Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Consolidated Thread

[Pink Rose]

Moscow and Kyiv are 'halfway there' in key parts of their peace talks with the two sides now discussing 'nuances', Russia claims as Putin's stalled forces strike Lviv 40 miles from Poland as part of effort to bomb Ukraine into submission


Russia's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said that negotiating teams were trying to agree on ending hostilities in Ukraine and were discussing 'nuances' of security guarantees - but gave no other details on talks

Moscow is demanding that Ukraine refuse to join any military alliance or host foreign military bases on its soil in exchange for a ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops currently terrorising the now war-torn country

Lviv, a city in western Ukraine close to NATO-member Poland, was hit by Russian cruise missiles early today

Six missiles were fired from ships in the Black Sea with two hitting an aircraft repair facility and a bus garage

By CHRIS PLEASANCE and NICK FAGGE IN LVIV UKRAINE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 04:26 EDT, 18 March 2022 | UPDATED: 15:00 EDT, 18 March 2022


Moscow and Kyiv are 'halfway there' in agreeing on the issue of Ukraine's demilitarisation, and their views are most aligned on Ukraine's neutrality and giving up on joining NATO, according to Russian negotiators.



Chief negotiator for Russia Vladimir Medinsky said on Friday that negotiating teams were currently trying to agree on ending hostilities in Ukraine, and were discussing nuances of security guarantees, should Ukraine no longer attempt to join the Western military alliance.



He declined to reveal any other details of the talks.





Russia's invasion of Ukraine will have been ongoing for a month next week, with the Kremlin having experienced heavy losses in the number of their troops, military vehicles and equipment.



Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces.



On Wednesday, Ukraine rejected a Russian plan to become 'neutral' like Sweden or Austria as the warring sides try to hash out a deal to end the bloodshed in eastern Europe.



Moscow is thought to be demanding that Ukraine refuse to join any military alliance or host foreign military bases on its soil in exchange for a ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops currently terrorising the country.



But Kyiv has said any deal will need to include security guarantees underwritten by 'international partners' who would agree to come to Ukraine's defence in the event it is attacked again.



Ukraine's top negotiator Mikhailo Podolyak said the international community cannot be allowed 'to stand aside in the event of an attack on Ukraine, as they do today' should fighting restart.



The plan includes 'limits' on Ukraine's armed forces in return for Russia withdrawing from areas captured since the start of war on February 24, including along the Black Sea coast in the south, and Ukraine's northern and eastern borders.



But it is unclear what would become of Crimea - which Russia insists must be recognised as part of its territory - and Donetsk and Luhansk - which the Kremlin says should be recognised as independent.



Putin insists that the whole of Donetsk and Luhansk - known as the Donbass - should split from Ukraine, and not just the parts occupied by pro-Moscow rebel forces before fighting broke out. It is unclear if Kyiv would agree to such terms.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

The blazing homes that can be seen from SPACE: Satellite images reveal the devastation of Putin's rockets with areas obliterated to rubble after more deadly attacks with family of five feared among dead



Devastating before and after images show how residential areas in Ukraine have been reduced to rubble

Chernihiv is one of the areas worst affected with a family of five feared to be among 53 killed on Wednesday

Many residents are refusing to surrender while Russians have denied any involvement in any of the deaths

By MARC NICOL, DEFENCE EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL



PUBLISHED: 07:56 EDT, 18 March 2022 | UPDATED: 08:17 EDT, 18 March 2022


Set ablaze by Russian rockets, these homes burn so fiercely that they can be seen from space.



These remarkable satellite images were taken over Chernihiv, one of the Ukrainian cities worst affected by Vladimir Putin's onslaught.



A staggering 53 civilians, including a family of five, were thought to have died there on Wednesday, according to the regional governor.





The senseless killing in the north Ukraine city continued yesterday as a US citizen was killed by Russian artillery fire. Local officials say civilian areas have been specifically targeted by Kremlin military chiefs.



Yesterday, pictures emerged of piles of bodies lying amid the rubble of residential homes after the attacks on Chernihiv.

Continued at the link

[Midnight]

Race against time to save up to 1,300 Ukrainians – including children – trapped under ruins of bombed-out Mariupol theatre, as Chechen special forces fight house-to-house and mayor warns there is 'no city centre left' due to Russian shelling


More than 1,300 are still feared trapped in the bombed ruins of a theatre in the besieged city of Mariupol

President Volodymyr Zelensky last night vowed to continue the rescue mission after the 'outright terror'

The losses across Ukraine sparked a poignant protest in Lviv with 109 prams arranged for the child victims

By INDERDEEP BAINS FOR THE DAILY MAIL and JACK NEWMAN and CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 18:03 EDT, 18 March 2022 | UPDATED: 02:07 EDT, 19 March 2022


More than 1,300 people including women and babies are still feared trapped in the bombed ruins of a theatre in the besieged city of Mariupol as rescue efforts are hampered by constant Russian shelling.



The helpless casualties were yesterday forced to spend a third night entombed in the basement of the destroyed Drama Theatre which was hit by Vladimir Putin's forces on Wednesday.



Their prospects of survival are growing bleaker by the day, with no supplies and Russian troops firing at rescuers trying to dig through the rubble.





Last night a local MP said those inside were forced to dig from within the wreckage because rescue attempts had been thwarted by ongoing airstrikes.



But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who branded Russia's attack as 'outright terror', last night vowed to continue the rescue mission.



'Hundreds of Mariupol residents are still under the debris. Despite the shelling, despite all the difficulties, we will continue the rescue work,' he said.



Russian troops have now reached the city centre and civilians remain hiding in bunkers while fighters battle on the streets.



Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko said: 'Tanks and machine gun battles continue. There's no city centre left. There isn't a small piece of land in the city that doesn't have signs of war.'



The devastating losses across Ukraine have sparked a poignant protest in Lviv, where 109 empty prams were arranged in solemn rows to mark the number of children killed since Russia invaded.

