Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Consolidated Thread

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Watch: Ukrainian 'Tank Man' Trying To Block Russian Military Convoy

BY TYLER DURDEN

SATURDAY, FEB 26, 2022 - 04:00 PM

Authored by Lorenz Duschamps via The Epoch Times,



A Ukrainian man apparently tried to block a Russian convoy of armored vehicles by stepping in front of the trucks, according to footage of the incident that has since gone viral.







The 28-second video, shared by Ukraine news agency HB, shows an unarmed man running in front of several armed vehicles advancing down a road. The encounter has drawn comparisons to the iconic “tank man” of Tiananmen Square.



“Ukrainian rushes under enemy equipment so that the occupiers do not pass,” the outlet wrote on Twitter along with the video of an unidentified man attempting to obstruct the convoy.



Українець кидається під ворожу техніку, щоб окупанти не проїхали pic.twitter.com/cZ29kknqhB



— НВ (@tweetsnv) February 25, 2022

“Tank man” refers to the man who was pictured standing in front of a line of tanks near Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989—a day after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ordered their troops to roll in tanks and open fire on civilians following weeks of protests centered in Tiananmen Square.


The CCP has never released a full account of the violence. Days after June 4, 1989, the CCP announced a death toll of about 300, most of them soldiers. However, rights groups and witnesses say thousands of people died. Unnamed sources within the CCP say at least 10,000 people were killed, according to a declassified British diplomatic cable and declassified White House documents.



It’s unclear when and where the Ukrainian man tried to block the convoy. The footage went viral on Friday with many people commenting on the man’s bravery, comparing him to the iconic image of an unidentified Chinese man standing in front of multiple tanks in Beijing.

Continued at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Russia's Military Announces Bigger "Advance In All Sectors" As Zelensky Vows Ukrainians Will Fight

BY TYLER DURDEN

SATURDAY, FEB 26, 2022 - 12:40 PM

Update (12:35 ET): There are breaking reports that in the mid-evening hours Kiev time, Russia's military has received orders to “advance in all sectors,” according to a fresh statement by Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov.



GERMANY WORKING ON WAY TO EXCLUDE RUSSIA FROM SWIFT

ADVISER TO UKRAINE'S INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE APPROACHING ZAPORIZHZHIYA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

UKRAINE'S ZELENSKIY SAYS AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY PRESIDENTS PROPSED TO ORGANISE TALKS WITH RUSSIA

GERMANY TO SEND UKRAINE STINGER MISSILES, ANTI-TANK WEAPONS

Western correspondents on the ground have also observed the additional mustering of tank and armored units now continuing to pour across the border into Ukraine. So far a major aerial and ground assault on Kiev appears to have been paused as there was some level of back-and-forth and confusion over possible ceasefire or "surrender" negotiations.



Frederik Pleitgen @fpleitgencnn reports from Russia-Ukraine border that Russia is moving a lot more heavy equipment across the border into Ukraine today than they have in the past couple of days pic.twitter.com/Iu1MZeY1Tg



— Steve Lookner (@lookner) February 26, 2022

Serious gun battle reportedly ongoing on Kyiv's left bank (on opposite side of river from main city) pic.twitter.com/sYRi5QoGOq



— Mike Eckel (mike_Eckel) February 26, 2022

Of the contradictory signals coming out of the earlier possible 'opening' of negotiations which never happened, it was stated...



“[On Friday], after the Kyiv regime declared its readiness for negotiations, active hostilities in the main directions of the operation were suspended,” Ministry of Defence spokesperson Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said in a statement on Saturday. “After the Ukrainian side abandoned the negotiation process, today all units were ordered to continue their offensive in all directions in accordance with the operation plan.”



"A Ukrainian presidential adviser denied in the early hours Saturday that Ukraine had refused to negotiate," CNN noted. Meanwhile more Western allies of Ukraine have stepped up with further pledges to arm Kiev.



#Ukrainian soldier celebrating his kill on a #Russian tank, using a British donated NLAW. pic.twitter.com/ZAUjlXoWYF



— Belt_fed (@not_a_pog) February 26, 2022

Bloomberg describes of the latest European countries to make pledges... "Promises of aid for Ukraine poured in. U.S. President Joe Biden authorized the State Department to provide $600 million in immediate aid to Ukraine, including $350 million in military funding."



.@secblinken has authorized the @deptofdefense to immediately provide Ukraine with further defensive support, including anti-tank and air defense capabilities. #UnitedWithUkraine t.co/m3njzFiRh8



— Ned Price (@statedeptspox) February 26, 2022

The report continues, "The Netherlands will send 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles as soon as possible, in addition to other military aid approved earlier this month. The Czech Republic will send machine guns, sniper rifles, handguns and ammunition on top of 4,000 artillery shells already agreed. Belgium is dispatching fuel and 2,000 small arms, while Slovakia -- which shares a border with Ukraine -- is sending shells and fuel."

Continued with updates at link

[Pink Rose]

Why Putin's '£15BILLION-a-day' invasion ISN'T going to plan: MI6 chief warns war is 'unwinnable' and ex-defence chief says Russia will run out of cash and arms if Kyiv holds out for 10 days as Moscow send in superweapons after Ukraine OBLITERATED convoy


Vladimir Putin's invasion with Ukraine is not going to plan due to Kremlin 'overconfidence' about war aims

MI6 chief endorsed an article on Saturday saying Russia's war is 'unwinnable' because of Ukraine's resilience

Ukrainian intelligence has claimed that Russia is running out of money, weapons and resources fast

If Kyiv can hold off the Russian advance on Kyiv for 10 days, the Kremlin may have to enter negotiations

Dramatic video shows a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in southern Ukraine

Two Russian military transport planes 'carrying paratroopers', a fighter jet and helicopter were downed

By JACK WRIGHT and CHRIS JEWERS and WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 07:25 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 18:59 EST, 26 February 2022




The head of Britain's MI6 Secret Intelligence Service has said he believes Russia's war in Ukraine will prove 'unwinnable' because President Vladimir Putin will never attain political victory over the country's people.



Richard Moore, the chief of MI6, wrote how a report suggesting Putin's forces will ultimately fail in Ukraine because it underestimated its neighbour's military strength and fierce determination 'makes sense to me'.



The article Moore, 58, was reacting to was penned by Lawrence Freedman, the Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London.





In the article titled 'A Reckless Gamble', Professor Freedman said Putin had 'become obsessed with Ukraine, and prone to outrageous theories which appear as pretexts for war but may also reflect his views.'



He wrote that victory for Moscow does not come in the form of a successful invasion that overthrows Ukraine's government, but with winning over the people of Ukraine.



This, the professor writes, is something Russia does not have the strength for.



UKRAINE WAR: LATEST

Vladimir Putin urges Ukrainian military to overthrow the country's leadership and negotiate peace;

Ukraine and Russia discuss a place and time for talks;

Russia vetoes draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine - China abstained;

Zelensky has asked UN to strip Russia of its security council vote;

President Joe Biden instructs the U.S. State Department to release $350 million in military aid to Ukraine;

In a significant shift in policy, Germany will let the Dutch ship 400 German-made anti-tank weapons to Ukraine;

Czech Republic is also sending weapons valued at around £6.4 million to Ukraine;

Canada, the US, Britain and the European Union said they could act to exclude Russia from the SWIFT global interbank payments system;

Ukraine said more than 1,000 Russian soldiers had been killed - Russia did not release casualty figures;

SWIFT exclusion appeared to gain support from Cyrpus, Hungary and Italy on Saturday as well. Reports also suggested Germany was considering backing the measure;

Ukraine said more than 1,000 Russian soldiers had been killed - Russia did not release casualty figures;

NATO allies will provide more weapons to Ukraine and deploy more forces to the eastern part of the alliance;

NATO alliance is deploying its rapid response force for the first time ever to bolster its eastern flank;

The conflict could drive up to five million people abroad;

An estimated 120,000 people have fled across borders so far;

Poland PM calls for harsher sanctions on Russia, including exclusion from SWIFT and shutting down Nord Steam 1.

'Even if the government loses control of the capital and is forced to flee, and the command systems for Ukrainian forces start to break down, that does not mean that Russia has won the war,' he wrote.



In an unusual move for the chief of MI6, Moore shared the article with his over 130,000 Twitter followers, writing: 'Fascinating. Makes sense to me.'



In a rebuke of Putin's human rights record, Moore also wrote around the same time in a separate tweet: 'With the tragedy and destruction unfolding so distressingly in Ukraine, we should remember the values and hard-won freedoms that distinguish us from Putin, none more than LGBT+ rights.'



