Melitopol Mayor detained by Russians is a “crime against democracy,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Friday morning, the mayor of  Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov was escorted by military men from the government building. Russian-backed Luhansk regional prosecutor claimed Fedorov had committed terrorism and was under investigation.

“They did not find any support on our land, although they counted on it. Because for years they’ve been lying to themselves that people in Ukraine were supposedly waiting for Russia to come.

“This is Ukraine here. It is Europe here. It is a democratic world here,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky added it’s “not only against a particular person, not only against a particular community and not only against Ukraine.”

“This is a crime against democracy,” he said.

Geneva Convention prohibits civilian hostages from being taken according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.

Diplomatic Channels

The war has been raging for three weeks now and there are no signs that diplomatic channels will work. The diplomatic talks between the two nations have not yielded any result. Humanitarian corridors were not decided and ceasefires on these areas have been questioned. As the civilian loss continues, both sides are now arguing about chemical weapons development.

“A variety of different countries can try to shape things as they would like, but at the end of the day, this will likely boil down to what President Zelensky is willing to accept and what President Putin is willing to accept,” said a senior State Department official.

Much of the world has already given sanctions against Russia in the hopes that this will cripple their economy. The sanctions have not led to any solutions as both sides have had their own arguments.

Many international companies have also exited Russia as a protest against the war. This did not seem to have an effect since Russians continue to advance into the city. Although the operation’s main goal is unclear, part of the updates is surfacing. Initially, the operation was said to be about the “denazification” of Ukraine. However, chemical weapons have been put into the spotlight recently as documents surface about their development in Ukraine.

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Kherson has fallen but Kyiv stands – Kherson Mayor Ihor Kolykhaiev confirmed that the Ukrainian military is no longer in the city. Control of Kherson is now under “armed people who came to the city’s administration.”

Mayor Kolykhaiev announced that Russian officers entered the city hall building. Their plans are to install a new administration similar to the Donbask region. This marks the first major city occupied by the Russian army.

Head of Kherson regional administration, Hennady Lahuta issued a warning to all citizens. “I ask everyone who is not at home now, or who is planning to go outside, not to do so. The occupiers are in all areas of the city and are very dangerous.”

After the Russian occupation of the city, his final announcement was made. “Let it be for now. The flag above us is Ukrainian. And in order to keep it the same, these requirements will have to be met. I can’t offer anything else.”

Kyiv Stands

In Kyiv, President Zelensky claims that the Russian morale is breaking. “More and more occupiers are fleeing back to Russia, from us, from you, from all those who drive out the enemy with javelins, guns, tanks, helicopters – with everything that shoots. I wish you health, native Ukrainians, strong and kind, but not to the enemy!”

“We are a nation that broke the enemy’s plans in a week — plans those have been built for years, vile, calculated, with hate for our country, for our people, for any people who have 2 things: freedom and heart. But we stopped them and beat them.”

“Our military, our border guards, our territorial defense, even ordinary farmers capture the Russian military every day. And all the captives say only one thing: they do not know why they are here. Despite the fact that there are dozens of times more of them, the morale of the enemy is constantly deteriorating.”

“Blocking roads, people come out in front of enemy vehicles – it’s extremely dangerous, but how courageous. It is also salvation.”

“They will not have peace here, they will not have food here, they will not have a single quiet moment here. The occupiers will receive only one thing from Ukraine — a rebuff, a worthy rebuff. They will always remember that we do not give up.”

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“The parties discussed holding another round of negotiations where these decisions can develop,” he said.

“I do not really believe in the result of this meeting, but let them try so that no citizen of Ukraine would have any doubt that I, as president, did not try to stop the war when there was even a small chance,” President Zelensky said Sunday.

President Zelensky also accused Russia of war crimes for the bombing of Kharkiv. He added that he is currently analyzing the talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Belarus has been the host of a joint military exercise with Russia. Its borders are also close to the capital city of Kyiv. Now, a 40-mile long Russian convoy is seen passing through the border on the way to Kyiv. The convoy includes tanks, artillery, armory, and logistical vehicles.

Australia sends a $50 million support package including missiles to Ukraine. The package contains lethal and non-lethal aid to be used to defend the country.

“We are answering the call from President (Volodymyr) Zelensky: he said we need ammo, not a ride and that’s exactly what we’re doing… we’ll provide 50 million US dollars to support Ukraine, lethal and non-lethal support… we’re talking missiles, we’re talking ammunition,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said.