Continued with pictures at link

[OmegaMan]

Ukraine’s foreign volunteers are being told they won’t be able to leave… it’s a ‘death warrant’

by Simone Hanna

March 17, 2022



Foreign nationals traveling to aid Ukraine’s war effort are reportedly being duped into signing indefinite service contracts. The Ukrainian Army has denied such allegations while failing to provide evidence of military contracts stating otherwise.



As the nation’s war with Russia broke out, the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine was been formed, with people from around the globe welcomed – and encouraged – to join the fight. At the beginning of March, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced to his Telegram channel that 16,000 foreigners (the number is now estimated to be 20,000) had volunteered.



Some of the volunteers are former military personnel, while others have joined with little to no combat experience. But despite wanting to join the Ukrainian army, recruits from across the West are being turned off upon their arrival at the Polish border, with many claiming they have been unable to see contracts until they arrive in Ukraine.



Those who have persisted claim to have similar, first-hand experiences with the contractual arrangements.



Contracts with the Ukrainian government allegedly state those joining will be under the “same obligations” as Ukrainian men, and that those fighting will be earning 7000 hryvnia a month (the equivalent of 237.37 dollars). Under martial law, the people who sign this contract from the ages of 18-60 will have to “remain in the Ukrainian foreign legion for the duration of war” – many feeling they are essentially signing a “death warrant”, according to eyewitness reports at The Economist.



Get On Gettr

Of those who have entered Ukraine to fight against the Russians, stories have included reports of poor vetting measures, alongside tales of violence as Ukrainian agents mistake them for Russian saboteurs. A British soldier who opened up about his experience under Ukrainian investigation spoke of guards who had “slammed” his head down, whacking him “eight or nine times” leading him to endure a concussion and heavy bleeding, The Sun reported.



Following the announcements of foreign nationals joining the Ukraine fight, Russia warned of “criminal” prosecutions. Though men joining the are technically entitled to prisoner of war status should they be captured, a Russian military spokesman recently said that foreigners aiding Ukraine will be treated as “mercenaries” and would not “enjoy the status of prisoners of war.” Russian sources further stated: “at best, they can expect to be prosecuted as criminals.”



Continued at link

[shalom]

Demoralized Russian troops reportedly shoot themselves in legs to avoid fighting

By Yaron Steinbuch

March 18, 2022 7:03am Updated

Ukrainian drone video shows Russian tank blown up




Morale is so low among invading Russian forces that soldiers have reportedly been shooting themselves in the legs to avoid fighting – using Ukrainian ammunition to make it appear they were hit by the defenders.



The Russian troops have been widely reported to be demoralized in the invasion, which has already claimed as many as 14,000 of them, according to the latest estimate from the Ukrainian government.



In a conversation between soldiers intercepted by Belarusian media outlet NEXTA, one Russian said, “They’ve been shooting at us for 14 days. We’re scared. We’re stealing food, breaking into houses. We’re killing civilians,” the US Sun reported.

Continued at link

[Pink Rose]

Nearly 800,000 people sign petition demanding Putin faces Nuremberg-style war crimes tribunal after it was backed by Gordon Brown and John Major


The petition is being signed by almost 800,000 people across every continent

Vladimir Putin has faced strong criticism from world leaders over his invasion

His forces have been accused of deliberately targeting civilians with missiles

By DARREN BOYLE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 12:43 EDT, 19 March 2022 | UPDATED: 12:49 EDT, 19 March 2022


Almost 800,000 people from across the globe have signed a petition calling on Russian president Vladimir Putin to be tried as a war criminal as a result in is invasion of Ukraine.



The petition's authors have asked world leaders to 'hold Putin and his accomplices personally accountable for their illegal invasion of Ukraine'.



The petition went live on March 14 and is being supported by people from every continent. The organisers hope that one million people will add their names to the list.


Russia has faced heavy international criticism since launching their unprovoked attack on Ukraine which as seen their military deliberately targeting civilians.



Among the targets hit by Russian missiles and artillery are hospitals and apartment complexes.

Security experts have said Russian commanders have changed tactics because their initial plans for a rapid victory have failed.



The UK's armed forces minister James Heappey, said the indiscriminate shelling of cities was 'very probably' a war crime and that Putin bore ultimate 'culpability' for the atrocities.



He said there was the potential for anyone in the chain of command to be prosecuted.

Continued at link

[maybetoday]

Russia Exploits Ukraine’s Western Flank – Target of One Bombing was NATO-Connected Training Facility in Ukraine

By Larry Johnson

Published March 19, 2022 at 8:51pm




Russian military strikes in Western Ukraine during the past week have shocked and alarmed NATO officials. The first blow came on Sunday, March 13 at Yavoriv, Ukraine. Russia hit the base with several missiles, some reportedly hypersonic. Over 200 personnel were killed, which included American and British military and intelligence personnel, and hundreds more wounded. Many suffered catastrophic wounds, such as amputations, and are in hospital. Yet, NATO and the western media have shown little interest in reporting on this disaster.


Yavoriv was an important forward base for NATO (see here). Until February (prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine), the U.S. 7th Army Training Command was operating from Yavoriv:



Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine is the name given to the mission of training, equipping, training center development and doctrinal assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces. 7th Army Training Command oversees the JMTG-U mission at the Yavoriv Combat Training Center, most recently manned by Task Force Gator, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Florida Army National Guard.

Continued at link

[Midnight]

[Midnight]

Russians Reportedly Use a Hypersonic Missile for the First Time in Ukraine (VIDEO)

By Joe Hoft

Published March 19, 2022 at 7:00pm


Bombed weapons depot located near the western Ukrainian village of Deliatyn was unofficial NATO training base - WATCH SOLDIERS RUN

Russian military strikes in Western Ukraine during the past week have shocked and alarmed NATO officials. The first blow came on Sunday, March 13 at Yavoriv, Ukraine. Russia hit the base with several missiles, some reportedly hypersonic. Over 200 personnel were killed, which included American and British military and intelligence personnel, and hundreds more wounded. Many suffered catastrophic wounds, such as amputations, and are in hospital. Yet, NATO and the western media have shown little interest in reporting on this disaster.

