Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 **Media Thread** NO DISCUSSION #2

[PommyMommy]

McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Mondelez International, the maker of Oreos and Ritz Crackers, did not respond to messages seeking comment about their operations in Russia. Starbucks and Yum Brands, whose chains include KFC and Pizza Hut, have said in response to the invasion that they were supporting humanitarian relief efforts.

But unlike the retailers who have announced that they’re pausing operations in Russia, some fast-food companies do not actually own the restaurants that operate there under their names. In Russia, Starbucks, Papa John’s and Yum Brands chains including KFC and Pizza Hut are mostly run by franchisees, who often have close ties to Russian banks or investors.

Unlike other chains, McDonald’s owns the vast majority of its 847 restaurants in Russia. According to a page for investors, Russia accounts for 9 percent of the company’s total revenues and 3 percent of its operating income.

Fast-food chains and food producers stay open in Russia, and mostly quiet about Ukraine.

 

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Ukraine invasion: Has World War Three already started? Some security experts believe existential global conflict has begun

Putin won’t end assault until Ukraine demilitarizes, source close to Bennett says
Sources close to Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tell Channel 12 that the US encouraged him to meet Putin, and it seeks to take advantage of Israel’s good relations with both sides to end the fighting.

Russia has also conveyed via diplomatic channels that it is deliberately not directly targeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, even though Russia knows where he is.

Bennett has told ministers that he did not present an Israeli mediation plan, but rather is conveying messages between the sides.

The effort is being led by the prime minister and Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Bennett is said to say Putin is “not conspiracy theorizing or irrational, but is suffering from rage attacks.

 

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Valerie Hopkins on Twitter - @NYTimes Moscow correspondent currently in Ukraine.
Across Ukraine, I have been meeting people w close relatives in Russia who refuse to believe the extent of the violence their state is perpetrating.
Cities suffer missile attacks, mothers fear for sons, but fathers, sisters, brothers respond w denial.
Ukrainians Find That Relatives in Russia Don’t Believe It’s a War - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Valerie Hopkins on Twitter
Katsiurin published phone calls w his father, along with an FAQ for how to talk to relatives in Russia w/o getting angry to convince them of the truth. There are 11m Russians with Ukrainian relatives, according to his analysis, enough for real resistance. Папа, поверь — Dad, believe (papapover.com)

Valerie Hopkins on Twitter
I can't overstate how common this experience seems to be. I was delayed moving hotel rooms by writing this piece. I mentioned it to the young woman who had come to politely ask me to leave. "Oh," she said, "I have the same problem w my father in Russia."

 

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The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 1 hour ago
8 missiles that destroyed Vinnitsya airport were shot from the Black Sea. The missiles were launched by Russia’s strategic missile carriers in the Black Sea, according to Yuriy Ignat, spokesman for the country’s Air Force Command.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️Over 4,300 people detained at anti-war protests in Russia.
Most arrests took place in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, where at least 1,620 and 1,170 protesters were detained, respectively.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️5 people killed, 1 wounded as Russian troops fire at Ukrainian checkpoint in Kyiv Oblast.
People were killed in machine-gun fire on March 5 at a checkpoint in the village of Yasnohorodka, some 55 kilometers north of Kyiv, the Interior Ministry reported.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
️TikTok limits service in Russia over new censorship law.
TikTok suspended livestreaming and new content in Russia following the adoption of a new law that introduces jail terms of up to 15 years for "spreading misinformation" about the actions of the Russian armed forces.

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukrainians fleeing Ukraine are already being interviewed by investigators in anticipation of a future war crimes trial of Vladimir Putin, along with his top officials and generals.

The prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague has opened an investigation, after a petition by an unprecedented 39 member states, and will almost certainly receive the most governmental support.

Russia-Ukraine war: Mariupol evacuation halted for second day; Vinnytsia regional airport completely destroyed – live

 

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Nederlands marineschip vertrekt voor training met NAVO-bondgenoten | NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl

The air defense and command frigate Zr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën will leave Den Helder next Sunday = today. Over the next four months, the naval vessel will join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1), one of the rapid-deployment fleet groups from NATO's flash force. Minister Kajsa Ollongren waves goodbye to the approximately 190 crew members. Earlier in the morning, Zr.Ms. Rotterdam to Norway.

The SNMG1 is mainly active in the North Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and the Baltic Sea. The fleet consists of naval vessels from various NATO allies. The ships participate in various large exercises such as Cold Response near Norway to strengthen mutual cooperation. Above all, they are available 24/7 for orders from NATO headquarters.

Sr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën is equipped with a NH90 maritime combat helicopter of the Defense Helicopter Command (DHC). The naval vessel takes the multipurpose frigate Zr.Ms. Van Amstel, which is currently part of SNMG1. The Netherlands will command the maritime task group throughout 2022. This is currently in the hands of the Dutch commander Ad van de Sande.

