Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Consolidated Thread

[ShofarSoGood]

[ShofarSoGood]

[Midnight]

War in Ukraine begins as Putin launches full-scale invasion: Missiles rain down on Kharkiv and tanks roll across border from Belarus as 'hundreds' of Ukrainians die, martial law is declared and five Russian jets are shot down


Russia has invaded Ukraine with an all-out attack from north, south and east taking place simultaneously

Missiles and bombs struck targets from east to west, destroying military bases, airports and ammo dumps

Tanks and troops rolled across the border from Belarus as paratroopers landed in the east of the country with rebel forces also pushing out from the occupied Donbass region

'Hundreds' of Ukrainian troops died in early fighting, with five Russian jets and a helicopter shot out of the sky before Moscow claimed to have eliminated the country's anti-aircraft batteries

Attack came on personal order from Vladimir Putin, who announced it to the world in the midst of a UN session convened to try and avert the conflict

President Zelensky, in an address from his home, vowed 'we will defeat everyone' as he declared martial law

By CHRIS PLEASANCE and HARRIET ALEXANDER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and NICK CRAVEN IN KIEV and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW and RACHEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 20:59 EST, 23 February 2022 | UPDATED: 03:46 EST, 24 February 2022


Russia has today launched all-out war on Ukraine with simultaneous attacks coming from south, east and north, by land and by air. Missiles and bombs rained from the sky, tanks rolled across the border, troops parachuted down on eastern regions and explosions were seen across the country after Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack.



'Hundreds' of Ukrainian troops were killed in early clashes, Kiev said, as the fight came to them on all fronts at a moment's notice. Cruise missiles, guided bombs and GRAD rockets took out targets from east to west - aimed at airfields, military bases, ammo dumps, and command posts including in the capital.



Six Russian jets were shot out of the sky over the eastern Donbass region with 50 Russian troops killed, Ukraine claimed, before Moscow boasted of taking full control of the skies. Ukrainian border guards said they had come under attack by heavy artillery, tanks and troops from Russia and Belarus - as Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko threw his forces into the fight.





Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv in the east of Ukraine all reported coming under attack, but blasts were also reported in the west - in Zhytomyr and Lviv, close to the border with Poland. Extraordinary video footage showed what appeared to be a cruise missile slamming into Ivano-Frankivsk airport, also in the west. An apartment block in Kharkiv was struck, causing civilian casualties.



Meanwhile pro-Russian rebel forces pushed out from the occupied Donbass region, capturing two villages and claiming to have shot two Ukrainian jets out of the skies. The port city of Odessa, where Ukraine's main naval base is located, also came under attack - though reports of an amphibious assault looked to be false.



It came after Vladimir Putin gave an extraordinary early-morning address to the Russian nation - delivered during a UN meeting aimed at avoiding war - in which he declared a 'special military operation' to 'de-militarise' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine in what amounted to a outright declaration of war.



The Russian strongman also issued a chilling warning to any country thinking of coming to Ukraine's aid, vowing 'consequences greater than any you have faced in history'. 'I hope I have been heard,' he said.



Ukrainian President Zelensky then followed with his own address - delivered from home - in which he declared martial law and vowed to resist the Russian attack, come what may. 'Don't panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will defeat everyone. Because we are Ukraine,' he said.



But as Russian bombs fell, people's nerve broke. Images from Kiev in the early hours showed highways out of the city gridlocked as people tried to flee - though with the whole country under simultaneous attack, there was little safety to be found. Others sheltered in subways and basements as air-raid sirens wailed.



The invasion marks the most concerted attempt to up-end world order since the end of the Cold War, and risks sparking the bloodiest conflict in Europe since the end of the Second World War.



Western leaders lined up to condemn Russia's actions in the early hours, with security councils convened the world over to mount a response. Heavy sanctions are expected to follow, along with more shipments of military equipment - provided they can find a route in.



But NATO and the US have made it clear that no troops will be sent, leaving Ukraine's military - far the inferior of Russia - to hold off the assault alone. Few expect it to emerge victorious.



NATO efforts are instead expected to focus on stopping the war from spilling over into neighbouring countries. Poland, a member of the alliance, shares an extensive land border with Ukraine. The Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, NATO members - will now also fear a Russian assault.

