Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022

[PommyMommy]

Ukraine defense ministry tells residents to use Molotov cocktails in Kyiv (msn.com)
Ukraine's defense ministry is telling residents to make Molotov cocktails and firebombs to help fight back in Kyiv as Russian forces close in on the capital city.



In a Facebook post, the agency warned citizens they need to be ready to fight if Russian forces get into the city, BBC reported.

Residents need to "inform us of troop movements, to make Molotov cocktails [firebombs] and neutralise the enemy."

Hundreds of people died after the first day of war between Russia and Ukraine, with intelligence saying Ukraine's resistance was much better than expected.

Ukraine has barred men ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country in order to have more people to fight in the military.

As Russian troops close in on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has intelligence that he is Russia's number one target with his family close behind.

[...]

 

[Elley Mae]

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram allowing Kremlin officials to promote war efforts on social media

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram allowing Kremlin officials to promote war efforts on social media

…

So glad I don’t participate in SM.

 

[PommyMommy]

Cyber attacks on Ukraine: The West must also protect itself - News - WDR
Hackers have been attacking targets in Ukraine for weeks. In January, for example, websites of the Ukrainian government - such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and dozens of other authorities and ministries - were hijacked. Hackers had exchanged the contents of the websites in a night action ("defacement") and left a threatening message in Russian, Ukrainian and Polish: "Be afraid!".

Just a few days before the invasion, hackers manipulated two of the country's major banks, disrupting payment transactions. But Ukraine's emergency system was also the target of hacking attacks - for hours, ambulances could no longer be coordinated. Such attacks can also claim human lives.

[...]

'Ghost of Kyiv': Lone fighter pilot credited with shooting down six Russian jets | Washington Examiner
[...]

Unconfirmed reports have gone viral on Twitter, with one video getting five million views for claiming that the fighter pilot has taken out six Russian jets since President Vladimir Putin ordered a "special military operation" in the country early Thursday morning local time.

Video footage shows what appears to be a Ukrainian MiG-29 jet flying around several cities in Ukraine. The pilot could earn the title of "fighter ace" for shooting down five or more enemy aircraft if the reports are true.

[...]

 

[StarryStarryNight]

I will first say, I am praying for peace.
Before WWII, everyone wanted peace, everyone tried to find peaceful solutions. Except Hitler…and off to war we went.
Now, everyone wants peace and are looking for peaceful solutions. Except for Putin.
My point is in these type of scenarios the narrative is always driven by the aggressor. When the aggressor has accomplished what he wants, obtained what he wants, then he will stop and talk about peace. The only other way to stop him is on the battlefield.
My hope is that a whole bunch of Stinger shoulder fired missiles are on their way to the Ukraine, a la Afghanistan vs the Soviet Army.

 

[Niner]

Happy to see you, hope you are safe and well. I've been thinking about you for days.

As safe as I can be!

These are all NATO countries and all hell will break loose if Russia sets foot in any of them.

Thoughts especially with you today @Niner. What is the general feeling in Latvia?

Thanks for your thoughts! Seems like everyone is going on with their business. I'm glad we are a NATO country!

Here's some Ukraine flags I saw around town today when I went to get some bagels.

by the President's residence.
near town down
by my library


Here's a letter I found from the previous President of Latvia - Vaira Vike Freibergs

American Latvian Forum

I met Vike Freibergs at her daughter-in-law's birthday party.

NO TO WAR protests in 53 Russian cities have started. 1,700 arrested so far. This is in St. Petersburg on 2/24/22. Yes! Let the Russian people start marching by the thousands & thousands & thousands & the tyrant will fall, gold palace & all. This change can only come from within by the Russian people themselves.
NO TO WAR!

 

[PommyMommy]

Georgia-based troops deploying amid Russian invasion of Ukraine (ajc.com)
About 3,800 soldiers based at Fort Stewart near Savannah are deploying to Europe amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine to “reassure NATO allies, deter further aggression against NATO member states and train with host-nation forces,” the U.S. military announced late Thursday.

[...]

Ukraine invasion: What to know as Russian troops sweep in | WNCT
[...]

The Ukrainian military on Friday morning reported significant fighting in the area of Ivankiv, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Kyiv, as Russian forces apparently tried to advance on the capital from the north. It said one bridge across a small river had been destroyed.

[...]

Ukraine said it lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear site after Ukrainian forces waged a fierce battle with Russian troops. A nuclear reactor at the plant 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Kyiv exploded in April 1986, sending a radioactive cloud across Europe. The damaged reactor was later covered by a protective shell.

