Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #3

[Mo Thuairim]

What is martial law and how does it impact the Russia-Ukraine war?

Russian president Vladimir Putin set to crack down on political dissent at home as war enters a second week

Russia's parliament is reportedly convening for an extraordinary session on Friday in which it is expected to impose martial law, seemingly in order to clamp down on domestic protests and rallies opposing Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

But what exactly does that mean for Russian citizens?

Martial law is defined as the temporary imposition of military rule over a state or region in times of national crisis when civil authority has broken down or when wartime operations are underway.

(...)

The decision is expected to grant Russia’s military the authority to impose greater censorship in order to silence dissent and opposition to the war and amount to dominating the media, shutting down internet forums, social media and communication apps, jailing protesters and limiting travel.

(...)

(And presumably conscripting unwilling and appalled young Russian man to fight in his sham war?)

 

[Herat]

Thanks!

Anything I can do to help, Niner. You do so much for WS and your insights are invaluable.

 

[Herat]

This is pretty much on par with expectations regarding progress, IMO. I am hopeful they do follow through on the humanitarian corridor commitments.

17 min ago
Second round of talks with Russia has ended with no breakthrough, Ukrainian negotiator says

From CNN’s Tim Lister and Katharina Krebs

A Ukrainian negotiator on Thursday said that a second round of talks with Russia is over but it didn’t deliver any results that Ukraine needed.

"The second round of negotiations is over. Unfortunately, the results Ukraine needs are not yet achieved. There is a solution only for the organization of humanitarian corridors," senior Ukrainian official Mykhailo Podolyak said in a tweet.

Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine and Vladimir Putin news

But there will be provisions made for humanitarian corridors?

Do you think this means food and medical supplies?

 

[Sillybilly]

Canada calls for Russian INTERPOL membership to be suspended amid Ukraine invasion

“Today, Canada and other close partners are calling to suspend Russia from INTERPOL,” Trudeau said.

“We’re supporting this because we believe that international law enforcement co-operation depends on a collective commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and mutual respect between INTERPOL members.”

Canada targets Russia and Belarus with tariffs, sends more lethal aid to Ukraine

On Thursday, Freeland announced Canada is imposing a 35 per cent tariff on goods from Russia and Belarus.

Furthermore, the federal government is revoking Russia’s and Belarus’ status as a most-favoured-nation trade partner under World Trade Organization (WTO) provisions; North Korea is the only other nation that does not enjoy that status with Canada.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Another 15,000 Russian jobs on the line… and where are the people going to buy a Billy bookcase and a massive bag of tealights from now? Hmmm, Putin, didn’t think of that, did ya?

Russian shoppers cram into IKEA for a final bargain as the store suspends operations over Ukraine | Daily Mail Online

DM again, soz, but it had the best photos

 

[Tiff23fr]

But there will be provisions made for humanitarian corridors?

Do you think this means food and medical supplies?

I believe it would be demilitarized zones for evacuation, food and medical supplies. The appeal was initiated yesterday by the World Health Organization.

WHO appeals for humanitarian corridor to Ukraine

ETA: Adding link to video of discussion WHO
WHO calls for ‘humanitarian corridor’ to deliver medical supplies amid Russia-Ukraine war | Watch News Videos Online

 

[dotr]

rbbm.
Under attack, Ukraine's musicians become war reporters and military fundraisers - BBC News
''I'm in shock that Russian people are not seeing the truth," she says. "It's like they are in North Korea, without information. My fans from Russia, they send me messages saying, 'It's not true. It's a lie. All of your posts are a lie.' They don't want to see it."

Korolova is not alone. Faced with war, Ukraine's vibrant and flourishing music scene has become a sort of unofficial news outlet, documenting the conflict for an audience that might not be tuned in to traditional news channels.''

''On Facebook, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, frontman of the Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy, is posting hourly updates about the conflict. In one video, he's visiting wounded soldiers in hospital; in another he's in a bullet-proof vest, making a speech on the streets of Kharkiv; in another, he's delivering food and fuel to Kyiv in his car.''

'''Vibrant music scene'
It hardly needs to be said, but this is not what Ukraine's top musicians were expecting from their career.
The country has a thriving, diverse music scene that brings a home-grown flavour to hip-hop, punk, EDM, pop and psychedelic rock.
"I'm a well-known this person in this part of the world and I'm trying to use this [position] and do whatever I can," he says.''

Russian conductor Valery Gergiev dropped by Munich orchestra over ties to Putin - BBC News
''The Munich Philharmonic has parted ways with its chief conductor Valery Gergiev over his ties to Vladimir Putin.
A close friend and supporter of Putin, the musician has faced increasing pressure to speak out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine over the last week.
Munich mayor Dieter Reiter issued an ultimatum, saying Gergiev would be dismissed if he failed to condemn Putin's actions by Monday.
After the deadline passed, Reiter terminated the musician's contract.''

''Over the weekend, the conductor was dropped by his management, dismissed from major festivals and had several upcoming concerts cancelled. On Monday, the Edinburgh International Festival - of which he was honorary president - asked for, and accepted, his resignation.''
"Edinburgh is twinned with the city of Kyiv and this action is being taken in sympathy with, and support of, its citizens," said the board of trustees in a statement.''

 

[Herat]

I keep seeing a large amount of air surveillance in eastern Romania along its border with Moldova and the Ukranian coast of the BLACK Sea. ( I had mistakenly though Moldova had a coastline border with Romania, but it's actally a strip of Ukraine at that coastal border.)

The highly politicaly-sensitive area known as Transinista is along the Moldova - southwestern Ukraine border.

