Russia's Invasion of Ukraine - Consolidated Thread

[Pink Rose]

Russian soldier holds two grenades in the air as he walks among Ukrainians demanding they surrender


Footage from Konotop shows a Russian walking through a crowd of Ukrainians

He is holding two grenades above his head as he walks through furious residents

Moscow's men were in Konotop, southern Ukraine, to agree Ukrainian surrender

By LAUREN LEWIS FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 04:09 EST, 3 March 2022 | UPDATED: 08:02 EST, 3 March 2022




This is the moment a Russian soldier held two grenades in the air as he walked among Ukrainians demanding that they surrender.



Footage, filmed in Konotop, shows the Russian serviceman holding what appear to be two grenades above his head as he walked through a crowd of furious Ukrainian citizens shouting 'shame'.



Others told Moscow's men, 'don't walk around showing your grenade off', while others jostled with the soldier, seemingly oblivious to the danger of the grenades.





The soldier was in the city, on Ukraine's south coast, to negotiate a Ukrainian surrender with residents after encircling the city.



He reportedly spoke with Konotop Mayor Artem Semenikhin and presented an ultimatum - surrender or fight.



Semenikhin, speaking from the city centre after the Russian soldiers had left, could be heard asking residents which option they wanted, to which the Ukrainians responded: 'Fight, of course.'



It comes as Russian forces on Thursday morning captured their first major city in Ukraine with Kherson - a regional capital of 300,000 people on the Black Sea - now under the control of Putin's forces.



Russian troops have encircled major cities Chernihiv, in the north west, and Mariupol, in the south, as well as Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraine's two largest cities - though all remained under Ukrainian control by Thursday morning.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

City-by-city, how Russia is moving across Ukraine: Kharkiv is 'pounded' by heavy artillery, nine people die in Chernihiv school strike and Mariupol endures brutal blockade compared to the Siege of Leningrad


Vladimir Putin's forces have made gains in the north and south but are meeting fierce resistance from Ukraine

Efforts to seize Kyiv have stalled but the capital is still being shelled amid heavy bombardment

Russia claimed its first major city of Kherson but Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol remain under attack

By JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 11:34 EST, 3 March 2022 | UPDATED: 13:32 EST, 3 March 2022


Russia's brutal offensive in Ukraine has made gains in the north and south including the capture of its first major city, but Kyiv is still standing firm after meeting unexpected resilience from Volodymyr Zelensky's fighters.



Vladimir Putin is seeking to sever the country's connection to the Black and Azov seas with his latest manoeuvres after plans to seize the capital stalled.



The Russian military said it had control of Kherson, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed that forces have taken over local government headquarters in the Black Sea port city of 300,000.





Heavy fighting is continuing throughout the country with Russian forces pressing on multiple fronts, as tactics switched to the escalation of bombardment of major cities, reducing them to rubble.



But the main body of the huge Russian column advancing on Kyiv remains 19 miles from the city centre, delayed by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.



A week after Putin launched his savage campaign, MailOnline assesses the progress made by Russian forces on the major cities which have been fiercely defended by the defiant Ukrainians.

Continued at the link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Breaking: Nuclear power plant in Ukraine under attack. Third reactor shut down only one working!

[ExquisiteGerbil]

[ExquisiteGerbil]

This could be the 'EVENT' NATO needs to justify military engagement

[ExquisiteGerbil]

But I realize this is may be highly doubtful, unconfirmed, possibly just another piece of disinformation intended to sway opinion towards Russian interests.

With today's technology, with so many evil world leaders, it's pretty much impossible to tell anymore what's true and what isn't. 

[shalom]

Estonian cargo ship sinks off Ukrainian Black Sea port in Odessa

Managing director of Tallinn-based manager Vista Shipping Agency Igor Ilves said the vessel might have struck a mine.

By REUTERS Published: MARCH 3, 2022 16:17

Updated: MARCH 3, 2022 17:13

An Estonian-owned cargo ship sank on Thursday off Ukraine's major Black Sea port of Odesa, hours after a Bangladeshi vessel was hit by a missile or bomb at another port, underlining the growing peril to merchant shipping following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.



Many shipping firms have suspended sailings to affected Black Sea ports and other terminals in Ukraine, with insurance premiums for voyages soaring in recent days. At least three commercial ships have been hit by projectiles since February 24.



Six crew members from the Marshall Islands-flagged and Estonian-owned Helt cargo ship were picked off by the Ukrainian Rescue Services, the Ukraine Maritime Administrator said.



Two crew members were in a life raft at sea while four others were previously unaccounted for, Igor Ilves, managing director of Tallinn-based manager Vista Shipping Agency, told Reuters.



"The vessel has finally sunk," he said. "Two of the crew are in a raft on the water and four others are missing. I don’t know where they are at the moment."

Continued at link

[shalom]

Russia-Ukraine war: Strategic importance of Kherson, Dnieper river - analysis

Why is the fall of Kherson important and what are the implications for strategy planning in the Russia-Ukraine war?

