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

Status
Not open for further replies.
  • #541
U.S. expels 12 Russian U.N. diplomats over security concerns

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The United States has expelled 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations over national security concerns, U.S. and Russian diplomats said on Monday.

The U.S. mission to the United Nations described the Russian diplomats as "intelligence operatives" who had been "engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security."

"This action has been in development for several months," said U.S. mission spokesperson Olivia Dalton.
 
  • #542
Be Prepared for a Nuclear Explosion (ready.gov)
(FEMA)

'While the potential for Russia's invasion of Ukraine to spark a world-ending nuclear conflagration has knocked the pandemic off most frontpages, federal bureaucrats seem determined to prove that they can focus on two crises at once.'
FEMA Encourages Survivors of a Nuclear Holocaust To Mask, Socially Distance

Wayne Gretzky calls for Russia to be banned from rescheduled world juniors
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nh...aanIfVp53_MNko6L-y9mW72PjZHhcB0bu1Wp44X7x_5oo
 
  • #543
Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian mercenaries ordered to kill Ukraine’s president | News | The Times

More than 400 Russian mercenaries are operating in Kyiv with orders from the Kremlin to assassinate President Zelensky and his government and prepare the ground for Moscow to take control, The Times has learnt.

The Wagner Group, a private militia run by one of President Putin’s closest allies and operating as an arm-length branch of the state, flew in mercenaries from Africa five weeks ago on a mission to decapitate Zelensky’s government in return for a handsome financial bonus.
 
  • #544
Russia used a vacuum bomb on the fifth day of its invasion of Ukraine, it has been claimed.

The bomb, also known as a thermobaric weapon or aerosol bomb, draws oxygen from the atmosphere to create a bigger and more devastating explosion.

The claim was made by Oksana Markarova – the Ukrainian ambassador to the US – who was approached by reporters after a meeting with White House lawmakers in which aid for Ukraine was discussed.

She did not reveal where the vacuum bomb was unleashed.

Ms Markarova told reporters: “They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention.


Russia used vacuum bomb during invasion, Ukrainian ambassador claims
 
  • #545
Russia used a prohibited vacuum bomb on Monday, Ukraine's ambassador to U.S. says | National Post
“They used the vacuum bomb today, which is actually prohibited by the Geneva convention,” Ambassador Oksana Markarova said after a meeting with lawmakers. “The devastation that Russia is trying to inflict on Ukraine is large.”

''A vacuum bomb uses oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, typically producing a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than that of a conventional explosive.''
 
  • #546
  • #547
Ukraine waives entry visa requirements for foreigners willing to join fight against Russia | CBC News
''Ukraine's president has signed a decree temporarily lifting the requirement for entry visas for any foreigner willing to join Ukraine's International Defence Legion and fight on Ukraine's side against invading Russian troops.

The decree by President Volodymyr Zelensky takes effect Tuesday and will remain in effect as long as martial law is in place.''

The teen famous for tracking Elon Musk's jet has a new target: Russian oligarchs
The teenager who created a Twitter account that tracks Elon Musk's private jet has turned his talents to a new subject: Russian oligarchs.

A new account, called Russian Oligarch Jets, has started tracking the whereabouts of some of Russia's wealthiest businessmen, posting when and where their aircraft takes off and lands. The automated feed posted its first tweet on Sunday after the US sanctioned several members of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle and pledged to hunt down and freeze their assets, including their yachts and mansions.
 
  • #548
  • #549
Frustrated Putin may order escalation of violence in Ukraine, U.S. officials say

Western intelligence agencies have good visibility into the Russian leader right now and are closely watching his moves for any significant behavioral changes, several current and former officials said. Four American officials said there’s no intelligence saying that he is mentally unstable, but said he has displayed a different pattern of behavior than in the past.

The U.S. has solid intelligence that Putin is frustrated and expressing unusual bursts of anger at people in his inner circle over the state of the military campaign so far and the worldwide condemnation of his actions, two current and one former U.S. officials briefed on the intelligence told NBC News.

