Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 **Media Thread** NO DISCUSSION #3

[PommyMommy]

NOV 6, 2018
Why Is the Sea of Azov So Important? - Atlantic Council
Having illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, Moscow lost no time in seizing Ukrainian energy assets in and around the region. The Kremlin is now conducting another experiment in economic and military operations, but this one has profound implications beyond Ukraine.

Before the seizure of Crimea, both Ukraine and Russia agreed to regard the Sea of Azov as the internal waters of each state. Thus, the states had shared sovereignty over that body of water; in the case of disputes, they would resolve them jointly.

This result held until the invasion of Crimea. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin claims—in utter defiance of both facts and international law—that Sevastopol has always been Russian, and Crimea is now Russian and will never be detached from Russia. Further, Moscow says that there is no need to renegotiate the original treaty with Ukraine governing the status of the Sea of Azov.

But while making these statements, Moscow has been busy building a bridge over the Kerch Strait and a railway upon that bridge. This bridge was deliberately built at a height that all but precludes Ukrainian commercial traffic from operating in the Sea of Azov, thus placing the port of Mariupol in economic jeopardy. And in another contravention of international law, it has declared that it will block any NATO attempt to send ships into the Sea of Azov, even if they are invited by Ukraine.

Russian officials are also boarding Ukrainian ships illegally, enforcing a blockade of the Sea of Azov and of Ukraine’s coastline while also reinforcing its fleet in the area. Additionally, they are threatening to launch a variety of potential military operations against Ukraine: naval shelling of land targets, an amphibious operation against Mariupol or the coastline, and another ground force invasion, all supported by naval artillery.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 26, 2022
"Refusing to kill people is not a crime" 12 russian riot police refused to follow orders and did not go to fight in Ukraine. They were fired for that — Meduza
Twelve fighters of OMON (special purpose police units) refused to be sent to Ukraine and were fired. Now they took matters to court. The motivation? “It is not a war there, not an excessive situation, merely a “special operation”, as we were told” (in Russia one can’t call Ukraine invasion “a war”, it is just a “special operation”. So these young men refused to go, citing that the special operation gave them the choice).

“On March 24, Pavel Chikov, a lawyer for the international human rights group Agora, said that 12 riot policemen of the Russian Guard from Krasnodar, who were on exercises in Crimea, refused to follow the commander’s order and did not go to war in Ukraine. After that, the National Guard was fired - however, they decided to challenge this decision and demand to reinstate them in the service through the courts. Their interests are represented by Krasnodar lawyer Mikhail Benyash. Meduza spoke to him about the case and its possible consequences.”

“When and under what conditions were your clients fired? - On February 25, my clients were going to be sent to the territory of Ukraine, but they refused to leave the territory of Crimea. The check has begun. On March 1, an order was received to terminate the contract due to non-fulfillment of the order. They [the National Guard] thought about it and decided to reinstate through court. In general, there are more laid-offs, but so far 12 people have contacted us. Do they have legal grounds to get reinstated? How obligatory for them to participate in the "special operation"?

If there was an armed conflict, an emergency or a martial law was introduced, terms of the contract could be changed without their consent for six months. But we don’t have an armed conflict or a war there at all, but simply a “special operation”. The law says nothing about it. You can go there, but only if you agree.”

 

[PommyMommy]

Why Opposing Vladimir Putin Could Be Deadly | The Man Putin Couldn't Kill | BBC Select

 

[PommyMommy]

‘White Phosphorus’ Claimed To Be Used In Ukraine May Really Be Russian Napalm Weapon

White phosphorus...

..."However, it is also an effective antipersonnel weapon: it sticks to the skin and keeps burning. As Human Rights Watch notes, it is notorious for the depth and severity of the burns it causes and is also toxic, so victims may die of organ failure even if they survive their burns."...

Thermite Incendiary Submunitions...

..."This incendiary rocket was specifically designed as an antipersonnel weapon."...

..."The magnesium burns briefly with a bright white light, the fire mixture produces a longer-lasting flame, and typically sticks to the target while burning. Attempting to scrape the mix off just spreads it, and it is not extinguished by water."...

