US – who was approached by reporters after a meeting with White House lawmakers in which aid for Ukraine was discussed.


She did not reveal where the vacuum bomb was unleashed.

Ms Markarova told reporters: “They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention.


Russia used vacuum bomb during invasion, Ukrainian ambassador claims

Ukraine envoy to U.S. says Russia used a vacuum bomb in its invasion

 

[Sillybilly]

Just an FYI that I've tucked the following into post #2 of the opening posts so it gets carried forward with each new thread. We'll try to keep it updated when we find more.

APPROVED SOURCES
(In addition to approved MSM from around the world)

The Kyiv Independent
Ukrinform


NON APPROVED SOURCES
(Do not link to the following Russian state affiliated agencies)

TASS
Korrespondent media and all other UMH Group publications found here
RT and RT America
Sputnik
Russia 24
RIA Novosti

 

[margarita25]

Page 27 of media thread Part 2 / Part 1

‘Yes, He Would’: Fiona Hill on Putin and Nukes

Hill said. “Every country in the world should be paying close attention to this.”

We’ve seen pressure being put on Kazakhstan to reorient itself back toward Russia, instead of balancing between Russia and China, and the West. And just a couple of days before the invasion of Ukraine in a little-noticed act, Azerbaijan signed a bilateral military agreement with Russia. This is significant because Azerbaijan’s leader has been resisting this for decades. And we can also see that Russia has made itself the final arbiter of the future relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Georgia has also been marginalized after being a thorn in Russia’s side for decades. And Belarus is now completely subjugated by Moscow.

But amid all this, Ukraine was the country that got away. And what Putin is saying now is that Ukraine doesn’t belong to Ukrainians. It belongs to him and the past.
Basically, if Vladimir Putin has his way, Ukraine is not going to exist as the modern-day Ukraine of the last 30 years.

"On the fifth day of fighting, Ukrainian forces claim Russian troops have slowed their advance but are still aiming for Kyiv, while Russia reported progress in the south.

Naval battles were raging around the Black Sea port of Odessa as well as near Ochakiv and Chornomorsk. Russia was still trying to organise a naval landing at Mariupol on the shores of the southern Sea of Azov.

Ukraine said it was still is holding Kharkiv, 500 kilometres east of Kyiv, despite Russian bombardments. The Ukrainian army said three Russian missiles targeted Kyiv. One was intercepted.

Russia said it was besieging the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk close to Crimea. Ukraine confirmed Berdyansk has been occupied by Russian soldiers.

Guterres says Ukraine-Russia dialogue must remain open

Which countries are sending military aid to Ukraine?

Australia to help send weapons to Ukraine via NATO

Finland sends weapons and ammunition to Ukraine in policy shift

Efforts to supply weapons to Ukraine face multiple obstacles

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
Starlink hardware arrives in Ukraine.

@elonmusk activated the Starlink satellite internet service in Ukraine following an appeal from @FedorovMykhailo, Ukraine's minister of digital transformation.

1. A huge convoy of Russian armour, nearly 17 miles long, is advancing on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, satellite images show
2. Air raid sirens are once again heard in Kyiv with reports of a Russian strike on the outskirts of the city

Ukraine live updates: Huge convoy of Russian armour advances on Kyiv - BBC News

Putin’s ‘deeply irrational’ nuclear threat must not deter West: Rae

Live reporting: A huge convoy of Russian armour, nearly 17 miles long, is advancing on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, satellite images show

(...)

Russia has used vacuum bomb, says Ukraine envoy

Russia used a banned thermobaric weapon during fighting in Ukraine on Monday, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US told American lawmakers in a briefing.

"They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention," Oksana Markarova told reporters after emerging from the congressional briefing. This claim has not been verified by the BBC.

Thermobaric weapons do not use conventional ammunition.

They are instead filled with a high-pressure explosive, and suck in oxygen from the surrounding environment to generate an extremely powerful explosion and pressure wave.

Their use has been seen before in the Russian republic of Chechnya, according to Human Rights Watch.

On Saturday, CNN reported seeing a thermobaric rocket launcher near the Russian town of Belgorod.

Ukraine live updates: Huge convoy of Russian armour advances on Kyiv - BBC News

Isolated Russia Defends Ukraine War At UN General Assembly

Representatives of more than 100 countries were expected to speak as the global body decides if it will support the resolution that demands Russia immediately withdraws its troops from Ukraine.

The resolution is non-binding but will serve as marker of how isolated Russia is.

The wording of the resolution was watered down to try to attract maximum support, according to drafts seen by AFP. It no longer "condemns" in the strongest terms, Russia's aggression but rather "deplores" it.

A vote is expected on Wednesday. Its authors hope they may exceed 100 votes in favor -- though countries including Syria, China, Cuba and India are expected to either support Russia or abstain.

Ukrainian sailor caught trying to sink Russian boss’s yacht, has no regrets

Russia threatens retaliation after 'hostile' Ottawa protest

Worst-case — 'World War III and I am not being hyperbolic': David Rosenberg

IIHF, NHL lead hockey world into growing sanctions against Russia

Russia’s cyber warfare is a problem for ‘everyone,’ experts warn

How much is Vladimir Putin worth? Almost no one knows for sure

Ukrainian pilots arrive in Poland to pick up donated fighter jets

Ukrainian pilots have arrived in Poland to begin taking control of fighter planes donated by European countries, a Ukrainian government official told POLITICO.

