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

[PommyMommy]

[URL='https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-60689753']The Ukrainian sisters separated by war[/URL]

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Russian offensive widens as US imposes new trade sanctions

 

[PommyMommy]

Exclusive: U.S. spy agency probes sabotage of satellite internet during Russian invasion, sources say
March 11 (Reuters) - Western intelligence agencies are investigating a cyberattack by unidentified hackers that disrupted broadband satellite internet access in Ukraine coinciding with Russia's invasion, according to three people with direct knowledge of the incident.

Reporting by James Pearson, Raphael Satter, Christopher Bing and Joel Schectman; Editing by Chris Sanders and Grant McCool

 

[PommyMommy]

Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine (cnn.com)
''17 min ago rbbm.
Explosions heard near Kyiv as Russian troops press closer to Ukraine's capital

CNN teams in Kyiv reported hearing explosions in the early hours of Saturday morning, with chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward describing "a nonstop volley ... of just heavy booms in the distance," continuing for several minutes.

It's not clear whether the explosions were Russian or Ukrainian strikes, she said.

Fighting is continuing on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, with the city's administration saying areas to the north remain the most dangerous, including the suburbs of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel, as well as the district of Vyshorod further north of Kyiv. Fighting has also escalated in Brovary, across the Dnieper River, east of the city.

As Russian forces press in from several directions, "the worry becomes ... that the intention is to fully surround the city, to starve the city, to bombard the city and then ultimately to try to overthrow (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky's government," Ward said.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told CNN the city currently only has resources — including food and medical supplies — for one to two weeks.

CNN's Ward added that "Ukrainian forces are everywhere" in Kyiv. "They have dug up defensive positions along all the main thoroughfares leading into the city, they've put tank traps around. This is a heavily fortified city now. And even if Russian forces are enable to encircle it, it will still be an almighty battle for them to get to the heart of it."

''55 min ago

Russian air and missile forces have conducted strikes against the western Ukrainian cities of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk in the past 24 hours, the UK Ministry of Defence said in its latest intelligence update on Friday.

"The staunch resistance of the Ukrainian air defence forces is compelling Russia to rely on 'stand-off' munitions to conduct attacks against targets deep inside Ukraine," the ministry said.

The ministry added that Russian tactical aircraft supporting ground forces are relying on "unguided 'dumb' munitions," which are "relatively inaccurate and indiscriminate and their use significantly increases the likelihood of civilian casualties."

 

[PommyMommy]

West made mistake in promising Ukraine NATO membership: Borrell

Why is Ukraine the West's Fault? Featuring John Mearsheimer

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: Russia may be planning to use biological weapons, US says, as Russia warns of ‘uncontrolled spread of bio agents’ | World news | The Guardian
From 4h ago

Satellite images show Russian forces are getting closer to Kyiv and are firing artillery toward residential areas, Reuters reported.

Maxar Technologies said multiple homes and buildings were on fire and widespread damage and impact craters could be seen throughout the town of Moschun, northwest of Kyiv. Reuters could not independently verify the images.

Maxar said one image showed elements of a Russian artillery battalion actively firing in a southeasterly direction, a bright muzzle flash coming from one of the guns. It said it could not confirm the battalion’s targets, but that the damage observed in Moschun was about 7 km (4.3 miles) southeast of the artillery deployment.

Another image showed long lines of cars carrying people trying to flee Kyiv, and another showed that fires continued to burn at Antonov Airport.

Russian forces bombarded cities across the country on Friday and appeared to be regrouping for a possible assault on Kyiv as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country had reached a “strategic turning point” in the conflict.

Maxar Technologies believe this satelite image is of destroyed homes and fires in town of Moschun. Photograph: AP

Moschun Ukraine to Kyiv Ukraine - Google Maps

 

[PommyMommy]

"The role of fear in generating respect is a central feature of Russian strategic culture. Sergey Medvedev, a political science professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and Marshall Center faculty alumnus, contends that Russia’s most successful export commodity was not hydrocarbon energy but fear. Russia is not afraid that neighbors are afraid of Russia, it fears that its neighbors do not fear Russia. This fear of not being feared helps account for Russia’s regional hegemony and strategic behavior."