As you can see, this military base literally sits on the border of Poland. It was (is?) a major logistics center for receiving and distributing the weapons and ammunition sent by the United States and other NATO members. It also was the place where foreign trainers (e.g., U.S. and British principally) instructed the Ukrainians on how to use the new weapons.


Russia sent NATO an unmistakable message–“We will not allow NATO to arm or train Ukrainians in Ukraine. Anyone providing such assistance is considered a combatant and will be treated accordingly.”


In a warning to NATO, Russia fired the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ‘Dagger’ hypersonic missile in combat for the first time to engage targets in Western Ukraine, neutralising a large underground warehouse in the village of Delyatyn in Ukraine’s Ivano-Frankivsk region near the country’s border with NATO’s Poland — over which it has a been receiving the bulk of military supplies, and reportedly destroyed a huge quantities of munitions. This is the first and only known use of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.

link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Zelensky Says WWIII Assured If Negotiations With Russia Break Down

BY TYLER DURDEN

SUNDAY, MAR 20, 2022 - 12:00 PM

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he's "ready for negotiations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but that if they break down, it will lead to World War III.


"I'm ready for negotiations with him. I was ready for the last two years. And I think that without negotiations we cannot end this war," Zelensky told CNN's Fareed Zakaria.



"I think that we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, possibility of talking to Putin. But if these attempts fail, that would mean that this is a third World War."



"You cannot reverse this situation anymore. You cannot demand from Ukraine to recognize some territories as intended for conflicts, and these compromises are simply wrong."



Zelensky's comments come as Turkey claims Moscow and Kiev are close to an agreement on key points - despite the Kremlin turning to "more destructive artillery" after revealing it used hypersonic "Kinzhal" missiles at least twice on Ukrainian targets.



In a Saturday video message, Zelensky called for talks "without delay," warning that Russia would suffer "huge" losses if they don't come to the table.



"We have always insisted on negotiations. We have always offered dialogue, offered solutions for peace," he said. "And I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow. It's time to meet. Time to talk. It is time to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine."

Continued at link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Russia Confirms It Is Using Hypersonic Missiles In Ukraine

BY TYLER DURDEN

SUNDAY, MAR 20, 2022 - 09:44 AM


Russia said it fired a hypersonic aero-ballistic air-to-ground missile for the first time in the three-week invasion of Ukraine, destroying a weapons bunker in the southwestern region of the country, according to Bloomberg.



Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov told a daily briefing that the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (also known as "dagger") hypersonic missile struck an underground warehouse containing rockets and ammunition in the village of Deliatyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region on Friday.


Ukraine didn't report any Russian attack on the military facility overnight and did not immediately comment on Russia's claims. There is also no mention of explosions on social media, though hitting a "big underground" ammunition storage would be loud.



If the Kinzhal was indeed used, it would be first such use of a hypersonic missile - it travels at Mach 10 speeds (or about 7,672 mph) in an unpredictable flight path, making it near impossible for the most advanced missile defense shields to shoot down.



Here's unconfirmed footage of what could be the Kinzhal.

Continued at link

[songbird]

Russia-Ukraine War Headed for a Bloody Stalemate

BY RICK MORAN MAR 20, 2022 1:02 PM ET




The frontlines in Russia’s war against Ukraine have barely moved for more than a week. There is some indication that Russia is in the midst of a resupply mission to its troops, but the simpler explanation is that Ukraine has throttled the Russian advance in all sectors and that Putin is either going to have to direct more resources to the war or alter his objectives.



Western intelligence experts are guessing when they say Russia is suffering about 1,000 casualties a day. Ukrainian government numbers are even more shocking. While there are indications that some of the combat has been incredibly intense, Russia has probably not had 24,000 troops killed or wounded in the 24 days since the invasion.



But according to the respected Institute for the Study of War, a D.C. think tank, Russia’s failures have led to a stalemate scenario that could be vicious and bloody.



The culmination of the initial Russian campaign is creating conditions of stalemate throughout most of Ukraine. Russian forces are digging in around the periphery of Kyiv and elsewhere, attempting to consolidate political control over areas they currently occupy, resupplying and attempting to reinforce units in static positions, and generally beginning to set conditions to hold in approximately their current forward positions for an indefinite time. Maxar imagery of Russian forces digging trenches and revetments in Kyiv Oblast over the past several days supports this assessment.[1] Comments by Duma members about forcing Ukraine to surrender by exhaustion in May could reflect a revised Russian approach to ending this conflict on terms favorable to Moscow.



That’s the only way that Putin will stop fighting; when he has terms favorable to Moscow. That means tens of thousands of civilian casualties and destroyed Ukrainian cities. It also means a bloody nose — and perhaps worse — a humiliation for the Russian military.

Continued at link

[Midnight]

Ukraine rejects Russia’s demand to surrender Mariupol by Monday morning!!

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said early Monday that surrendering the eastern port city of Mariupol is not an option and demanded that Russian forces allow the safe passage of civilians.

The statement comes after Russia’s ministry of defense called on Ukraine to surrender the besieged city by 5am local time on Monday, adding that it would open humanitarian corridors for residents and troops who lay down arms.

[schwartzie]

Kiev Tells All Cities Under Siege, Including Mariupol: "There Can Be No Talk Of Any Surrender"

BY TYLER DURDEN

MONDAY, MAR 21, 2022 - 07:23 AM


"There can be no talk of any surrenders, laying down of arms. We have already informed the Russian side about this," Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said after the Russian deadline for surrender came and went Monday morning. "Instead of wasting time on eight pages of letters, just open a [humanitarian] corridor," she added, speaking of the proposed terms of surrender.



