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

[PommyMommy]

[URL='https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/mar/03/ukraine-news-russia-war-vladimir-putin-biden-latest-live-updates-kherson-kyiv-kharkiv-refugees-russian-invasion?filterKeyEvents=false&page=with:block-6220c9f38f08c1dd5f659f87#block-6220c9f38f08c1dd5f659f87']Russia-Ukraine war latest news: Macron tells Putin he is making a ‘major mistake’; Zelenskiy says defence lines holding against onslaught – live | World news | The Guardian[/URL]
40m ago 09:18

An advance team left the international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague on Thursday to start investigating possible war crimes in Ukraine, its top prosecutor told Reuters in an interview.

Their departure came hours after the prosecutor Karim Khan said he would start collecting evidence as part of a formal investigation launched after Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began on 24 February.

“Yesterday I formulated a team and today they are moving to the region,” Khan said. “It’s an advanced team, comprised of investigators, lawyers, but also those with particular experience in operational planning.”

Khan said his office would be examining possible war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide – the offences under the court’s jurisdiction – by all parties in the conflict.

[...]

23m ago 09:35

Ukraine’s parliament has approved a bill to allow the seizure of assets or property in Ukraine owned by Russia or Russian citizens due to the invasion of Ukraine.

Under the law, the government can suggest which assets to confiscate to the security council, which must then give its approval for their transfer to state ownership, Reuters reported.

10m ago 09:48

A Canadian-Israeli ice hockey player has described his harrowing escape from Ukraine, as foreign athletes in both Ukraine and Russia face life-threatening decisions over whether to stay or go.

Eliezer Sherbatov was with his team, HC Mariupol of the Ukrainian Hockey League, in the Donetsk region last week preparing for a game against Kramatorsk when a bomb exploded outside their hotel.

[...]

 

[Dontknow?]

Christopher Miller
@ChristopherJM
7m

Second round of Ukraine-Russia talks underway. Photo courtesy of Zelensky advisor.

Михайло Подоляк
@Podolyak_M
· 50m
Start talking to Russian representatives. The key issues on the agenda: 1. Immediate ceasefire 2. Armistice 3. Humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from destroyed or constantly shelled villages/cities.

https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1499396344464637969

 

[Dontknow?]

Christopher Miller Retweeted
Sylvie Kauffmann
@SylvieKauffmann

Very somber outlook from an Elysée official today after Putin called Macron. Macron concluded from their conversation that Putin wants total control of Ukraine and that "the worst is yet to come"

Christopher Miller Retweeted

Natasha Bertrand
@NatashaBertrand
49m

Putin told Emmanuel Macron that he will continue military operations in Ukraine during a 90-minute call initiated by Putin, an Élysée Palace source told reporters today. Putin told Macron he will “continue military interventions and go all the way,” the source said.

 

[PommyMommy]

NATO
‘Cold Response 22 is the largest planned exercise conducted within NATO in 2022.’

This really made me think of Arjen Kamphuis,a famous Dutch hacker,who went missing near Bodø.
Norway - Norway - Arjen Kamphuis, 47, Dutch citizen, Bodø, 20 Aug 2018 - #2

“A significant part of exercise Cold Response 22 will take place in international waters adjacent to Norwegian territory with a large maritime and air presence. The Field Training Exercise will take place between 23 March‐ 30 March. A total force of 35 000 personnel from 25 nations are taking part in the exercise. Due to the pandemic, there are ongoing changes, so this number might change until the start of the exercise.”

https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-a...to-norway-to-prepare-for-nato-arctic-exercise

 

[PommyMommy]

Captured Russian occupiers deeply regrets coming to Ukraine (subtitles)

Russian soldier takes the Ukrainian side. Phone call with mom.

"They abandoned us" - Russian soldier in Ukraine

 

[PommyMommy]

Following Turkish and Russian wars, much of Moldova was transferred to Russian control and called Bessarabia in 1812. In 1917, Bessarabia proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Moldova and united with Romania in 1918. In 1924, the USSR established the Moldovan Autonomous Oblast on the east of the Dniester River in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Shortly afterwards, the oblast’s status was altered into the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (MASSR). At the beginning of World War II, the Soviet forces occupied Bessarabia and rejoined it to the MASSR, thereby forming the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic. During World War II Moldova returned to Romania, but was handed over to the USSR in 1947. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova finally became independent on 27 August 1991.

Constitutional history of Moldova

 

[PommyMommy]

ESCAPING KYIV: WAR IN UKRAINE

CHAOS TRYING to FLEE UKRAINE

How Ukrainians run to Poland as refugees

 

[PommyMommy]

@ZekeJMiller

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Mayor of Enerhodar: Ukrainian forces battling Russian troops for control of city that has Europe's largest nuclear plant.

Large Russian convoy moving in on city of Enerhodar, a key energy hub on the Dnieper River.

 

[PommyMommy]

@RichardEngel

In a small press conference with a group of reporters in Kyiv, President Zelenskyy said he “needs” to speak to Putin, saying there is of room for compromise and discussion, but NOT about Ukraine’s survival as an independent nation.

(AP) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him .. "Sit down with me to negotiate, just not at 30 meters," he said Thursday, apparently referring to recent photos of Putin sitting at one end of an extremely long table …

“I don’t bite. What are you afraid of?” Zelenskyy said at a Thursday news conference.

Zelenskyy said it was sensible to have talks: “Any words are more important than shots.”