By Dr. Graeme P. Herd, Marshall Center professor

Dec 2021
Russia’s 21st Century Imperialism

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 5 hrs ago
Governor: Russia controls 70% of Luhansk Oblast. Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai says the entire region is under heavy fire.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 3 hrs ago
NBU: Banking system remains functional under challenging conditions, no significant outflow of funds. The National Bank of Ukraine reported that despite the war, all systems are operating and obligations are met as it made preparations ahead of the invasion.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 1 hr ago
CNN reports several explosions in Kyiv. Chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward noted “a nonstop volley… of just heavy booms in the distance” overnight on March 12. Heavy fighting continues in the areas outside Kyiv, including in Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 4o min ago
WSJ: US hedge funds told to freeze Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s assets following sanctions by the U.K. government on March 10. The instructions likely thwart the oligarch’s recent efforts to sell his interests in a series of hedge funds.

 

[PommyMommy]

NEXTA on Twitter - 4 hrs ago
Zelenskyy: The kidnapping of the mayor of #Melitopol is a war crime against democracy. I assure you that 100% of people in all democratic countries will know about it, and the actions of the #Russian occupiers will be equated with those of ISIS terrorists.

NEXTA on Twitter
The photo shows a crater that was left by the bombing near the village of #Miliach. The village is located in #Ukraine in the #Rivne region 8.5 kilometers from the border with #Belarus, reported http://Zerkalo.io

NEXTA on Twitter - Video
#Ukraine's Enerhoatom claims that Russian soldiers are using the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as a military base. The ministry publishes a video with #Russian military equipment on the site in front of the plant.

NEXTA on Twitter
The #Russian Service of BBC writes that they have information about what is happening in the Mozyr morgue Earlier, Belarusian and #Ukrainian independent media reported that hospitals in southern #Belarus were allegedly overfilled with the bodies of the Russian soldiers. 1/2

NEXTA on Twitter
“The bodies are not even taken to a refrigerator, but to an ordinary room - 5x5 m2, they are stored there for a while, they rot, stink - then bodies are taken away somewhere.” “The soldiers themselves do this everything is guarded only the head of the department has access.” 2/2

NEXTA on Twitter
According to his BBC source, "no one knows how many dead bodies there are, but everyone is horrified by what's happening. Doctors think that somewhere there is a mobile crematorium or they just bury them somewhere".

NEXTA on Twitter
In #Luhansk Region, the #Russian military have already occupied 70% of the territory. Russian TV channels there are beginning to plug in, according to the head of the Luhansk regional administration, Serhiy Gaidai. The soldiers disperse local protesters with shots.

 

[CrimeAway]

Russian misinformation:

 

[CrimeAway]

Mass graves in Mariopul:

 

[CrimeAway]

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield's address to the UN Security Council (March 11, 2022.)

 

[PommyMommy]

NEXTA on Twitter - 3 hrs ago
Eastern front holds the line Photos by documentary photographer Anatoly Stepanov, who is currently at the eastern front in #Ukraine. Last photo: Wounded Ukrainian soldier Vasily just after a battle in the #Luhansk region. A few days ago he lost his son, also a soldier.

NEXTA on Twitter - Video
One of the #Russian bloggers cries that in two days her Instagram will stop working She does not care at all about the thousands of dead people, including her compatriots. Obviously, her biggest worry right now is that she won't be able to post pictures of food from restaurants.

NEXTA on Twitter
It is reported that the shelling of #Nikolaev continues. Putin's troops are trying to break through to #Odessa.

NEXTA on Twitter - 2 hrs ago
Russia begins a hidden mobilization "Now there is what is called hidden mobilization, the entire population, unfortunately, of our temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and annexed Republic of Crimea is being mobilized," said head of Defense Ministry.

Trey Yingst on Twitter
Heaviest shelling I’ve heard from Kyiv since the war started

NEXTA on Twitter - 45 min ago
"Tonight is a very tense night. #Kyiv residents, defense forces and officials are very concerned that we could be on the verge of a major #Russian onslaught," #CNN reporter Matthew Chance reports from #Kyiv.

 

[margarita25]

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine Project | Institute for the Study of War (understandingwar.org)

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 11

[...]

The Kremlin likely seeks to increase its combat power by drawing Belarus into the war and leveraging Syrian proxies, in addition to ongoing efforts to directly replace Russian combat losses through individual conscripts that are unlikely to be well-enough trained or motivated to generate effective new combat power. ...

[...]

Click here to expand the map below.

[...]