Earlier in the morning, Zr.Ms. Rotterdam. The amphibious transport ship with approximately 275 soldiers on board is also taking part in the large Cold Response exercise. The ship is equipped with 2 Cougar helicopters of the Defense Helicopter Command and landing craft of the Marine Corps. Sr.Ms. Rotterdam is also part of the NATO response force. The ship has a slightly longer response time than Zr.Ms. The Seven Provinces.

 

[PommyMommy]

The family's deaths in Irpin, north-west of Kyiv, happened when Russian mortar shells targeted a damaged bridge that people were using in an effort to escape the violence..

Attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure - such as schools and hospitals - is against the Geneva Conventions, which are treaties agreed by all countries that are supposed to regulate war.

As well as the WHO, other non-government organisations have also reported attacks on civilian targets.

Amnesty International says it has verified various attacks - including cluster munitions hitting a kindergarten and nursery, and a ballistic missile hitting a hospital.

Ukraine: Russia has attacked schools and hospitals, says deputy PM

 

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@EmmanuelMacron
Officiel du gouvernement - France
I spoke with President Putin and then with President Zelensky. We are striving to preserve the integrity of Ukraine's civilian nuclear plants, in addition to other priority demands we presented to Russia: a ceasefire and the protection of civilians.

Bennett holds follow-up call with Putin after Moscow meeting
Following their meeting (Saturday) in Moscow, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on Sunday, according to a statement from the Kremlin and a spokesperson for the prime minister.

There were no immediate details on the content of the call.

Bennett also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the spokesperson said.

 

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Russia disconnected itself from the rest of the internet, a test of its new defense from cyber warfare, report says

Are VPNs Legal in Russia in March 2022?
In July 2017, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law that restricts use of anonymous proxy servers and VPNS. To stay active, VPNs in Russia will have to alter their protocol to comply with Roskomnadzor, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media.

The law specifically state that VPNs cannot assist users with gaining access to Russia’s blacklist of banned websites. The law claims that corporate VPNs will be excluded from these practices, but industry experts claim there’s no way to tell a corporate VPN from a personal VPN at this time.

VPN apps top App Store downloads in Russia - 9to5Mac
As reported by analyst firm AppFigures, the number of VPN app downloads in Russia has grown considerably since the conflict began on February 24. As of Tuesday, the most popular VPN apps have seen an increase of over 1,200% in the number of downloads in both the App Store and Google Play in Russia.

On March 1 alone, VPN apps registered almost half a million downloads in Russia compared to an average of 10,000 downloads per day last month. The numbers are a result of local communications regulator Roskomnadzor blocking access to multiple social networks and news websites on Russian internet providers.

With VPN apps, users can bypass some of these blocks while also surfing the web anonymously – which is important when dealing with a government that is constantly controlling what people can and cannot access.

 

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️Zelensky: "We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war.

We will find every scum who was shelling our cities, our people, who was shooting the missiles, who was giving orders.

You will not have a quiet place on this earth – except for a grave." https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500584474471510027?s=20&t=ynIVJWFpHTpl_uGTVSEjdQ

The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent)
️Zelensky: "Russia announced that tomorrow it will be bombing our defense industry enterprises. Most of them are located in our cities, with civilians around.

It’s a murder, simply a murder. And I didn’t see any world leader react to it today, any Western politician." https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500581654401888256?s=20&t=ui03sgc-dCTax08KcL50fw


The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent)
Zelensky: "Think about the feeling of impunity that the occupiers have that they announce their atrocities in advance! All because there is no reaction. Not a word. It’s like all Western leaders are gone today. I hope you will at least notice it tomorrow, and react to it." https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500582036108713985?s=20&t=V0sAAx6sM0zXb_KO-9_11Q

The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent)
️Zelensky: "The audacity of the aggressor is a clear signal for the West that the imposed sanctions aren’t enough."

"You can’t hide from this reality. You can’t hide from the new killings in Ukraine." https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1500582360093540360?s=20&t=V0sAAx6sM0zXb_KO-9_11Q

 

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Israeli leader holds multiple calls on Ukraine cease-fire with Zelensky and Putin

Bennett visited Moscow on Saturday and met Putin in the Kremlin. He was the only Western leader to do so since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Before departing Moscow on Saturday, Bennett called Zelensky and briefed him on the meeting.

Bennett traveled from Moscow to Berlin and met with Scholz to update him on the meeting with Putin. On his way to the airport in Berlin before flying back to Israel, Bennett spoke to Macron and had another call with Zelensky.

