Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #4

[LaborDayRN]

Russia-Ukraine war: Mariupol evacuation halted for second day; Vinnytsia regional airport completely destroyed – live | World news | The Guardian
3h ago 23:46

Ukraine and Russia to face off at World Court over genocide claim
Ukraine will ask the United Nations’ top court on Monday to issue an emergency ruling requiring Russia to stop its invasion, arguing that Moscow’s justification for the attack is based on a faulty interpretation of genocide law, Reuters reports.

Although the court’s rulings are binding and countries generally follow them, it has no direct means of enforcing them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s “special military action” is needed “to protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide” - meaning those whose first or only language is Russian - in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s suit argues that the claim of genocide is untrue, and in any case does not provide legal justification for invasion.

[...]

The hearings are set to start at 10am (9am GMT) with Ukraine presenting its case. Russia is due to respond on Tuesday.

Ukraine and Russia to face off at World Court over genocide claim
These hearings will start in 38 minutes

 

[Bit of hope]

I don't grasp this at all.

To me this sounds like a trap. These corridors are going to funnel Ukrainians to Russian cities? Where they never wanted to go? But Putin has made it so that they have no other choice if they hope to survive?

So, if Putin is having trouble taking over Ukraine, he'll just sweep up the Ukrainians over the border to "Mother Russia" and destroy Ukraine by leaving it desolate of patriotic Ukrainians?

What a nightmare. And I am very suspicious of the alleged corridors that supposedly lead to other Ukrainian cities. I hope it's not a set-up to shoot down those who wish to stay in Ukraine. It sounds to me like an easy way to round them up and pick them off, like ducks in a shooting gallery.

It's now 2:30 AM where I am. I hope I'm just being too pessimistic, and when I wake up tomorrow, this has all gone peacefully with Ukrainians safely escorted through these "humanitarian corridors."

Please let me be wrong.

Russia sets cease-fire for evacuations amid heavy shelling

To let people flee to Russian cities is totally immoral....who is going or wanting to flee to the enemy? If they do the Russians only going to use them for propaganda purposes...."Look....we are helping Ukrainians, who are fleeing from the Neo-Nazis and bad people in Ukraine". And if they don't they will say....."We gave them a chance but Ukraine has prevented that" or some other lie, trembling the truth.

As far as I understood....the Russians are still shooting, shelling and evacuations are still not possible.

 

[Fika]

Russia sets cease-fire for evacuations amid heavy shelling

To let people flee to Russian cities is totally immoral....who is going or wanting to flee to the enemy? If they do the Russians only going to use them for propaganda purposes...."Look....we are helping Ukrainians, who are fleeing from the Neo-Nazis and bad people in Ukraine". And if they don't they will say....."We gave them a chance but Ukraine has prevented that" or some other lie, trembling the truth.

As far as I understood....the Russians are still shooting, shelling and evacuations are still not possible.

Its a horrible situation. The last place people want to flee from Ukraine is Russia.
At first I thought that the evacuation corridors will lead to the EU countries at the border. It’s disgusting move from Putin although what to expect from him, I hope that refugees can go to Russia and then run to Finland . Although with all the border checks by Russia I don’t have a big hopes that they will be able to get out of there. So disgusting. UN, EU and all the organisations and countries should demand evacuation to happen and NOT to Russia and Belarus.

 

[Fika]

“
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says Beijing will continue to promote its partnership with Russia, the AP reports .

He also says that Russia is Beijing's "most important strategic partner", and that ties to Moscow are "one of the most crucial bilateral relations in the world".

"No matter how dangerous the international landscape, we will maintain our strategic focus and promote the development of a comprehensive partnership between China and Russia in the new era," said Wang Yi.

China has not commented on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They have also not imposed any sanctions on Russia.”

Liverapportering: Ryska invasionen av Ukraina

 

[sunshineray]

It's telling, in that this shouldn't be necessary. Russia should be way ahead of where they are, and have all the personnel they need.

It's also scary, as Moscow has already shown that it does not care about attacking civilians, and these guys are likely to care even less. It also gives them a degree of cover, as the Russians can claim these forces don't belong to them.

I guess that Putin and his military buddies probably also think if they conscript any more young Russians it might start getting much harder to keep that half of Russia who believe the propaganda under Putin's spell. Communication has been destroyed within the country so I'm sure soldiers and loved ones are finding it almost impossible to stay in touch. That would breed more investigation in most parents as to what is being fed to them on state TV.