..."this isn't White Phosphorus, these are thermite incendiary submunitions which are in fact even worse. we've seen similar footage of these unguided 9M22S incendiary Grad rockets in use by the Russians in Syria countless times before"...

..."Each 140-pound rocket covers about 250 feet by 250 feet with flaming projectiles, so a whole 40-rocket barrage will hit a large area."...

..."The use of the weapon in the current invasion no great surprise, as it had previously been identified in Eastern Ukraine in 2014."..."and Syria"...

..."The use of such weapons in cities is another indication of Russia’s willingness to ratchet up the levels of destruction, destroying apartment blocks and causing mass casualties. This serves no military purpose, but aims to demoralize the civilian population and undermine their will to fight. Bombarding cities cannot win the war, but at present it seems to be the only tactic the Russians have left."

‘White Phosphorus’ Claimed To Be Used In Ukraine May Really Be Russian Napalm Weapon

 

[PommyMommy]

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 6 hrs ago
Rescuers of the State Emergency Service have put out the fire that occurred at one of the industrial facilities in Lviv, a regional capital in western Ukraine, following a missile attack on March 26. It took more than 14 hours to extinguish the fire. Photos: State Emergency Service

NEXTA on Twitter
The Interior Ministry of #Ukraine reports that the #Russian military used prohibited cluster munition container of the type "Tornado-S" on the residential sector of #Krasnogorovka, #Donetsk region.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 5 hrs ago
These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of March 27, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

NEXTA on Twitter
#NATO's Patriot air defense systems are already in #Slovakia. This was announced by #Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger. Earlier, Slovakia tentatively agreed to provide #Ukraine with one S-300 system for protection against #Russian air strikes.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
UK Defense Ministry: Russian forces focus on trying to encircle Ukraine's troops in Donbas. Russian troops are attempting to advance from Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south, the ministry said on March 27.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 4 hrs ago
Luhansk Oblast may be annexed by Russia. Leonid Pasichnyk, the head of Russia’s proxies in the region, said on March 27 that a referendum on the annexation may be held soon.

NEXTA on Twitter
At the #Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the personnel who were held hostage by the #Russian army from the first day of the war were partially replaced

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter - 1 hr ago
Military Intelligence: Russia wants to split Ukraine into two. According to Kyrylo Budanov, head of Defense Ministry’s Intelligence Directorate, Russia will try a “Korean scenario” by creating a separate political entity in the Russian-occupied regions.

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter
Energy Ministry: Russia must be removed from IAEA for 'nuclear terrorism.' Ukraine is working to remove Russia from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Russia has occupied two Ukrainian nuclear power plants – in Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

 

[PommyMommy]

NEXTA on Twitter
Current map of military actions according to the Ministry of Defense of Great #Britain

NEXTA on Twitter
The streets of #Mariupol turned into a cemetery Because of the incessant bombing of the city, people simply cannot bury their relatives in cemeteries. Many dead bodies are still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

NEXTA on Twitter
Such a performance appeared at the #Russian embassy in #Oslo

NEXTA on Twitter
#Russian troops entered the house of boxer Alexander Usik in #Vorzel near #Kyiv and occupied it This was announced on Instagram by the wife of the world champion Kateryna Usyk.

 

[PommyMommy]

Euromaidan Press on Twitter - 4 hrs ago
Russian assault division commander Vladimir Krivolapov was killed in battle for Mariupol He commanded the assault division of Russia's Black Sea Fleet's 810th Guards Marine Brigade, His death was confirmed by occupation "governor" of Sevastopol Razvozhaev https://t.me/razvozhaev/148

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
Ukrainian military women on Lviv railway station before departing to the frontline. PHOTO CREDIT: Shotam

Euromaidan Press on Twitter - 2 hrs ago
Leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LNR) Leonid Pasechnik declared the plans to hold a referendum on LNR's accession to Russia. Telegram: Contact @rian_ru

Euromaidan Press on Twitter - 1 hr ago
Russian invaders killed Larysa Osypenko, the head of the kindergarten, in #Irpin, Irpin residents wrote in Mistoinform local Facebook group. https://facebook.com/groups/mistoinform/posts/1589961411370887/