On Sunday morning, Bennett spoke again to Zelensky. This was their third call in less than 15 hours. On Sunday afternoon, he spoke again with Putin. After the call with Putin, Bennett again called Macron and Scholz.

 

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Ukraine Invasion: 'Russians are shooting at hospitals and schools'

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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

 

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https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1500586580796489732?t=bYMB3Z6YNiw2IEPFA0QiqQ&s=19

TSUM in #Moscow now looks like this https://t.co/cFgLYeAQqs

(Video)

Occupiers attacked and robbed #Swiss journalist Guillaume Briquet.

They fired on a car marked PRESS, took his passport, 3 thousand euros in cash, a laptop and the collected material - reports Hromadske. https://t.co/rY28VEZ6Y6

(Reporter is safe in a hospital)

 

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Українські пісні: ОЙ У ГАЮ ПРИ ДУНАЮ

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1 min ago
Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine (cnn.com)
''Russia has fired 600 missiles; 95% of amassed combat power now in Ukraine, senior US defense official says

From CNN’s Oren Liebermann

Russia has fired a total of 600 missiles since its invasion of Ukraine began, a senior US defense official said Sunday, and it has committed approximately 95% of its amassed combat power inside Ukraine.

The US observed ongoing fighting in Kherson and Mykolaiv on Monday and Russian forces are still trying to encircle Kyiv, Khakhiv, Chernihiv, and Mariupol, according to the official.

But the advances have been met with strong Ukrainian resistance, slowing the Russian assault.

Meanwhile, the massive Russian convoy north of Kyiv that spans some 40 miles of road remains stalled, but there is no update on how far it is from Kyiv. Late last week, it was approximately 16 miles (25 kilometers) from Kyiv's city center.

The skies above Kyiv remain contested, and both Ukrainians and Russians retain a significant majority of their air combat power.

“We believe the Ukrainian people in most parts of the country still have means of communication, access to internet and the media,” the official added.

The official also said the US has not observed an amphibious assault near Odessa and they do not assess one is imminent.

The official could not confirm reports of Russians firing on protestors in Kyiv or violations of the ceasefire agreement to allow for humanitarian corridors. The official also could not corroborate reports the Russians are calling up reserves.''

 

[PommyMommy]

In 2-day spree, 61K users book Airbnb stays in Ukraine with no plans to go - National | Globalnews.ca

'It was like something out of WWII': Australian teachers flee Ukraine with their cats
Two Tasmanian teachers who fled Ukraine's capital Kyiv as Russian forces started closing in around them have made it safely across the border into Romania — all the while clutching their beloved cats.
"We are very lucky internationals. Thank God for the European Union and Australia for going above and beyond," Ms Lehmann-Ware said.

The couple from Huonville in southern Tasmania — who have been living in Ukraine since July 2021 — crossed into Romania on foot yesterday with a few possessions and their three cats in a carry case.

"It was like something out of World War II," Ms Lehmann-Ware said.

"There were people, mainly woman and children, lined up everywhere and it started to snow.

"This is 2022 not 1922."

"There are 40 million Ukrainians who still aren't safe ....."

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine: Civilians killed trying to flee Russian attacks on capital

Justin Trudeau departs for Europe to meet with allies on Ukraine

Nederland geeft een bijdrage aan de flitsmacht, maar wat is dat?
"The Netherlands also contributes to the flash force. Throughout the year, the Netherlands has, among other things, a transport ship, a warship, a submarine, medical capacity, a diving team and approximately 1500 army soldiers on standby.

This afternoon the Dutch naval vessel Zr.Ms. The Seven Provinces towards Norway. This ship will join Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) there for the next 4 months . This is one of the fast deployable fleet groups from the flash force.

It is a training mission, but if necessary, the ship can be quickly prepared to fight in the war in Ukraine."

 

[PommyMommy]

March 6 2022
Trudeau arrives in U.K. to start four-country consult with allies on Ukraine response | The Star
''The British defence ministry said Sunday in an intelligence update that Russia’s tactics in Ukraine were comparable to their previous pummeling of cities in Chechnya in 1999 and Syria in 2016 with airstrikes and artillery, after Russian forces faced unexpected resistance. The intelligence report said the strength of Ukrainian fighters continues to surprise the Russians, and that the bombing of cities, including Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol represented an effort to break Ukrainian morale.

In a one-hour conversation on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease the fighting in an attempt to address humanitarian concerns and try to find a political solution.

The Kremlin said Putin replied that Russia’s military action in Ukraine could be halted “only if Kyiv ceases hostilities and fulfills the well-known demands of Russia.”

''On Monday, Trudeau will compare notes with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London, where they will be joined by their Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte.
In the following days, Trudeau is to meet with other leaders in Riga, Latvia, Berlin and Warsaw, Poland.''

 

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