By MICHAEL STARR Published: MARCH 3, 2022 16:45



The fall of the Ukrainian city of Kherson on Wednesday night has major strategic significance, allowing the Russian military to utilize their Black Sea Fleet to attack cities, establish logistical lines, and divide Ukraine in two.



Kherson’s strategic location and the Dnieper River

Kherson sits above the delta of the Dnieper River where it flows into the Black Sea. The Dnieper cuts directly through the center of Ukraine; it is wide, though it is as shallow as three meters in some locations. Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro and Kyiv and other major cities all sit on both banks of the Dnieper, and have ports, bridges and locks to allow civil navigation and commercial transportation.



“The Dnieper is a major transportation artery for Ukraine, and its dams provide power to a lot of Ukrainian industry, as well as civilians,” according to Dr. Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation, a US nonprofit global-policy think tank. “It cuts through the heart of Ukraine. It is for Ukraine what the Mississippi River is for the US.”



On Wednesday, Kherson Mayor Igor Kolykhaev acknowledged the city’s capture and met with the Russian commander who plans to set up a military administration.


Russia’s Black Sea Fleet

Crimea’s Sevastopol is the home of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The Black Sea Fleet has several craft classes capable of navigating the Dnieper River.



“The Buyan-class and Buyan-M-class corvettes only have drafts of two and 2.5 meters, respectively,” said Savitz. “Both are relatively small... small vessels are good for riverine fighting; they’re agile and can host various weapons that can be useful in the confined battle space.”



The fleet also has troop transporters and patrol ships that could enter the Dnieper. Given the significant commercial traffic in the river, the Russian military could also requisition and repurpose civilian vessels.

Continued at link

[PurplePuppy]

RUSSIA-UKRAINE LIVE: Nuclear plant is ON FIRE after being attacked by Russian tanks, Putin brands Ukrainians 'extreme gangsters' and 'plans martial law', 33 civilians die in Chernihiv bombing, refugee crisis soars past one million as Mail fund hits £3million


City-by-city, how Russia is moving across Ukraine: Putin's forces bid to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea as Kharkiv is 'pounded' by heavy artillery, nine people die in Chernihiv school strike and Mariupol blockade is compared to Siege of Leningrad

More children's blood on Putin's hands: Father weeps over the body of his son killed by Russian shelling as Zelensky says 'heroic' resistance will stop Kyiv from falling and Ukrainian minister accuses Vladimir of war crimes

Russian soldier holds two grenades in the air as he walks among Ukrainians demanding they surrender

Zelensky urged Putin to agree to sit down after Russian President's calls Ukrainians 'extreme gangsters' who use civilians as 'human shields'

Ministers FINALLY crack down on oligarchs - but is it too late? Uzbekistan-born Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and ex-Kremlin deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov are latest targets - as Abramovich sells off assets

By MARK DUELL FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 02:28 EST, 3 March 2022 | UPDATED: 20:08 EST, 3 March 2022




Russian forces seized a Ukrainian seaport and besieged another today as they tried to cut off the country from its coastline while Vladimir Putin's invasion continues.



The Russian military said it had control of Kherson, a Black Sea port of 280,000 people, making it the first major city to fall since the invasion began a week ago.



Elsewhere, the Russians pressed their offensive on multiple fronts, but a column of tanks appeared to have been stalled for days outside Kyiv. And the European Union said it had seen signs online that Russia could introduce martial law in the country.





Ukraine said Russia's forces have so far suffered 9,000 casualties in the fighting. Russia said yesterday that nearly 500 troops have been killed and 1,600 wounded.



And Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today warned that World War Three would be 'nuclear', while the Ukrainian city of Odessa was braced for an assault.



But Moscow's isolation deepened as most of the world demanded it withdraw from Ukraine and the UK said it was 'fast-forwarding sanctions' against oligarchs.



Ukraine said more than 2,000 civilians have died, while the United Nations refugee agency revealed that one million people have fled the country since the invasion.



A second round of 'peace talks' aimed at ending the fighting in eastern Europe was expected to take place today, but there were little hopes of a breakthrough.



And an International Criminal Court war crimes investigation has begun after Boris Johnson accused Mr Putin of committing atrocities by bombarding cities.



Meanwhile Ikea became the latest firm to halt operations in Russia as it temporarily shut all stores and factories in the country in a move impacting 15,000 workers.

Continued at link

[ShofarSoGood]

[ShofarSoGood]

Reality Check: A "No-Fly-Zone" Over Ukraine Means WW3

BY TYLER DURDEN

THURSDAY, MAR 03, 2022 - 11:40 PM

Via Off-Guardian.org,



Western pundits and journalists are all in a flutter over Ukraine.



They think it’s terribly exciting, and want to be seen to be tough and decisive. Their internal monologues probably feature the word “Churchillian” quite a lot.



Naturally, that means a lot of them are saying some really stupid things.