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
Russo-Ukrainian war, day 32: Russian troops attempt to encircle Kyiv despite announcements they will focus on Donbas; however, frontline remains static. Ukraine launches effective counter-defense operations as government continues to call for heavy weapons Russo-Ukrainian War, day 32: Biden supports Ukraine in speech in Warsaw, Lviv suffers Russian rocket strikes | Euromaidan Press

 

[PommyMommy]

Euromaidan Press on Twitter
Ukrainian Forces liberated Husarivka in Kharkiv Obl, limiting Russian opportunities to reach Donbas from the rear. Генеральний штаб ЗСУ / General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine | Facebook
Reportedly, a huge Russian group of 2 BTGs was repelled from Husarivka & damaged SPRAVDI Photo Shared by volunteer Roman Dodik

NEXTA on Twitter
In St. Petersburg, a girl was detained for an anti-war performance.

NEXTA on Twitter - Video
In #Kherson, people went to a rally against the #Russian occupation. They were dispersed with smoke grenades.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 26, 2022
Russian family flees to U.S. amid fears of persecution | fox61.com
Editor's Note: WCNC Charlotte has anonymized the person interviewed in this story at his request, to protect loved ones still in Russia.

[...]

Anton fled Russia with his wife and 1-year-old son after speaking out against the war.

[...]

It was only after doing some digging online that Anton says he saw what was truly taking place in Ukraine.

"His position was to rally his friends and Instagram subscribers in Russia about what started as a war and not a special operation like the Russian propaganda would tell you," said Panova.

It wasn’t too long before the police came looking for him. Anton said someone started posting inquiries about him online, and his local police force called him to ask him in to their precinct.

[...]

"What he was doing was trying to get to the truth and the bottom of it. So whoever spread that type of misinformation can go to jail for a long time -- just for spreading posts on social media," said Panova.

[...]

The journey took Anton and his family from Turkey to Mexico City, and then to the U.S. Now, he waits for an immigration judge to decide his fate.

“I don’t feel better, but I understand that here I won’t be judged or arrested for my political views," he said.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 27, 2022
What weapons for Ukraine would help it win the war against Russia | Euromaidan Press
After a month of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the frontlines have stabilized, but the suffering of the local population under Russian control has only increased, with more shelling and repressions reported. If Ukraine had more offensive weapons, i.e. artillery, missile systems, and fighter jets, it could counterattack the invader and rapidly end the war, Ukrainian military experts say.

[...]

Speaking at the NATO summit in Brussels on 24 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he is grateful to the individual members of the Alliance that shared with Ukraine what they had to combat Russia. However, Ukraine had asked NATO to supply 1% of their tanks and 1% of aircraft and to provide anti-ship weapons and means of air defense. This is crucial not only for air protection but also to “unblock our cities that are now dying – Mariupol, Berdyansk, Melitopol, others,” Zelenskyy said, stressing further:

“Ukraine asked for your planes. So that we do not lose so many people. And you have thousands of fighter jets! But we haven’t been given any yet.”

[...]

Artillery ammunition and artillery systems is the kind of weapons Ukraine needs to counterattack
[...]

The artillery is used around Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv, in the south of the country, and in the Donbas area. The commanders in each direction of defense and attack must have both conventional artillery in the brigade along with special artillery brigades. In addition, Ukraine is forming new divisions, which must be reinforced by artillery to counterattack successfully. It is important to note that Ukrainian artillery is mostly 30 plus years old. In summary, supplies of artillery units from the West and ammunition would be helpful, if not crucial, to carry out successful counterattacks and repel Russian invaders.

[...]

Mobility – another crucial need to counterattack
... Currently, the mobility of Ukrainian troops is reinforced mainly by volunteers who are buying SUVs themselves. If NATO is not providing Ukraine Humvees because of their complicated servicing demands, there remain several other options to strengthen Ukrainian mobility for counterattacks. For example, NATO could provide semi-military SUVs. No matter how small the weight of a Javelin or other system, one can’t carry it on one’s shoulders for a long time.

[...]

While Bayraktar and Switchblade combat drones play their role, they can’t replace fighter jets, of which Ukraine does not have enough to support full-scale counterattacks
It is difficult to compare drones and fighter jets, they are not substitutes.

