24th Feb 2022,
Everything I have come across on Ukraine War. Not my views Personal Views. There are always two sides to each and every coin and we need to look at both sides.
There are only losers in wars. Innocent people get killed whilst the Men who make these hideous decisions hide in Bunkers or flee the Country to safety abandoning the people
Ram
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Ukraine-Russia crisis: State of emergency as world warned of ‘moment of peril’
Russia Orders Troops Be Deployed to Rebel-Held Regions of Ukraine
The BBC reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to be deployed in two rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine. On February 21, Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, calling the contested region an integral part of Russia's history.
Ukrainian soldiers are on surveillance duties near areas controlled by pro-Russian militants.
European Union sanctions approved on Wednesday will add all members of Russia’s lower house of parliament who voted to recognise the separatist regions in Ukraine to a blacklist, freezing their assets and banning travel.
EU leaders will also hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss what to do next.
The UK announced restrictions banning Russia from the issuing of new bonds in its security markets and called for its broadcasting regulator to investigate Russia’s RT international TV news channel as a propaganda outlet.
“There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organisations in Russia, limiting Russia’s access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine,” UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
Allies’ sanctions are designed to hit Russia’s elite including Mr Putin’s inner-circle and their families.
Breakaway-region leaders speak
The Russian-backed leader of the breakaway Donetsk region said on Wednesday he wanted to peacefully settle its borders with Ukraine but reserved the right to ask Russia for help.
Meanwhile, Denis Pushilin, who heads the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic that was recognised by Russia this week, said he favoured dialogue with Ukraine in the first instance.
But he told a news conference the situation in their long-running conflict had become critical and the separatists would win with support from “big Russia”.
Russia’s recognition of Donetsk and the neighbouring self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic on Monday was declared illegal by the US and many of its allies.
“Aggression from the Ukrainian side is growing,” Mr Pushilin said, accusing officials in Kyiv of staging “provocations” and causing civilian casualties.
Ukraine denies accusations by the separatists that it is stoking the conflict with the aim of recapturing their territory by force.
Mr Pushilin said a relocation of women and children which began last week was necessary to enable the separatist army to focus on defending the borders of their territory.
Ukraine’s military said one soldier had been killed and six wounded in increased shelling by pro-Russian separatists using heavy artillery, mortar bombs and Grad rocket systems in the two breakaway areas over the previous 24 hours.
-with AAP
Putin orders Ukraine attack, as UN calls emergency meeting
US: Russia troops 'in advanced state of readiness'
The Pentagon says Russian troops are "in an advanced state of readiness" as the Kremlin has indicated that rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine have asked Russia for military assistance. (Feb. 23)
Explosions have been heard across Ukraine, just minutes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack early on Thursday morning (local time).
Confirmation of Mr Putin’s order came via a televised speech from Moscow at 5am – almost exactly as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was speaking in New York with another plea to calm tensions in the region.
“Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine,” Mr Guterres said.
Shortly after Mr Putin’s announcement there were reports of massive explosions in the city of Kramatorsk, in Ukraine’s breakaway Donetsk region. There were also reports of more blasts in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, its second-largest city of Kharkiv and the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
State-run news agencies RIA-Novosti and TASS said Mr Putin had urged Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms and go home.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had approved an offensive against his nation. In an address posted to his Facebook account, Mr Zelensky said the trigger for an invasion could come at “any minute”.
“The whole world is saying this can happen any day now. The trigger can appear any minute,” he said, speaking in Russian.
“You are being told this fire will free the Ukrainian people. But Ukrainian people are free.”
Mr Zelensky said he wanted to “address all the Russian citizens”, in an emotional plea to his neighbours.
“Not as a president. I address Russian citizens as a citizen of Ukraine,” he said.
“There are over 2000 kilometres of common border between us. Your army is along that border now. Almost 200,000 soldiers. Thousands of military vehicles.
“Your leadership approved for them to take a step further, to the territory of another country.”
Mr Zelensky concluded: “This step can become a beginning of a great war at the European continent.”
Mr Putin’s declaration came as the United Nations Security Council held its second emergency meeting on the Russian threat for the week. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, confirmed military operations were underway in Donbass.