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Two Su-24 bombers of the Ukrainian Air Force were shot down near the settlements of Smeloe and Stepovoe



This was reported by the press center of the Republican Army NM LPR.



 

[Midnight]

 

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[Midnight]

LIVE: Full scale invasion of Ukraine has begun

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Russia troops attacking CHERNOBYL could set off radiation cloud across Europe, Ukraine warns as bomb hits ship owned by NATO-member Turkey in Black Sea and Kiev sends citizens to shelters ahead of 'imminent' bombing


 
Ukrainian forces are battling Russia for control over virtually every area of the country, including Chernobyl

Government advisers voiced fears that fighting inside the exclusion zone could destroy nuclear storage facilities, creating a cloud of fallout that could potentially blanket Europe

Meanwhile NATO-member Turkey said one of its ships was hit by a 'bomb' near Odessa - underlining fears that the alliance could easily get sucked into the conflict and spark all-out war in Europe

Citizens in Kiev have been rushed to shelters, after the government warned Russia will soon bomb the city

By CHRIS PLEASANCE and HARRIET ALEXANDER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and NICK CRAVEN IN KIEV and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW and SERGEY PANASHCHUK and RACHAEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 20:59 EST, 23 February 2022 | UPDATED: 11:26 EST, 24 February 2022


Global markets tanked with Russia's ruble sliding to its lowest value ever

The price of oil shot up to over $100 per barrel

EU will freeze Russian assets, halt access to financial market and target 'Kremlin interests'

Joe Biden said the United States and its allies would impose 'severe sanctions' met with G7 counterparts

Boris Johnson called the invasion a 'catastrophe for our continent' and branded Putin a 'dictator'

China repeated calls for talks but refusing to criticize Russia's attack

Moldova declared a state of emergency

Russia suspended movement of vessels in the Azov sea, but kept its ports in the Black Sea open

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says invasion is "heavy blow" to regional peace

NATO ambassadors scheduled an emergency meeting on Thursday

UN Security Council will discuss a resolution condemning the invasion

Ukrainian troops are this afternoon fighting Russian forces for control of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, 60 miles north of the capital Kiev, amid fears the battle could damage storage facilities holding nuclear waste sparking a fallout that could blanket Europe.



Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian ministry of interior affairs, said shortly before 3pm that Russian forces entered the zone and were 'vigorously' fighting with border guards units. 'If storage facilities are destroyed, the radioactive cloud could cover Ukraine, Belarus and the EU,' he said.



Meanwhile Turkey reported that one of its ships had been hit by a 'bomb' off the coast of Odessa, where fighting is also going on. Turkey is a member of NATO, underlining fears that the war in Ukraine could quickly suck in other states and spark an all-out conflict in Europe.



Elsewhere, Kiev ordered civilians to bomb shelters amid fears Russia is about to strike the Ukrainian capital as Kiev's troops lost control of a key airfield around 15 miles away. Russian forces had attacked it with around two dozen attack helicopters earlier in the day, four of which are thought to have been shot down.





'They are going to bomb Kyiv now. Authorities told us to hide in shelters,' a source in the city told MailOnline as city authorities said a hospital had been hit, killing four people.



The Ukrainian army was this afternoon fighting in almost every region of the country, battling the Russians for control of military bases, airports, cities and ports from Kharkiv to Kiev, and Donetsk to Odessa.



It came after Vladimir Putin had personally given the order to attack around 5am, unleashing a salvo of rocket first that American intelligence officials involved more than 100 short and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles and 75 bombers that targeted military sites including barracks, warehouses and airfields in order to knock out the country's military command structure.



Russia said the strikes destroyed 74 Ukrainian military ground facilities 11 airfields, three command posts and 18 radar stations controlling Kiev's anti-aircraft batteries.



That was followed by attacks from Crimea in the south towards the city of Kherson, a northern advance from Belarus to Kiev, and an eastern advance from Belgorod towards Kharkiv where the heaviest fighting is going on.



American officials said this was merely an 'initial phase' of the attack, and that the majority of Russia's 190,000 troops at the front remained in reserve. The goal of the attack is to 'take key population centres' and 'decapitate the Ukrainian government', the official added.