Moore's endorsement of the article came as other intelligence sources claimed Putin's war with Ukraine is not going to plan due to Kremlin 'overconfidence', poor tactical planning, and 'shock' at the fierce resistance put up by brave Ukrainians fighting for their nation's survival.



Dramatic video on Saturday showed a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in the south of the country on the third day of fighting after Ukraine's army held control of Kyiv and last night successfully repelled Russian advances on the capital.



In addition to the video of the destroyed convoy, another video purportedly showed the destruction of a 20-vehicle Russia military column in Kharkiv.



Images of the carnage is the snow - from which it is suspected there were no survivors - appear to show Putin's invasion suffering brutal losses.



Kyiv's defence ministry has so far put Russia's losses at around 2,800 troops, 80 tanks, 516 armoured vehicles, and 10 airplanes and seven helicopters so far.



The Russian army has now been ordered to broaden its advance 'from all directions', with Kyiv residents braced Saturday for another night sheltering underground, as Russian troops closed in on the capital and skirmishes were reported on the outskirts.



However, a senior US defence officials claimed Russia is facing more resistance than Moscow anticipated in its invasion of Ukraine, and appears to have lost some of its momentum.



Professor Freedman's article backed this theory. He wrote: 'Despite the superiority of Russian forces they made less progress than might have been expected on the first day of the war when they had the advantages of tactical surprise and potentially overwhelming numbers.



'The Ukrainians demonstrated a spirited resistance and imposed casualties on the invaders,' he added.



Meanwhile, Ukraine's military is asking people to remove the names of streets, cities and villages from road signs in their regions in order to 'confuse and disorient the enemy'. In a tweet, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said: 'We will do everything possible to clear Ukraine of the Russian occupier as soon as possible!'.



A sign over a part of the Boryspil highway triumphantly declared: 'Russian warship, go f**k yourself!', in reference to the killing of a small group of Ukrainian border guards stationed at Snake Island off the coast of Ukraine after they refused to surrender to Kremlin forces.



Estonia's former defence chief Riho Terras has now claimed that Putin's war is not going to plan because Russia is fast running out of money and weapons, and will have to enter negotiations with Volodymyr Zelensky's government if Kyiv holds off the Russians for 10 days.



Russia's tyrant has allegedly convened a meeting with the oligarchs in a bunker in the Ural Mountains, at which it is claimed that he furiously vented that he thought the war would be 'easy' and 'everything would be done in one to four days'.



Citing Ukrainian intelligence sources, Terras claimed that the war is costing Russia around £15billion-per-day, and that they have rockets for three to four days at most, which they are using sparingly.



He claimed that Putin's plan has relied on panicking the country, firing missiles at residential buildings 'at random' to 'intimidate' the Ukrainians, trigger mass army desertions, national surrender, and Zelensky's flight from the country. Terras also alleged that Russian special operations have been near Kyiv since February 18, and had planned to swiftly seize the capital and install a puppet regime.



'The Russians are in shock of the fierce resistance they have encountered. The Ukrainians must avoid panic! ... Ukraine must stay strong and we must provide assistance!', he wrote on Twitter.



However, in a worrying sign for Ukraine, video from Russia's Western border with Ukraine showed TOS-1 heavy flamethrower tanks moving towards its neighbour. The tanks are capable of firing high-power thermobaric weapons - dubbed the 'father of all bombs'.



In Russian, 'TOS' stands for 'heavy flame thrower'. However, what the TOS-1 launches is perhaps even more frightening - fuel-air explosives (FAE) that cause a 'wall of napalm'. As the bomb explodes, it scatters dust that ignites when it meets oxygen, causing the very air around it to appear as if it is bursting into flames.



In other developments:



Authorities in Kyiv have extended a curfew until early on Monday;

Britain's defence ministry said on Saturday the bulk of Russian forces involved in the advance on Kyiv were now 19 miles from the city centre.

Russian troops captured the southeastern Ukrainian city of Melitopol, Russia's defence ministry claimed;

UK armed forces minister James Heappey said Britain did not believe Russian forces had captured Melitopol;

Refugees fleeing Ukraine continued to pour across its western borders on Saturday, with around 100,000 reaching Poland in two days;

A decision to cut Russia off from the global SWIFT payment system will be taken in a matter of days, the governor of a central bank within the euro zone said;

At least 2019 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed as a result of the Russian invasion;

France has decided to send defensive military equipment to Ukraine to support the country against Russia's invasion;

French sea police seized a ship on Saturday that authorities suspect belongs to a Russian company targeted by European Union sanctions over the war in Ukraine, a government official claimed;

Putin urged the Ukrainian military to overthrow the country's leadership and negotiate peace;

Russia vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that would have deplored Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote.
 
Continued with pictures and video at the link

[Pink Rose]

Radioactive waste disposal site near Kyiv is hit by Russian airstrike as battle for capital enters third day and UN says at least 240 civilians have died: Ukraine's resistance to invasion has left Putin 'raging' in his mountain lair


Russia has struck the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores nuclear waste

The facility's radiation detector was also destroyed - although a preliminary inspection suggests there is no immediate danger to locals

First confirmed death toll has also emerged - UN says at least 240 Ukrainian citizens have been killed

Two blasts went off in the south west of the Ukrainian capital shortly after midnight local time

A fuel depot in the city of Vasylkiv was targeted by Russian ballistic missiles, its mayor said

Russia also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which sits close to the Russian border

Vladimir Putin is said to be furious at his troops' apparent lack of progress, and is reportedly fuming in his heavily-guarded Russian mountain lair

An eerie orange glow filled the sky, CNN reports that a fuel depot may have been hit

Blast took place close to one of Kyiv's two airports - Boryspil International Airport, whose capture is vital to Russian takeover ambitions

By JIMMY MCCLOSKEY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW



PUBLISHED: 18:29 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 21:33 EST, 26 February 2022




Ukraine war latest, at a glance

UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed

At least two blasts have rocked the country in the early hours of Sunday local time

Vasylkiv, which sits southwest of Ukraine, saw its air base's fuel depot attacked by Russian ballistic missiles

Subsequent blaze cast an eerie orange glow over Kyiv, around 40 kilometers north east

Another blast struck the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border

Gas pipeline was blown up there, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky

Elon Musk agreed to turn his Starlink satellite network on over Ukraine

Officials want to ensure locals can still access the internet if Russia destroys telecoms network

Keen to push back against Russian propaganda, and expose the violence being meted out by Putin's army

Russian premier said to be furious at slower-than-expected efforts to conquer Ukraine

Millions of citizens are sheltering underground

But others have taken to the streets armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, to try and fight back

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Donald Trump condemned the invasion Saturday

He said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'

China's ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong shared a video scotching claims he'd fled Kyiv

Urged other Chinese nationals in Ukraine to shelter

Comes as China tries to condemn attack while keeping ally Vladimir Putin on side

Russian missiles have hit a nuclear waste disposal site outside of Kyiv - and destroyed the equipment that can detect leaks of radioactive material, as it was revealed that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed.



A chilling update shared by Ukrainian news website BNO Sunday said: 'As a result of the mass bombing of Kyiv with all types of anti-aircraft and missile weapons available to the Russian Federation, the missiles that hit the radioactive waste disposal site of the Kyiv Branch of the State Specialized enterprise 'Radon.'



BNO claimed that there was 'no evidence of a leak', but then elaborated by saying that 'the automated radiation monitoring system failed' - meaning that dangerous nuclear material could well have been spilled.



The statement the outlet shared said that a 'preliminary assessment' showed there was 'no threat of radioactive' exposure to people outside the immediate vicinity, with a further examination set to take place when the area is made safe.



The blast came as two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours of Sunday as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion - after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.



And the UN released the first official death toll Sunday, saying that at least 240 civilians have so-far been killed in the conflict.



Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv Air Base. The city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.



Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed by either blast.



Ukrainian TV station Nexta shared footage of flames and black clouds billowing into the sky at the site of the Vasylkiv attack as the fuel burned. It has also since shared a clip of the moment the oil depot was struck, with a bright white glow filling the darkened night sky as the fuel store ignited.



People as far away as Kyiv have since been urged to keep their windows shut to protect them from potentially harmful fumes released by the explosion and subsequent inferno.



Russia was widely-expected to step-up its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in a bid to try and cower locals into submission.



Forces have been met with far greater resistance than the Kremlin is said to have expected, sparking reports that Putin has been angered that locals have not capitulated to the might of his armed forces as quickly as expected.



Elon Musk risked aggravating the Russian autocrat further Saturday, after answered a plea from Ukraine's vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov to switch on his Starlink satellites over the country. That means locals will still be able to use the internet if Russia destroys the country's telecommunications network.