That’s unusual, they say, because Putin, a former Russian intelligence officer, usually keeps his emotions in check.

“He is no longer the same cold-blooded, clear-eyed dictator that he was in 2008,”
former CIA Director John Brennan told NBC News.

A Western diplomat said the Russian president appeared to be increasingly insulated and misinformed.

“The main concern is the information he’s getting and how isolated he is. The isolation is a really big concern,“ the diplomat told NBC News. “We don’t believe he has a realistic understanding of what’s going on.”
 
  • #550
Overwhelming wave of Russian troops expected in Ukraine, US officials warn

From CNN's Jeremy Herb and Lauren Fox

US administration officials warned lawmakers in classified briefings Monday that a second wave of Russian troops will likely consolidate the country's positions within Ukraine and by sheer numbers be able to overcome the Ukrainian resistance, according to two people familiar with the briefings.

“That part was disheartening,” one lawmaker told CNN.
The officials also said Russia was likely to lay siege to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and predicted ugly scenes of urban warfare, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

Putin's mental state: Questions about Russian President Vladimir Putin's mental state arose during the briefings, but were not clearly answered by the administration officials, the sources said.

GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who attended the Senate briefing, confirmed Putin's mental state came up, but he declined to elaborate on what was shared.

He did say, however, that regardless of the briefing, he personally is worried about Putin’s mental state.
Live updates: Russia invades Ukraine
 
  • #551
  • #552
"NASA exploring ways to keep International Space Station in orbit without Russian help.

Last week, Russia's space chief Dmitry Rogozin raised the prospect of pulling out of the partnership in response to US sanctions"
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/

The Walt Disney Co said on Monday US time that it is pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, starting with the upcoming Pixar release, Turning Red.

Within hours, WarnerMedia said it would pause this week’s release of The Batman in Russia.

“We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation” Disney said in a statement. “In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance.”

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: live updates
 
  • #553
Explosions near Kyiv zoo, Italian stays with rescue animals in Ukraine

So much help is needed:

War in Ukraine, terrified animals in the Kiev zoo. And the kennels lack food and medicine

Three animals were killed at the Ecopark Feldman, 400 km from the capital
In the night between Saturday and Sunday, an intense fight between Ukrainians and Russians near the zoo in Kiev , in Ukraine, would have affected several animals. Three deer would have died at Ecopark Feldam , one of the most important natural parks in the country, 400 km east of the capital and kennels across Ukraine are asking for help to save the animals housed.

GT from source :
Guerra in Ucraina, animali terrorizzati nello zoo di Kiev. E nei canili mancano cibo e medicine

"At this moment it is impossible to think about moving or hiding them somewhere. But they are never left alone,the zoo is guarded by some workers who do not abandon them and who continue to take care of them in some way"



ANIMALS
War in Ukraine, also the animals under the bombs at the zoo: three dead and many injured
No heavy fighting took place near the Kiev zoo and for the moment, there are reports of some animals being sedated and taking refuge in underground galleries. Three dead animals and many injured instead in a park on the border with Russia

Elena Livia Pennacchioni
27 February 2022
War in Ukraine, also the animals under the bombs at the zoo: three dead and many injuredThe entrance to the Ecopark Feldman hit by bombs
White page, black writing in Ukrainian Cyrillic script. "Due to the declaration of martial law, the zoo is closed to visitors." Nothing else on the site of the Kiev zoological park, one of the largest in Ukraine, the scene of heavy fighting during the night just passed. Secondly, the BBC recorded 50 explosions and machine gunshots while in a video circulating on Facebook, like a fire right where the zoo is supposed to be.


The latest update on the health of people and animals arrived yesterday morning directly from Cyril Trentin, CEO of the Park, and did not report news of victims or injuries but of sedatives as needed for animals and fallout shelters for men. We know for sure instead of the death under the bombs of three royal deer and the wounding of some primates at the Ecopark Feldman, where the fourth day of bombing is underway. In a video, the surreal silence of the war was broken by the sounds of the animals and the damage to the structure.