Also on Thursday (Australian time), separatists in Ukraine asked Moscow to help repel “aggression” and explosions rocked the breakaway eastern city of Donetsk, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the invasion could come “before the night is over”.
Hours after the breakaway regions issued their plea, at least five explosions were heard in the separatist-held eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk early on Thursday morning, a Reuters witness said. Four military trucks were seen heading to the scene.
Elsewhere, a conflict monitor zone has warned airlines should stop flying over any part of Ukraine because of the risk of an unintended shoot-down or a cyber attack targeting air traffic control amid the escalating tensions.
“Russia has positioned its forces at the final point of readiness,” Mr Blinken told NBC Nightly News late on Wednesday (US time).
“Everything we’ve seen over the last 24-48 hours has Russia putting the final touches on having its forces in place across all of Ukraine’s borders, to the north, to the east, to the south, to be ready for a full-on invasion”.
Announcing Australia had joined Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said there were reports of a likely full-scale attack within 24 hours.
Pentagon officials also told a briefing Russian troops were moving into disputed breakaway regions.
A Reuters witness has reported seeing convoys of military equipment, including nine tanks, moved towards the eastern Ukrainian area of Donetsk from the direction of the Russian border late on Wednesday (local time).
Shelling has intensified in the east, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised two separatist regions as independent and ordered the deployment of what he called peacekeepers, a move the West calls the start of an invasion.
Tensions High In Kyiv, Ukraine As Russia Threatens
In Ukraine's capital city, frustration and concern mount over the possibility of a Russian invasion.
Moscow has long denied that it has plans to invade, even though Mr Putin has tens of thousands of troops massed on the Ukraine border.
The leaders of the two breakaway areas want Mr Putin to intervene.
“I am asking for help to repel the Ukrainian regime’s military aggression against the population of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” said Denis Pushilin, who heads the area Moscow recognised as independent, according to TASS news agency.
The White House rejected the comments as another Russian false flag operation, a fake crisis manufactured to justify greater Russian military intervention in Ukraine.
“This is an example of it,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
“That is suggesting that they feel under threat. By whom? The Ukrainians that the Russians are threatening to attack?”
Mr Zelensky said Moscow had approved an offensive and not replied to an invitation for talks.
“Today I initiated a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation. The result was silence,” he said.
Satellite imagery taken on Wednesday showed new deployments in western Russia, many within 15 kilometres of the border with Ukraine and less than 80 kilometres rom the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, a US company Maxar said.
The images showed field deployment, military convoys, artillery and armoured personnel carriers with support equipment and troops. The images could not be independently verified by Reuters.
A 30-day state of emergency in Ukraine restricting the freedom of movement of conscripted reservists, curbing the media and imposing personal document checks began on Thursday.
The Ukrainian government has also announced compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.
While the West has held off the most stringent sanctions measures it could impose, the US stepped up the pressure by imposing sanctions on the firm building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and its corporate officers.
-with AAP
Russia Orders Troops Be Deployed to Rebel-Held Regions of Ukraine
The BBC reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to be deployed in two rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine. On February 21, Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, calling the contested region an integral part of Russia's history.
Ukrainian soldiers are on surveillance duties near areas controlled by pro-Russian militants.
5:48am, Feb 24
Ukraine is declaring a state of emergency and telling its citizens in Russia to flee, as the UN warns the world is “facing a moment of peril”.
Shelling is intensifying in eastern Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of two rebel regions and where Russian troops are being deployed as “peacekeepers”.
But by 6.30am Thursday there was still no clear indication of whether Mr Putin plans to follow that up with a massed assault on Ukraine involving the tens of thousands of troops he has gathered near his neighbour’s borders.
“Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian president – I cannot say,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Mr Zelenskiy said his country wanted security guarantees from Russia as a step towards ending the stand-off between the two countries.
“I have many times suggested that the president of Russia sit down at the negotiating table and speak,” he said.
As well as planning for a month-long state of emergency, the Ukrainian government has announced all men of fighting age will be required to be ready for military service.
Ukrainians living in Russia (more than 3 million people, according to a 2010 census) have been told to get out of the country to protect their lives.
Ukraine’s parliament has passed the bill for the state of emergency, to come into effect from Thursday morning (local time).
