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

[PommyMommy]

Senators seek to freeze Russian gold reserves

Today, Russia holds $130 billion in gold reserves in the country and is able to exploit a loophole in the existing sanctions targeting its central bank by allowing government officials and oligarchs to launder money through gold, according to the senators.

Due to this loophole, the Russian Federation is now buying gold to offset the devaluation of the ruble and then selling that gold on international markets in exchange for high-value currency, the senators said.

 

[PommyMommy]

Cyber firm: At least 6 US state governments hacked by China

How China built a one-of-a-kind cyber-espionage behemoth to last

DPG Media Privacy Gate
Sting and other celebrities present plan to crack down on Russia
'The fate of the world is sealed in Kiev'. That dramatic headline is above an open letter from singer Sting, writer Salman Rushdie, actor Sean Penn and philosopher Bernard-Henri Levi on the site of the French newspaper Libération.

The four present a list of ten measures that should be imposed immediately on Russia to end the conflict.

Sting already got his old song Russians out of mothballs, in protest against the war. The four stars say they are shocked by the violence against the civilian population. Bomb shelters are being converted into classrooms, hospitals are being destroyed, children are being born in fortified metro stations. And in view of this, the Ukrainian army, supported by tens of thousands of civilians, takes up arms, looks up and defends its cities. But watch out! They don't just defend their cities. These units of seasoned soldiers, these teachers, these restaurant owners, these workers, these dancers, these women and men from all walks of life and insurgents also defend our freedom. They fight for an open and emancipated world. They are fighting on the front line for us Europeans'.

 

[PommyMommy]

Starving Ukrainians resort to 'attacking each other for food' in besieged Mariupol, Red Cross reveal | Daily Mail Online

Father-of-10 from north London rescues 1,000 Jewish refugees including 270 orphans from Ukraine war | Daily Mail Online

 

[PommyMommy]

2 hours ago 13:57 Francesca Edwards

Russia has never threatened NATO, foreign ministry says

Russia warns it could target airports next
Russia has warned that Europe airports and transport could be the next target

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakhorova said called on the European Union and NATO to "stop the thoughtless flooding of the unviable Kyib regime in order to avoid enormous risk to international civilian aviation and other means of transport in Europe and beyond."

Does this mean they seriously considering bombing European airports, or is she loosing it!!!??? Or this is simply not said.....WTH

So what is it?

Russia has never threatened NATO, foreign ministry says

March 9 (Reuters) - Russia has never threatened NATO and does not threaten the Western military alliance now, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday, adding that her country still must react to NATO's "confrontational course".

Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Alison Williams

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine updates: Cease-fire talks fail; Russia defends hospital strike (usatoday.com)
March 10 2022 rbbm.
''Latest developments:

►Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugged off sanctions from the West, saying they are nothing new for Russians. ″Just as we overcame these difficulties in the previous years, we will overcome them now," he said at a televised meeting of government officials. He dacknowledge the sanctions create “certain challenges.”

''A hospital complex in Mariupol bombed Wednesday resulted in at least three deaths, including one child, Ukraine authorities say. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed the claim Thursday, saying the hospital had been emptied of patients and was being used as an extremist base.

"This is not the first time when we see pathetic cries about so-called atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces," Lavrov said. "Our delegation presented facts at a meeting of the U.N. Security Council proving that the maternity hospital had long been seized by fighters of the Azov battalion and other radicals. They kicked all patients, all nurses, and all service personnel out."

 

[PommyMommy]

2 HOURS AGO
Ukraine war latest: Putin warns international companies halting operations in Russia could have assets seized | Financial Times (ft.com)
''Russian president Vladimir Putin said his government would find legally viable ways to seize international businesses operating in Russia that have decided to close their facilities in the country over its invasion of Ukraine.

Numerous western brands including McDonald’s and Unilever have suspended or halted operations in Russia in recent days as part of a wave of severe sanctions on the country.