This includes widespread calls for a NATO-imposed “No-Fly Zone” over Ukrainian airspace. This proposal is all over the media, even coming out of the porcine mouth of Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the UK’s Labour party:

A dip through the #NoFlyZone hashtag on Twitter will introduce you to hundreds and hundreds of people, many of them probably NATO shill accounts, all ramping of the calls for a no-fly zone.



It will also demonstrate that huge numbers of these people have no idea what a “no-fly zone” actually is or how it works.



We encountered this same issue in Syria a few years ago. After the Russians entered the war at the invitation of Bashar al Assad, Western journalists got all jingoistic and started calling for no-fly zones. We had to explain how they worked back then, too.



Continued at link

[Midnight]

City-by-city, how Russia is moving across Ukraine: Putin's forces bid to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea as Kharkiv is 'pounded' by heavy artillery, nine people die in Chernihiv school strike and Mariupol blockade is compared to Siege of Leningrad

Vladimir Putin's forces have made gains in the north and south but are meeting fierce resistance from Ukraine

Efforts to seize Kyiv have stalled but the capital is still being shelled amid heavy bombardment

Russia claimed first major city of Kherson - as forces bid to cut Ukraine off from the Black Sea completely

But fighting in port city Mariupol remains intense as cargo ship is sunk off coast of Odessa in the west

By JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 11:34 EST, 3 March 2022 | UPDATED: 18:38 EST, 3 March 2022




Vladimir Putin's forces are battling for control of a crucial energy-producing city in Ukraine's south as they bid to completely cut off the country from its vital links to the Black Sea.



Russia continues to make slow gains in the north and south as the invaders claimed Kherson as their first city - but President Volodymyr Zelensky's troops stood firm in a defiant resistance in capital Kyiv.



Putin want to 'sever' Ukraine in half and deprive the north of resources needed to keep fighting the war - a siege tactic reminiscent of how he won the Chechen war in 2000.


Fighting has intensified in the port cities of Odessa and Mariupol as well as Enerhodar, a city on the Dnieper River that accounts for about one-quarter of the country's power generation.



The Russian military said it now had control of Kherson, and local Ukrainian officials confirmed that forces have taken over local government headquarters in the Black Sea port city of 300,000.



Heavy fighting is continuing throughout the country with Russian forces pressing on multiple fronts, as tactics switched to the escalation of bombardment of major cities, reducing them to rubble.



But the main body of the huge Russian column advancing on Kyiv remains 19 miles from the city centre, delayed by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.



A week after Putin launched his savage campaign, MailOnline assesses the progress made by Russian forces on the major cities which have been fiercely defended by the defiant Ukrainians.



Kherson, a city of 300,000 on the Black Sea, appears to have fallen under Russian control after the mayor said 'armed visitors' had taken over a council meeting and imposed curfews. If Putin's men are in full control then it opens up the city of Odessa, home to Ukraine's main naval port, to attack - with amphibious assault ships seen forming up near Crimea today

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Kherson, a city of 300,000 on the Black Sea, appears to have fallen under Russian control after the mayor said 'armed visitors' had taken over a council meeting and imposed curfews. If Putin's men are in full control then it opens up the city of Odessa, home to Ukraine's main naval port, to attack - with amphibious assault ships seen forming up near Crimea today



Footage circulating on social media appears to show a group of Russian naval warships off the coast of Odessa in south Ukraine, ahead of a likely invasion from which could cut off Ukraine's vital access to the Black Sea

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View gallery

Footage circulating on social media appears to show a group of Russian naval warships off the coast of Odessa in south Ukraine, ahead of a likely invasion from which could cut off Ukraine's vital access to the Black Sea


Moscow's advance on Ukraine's capital in the north has apparently stalled over the past few days, with a huge armoured column outside Kyiv at a standstill.



Russia made clear its plans to quickly seize the capital, with Western security officials fearing they would overthrow the government and implement their new regime within days.



But stiffer than expected resistance from the outmanned and outgunned Ukrainians has staved off the swift victory that Russia may have expected.



Meanwhile, a senior US defence official said the immense Russian column of hundreds of tanks and other vehicles appeared to be stalled roughly 16 miles from Kyiv and had made no real progress in the last few days.



The convoy, which earlier in the week had seemed poised to launch an assault on the capital, has been plagued with comical mishaps including fuel and food shortages, the official said.



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian land forces have stalled and Moscow is now unleashing air attacks, but that they are being parried by Ukrainian defence systems, including in Kherson.



'Kyiv withstood the night and another missile and bomb attack. Our air defences worked,' he said.



Kyiv remains in government control and, should the conflict continue 'till the end', as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov threatened yesterday, it will likely be the last city to fall.



Overnight explosions heard by Associated Press reporters in the capital, Kyiv, were missiles being shot down by Ukraine's air defense systems, according to the city's mayor.



An aide to Zelenskyy has called on soldier and volunteers to use guerrilla tactics against Russian forces, to cut down trees and destroy rear columns of Russian troops.