US intelligence could give no estimates of the dead or injured on either side, and updates from the ground were sparse to non-existent. One Ukrainian official said 'hundreds' had been killed in early fighting, while another put the death toll at 40 Ukrainians and 50 Russians - though that information was given early and not updated.



The port cities of Mariupol and Odessa, where Ukraine's main naval bases are located, were also attacked - though Odessa appeared to remain under Ukrainian control as of Thursday afternoon. Russian tankers blockaded the Kerch Strait, leading from the Back Sea to the Sea of Azov, cutting off Mariupol.



Volodymyr Zelensky, in an address to the nation on Thursday morning, said the history of Ukraine has now changed forever and that Russia has 'embarked on a path of evil' - comparing the Russian attack to Hitler's forces in World War Two. But he vowed to fight back, saying the military has already inflicted 'serious losses' on Russia.



He called on all Ukrainian citizens willing to defend their homeland to step forward, saying guns will be issued to everyone who wants one. He also asked for civilians to give blood to help wounded troops. And he asked world leaders to impose the 'harshest sanctions possible' on Putin.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, addressing the nation at midday, said western allies are preparing a 'massive' package of sanctions against Russia and told the people of Ukraine: 'We cannot and will not just look away.' Johnson referred to Putin as a 'dictator' who would never 'subdue the national feeling of the Ukrainians'.



It came after the Russian strongman gave an extraordinary address to the Russian nation - broadcast in the early hours during a UN meeting aimed at avoiding war - in which he declared a 'special military operation' to 'de-militarise' and 'de-Nazify' Ukraine in what amounted to a outright declaration of war. The video appeared to have been pre-recorded, around the same time as Putin's Monday address recognising Donbass as independent.



Putin also issued a chilling warning to any country thinking of coming to Ukraine's aid, vowing 'consequences greater than any you have faced in history'. 'I hope I have been heard,' he said.



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[ExquisiteGerbil]

War unfolds before their eyes: Videos recorded by Ukrainians show cruise missiles flying overhead, Russian troops parachuting in and devastating explosions around them


Russia has invaded Ukraine with simultaneous attack from north, south and east

Tanks, troops rolled across Belarusian border and Russian troops parachuted in

Missiles and bombs struck targets such as military bases, airports, ammo dumps

By LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 04:06 EST, 24 February 2022 | UPDATED: 11:32 EST, 24 February 2022


Ukrainians have recorded footage of war unfolding before their eyes with cruise missiles flying overhead, Russian troops parachuting in and devastating explosions around them.



Russia today launched all-out war on Ukraine with a multi-pronged assault on the country from the north, south and east after Vladimir Putin personally gave the order for his forces to attack.



Extraordinary video showed what appeared to be a cruise missile slamming into Ivano-Frankivsk airport, also in the west. Russian troops were filmed parachuting into Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city which sits on the eastern border with Russia.





While video filmed in Odessa, in the country's southwestern corner, showed the sky light up bright white by an explosion. Similar footage from Kharkiv showed a massive explosion within the city, though it was not clear what the target was.



Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Uman and Chernihiv in the east of Ukraine all reported coming under attack, but blasts were also reported in the west - in Zhytomyr and Lviv, close to the border with Poland.

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[ExquisiteGerbil]

Puin's innocent victims: Bloodied Ukrainians stagger through rubble and weep beside slaughtered loved-ones in shocking images from Kharkiv city bombed overnight… after Vladimir declared war to 'protect civilians'

*** WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT ***

Russia today launched all-out war against Ukraine with simultaneous attacks coming from south, east, north

Missiles and bombs rained from the sky, tanks rolled across the border, troops parachuted down in the east

Comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack in extraordinary national address today

Russian Defense Ministry using precision weapons and claimed that 'there is no threat to civilian population'

Yet Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv in the east reported attacks, with blasts also reported in the west

By ISABELLA NIKOLIC and LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 05:29 EST, 24 February 2022 | UPDATED: 09:01 EST, 24 February 2022



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Heartbreaking images from Ukraine have emerged showing bloodied civilians staggering through the streets despite Russian President Vladimir Putin claiming he declared war to 'protect civilians' after ordering an all out invasion this morning.



Russia today launched simultaneous attacks from the south, east and north, by land and by air, killing at least 40 civilians by midday including a young boy in an apartment block in Kharkiv, Ukrainian authorities said.