"A natural park 500 kilometers east of Kiev, on the bloody border that divides Russia and Ukraine, outside the city of Kharkiv, another hot spot of the clashes. With four thousand animals, it is one of the structures with the largest zoological collection in Europe, hosting endangered species such as white lions, tigers, European bison, takin, chimpanzees and orangutans. “We can't say it was an accident. Around us there is only forest and a highway, they wanted to hit us even though we are not a military target, ”the zoo staff explains to Today. “The animals live in vast natural areas and we are not yet able to have a certain estimate of the damage. At this moment it is impossible to think about moving or hiding them somewhere. But they are never left alone,the zoo is guarded by some workers who do not abandon them and who continue to take care of them in some way". Even in Kiev, where instead of animals they host about two thousand, men have never abandoned them. CEO Trentin writes, in a caption that accompanies a worried selfie but determined not to give up: "Both day and night the zoo is guarded by 50 workers, animal care never stops. The war is causing them terrible stress, some have been moved to indoor stalls and underground tunnels .Veterinarians monitor their emotional state and, if necessary, provide a sedative.The staff, on the other hand, took refuge during the night in the already prepared fallout shelters, just as the supplies of energy, water and food had already been prepared for 10 days."

SBM

Guerra in Ucraina, anche gli animali sotto le bombe allo zoo: tre morti e molti feriti

ETA:

" The zoo in Poznań announced on Saturday that it is organizing a collection for animals rescued from Kiev. He asks to send donations to the given account number with the note “for the lions of Kiev”.

Russia - Ukraine war. The zoo in Poznań supports animals from Kiev. "We are not indifferent to the suffering of animals"
 
  • #554
INTERACTIVE_RefugeesDAY5-28FEB.jpg

Ukraine urges no-fly zone; Russian convoy nears Kyiv – Live news | Russia-Ukraine crisis News | Al Jazeera
''White House rejects Ukraine’s appeal, saying implementing a no-fly zone could draw US into war with Russia''

''Disney says it is suspending the release of its films in theaters in Russia after Moscow’s assault on Ukraine''

''World Taekwondo has stripped Russian President Vladimir Putin of his honorary taekwondo black belt over his country’s invasion of Ukraine.''

INTERACTIVE_RUSSIAN_INVASION_COUNTRIES_SENDING_AID-01-01.jpg
 
  • #555
Russia is using controversial 'cluster munitions' in Ukraine, humanitarian groups say

Russian military forces have used cluster munitions — a highly controversial weapon banned by many countries — against at least two civilian targets during its invasion of Ukraine, according to two international humanitarian organizations.

Seven people died and 11 were injured in the bombings attributed to Russia, which has been known to use cluster munitions in warfare, possibly as recently as two years ago in Syria.

...

Once fired, cluster munitions open in midair and rain down dozens or even hundreds of smaller submunitions, or "bomblets," over a large area the size of one or more football fields.

...
The munitions are notoriously difficult to control, striking nearby targets indiscriminately, which is why international human rights groups say they shouldn't be used anywhere near civilian populations, if at all.

(is Putin in his trial going to say they weren't banned and that's what killed children and civilians?) garrr
 
  • #556
Ottawa takes aim at Russian propaganda on Canadian TV | The Star
''OTTAWA — The Canadian government is targeting the Russian state-controlled television channel RT as experts warn that foreign propaganda outlets imperil national security and undermine democracy.''

''Allowing Russian propaganda to flow freely into Canadian homes is not a free-speech issue but one of national security, Kolga said, charging that RT has actively promoted vaccination hesitancy and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to divide Canadians.

Kolga said RT has been promoting anti-government conspiracies, including giving voice to those who want to overthrow the government. He noted that the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protesters in Ottawa highlighted the kinds of narratives shared on the network.

Kolga said governments should sanction organizations like RT and their staff, so Canadians can’t get paid for working for them. Such action, he said, would block “the ability for the crooked individual, maybe an academic, to receive payment for writing columns that attack democracy, NATO, Canada using those platforms like RT.”
 