“With regards to those who are planning to close their production facilities, we must act decisively,” Putin said on Thursday in a video link meeting with members of his government. “By no means must we allow any harm to local Russian suppliers.”

“It is necessary . . . to introduce external management and then transfer these enterprises to those who actually want to work,” Putin said. “There are enough legal and market instruments for this. There is no need for any arbitrary actions; we will find legal solutions to these questions.”

He advised the government to ensure that the rights of those foreign investors who chose to stay and work in Russia were protected.''

 

[PommyMommy]

Putin will ‘lose’ Ukraine war, Trudeau says, as Canada ups aid funding - National | Globalnews.ca
March 10 2022 rbbm.
''Vladimir Putin will “lose” in his war against Ukraine, Justin Trudeau said Thursday as Canada chipped in more funding for humanitarian efforts in the conflict.

The Canadian prime minister took aim at the Russian president at a news conference in Warsaw alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda. It was the final stop of his week-long trip in Europe where he met with allies to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Vladimir Putin has made a terrible mistake, and he’s going to lose this war,” Trudeau said.

“He’s going to lose this war because the ferocity, strength and resolve of the Ukrainian people defending their territory is inspiring us all, and because our resolve as friends and allies … cannot allow Vladimir Putin to be successful.”

''Meanwhile, at his own news conference, Lavrov showed no sign of making any concessions, repeating Russian demands that Ukraine be disarmed and accept neutral status.

Aid agencies report humanitarian aid is most urgently needed in Mariupol, where 400,000 people have been trapped for more than a week with no food, water or power.''

 

[PommyMommy]

Anonymous hacks Russian federal agency, releases 360,000 documents - The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
The Ukrainian Anonymous hacker group has hacked into Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal agency responsible for monitoring and censoring media, and released 360,000 files, the group announced on Twitter on Thursday.

Among the censored documents released by Anonymous, some of which are dated as late as March 5, are ones that show Moscow censored anything that referred to the war as a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Roskomnadzor blocked Russian use of Facebook after it flagged Russian articles as factually inaccurate. They are also threatening to block Russian Wikipedia for including an article on the Russian invasion.

[...]

On Wednesday, Anonymous denied a report that its website was hacked by pro-Russian hackers.

 

[PommyMommy]

War in Ukraine: PM says Putin could use chemical weapons

'This Is A Nightmare For China': Why Joe Thinks Putin's War Spells Doom For China's Plans

Irish aid convoy sets out for Ukrainian border

 

[PommyMommy]

EXCLUSIVE BNP Paribas bars Russia-based staff from computer systems as cyber attack fears grow

BNPP outlined a 3 billion euro ($3.29 billion) exposure to Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday, while Italy's Unicredit (CRDI.MI) said a full write-off of its Russian business would cost around 7.4 billion euros. read more

Citigroup (C.N), Britain's Lloyds Banking Group and Ireland's AIB Group have also flagged the risk of cyber attacks since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, which Moscow refers to as a "special military operation" to disarm and dislodge leaders it calls "neo-Nazis". read more

Meanwhile, the Bank of England is beefing up its Cyber Security Division, with an Emerging Threat Specialist and several Senior Cyber Defence Analyst vacancies among a raft of new roles posted on its website in recent days.

The CEO of Swiss stock exchange operator SIX said on Wednesday there had been an increase in hacker attacks around the start of Russia's military operation last month. read more

 

[PommyMommy]

Where is Russia's cyber blitzkrieg?

Fighting in Ukraine continues but the much-anticipated Russian cyber blitzkrieg hasn’t occurred. Russian forces have failed to deploy devastating cyber attacks in the opening salvo, despite ample opportunity to cripple Ukrainian networks. Where is the dramatic, game-changing cyber war we were promised? Pundits are scrambling for explanations. Spoiler alert: Cyber isn’t a magic wand to wave and gain battlefield superiority. Cyber attacks are rarely decisive on their own, and they don’t exist in a vacuum. Strategic context is critical for unpacking the use of cyber operations, and Russia’s invasion strategy undeniably has shaped and restricted its menu of cyber options.
.......