1. Russian aircraft likely conducted an attempted false-flag attack on Belarusian territory ... Ukrainian authorities reported at 2:30 pm local time on March 11 that two Russian aircraft had entered Ukrainian airspace before returning to Belarus and launching an airstrike against the Belarusian town of Kopani.[3] Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov additionally stated on March 11 that Ukraine is “fully confident” that Russian aviation is preparing to strike several Belarusian settlements, including Kopani, from Ukrainian airspace to force Belarusian leadership to join Russia’s war in Ukraine.[4] Russian forces have not conducted any additional false-flag attacks as of this publication. The Belarusian Ministry of Defense denied that the strikes occurred.[5] Ukraine's State Centre for Strategic Communications separately stated that “according to preliminary data, Belarusian troops may be drawn into an invasion on March 11 at 21:00 local time [2pm EST]." ...

Belarusian President Lukashenko additionally met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 11 to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine.[7] Lukashenko claimed Ukraine would have attacked Belarus if Russia had not launched its preemptive “military operation” and expressed support for the Russian operation.[8] Lukashenko separately claimed that “foreign mercenaries” are moving toward Belarus and intend to draw Belarus into the war so that Belarusian troops “expose the western sector.” ...

2. The Kremlin announced plans to deploy foreign fighters, including up to 16,000 Syrian fighters, to Ukraine. Putin stated Russia will help international “volunteers” who want to defend Donbas travel to Ukraine, framing this effort as a counterbalance to Kremlin claims of “Western mercenaries” fighting for Ukraine.[11] Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed Russia has already received 16,000 applications from the Middle East, primarily from troops that ”helped in the fight against ISIS.” ...

3. Russia continues to rush individual replacements to frontline combat units amid rising casualties, including among hard-to-replace general officers. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on March 11 that Russian units continue to suffer heavy losses and are struggling to deliver supplies to units in combat.[15] Ukrainian forces’ capture of a Russian supply column with ammunition on March 11 supports this assessment.[16] The Ukrainian General Staff stated Russia is transferring reserves across Russia to its combat units and began sourcing conscripts from prisons in Rostov Oblast in exchange for amnesty. ...

Putin reportedly fired several generals and arrested Federal Security Service (FSB) intelligence officers in an internal purge. Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov stated on March 9 that the Kremlin has replaced eight generals due to their failures in Ukraine, though ISW cannot independently verify this information.[21] Putin additionally detained several personnel from the FSB’s 5th Service, which is responsible for informing Putin about the political situation in Ukraine. The Federal Protective Service and 9th Directorate of the FSB (its internal security department) reportedly raided the 5th Service and over 20 other locations on March 11. ...

Russian forces are engaged in four primary efforts at this time:

• Main effort—Kyiv (comprised of three subordinate supporting efforts);
• Supporting effort 1—Kharkiv;
  • Supporting effort 1a—Luhansk Oblast;
• Supporting effort 2—Mariupol; and
• Supporting effort 3—Kherson and advances westward.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 11, 2022
Meet The Obstetrician Delivering Bomb-Shelter Babies In Kyiv - Video
Obstetrician-gynecologist Kyrylo Ventskivskiy was working a night shift when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. He delivered the first baby born in wartime Ukraine. He's only gone home once since then. The work of his perinatal center in Kyiv has moved to the more primitive conditions of a bomb shelter. He spoke to Current Time about that first night and the work he is doing now.

Kyiv Volunteers Get Last-Minute Training On Powerful Anti-Tank Weapons (rferl.org) - Video
In the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, instructors are giving last-minute training to members of the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade as the Ukrainian military prepares to defend the city from Russian attack. Some of the trainees are new recruits with no previous military experience. The training on March 9 included how to operate anti-tank weapons provided by Western allies.

RFE/RL Reporter Injured By Russian Attack (rferl.org) - Video
RFE/RL Ukrainian Service journalist Maryan Kushnir suffered a concussion and hearing loss during a Russian attack in the early morning hours of March 11. With blood streaming from his head, he recorded a short video immediately afterwards, saying: “I don’t know where I am exactly. This is what the situation looks like near Kyiv. We’ll try to get out of here.” Kushnir plans to return to covering the war as soon as he can.

 

[PommyMommy]

“Burgemeester van Melitopol ontvoerd door Russische soldaten”

According to the prosecutor of the separatist region of Lugansk, the man is being considered for terrorism. Fedorov is accused of “assisting and financing terrorist activities” and “being part of a criminal group” in a message posted on the prosecutor's website. According to the prosecutor, he is a member of the "Right Sector", a nationalist Ukrainian paramilitary group that the Russians say is partly responsible for a genocide against the Russian-speaking inhabitants of the region. According to independent experts, this is not the case.