Like you said, these mercenaries Putin is hiring are not invested in Russia's culture so will not second guess and question destruction orders like we've heard a lot of those Russian conscripts have been doing.

 

[rootbeer]

Russian no show at U.N. court hearings on Ukrainian war


HE HAGUE, March 7 (Reuters) - Russia on Monday boycotted hearings at the U.N.'s highest court, during which Ukraine will argue that Moscow has falsely applied genocide law in justifying its invasion and will seek an emergency order halting hostilities. read more

The court said it regretted Russia's non-attendance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia's "special military action" is needed "to protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide" - meaning those whose first or only language is Russian - in eastern Ukraine

 

[sunshineray]

Hopefully his response will be restrained. There are military exercises gearing up in Norway of the Fast Response Team. There are also US military aircraft and troops in Poland and other countries in the region. <modsnip> Between the other bases along the eastern U.S. and NATO countries, I imagine there is a sizeable NATO force quickly building in the region.

Yes as it has to secure countries. If though Ukraine receives planes and base them in those countries, that could become a recipe for disaster, IMO. We know telling falsehoods is not a problem for Putin. He could say NATO planes attacked Russian forces and use "A" bomb.

All that being said these planes are so important to Ukraine's defense that of course they will want to keep them safe when needed to refuel, maintenance and change pilots.

After seeing the videos today of civilians, children being blown up, my mindset has to be considering the unimaginable can and will be done by these monsters. They don't care that most of the world is watching and condemning. They don't care at all.

 

[Legally Bland]

Prams left at Przemysl railway station in Poland for Ukrainian refugees with babies.

Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy vows to punish attack on civilians in Irpin; Russia bombards Mykolaiv – live

 

[sunshineray]

CNN's International Security Editor, Nick Paton Walsh, on the ground in Odessa right now but had come from Mykolaiv. His report of Mykolaiv is just devastating.

***Be warned the video is graphic and heartbreaking.***

'You betray me': Ukrainian's message to former Russian friends

 

[JerseyGirl]

South Korea announces further economic sanctions on Russia

South Korea has become the latest country to announces further economic action in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Reuters reports:

From Tuesday, South Korea will immobilise any assets held by the Russian central bank in won currency and stop transactions with Russia’s central bank, following similar moves by the US and the EU, its finance ministry said.

South Korea also announced new penalties on key Russian sovereign wealth funds, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation and Russian Direct Investment Fund, as well as Rossiya Bank, to cut them off from any business with South Korean people and companies.

Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskiy vows to punish attack on civilians in Irpin; Russia bombards Mykolaiv – live

 

[JerseyGirl]

Ukraine rejects Russian offer to let civilians flee its assault — to Russia

An Elysee source said Monday that while French President Emmanuel Macron asked for a pause in Russia's hostilities, he did not ask specifically for the human corridors go to Russia.

Rejecting the offer to have civilians escape straight into the territory of countries behind the assault on their cities and towns, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said that her country had sent a counter-proposal that would allow residents from Kyiv and Kharkiv to flee to western Ukraine.

"Our people won't go to Belarus and to Russia," she told a news briefing in Kyiv, branding the proposal “unacceptable” and saying that Russia was seeking to manipulate Macron's sincere desire to help.

 

[sunshineray]

And there's this from Irpin that I saw this morning. These is the evidence that convinces people trying to sit on a fence for fear of greater consequences, like me, that more needs to be done to stop these monsters NOW.

***Very violent and the audio has an obviously injured dog***

'A family died... in front of my eyes': Civilians killed as Russian military strike hits evacuation route in Kyiv suburb | CNN

 

[SouthAussie]

"Daily, parents call me pleading for assistance to evacuate their children, willing to take any risk to find safety. I cannot help them all now. I cannot tell them they are wrong to ask.

As families are divided, mothers and fathers pin their names to their children’s coats and inhale the smell of their hair before the bus door must shut.

To answer their plea is also to break their hearts. To those who have Ukraine’s children in their care – know they are loved and cherished. Please tell them this and put them to bed each night with a kiss on their foreheads, as their mothers and fathers would."