The impending transfer of older Russian-made planes to be used in combat against Russian forces is the most significant moment yet in a wave of promised arms transfers over the past 24 hours that includes thousands of anti-armor rockets, machine guns, artillery and other equipment.

EXCLUSIVE Russian news agency in Berlin faces staff exodus over Ukraine invasion

BERLIN, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Ruptly, a Russian state-owned news agency based in Berlin, is facing a staff exodus after President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine that is part of a broader contraction of Russia's global news empire.

Employees complained on an all-staff call that they were being prevented from describing the invasion as such, amongst other editorial objections, according to a recording of the call heard by Reuters. Russia says its military deployment in Ukraine is a "special operation" and has cautioned local media to use that terminology.

Switzerland breaks neutral status to sanction Russia over Ukraine invasion

Russia's invasion of Ukraine — the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II — has prompted many historically neutral countries in the West to impose sanctions or send weapons.

Sweden said on Sunday that it was sending military aid, including anti-tank weapons, to Ukraine, breaking its decades-long tradition of not sending weapons to countries in armed conflict. The last time Sweden did so was in 1939, when the Soviet Union invaded Finland, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters.

Also on Sunday, the EU announced plans to purchase and deliver weapons to Ukraine, marking the first time the bloc has ever bought and sent weapons to a country under attack.

Putin puts Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert in response to 'illegitimate Western sanctions'

Putin blamed the move on statements from member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and on statements from western nations.

Putin:

"Dear colleagues, as you see, Western countries are not only taking hostile actions toward our country in the economic sphere—I am talking about the illegitimate sanctions everybody knows about," Putin said to his top advisors.

"But more importantly, senior officials of leading NATO countries make aggressive statements against our country. That is why I order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to put the deterrent forces of the Russian army in a special regime of duty," he added.

The move means the Russian president has ordered the country's nuclear weapons to be prepared for the increased possibility of launch, The Washington Post reported.

Franak Viačorka on Twitter

The Statue of Liberty stands with Ukraine!

 

[sunshineray]

Thanks.
I am trying to see if anyone/media/government has verified anything beyond the claim. I haven’t had luck with that yet.

ETA: I am not all suggesting a cry of wolf. I am however concerned about accuracy in relaying such a claim.

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1498282971412979713?t=mfV-fh3Dan05onKlSC-yuA&s=19

The Mayor of Okhtyrka, Sumy Oblast.

CNN also documented...

2:26 p.m. ET, February 26, 2022

Russian thermobaric "vacuum bombs" launcher seen by CNN team in Ukraine

From CNN's Fred Pleitgen, Ivana Kottasová and Tim Lister

A Russian thermobaric multiple rockets launcher has been spotted by CNN team south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border early Saturday afternoon.

The TOS-1 or TOS-1A Multiple Rocket Launcher seen by CNN is capable of launching rockets with thermobaric warheads.

There is no evidence that thermobaric weapons have been used in the conflict in Ukraine


Update with video...curious how it's traveling all alone...
https://mobile.twitter.com/fpleitge...apon-that-could-destroy-a-city-block-in-a-sin

 

[Sillybilly]

...curious how it's traveling all alone...

<rsbm>

Too bad it wasn't at the front of that 40 mile long convoy

 

[sunshineray]

I think I've found where the thermobaric "vaccum" bomb info originates from.

Please Note: It does not give a location and says "allegedly".

https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv...79591.ampproject.net/2202142035002/frame.html


It was then picked up and posted on this news website...

Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv claims Moscow used vacuum bomb amid invasion; video surfaces

Some background on the NEXTA group reporting it...quite a history of speaking out, especially in Belarus.

Nexta - Wikipedia

 

[whitelilac]

11m ago08:57

An adviser to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia was deliberately shelling cities, including residential areas and civilian infrastructure, to spread panic among Ukrainians.

“The veil has come down. Russia is actively shelling city centres, launching direct missile and artillery strikes on residential areas and administration sites,” said Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak.

“Russia’s goal is clear - mass panic, civilian casualties and damaged infrastructure. Ukraine is fighting honourably.”

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists, Reuters reported.

It comes as the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab warned Vladimir Putin and his commanders must be held accountable for any war crimes during Moscow’s siege on Ukraine.

He told Sky News: “Those that engage in war crimes will be held to account.”

He said it must be clear to “both to Putin but also to commanders in Moscow and on the ground in Ukraine that they will be held accountable for any violations of the laws of war”.

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 70 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Okhtyrka, huge Russian army convoy nears Kyiv – live updates

Awful photos at link.

 

[whitelilac]

23m ago08:47

The mayor of Ukraine’s Mariupol said on Tuesday morning the southern port city was under constant shelling that had killed civilians and damaged infrastructure.

“We have had residential quarters shelled for five days. They are pounding us with artillery, they are shelling us with GRADS, they are hitting us with air forces,” Vadym Boichenko said in a live broadcast on Ukrainian TV.

“We have civilian infrastructure damaged - schools, houses. There are many injured. There are women, children killed.”
Russia-Ukraine war latest news: 70 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Okhtyrka, huge Russian army convoy nears Kyiv – live updates

 

[AliceInPain]

sbm

Shaun Walker on Twitter - Video
Absolutely shocking via @maria_avdv
- missile strike on the administration building in Kharkiv. It’s right in the centre of the city and is a beautiful example of post-war architecture, recently renovated. Protecting Russian speakers and culture…

That was not nice to watch at all. Do these Russian army people know what they are actually doing? This is IS shxt. Destroying history.