Ukraine's foreign ministry has accused Russia of committing a war crime by kidnapping Fedorov. “The kidnapping of the mayor is a war crime under the Geneva Convention, which does not allow hostages to be taken in war.”

 

[PommyMommy]

Russian Officials Predicted A Quick Triumph In Ukraine. Did Bad Intelligence Skew Kremlin Decision-Making? (rferl.org)
[...]

Like many intelligence services, the Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, has units that do political analysis and intelligence that help guide service chiefs’ decision-making -- and ostensibly the Kremlin’s.

The FSB unit that conducts foreign political analysis -- the Ninth Directorate of the Fifth Service – commissioned public opinion polls in Ukraine earlier in February, weeks before the war.

According to the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank that said it reviewed the surveys, the polls showed widespread distrust among Ukrainians for government institutions, among other things.

“It is notable that Putin, in his preinvasion televised address, spoke extensively about the failures of Ukrainian governance in terms that mirrored the picture painted by the FSB’s surveys,” the RUSI report said. “While the FSB survey may have been accurate in measuring opinions at the time it was conducted, it told the Russians little about how sentiments would evolve in the aftermath of an invasion.”

“The information is very good,” said Nick Reynolds, a research analyst for land warfare at RUSI and one of the co-authors of the report on the public opinion surveys. "The way they’ve utilized it has been suboptimal.”

[...]

 

[margarita25]

 

[PommyMommy]

The Week In Russia: Unprovoked War And 'Unspeakable Suffering' (rferl.org)
Russian forces appeared to make progress from the northeast in their slow fight toward Ukraine’s capital, while tanks and artillery pounded places already under siege with shelling so heavy that residents of one city were unable to bury the growing number of dead.

In past offensives in Syria and Chechnya, Russia’s strategy has been to crush armed resistance with sustained airstrikes and shelling that levels population centers. That kind of assault has cut off the southern port city of Mariupol, and a similar fate could await Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine if the war continues.

[...]

Mariupol’s death toll has passed 1,500 in 12 days of attack, the mayor’s office said. Shelling forced crews to stop digging trenches for mass graves, so the “dead aren’t even being buried,” the mayor said.

[...]

In a multi-front attack on Kyiv, the Russians’ push from the northeast appeared to be advancing, a U.S. defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to give the U.S. assessment of the fight. Combat units were moved up from the rear as the forces closed to less than 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the capital.

New commercial satellite images appeared to capture artillery firing on residential areas between the Russians and the capital. The images from Maxar Technologies showed muzzle flashes and smoke from the big guns, as well as impact craters and burning homes in the town of Moschun, outside Kyiv, the company said.

In a devastated village east of the capital, villagers climbed over toppled walls and flapping metal strips in the remnants of a pool hall, restaurant and theater freshly blown apart by Russian bombs.

[...]

Zelenskyy said authorities were working on establishing 12 humanitarian corridors and trying to ensure food, medicine and other basics get to people across the country. Thousands of soldiers on both sides are believed to have been killed in the invasion, along with many Ukrainian civilians.

[...]

At least until recently, Russians have made the biggest advances on cities in the east and south while struggling in the north and around Kyiv.

Russia said Friday it used high-precision long-range weapons to put military airfields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk in the west “out of action.” The attack on Lutsk killed four Ukrainian servicemen, the mayor said.

Russian airstrikes also targeted for the first time Dnipro, a major industrial hub in the east and Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, with about 1 million people. One person was killed, Ukrainian officials said.

[...]

American defense officials said Russian pilots are averaging 200 sorties a day, compared with five to 10 for Ukrainian forces, which are focusing more on surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and drones to take out Russian aircraft.

The U.S. also said Russia has launched nearly 810 missiles into Ukraine.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

1582 doden in Marioepol, evacuatie weer mislukt • VN: niets bekend over biologische wapens in Oekraïne

17 HOURS AGO

Drone from Ukraine flies over NATO territory and crashes in Croatia
A Russian-made military reconnaissance drone has flown over several NATO member states from a Ukrainian war zone without raising the alarm. The unmanned aircraft eventually crashed on the outskirts of the Croatian capital Zagreb. This is reported by the Croatian authorities. No one was injured in the crash.

The drone, flying at an altitude of 1,300 meters, came down minutes after entering Croatian airspace late Thursday night. The Croatian Defense Minister has called it a very serious incident and has announced an investigation. According to him, it is still unclear whether the drone comes from the Ukrainian or Russian army. It is a reconnaissance drone from the Soviet era.