Intense bombardment has resumed in Mariupol, with a number of reports noting that Monday saw the heaviest attacks since the start of the Russian invasion nearly a month ago. As of Sunday night, Russia's military was repeating, "A terrible humanitarian catastrophe has developed. All who lay down their arms are guaranteed safe passage out of Mariupol." The Ukraine national government's firm rejection of "talk of any surrenders" appears a clear message aimed more broadly at other cities and areas under Russian siege as well, in a sign of what's to come.



The Russian military further said it would allow for safe passage of civilians eastward and westward out of Mariupol via designated humanitarian corridors starting at 10am Moscow time on Monday. Mariupol Mayor Piotr Andryushchenko had almost immediately rejected the Sunday terms of surrender offered by Moscow.



The Associated Press cites a rising civilian death toll in what was before the invasion a city of 400,000:



Multiple attempts to evacuate residents from Mariupol and other Ukrainian cities have failed or only partly succeeded, with bombardments continuing as civilians tried to flee. City officials said at least 2,300 people have died in the siege, with some buried in mass graves.



Tearful evacuees from devastated Mariupol have described how "battles took place over every street."



The city has been under siege since nearly the start of the Feb.24 Russian offensive into Ukraine, and has for weeks been without foot, water, or heat amid frigid temperatures.

Continued at link

[Pink Rose]

Russian troops 'open fire on Ukrainian protesters': One hurt after gunfire and stun grenade explosions ring out at Kherson demonstration - while Putin steps up his war of attrition by ordering navy to bombard port of Odesa


Russian troops have opened fire with guns and stun grenades on protesters in Kherson, local media reports

At least one person was hurt as video shows man bleeding heavily from the leg carried away by protesters

Civilian areas of Odesa were struck by Russian naval artillery, the first time residents have been targeted

Shopping mall in northern Kyiv was also bombed, leaving eight civilians dead amid fears of more in rubble

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE and AP



PUBLISHED: 08:29 EDT, 21 March 2022 | UPDATED: 12:05 EDT, 21 March 2022


Russian soldiers have opened fire on civilian protesters in the captured Ukrainian city of Kherson and wounded at least one person, local media has reported, as Vladimir Putin's troops stepped up their war of attrition against civilians by shelling the city of Odessa.



Footage taken in Kherson and shared by media with links to the Ukrainian military, showed one man bleeding heavily from the leg after being shot during a demonstration. Russian forces used firearms as well as stun grenades to try and disperse the protesters, the Interfax news agency reported.



It came as Vladimir Putin's warships opened fire on civilian areas in the Black Sea port city of Odesa today, marking the first time residents have been targeted. Officials said several houses were destroyed and a fire sparked, but there was no immediate word on casualties.





Missiles also rained down on the 'Retroville' shopping centre in northern Kyiv on Monday - killing eight people amid fears dozens more were buried in the rubble with emergency workers searching for them. CCTV footage from the city of Kharkiv also emerged showing a strike on a supermarket queue last week.



And in the heavily besieged city of Mariupol, more than 300 miles to the east of Odesa, officials rejected a Russian demand that fighters protecting the city surrender in return for letting an estimated 300,000 trapped civilians evacuate. Pyotr Andryushenko - an adviser to the city's mayor - said Russian promises could not be trusted and that troops defending the city were determined to fight 'down to the last man'.



Kherson has been the scene of near-daily protests since it became the first major city to fall to Russian forces early during the war. On Sunday, demonstrators managed to turn back a military convoy after blocking a road. Putin's men have been accused of firing 'warning shots' before, but until now had not opened fire directly on activists.



Ukraine says thousands of civilians have been killed by Russian forces since Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack on February 24, with his men stepping up indiscriminate shelling of cities after an initial offensive stalled. Officials in Mariupol say up to 20,000 people may have died in that city alone, but there is no accurate country-wide figure.



The UN says it has confirmed 902 civilians killed and 1,459 injured, but caveats the figure by saying it is almost certainly lower than the actual total.



Those in Odesa fear that the punishment inflicted on Mariupol may now be headed their way, as capturing the Black Sea city - Ukraine's main port - is known to be a key Russian objective. General Sir Richard Barrons, a former commander of UK Joint Forces Command, told the BBC that Odesa will be the next target if or when Mariupol falls.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

Eight dead as Russia shells Kyiv shopping mall: Devastation in Ukrainian capital as Putin's war of attrition continues and Western intelligence claim 1,000 Russian soldiers are dying a day


Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko shared pictures of another huge explosion in Ukrainian capital's shopping district

The ex-boxing champ reported several blasts, 'in particular, some houses and in one of the shopping centers'

Klitschko added that 'rescuers, medics and police are already in place' and reported 'at this time - one victim'

Kyiv said eight people had been killed amid reports there are dozens more are missing in the rubble

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and JAMES GANT FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 23:44 EDT, 20 March 2022 | UPDATED: 11:57 EDT, 21 March 2022




A huge explosion has rocked a shopping centre in Kyiv as rescuers pulled bloodied victims from the rubble as police said at least eight people had been killed amid fears dozens of others were missing.



The blast smashed the sprawling 'Retroville' mall and was so powerful it pulverised vehicles in its car park - leaving a massive crater - as well as bodies scattered in the carnage. Mayor Vitali Klitschko this morning said it was one of several bombs to be dropped on the city overnight, with others flattening homes. Offices and a gym were also hit.



Rescuers were continuing to trawl through the chaos this morning as they desperately searched for any more survivors of the latest horror attack to rock Ukraine. Shortly after the strike, mayor Vitali Klitschko declared the start of another 35-hour curfew - going from 8pm this evening until 7am on Wednesday.


