Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022

[Fika]

I really hope he sent his family away.

I hope so too. I didn’t see any news about where his family is. Hopefully far away from Ukraine.

 

[Amonet]

sbm

I've been wondering how Russia can attack from the south (Black Sea).
That is not their or any of their allies territory, I don't think?

Crimea/Sevastopol?

It looks like the taking of Crimea was a forerunner to this invasion of Ukraine. The setting of the stage, militarily.

They also have access from Rostov-on-Don down to Sochi.

 

[SA55]

My brother messaged me Thursday morning, asking if my husband (military) would be safe in all of this. I've been glued to the news ever since and afraid of how this is going to play out.

You and your family, as well as all of our military and families, are in my prayers
I know too well what it’s like to have a loved one deployed during active combat
The memories are too fresh and painful, I don’t think they’ll ever end

 

[dotr]

Russia-Ukraine conflict live updates: U.S. says it sees signs of Russian frustration amid fierce Ukrainian resistance (nbcnews.com)
Feb. 26, 2022, 11:37 AM EST rbbm.
''Ukrainian forces battled Saturday to keep hold of the capital city of Kyiv as the U.S. said it has indications the Russians are increasingly frustrated by their lack of progress in the northern regions amid the stiffest resistance to the unprovoked invasion yet.

''Here's what to know now:
Russian troops advanced toward Ukraine's capital early Saturday and street fighting broke out as city officials urged residents to take shelter. Smoke and flames could be seen rising over Kyiv as dawn broke, though it was not immediately clear how far the soldiers had advanced.''

''Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has refused to leave the capital despite saying he believes he is the number one target of the Russian attack. Instead he has been posting videos from the streets, urging his people to join him in defiance.''

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Please watch. This is the BBC Ukraine Correspondent, Olga, who was in the London studio just hours after this war started. Olga realised, while viewing footage live on air, that her family home had been bombed:

BBC Ukrainian journalist shown bombed family home

Just a normal woman, with a home and job and friends and family like any one of us. So heartbreaking

 

[PommyMommy]

India walks tightrope over calls for Russia's isolation | AP News
NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s decision to abstain from voting on a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that Russia cease its invasion of Ukraine does not mean support for Moscow, experts said, but reflects New Delhi’s reliance on its Cold War ally for energy, weapons and support in conflicts with neighbors.

Norway ski body says Russians not welcome to compete there | AP News
GENEVA (AP) — Russian skiers are not welcome to compete in Norway because of “violations of international law and attacks on the Ukrainian people,” the Nordic country’s ski federation said Saturday.

China is Russia's best hope to blunt sanctions, but wary | AP News
BEIJING (AP) — China is the only friend that might help Russia blunt the impact of economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but President Xi Jinping’s government is giving no sign it might be willing to risk its own access to U.S. and European markets by doing too much.

Even if Beijing wanted to, its ability to support President Vladimir Putin by importing more Russian gas and other goods is limited.

 

[PommyMommy]

Sorting fact, disinformation after Russian attack on Ukraine | AP News
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Associated Press journalists around Ukraine and beyond are documenting military activity during Russia’s invasion. With disinformation rife and social media amplifying military claims and counterclaims, determining exactly what is happening is difficult. Here’s a look at what could be confirmed Saturday.

DIRECTLY WITNESSED:

— Many checkpoints were seen on the drive into Kyiv from the east, manned by uniformed servicemen and police and sometimes backed up with men in civilian clothes, who appear to be in their late teens and are carrying automatic rifles.

— Low-flying planes that appeared to be Su-25 fighter jets have been spotted patrolling the skies over Kyiv, but it couldn’t be discerned if they were Russian or Ukrainian.

— Eerie quiet on the streets of Mariupol, an Azov Sea port city and industrial center that is seen as a key target for Russia to seize. Police are frequently patrolling the streets. Air or artillery strikes can be heard in the distance. Soldiers are guarding bridges and blocking people from the seashore area.

— Explosions heard from central Kyiv, about 800 meters (half a mile) from the president’s headquarters.

— A tall apartment building in Kyiv hit by shelling, with major damage, on the eastern side of the Dneiper River that cuts through the capital, 13 kilometers (8 miles) southeast of the government quarter.

— Shooting near a main thoroughfare leading into central Kyiv from the south.

— Ukrainian soldiers evacuating an unmarked military vehicle damaged by gunfire in Kyiv, in the Obolon district about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of the government quarter.

— Ukrainian military establishing defensive positions at bridges around Kyiv. Armored personnel carriers driving through Kyiv streets. Ukrainian authorities have placed snowplows at some spots along Kyiv roads to force traffic to slow down.

— Russian missile launcher seen on the edge of the northeastern city of Kharkiv, shelling heard in the distance.

— A bridge destroyed at Ivankiv, some 60 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Kyiv.

 

[PommyMommy]

War via TikTok: Russia's new tool for propaganda machine | AP News
[...]

In 2014, Russia flooded the internet with fake accounts pushing disinformation about its takeover of Crimea. Eight years later, experts say Russia is mounting a far more sophisticated effort as it invades Ukraine.