Alyona Shevtsova, an adviser to the commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, wrote on Facebook that the staff had been “taken hostage” when Russian troops seized the facility. The White House press secretary expressed alarm, concerned that it could hamper efforts to maintain the nuclear facility.

[...]

 

[SouthAussie]

Meanwhile, back in the U.S, WE have to suffer higher oil/gas prices because of a war in Europe, and because the PTB crippled our own energy production. Something is smelly.

I don't think the US is the only one. We have been having increased petrol prices all year, and probably the year before and more. This week they had a big increase. Probably happening in lots of countries. Oil magnates, and now the attack on Ukraine and those fuel implications.

 

[shotgun09]

The New York Times
@nytimes
The U.S. met with China over three months to present intelligence showing Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine and to urge Beijing to help avert war, U.S. officials said. Chinese officials rebuffed the U.S. and shared the information with Moscow.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1497171785657331714



Can you say 'Intelligence Issue' ??????

 

[Fika]

Yesterday Swedish red cross started fundraiser for people in Ukraine. Response from Swedish people have been great. They collected over 1 milion dollars (10 milion sek) in a day! People do care, sometimes it’s easy to forget reading all bad stuff.

Röda korset: Största engagemanget sedan tsunamin

To clarify this is not asking for donation post you have to be swede/living here to send money trough swedish app. Its a post to show that people care about what is going on in Ukraine.

 

[Elley Mae]

The New York Times
@nytimes
The U.S. met with China over three months to present intelligence showing Russia’s troop buildup near Ukraine and to urge Beijing to help avert war, U.S. officials said. Chinese officials rebuffed the U.S. and shared the information with Moscow.

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1497171785657331714



Can you say 'Intelligence Issue' ??????

I could have predicted that.

Jmo

 

[PommyMommy]

Londoners gather in peaceful demonstration to show support for Ukraine | CTV News
Many who attended the demonstration were asking for peace to be restored in Ukraine.

“My mom is hiding with her sister and her daughter and my father is fighting for our freedom,” said another demonstrator. “Mostly we’re just hoping for the better.”

Several Ukrainians who participated in the demonstration said it was hard for them to talk about the current situation, as they fear for them and their family’s safety.

Thousands cross borders out of Ukraine, men told to stay and fight (alaraby.co.uk)

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, mostly women and children, crossed into Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia on Friday as Russian missiles pounded the capital Kyiv and men of fighting age were told to remain.

Many waited for hours in freezing conditions to leave Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion.

Iryna, 36, and her mother set out from Kyiv on Thursday with her two girls aged 2 and 4, before crossing into Ubla in Slovakia.

"We left my husband there, so he is still there supporting our government," she said on Friday at a hotel in the border town of Snina. "We pray for Ukraine and I hope everything will be fine," she said.

In Poland, which has the region's largest Ukrainian community of about 1 million people, authorities said wait times to cross the border ranged from 6-12 hours in some places.

At Medyka in the south of Poland, some 85 km (52 miles) from Lviv in western Ukraine, roads were packed with cars, police directing traffic, and people hugging loved ones after they arrived on the Polish side. An internet map site showed a third of the way congested with heavy traffic.

[...]

 

[dotr]

rbbm
Putin implies nuclear attack if West interferes in Ukraine. Why it's not just an empty threat | CBC News
''Asked whether Putin's use of the phrase "such consequences that you have never encountered in your history" was tantamount to threatening that Russia would use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said it was indeed understood as such.

However, he said it should be clear to Putin that NATO also has nuclear weapons.

"Yes, I think that Vladimir Putin must also understand that the Atlantic alliance is a nuclear alliance. That is all I will say about this," Le Drian said Thursday on French television TF1''

He said that Russia and the U.S. have approximately equal numbers of nuclear weapons that could strike each other. But Russia has more short-range weapons that could take out America's European allies.''

"Even the use of one of these weapons would be a world-altering event," he said

 

[PommyMommy]

‘Tell my kids I love them.’ How a N.J. man stuck at the Ukrainian border is fleeing the Russian invasion. - nj.com
[...]

The professional basketball player based in Ternopil feared for his life even before he watched Russian President Vladimir Putin announce on television a military operation against the Eastern European nation.

[...]