Russian forces have increasingly resorted to long-range rocket strikes as their army has stalled. Heavy fighting continues to the north of Kyiv, Britain's Ministry of Defence said Monday, but advances from the north-east have been halted. Attackers in the north-west have been 'repulsed by fierce Ukrainian resistance', the ministry added.



Western intelligence now estimates that Russia is losing up to 1,000 troops per day, which would be its fastest rate of casualties since the Second World War. Desite the punishing losses, British intelligence believes that capturing Kyiv remains Russia's 'primary objective' and Putin's men are 'likely to prioritise attempting to encircle the city over the coming weeks', the ministry added.



It comes as Ukraine rejected Russian demands troops in the Black Sea port of Mariupol lay down their weapons and surrender in return for letting tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the heavily besieged city leave safely.



Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev laid out Moscow's offer late Sunday, saying Ukrainian troops and 'foreign mercenaries' who laid down their arms and raised white flags would be given safe passage.



But Mariupol rejected the demands within minutes, with Pyotr Andryushenko - an adviser to Mariupol mayor - saying Russian promises of amnesty could not be trusted and troops defending the city were determined to fight.



Elsewhere in the crisis overnight:



The British Army banned WhatsApp over fears Russia is hacking it to get operationally sensitive information;

Boris Johnson is considering a quick trip to Kyiv to show support for Ukraine's battle against Vladimir Putin;

A heart-breaking new video showing the devastation Ukraine has suffered has now emerged on social media;

Volodymyr Zelensky's government suspended 11 Ukrainian political parties due to alleged links with Russia;

Joe Biden will travel to Poland Friday to discuss the international response to Russia's brutal war in Ukraine.

Continued at link

[Pink Rose]

Mariupol 'will NOT surrender': Besieged Ukrainian city where 300,000 are trapped vows to fight to the LAST soldier and rejects Russia's demand to lay down their arms or face 'humanitarian crisis' - as those who do make it out go to 'filtration camps'


Russia has told Ukrainian forces to lay down weapons in Mariupol in exchange for safe passage out of the city Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk said no and called on Russian forces to stop 'wasting time on eight pages of letters' and 'just open the corridor'

This comes amid claims that thousands are being taken from the city and forced into labour in remote Russia

Boris Johnson has asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky what his military needs to battle invasion

The city council in the besieged city of Mariupol claimed an art school sheltering 400 people was bombed

By CHRIS PLEASANCE and ELMIRA TANATAROVA and STEPHEN WYNN-DAVIES and CHRIS MATTHEWS FOR MAILONLINE and AFP



PUBLISHED: 19:45 EDT, 20 March 2022 | UPDATED: 11:56 EDT, 21 March 2022


Ukraine has rejected Russian demands that troops in the Black Sea port Mariupol lay down their weapons and surrender in return for letting tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the heavily besieged city leave safely - saying promises of amnesty cannot be trusted and they are determined to fight 'to the last soldier'.



Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev laid out Moscow's offer late Sunday, saying Ukrainian troops and 'foreign mercenaries' who laid down their arms and raised white flags would be allowed to leave via 'humanitarian corridors'. Civilians would then be evacuated afterwards. He gave Ukraine until 5am to respond.



Daria Morozova, of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said that all of those who remained behind would face a military tribunal for 'all the crimes of the Ukrainian national battalions.' She said inspectors would be sent into the city once it had been 'completely cleansed' by Russian troops.





But Mariupol rejected the demands within minutes, with Pyotr Andryushenko - an adviser to the city's mayor - saying that Russian promises of amnesty could not be trusted and that troops defending the city were determined to fight down to the last man.



Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk called on Russia to stop 'wasting time on eight pages of letters' and open humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave the city instead of using them as bargaining chips. Mariupol has been under siege for three weeks with little access to food or water and no power, with multiple attempts to evacuate civilians failing amid claims Russia had bombed and shelled the escape routes.



She told news outlet Ukrainska Pravda: 'There can be no talk of any surrender, laying down of arms. We have already informed the Russian side about this.' Mizintsev warned of a 'humanitarian catastrophe' that will be faced by all those who remain behind after Moscow's deadline for surrender elapsed.



His offer was made just hours after a Russian missile strike hit a school sheltering some 400 people, though there was no immediate word on casualties. Last week, Russia had bombed a theatre in the city being used to shelter children - potentially trapping hundreds of people in underground bomb shelters. There is still no word on casualties from that strike either.



And it came as Ukrainian officials claimed that people are being forcibly evacuated from parts of the city under Russian control into parts of the country currently occupied by Putin's forces - or into Russia itself. 'Several thousand' people have so-far been taken, the city council claimed, before being processed through 'filtration camps' and sent to 'remote cities' in Russia where they will be obliged to stay for years and work for free.



European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday decried Russia's attack on the Ukrainian port city Mariupol as 'a massive war crime', as the bloc discussed imposing more sanctions on Moscow. '[They are] destroying everything, bombarding and killing everybody,' Borrell said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.



Russia has also kept up its bombardment of other Ukrainian cities today, hitting a shopping mall and several apartments in the capital Kyiv in the early hours - reducing the former to rubble. Bombings in the surrounded city of Sumy also hit an ammonia plant, sparking an evacuation.

Continued at link

[Pink Rose]

Putin 'deports Ukrainians to camps': Russia is accused of genocide by putting refugees in 'filtration' centres and forcibly taking them to remote Siberian towns after confiscating their phones and documents

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been accused of forcibly deporting Ukrainians from Mariupol into Russia

Mariupol's city council has claimed that Ukrainian evacuees have had their phones and documents removed

Russia on Sunday demanded Ukrainian troops lay down their arms, offered safe passage to civilians fleeing

Mariupol authorities rejected the offer within minutes, saying Russia's offers of an amnesty cannot be trusted

Offer came hours after a Russian missile strike hit a school in besieged city which was sheltering 400 people

By LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 05:38 EDT, 21 March 2022 | UPDATED: 12:15 EDT, 21 March 2022


Vladimir Putin has been accused of deporting Ukrainians to 'filtration' centres before forcibly taking them to remote Siberian towns after confiscating their phones and documents.