Other civilians were also injured and some others are believed to have died in 203 attacks launched so far by Russian forces, the Ukrainian police said after tanks rolled across the border and troops parachuted down on eastern regions earlier today.





The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed it is not targeting cities or civilians and in a warped attempt to reassure Ukrainians said there 'no threat to the population' because Moscow's forces are using precision weapons.



But Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv and Chernihiv in the east of Ukraine have all reported coming under attack, with blasts also reported in the west - in Zhytomyr and Lviv, close to the border with Poland.



Pictures today showed the true face of the war with blood-covered civilians being helped to safety by emergency services following shelling and others with injuries to their heads, faces and arms being patched up by medics.



In the eastern Ukrainian town of Chuguiv, a son wept over the body of his father among the wreckage of a missile strike in a residential district. 'I told him to leave,' the man sobbed repeatedly, next to the twisted ruins of a car.



Extraordinary footage of the invasion was documented online with video of what appeared to be a cruise missile slamming into Ivano-Frankivsk airport, in the west of Ukraine. Meanwhile Kiev's main international airport was hit in the first bombing of the city since World War II and air raid sirens sounded over the capital at the break of dawn.  

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[ExquisiteGerbil]

Defiant Ukrainians answer president's call to arms as they clear out gun shops of AK-47s and ammo after he warned Putin 'we are ready for everything, we will win'


Defiant leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has imposed martial law and urged his people to stay home

Ukraine President made statement after Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Russia's neighbour

Patriots cleared out gun shops in Kiev as they prepare for potential close-quarters fighting

Rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine asked Putin for military assistance in fending off Ukrainian 'aggression'

Ukraine was placed on a war footing with state of emergency declared across the country

By JACK WRIGHT and RACHAEL BUNYAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 20:39 EST, 23 February 2022 | UPDATED: 08:38 EST, 24 February 2022


Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Comic-turned-president forced to manage internal corruption, Covid-induced recession, and Russian invasion of the ex-Soviet republic

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the nation on a live TV broadcast in Kiev, Ukraine, February 22, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the nation on a live TV broadcast in Kiev, Ukraine, February 22, 2022



Before the nation of Ukraine turned to him for guidance and strength in the face of Russian aggression, Volodymyr Zelenskyy pursued a career in comedy and starred as president in TV show Servant of the People.



Born in Kryvyi Rih, a Russian-speaking region in south-east Ukraine, in January 1978, he obtained a degree in law from Kyiv National Economic University before his turn into acting.



Zelenskyy’s candidacy for the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election was originally regarded with bemusement by pundits. But as a political outsider who vowed to tackle corruption in Ukraine, he swiftly became a frontrunner in opinion polls for the election and won the poll with 73.2 per cent of the vote in the second round, beating rival Petro Poroshenko.



As President, Zelenskyy promoted unity between the Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking parts of the country. He also oversaw the lifting of legal immunity for members of Ukraine’s parliament, as well as the country’s response to the Covid pandemic and economic recession which followed.



His critics allege that he sought to centralise his personal political power by taking power away from the Ukrainian oligarchs. His government also shut down pro-Russian media in the country, and placed main opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, who boasts of his personal ties to Putin, under house-arrest for alleged treason.



During the current crisis, Zelenskyy has appeared to blow hot and cold over the prospect of a Russian assault.



In a press conference before UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the country several weeks ago, Zelenskyy accused Western governments of creating ‘panic’ by repeatedly warning of an invasion.



Yet in a fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference last week, the Ukrainian President accused the West of ‘appeasing’ Putin.



Defiant Ukrainians have answered Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call to arms by clearing out gun shops in Kiev after the President imposed martial law following warmonger Vladimir Putin’s invasion of the country in Europe’s worst military crisis since 1945.



Patriotic Ukrainians vowed to defend their country against Russian aggression after the Kremlin began an all-out attack early on Thursday, carrying out missile strikes on infrastructure and border guards observed in cities across the north, south and east.



One reservist told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that he was ‘prepared to die’ to protect his fellow countrymen from ‘Russian occupation’, raising the prospect of brutal close-quarters street fighting that could see many civilians killed as Ukraine teeters on the edge of chaos.