So far, cyber operations have been “the dog that didn’t bark.” But the day could come when Russia uses cyber operations to give conventional forces a temporary edge or to retaliate against those supporting Ukraine. This requires more sober and concerted planning than we have seen from the Kremlin thus far. The longer-term challenge is how future aggressors interpret these events. Will militaries convince themselves that cyber has little use early on in an invasion, or will they learn from Russia’s mistakes to better synchronize cyber operations with conventional ones? My money is on the latter, and I’d be willing to bet that Beijing is already studying hard.

 

[PommyMommy]

Latest Russia-Ukraine news: Live updates of the war

Russia and Belarus Economies 'Mighty Close' to Default, World Bank Warns - The Moscow Times

Until Ukraine Is Cut Off, Nearly All Roads To Supply It Go Through Poland

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1502007764092133378?t=ssurlrS43ksCqVvqY0bYMA&s=19
1,300 people died in the besieged Mariupol, local authorities said, confirming the mass grave had to be built, the morgues were overcrowded and normal funerals impossible. With 200,000 ppl locked in Mariupol, Russians try to use the city for blackmail - Російські війська розбомбили лікарню та пологовий в Маріуполі. Що відомо про жертв - BBC News Україна https://t.co/3Hg8umyJug

 

[PommyMommy]

"The city was without electricity, heat, drinking water and gas, he added, saying the Russian Federation was effectively holding 350,000 people hostage."
No longer scared – just tired: conditions in Mariupol now ‘medieval’

'My city is going to be crushed': Kyiv resident

 

[PommyMommy]

@idreesali114
NEW YORK/LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group and JPMorgan Chase & Co on Thursday announced they were unwinding their Russian businesses, becoming the first major U.S. banks to exit following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and putting pressure on rivals to follow.

Russians swarm Victoria's Secret as Putin's war shuts down stores
Viktor, 36, who was “buying a surprise for my lover’s birthday,” said, “This war is genocide, and it is a disgrace for us Russians.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022...-will-emerge-stronger-sanctions-will-rebound\
Putin says Russia will emerge stronger, sanctions will rebound
President Vladimir Putin says sanctions on Russia would lead to higher food and energy prices in the West.

 

[PommyMommy]

'It is Russia against humanity': Crisis grows in besieged Ukrainian city

People with loved ones trapped inside the besieged city of Mariupol were trying desperately on Thursday to connect to phones inside the city, which has been virtually cut off from the outside world by an escalating and indiscriminate bombing campaign by Russian forces.

Dmytro Gurin, a Ukrainian MP who grew up in Mariupol and whose parents are trapped there, said he last managed to connect to their neighbours four days ago.

"We spoke for 30 seconds after they went to a spot with signal - there are a couple of these spots people know about," Mr Gurin said.

"They said my parents were alive, living in the basement under their apartment building.

"Please understand me that this is not a shelter with light, water and a toilet, it is a basement with nothing."

Mr Gurin said his parents were using snow to drink water and trying to cook food on an open fire outside.

"Can you try to imagine this? Your parents, 67 and 69, are drinking snow and trying to cook on a fire outside in winter and there is continuous shelling," he said.

"This is not war any more. This is not army against army. It is carpet bombing. It is Russia against humanity."

(...)

Municipal authorities have finally been able to begin collecting and burying bodies which had been in the streets, the deputy mayor Serhiy Orlov told the BBC on Thursday. City officials estimated 1,300 civilians had been killed so far, Mr Orlov said.

"There is no possibility of private graves, because of the high numbers and because of the continuous shelling. They are being put into mass graves," he said.

(...)