'Several thousand' people have so-far been taken, Mariupol city council claimed, before being processed through 'filtration camps' and sent to 'remote cities' in Russia where they will be obliged to stay for years and work for free.



EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said before he chaired a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels that 'what's happening in Mariupol is a massive war crime. Destroying everything, bombarding and killing everybody in an indiscriminate manner. This is something awful'.





Russian news agencies have reported that buses carrying hundreds of refugees from the besieged southeastern port city Mariupol had arrived in Russia in recent days. Moscow officials also said a trainload of over 280 Ukrainians were being 'rescued' from Mariupol, showing footage of them thanking Russian forces.



Mariupol mayor Vadym Boichenko likened the alleged forced deportations to transportation of prisoners by the Nazi regime during World War II. Boichenko said: 'What the occupiers are doing today is familiar to the older generation, who saw the horrific events of World War II, when the Nazis forcibly captured people. It is hard to imagine that in the 21st century people can be forcibly taken to another country.'



Mariupol is in the throes of a humanitarian emergency after being encircled by Russian troops, cut off from energy, food and water supplies and facing a relentless bombardment.



Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev late on Sunday demanded that Ukrainian troops and 'foreign mercenaries' in the Black Sea port Mariupol lay down their weapons and surrender in return for letting tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the heavily besieged city leave safely.



Mizintsev said those who laid down their arms and raised white flags would be allowed to leave via 'humanitarian corridors'. Civilians would then be evacuated afterwards. He gave Ukraine until 5am to respond.



Daria Morozova, of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, said that all of those who remained behind would face a military tribunal for 'all the crimes of the Ukrainian national battalions.' She said inspectors would be sent into the city once it had been 'completely cleansed' by Russian troops.



But Mariupol rejected the demands within minutes, with Pyotr Andryushenko - an adviser to the mayor of Mariupol - saying that Russian promises of amnesty could not be trusted and that troops defending the city were determined to fight down to the last man.

Continued at the link

[shalom]

Russia-Ukraine war: Air raids sound in almost all Ukraine regions

Ukraine rejects ultimatum to surrender Mariupol • Russians seek to encircle Kyiv • airstrike hits shopping and residential area

By REUTERS, MICHAEL STARR Published: MARCH 21, 2022 11:42

Updated: MARCH 21, 2022 22:50


Air raids sounded at the same time across Ukraine in 20 different cities on Monday afternoon.



A Russian shipped shelled Ukrainian houses in Odessa on Monday morning, according to the spokesman for the Odesa Regional Military Administration. No casualties were reported.



A Russian landing ship entered the Ukrainian port of Berdyansk on Monday, delivering ammunition and equipment to Russian forces in occupied Ukrainian territory, Interfax reported. According to Zvezda another ten vessels were delivering equipment following the initial landing.



Berdyansk is a Ukrainian city in on the coast of the Sea of Azov, west of the encircled city of Mariupol. The Orsk, an "Alligator" class landing ship, is capable of carrying significant amounts of vehicles and supplies.



“The arrival of a large landing ship in the port of Berdyansk is a truly epoch-making event that opens up opportunities for the Black Sea Fleet in logistical matters, to use the infrastructure of the port of Berdyansk in full," A Russian Black Sea Fleet officer told Zvezda. "The large landing ship of the Black Sea Fleet has arrived and is now unloading armored personnel carriers before your eyes, they will go to strengthen our grouping."



Russian forces have reportedly been suffering from logistical issues, but support from naval forces may allow them to reconnect severed supply lines.



According to a report by Pravda, the Russians mined the Black Sea and claimed that it was the Ukrainians who had done so.



Ukraine's armed forces reported on Monday that the Russians holding Zaporizhzhya are secretly organizing elections in the region.

Continued at link

[shalom]

Bennett offered Zelensky to go to Kyiv if talks with Moscow advance

Zelensky's office invited Bennett to visit as part of his ceasefire mediation efforts • Shin Bet has been preparing a security plan

By LAHAV HARKOV Published: MARCH 21, 2022 18:14

Updated: MARCH 21, 2022 21:30


Prime Minister Naftali Bennett expressed willingness to visit Kyiv if there are advances in the talks with Moscow to end the war, an Israeli diplomatic source confirmed Monday.



Zelensky’s office invited Bennett to visit as part of his ceasefire mediation efforts between Ukraine and Russia.



The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has been preparing a security plan for Bennett to visit Kyiv on short notice amid Russian attacks on Ukraine.



Bennett does not want to go only for a photo opportunity, but he will go if he thinks it can help move the sides toward ending the war, Ynet reported.



Bennett met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 5 as part of his mediation efforts.


“In recent weeks, there were some advances between [Ukraine and Russia], but the gaps in a number of fundamental topics are big,” Bennett said Monday.



The Russians are no longer trying to depose Zelensky and fully demilitarize Ukraine, while Ukraine has backed down from trying to join NATO, he said.



“We are trying to mediate together with our friends in the world, but there is a long way ahead,” Bennett said at a conference sponsored by Yediot Aharonot.



“We positioned Israel in a way that allows us continuous communications with both sides that is honest and open and can bring achievements” in the mediation, he said.



On Sunday, Zelensky harshly criticized the mediation efforts in a speech to the Knesset, but hours later, he expressed appreciation for them.



In his videoconference address to the Knesset, Zelensky compared Ukraine’s plight to the Holocaust, called for Israel to send arms to his country and to sanction Russia and criticized “mediation without choosing a side.”



“Apathy kills; calculations kill,” he said. “You can mediate between countries but not between good and evil.”