At a gun shop in Kiev, a manager buying cartridges said he will use his Soviet-era weapon which he bought in 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea to protect ‘my family, my house, my country’ from ‘Putin’s guys’.



A young woman whose husband was buying a revolver told presenter Nick Robinson that she would use the gun if confronted by Russian troops, added: ‘It’s not the only weapon we’ve got, we’re just buying a new one to add to the stocks.’



The shop owner, who sells Kalashnikovs, told the broadcaster: ‘In the gun shop, we are now very busy. There are very many people who want to buy guns and there are many people who want to buy cartridges. We have cartridges, but not many, not enough. Every day, many many cartridges have been bought. We have (been really full)’.



In a video message published on Facebook after the Kremlin began its attacks, Zelenskyy said Moscow had carried out attacks across Ukraine.



Later, the President cut diplomatic ties with Russia and pleaded with Western leaders to provide large-scale defence support and to protect Ukraine’s airspace from the ‘aggressor’.



He declared: ‘Dear Ukrainian citizens, this morning President Putin announced a special military operation in Donbas. Russia conducted strikes on our military infrastructure and our border guards. There were blasts heard in many cities of Ukraine. We’re introducing martial law on the whole territory of our country.



‘A minute ago I had a conversation with President Biden. The US have already started uniting international support. Today each of you should keep calm. Stay at home if you can. We are working. The Army is working. The whole sector of defence and security is working. No panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will win over everybody because we are Ukraine.’



Major General Valeriy Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said this morning that he had received orders from the Ukrainian President to repel Russia’s invasion by inflicting ‘maximum losses’. The Ukrainian military claim to have killed ‘50 Russian occupiers’ so far today, shooting down six Russian planes in the process.



Oleksandr Danylyuk, who has served as the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council for Ukraine, dramatically declared Putin’s ambition was to ‘destroy my country’. In a chilling threat to the Russian President, he said: ‘We will bur


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Question is, who's really on it?  Does Puddingbrain have a fake Doomsday plane just as he has a fake AF1 and fake White House set?  


Doomsday Plane Takes Off from MacDill Air Force Base

By Jim Hoft

Published February 24, 2022 at 6:30am


The Doomsday plane is an unofficial denomination of a class of aircraft which is used as an Airborne Command Post in an event of nuclear war, disaster or other large scale conflicts that threaten key military and government infrastructure.



The only countries that have designed and manufactured such aircraft are the United States and the Russian Federation.



The Doomsday Plane set off from MacDill Air Force Base earlier on Wednesday.



National Airborne Operations Center doomsday plane out from MacDill AFB, FL

The only aircraft over Ukrainian air space this morning was a USAF Global Hawk drone at 54,000ft.



a USAF Global Hawk drone at 54,000ft.


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[ExquisiteGerbil]

'This is a terrible day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe': German chancellor Olaf Scholz and other world leaders unite to slam warmonger Putin after he orders invasion

World leaders expressed their condemnation after Vladimir Putin declared war against the Ukraine in an early morning address on Thursday

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called invasion a 'breach of international law'

French President Emmanuel Macron said France supports Ukraine's sovereignty

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg rebuked Russia's 'reckless and unprovoked attack'

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said bloc would introduce sanctions on Russia that 'will weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernise'

The European Union announced it was preparing further sanctions on Russia

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was 'appalled' by Putin's attack

US President Joe Biden said 'Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring;

By BRIAN STIEGLITZ FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 00:46 EST, 24 February 2022 | UPDATED: 09:33 EST, 24 February 2022



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World leaders united in condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin in the early hours of the morning after Russian forces swarmed into Ukraine.



The Russian leader told Ukrainian service members to 'lay down their arms and go home,' as tanks rolled into major cities and troops parachuted in, while the first images of the invasion showed huge blasts lighting up the sky.



One leader called the invasion 'an unjustified barbarian act', others announced sanctions to 'weaken' Russia and some were clear in blaming Russia wholly for the death and violence to come.





German Chancellor Olaf Scholz slammed the aggression not seen since World War II as an 'unjustified and flagrant breach of international law' and said Berlin would consult its partners in the G7, NATO and the EU.



'This is a terrible day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe,' he told Reuters.



The world 'will not forget this day of shame', Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. 'We will react together with our partners,' she said in a statement.