Continued at link

[schwartzie]

NATO Announces They Will Not Fight for Ukraine on the Ground or in the Air — Rejects No-Fly Zone (VIDEO)

By Jim Hoft

Published March 4, 2022 at 11:32am


NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Friday the alliance of Western nations will not fight for Ukraine. NATO will not send in ground troops and will not close the Ukrainian air space.



Whatever promises were made to Zelensky and the Ukrainians in the past were just tossed out a window.



Reuters reported:



NATO allies rejected Ukraine’s demand for no-fly zones on Friday, saying they were increasing support but that stepping in directly would lead to a broader, even more brutal European war so far limited to Russia’s assault on its neighbour.



Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, wants to join the European Union and Western military alliance NATO, whose members are bound in its founding treaty to defend each other from invasion.


“We are not part of this conflict,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference.



“We have a responsibility as NATO allies to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering.”



Here is video of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: At link

[schwartzie]

Here are the latest headlines from the DEFCON site; click on the link at the bottom to access any of the full stories:



March 4, 2022 - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that Russia is using cluster bombs in Ukraine. Read more


March 4, 2022 - A Russian spy who was allegedly posing as a journalist was doing intelligence work in Przemysl, Poland near the Ukrainian border when he was apprehended. He now faces up to 10 years in prison. Read more


March 4, 2022 - Over 8,100 anti-war protesters have been arrested by authorities in Russia as protests broke out across Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. Read more


March 4, 2022 - A massive airlift effort by NATO is underway to 'reinforce Europe' according to NATO Allied Air Command. "Strategic and tactical air transport aircraft including C-17s, C-5s, A330 MRTTs and C-130s from multiple nations have been busy moving units from the NATO Response Force along with national contributions to locations across NATO's Eastern Flank". Read more


March 4, 2022 - Mariupol, Ukraine is currently under siege. Citizens are reporting there is no electricity, no water and faltering telecoms. NetBlocks real time network data shows a collapse in internet activity. Read more


March 4, 2022 - The Russian Parliament has reportedly drafted a law that would punish what they call 'fake' information about the war in Ukraine with up to 15 years in prison and will be debating on it tomorrow. Read more


March 4, 2022 - The Kyiv Independent has posted what they claim are Russian losses. Remember, we likely won't know the real number until the war is over. Read more


March 4, 2022 - CBS reportedly obtained the latest status report from Ukrainian operators on Zaporizhzhia nuclear site to the IAEA: "at present, no changes in the radiation situation have been registered". Read more


March 4, 2022 - Russia is reportedly returning to the gold standard. The government will abolish the VAT (tax) on bullion when purchasing gold bars or other precious metals from a bank. The 20% current tax on top of its value will not apply. Read more


March 4, 2022 - Russian state news RT says that US senator Lindsey Graham is calling for an assassination on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Read more


March 4, 2022 - The Russian stock exchange remains closed on Friday for the fourth day in a row as Russian authorities reportedly rolled out additional measures to limit the economic impact from the 'severe sanctions imposed by the West' Read more


March 4, 2022 - The following is an advisory from the U.S. Department of State to U.S. citizens currently located within Ukraine. Read more


March 4, 2022 - The Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said that the U.S. Department of Energy activated its Nuclear Incident Response Team and is 'monitoring events in consultation with the DOD, NRC and White House but sees no elevated radiation readings near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility. Read more


March 4, 2022 - U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has stated that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station "are protected by robust containment structures and reactors are being safely shut down. We have seen no elevated radiation readings near the facility". Read more


March 4, 2022 - According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ukraine has reported that the fire at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected 'essential' equipment Read more


March 4, 2022 - White House readout of President Biden's calls with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine and NNSA Administrator Hruby regarding the fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Read more


March 4, 2022 - Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba put out a statement earlier saying that the Russian army was firing 'on all sides upon Zaporizhzhia' nuclear power plant and said if it blows up it will be 10 times larger than Chernobyl was. Read more


March 4, 2022 - A fire has reportedly broken out at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine according to Dmytro Orlov who is the mayor of Energodar, a town close to the power plant. Video footage also shows problems at the nuclear power plant. Read more


Taken from Defcon Level Warning System: link

[Honoria]

Russia 'is planning to stage public executions in Ukraine when cities are captured to break morale', European intelligence official claims

European intelligence officials claim Russia plans to stage public executions

Crackdowns on protests in Ukraine and detaining opponents is also on cards

A leaked document suggests the aim is to break morale in captured cities

By STEWART CARR FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 15:42 EST, 3 March 2022 | UPDATED: 07:01 EST, 4 March 2022


European intelligence officials claim Russia is planning to stage public executions in captured Ukrainian cities in an effort to break morale.



Crackdowns on protests, imprisonment of political opponents and public executions are all said to be part of the invasion strategy.



The source of the information is an anonymous official, who claims to have seen documents from Russia's intelligence agency the Federal Security Service, Bloomberg reports.


'The agency is also planning violent crowd control and repressive detention of protest organisers in order to break Ukrainian morale,' said Bloomberg's political editor Kitty Donaldson added.