 

[PommyMommy]

https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1502014053748772872?t=bPcfH_dNmUG1evtbrTcnfA&s=19
"As of 10 March, Russian invaders have killed more Ukrainian civilians than Ukrainian military personnel from all defense structures," Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov said. https://t.co/VZfmffZhrp

Here are the companies still doing business in Russia undeterred

 

[PommyMommy]

The head of Ukraine’s embassy in Australia says he cannot remain “diplomatically polite” when his parents spend their nights in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, and has called for the Russian ambassador to be expelled.

Volodymyr Shalkivskyi issued the plea to the Australian government as he spoke about how his parents, aged in their 70s, had rebuffed suggestions to flee Ukraine’s capital and were now asking for molotov cocktail recipes.

“They’re making sandwiches [for] our military and they spend the nights in bomb shelters"

“As my father told me, two nights in a bomb shelter is enough to completely change any pro-Russian sentiment that you have in your heart.”

Shalkivskyi also relayed a message he had received from his mother, 73, after she looked out from the balcony on the seventh floor of her apartment building in northern Kyiv.

“‘I think it’s a good position. Can you send me a recipe of molotov cocktail?’”

‘My parents are in bomb shelters’: Ukrainian embassy head urges Australia to expel Russian ambassador

 

[PommyMommy]

“MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has drawn up a list of Western companies that could be nationalized. That list of 59 names includes oil and gas group Shell, car manufacturers Volkswagen and Toyota and furniture store Ikea, Russian news agency Izvestia report.

Bill
Earlier, the government in Moscow passed a bill to put under receivership companies that were more than 25 percent owned by foreigners from so-called "unfriendly nations". Companies can avoid that receivership by resuming operations or selling their shares within five days of announcement, United Russia, President Vladimir Putin's party, previously said. Then the activities and employees must be retained.”

Rusland zet Shell op lijst met bedrijven om eigendommen van te kunnen nationaliseren

 

[PommyMommy]

March 1, 2022, 20:20
The story goes that Shell is often slow in making important decisions. You can't say that about the decision to part with almost all of his Russian possessions. That came less than a week after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Although you can also say that the Shell top took the plunge a little later than the colleagues from BP and the Norwegian Equinor.

“Yes, the decision came quickly. But these are exceptional times," responds oil and gas expert Jilles van den Beukel. “Look at BP, look at Equinor, look at how Germany reacts to the raid. Europe is taking the lead with boycott measures. That has sometimes been different.”

Shell will divest its 27.5 percent stake in 'Sakhalin-2', a colossal oil, gas and liquefied gas project in eastern Russia, CEO Ben van Beurden said on Tuesday. The company is also saying goodbye to its stake in Nord Stream 2, the controversial pipeline from Russia to Germany that Shell partly financed. And Shell says goodbye to two other projects that it is carrying out or developing with the Russian gas giant Gazprom. Shell does keep the approximately 400 gas stations it has in Russia.”

Chinese bedrijven nemen maar al te graag de aandelen over die Shell in Rusland achterlaat

 

[PommyMommy]

Explosions, no gas, visa trouble: How a Canadian-Ukrainian family escaped Kyiv as bombs fell

WARNING: DISTURBING DETAILS
Russians keep pressure on Mariupol after hospital attack
“They have a clear order to hold Mariupol hostage, to mock it, to constantly bomb and shell it,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation. He said the Russians began a tank attack right where there was supposed to be a humanitarian corridor.

On Thursday, firefighters tried to free a boy trapped in the rubble. One grasped the boy's hand. His eyes blinked, but he was otherwise still. It was not clear if he survived. Nearby, at a mangled truck, a woman wrapped in a blue blanket shuddered at the sound of an explosion.

Grocery stores and pharmacies were emptied days ago by people breaking in to get supplies, according to a local official with the Red Cross, Sacha Volkov. A black market is operating for vegetables, meat is unavailable, and people are stealing gasoline from cars, Volkov said.

Places protected from bombings are hard to find, with basements reserved for women and children, he said. Residents, Volkov, are turning on one another: “People started to attack each other for food.”