Live updates: Top Russian general killed in Ukraine

 

[PommyMommy]

• 
  The yacht Amore Vero is docked in the Mediterranean resort of La Ciotat, Thursday March 3, 2022. (AP. Photo/Bishr Eltoni)

March 3, 2022 10:58AM EST rbbm lengthy article.
Oligarchs' superyachts seized over Russia attack on Ukraine | CTV News
''PARIS -- France and Germany have seized two superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs, French authorities and Forbes magazine said, hitting Russia's super-rich under sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

At least five other superyachts owned by Russian billionaires are anchored or cruising in the Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation, ship tracking data showed.

The yachts arrived in the Maldives after the West imposed sanctions on Russia. Washington, the European Union and others have said they will target oligarchs who have amassed fortunes and political influence under Russian President Vladmir Putin.''

"Thanks to the French customs officers who are enforcing the European Union's sanctions against those close to the Russian government," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday after French customs seized the 88-metre "Amore Vero" (True Love).

The yacht had been about to flee, he said.

It was impounded in the French Riviera port of La Ciotat and belongs to a company whose main shareholder is Rosneft chief Igor Sechin, a close ally of Putin, the finance ministry said.

In Germany, a nearly US$600 million luxury yacht owned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov was seized in the northern port of Hamburg, Forbes reported.''

''Three more yachts owned by Russian oligarchs were seen cruising in Maldives waters on Wednesday, the data showed. They included the 88-metre Nirvana owned by Russia's richest man, Vladimir Potanin.

Most of the vessels were last seen anchored in Middle Eastern ports. A spokesperson for the Maldives government did not respond to a request for comment''

 

[PommyMommy]

Russia has drawn up plans for public executions in Ukraine as and when cities are captured by Russian troops, Bloomberg reports.

Bloomberg cites a European intelligence official as saying that Moscow has drafted strategies to break morale in order to discourage Ukrainians from fighting back as cities fall under the Kremlin’s control.

The official said Moscow plans to crack down on protest, detain opponents and potentially carry out public executions, the news agency writes.

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: Zelenskiy asks Putin for direct talks after Macron tells Russian president he is making a ‘major mistake’ – live

 

[PommyMommy]

"Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Moscow would not tolerate what he said was a military threat from Ukraine, adding, without evidence, that Russia also had information the US was worried about losing control over what he called chemical and biological laboratories in Ukraine."

Ukraine war: French warn ‘worst is to come’ after Macron call with Putin

 

[PommyMommy]

In full: Putin makes statement on Ukraine invasion

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine Crisis: Russian Ships, Fishing Boats Banned From Entering Canada (ndtv.com)
''Ottawa announced Tuesday a ban on Russian ships and fishing boats from its internal waters and ports, the latest in a string of Canadian measures levelled against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said the ban, following a similar move by Britain on Monday, would take effect later this week.
And he said he expects more countries to follow suit.
"This will have a significant economic impact on Russian boats or ships that are either owned or flagged by Russia," Alghabra told reporters in Ottawa.
"I know other countries are considering doing the same," he said.
Alghabra acknowledged that not many Russian vessels travel directly to Canada's ports, but said ships owned or flagged by Russia do transport goods from other countries to Canada's Atlantic shores.''

Most Canadians see possibility of Russian invasion escalating to global war: survey | CP24.com
March 3, 2022
''OTTAWA - A new poll suggests almost two-thirds of Canadians believe the Russian invasion of Ukraine has the potential to develop into a world war.
Just over half of those surveyed backed the idea of Canada providing military support for Ukraine against Russia as part of a joint North Atlantic Treaty Organization force.
The online survey of 1,519 Canadians and 1,004 Americans was conducted by Leger from Feb. 25 to 27, just after Moscow's attack began''

 

[PommyMommy]

The Telegraph UK has a lot of interesting reads today, some fairly stark.

There is also one about Germany balking on banning oil sanctions

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/busines...k-markets-live-news-russia-oil-gas-sanctions/

 

[PommyMommy]

Dashcam Video Captures Explosions In Street In Chernihiv, North Ukraine

Russian Anti-Invasion Protesters Detained In St. Petersburg

Ukraine tightens security around main streets of Kyiv

 

[PommyMommy]

Tanker of Russian gas diverted after Kent dockers refuse to unload it

Dockers who vowed not to unload a tanker of Russian gas that was due to arrive at a Thames Estuary port in the early hours of Friday morning have scored a victory, after the ship was diverted, the Guardian understands.

The Boris Vilkitskiy was on its way to the Isle of Grain with a consignment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Centrica, the owner of British Gas, owing to an apparent loophole on Russian-associated ships imposed by the Department for Transport.

But after dockers represented by the trade union Unison warned they would rebel against any instruction to help bring the gas onshore, the ship will no longer dock at the Kent facility.

(...)

 

[PommyMommy]

Russian, Belarusian truckers speak of fears over Ukraine war: ‘It should be ended’

[...]

“It’s not good. It should be ended because people are dying and not only soldiers,” Bikov says. “We are all people, we all have two legs, two hands, one heart.”

[...]

“Here in this queue we’re of all different nationalities, and we’re all finding common ground and communicating in a normal manner,” he says. “It should be like that in the world.”

 

[PommyMommy]

Thai fighters set to join Ukraine forces battling against Russia

''Foreign fighters have heeded President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's calls - and they're coming in from all over the world to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia. In Thailand, a group of young men is preparing for a journey west to fight against a global superpower. ''

 

[PommyMommy]

Russian firms rush to open Chinese bank accounts amid sanctions over Ukraine: report

The Moscow branch of a Chinese state bank has seen a surge in enquiries from Russian firms wanting to open new accounts, a person familiar with the matter said, as the country’s businesses struggle with international sanctions after its invasion of Ukraine.