[...]

Offensive operations require a completely different firepower from a defensive one — much more aircraft, artillery, drones to create the necessary density of fire, to support the offensive forces. What the West is giving now for Ukraine is only for defense. There are almost no weapons for the offensive.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

[URL='https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/mar/27/russia-ukraine-war-latest-zelenskiy-calls-on-west-for-planes-and-tanks-biden-says-butcher-putin-cannot-remain-in-power-live?filterKeyEvents=false']Russia-Ukraine war latest: Macron warns against ‘escalation’ after Biden speech; Zelenskiy calls on west for planes and tanks | World news | The Guardian[/URL]

4h ago 07:07
The Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko said people are starving and being forced to drink sewage water in Ukraine as the situation across the country worsens.

Speaking to Times Radio, Vasylenko said Kyiv is still facing attacks and suffering food scarcity while people are “made to stay in basements and metro stations”.

She said:

People are actually starving without food, and drinking sewage water [in Mariupol].

In Mariupol, thousands of people are getting forcefully deported across the border to Russia apparently to safety but then they are sent off in an unknown direction and nobody hears from them again.

So the atrocities, they’re just the same all over the place.

[...]

2h ago 09:36
Ukraine said that Russia holding a referendum in occupied Ukrainian territory would have no legal basis and would face a strong response from the international community, deepening its global isolation.

The Russian-controlled Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine could hold a referendum soon on joining Russia, its local leader was quoted as saying.

“All fake referendums in the temporarily occupied territories are null and void and will have no legal validity,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement to Reuters.

“Instead, Russia will face an even stronger response from the international community, further deepening its global isolation.”

[...]

1h ago 10:10
The UK government’s top legal adviser has appointed a war crimes lawyer to advise Ukraine over the Russian invasion.

The attorney general, Suella Braverman, announced on Sunday that Sir Howard Morrison QC will act as an independent adviser to Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova, PA Media reported.

Sir Howard has served as a judge at the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the international criminal court (ICC) for more than 12 years, including overseeing cases like that of the Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadžić.

[...]

18m ago 16:01
The French foreign minister said on Sunday there would be “collective guilt” if nothing was done to help civilians in Mariupol, the Ukrainian city besieged by Russian forces.

“Mariupol is a striking example of a military siege, and military sieges are horrible wars because civil populations are massacred, annihilated. The suffering is terrible,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Doha Forum international conference.

“This is why there needs to be at least one moment when the civilian population can breathe,” he said, adding that this was what the French president Emmanuel Macron was working to secure.

Macron said on Friday he was seeking to hold more talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in coming days about the situation in Ukraine and the initiative to help people leave Mariupol.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

WARNING VERY Graphic.

March 27 2022
''Ukrainian forces have been holding Russia back from taking The Black Sea. We embed in the south of Ukraine, to see what the impact is for those living there''

Battle for the South of Ukraine

''What untruths is Russia spreading about Nazis in Ukraine? - BBC News''

 

[PommyMommy]

LVIV — The next round of face to face talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place in Turkey on March 28-30, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said on social media on Sunday.
Next round of Ukraine-Russia talks will take place in Turkey, Ukrainian negotiator says | National Post

 

[PommyMommy]

Updated Mar. 01, 2022
How U.S. Special Forces Can Fight Putin Without Starting World War III (thedailybeast.com)
''According to former U.S. Army Ranger Tom Amenta, there are advantages to having on-site, operational intelligence gathering in Ukraine that can’t be equaled by remote technologies like satellite imagery or radio signal interceptions.''

''When it comes to gathering HUMINT, one option for elite U.S. forces is the use of Special Operation Groups (SOGs). Amenta described the typical SOG as a small, covert, reconnaissance task force, often made up of intelligence agents from the NSA or CIA, paired with Special Forces soldiers like Green Berets or Delta Force commandos. In order to avoid detection, the SOGs are able to work undercover within local populations.''

Could Vladimir Putin be ousted over his Ukraine invasion? (theconversation.com)
''The defection of powerful elites, rather than civil dissent, is almost always necessary to remove an authoritarian regime. The split is essentially between “hardliners” who will defend the regime by any means, and “softliners” who have their doubts and want reform.