Ukrainians are particularly keen to push back against Russian propaganda and lies about the atrocities being inflicted by Putin and his troops.



President Volodymyr Zelensky has so-far managed to avoid Russian kill squads deployed to capture and assassinate him, and shared updates earlier on Saturday vowing to fight on, having previously conceded he was unlikely to survive the conflict when it inevitably intensifies.



The Vasylkiv blasts - said to have been triggered by Russian ballistic missiles - filled the skies over Kyiv with an eerie orange glow in the early hours of Sunday morning. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed in the explosions.



The explosions were first reported by CNN and stuck close to the Ukrainian capital's secondary airport, Boryspil International. They took place around 15 minutes apart, and set of car alarms miles from the explosion epicenter.



Vasylkiv mayor Natalia Balasynovych told the Independent that her city and its airfield sustained heavy shelling from ballistic missiles. She said: 'The enemy wants to destroy everything around, but he will not succeed. Hold on!'



She later recorded a Facebook message for locals, saying: 'You can see what is going on, you can see the fire - unfortunately, this is the petroleum storage depot in Kriachky village.



'The enemy wants to destroy everything around, but he will not be successful. You’ve seen that during the day there was heavy shelling from ballistic missiles. Our airfield was shelled as well, but we got it, it's under control of Ukraine.


Continued with pictures and video at the link

[Pink Rose]

Resistance in the face of barbarity: How Volodymyr Zelensky is inspiring incredible defiance in Ukraine while the cowardly despot who triggered the conflict remains silent and unseen


President Volodymyr Zelensky has been calmly reassuring the people of Ukraine, setting the tone for heroic defiance on a video filmed on his phone

It comes as a stray Russian rocket slammed into the side of a residential tower on Lobanovsky Street just west of Kyiv’s city centre, killing two people inside

People are preparing to fight with women making molotov cocktails in cellars

Elsewhere others arm themselves and prepare for the Russians to descend

By MARK NICHOL FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY



PUBLISHED: 18:11 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 20:34 EST, 26 February 2022




Glory to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky calmly encouraged his people yesterday morning, a fist briefly raised as he signed off his most defiant video message yet.



Against blue skies and the ornate architecture of Kyiv’s proud and historic city centre, this remarkable leader smiled into his smartphone.



His latest recording, uploaded on to social media platforms yesterday and watched by millions, set the tone for another day of heroic defiance by the Ukrainian people.


Somehow, with the fate of his country’s 44 million citizens on his shoulders, President Zelensky sounded and appeared carefree.
 
 


 ‘Listen, I am here,’ he said reassuringly. ‘We will not lay down our weapons. We will defend our state. This is our land, our country, our children. And we will defend all of that.’



Hours earlier he had declined the offer to flee the besieged city from US President Joe Biden. President Zelensky was said to have replied: ‘I need ammunition, not a ride.’ It was a line worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster.



Intriguingly, while the former actor and stand-up comedian has been inspiring Ukrainians and the watching world, Putin, the despot who triggered this indefensible conflict, remained silent and unseen.


Continued at link
 

[Pink Rose]

As a Russian truck carrying deadly vaporising rockets is seen in Ukraine, is rattled Putin now set to unleash the father of all bombs?


By MARK HOOKHAM and JAKE RYAN FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY



PUBLISHED: 18:00 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 21:39 EST, 26 February 2022


Dusted with snow and sitting on a tank- carrying truck, this is the menacing image of Russia’s deadly weapon that will spread fear across Ukraine – and the world.



After three days of dogged defence by Ukraine’s military frustrated the advance of Vladimir Putin’s forces, the Russian President yesterday deployed a fearsome rocket system onto the battlefield.



Footage verified by the American broadcaster CNN showed the Russian army moving TOS-1 Buratino rockets towards the front line.





Capable of firing a barrage of thermobaric ‘flamethrower’ rockets, the weapon can wipe out everything within a 300-yard radius. British military sources warn it could kill tens of thousands of civilians.



Dusted with snow and sitting on a tank- carrying truck, this is the menacing image of Russia’s deadly weapon that will spread fear across Ukraine – and the world

Dusted with snow and sitting on a tank- carrying truck, this is the menacing image of Russia’s deadly weapon that will spread fear across Ukraine – and the world



The rocket’s blast produces a wall of flame that is followed by a vacuum, which can cause deadly internal damage to lungs and other internal organs.



Among the world’s most deadly non-nuclear weapons, the powerful thermobaric devices were filmed yesterday on the back of a lorry just ten miles from Russia’s border with northern Ukraine.



It is believed they were heading for the city of Kharkiv, 250 miles east of Kyiv, where Ukrainian troops are putting up fierce resistance against Russian forces.



General Sir Richard Barrons, a former head of the UK’s joint forces command, last night said it remained unclear whether Putin would order his troops to use the weapons, but if he does the consequences will be devastating.

Continued at link

[Berean]

Ukraine 'obliterates Chechen special forces column with 56 tanks outside Kyiv and kills top general' as battle for capital enters third day: Russian airstrike hits radioactive waste disposal site and UN says 240 civilians are dead


The group - likely to number in the hundreds - was blown to smithereens on their second day in the country

Those killed include Chechen general Magomed Tushaev - one of the regime's most highly-decorated soldiers

Vladimir Putin had green-lighted their deployment, with each fighter given a deck of cards to help them recognize Ukrainian leaders they were encouraged to capture and kill

But Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelensky remains alive - and is fast becoming a global hero - while Putin has faced scorn over his huge army's slow progress to capture the country

Russia has struck the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores nuclear waste

The facility's radiation detector was also destroyed - although a preliminary inspection suggests there is no immediate danger to locals

First confirmed death toll has also emerged - UN says at least 240 Ukrainian citizens have been killed

Woman was killed in Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, after Russian artillery shell struck nine-story residential apartment building

Two blasts went off in the south west of the Ukrainian capital shortly after midnight local time

A fuel depot in the city of Vasylkiv was targeted by Russian ballistic missiles, its mayor said

Russia also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which sits close to the Russian border

Vladimir Putin is said to be furious at his troops' apparent lack of progress, and is reportedly fuming in his heavily-guarded Russian mountain lair

An eerie orange glow filled the sky, CNN reports that a fuel depot may have been hit

Blast took place close to one of Kyiv's two airports - Boryspil International Airport, whose capture is vital to Russian takeover ambitions

By JIMMY MCCLOSKEY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW



PUBLISHED: 18:29 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 23:34 EST, 26 February 2022




Ukraine war latest, at a glance

UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed

Ukraine has obliterated a 56 tank convoy of feared Chechen fighters

Among those killed was one of Chechnya's top generals, Magomed Tushaev

At least two blasts have rocked the country in the early hours of Sunday local time

Vasylkiv, which sits southwest of Ukraine, saw its air base's fuel depot attacked by Russian ballistic missiles

Subsequent blaze cast an eerie orange glow over Kyiv, around 40 kilometers north east

Another blast struck the city of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border

Gas pipeline was blown up there, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky

Woman was killed in Kharkiv after Russian shell hit apartment block

Elon Musk agreed to turn his Starlink satellite network on over Ukraine

Officials want to ensure locals can still access the internet if Russia destroys telecoms network

Keen to push back against Russian propaganda, and expose the violence being meted out by Putin's army

Russian premier said to be furious at slower-than-expected efforts to conquer Ukraine

Millions of citizens are sheltering underground

But others have taken to the streets armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, to try and fight back

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Donald Trump condemned the invasion Saturday

He said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'

China's ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong shared a video scotching claims he'd fled Kyiv

Urged other Chinese nationals in Ukraine to shelter

Comes as China tries to condemn attack while keeping ally Vladimir Putin on side

Ukraine landed a significant blow on Russia Saturday after it allegedly killed a large group of bloodthirsty Chechen special forces dispatched to assassinate the country's president Volodymyr Zelensky.



The armed group - famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses - are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died - but the number is likely to run into the hundreds.



Among those said to have been wiped out was Chechen general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorized national guard brigade - Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov’s elite force.



Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men.



Kadyrov is even believed to have visited his doomed squadron in a Ukrainian forest before their alleged deaths.



The terror squadron's reported killings are a crushing psychological blow for Vladimir Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians.



Each fighter had been given a deck of cards complete with photos of Ukrainian officials they'd been told to target.



But Zelensky remains standing, and has become a global hero for his brave dispatches from the front line - while his would-be assassins' reported killings have brought huge disgrace and widespread grief to Chechnya.



Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine, and has not issued a public address in days.



His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbor.



But the surprisingly effective defense being mounted by the smaller nation has badly tarnished Russian military prestige, with the Kremlin still a way-off their objective of seizing the capital of Kyiv and installing its own government.



On Sunday morning, it emerged Russian missiles hit a nuclear waste disposal site outside of Kyiv - and destroyed the equipment that can detect leaks of radioactive material, as it was revealed that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed.



A chilling update shared by Ukrainian news website BNO Sunday said: 'As a result of the mass bombing of Kyiv with all types of anti-aircraft and missile weapons available to the Russian Federation, the missiles that hit the radioactive waste disposal site of the Kyiv Branch of the State Specialized enterprise 'Radon.'



BNO claimed that there was 'no evidence of a leak', but then elaborated by saying that 'the automated radiation monitoring system failed' - meaning that dangerous nuclear material could well have been spilled.



The statement the outlet shared said that a 'preliminary assessment' showed there was 'no threat of radioactive' exposure to people outside the immediate vicinity, with a further examination set to take place when the area is made safe.





The blast came as two Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian blasts in the early hours of Sunday as Vladimir Putin stepped up his invasion - after it was claimed he has been infuriated by his army's lack of progress.



And the UN released the first official death toll Sunday, saying that at least 240 civilians have so-far been killed in the conflict. On Saturday night, an unidentified woman became the latest victim of the conflict after a Russian artillery shell struck a nine-story residential apartment block in Kharkiv, killing her as she sat inside.



Local newspaper The Kyiv Independent wrote that an oil depot had been blown up at Vasylkiv Air Base. The city which sits around 40 kilometers south west of Kyiv, close to a key airport. A gas pipeline was also blown up in Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine which sits close to the Russian border.



Video footage showed a mushroom cloud fill the city's sky as the fuel line was destroyed, with a group of people who filmed the clip heard exclaiming with shock as the ball of flames erupted into the sky. It is unclear if anyone was injured or killed by either blast.



Ukrainian TV station Nexta shared footage of flames and black clouds billowing into the sky at the site of the Vasylkiv attack as the fuel burned. It has also since shared a clip of the moment the oil depot was struck, with a bright white glow filling the darkened night sky as the fuel store ignited.


Continued at link

[Midnight]

Russian troops enter Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv and fierce fighting breaks out after Putin was said to be 'raging' at stalled invasion: Ukrainians obliterate Chechen special forces column of 56 tanks outside Kyiv and kills top general


The group - likely to number in the hundreds - was blown to smithereens on their second day in the country

Those killed include Chechen general Magomed Tushaev - one of the regime's most highly-decorated soldiers

Vladimir Putin had green-lighted their deployment, with each fighter given a deck of cards to help them recognize Ukrainian leaders they were encouraged to capture and kill

But Ukrainian president Volodymr Zelensky is still reported to be alive - and is fast becoming a global hero - while Putin has faced scorn over his huge army's slow progress to capture the country

On Sunday morning, Ukranian government ministers confirmed they'd managed to keep control of the capital city of Kyiv for the third night running

But Russian forces entered Kharkiv - Ukraine's second-largest city - around the same time, with street battles reported to be taking place

Russia has struck the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores nuclear waste

The facility's radiation detector was also destroyed - although a preliminary inspection suggests there is no immediate danger to locals

First confirmed death toll has also emerged - UN says at least 240 Ukrainian citizens have been killed

Woman was killed in Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, after Russian artillery shell struck nine-story residential apartment building

Two blasts went off in the south west of the Ukrainian capital shortly after midnight local time

A fuel depot in the city of Vasylkiv was targeted by Russian ballistic missiles, its mayor said

Russia also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which sits close to the Russian border

Vladimir Putin is said to be furious at his troops' apparent lack of progress, and is reportedly fuming in his heavily-guarded Russian mountain lair

An eerie orange glow filled the sky, CNN reports that a fuel depot may have been hit

Blast took place close to one of Kyiv's two airports - Boryspil International Airport, whose capture is vital to Russian takeover ambitions

By JIMMY MCCLOSKEY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW and JAMES ROBINSON FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 18:29 EST, 26 February 2022 | UPDATED: 03:40 EST, 27 February 2022




Ukraine war latest, at a glance

Russia failed to capture Ukraine's capital city Kyiv during fighting on Saturday night and Sunday morning

But Russian forces entered Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, on Sunday morning

Street battles were reported to be taking place, while pictures appear to show one Russian military vehicle on fire

UN reports that at least 240 Ukrainian civilians have been killed

A six year-old boy was among those killed after gunfire rang out in Kyiv

It has been reported by Ukrainian news site TSN that the boy was killed when a children's hospital in the city

Okhmadyt children's cancer hospital, was reportedly struck by artillery fire on Sunday morning. According to the Kyiv Independent, at least two children and two adults were wounded

As the fighting raged on, Russia claimed it was engaging in peace talks with the Ukrainian government in Belarus

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats. 'The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,' he said.

However, while Zelensky said that while said the Ukraine was ready for peace talks, he said they would not be taking place in Belarus - which was a staging ground for Russia troops prior to the invasion

In a videoed address, Zelensky, standing beside a Ukrainian flag dressed in an army green t-shirt and jumper, said: 'If there had been no aggressive action from your territory, we could talk in Minsk... other cities can be used as the venue for talks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has obliterated a 56 tank convoy of feared Chechen fighters

Among those killed was one of Chechnya's top generals, Magomed Tushaev

At least two blasts have rocked the country in the early hours of Sunday local time

Vasylkiv, which sits southwest of Ukraine, saw its air base's fuel depot attacked by Russian ballistic missiles

Subsequent blaze cast an eerie orange glow over Kyiv, around 40 kilometers north east

Gas pipeline was blown up near Kharkiv, sending huge mushroom cloud billowing into the sky

Woman was killed in Kharkiv after Russian shell hit apartment block

Elon Musk agreed to turn his Starlink satellite network on over Ukraine

Officials want to ensure locals can still access the internet if Russia destroys telecoms network

Keen to push back against Russian propaganda, and expose the violence being meted out by Putin's army

Russian premier said to be furious at slower-than-expected efforts to conquer Ukraine

UK Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, writing in The Telegraph, warned Putin's days 'will surely be numbered' if he fails in his ambition to take Kyiv

Mr Heappey, a former major in the Rifles, said if Putin failed and the Russian people could be shown 'how little he cares for them... Putin's days as president will surely be numbered and so too will those of the kleptocratic elite that surround him. He'll lose power and he won't get to choose his successor.'

However there are fears that delays in Russia's invasion plan could lead Putin to become more desperate in his attempts to crush Ukrainian resolve.

A Russian thermobaric rocket launcher was spotted by a US film crew south of Belgorod, Russia, near the Ukrainian border.

The weapons, which contain a highly explosive fuel and chemical mix and send out supersonic blast waves that can rip buildings and bodies apart, can reduce cities to rubble and would cause huge loss of life.

Millions of citizens are sheltering underground

But others have taken to the streets armed with guns and Molotov cocktails, to try and fight back

US and EU have agreed to curtail Russia's use of SWIFT messaging system, which is vital to for global financial transactions

Donald Trump condemned the invasion Saturday

He said: 'The Russian attack on Ukraine is appalling, it's an outrage and an atrocity that should never have been allowed to occur. It never would have occurred. We are praying for the proud people of Ukraine. God bless them all.'

China's ambassador to Ukraine Fan Xianrong shared a video scotching claims he'd fled Kyiv

Urged other Chinese nationals in Ukraine to shelter

Comes as China tries to condemn attack while keeping ally Vladimir Putin on side

Russian forces have entered Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv after failing in their overnight efforts to seize control of the capital city of Kyiv - as Ukraine's president today said his country were ready for peace talks.



Footage shared on social media Sunday morning showed Putin's army trucks rolling through the city of 1.41 million people, which sits in Eastern Ukraine close to the border with Russia.



Soldiers were also seen marching through Kharkiv on foot, with a very dramatic clip showing Russians slowly advancing along a road before running and firing their guns as Ukrainians opened fire on them.



Another clip shared online shows an army vehicle said to belong to the Russians ablaze, with locals saying it had been torched by Ukrainians seeking to defend their city.



The breach of Ukraine's defenses came hours after Russia was dealt a significant blow when a column of Chechen special forces sent to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were blown up by locals just two days into their mission.



The armed group - famed for their barbaric violence and human rights abuses - are said to have been obliterated after their convoy of 56 tanks was blown to smithereens near Hostomel, just northeast of Kyiv, by Ukrainian missile fire on the second day of the Chechens' deployment. It is unclear how many died - but the number is likely to run into the hundreds.