Continued at link

[Honoria]

Kremlin forces children to watch propaganda videos telling them that reports of a Ukraine invasion are ‘Western misinformation’ - as Russia also ‘limits’ access to BBC website

Kremlin propaganda targeted children with a warning that Russia's attack on Ukraine is a 'disinformation campaign' from western intelligence agencies

Russia released a 30-minute 'education' video titled 'a lesson about world peace'

The ministry of education used a 12-year-old singing prodigy to repeat Putin message his troops are in Ukraine to protect Russians there from 'neo-Nazis'

Russia will also limit access to the BBC, its media watchdog has announced

Putin is ramping up censorship of non-state media and internet sites as protests mount over the destruction brought to Ukraine by Putin’s soldiers

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

By TOM BROWN FOR MAILONLINE and AFP



PUBLISHED: 06:00 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 13:28 EST, 4 March 2022


Russia is targeting children with the message that its invasion of Ukraine is a disinformation campaign, releasing a 30-minute video with a child star to embellish the propaganda on Thursday.



In a video sent out by the Ministry of Education, 12-year-old singing prodigy Sofia Khomenko tells child viewers 'we are going to have a lesson about world peace'.



She is joined by two male presenters who explain the truth behind the events in Ukraine, at least from the ministry of education's point of view.


Denis Polunchukov, the main presenter from the ministry, explained that many images circulating the web about the war in Ukraine are in fact from different conflicts.



The move comes as Russia announced it will limit access to the BBC website.

Continued with pictures and video at link

[Pink Rose]

Putin says his forces are NOT bombing Ukrainian cities... as 100 people are feared buried under rubble near Kyiv, Mariupol is 'simply being destroyed' and missile fragment hits near Zelensky’s second home


Vladimir Putin has again insisted that Russia is not shelling Ukrainian cities in a call with Germany's Scholz

That is despite medics warning up to 100 people could be buried in apartment rubble in Boradyanka, near Kyiv, and that 49 people died in a cluster bomb attack on Chernihiv yesterday

Mariupol's mayor has warned this evening that the city is being 'simply destroyed' by withering artillery fire

Missile fragment even landed in the ground of Zelensky's second residence, though it didn't cause damage

By CHRIS PLEASANCE FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 06:54 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 17:44 EST, 4 March 2022




A delusional Vladimir Putin has again insisted that Russia is not bombing Ukrainian cities, despite fears that 100 people are buried under rubble after an apartment block near Kyiv was struck and after a cluster bomb attack on the city of Chernihiv which killed 49.



Putin, speaking on a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this evening, dismissed all reports of Russian attacks on apartment buildings, schools and hospitals as 'fake' - a day after going on TV to accuse Ukrainians of using civilians as 'human shields' while vowing not to back down from his attack.



As he spoke, emergency services in Ukraine warned that around 100 people could be buried in rubble after a rocket strike cleaved an apartment in the city of Boradyanka - 30 miles from Kyiv - in two, with rescue workers unable to get to them. Officials in Chernihiv also raised the number killed in a cluster bomb attack to 49.



Ukraine war: The latest

Fire at Europe's biggest nuclear power station at Zaporizhzhia is put out after Ukraine accuses Russia of 'nuclear terror' in shelling the plant. Russian troops later take the reactors

Diplomats from NATO, the EU and G7 will all meet in Europe today to discuss next moves to contain crisis

Russia admits 'limiting' access to news websites including the BBC, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, independent Russian site Meduza and Germany's Deutsche Welle, with Facebook blocked

Russian lawmakers approve legislation providing up to 15 years in jail for any publication of fake news about the Russian armed forces

Thirty-three people are killed as Russian forces hit residential areas, including schools, in the northern city of Chernihiv

Russia and Ukraine agree to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from cities

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow's advance is going 'according to plan'

Senior US Republican senator Lindsey Graham calls for 'somebody in Russia' to assassinate Putin

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky calls for direct talks with Putin as the 'only way to stop the war'

Russian forces take the Black Sea port of Kherson as it appears Moscow is trying to cut Ukraine's access to the sea

US and EU offer temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees so far numbering more than 1million

Russians pack trains out of the country to Finland, fearful that it is their last chance to escape the impact of swingeing Western sanctions

Sanctioned Russian oil giant Lukoil calls for a halt to fighting in Ukraine, one of the first major domestic firms to speak out

Russian tech giant Yandex warns it may default on its debt after it was suspended from trading on New York's digital stock exchange

The China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank suspends business with Russia and Belarus in a sign of their deepening pariah status

Ex-Soviet states Georgia and Moldova - which borders Ukraine's threatened south - apply to join the EU

The Beijing Winter Paralympics opens with Russian athletes banned

Increasingly desperate warnings are also coming from the surrounded city of Mariupol, in the south, where the mayor has warned the city is being 'simply destroyed' by Russian artillery - with water, electricity, and heating cut off while food is also running low. He has begged for a ceasefire to allow civilians to evacuate.



A shell fragment also landed in the grounds of President Zelensky's country house, though he is not thought to be there and no damage was caused.