It could stop conscripted reservist soldiers leaving the country so they are ready to be called up to fight, impose curbs on media, and lead to personal document checks.
Ukraine is declaring a state of emergency and telling its citizens in Russia to flee, as the UN warns the world is “facing a moment of peril”.
Shelling is intensifying in eastern Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised the independence of two rebel regions and where Russian troops are being deployed as “peacekeepers”.
But by 6.30am Thursday there was still no clear indication of whether Mr Putin plans to follow that up with a massed assault on Ukraine involving the tens of thousands of troops he has gathered near his neighbour’s borders.
“Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian president – I cannot say,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Mr Zelenskiy said his country wanted security guarantees from Russia as a step towards ending the stand-off between the two countries.
“I have many times suggested that the president of Russia sit down at the negotiating table and speak,” he said.
As well as planning for a month-long state of emergency, the Ukrainian government has announced all men of fighting age will be required to be ready for military service.
Ukrainians living in Russia (more than 3 million people, according to a 2010 census) have been told to get out of the country to protect their lives.
Ukraine’s parliament has passed the bill for the state of emergency, to come into effect from Thursday morning (local time).
It could stop conscripted reservist soldiers leaving the country so they are ready to be called up to fight, impose curbs on media, and lead to personal document checks.
‘Moment of peril’
Meanwhile, the UN’s General Assembly met to discuss the crisis.
The Assembly was told the US estimates 5 million people could be displaced if Russia invades Ukraine.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said the meeting was happening “in the face of the most serious global peace and security crisis in recent years, and certainly in my time as secretary general”.
He said this moment is one he “truly hoped would not come”.
“The latest developments regarding Ukraine are a cause of grave concern, and they include reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line, and a real risk of further escalation on the ground,” Mr Guterres said.
He said he was “fully committed to resolve this crisis without further bloodshed”.
“It is time to establish a ceasefire and return to the path of dialogue and negotiation,” Mr Guterres said.
Russia blames the West as more sanctions loom
Russia denies planning an invasion and has described warnings as anti-Russian hysteria.
But it has taken no steps to withdraw the troops deployed along Ukraine’s frontiers.
On Thursday morning, a spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, told the BBC the idea that Russia is to blame for the crisis in Ukraine is an invention by the West.
“Lets talk about the reputation of the West…how many people have been killed because of Washington and London,” she said, in response to a question about Russia annexing Crimea in 2014.
“The West’s reputation is covered in blood.”
Ms Zakharova said sanctions were designed to halt Russia’s “development”.
The US has described Russia’s actions as the start of an “invasion” but along with allies has so far unveiled mostly incremental sanctions while making clear they were keeping tougher measures in reserve in case of a full-scale invasion.
The New York Times reports that information from two US government officials suggests the next step would be that the Biden administration would issue economic sanctions on the company building the gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany.
US President Joe Biden later confirmed the plan, saying: “I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers”.
US deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo said on CNBC on Thursday morning that government would also be prepared to impose a ban on exports of American technology that are vital to the Russian economy.
“If he [Mr Putin] chooses to invade, what we’re telling him very directly is that we’re going to cut that off, we’re going to cut him off from Western technology that’s critical to advancing his military, cut him off from Western financial resources that will be critical to feeding his economy and also to enriching himself,” Mr Adeyemo said.
Meanwhile, the UN’s General Assembly met to discuss the crisis.
The Assembly was told the US estimates 5 million people could be displaced if Russia invades Ukraine.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said the meeting was happening “in the face of the most serious global peace and security crisis in recent years, and certainly in my time as secretary general”.
He said this moment is one he “truly hoped would not come”.
“The latest developments regarding Ukraine are a cause of grave concern, and they include reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line, and a real risk of further escalation on the ground,” Mr Guterres said.
He said he was “fully committed to resolve this crisis without further bloodshed”.
“It is time to establish a ceasefire and return to the path of dialogue and negotiation,” Mr Guterres said.
Russia blames the West as more sanctions loom
Russia denies planning an invasion and has described warnings as anti-Russian hysteria.
But it has taken no steps to withdraw the troops deployed along Ukraine’s frontiers.
On Thursday morning, a spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, told the BBC the idea that Russia is to blame for the crisis in Ukraine is an invention by the West.