Their deaths were reported by The Kyiv Independent news outlet as officials in Kyiv revealed that they'd managed to maintain control of Ukraine's capital city throughout combat on Saturday night and into Sunday morning.



First Deputy Chairman of Kyiv City State Administration Mykola Povoroznyk said: 'The situation in Kyiv is calm, the capital is fully controlled by the Ukrainian army and the terror defense. At night there were several clashes with sabotage group.'



But Russian forces were seen entering Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday morning. Footage shared on social media showed Russian tanks and trucks rolling through the city, which sits in eastern Ukraine, close to the Russian border, with gunshots also heard ringing out.



Other videos shared online showed Russian troops walking in to the city of 1.419 million people on foot, as well as an army truck said to be Russian consumed by flames.



Among the Chechens said to have been wiped out was general Magomed Tushaev. He was commander of the 141th motorized national guard brigade - Chechen head of state Ramzan Kadyrov's elite force.



Tushaev had also been pictured with Kadyrov, in a measure of his importance to the Chechen regime, which shot to notoriety in the west for hunting down, torturing and killing gay men.



Kadyrov is even believed to have visited his doomed squadron in a Ukrainian forest before their alleged deaths.



The terror squadron's reported killings are a crushing psychological blow for Vladimir Putin's stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. The Russian premiere had dispatched the group to capture or kill Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, knowing full well that the fighters' brutal reputation would strike further fear into the hearts of besieged Ukrainians.



Each fighter had been given a deck of cards complete with photos of Ukrainian officials they'd been told to target.



But Zelensky remains standing, and has become a global hero for his brave dispatches from the front line - while his would-be assassins' reported killings have brought huge disgrace and widespread grief to Chechnya.



Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine, and has not issued a public address in days.



His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbor.





But the surprisingly effective defense being mounted by the smaller nation has badly tarnished Russian military prestige, with the Kremlin still a way-off their objective of seizing the capital of Kyiv and installing its own government.



Today, as the fighting continued, The Kremlin announced that a Russian delegation had arrived in the Belarusian city of Homel for talks with Ukrainian officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the delegation includes military officials and diplomats.
link

Continued at 

[ExquisiteGerbil]

 
 

[ExquisiteGerbil]

‘High Alert’ — Vladimir Putin Warns of Nuclear Deterrent Readiness as Ukraine Tensions Rise


SIMON KENT27 Feb 20224,275

2:42

President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered his military’s nuclear deterrent forces to be on alert as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine met increasing resistance as it enters its fourth day.



Putin told defense chiefs “high alert” status is imperative as the West was accused by Moscow of taking “unfriendly” steps against his country.



NBC News reports the move was in direct response to leading NATO powers making what he called “aggressive statements,” according to Tass, the state-owned Russian news agency.



Russia, like the United States, has thousands of nuclear warheads that it maintains as a deterrent to an attack.

Continued at link

[schwartzie]

Ukraine’s Zelensky and Russia’s Putin Are Negotiating a Time and Place to Meet BUT Failed US Diplomats Want the Biden Regime to Negotiate with Putin

By Joe Hoft

Published February 26, 2022 at 3:00pm


Biden and his Administration are an absolute disgrace. The Biden family was stealing from Ukraine for years, then they turned their back on the country once Putin invaded. Now the Biden regime believes only they should be negotiating with Putin.



For years, Democrat leaders have been stealing from Ukraine. Hunter Biden is the poster child of the US stealing from Ukraine. There is a long list of corrupt US politicians who took money from Ukraine.



After taking from Ukraine for years, Biden and his gang turned their back on Ukraine and took the weekend off. This was despite promises made just eleven days ago.


After all of this, it’s really shocking that the Biden Administration would claim that they should be negotiating with Russia instead of Ukraine. Will Ukrainians be so foolish to let Joe Biden represent them?


The Conservative Treehouse reports:



Amid an intense conflict continuing, the government of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin are in negotiations for a meeting. However, the U.S. State Department does not want Zelenskyy and Putin to negotiate an end to hostilities…



…Unfortunately for Zelenskyy, an end to the fighting would be against the interests of the Biden administration. Highlighting the point, the U.S. State Department does not want Zelenskyy and Putin to meet. The Biden administration conveys a very telling message, from their perspective, saying only the United States is permitted to negotiate with Russia on behalf of Ukraine. Zelenskyy needs to stay out of it…



…The arrogance and controlling attitude by the U.S. State Dept tells us all we really need to know.



The Biden administration has created this crisis between Russia and Ukraine for a convenient purpose, and the White House is not about to let Zelenskyy screw it up and create peace.



The U.S. wants President Zelenskyy to leave Ukraine, so the State Department can take full control over the narrative. Zelenskyy is refusing to leave.

Continued at link

[Shoshanna]

Ukraine confirms rocket that struck its airport was fired from Belarus - as its leader Lukashenko warns war will become a 'meat grinder' with his special forces poised to join Russian assault on Kyiv

Ukrainian intelligence services state a rocket attack on Zhytomyr Airport was launched from Belarus

Belarusian special forces were reported to be 'loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv'

Ukrainian intelligence believes Alexander Lukashenko is poised to declare war on the besieged nation

A potential widening of the war could signal Vladimir Putin’s growing fury over Russian effort

By JACK WRIGHT FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 09:07 EST, 27 February 2022 | UPDATED: 15:01 EST, 27 February 2022


The Ukrainian state security service has officially reported that a rocket attack on Zhytomyr Airport - located some 93 miles west of Kiev - was launched from the territory of Belarus.



Belarusian special forces were seen loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv in what could be a widening of the war, military sources stated.



Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly learned from within Belarus that ‘special ops’ troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack.





Videos have circulated of the explosion at Zhytomyr Airport, with reports of shockwaves nearby.



A widening of the conflict to potentially include Russian ally Belarus could signal Vladimir Putin’s growing fury and frustration as the Russian campaign appears to get bogged down in fierce fighting around Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second biggest city. It could also run the risk of sucking in other states including NATO allies, triggering a pan-European conflict.



In a bizarre rant on Sunday, Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko warned that the war in Ukraine will ‘become a meat grinder’.

Full story with pictures and video at link

[Shoshanna]

Machine-gun carnage in Kyiv suburb: Two Russian ‘saboteurs’ are gunned down after stealing Ukrainian military truck and crashing a TANK into a civilian’s car

Two shocking incidents occurred within meters of one-another today in Kyiv

The first saw a military truck come under fire in a car park in Obolon suburb

At least two people, the driver and another serviceman, were shot dead

As this was unfolding, a speeding tank crashed head-on into a civilian car

The car was crushed, by the driver miraculously survives and was rescued

By CHRIS JEWERS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 07:21 EST, 25 February 2022 | UPDATED: 22:01 EST, 25 February 2022


This is the moment a deadly machine-gun skirmish broke out on the streets of a Kyiv suburb today between Ukrainian forces and alleged Russian saboteurs.



The clash saw at least two people gunned down in a stolen Ukrainian army truck in a car park in front of a large apartment block in Obolon, found north of Kyiv.



As the sound of gunshots echoed off the nearby buildings, a tank - said to have been stolen by Russians - also crashed and crushed a civilian car on the road running past the car park.





Miraculously the driver - an elderly person - survived the shocking smash, and rescuers were later able to free the from the wreckage.



The two incidents were initially reported separately, but a new video clip posted to social media has revealed they were in fact linked, and part of the same skirmish.

Full story with pictures at link

[Shoshanna]

Chechen special forces 'hunters' are unleashed in Ukraine to detain or kill Kyiv officials - and are given 'decks of cards' with photographs of their targets

A squad of Chechen special forces 'hunters' has been ordered to detain or kill specific Ukrainian officials

The kill squad was pictured in a Ukrainian forest as they took part in prayer rituals ahead of potential fighting

It came after Ramzan Kadyrov, 45, the republic's leader and a close Putin ally, visited his forces in Ukraine

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, 44, said on Thursday he had been told there were Russian special forces in Kyiv hunting him down

He said his family were the second target on the 'kill list' issued by Moscow for senior Ukrainian government officials

By WILL STEWART and CHRIS MATTHEWS FOR MAILONLINE and HARRIET ALEXANDER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 07:08 EST, 25 February 2022 | UPDATED: 13:48 EST, 25 February 2022


A squad of Chechen special forces 'hunters' has been unleashed in Ukraine to detain or kill a set of specific Ukrainian officials.



Each soldier was reportedly given a special 'deck of cards' with Ukrainian officials' photos and descriptions on them, a Moscow Telegram channel with links to the security establishment reported.