French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: 'To the Ukrainian people, to President Zelensky, this evening, I reiterate our support, our attachment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,'



'In economic and financial matters, in terms of defensive equipment, France will continue to provide its support,' he added.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: 'I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps.'



'President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively,' he added.



US President Joe Biden warned 'Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring.'



NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg denounced Russia's 'reckless and unprovoked attack' on its neighbour, warning the invasion put 'countless' lives in jeopardy.



NATO announced it will hold a virtual summit on Friday on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as the alliance announced after an emergency meeting that 'additional steps' were being taken to protect member countries.



The European Union said it will hold Russia 'accountable' for its attack on Ukraine and is preparing fresh sanctions that will deal 'massive and severe consequences' to Moscow, the bloc's chiefs said.



'President Putin is responsible for bringing war back to Europe,' European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that the EU would hold him 'accountable for that.'


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[ExquisiteGerbil]

Can Ukraine stand up to Russia? Putin has 900,000 active troops – over FOUR times as many as Kiev – along with 13,000 tanks and 74 warships


Moscow boasts an active military of around 900,000, dwarfing that of Ukraine's

By comparison, Ukraine has 196,600 - the world's 22nd largest military

Ukraine's air force and navy also pales in comparison to what Moscow controls

As ex-Soviet states, both have military hardware that still dates back to then

Ukraine in recent years has made efforts to modernise and streamline its forces

Most estimates said 150,000 Russian forces were stationed on Ukraine's border

Under Putin's orders, they have now begun a full-scale invasion of the country

By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE and REUTERS



PUBLISHED: 06:08 EST, 24 February 2022 | UPDATED: 07:54 EST, 24 February 2022


As Russia's military swarmed across the border in the early hours of Thursday morning, questions were raised about whether Ukraine could mount a resistance.



President Vladimir Putin has the world's fifth largest active military at his disposal, which dwarfs that which is currently mobilising in the defence of Ukraine.



Moscow's 900,000 active military personnel means its forces are only smaller than those commanded by China, India, the United States and North Korea.





But Russia's defence spending per-capita is less than Britain, China and the US, and the Kremlin's forces do not possess the same cutting-edge technology, with much of its hardware dating back to the Soviet eta.



Nevertheless, in terms of manpower and weapons, the arithmetic looks grim for Ukraine. Its 196,600 personnel puts its military in 22nd place, but it is not just the number of active troops that the neighbours apart.





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Putin Announces ‘Special Military Operation for De-Militarization and De-Nazification of Ukraine’

…

JOHN HAYWARD23 Feb 202213,132

3:21

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine in a surprise television announcement at roughly 6:00 a.m. Moscow time, 10:00 p.m. Eastern. The Russian dictator described the unprovoked attack as a “special military operation for the de-Militarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine.”



“I’ve made the decision to conduct a special military operation,” Putin said. “Our analysis has concluded that our confrontation with these forces [in Ukraine] was inevitable.”



“This is the red line that I have spoken of many times. They have crossed it,” he said, accusing the Ukrainians of “genocide” for attacking the two new “independent republics” he unilaterally conjured into existence on Monday.



“Russia cannot feel safe, develop, and exist with a constant threat emanating from the territory of modern Ukraine,” he said.



Putin bizarrely claimed Russia’s plans “do not include occupation of Ukrainian territory” and “we are not going to impose anything on anyone by force,” even as Russia launched missile attacks at targets across Ukraine, including its capital city of Kyiv.



“A couple of words for those who would be tempted to intervene. Russia will respond immediately and you will have consequences that you never have had before in your history,” he warned.

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Graphic Image Warning: At least 40 Ukranians and 50 Russian ‘Mercenaries’ Dead as Fighting Continues

KURT ZINDULKA24 Feb 2022176

4:36

Around 40 Ukrainian people have been killed, including civilians and one young boy, in the fighting that has ensued following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a “specialised military operation” into the former Soviet republic, reports claim.



According to Ukrainian state media at lunchtime Thursday, Russian forces have launched over 30 attacks, including from Kalibr cruise missiles, MLRS rocket launchers, aircraft, and artillery targeting “Ukrainian civilian and military infrastructure.” Ukrainian police later reported that as many as 203 attacks have been carried out through the day, Reuters reported. According to Sky News, at least 40 Ukrainian people have been killed.