“Lets talk about the reputation of the West…how many people have been killed because of Washington and London,” she said, in response to a question about Russia annexing Crimea in 2014.
“The West’s reputation is covered in blood.”
Ms Zakharova said sanctions were designed to halt Russia’s “development”.
The US has described Russia’s actions as the start of an “invasion” but along with allies has so far unveiled mostly incremental sanctions while making clear they were keeping tougher measures in reserve in case of a full-scale invasion.
The New York Times reports that information from two US government officials suggests the next step would be that the Biden administration would issue economic sanctions on the company building the gas pipeline connecting Russia to Germany.
US President Joe Biden later confirmed the plan, saying: “I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers”.
US deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo said on CNBC on Thursday morning that government would also be prepared to impose a ban on exports of American technology that are vital to the Russian economy.
“If he [Mr Putin] chooses to invade, what we’re telling him very directly is that we’re going to cut that off, we’re going to cut him off from Western technology that’s critical to advancing his military, cut him off from Western financial resources that will be critical to feeding his economy and also to enriching himself,” Mr Adeyemo said.
Related: Experts have their say on Australia’s response to Russia
Ukraine crisis: Russia 'nearly 100% ready' for invasion, says Pentagon official
A senior US defence official in Washington said the Russian forces arrayed along Ukraine’s borders are “as ready as they can be” for an invasion, with about 80% in what the US considers "forward positions, ready to go” within 5 kilometres to 50 kilometres of the border. "We still cannot confirm that Russian forces have moved into the Donbas area,”...
Ukraine crisis: Russia 'nearly 100% ready' for invasion, says Pentagon official
A senior US defence official in Washington said the Russian forces arrayed along Ukraine’s borders are “as ready as they can be” for an invasion, with about 80% in what the US considers "forward positions, ready to go” within 5 kilometres to 50 kilometres of the border. "We still cannot confirm that Russian forces have moved into the Donbas area,”...
European Union sanctions approved on Wednesday will add all members of Russia’s lower house of parliament who voted to recognise the separatist regions in Ukraine to a blacklist, freezing their assets and banning travel.
EU leaders will also hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss what to do next.
The UK announced restrictions banning Russia from the issuing of new bonds in its security markets and called for its broadcasting regulator to investigate Russia’s RT international TV news channel as a propaganda outlet.
“There will be even more tough sanctions on key oligarchs, on key organisations in Russia, limiting Russia’s access to the financial markets, if there is a full scale invasion of Ukraine,” UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.
Allies’ sanctions are designed to hit Russia’s elite including Mr Putin’s inner-circle and their families.
Breakaway-region leaders speak
The Russian-backed leader of the breakaway Donetsk region said on Wednesday he wanted to peacefully settle its borders with Ukraine but reserved the right to ask Russia for help.
Meanwhile, Denis Pushilin, who heads the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic that was recognised by Russia this week, said he favoured dialogue with Ukraine in the first instance.
But he told a news conference the situation in their long-running conflict had become critical and the separatists would win with support from “big Russia”.
Russia’s recognition of Donetsk and the neighbouring self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic on Monday was declared illegal by the US and many of its allies.
“Aggression from the Ukrainian side is growing,” Mr Pushilin said, accusing officials in Kyiv of staging “provocations” and causing civilian casualties.
Ukraine denies accusations by the separatists that it is stoking the conflict with the aim of recapturing their territory by force.
Mr Pushilin said a relocation of women and children which began last week was necessary to enable the separatist army to focus on defending the borders of their territory.
Ukraine’s military said one soldier had been killed and six wounded in increased shelling by pro-Russian separatists using heavy artillery, mortar bombs and Grad rocket systems in the two breakaway areas over the previous 24 hours.
-with AAP
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US: Russia troops 'in advanced state of readiness'
The Pentagon says Russian troops are "in an advanced state of readiness" as the Kremlin has indicated that rebel leaders in eastern Ukraine have asked Russia for military assistance. (Feb. 23)
Explosions have been heard across Ukraine, just minutes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack early on Thursday morning (local time).
Confirmation of Mr Putin’s order came via a televised speech from Moscow at 5am – almost exactly as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was speaking in New York with another plea to calm tensions in the region.
“Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine,” Mr Guterres said.
Shortly after Mr Putin’s announcement there were reports of massive explosions in the city of Kramatorsk, in Ukraine’s breakaway Donetsk region. There were also reports of more blasts in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, its second-largest city of Kharkiv and the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
State-run news agencies RIA-Novosti and TASS said Mr Putin had urged Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms and go home.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had approved an offensive against his nation. In an address posted to his Facebook account, Mr Zelensky said the trigger for an invasion could come at “any minute”.
“The whole world is saying this can happen any day now. The trigger can appear any minute,” he said, speaking in Russian.
“You are being told this fire will free the Ukrainian people. But Ukrainian people are free.”
Mr Zelensky said he wanted to “address all the Russian citizens”, in an emotional plea to his neighbours.
“Not as a president. I address Russian citizens as a citizen of Ukraine,” he said.
“There are over 2000 kilometres of common border between us. Your army is along that border now. Almost 200,000 soldiers. Thousands of military vehicles.
“Your leadership approved for them to take a step further, to the territory of another country.”
Mr Zelensky concluded: “This step can become a beginning of a great war at the European continent.”
Mr Putin’s declaration came as the United Nations Security Council held its second emergency meeting on the Russian threat for the week. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, confirmed military operations were underway in Donbass.
Also on Thursday (Australian time), separatists in Ukraine asked Moscow to help repel “aggression” and explosions rocked the breakaway eastern city of Donetsk, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the invasion could come “before the night is over”.
Hours after the breakaway regions issued their plea, at least five explosions were heard in the separatist-held eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk early on Thursday morning, a Reuters witness said. Four military trucks were seen heading to the scene.
Elsewhere, a conflict monitor zone has warned airlines should stop flying over any part of Ukraine because of the risk of an unintended shoot-down or a cyber attack targeting air traffic control amid the escalating tensions.
“Russia has positioned its forces at the final point of readiness,” Mr Blinken told NBC Nightly News late on Wednesday (US time).
“Everything we’ve seen over the last 24-48 hours has Russia putting the final touches on having its forces in place across all of Ukraine’s borders, to the north, to the east, to the south, to be ready for a full-on invasion”.
Announcing Australia had joined Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said there were reports of a likely full-scale attack within 24 hours.
Pentagon officials also told a briefing Russian troops were moving into disputed breakaway regions.
A Reuters witness has reported seeing convoys of military equipment, including nine tanks, moved towards the eastern Ukrainian area of Donetsk from the direction of the Russian border late on Wednesday (local time).
Shelling has intensified in the east, where Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognised two separatist regions as independent and ordered the deployment of what he called peacekeepers, a move the West calls the start of an invasion.
Tensions High In Kyiv, Ukraine As Russia Threatens
In Ukraine's capital city, frustration and concern mount over the possibility of a Russian invasion.
Moscow has long denied that it has plans to invade, even though Mr Putin has tens of thousands of troops massed on the Ukraine border.
The leaders of the two breakaway areas want Mr Putin to intervene.
“I am asking for help to repel the Ukrainian regime’s military aggression against the population of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” said Denis Pushilin, who heads the area Moscow recognised as independent, according to TASS news agency.
The White House rejected the comments as another Russian false flag operation, a fake crisis manufactured to justify greater Russian military intervention in Ukraine.
“This is an example of it,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
“That is suggesting that they feel under threat. By whom? The Ukrainians that the Russians are threatening to attack?”
Mr Zelensky said Moscow had approved an offensive and not replied to an invitation for talks.
“Today I initiated a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation. The result was silence,” he said.
Satellite imagery taken on Wednesday showed new deployments in western Russia, many within 15 kilometres of the border with Ukraine and less than 80 kilometres rom the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, a US company Maxar said.
The images showed field deployment, military convoys, artillery and armoured personnel carriers with support equipment and troops. The images could not be independently verified by Reuters.
A 30-day state of emergency in Ukraine restricting the freedom of movement of conscripted reservists, curbing the media and imposing personal document checks began on Thursday.
The Ukrainian government has also announced compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.
While the West has held off the most stringent sanctions measures it could impose, the US stepped up the pressure by imposing sanctions on the firm building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and its corporate officers.
-with AAP
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