The list is of officials and security officers suspected of 'crimes' by the Russian Investigative Committee, the report added.





It came as Ukraine's president admitted he is 'target number one' for Russian assassins in his capital, while his family is 'the number two goal' for Putin's hitmen.



The Chechen squad is thought to be in a Ukrainian forest and was allegedly given an 'order to kill' if those on the wanted list could not be detained.


Full story with pictures at link

[Pink Rose]

This Big Mistake Could Cost Putin Everything: Moscow Becoming 'Increasingly Frustrated'



By Warner Todd Huston

February 27, 2022 at 1:49pm


The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine is only days old, but some reports filtering out of the war zones seem to show that Russian forces are not making the progress they expected, and their military forces are not as well trained and adept as advertised.



Russian strongman Vladimir Putin has always attempted to demonstrate that the “Russian Bear” is as strong and dangerous as it ever was during the heydays of the Soviet Union. But his invasion of Ukraine may be undermining that pose.



The way Putin has sold his military, one would have thought that Russian forces would have been able to roll over Ukraine and crush it in hours. But according to a Fox News report Saturday, Russia is “increasingly frustrated” by a lack of momentum in its invasion of neighboring Ukraine.



According to a “senior U.S. defense official,” Russian forces cannot even fight at night.



“Most movement starts just before dawn and occurs during the day because they don’t have night vision and are not trained in night vision, which contributed to slower than expected progress,” Fox News digital reporter Peter Aitken wrote.

Continued at link

[Pink Rose]

‘Babushka battalion’ ready to protect Ukraine from Russia

As tensions with Russia enter a critical week, some older Ukrainian women are ready to do anything it takes to defend their country.





Valentyna Konstantynovska, 79, says she is ready to fight any Russian invasion [Emre Caylak/Al Jazeera]

By Liz Cookman

Published On 14 Feb 2022

14 Feb 2022

Mariupol, Ukraine – Valentyna Konstantinovska, 79, is ready to take up arms and fight Russian soldiers mano a mano to protect her city if President Vladimir Putin orders an invasion of Ukraine.



Having volunteered since conflict broke out in the country in 2014, Konstantinovska and an army of “babushkas”, older women, have dug trenches, provided supplies, made nets, offered medical care and even built a lookout tower.


As tensions with Russia enter a critical week and the US warns troops could wage a bloody campaign to take the country within days, some women are ready to do anything it takes to help the war effort – even launch a babushka battalion.



“I love my city, I am not leaving. Putin can’t scare us off. Yes, it’s terrifying, but we will stand for our Ukraine until the very end,” Konstantinovska said during an event to teach the city’s residents how to prepare and defend themselves.



Organised by far-right movement Azov, the training offered basic lessons in first response medical care, survival and evacuation, weapons safety and how to shoot a weapon. Residents said it is the only safety or awareness training they have received in almost eight years of conflict.



“I’ve been dreaming since 2014 to learn to use a gun, but was told ‘babushka, you are too old for that. You will be knocked off your feet with the recoil’,” said Konstantinovska, lying on a yoga mat in a silky lemon-coloured coat to practice aiming a model AK-47 assault rifle.

Continued at link

[leilani]

Siege of Kyiv begins, mayor sends a defiant reminder to Russians about determined patriots entrenched inside

Jack Davis, The Western Journal By Jack Davis, The Western Journal

Published February 27, 2022 at 5:26pm


San Antonio, Texas, is a long way from Kyiv, Ukraine, but the spirit of the Alamo was alive and kicking Sunday in the battered Ukrainian city that is now surrounded by Russian troops.



When asked during an interview about evacuation plans, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko admitted Sunday that the war for his city is one with no escape.



“We can’t do that because all ways are blocked,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “Right now we are encircled.”


But defiant.



“We show our character, our knowledge, our values,” he said by persevering in a battle that has denied Russia control of the Ukrainian capital city.


In recent days, anyone who can fire a gun or throw a Molotov cocktail has been urged to come forward, with many residents doing just that.



Klitschko said the will to fight is offset by an improvised defense.



"To be honest, we don’t have 100 percent control,” said Klitschko. “We built this territorial defense in a short amount of time -- but these are patriotic people.”



“Right now, the most important question is to defend our country,” he added.

Continued at the link

[J.J.Gibbs]

Ukraine National Guard Shares Video of Fighters Greasing Bullets In Pig Fat for Chechen ‘Orcs’


JACK MONTGOMERY27 Feb 20223,847

3:30

The National Guard of Ukraine has shared video footage of “Azov fighters” greasing bullets with pig fat for Chechen “orcs” deployed in their country on their verified Twitter account.



The Checehn Republic, a Muslim-majority federal subject of the Russian Federation headed by Islamist strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, is reported to have sent forces to Ukraine to support President Vladimir Patin’s ongoing invasion of the country, with Kadyrov sharing video footage which purports to show Chehen fighters replacing the Ukrainian flag with a Russian flag at a captured military facility.



Kadyrov has boasted he could amass a 70,000-strong force to send to Ukraine at a rally of a reported 12,000 fighters in Chechnya’s regional capital of Grozny, and the Western press has been alive with lurid if weakly-evidenced reports of Kadyrov’s fearsome Kadyrovtsy “hunters” — notorious for alleged human rights violations including kidnapping and torture — have already been deployed to eliminate Ukrainian officials marked for death by the Kremlin.



The “Azov fighters” of the National Guard of Ukraine who have filmed themselves smearing bullets intended for “the Kadyrov orcs” with pig fat — which Muslims consider fundamentally unclean — are almost equally notorious, being former paramilitaries of the Azov Battalion, a volunteer militia with strong neo-Nazi links which was only integrated into the Ukrainian military proper in 2014.

Continued at link

[Midnight]

U.S. Embassy Tells Americans in Russia to Leave Immediately


PAUL BOIS27 Feb 20223,339

3:10

The United States Embassy has told Americans in Russia to leave the country immediately while outbound flights remain available.



In a security alert on its website Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Russia warned Americans to flee the country due to the continued cancelation of commercial flights.



“An increasing number of airlines are canceling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines,” the alert said. “U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available.”



The U.S. Embassy further reminded Americans in the country that the Department of State’s Travel Advisory has set Russia at “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”



“Do not travel to Russia due to ongoing tension along the border with Ukraine, the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens, the embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, COVID-19 and related entry restrictions, terrorism, harassment by Russian government security officials, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law,” the travel advisory states.





For Americans still in Russia, the U.S. Embassy recommended the following actions:



Monitor local and international media for updates.



Notify friends and family of your safety.



Be aware of your surroundings.



Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists/Westerners.



Review your personal security plans.



Carry proper identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Russian visa.



Have a contingency plan that does not rely on U.S. government assistance.

Continued at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Belarus is 'preparing to join Russian invasion of Ukraine and will host Moscow's nuclear weapons': Putin ally Lukashenko warns sanctions are pushing the world towards WWIII


Ukrainian President's office said the two delegations will meet 'without preconditions' near the Pripyat River

Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he wasn't confident of a positive outcome but said he owed it to people

Putin orders 'special regime of duty' to troops operating nuclear deterrent amid 'aggressive' NATO comments

Boris Johnson dismissed the announcement as a 'distraction' from struggle Putin's troops facing in Ukraine

EU closes off airspace to all Russian planes and bans Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik

Satellite images show Russian ground forces in convoy near of Ivankiv ahead of the fifth day of conflict

By STEPHEN M. LEPORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 00:42 EST, 28 February 2022 | UPDATED: 05:50 EST, 28 February 2022




A U.S. official claimed that Belarus is planning to join in on Russia's invasion of Ukraine as soon as Monday, just after a referendum in Belarus on Sunday approved a new constitution ditching the country's non-nuclear status - meaning it could potentially host Russian weapons.



The American official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the Washington Post, said that 'it’s very clear [Belarus' capital] Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin.



No indication on how many troops nor where they would be deployed was given by the official.





The new constitution could see nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil for the first time since the country gave them up after the fall of the Soviet Union. On Sunday, speaking at a polling station, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said he could ask Russia to return nuclear weapons to Belarus.



Belarus has been providing support for Russia´s war effort, but so far has not taken a direct part in the conflict.



This revelation came hours after the Ukrainian state security service officially reported that a rocket attack on Zhytomyr Airport - located some 93 miles west of Kiev - was launched from the territory of Belarus.



Belarusian special forces were seen loading onto airplanes in preparation for an air assault on Kyiv in what could be a widening of the war, military sources stated.