Reluctant to give up power
Research also shows that in personalist autocracies like Russia’s — regimes in which nearly all power lies in the hands of a single person — dictators rarely relinquish power through negotiation.

This is because such leaders are typically determined to cling to power, and only a small and tightly controlled circle of people have any influence on them.

By all accounts in Putin’s case, the pandemic has exacerbated this, and his circle is much smaller and more hardline authoritarian than it used to be.''

''The military in Russia has historically been resistant to launching coups — largely due to Communist party oversight in the U.S.S.R. and a continuation of these habits in the post-Soviet era, along with a heavy dose of infiltration by the security services.''

''The former KGB
Finally, state security services might provide the most likely source of an insider coup. Putin is a creature of these agencies, but tensions are surfacing.

Putin recently placed the head of the Federal Security Bureau’s (responsible for external intelligence) under house arrest due to bad intelligence about prospects for a quick and successful victory in Ukraine.

An elite “palace coup” is possible, particularly if several of these groups join forces to forcibly remove Putin or persuade him to step down.

These processes would take time to develop, and they may be unlikely since major cracks have not yet emerged. But if there is no coup, Russia’s path will unfortunately involve even more severe repression of its population and continuing devastation in Ukraine.''

March 20 2022
Group of Russian elite plans to assassinate Putin by poison, claims Ukraine intelligence : The Tribune India
''The goal of this group is to remove Putin from power as soon as possible and restore economic ties with the West, destroyed by the war in Ukraine.

"A part of Russia's political elite sees Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov as Putin's successor. It is Bortnikov who has recently fallen out of favour with the Russian dictator. The official reason for the FSS leader's downfall is fatal miscalculations in the war against Ukraine", Ukraine intelligence has said, Ukrayinska Pravda reported.''

''It is known that Bortnikov and some other influential members of the Russian elite are considering various options for removing Putin from power. In particular, poisoning, sudden illness, or other "accident" is not excluded, the intelligence said.''

 

[PommyMommy]

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1507970512043098114?t=q7Qks0TUiainuHXjvazzZQ&s=19
️Mayor says 20,000-30,000 residents forcibly evacuated from Mariupol to Russia, Russian-occupied areas.

About 60,000 have been evacuated to Ukraine, Mariuol Mayor Vadym Boichenko told news agency UNIAN. He said that 50% of the city’s 540,000 residents have left since Feb. 24.

https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1508097550171230217?t=3q5G6oN76hx5H41kp153mw&s=19
️ Turkey says the world ‘cannot burn bridges’ with Russia.

“If everybody burns bridges with Russia then who is going to talk to them at the end of the day,” said Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey’s presidential spokesman. However, he added that Kyiv needs more support.

 

[PommyMommy]

"Lyudmyla Denisova, Ukraine’s ombudsperson, said 402,000 people, including 84,000 children, had been taken to Russia.

The Kremlin gave nearly identical numbers for those who have been relocated, but said they wanted to go to Russia."

Moscow Has Forcibly Taken More than 400,000 Ukrainians to Russia, Ukraine Says

 

[PommyMommy]

Mar 05, 2022
The special unit hand-picked to protect Vladimir Putin from assassination | National Post

Putin's security takes precautions months before any public appearance. PHOTO BY - /SANA/AFP via Getty Images

''Bodyguards armed with kevlar umbrellas and bulletproof briefcases, body doubles at the ready and food tasters for every meal are just a few of those reportedly enlisted to protect the Russian leader from any attempts on his life.

Putin’s security team are hand-picked for their “operational psychology” and willingness to go on the offensive, according to Russia Beyond.''

''He’s protected by four squads in public. The first faction is visible and stays close to Putin, alert for any danger and willing to take a bullet for him. If they need to go on the offensive, each carries a 9mm Gurza pistol capable of shooting 40 bullets a minute.''

''A second set, dressed in plain clothes, blends in with the crowd. A third stands just outside the crowd, while the fourth are situated on rooftops with snipers at the ready.''