Armies of trolls and bots stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment. State-controlled media outlets look to divide Western audiences. Clever TikTok videos serve up Russian nationalism with a side of humor.

The effort amounts to an emerging part of Russia’s war arsenal with the shaping of opinion through orchestrated disinformation fighting alongside actual troops and weapons.

[...]

Across the internet, there’s been a rapid uptick in suspicious accounts spreading anti-Ukrainian content, according to a report from Cyabra, an Israeli tech company that works to detect disinformation.

Cyabra’s analysts tracked thousands of Facebook and Twitter accounts that had recently posted about Ukraine. Researchers saw a sudden and dramatic increase in anti-Ukrainian content in the days immediately before the invasion. On Valentine’s Day, for instance, the number of anti-Ukrainian posts created by the sample of Twitter accounts jumped by 11,000% when compared with just days earlier. Analysts believe a significant portion of the accounts are inauthentic and controlled by groups linked to the Russian government.

“When you see an 11,000% increase, you know something is going on,” said Cyabra CEO Dan Brahmy. “No one can know who is doing this behind the scenes. We can only guess.”

[...]

 

[Betty P]

My son, an IT worker, has been living and working in Berlin since last summer. He says if they invade Poland, he will come home, but otherwise, he's staying. One of his co-workers in the Ukraine was killed in the initial invasion. Apparently, his apartment was bombed.

There have been a lot of pro-Ukranian demonstrations in Berlin since the invasion.

Berlin: Big Protest Against Russia’s War in Ukraine to Take Place on Sunday

ETA: He also said they're seeing an influx of refugees in eastern Germany.

Prayers for all the people in the Ukraine.

 

[Tiff23fr]

In a video recorded on a downtown Kyiv street, Zelenskyy said he remained in the city and that the Ukrainian military would not be putting down arms.

“We aren’t going to lay down weapons. We will protect the country,” the Ukrainian president said. “Our weapon is our truth, and our truth is that it’s our land, our country, our children.”

Ukraine's capital survives the night, fierce fight continues

 

[Tiff23fr]

My son, an IT worker, has been living and working in Berlin since last summer. He says if they invade Poland, he will come home, but otherwise, he's staying. One of his co-workers in the Ukraine was killed in the initial invasion. Apparently, his apartment was bombed.

There have been a lot of pro-Ukranian demonstrations in Berlin since the invasion.

Berlin: Big Protest Against Russia’s War in Ukraine to Take Place on Sunday

ETA: He also said they're seeing an influx of refugees in eastern Germany.

Prayers for all the people in the Ukraine.

I am sorry to hear about his co-worker @Betty P . Wishing your son and all those that may be impacted by this horrific event, safety and clarity as decisions may be needed.

 

[Betty P]

I am sorry to hear about his co-worker @Betty P . Wishing your son and all those that may be impacted by this horrific event, safety and clarity as decisions may be needed.

Thanks! We're worried, but he's still safe where he is. I worry a little that he's not even close to any US military bases, but he can take off home if he needs. He's out with the demonstrators today and probably will be tomorrow. He's done a lot of that in the US, too. He stopped doing most local US protests because it became difficult to keep some protestors from getting lured into violence. The ones in Berlin have been peaceful, which he prefers.

 

[PommyMommy]

A Single Man In Ukraine Takes On A Russian Tank (rferl.org)
In an amateur video posted on social media, a man could be seen trying to climb onto a moving tank and then kneeling in front of it as local residents flocked around him, pleading with the driver to stop. The convoy of Russian tanks was passing through the town of Bakhmach in northern Ukraine on February 26, the third day of the Russian military invasion.

Lashing Out At West, Former Russian President Calls For ‘Nationalizing’ Foreign Assets, Ending Diplomacy (rferl.org)
In a long post on the Russian social-media site VK, Medvedev said “these incredible bans, of course, will not change anything” and claimed economic sanctions were imposed “out of political impotence.”

He called on Moscow to seize the assets of foreign individuals and companies in Russia and to consider “the nationalization of property belonging to entities registered in unfriendly jurisdictions,” including the United States and the European Union.

The United States and the European Union on February 24 announced the first wave of sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on exports to Russia and sanctions against several Russian banks and state companies. Further sanctions, including asset freezes targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and others in Russia’s ruling elite, are reportedly being finalized.

Medvedev said the sanctions could “become a good reason to finally reconsider all relations with the countries that impose them,” including discussion on “strategic stability.”

 

[dotr]

Ukraine's president vows to stay and defend Kyiv as residents once again shelter underground | CBC News
Feb 26, 2022 Last Updated: 1 hour ago
"The real fighting for Kyiv is ongoing," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message, accusing Russia of hitting infrastructure and civilian targets. "We will win."

''Central Kyiv appeared quiet Saturday, and skirmishes reported on the edge of the city suggested that small Russian units were trying to clear a path for the main forces. Britain's Defence Ministry said that the bulk of Russian forces were 30 kilometres from the middle of the city.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but civilians have been killed and injured during Europe's largest ground war since the Second World War.''