Hours later, in a video message on his Telegram channel, Zelensky said: “Of course, Israel has its interests, strategy to protect its citizens. We understand all of it.”



“The prime minister of Israel, Mr. Bennett, is trying to find a way of holding talks, and we are grateful for this,” he said. “We are grateful for his efforts so that sooner or later we will begin to have talks with Russia, possibly in Jerusalem. That’s the right place to find peace, if possible.”



Israelis should be proud of their country’s generosity to Ukraine, Bennett said Monday, defending Jerusalem’s approach.



“Israel has been stretching out its hand to aid in the crisis in Ukraine for several weeks, from the first minute, in different, varied channels,” he said. “We are managing this unfortunate crisis sensitively, generously and responsibly, while balancing the different considerations, and they are complex.”



Bennett made the remarks at a ceremony sending off the staff of an Israeli field hospital, the first such facility any country has built in Ukraine.



“Today, I want to say clearly: Israel and the Israeli public can be proud of the aid and contribution of the State of Israel to the citizens of Ukraine,” he said. “Be proud of the actions Israel has taken... there are not many countries who have done as much.”

Continued at link

[OmegaMan]

Biden regime significantly escalating conflict likelihood with Russia after decision to send “Switchblade” kamikaze drones to Ukraine

Monday, March 21, 2022 by: JD Heyes

Tags: Biden regime, drones, escalation, Homeland Security, Joe Biden, Kamikaze drone, killer drone, Kyiv, military tech, national defense, Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, War, war supplies, weapons, world war




(Natural News) The amateur ‘diplomats’ and ‘advisers’ in the Biden regime are dramatically improving the likelihood of a massively destructive war between the U.S., NATO and Russia following an incredibly stupid decision to send a particular new armament to Ukraine.



In particular, the regime has decided to provide Ukraine’s armed forces with a hunter-killer kamikaze drone known as “Switchblade,” according to reports late last week.



NBC News reported on this development:



As part of a massive military aid package announced Wednesday, the Biden administration is providing Ukraine with U.S.-made killer drones — cutting-edge guided missiles that could accurately target Russian troops from miles away — two congressional officials briefed on the matter told NBC News.



The White House referred to the weapons in a fact sheet on the aid package as “100 Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems.” NBC News reported exclusively Tuesday that this move was under consideration.



The outlet noted further that the U.S. had developed two variants of the weapon, the Switchblade 300 and the Switchblade 600, both of which have been purchased by U.S. Special Operations Command (SPECOP) from AeroVironment, the manufacturer, which is located in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. NBC News notes that the 300 model is used to target personnel with pinpoint accuracy, while the larger 600 version is used for tanks and other armored vehicles. The congressional officials who leaked the story to NBC News did not say which model is going to be provided to Ukraine — or if both versions would be.



Brighteon.TV

In December, NBC News reported on an exclusive demo of the 300 model but at the time, AeroVironment officials said the U.S. government barred them from demonstrating the capabilities of the 600 model. The network’s report at the time explained just how this weapon works and, frankly, why Russian President Vladimir Putin will see it as an escalation action that is likely to bring repercussions for Americans.



“Some experts believe the spread of the semi-autonomous weapons will change ground warfare as profoundly as the machine gun did,” NBC News noted in its December report.



“They can leapfrog traditional defenses to strike infantry troops anywhere on the battlefield, and they cost just $6,000 apiece, compared to $150,000 for the Hellfire missile typically fired by Predator or Reaper drones,” the report continued. “That capability could help save the lives of U.S. troops, but it could also put them — and Americans at home — in great danger from terrorists or nation-states that haven’t previously had access to such lethal and affordable technology.”



Shaan Shaikh, a missile expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, observed, “I think this is going to be the new IED,” or improvised explosive device. “It’s something that we can see that is going to be a problem, and we have some defenses, but not enough.”



Had Taliban and other opposing forces had such weapons in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. military could not have fought and operated as they did for decades. The Kamikazes are battery-powered and designed to loiter overhead for a decent amount of time with operators waiting for the precise moment to strike. And with the 300 model being only about 20 inches long, they are extremely difficult to detect (or defend against).



What’s more, U.S. Homeland Security officials are extremely concerned that such weapons will be deployed within the country by terrorist organizations who could literally take out elected officials, high-value infrastructure and other targets practically with impunity.

Continued at link

[OmegaMan]

Ukrainian TV host quotes Nazi war criminal in impassioned call to kill Russian children

Sunday, March 20, 2022 by: Kevin Hughes

Tags: Adolf Eichmann, Adolf Hitler, ethnic cleansing, evil, genocide, insanity, lunatics, mass murder, media, Nazi, Russia, Russo-Ukrainian War, SS, Twisted, Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, World War II


(Natural News) A Ukrainian TV host used a quote from Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann to support the genocide of Russians, including children.



Ukrainian TV presenter Fahruddin Sharafmal called for his fellow citizens to wipe out the Russian nation by killing their children, and encouraged Ukrainians to each “kill at least one Moskal” – a degrading term for Russians. (Related: Pompeo says China’s treatment of Muslims and ethnic minorities is “genocide.”)



Uncensored call for genocide on morning TV show

The video of Sharafmal’s impassioned call during a Channel 24 morning show went viral on Tuesday, March 15 – although it happened March 13 as indicated by the caption “Day 17 of Russo-Ukrainian War.”



Stating that he was getting emotional because a good friend of his had been killed, Sharafmal initiated a call for genocide by quoting the notorious Eichmann.



“I allow myself to quote Adolf Eichmann, who said that in order to destroy a nation, you must destroy, first of all, its children. Because if you kill their parents, the children will grow up and take revenge. By killing children, they will never grow up and the nation will disappear,” said Sharafmal, while a photo of Eichmann was displayed on the screen.