Meanwhile Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister, claimed that Russian troops have raped women in cities they have already captured. He did not give evidence to back his claim, but Ukrainian media reported that eleven cases of rape had been reported in Kherson - the only major city captured by Russia after more than a week of fighting.



Russia has been increasingly waging a war of terror against Ukrainian civilians after attempts to rapidly capture the country failed. Indiscriminate shelling of major Ukrainian cities has been taking place, leaving hundreds of innocents dead.



And the attack showed no sign of letting up today, as Mykolaiv, in the south of Ukraine, came under attack with Russian forces moved within striking distance of the city centre. The city is located just a few miles from Kherson, which fell to Putin's men earlier in the week, along the road to Odessa - Ukraine's third-largest city and main port.



However, reports emerged on Friday evening that an attack on an airport on the outskirts of the city had been repulsed, with Ukrainian forces digging in for fresh fighting overnight.



But Ukraine's military did managed to pull off some successes. Two Russian jets were downed near Volnovakha, in the east near Donetsk, while Ukrainian special forces also ambushed two of the Kremlin's tank columns at Hostomel and Brovary, leaving large numbers of troops dead and destroying vehicles.



Kyiv says Russia has now lost around 9,200 men in the fighting, along with hundreds of tanks, almost a thousand armoured vehicles, and dozens of helicopters and jets.





It came after Russia launched an attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant overnight, killing three guards and sparking a fire that raged in the facility for four hours before emergency crews were eventually allowed to extinguish it once Putin's men had taken control.



The attack sparked international condemnation, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson branding it 'reckless' and saying it had 'threatened the security of the whole of Europe'.



The fighting raged on as NATO diplomats met in Brussels today, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that NATO is 'ready' for war and will defend 'every inch' of member states' territory - though resisted calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying that would violate the defensive alliances' principles.



Jens Stoltenberg, head of the alliance who spoke alongside Blinken, said after a meeting of foreign ministers that NATO's responsibility is to protect its 30 member states - two of which, Poland and Romania, directly border Ukraine - and to stop the conflict from spilling over into a Europe-wide war.



The duo spoke amid concerns in Washington that a 'cornered' Vladimir Putin - who faces near-total condemnation of his invasion abroad, growing dissent at home, and stiffer Ukrainian resistance than he bargained for - may 'lash out' by invading another country or threatening the West with nukes, according to the New York Times.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

'They are out of their f***ing minds!' Russian cabinet 'were kept in the dark by Putin over invasion plans, shocked to discover the truth and unprepared for the level of international sanctions'


Russian cabinet were aware Putin planned to recognise two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine but were shocked to discover he invaded entire country

High-ranking officials not prepared for scale of West's economic sanctions

Government officials wanted to resign in protest to invasion, but feared it would be viewed as treason

By RACHAEL BUNYAN and WILL STEWART IN MOSCOW and ANDREW YOUNG FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 08:10 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 10:01 EST, 4 March 2022


Vladimir Putin kept his cabinet in the dark about his plans to invade Ukraine and officials were left unprepared for the level of international sanctions on Russia, sources close to the Kremlin have claimed.



The Russian cabinet were aware that the Russian strongman planned to recognise two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine but were shocked to discover that he invaded the entire country, the Agentstvo media outlet reported.



It meant that many high-ranking Kremlin officials had not prepared for the scale of the West's economic sanctions against Moscow.


'This is f***ed up. They are out of their f***ing minds!' a source told the site.



Government officials wanted to resign in protest to the move, but feared it would be seen as treason by Putin, a source said, adding: 'Resignation will lead only to a prison camp.'



Moscow repeatedly denied an invasion was on the cards, insisting the build-up of 190,000 Russian soldiers and military arsenal was for 'exercise purposes'.



A Kremlin insider said that 'no one calculated' the West's strict financial sanctions, such as the banning of Russians banks from the use of the SWIFT banking system because Putin had kept his invasion plans secret from most of the leadership.

Continued at the link

[Pink Rose]

The story behind the image that shocked the world: How Ukrainian boy cradled by his grief-stricken father was hit by a Russian shell as he played football with his friends - leaving devastated surgeons unable to look relatives in the eye


Iliya was hit by shelling while playing football on the streets of Mariupol

His father Serhii wept over his lifeless body wrapped in a blood-stained sheet

Mariupol remains under heavy bombardment and is surrounded by Russians

By JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 04:55 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 11:02 EST, 4 March 2022


Iliya was playing football on the streets of Mariupol with his two friends.



Seconds later, the 16-year-old was dead.



In an image that broke hearts around the world, the teenager's father Serhii wept at the side of his son's corpse draped in a blood-stained sheet after he was hit by an explosive.





As he cradled his blond-haired boy, he sobbed uncontrollably in the shelled and bullet-ridden hospital. 'My little son,' he cried.



It is just the latest in a series of shocking images to emerge from the bloody warzone in Ukraine where Vladimir Putin's savage invasion has cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. 