  • #557
New
Ukraine: what we know on day six of Russia’s invasion | Ukraine | The Guardian
  • Russian forces have launched rocket attacks that killed “dozens” of civilians in Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv, and began a renewed assault on the capital Kyiv.

  • At least nine people have been killed, including three children, and 37 wounded in one day after the shelling in the Kharkiv, the city’s mayor said.

  • The international criminal court’s prosecutor has announced that he will launch an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

  • Satellite images taken on Monday show a Russian military convoy north-west of Kyiv that stretches for about 40 miles (64 km), Reuters reports.

  • Russia used a vacuum bomb on Monday in its invasion of Ukraine, according to Oksana Markarova, the Ukrainian ambassador to the US.

  • The United States has promised more sanctions against Russia and more weapons for Ukraine’s military, according to Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

  • The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported at least 406 civilian casualties, including at least 102 dead.

  • Canada will supply upgraded ammunition and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, prime minister Justin Trudeau said.

  • The Ukrainian president has called for a no-fly zone for Russian missiles, planes and helicopters following the attack on Kharkiv.

  • Volodymyr Zelenskiy also signed an official request for Ukraine to join the EU. A senior EU official said leaders may discuss the possibility of Ukrainian membership at an informal summit in March.

  • Ukraine has opened its border to foreigners willing to fight. Ukraine’s president has issued a decree temporarily lifting requirements for entry visas.

  • Fifa and Uefa have suspended Russia’s national and club teams from all international competitions until further notice.

  • The US will expel 12 members of Russia’s UN mission, accusing them of having “abused their privileges” by engaging in espionage that is harmful to national security.

  • High-level talks between Ukraine and Russia that took place on the border with Belarus on Monday morning ended without a breakthrough. Both sides agreed to keep the negotiations going and a second round of talks could take place in the coming days.
 
  • #558
Ukrainian Civilians Take On Russian Invaders With Words And Deeds (rferl.org)
Videos are emerging of extraordinary civil resistance by Ukrainians against Russian aggression in their country. A crowd in Berdyansk booed Russian troops. A female driver refused to show her documents to a Russian soldier at a checkpoint in the Sumy region, and subjected him to a bold verbal tirade. Residents of a village bordering Belarus informed their Belarusian neighbors over a loudspeaker that their troops would not be welcome in Ukraine.

*Video at the link ^^^

Conscription fears grip Russia as thousands try to claim political asylum in the US | Daily Mail Online
This is interesting. Tourist Visas are almost impossible to get from Russia to the US, but no problem to get to Belize, Cuba, Mexico.

May the odds be in your favor.
 
  • #559
Interview: Could Russia Be Taken To Court For Its War In Ukraine? (rferl.org)
Russia's large-scale military attack on Ukraine is viewed by many governments and legal scholars as a clear violation of international law.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has twisted the language of the law to defend his actions, asserting that Russia’s February 24 invasion is justified due to an unsupported claim that Kyiv is committing genocide in Ukraine's Donbas region against ethnic Russians.

Ukraine has responded by filing a suit against Russia on February 27 at the UN's highest court, rejecting Moscow's charge of genocide as absurd and asking judges to order an immediate halt to Russian military operations.

In seeking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to dismiss the Russian allegation, Kyiv is arguing that Ukraine and Russia have a dispute over the meaning of the 1948 Genocide Convention, a treaty they have both signed.

[...]
 
  • #560
https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-po...s-suspected-of-helping-invading-russians.html
The mayors of two towns in Kharkiv Region are suspected of treason for offering assistance and cooperating with invading Russian forces. Ukraine’s domestic intelligence agency, the Security Service of Ukraine, said on Telegram that the mayor of the district capital of Kupyansk in the eastern region, 40 kilometers from Russia, is suspected of surrendering the city to Moscow.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
135
Guests online
1,271
Total visitors
1,406

Forum statistics

Threads
632,356
Messages
18,625,248
Members
243,108
Latest member
enigmapoodle
Back
Top