In the town of Chuhuiv, Kharkiv region, a young boy was reportedly killed after an apartment building. Fifteen residents were said to be evacuated from the building after a fire broke out.



“A [] boy was killed in an explosion. Some people have been wounded. Rescuers have evacuated 15 residents from the burning building. The fire was localized at 09:50, and is currently being extinguished,” Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.

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Ukrainian President: Russian Forces Trying to Seize Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

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KRISTINA WONG24 Feb 202282

1:46

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted Thursday morning that Russian forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine.



“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. Report this to @swedishpm. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” Zelensky tweeted.



The power plant was the location of the catastrophic Chernobyl disaster in 1986, which spewed radioactive material across Europe and as far as Norway.

Zelensky’s tweet came amid a large-scale Russian military attack on multiple cities in Ukraine.



The power plant is located near the border of Ukraine and Belarus, where Russian forces were pre-staged before the attack.



The attacks began Thursday early morning after U.S. and Western diplomacy failed to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin.



Putin earlier this week declared two territories in eastern Ukraine — Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics — independent and said Moscow would send in “peacekeepers,” signaling he was soon to send troops in.


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Fmr NATO Commander Stavridis: ‘We Need to Show Putin What the Alliance Is Capable of’

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TRENT BAKER24 Feb 202268

1:58

Thursday, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis said it was time to show Russian President Vladimir Putin “what the alliance is capable of.”



Stavridis told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that out of an act of “necessity,” NATO should implement its response force of 30,000 troops “right up to the borders of the alliance.”



“If the United States and NATO want to throw everything they have at Vladimir Putin short of sending American troops into Ukraine and starting World War III, what do we do?” Host Joe Scarborough asked.



“You start by fully activating what is called the NATO Response Force,” Stavridis replied. “This is about 30,000 troops, airmen, seamen, soldiers obviously; you flood them forward to the borders of the alliance. Look, if you are waking up in Europe this morning, I hope you’re a member of NATO. You want to be inside this alliance this morning. By the way, if you are waking up in Stockholm, Sweden, or Helsinki, Finland, two very capable nations that are outside of the alliance, I would be thinking about how quickly can I get inside this alliance.”

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[shalom]

Biden Vows "US Forces Are Not Going To Fight In Ukraine" While Unveiling 'Devastating Sanctions'

BY TYLER DURDEN

THURSDAY, FEB 24, 2022 - 02:17 PM


Update(2:17pmET): Among the most important parts of Biden's speech was his vowing that US troops would not engage Russia in Ukraine - but while also reemphasizing that the United States would defend NATO soil, at a moment additional US troops are going to Germany, and as more US fighter jets deploy to allied Baltic states to protect NATO territory.



Crucially direct sanctions on Putin himself are not currently on the table, and it's now clear that disconnecting Russia from SWIFT is not part of the fresh measures as well. “Putin will be a pariah on the international stage,” Biden said, and warned that Russia's allies will be “stained by association”.



President Biden: "This aggression cannot go unanswered. If it did, the consequences for America would be much worse. America stands up to bullies. We stand up for freedom. This is who we are." pic.twitter.com/cXTN5Xltah



— CSPAN (@cspan) February 24, 2022

“When the history of this era is written, Putin’s choice to make a totally unjustifiable war on Ukraine will have left Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger,” Biden said. Some of the actions include...



BIDEN IMPOSING STRONG SANCTIONS, NEW LIMITS ON RUSSIA

BIDEN: IMPACT ON U.S., ALLIES WILL BE MINIMIZED

BIDEN: PUTIN IS THE AGRESSOR

BIDEN: RUSSIA ABILITY TO DEAL IN YENS, EUROS TO BE LIMITED *BIDEN: SANCTIONING RUSSIA BANKS

BIDEN: WILL BLOCK FOUR MAJOR RUSSIA BANKS

BIDEN: ADDING SANCTIONS ON RUSSIAN ELITES

BIDEN: WILL CUT OFF SOME OF RUSSIA IMPORTS

BIDEN SAYS ESTIMATE SANCTIONS WILL CUT OFF MORE THAN HALF OF RUSSIA'S HIGH-TECH IMPORTS

BIDEN SAYS U.S. FORCES WILL NOT FIGHT IN UKRAINE

BIDEN: AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL FORCES TO GERMANY

BIDEN: SWIFT ALWAYS AN OPTION, RIGHT NOW NO PLAN TO USE

PENTAGON ORDERS ADDITIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF ABOUT 7,000 TO EUROPE

UKRAINE HEALTH MINISTER SAYS 57 KILLED AND 169 WOUNDED TODAY

The Q&A portion with the press included this epic exchange on the US domestic impact with FOX's correspondent:

Western Allies See Kyiv Falling to Russian Forces Within Hours (7:54 p.m.)