Continued at the link

[OmegaMan]

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko warns World War III is about to begin

Friday, March 04, 2022 by: Kevin Hughes


Tags: Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus, big government, chaos, International Legion, invasion, Jens Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Kremlin, national security, NATO, Roman Abramovich, Russia, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, World War III



This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author



Bypass censorship by sharing this link:

New

citizens.news/598464.html


(Natural News) Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has warned that World War III is about to begin as he readied his troops to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.



“Russia is being pushed towards a third world war. We should be very reserved and steer clear of it because nuclear war is the end of everything,” Lukashenko said in a statement regarding the Ukraine crisis that he said could ignite a global war. (Related: Putin puts his nuclear forces on high alert in response to NATO actions, sanctions, amid ongoing Ukraine war.)



“In a situation like this, we should be aware that there are such sanctions. A great deal is being said about the banking sector. It’s worse than war.”



Lukashenko claimed that the United States is the “only beneficiary” of the present conflict, adding that it intended to “put Europe in its place and remove competitors.”



“Today we must stop the war. I would not even call it ‘war’ right now: It is still a conflict. Another day or two and there will be a war,” the Belarusian leader remarked while casting a ballot at a referendum on changing his country’s Constitution.



He pointed out that the goal of Russia is to “restore Ukraine.”



Lukashenko, who allowed Russia to gather its military armament and initiate an attack from his side of the border, is likely to send troops into Ukraine.



“It’s very clear Minsk is now an extension of the Kremlin,” an unnamed Joe Biden administration official told the Washington Post.

Continued at link

[bloodbought]

The invasion of Ukraine – city-by-city: Russians enter the crucial port city of Mykolaiv, Mariupol is pummelled by constant shelling and 15,000 troops regroup for Kyiv onslaught

Russia is making further gains with troops entering the southern port city of Mykolaiv near Kherson

After nine days of fighting, Kyiv is still under Ukrainian hands but is being subjected to intense bombardment

Europe's largest nuclear power plant, at Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, was attacked by Russian troops overnight

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

By JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE



PUBLISHED: 08:24 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 14:18 EST, 4 March 2022


Vladimir Putin's forces have made further gains in Ukraine, seizing control of a nuclear power plant and reducing cities to rubble as Volodymyr Zelensky desperately battles to save his country from the invading forces on the ninth day of fighting.



Russian troops attacked the Zaporizhzhia plant in the early hours of Friday, with CCTV capturing a fierce gun battle that sparked a fire in a six-storey training building just outside the main complex.



Warships are still poised off the coast of Odessa, while the port city of Mykolaiv, near Kherson which was the first city claimed by Russia, is feared to be the next under Putin's control.





Kyiv continues to face intense shelling but has so far been spared a major assault, with Russia's main attack force stalled for days in a miles-long convoy on a highway to the north.



But there are growing concerns that the stationary troops are regrouping and amassing logistical supplies before launching a fierce onslaught on the capital.



Putin want to 'sever' Ukraine in half and deprive the north of resources needed to keep fighting the war - a siege tactic reminiscent of how he won the Chechen war in 2000.



Just over a week after Putin launched his savage campaign, MailOnline assesses the gains being made by the Russians in the cities where they are meeting fierce resilience from Ukraine.



Continued at link

[bloodbought]

Bombs rain down on Ukrainian tower block: Chilling dashcam video captures Putin's missiles falling from the sky before obliterating residential area in city where 33 civilians have been killed


A car is seen driving through the desolate streets of Chernihiv, one of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine, before turning on to a road with a tall apartment block at the end

Bombs are briefly seen dropping from the sky before a cacophonous explosion is heard and the apartment block erupts into orange flames before becoming engulfed by grey smoke

The car immediately stops and as the smoke begins to clear from the ground dozens of petrified people can be seen desperately sprinting away from the bomb site

Ukraine's state emergencies agency says at least 33 civilians were killed and another 18 were wounded in the Russian strike on Thursday. Rescuers are still searching the debris for bodies

It comes after Putin yesterday hailed his soldiers as heroes who are fighting to save innocent lives and blamed Ukrainian 'neo-Nazis' for holding citizens hostage

By ISABELLA NIKOLIC and ANDREA CAVALLIER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM



PUBLISHED: 02:44 EST, 4 March 2022 | UPDATED: 11:03 EST, 4 March 2022


Terrifying dascham footage has revealed the moment bombs rained down on a tower block that was obliterated in a Ukrainian city where 33 civilians have been killed in Russian airstrikes.



In the footage filmed yesterday, a car drives through the desolate streets of Chernihiv, one of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine, before turning on to a road with a tall apartment block at the end.



Bombs are briefly seen dropping from the sky before a cacophonous explosion is heard and the apartment block erupts into flames before becoming engulfed by smoke.





The car immediately stops and as the smoke begins to clear from the ground dozens of petrified people can be seen desperately sprinting away from the bomb site.



Plumes of smoke billow through the air and rise into the sky in what appears to be a quiet residential area.