''IT personnel apparently place electronic jammers around his location to neutralize remote denotations and conduct electronic surveillance of cellphones in the vicinity.''

''The guards are replaced when they turn 35. In addition to being versed in politics (to understand who the president is meeting with), they must also understand foreign languages and be dressed in light overcoats even in frigid temperatures so as to move without restriction.''

March 7 2022
Could a Kremlin assassin get to Putin? | The Spectator

''Putin is protected 24/7 by one of the world’s strongest security details, who have sealed him in a closed bubble. All access to him is strictly – almost manically – controlled, in much the same way as it was for Stalin and Hitler.''

''If Putin is to be stopped, ousted, and arrested or assassinated, the authors of such an attempt will have to come from within the clique who surround him. Desperate times spawn desperate remedies, and only when the clique think that their own futures are directly imperilled by Putin’s increasingly dangerous actions are they likely to act.''

''Putin has already publicly humiliated members of his inner circle by berating them when they have raised the mildest of questions about his actions. They cannot have much affection for this supremely unlovable man. But will their growing doubts about him overcome their fears for their own futures?''

''As the options open to the kleptocrats and and former secret policemen who Putin has protected and promoted close down, and the rage of the Russian people themselves rise, the best hope for ending this crisis may well rest with bad men acting to bring down the still worse and possibly deranged dictator who is leading them and Russia into the abyss''

 

[PommyMommy]

Biden’s Putin ad-lib should focus west on what its endgame should be
At the end of what had been a largely flawless visit to Europe, during which he focused on the misery Vladimir Putin was imposing on Russia, Joe Biden closed his 27-minute speech on Saturday evening in Warsaw by conjuring up the image of a less popular US president – George W Bush – when he said: “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.”

The US president has previously called Putin a killer, a pure , a war criminal and a butcher, but he had never advocated regime change, risking turning the war for the defence of Ukraine to a familiar one of American aggression.

[...]

The press aides scrambled to undo the damage, interpreting Biden’s words not as a statement of intent, let alone presaging a plan of action, but instead a personal expression of moral revulsion. Later an official explained: “The president’s point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region. He was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia or regime change.”

[...]

At the end of a month marked by a clear single war aim – the defence of the territorial integrity of Ukraine – the position had suddenly been blurred. It was a badly needed gift to Moscow, which has hardly had a stellar information war. Skilled at playing Washington as the imperialist bully, Moscow was quick to claim that Russians – not American leaders – chose their president. The remarks also leave the many mediators in this crisis – Turkey, Qatar and China – facing a harder task in convincing Putin there is any merit in turning back now. It is all or nothing. The US president has burned his bridges with Russia and there is no point in any negotiation, Moscow will argue, whether it believes this or not.

[...]

“It discourages Putin from any compromise, essentially: if you’ve got everything to lose, it frees him up. Why should he show any restraint? And it confirms his worst fears, which is that this is what the United States seeks. His ouster and systemic change.”

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia can't just sell its oil to China: even without an EU boycott, the Russian oil industry threatens to come to a standstill

However, according to the Federal Reserve's analysis, the chance that China will be able to purchase additional Russian oil in the short term is small:

"There is little spare capacity in oil pipelines running from Russia to China. In addition, it is unclear whether China wants to invest in oil tankers to transport Russian oil. getting oil to China."

Rusland kan z'n olie niet zomaar kwijt aan China: zelfs zonder EU-boycot dreigt de Russische olie-industrie stil te vallen

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia-Ukraine war latest: Ukraine ‘prepared to discuss neutrality as part of peace deal’, with talks between sides to resume

Macron warns against 'escalation' following Biden speech

French president Emmanuel Macron has distanced himself from comments made by the US president Joe Biden about Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

In a speech in Warsaw, Poland, last night, Biden said Putin is a “butcher” and said “this man cannot remain in power”. However, the White House later clarified that the US was not calling for regime change.

Macron told broadcaster France 3: “I would not use those words.”

He added that “everything must be done to stop the situation from escalating” if there is to be any hope of stopping Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Macron also told France 3 he saw his task as “achieving first a ceasefire and then the total withdrawal of [Russian] troops by diplomatic means. If we want to do that, we can’t escalate either in words or actions.”