Kyiv may fall to Russian forces tonight as Ukraine’s air defenses have been effectively eliminated, according to a senior Western intelligence official.

Russian troops are advancing toward Ukraine down both sides of the Dnieper river and look set to take the capital, the official said.

Continued + updates at link

[shalom]

US Sending More "Defensive Weapons" To Ukraine As It Braces For New Wave Of Attacks

BY TYLER DURDEN

THURSDAY, FEB 24, 2022 - 04:28 AM

Update(4:28pmET): The US and NATO are apparently doubling down: despite Ukraine seeing overwhelming Russian forced used to subdue the country (along with Belarussian troops), Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister has announced Kiev will receive "new defensive weapons" from Washington.



Simultaneously, Ukraine's defense minister says Russia is "preparing a new wave of attacks, including air strikes."

However, it appears the debate inside the administration may be continuing on the extent it wants to go in provoking Russia further.



This also as Ukraine's government is touting that its arming a local resistance made up of civilians and military veterans...

Continued at link

[shalom]

“Peace in Our Continent has been Shattered” – NATO Vows to Defend Its Entire Territory After Russian Attack on Ukraine

By Joe Hoft

Published February 24, 2022 at 9:45am


NATO vows to defend its entire territory after Russia attacks Ukraine.

The head of NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, responded to questions regarding the situation in Ukraine. The AP reported:



NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that the military alliance would defend every inch of its territory should Russia attack a member country, as he slammed Moscow for launching a brutal act of war on Ukraine.

Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on its neighbor, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling. Ukraine’s government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border and accused Moscow of unleashing a “full-scale war.”



Speaking after chairing an emergency meeting of NATO envoys, Stoltenberg said the 30-nation security alliance will continue to beef up its defenses on its eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia. He said U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO counterparts will hold an online summit on Friday.



“Russia has attacked Ukraine. This is a brutal act of war. Our thoughts are with the brave people of Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “Peace in our continent has been shattered. We now have war in Europe, on a scale and of a type we thought belong to history.”



Here is a portion of his remarks.

 link

[Honoria]

Russia Reportedly Offers Ukraine Terms of Surrender

By Joe Hoft

Published February 24, 2022 at 5:00pm


Russia is reportedly ready to negotiate with Ukraine terms of surrender.



Last night, Russian President Putin shared the following before invading Ukraine and bombing airports and other locations throughout the country.







Here is a snippet of Putin’s speech last night announcing his decision to send the Russian military into Ukraine:



Citizens of Russia, friends,


I consider it necessary today to speak again about the tragic events in Donbass and the key aspects of ensuring the security of Russia.



I will begin with what I said in my address on February 21, 2022. I spoke about our biggest concerns and worries, and about the fundamental threats which irresponsible Western politicians created for Russia consistently, rudely and unceremoniously from year to year. I am referring to the eastward expansion of NATO, which is moving its military infrastructure ever closer to the Russian border.



It is a fact that over the past 30 years we have been patiently trying to come to an agreement with the leading NATO countries regarding the principles of equal and indivisible security in Europe. In response to our proposals, we invariably faced either cynical deception and lies or attempts at pressure and blackmail, while the North Atlantic alliance continued to expand despite our protests and concerns. Its military machine is moving and, as I said, is approaching our very border.



Why is this happening? Where did this insolent manner of talking down from the height of their exceptionalism, infallibility and all-permissiveness come from? What is the explanation for this contemptuous and disdainful attitude to our interests and absolutely legitimate demands? … ”



It is clear that Putin doesn’t want NATO and its missiles in Ukraine. Newsmax is now reporting that Russia is ready to negotiate with Ukraine terms of surrender. According to Newsmax:

Continued at link