Chernihiv, located northwest of Kyiv, has been one of the hardest-hit regions of Ukraine as Russia's invasion of the country enters its second week.



Other harrowing footage released on Thursday showed bloodied bodies of civilians lying amongst the rubble in the streets.



Ukraine's state emergencies agency says at least 33 civilians were killed and another 18 were wounded in the Russian strike on Thursday. Rescuers are still searching the debris for bodies.

Continued at link

[schwartzie]

Ukraine Update–The Russian Offensive

By Larry Johnson

Published March 5, 2022 at 7:15am


Rob Schmitt on Newsmax on the Russian invasion of Ukraine



(The following is from Patrick Armstrong. He was an analyst in the Canadian Department of National Defence specialising in the USSR/Russia. He served as a Counsellor in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow 1993-1996. )



TACTICS, STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS



So far the Russian military operation in Ukraine has been a reconnaissance in force preceded by the destruction of the supplies and headquarters of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by standoff weapons. The object being to suss out where the Ukrainian forces are, to surround them, to check existing Russian intelligence against reality and, at the same time, destroy known headquarters, air and naval assets, supplies and ammunition depots. And, perhaps, there was the hope that the speed and success (Russian/LDPR forces dominated an area of Ukraine about the size of the United Kingdom in the first week) would force an early end (aka recognition of reality).



At the moment they are readying for the next phase. The long column that so obsessed the “experts” on CNN is the preparation for the next phase. And that is this: “You didn’t get the hint, so now we have to hit you”. The fact that the column has been sitting there indicates that the Russians know they have complete air superiority. Secondly it is a message to the Ukrainian armed forces that it’s over, give up. (And one should never forget that the Russians/Soviets have always been the best at strategic deception, so who knows what’s actually there versus what the images show?)



TRENDING: Demons at Meta-Facebook Whine About Russia Restricting Their Reach After They Eliminated 90% of Conservative Content on Their Platform Since 2017 and Banned the US President



As far as I can see they’ve created three cauldrons (encirclements). Probably the most important one is the one around Mariupol where the main concentration of Azov, the principal nazi force, is. Another is being established around the main concentration of the Ukrainian Armed Forces facing LDPR. And there appears to be another developing to the east of Kiev. A super cauldron of all three is visible. The nazis will be exterminated; the ordinary Ukrainian soldier will be allowed to go home. The nightmare question is how many ordinary Ukrainians will be free to choose.



The dilemma for the Russians is city fighting. They do not want to have a Raqqa in which every building is destroyed, every person killed and solitudinem is declared to be pax. They know that at the end of the day there will still be Ukrainians and they will want them to be friends: Washington can create solitudes far away, but Moscow cannot create them nearby. This greatly complicates their problem when they try to clear the nazis out of Mariupol knowing that the nazis are using the city’s people as hostages. The same problem exists, to a lesser degree, in the other cities of Novorossiya. My guess is they will surround most cities and hope that Zelinsky & Co come to their senses. But I fear that the Mariupol battle will be horrible.



There are some slight indications, on Day 8, that Ukrainian negotiators are realising that neutrality is something they have to agree to. I also see the realisation creeping up on the American side.

Continued at link

[schwartzie]

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


March 5, 2022 - Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he has no plans to introduce martial law in Russia, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Read more


March 5, 2022 - The Mariupol City Council has stated that the Mariupol evacuation has been postponed due to continued Russian shelling. DPR however, claims 'Ukrainian nationalists' refuse to allow the population of Mariupol to use the humanitarian corridor. Read more


March 5, 2022 - Over 200,000 people are planned for evacuation from Mariupol, Ukraine. Read more


March 5, 2022 - U.S. Based Russian state news channel RT America is now closing its doors, 'ceasing production' at every location and laying off nearly all of its staff members due to 'unforeseen business interruption events'. Read more


March 5, 2022 - The United Nations says that more than 1,200,000 refugees have fled Ukraine in total thus far since the war with Russia started. Read more


March 5, 2022 - PayPal has reportedly officially stopped working in Russia after PayPal shut down its services in the country citing aggression against Ukraine. Read more


March 5, 2022 - Ukrainian presidential advisor, Mykhaylo Podolyak has reportedly confirmed that Russia will open a humanitarian corridor at Mariupol and Volnovakha today. Read more


March 5, 2022 - British Defense Intelligence update for March 5th, 2022: The overall rate of Russian air and artillery strikes observed over the past 24 hours has been lower than previous days. Ukraine still holds key cities such as Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol. Reports of street fighting in Sumy. Russian forces probably advancing on port city of Mykolaiv. Read more


March 5, 2022 - Russian state news claims that the Russian Ministry of Defense will be declaring a ceasefire at 10:00 Moscow time, in Mariupol and Volnovakha in Donbas to open 'humanitarian corridors' in order to evacuate civilians. Read more

Taken from Defcon Level Warning System: link

[ExquisiteGerbil]

Israel PM acting as mediator between Russia and Ukraine - all Israelis now told to leave Russia.