Ukrainian intelligence has reportedly learned from within Belarus that ‘special ops’ troops have been spotted loading up planes for a major attack.



The West has already said it will not recognize the results of the referendum in Belarus, which is taking place against the background of a sweeping crackdown on domestic opponents of the government. According to human rights activists, as of Sunday, there were more than a thousand political prisoners in Belarus



Russian forces have encountered strong resistance from Ukraine defenders, and U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.

 
 Continued at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Now Putin resorts to banned CLUSTER BOMBS: Dozens killed as Kharkiv is blasted with barrage of Grad rockets after Amnesty warned Russia's use of the weapons could constitute a war crime

Russians are now using banned cluster munitions against civilian areas, experts and activists have warned

Attack with Grad rockets on shopping centre in Kharkiv today killed dozens and wounded hundreds, Kyiv said

Campaign group Amnesty said similar bombs were used to destroy a school in Okhtyrka, leaving three dead

If Russia is confirmed to have used the weapons it could constitute a war crime, amid warnings that Putin is likely to start resorting to using heavier weapons to turn the tide of war

By CHRIS PLEASANCE and NICK CRAVEN IN LVIV, UKRAINE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 03:31 EST, 28 February 2022 | UPDATED: 12:54 EST, 28 February 2022




Russia appears to have used banned cluster munitions to indiscriminately shell civilian areas in Ukraine's east that had stood up to Vladimir Putin's invasion in what would constitute a war crime.



Kharkiv, which has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting of the war so far, was hit by rockets fired from Russian positions on Monday - with video showing a shopping centre in the Serpnia area blanketed by explosions. A military source told MailOnline that the videos showed 'cluster' munitions had been used.



'The BM-21 Grad is a multiple launch rocket system used for 'area denial', dropping cluster bombs on a concentrated area,' the expert said. 'It's mainly used on enemy troops before an offensive. Used against civilians, it's not only a war crime, but has only one purpose – to spread terror and alarm among the civilian population.'





Graphic images and video revealed streets littered with the bodies of dead and badly wounded civilians, with other images showing showing spent BM-21 Grad rocket cartridges laying in the streets and having fallen through apartment roofs.



Cluster munitions were also to destroy a school in Okhtyrka, activist group Amnesty said, in which three people including a child were killed. The attack 'appears to have been carried out by Russian forces, which were operating nearby, and which have a record of using cluster munitions in populated areas,' Amnesty said.



'There is no possible justification for dropping cluster munitions in populated areas, let alone near a school,' secretary Agnes Callamard added.



The blasts mark some of the most-serious attacks on civilians since the war began five days ago, and came despite Ukrainian and Russian delegations sitting down in Belarus for 'peace talks'.



Ukraine war: The latest

Ukraine's MoD says Russia has lost 5,300 soldiers, 29 planes, 29 helicopters and 151 tanks

Russia's MoD has for the first time acknowledged suffering losses, but refused to say how many

Russian economy entered freefall as Western sanctions put in place over the weekend took effect, with ruble sliding to its lowest level ever

Moscow's central bank has more-than doubled the interest rate to 20 per cent

Russia orders people and companies to sell 80 per cent of their revenue in foreign currencies, forcing them to buy the ruble to help prop it up

Moscow stock exchange won't open until at least 3pm in an attempt to head off all-out crash

Zelensky has allowed Ukrainian prisoners to be freed if they join defence forces to 'repay their debt'

Ukraine president also announced creation of 'international brigade' for foreign volunteers wishing to join military, after 'thousands' applied

Spain's foreign minister called Putin's order to put nuclear forces on high alert 'one more sign of [his] absolute irrationality'

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his country should be open to hosting nuclear weapons

Germany announced a $112million fund to rebuild the country's armed forces, more-than double its current self-defence budget

EU announced, for the first time in its history, that it will send funds to Ukraine for weapons - including fighter jets

Ukraine said ahead of the negotiations that it is seeking a ceasefire and total withdrawal of all Russian forces from its country, with President Zelensky saying he was not hopeful of results but had to try. Moscow would not be drawn on what its ambitions are.



Observers have warned that the talks could pre-sage an increase in violence, as Putin increasingly deploys heavy weaponry that was absent from early fighting in an attempt to force a victory that he has been unable to achieve by subtler means.



Putin himself dashed many hopes for the talks today when, in a call with Emmanuel Macron, he said that he is willing to negotiate with Ukraine - but on the basis that it is disarmed, 'de-Nazified', recognises Crimea as Russian soil and declares neutrality. Kyiv is highly unlikely to accept those terms.



There are fears that Kyiv could soon come under very heavy attack, after the Kremlin warned civilians to leave the city via a 'safe route' to the south-west. Russia used similar tactics in Syrian cities while fighting alongside Basahar al-Assad before its forces heavily bombed them.



Russian armour is currently working to surround Kyiv with tank manoeuvering to cut it off from the west, after attacks by advanced forces failed to penetrate the outskirts. Colonel General Alexander Syrsky said early Monday that Kyiv had survived another night while inflicting 'heavy losses' on Russian attackers.



US intelligence believes around 75 per cent of Russian forces positioned on the borders with Ukraine are now inside the country.



Though Russian advanced forces have been fighting in Kyiv's outskirts for several days, the bulk of Putin's assault force is still located around 20 miles away having been slowed up by determined resistance fighters - with satellite images revealing a huge column of vehicles headed for the city.



The cities of Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, and Chernihiv were also bombed overnight, with air raid sirens sounding in other areas.



In the south, Russians reported capturing the port city of Berdiansk with troops and armoured vehicles shown rolling through the centre, and were closing in on the city of Mariupol which was in danger of becoming surrounded - though remained under Ukrainian control as of the early hours.



Speaking on Monday morning, President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Ukraine to be 'immediately' admitted to the EU - after the alliance stepped up to supply hundreds of million of dollars of military aid to Ukraine, a first in the bloc's history - saying his country had 'earned' the right. He also said Russia's attack had so-far killed 15 children, and wounded dozens more.



U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet says her office has confirmed that 102 civilians, including 7 children, have been killed, and 304 others injured in violence in Ukraine since Thursday, as she cautioned that the tally was likely a vast undercount.



It came amid reports that Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko is poised to throw his own troops into the fighting, which US intelligence said could come as soon as Monday. The move follows on from Chechen forces being thrown into battle, which led to the almost-immediate destruction of a column of armoured vehicles and the death of one of their top generals.



Belarus on Sunday also voted to amend the country's constitution allowing them to host Russian nuclear weapons, which came after Vladimir Putin's chilling order to his defence chiefs to put the country's nuclear weapons on 'alert' in response to 'threats' from the West.



NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that Russia's decision to raise the nuclear alert was 'a reckless, dangerous decision'. He added: 'There's no reason for that. NATO is no threat to Russia. We don't seek confrontation with Russia.'


 Continued at link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

RUSSIA-UKRAINE LIVE: Vladimir Putin rants over Western sanctions while his officials hold peace talks with Ukraine despite his military carpet-bombing city of Kharkiv and Belarusian tanks being seen near Ukraine's border


The young victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Blood-stained woman clutches little girl's pink scarf as she lies fatally wounded after bombardment of her home - as 16 children are killed and 45 injured in conflict

Rattled Putin rants about West's 'empire of lies' as worldwide sanctions reduce ruble to rubble: Desperate leader hikes interest rate to 20% sparking rush on ATMS, US cuts off Russia's central bank - and now even Switzerland slaps Kremlin with penalties

Putin's 'thugs for hire' militia with orders to kill Zelensky: Shadowy Wagner mercenaries who have been flown in from Africa with 23-strong hit list including Ukraine's president and the Klitschko brothers

Ukraine parades captured Russian soldiers in online videos as Moscow finally starts to admit suffering losses and pictures show bodies of Kremlin fighters

So much for peace talks: Huge convoy of Belarusian tanks and troop carriers is seen near Ukraine's border as Kyiv and Moscow start negotiations

Kremlin blames LIZ TRUSS for its nuke threat: Putin stooge says Foreign Secretary's 'unacceptable' statement about risk of NATO conflict prompted Russian ruler to put nuclear arsenal on 'alert

Russia are KICKED OUT of the World Cup by FIFA and will not participate in qualifying play-off for Qatar 2022

Get the latest breaking news and updates from Russia's invasion of Ukraine

By MARK DUELL and CHRIS MATTHEWS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 02:42 EST, 28 February 2022 | UPDATED: 13:04 EST, 28 February 2022



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Vladimir Putin today ranted about the West's 'empire of lies' as Boris Johnson said the Russian president had made a 'colossal mistake' invading Ukraine.