This article helps explain the issues and I think this explains why we are watching it 24/ 7 with surveillance planes that are also being guarded by US and UK fighter planes

Ukraine crisis ‘very sensitive’ for Russia-backed breakaway state

 

[AliceInPain]

Flightradar24 pros, what does N/A mean?
Where it should say where the aircraft comes from/ is going to?
Shouldn't it be known at least where they are coming from?

 

[tedtink]

Flightradar24 pros, what does N/A mean?
Where it should say where the aircraft comes from/ is going to?
Shouldn't it be known at least where they are coming from?

Could be that the aircraft has landed?

 

[AliceInPain]

Could be that the aircraft has landed?

Looks like they are still in the air, they are moving.
But some may have, yes.

 

[Niner]

Anything I can do to help, Niner. You do so much for WS and your insights are invaluable.

I appreciate your reports on my border! People are saying if P gets Ukraine - the Baltic states are next. Just want to make sure - if I have to get a flight out of here!! Will need to go to Sweden to my sister's! I do have a U.S. passport along with my Latvian one.

So - if you could keep your eye out on the eastern border - I would very much appreciate you taking your time on it.

 

[Herat]

Flightradar24 pros, what does N/A mean?
Where it should say where the aircraft comes from/ is going to?
Shouldn't it be known at least where they are coming from?

I see it in non-commercial planes whose flight plans are not required to be posted for safety and commerce rules.

Mostly private planes and military planes.

 

[AliceInPain]

sbm

People are saying if P gets Ukraine - the Baltic states are next. Just want to make sure - if I have to get a flight out of here!! Will need to go to Sweden to my sister's!

I read that too but not sure I believe it, they are in the EU, so it's a bit different.
I hope you can stay in your home, but if you can't, you are very welcome to Sweden - I'm here too atm

 

[Bit of hope]

Russian protestors struggle to understand Ukraine war: 'We didn't choose this' - CNN

(...)

But many Russians, in fact, do not fully know what is happening in Ukraine. State-controlled television shows almost no reports of Russian bombing and shelling in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, instead it focuses on so-called Ukrainian "nationalists" and "neo-fascists."

(...)

But Russian young people like 25-year-old Arina, who lives in Moscow, is not watching TV -- she says she hasn't watched it in seven years. She's on the internet, reading blogs and listening to vloggers. She hasn't taken part in protests yet, but she has seen young people on the street taking part in "silent protests," sticking "No to War" signs on their backpacks or bags.

She, too, is having difficulty comprehending why this war in Ukraine is happening and what it will mean for her own life as a young Russian.

"It is very difficult to predict anything, of course, the situation is horrible," Arina, who asked CNN to only use her first name for her safety said. "Among some of my friends, there is a lot of anxiety about the future, a lot of fear, because we don't know how it will affect us."

But Arina's mother sees it completely differently: "My mom believes everything she sees on TV," Arina says.

"She believes that it was a necessary measure by Putin because there are weapons surrounding the country...there's a threat from the West, which is why Putin is doing this."

Arina says she even checked out a guide on a Russian online magazine for students, Doxa, suggesting how young Russians can talk with their parents and others about the war in Ukraine. "We understand how painful it can be when your parents, friends, colleagues, grandfathers and grandmothers turn into supporters of the war," it reads.

"So we decided to prepare a guide for how to talk about the war with those who justify it. In our guide you'll find answers to 17 of the most widespread arguments spread by propaganda and most often heard in fights," it said.

Arina read it just in time. On February 28, the magazine reported that the Russian government agency supervising communications, IT and mass media demanded Doxa remove the guide from its website.

Arina says she and her mother "had a very fierce argument."

"She just doesn't accept my position and thinks I'm a pro-Westerner, that I don't understand anything. She doesn't believe what I say, I don't believe what she says...We have very different sources of information: I learn everything from the independent media, which have mostly long been blocked in Russia, and she watches TV."

(...)

For me this is one of the most impressive posts on this thread. wow...this says it all.

 

[Herat]

I appreciate your reports on my border! People are saying if P gets Ukraine - the Baltic states are next. Just want to make sure - if I have to get a flight out of here!! Will need to go to Sweden to my sister's! I do have a U.S. passport along with my Latvian one.

So - if you could keep your eye out on the eastern border - I would very much appreciate you taking your time on it.

OF COURSE !!!

I've not yet traveled in that area so I get the borders a bit mixed up.

I was very surprised to see how close Minsk, Belarus and Moscow were to Latvia.

The trio of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have a very strategic position in keeping Putin away from more of the Baltic coast and the scandinavian penninsula

Thank God they had the smarts and courage to become NATO members

 

[Herat]

For me this is one of the most impressive posts on this thread. wow...this says it all.

I agree

With a despot like Putin, it's hard to inflict really drastic moves that will cause deprivation of so many ordinary people, yet leave him impassive.

I love impounding the riches of his oligarch buddies. The ones that could terminate him, especially.

 

[Herat]

I think Moldova is next after Ukraine in Putin's mind.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I appreciate your reports on my border! People are saying if P gets Ukraine - the Baltic states are next. Just want to make sure - if I have to get a flight out of here!! Will need to go to Sweden to my sister's! I do have a U.S. passport along with my Latvian one.

So - if you could keep your eye out on the eastern border - I would very much appreciate you taking your time on it.

@Niner you are in my thoughts every day. It is good that you have family in Sweden. What a scary time.

 

[Niner]

sbm

I read that too but not sure I believe it, they are in the EU, so it's a bit different.
I hope you can stay in your home, but if you can't, you are very welcome to Sweden - I'm here too atm

And a member of NATO!