“He was just really panicky, saying, ‘I gotta get out of here. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s crazy,’” Marissa Jones told NJ Advance Media from her family’s home in suburban Maryland. “He actually said that to me, ‘I’m scared because I don’t know what’s going to happen, and I want to get out of here.’”

Jones then gave her a message to share with his four boys, ages 8, 5 and 2-year-old twins.

“Tell my kids I love them,” he told Marissa.

[...]

As of early Thursday afternoon, Jones was safe but still trying to cross into neighboring Romania, a member of NATO. In a series of text messages with NJ Advance Media, he said he was among more than 500 people seeking refuge at the border.

[...]

Jones wasn’t alone in his attempt to flee for safety. U.S. officials estimate 20,000 to 30,000 Americans were living in Ukraine, according to a Feb. 18 NPR report.

[...]

Jones decided to drive to the nearest airport and try to catch a flight home.

But his escape became even more chaotic when Russian forces reportedly seized control of Antonov International Airport, located in a suburb of Kyiv, cutting off the potential route.

[...]

By 8 p.m. in Ukraine — 1 p.m. Eastern — Jones told NJ Advance Media he was among hundreds of refugees in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi.

[...]

What isn’t the news showing, he was asked.

“How (Russia) is really taking over, sending bombs in certain places,” he said. “My friends and teammates are losing their foundation. And some of my teammates may have to join the war.”

[...]

 

[dotr]

'RUSSIAN WARSHIP, GO F--- YOURSELF': Kyiv to honour troops killed on Snake Island | Toronto Sun
''A Ukrainian official said 13 soldiers had been killed and he circulated an audio clip that he and media outlet Ukrainskaya Pravda said was an exchange between Ukrainian and Russian forces.''
“This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and unnecessary victims. Otherwise you will be bombed.”
“Russian warship, go yourself,” came the reply.''

 

[PommyMommy]

Mary Regan on Twitter
Many EU countries including Ireland want to “go beyond” the sanctions agreed by the EU today, @simoncoveney
says. A third EU sanctions package that includes the Swift system - “may well be passed in the next few days,” he says @rtenews

Dan Linden on Twitter
U.S. State Dept. updates #Ukraine travel advisory: "Do not travel to Ukraine due to armed conflict and COVID-19.” http://ABCNews.com


[URL='https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/departing-protocol-pope-goes-russian-embassy-over-ukraine-2519826?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter']Departing from protocol, pope goes to Russian embassy over Ukraine - CNA (channelnewsasia.com)
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis went to the Russian embassy to the Holy See on Friday (Feb 25) to relay his concern over Russia's invasion of Ukraine to Moscow's ambassador, in an unprecedented departure from diplomatic protocol.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the pope spent more than half an hour at the embassy.

"He went to express his concern over the war," Bruni said, declining to give details about the visit or the conversation.

[...][/URL]

 

[Elley Mae]

Departing from protocol, pope goes to Russian embassy over Ukraine

Departing from protocol, pope goes to Russian embassy over Ukraine

The visit by a pope to an embassy to talk to an ambassador in a time of conflict is unprecedented in living memory.

Foreign envoys are usually summoned by the Vatican's Secretary of State or meet with the pope in the Apostolic Palace.

In an interview with Reuters of Feb. 14, before the invasion, Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican, Andriy Yurash, said Kyiv would be open to a Vatican mediation of the conflict.

 

[zencompass]

Link to the Press Conference Nato Meeting Feb 25

Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government


Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government

 

[Elley Mae]

Turkey says it cannot stop returning Russian warships from accessing Black Sea

Turkey says it cannot stop returning Russian warships from accessing Black Sea

Turkey cannot stop Russian warships accessing the Black Sea via its straits, as Ukraine has requested, due to a clause in an international pact that allows vessels to return to their home base, the Turkish foreign minister said on Friday.

 

[Herat]

Putin is openly calling for the "arrest" of Ukranian President Zelensky and his family.

This is not because Zelensky is a vicious dictator, or a tyrant, or has suppressed freedoms, or stolen from the treasury, or invaded Russia.

This is essentially an open call for assassination.

This is a War Crime.

No one is foolish enough to believe the raving lunatic Putin will treat Zelensky or his family in a proper or decent manner. Putin is clearly after blood.

Putin is truly a monster

 

[zencompass]

Link to the Press Conference Nato Meeting Feb 25

Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government


Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government

The Press Conference from Nato at the link will begin in 25 minutes

Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government

Live streaming : Extraordinary virtual summit of NATO Heads of State and Government