Dozens of civilians were killed and hundreds wounded after Russian rocket artillery fired in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv.





And fresh measures to help Ukrainian refugees are now being introduced with Priti Patel saying a further 100,000 will be able to seek sanctuary in the UK.



Meanwhile a convoy of Belarusian tanks and troop carriers were seen queueing near the Ukrainian border as officials from Moscow and Kyiv started 'peace talks'.





Also today, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace dismissed Vladimir Putin putting his nuclear forces on high alert as being a part of the Kremlin's 'battle of rhetoric'.



In addition, the Russian central bank was forced to sharply raise its key interest rate to save the rouble from collapse as the war worsened the humanitarian crisis.



Ahead of an emergency United Nations General Assembly meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the next 24 hours would be a 'crucial period'.





It was claimed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is trying to broker a deal to end to the war in Ukraine and has already arrived in Belarus to assist in peace talks.



Also today, petrol prices have skyrocketed today with one BP garage selling it for 175.9p a litre while the average soared to 151p for the first time ever.



And the Anonymous group have targeted three Russian state news agencies and taken down the Kremlin website after Russia painted Ukrainian troops as 'Nazis'.





Here, follow MailOnline's live blog for all the updates on the crisis in Ukraine today: link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Rattled Putin rants about West's 'empire of lies' as worldwide sanctions reduce rouble to rubble: Desperate leader hikes interest rate to 20% sparking rush on ATMS, US cuts off Russia's central bank - and now even Switzerland slaps Kremlin with penalties


The Bank of Russia raised key interest rate from 9.5 per cent to 20 per cent today as the rouble value tumbled

Russian rouble dropped to as low as 119 per dollar in early trading Monday morning and also fell on the Euro

It tumbled beyond previous low of 90 roubles per dollar - with it last at 109 - prior to the invasion of Ukraine

Comes as Roman Abramovich allegedly flew out to Belarus to help broker a peace deal between the two sides

Click here for MailOnline's liveblog with the latest updates on the Ukraine crisis

By JAMES GANT and JAMES ROBINSON and RORY TINGLE FOR MAILONLINE and MARTIN ROBINSON, CHIEF REPORTER



PUBLISHED: 00:40 EST, 28 February 2022 | UPDATED: 13:07 EST, 28 February 2022


A smirking Vladimir Putin today ranted about the West's 'empire of lies' and banned Russians from sending their money abroad from midnight as worldwide sanctions caused the rouble to tumble and sparked a nationwide rush to withdraw cash.



The currency sank 30 per cent in early trading before easing back to stand 20 per cent down. Its collapsing value risks wiping out the savings of ordinary Russians, who have been seen flocking to ATMs all over the country to empty their accounts, including in Putin's home city of St Petersburg.



But as the Russian economy tanked, the Russian President took another swipe at Western sanctions today during an emergency meeting with economic officials at the Kremlin.





'I've invited you here to talk about issues to do with the economy,' he told officials with a smirk, adding: 'I mean of course the sanctions which the so-called Western community - the empire of lies - is trying to implement against our country.'



Ukraine war: The latest

Ukraine's MoD says Russia has lost 5,300 soldiers, 29 planes, 29 helicopters and 151 tanks

Russia's MoD has for the first time acknowledged suffering losses, but refused to say how many

Russian economy entered freefall as Western sanctions put in place over the weekend took effect, with rouble sliding to its lowest level ever

Moscow's central bank has more-than doubled the interest rate to 20 per cent

Russia orders people and companies to sell 80 per cent of their revenue in foreign currencies, forcing them to buy the rouble to help prop it up

Moscow stock exchange won't open until at least 3pm in an attempt to head off all-out crash

Zelensky has allowed Ukrainian prisoners to be freed if they join defence forces to 'repay their debt'

Ukraine president also announced creation of 'international brigade' for foreign volunteers wishing to join military, after 'thousands' applied

Spain's foreign minister called Putin's order to put nuclear forces on high alert 'one more sign of [his] absolute irrationality'

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says his country should be open to hosting nuclear weapons

Germany announced a $112million fund to rebuild the country's armed forces, more-than double its current self-defence budget

EU announced, for the first time in its history, that it will send funds to Ukraine for weapons - including fighter jets

Russia appears to have used banned cluster munitions to indiscriminately shell civilian areas in Ukraine's east

This afternoon Putin announced a diktat to ban the depositing of cash in any foreign accounts from tomorrow, to stop cash, especially held by rich Russians, moving out of the country and further destablising the economy.



A fresh barrage of sanctions today saw the US cut off the Russian central bank, effectively preventing Americans from doing business with it and severely limiting Russia's ability to defend its currency.



The US also imposed sanctions on the state investment fund, with an official saying Joe Biden intended to ensure the Russian economy 'goes backward as long as Putin goes forward with his invasion of Ukraine'.



Today, Liz Truss said all Russian banks would be hit with a full asset freeze within days as she announced new powers to limit them from clearing payments in sterling, which will initially target the nation's largest bank, Sberbank.



Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote to British ports telling them to turn away any Russian ships.



Even famously neutral Switzerland announced it was copying the EU's sanctions regime and banning five oligarchs from the country.



Russia's central bank has now more than doubled interest rates from 9.5 per cent to 20 per cent and refused to open the Moscow stock exchange in a desperate attempt to protect its currency and economy.



Despite the measure, vast queues were seen outside cash machines in Russia today.



Pictures show people in Saint Petersburg queuing around the corner to use nearby ATMs. It comes as fears rise of an economic collapse in Russia due to biting Western sanctions imposed following president Vladimir Putin's now floundering invasion of Ukraine.



Its board of directors blamed a 'drastic change' on the 'external conditions for the economy' behind the massive interest rate hike.



Top economists and the finance ministry also ordered exporting companies to sell 80 per cent of their foreign currency revenues on the market to try to support the rouble - the value of which continued to collapse against the dollar and the euro on the Moscow Stock Exchange on Monday.



Despite banking chiefs attempting to steady the ship, the Russian rouble plummeted to an all-time low as the West's sanctions over the Ukraine war start to squeeze the economy.



The European Central Bank also warned on Monday that the European subsidiary of the Russian state-owned Sberbank - one of the Russian banks under UK sanctions - was facing bankruptcy.


Continued at link

[Honoria]

Massive Explosion in Kiev Following Ukrainian Peace Talks with Russia

By Jim Hoft

Published February 28, 2022 at 1:00pm


Earlier today Ukrainian and Russian officials met to negotiate peace on the Ukrainian-Belarusian border near the Prypyat River.

The results were inconclusive. They agreed to meet in the near future.


Following the meetings there was a massive explosion in Kiev tonight.

link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Here are the latest headlines from the DEFCON site. Click on the link at the bottom if you want to access the full stories:



February 28, 2022 - The exchange rate for the Russian ruble is now at a record high, at around 117 to 125 ruble per every one US dollar. The Central Bank has also lifted the borrowing rate to 20%, from yesterday's 9.5% borrowing rate. Read more


February 28, 2022 - The British Prime Minister has stated that the United Kingdom will be sending 40 million more pounds in aid to Ukraine for medical supplies and assistance to the country. Read more


February 28, 2022 - The British Defense Ministry has put out an intelligence update that says that Russia's ground forces remain 30km from North of Kyiv, slowed by Ukrainian forces, heavy fighting continues near Chernihiv and Kharkov but remain under Ukrainian control, logistical failures and Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance and Russia has been forced to admit casualties despite suppressing details since the start of the conflict. Read more


February 28, 2022 - Speaking to Fox News, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stated that he believes that Russia may be ready to level a Ukrainian city with a nuke and kill thousands of civilians to 'break their will and to break our will". Read more


February 28, 2022 - The US embassy in Moscow has put out an announcement telling all US nationals to leave Russia 'immediately'. Read more


February 28, 2022 - After assessing the situation with Russia and their forces being set to a higher nuclear deterrence level, we have set our overall alert level back to three for the time being. We don't believe the current situation warrants a two quite yet. Read more


February 28, 2022 - Russia's war on Ukraine has failed to provide Russia a quick and decisive victory after four days of fighting, so Russia has reportedly pulled their ally Belarus in on the conflict according to Ukrainian news. Read more


February 27, 2022 - A former U.S. defense intelligence analyst says that Putin is "is escalating the conflict into the nuclear domain in order to de-escalate – that is topple Kiev’s regime quickly" due to the fact that his forces aren't getting the job done. Read more


February 27, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin has now ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on alert in response to Western sanctions and rising tensions over Putin's invasion on Ukraine. Read more

Taken from Defcon Level Warning System: link