- Nikolai Kuleba, the ombudsman for children with the office of the president of Ukraine

Every day Ukrainians beg me to save their children. Violence and terror are raining down on them | Nikolai Kuleba

 

[GRT]

Venezuela holds the world's largest oil reserves. The US is already on shaky ground with Venezuela. Time to patch that relationship up.


Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves and its output is currently growing despite US sanctions imposed at the height of the 2019 attempt to topple Maduro.
The US cut diplomatic ties with Maduro in 2019 as [the] White House backed an ultimately unsuccessful push to drive him from power.
US officials fly to Venezuela for talks in apparent bid to further isolate Russia

I think the US actually has the largest oil reserves in the world, but political reasons keep cropping up that have us cutting our production and buying elsewhere. And, I'm really sure why because we have some of the strictest environmental rules. It seems foolhardy to cut our production and then buy from countries who have lower ecological standards.

 

[GRT]

Russia sets cease-fire for evacuations amid heavy shelling

To let people flee to Russian cities is totally immoral....who is going or wanting to flee to the enemy? If they do the Russians only going to use them for propaganda purposes...."Look....we are helping Ukrainians, who are fleeing from the Neo-Nazis and bad people in Ukraine". And if they don't they will say....."We gave them a chance but Ukraine has prevented that" or some other lie, trembling the truth.

As far as I understood....the Russians are still shooting, shelling and evacuations are still not possible.

I think that evacuation--to Russia--is from Kharkiv, which is close to the Russian border and where a large percentage of Ukrainians are pro-Russian. I think Putin probably wants to get them out of there safely since they are his supporters.

 

[Fika]

I think the US actually has the largest oil reserves in the world, but political reasons keep cropping up that have us cutting our production and buying elsewhere. And, I'm really sure why because we have some of the strictest environmental rules. It seems foolhardy to cut our production and then buy from countries who have lower ecological standards.

Venezuela has the highest oil reserves in the world. Surprisingly Russia is number 6 I thought they would be topping the list. I didn’t know about Venezuela either thinking that Russia was number 1.

15 Countries That Control the World’s Oil – 24/7 Wall St.

 

[GRT]

Yes as it has to secure countries. If though Ukraine receives planes and base them in those countries, that could become a recipe for disaster, IMO. We know telling falsehoods is not a problem for Putin. He could say NATO planes attacked Russian forces and use "A" bomb.

All that being said these planes are so important to Ukraine's defense that of course they will want to keep them safe when needed to refuel, maintenance and change pilots.

After seeing the videos today of civilians, children being blown up, my mindset has to be considering the unimaginable can and will be done by these monsters. They don't care that most of the world is watching and condemning. They don't care at all.

That's a good point. I'm reminded of Dan Rather who always said the first casualty of war is "the truth." So much propaganda is published, creating what they call the "fog of war."

Often, it's not until much later that the truth comes out. That's why I'm in favor of letting cooler heads prevail.

 

[GRT]

Venezuela has the highest oil reserves in the world. Surprisingly Russia is number 6 I thought they would be topping the list. I didn’t know about Venezuela either thinking that Russia was number 1.

15 Countries That Control the World’s Oil – 24/7 Wall St.

I think it's a matter of how they figure the rankings--some reserves are "recoverable," others are not. At any rate, the US has enough that they don't need to buy elsewhere. There's no reason for us to buy one more barrel from Russia.

U.S. Holds Most Recoverable Oil Reserves

 

[sds71]

@ZekeJMiller

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — An adviser to the Ukrainian president says the next round of talks with Russia will begin at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT)


@dwnews

https://mobile.twitter.com/dwnews/status/1500806352599498759
Turkey will host a meeting between Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya on Thursday, Ankara said. It would be the highest-level talks to take place since Russia invaded Ukraine: http://p.dw.com/p/486Nt

 

[Simply Southern]

Russian no show at U.N. court hearings on Ukrainian war


HE HAGUE, March 7 (Reuters) - Russia on Monday boycotted hearings at the U.N.'s highest court, during which Ukraine will argue that Moscow has falsely applied genocide law in justifying its invasion and will seek an emergency order halting hostilities. read more

The court said it regretted Russia's non-attendance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia's "special military action" is needed "to protect people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide" - meaning those whose first or only language is Russian - in eastern Ukraine

Not surprised. I don't see Russia participating or even giving a hoot about this trial or any others.

What action can the UN take? Russia is a member.
Moo...