Eichmann was a senior SS officer who played a major role in setting up the Nazi death camps during World War II. The SS (Schutzstaffel or Protection Squads) was originally established as Adolf Hitler’s personal bodyguard unit. After escaping to Latin America, Eichmann was caught and tried in Israel in 1960 and sentenced to death for his war crimes.



Brighteon.TV

The Ukrainian government and its Western backers assert that the nation does not condone Nazism and far-right extremism. But neo-fascists have significant influence in the Ukrainian state, specifically in the security forces. And important media outlets have repeatedly helped to magnify Ukrainian neo-Nazi propaganda.



While the Geneva Convention does not allow Ukrainian soldiers to kill children, Sharafmal maintained that he is not bound by it.



“And when I get the chance to take out the Russians, I will definitely do it. Since you call me a Nazi, I adhere to the doctrine of Adolf Eichmann, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you and your children never live on this earth,” the Ukrainian TV host added.

Continued at link

[OmegaMan]

Russia deploys unknown munition in Ukraine, baffling western military experts

Monday, March 21, 2022 by: JD Heyes

Tags: ballistic missiles, casualties, decoys, fighting, Iskander-M, military tech, missiles, munitions, rockets, Russia, Russian invasion, secret weapon, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin


(Natural News) The Russian military has fired never-before-seen missiles into Ukraine that have unique capabilities as Western intelligence agencies say that Moscow’s forces have been ground to a halt by stiff resistance and are no longer making progress.



U.S. intelligence officials who detected and analyzed a barrage of missiles fired into Ukraine from Russia contain decoys that fool air-defense radars as well as heat-seeking missiles fired to bring them down, The New York Times reported this week as the war enters its fourth week.



The paper said that each device is roughly 1 foot long and shaped like a dart. They are white with orange tails, a U.S. intelligence official said. The devices are released by the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missiles that the Russian military has been firing from mobile launchers from inside their own country, according to the official, after the missile senses that it is being targeted by ground air defense systems.



“Each is packed with electronics and produces radio signals to jam or spoof enemy radars attempting to locate the Iskander-M, and contains a heat source to attract incoming missiles,” the paper noted. “The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about intelligence matters, described the devices on the condition of anonymity.”



The Times adds:



The use of the decoys may help explain why Ukrainian air-defense weapons have had difficulty intercepting Russia’s Iskander missiles.



Powered by a solid-fuel rocket motor, the Iskander can reach targets more than 200 miles away, according to U.S. government documents. Each mobile launcher can fire two Iskanders before it must be reloaded.

Continued at link

[maybetoday]

Moment Kyiv shopping mall is reduced to rubble by a Russian missile leaving at least eight dead as Putin's men step up their shelling of cities in a 'near-desperate attempt to turn the war in their favour'


Russia has released footage of a missile strike on a shopping mall in Kyiv overnight which killed eight civilians

Moscow claimed Ukraine had been hiding military vehicles at the mall, which has not been confirmed by Kyiv

Pentagon says Russia is stepping up bombardment in 'near-desperate' attempt to swing the war in its favour

Civilian areas of Odesa shelling for first time today, while Mariupol came under fresh bombardment after soldiers rejected Russia's demand that they surrender

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 13:11 EDT, 21 March 2022 | UPDATED: 20:08 EDT, 21 March 2022




This is the moment a shopping mall in Kyiv was wiped out by a Russian missile strike overnight, leaving at least eight people dead as Vladimir Putin's men step up their bombardment of Ukrainian cities.



Footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defence showed a missile slamming into the Sport Life gym outside the Retroville mall late Sunday, flattening the building and leaving the mall heavily damaged.



At least eight civilians were killed in the strike, according to Ukrainian police, with dozens more feared trapped in the rubble. It is not clear exactly what kind of missile was used, but the blast was powerful enough to blow out all the windows at the from of the mall and to flip over and incinerate vehicles in the car park.





Russia's military claimed that Ukrainian missile launchers were being stored near the mall, though there was no word from the Ukrainian military about whether its forces were present at the time of the strike.



It came as Pentagon officials said Russia is shelling Ukraine with dozens of rockets each day in a 'near-desperate' attempt to swing the tide of war in their favour and gain leverage in negotiations. British intelligence says the Russian advance in Kyiv has stalled, and is actually being repulsed in areas to the north-west.



Russia is expending 'a lot of munitions' in an effort to bomb Ukraine into submission, a senior US defence official said today, but still as 'a significant majority' of ballistic missiles and more than half of its cruise missiles available - meaning the strikes will continue for some time.

Pictures and video at link

[maybetoday]

Wagner mercenaries enter Ukraine to 'assassinate Zelensky' after Putin 'personally ordered them to take him out', claims Ukrainian intelligence


Wagner group men have been sent to Ukraine to assassinate President Zelensky

Ukraine intelligence reports said prime minister, chief of staff among the targets

Report claims mercenaries were sent 'personally' by the Russian President Putin

Latest in more than dozen attempts to assassinate Zelensky since the war began

By LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 08:52 EDT, 21 March 2022 | UPDATED: 10:07 EDT, 21 March 2022


Russian Wagner group mercenaries have travelled to Ukraine on a mission to assassinate Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelensky, intelligence reports claim.



Intelligence authorities attached to the Ministry of Defence said Russian President Vladimir Putin 'personally ordered another attack by one of his proxies', referring to the Wagner group.



'All previous attempts ended in the failure and elimination' of Wagner mercenaries at the hands of Ukrainian forces, the report added.


Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and the presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak were listed as among the other alleged assassination targets.



The Kremlin has long denied ties to the Wagner group, a 600-strong mercenary group deployed worldwide to carry out Moscow's dirty work.



Reports have long claimed the force is Putin's personal assassination squad, but are far enough removed from the Kremlin to afford the Russian president plausible deniability.



It is the latest in more than a dozen attempts by both the Wagner group and Chechen special forces to kill the Ukrainian president since Russian troops launched a savage invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Full story with pictures at link