 

[PommyMommy]

Destroyed Russian Weapons, Smoldering Wreckage Litter Kyiv Streets (rferl.org)
Destroyed Russian military equipment and burnt-out vehicles were seen smoldering on the streets of Kyiv on February 26 as Russian forces continued their attack on the Ukrainian capital. Residents in a western district of the city said they heard huge explosions in the early hours of the morning that shattered windows of local shops and residential buildings.

Tsikhanouskaya Accuses Lukashenka Of 'Treason' Over Belarus's Role In Ukraine (rferl.org)
[...]

Although Lukashenka claims Belarusian troops have not joined in the conflict, Russia has used the territory of Belarus to launch deadly attacks on Ukraine this week, including the seizure of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Russian troops, at least some of whom were already in Belarus for hastily called military exercises earlier this month, have been allowed transit through Belarus to neighboring Ukraine. Minsk has also made the country’s fueling stations, air defense and traffic control systems, available to Moscow.

Lukashenka also said on February 24 that Belarusian troops will join in the fighting “if it is necessary for Belarus and Russia.”

[...]

 

[Angleterre]

Excerpt:
Driving the news ... Following a call with his British, EU and French counterparts, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi outlined Beijing's position on Ukraine in five points:

1. China "firmly advocates" abiding by the UN Charter and respecting the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine.
   
   
2. The security of one country cannot be strengthened at the expense of another, and Russia is justified to have concerns about five rounds of NATO expansion.
   
   
3. China believes "all parties" should exercise restraint and protect civilian life and property to prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis.
   
   
4. China supports "direct dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible," and believes Ukraine "should be a bridge between East and West, not a frontier of great power confrontation."
   
   
5. The UN Security Council should be used to "facilitate a diplomatic solution and "cool tensions rather than fuel them." China has always opposed UN resolutions that invoke Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which authorizes military and non-military steps to "restore international peace and security."

China lays out 5-point position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Is there anyway that someone can translate these 5 points that China have made into an easier way to understand what exactly it is that they are saying because unless I am just tired and my eyes aren’t working and my tired brain has slowed , it seems on the one hand that they support Russia but on the other are stating that peaceful negotiation is the way to move forward.
Please- anyone? I’m a tad confused

I think you need to be an expert in diplomatic speak to really understand it, and I am not.

1. China "firmly advocates" abiding by the UN Charter and respecting the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine.
   
   
2. The security of one country cannot be strengthened at the expense of another, and Russia is justified to have concerns about five rounds of NATO expansion.
   
   
3. China believes "all parties" should exercise restraint and protect civilian life and property to prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis.
   
   
4. China supports "direct dialogue and negotiation between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible," and believes Ukraine "should be a bridge between East and West, not a frontier of great power confrontation."
   
   
5. The UN Security Council should be used to "facilitate a diplomatic solution and "cool tensions rather than fuel them." China has always opposed UN resolutions that invoke Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which authorizes military and non-military steps to "restore international peace and security."

1. They don't sound very supportive of the war on Ukraine.
2. The Nato expansion around Russia concerns them. This could be related to US expansion in the South China Seas?
3. Seems to speak for itself.
4. This seems to correlate to the railroad passage from China, through Ukraine an to the West. I think they'd rather focus on peaceful trade than on war. War isn't good for general trade in goods from China to the West, which is China's income.
5. Hard to translate, but here China is being China...I honestly think that outside their own sphere of influence they prefer peaceful trade over war. However, they are also highly aware of some similarities between their sphere of influence and the way Russia sees its sphere of influence over the former Soviet Republics. They don't want to be called out by the UN for doing things that might be considered equivalent to things Russia does in its own sphere of influence. This could be things like Tibet, Taiwan, South China Seas, and the how do you spell 'Uigur' issues, which could in some ways be conflated to how Russia sees its Muslim populations in some of the former Soviet Republics like Chechnya.

They want to be allied to Russia, they don't want to come down hard on Russia. But they don't seem supportive of the invasion of Ukraine. I think they also have areas that border Russia, and they wouldn't want these conflicts in the nations that border them, so they can't be too supportive, yet they can't be too critical. That seems to be the line they are trying to walk.

Thank you I appreciate your kindness and time to explain

 

[Angleterre]

I can offer a perspective. I believe there may be many interpretations dependent upon the filter of the receiver of the bullets/message:

-supports Russia’s concerns of NATO expansion
-all parties should exercise restraint I feel is a message to the US and others
-a perception the UN Security Council is fueling the fire

JMO

Thank you so much

 

[Bit of hope]

Fellow Dutch here ! Born and raised in Utrecht till I was 15 then we moved to Germany. Now for many years living in Sweden. My parents moved back to Amsterdam.

Hi there sweetie. Happy to see another Duchie. What is is it with Sweden...just kind of joking.....

 

[Angleterre]

Can you start a petition somewhere?

CHANGE.ORG is one of the secure ways to petition

 

[Bit of hope]

I'm totally loosing it, cant keep up with everything posted....Have my FB friends with noncene and wrong information set straight .....the ignorance...the not knowing....but I would like to contribute this.