A further $25 million will be for humanitarian support for the hundreds of thousands fleeing Ukraine and those displaced by war.

The war continues as many countries continue to sanction Russia in the hopes to deter any further invasion. Many social media outlets have also helped censor information regarding the conflict.

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Satellite images capture a Russian convoy 60 kilometers from Kyiv. The three-mile-long convoy is compose3d of fuel tanks, infantry vehicles, and artillery. There were also logistical trucks spotted.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior reports 1,684 people including 116 children were injured during the invasion. So far, there were 352 civilians including 14 children killed.

The world’s largest aircraft, the Mriya (Antonov AN-225) was destroyed by Russian attacks. Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs tweeted “Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’, but they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free, and democratic European state.”

As the US, UK, and EU continue to sanction Russia to deter the invasion, United Nations Assembly is also voting on additional sanctions for Russia. Australia is the most recent country to slap Russia with sanctions. Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed in a statement Monday.

“From midnight last night, Australian targeted financial sanctions and travel bans came into effect on the Russian President and remaining permanent members of Russia’s Security Council: Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Internal Affairs Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev. It is exceedingly rare to designate a head of state and reflects the depth of our concerns. President Putin joins a very small group that includes Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Mu’ammar Gaddafi of Libya, and Bashar al-Assad of Syria.”

Russia and Ukraine delegations will take place on Monday. President Zelensky agreed to meet President Putin at the Ukraine-Belarus border. Meanwhile, Moscow is on high alert including its nuclear forces.

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Video from eyewitnesses earlier Saturday showed explosions in a location northwest of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. In the region, there is a military base. Meanwhile, the severe battle was reported outside Vasylkiv, around 30 kilometers southwest of Kyiv, by Ukrainian military troops. “Heavy fighting is currently underway in the town of Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region, where the occupiers are trying to land a landing party.”

Russian soldiers are approaching Kyiv from the north and east, according to Zelensky’s statement, after capturing control of an airbase just north of the city on Thursday. “Ukrainians resist the Russian aggression heroically,” he said.

Russian reconnaissance forces have penetrated the Obolon neighborhood of northern Kyiv, just a few kilometers from the city center, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. Civilians rushed to shelter from small weapons fire in chaotic scenes seen on video from the region.

According to the Ukrainian envoy to the United States, 92 employees working at the Chernobyl power plant, the site of the world’s worst-ever nuclear accident, have been kidnapped. On Thursday, Russian soldiers grabbed control of the complex, raising concerns that the conflict may disrupt the operation of nuclear waste facilities.

According to intelligence information, the city will fall in a few days. As Russia encircles, the capital, President Zelensky has acknowledged that he is target number 1. He is aware that when Russia reaches the city, they will replace him with a new leader.

Follow us and be updated on the battle for Kyiv

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Russia invades Ukraine just a few hours ago. Citizens of Kyiv and Kharkiv awoke to the sounds of sirens warning them to take cover. Then reports began to flood in that the Russian army has begun its invasion. Many rushed to the subway, others made a last-ditch effort to withdraw money from ATMs and buy gasoline. The stark reality of war has come down on the people of Ukraine.

Countries like the US, the UK, and members of the EU have condemned the attack made by President Putin. Most of them have slapped economic sanctions against Moscow. Everyone was asking to stop the violence.

President Vladimir Putin has addressed Ukrainians and asked them to lay down their arms and go home. Russian Government Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says that the goal of the “special mission” regarding Ukraine is the “demilitarization and denazification” of the country.

“Ideally, Ukraine should be liberated, cleansed of Nazis, of pro-Nazi people and ideology,” he said. “The operation has its goals, they should be reached. The president has said that all the decisions have been made and all the goals will be reached,” Peskov said. “It all depends on the decision of supreme commander-in-chief.”

World Response

There were mixed responses to his move. Below are a few announcements made by governments across the world.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – “We will freeze Russian assets in the European Union and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets,” she said.

“We condemn this barbaric attack and the cynical arguments that are being used to justify it.”

“These sanctions are designed to take a heavy toll on the Kremlin’s interests and their ability to finance the war. And we know that millions of Russians do not want war,” she added.

“We will not allow President Putin to replace the rule of law, by the rule of force, and ruthlessness, Ukraine will prevail.”

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – “We strongly criticize Russia’s actions and will cooperate with the United States and the international community to respond swiftly.”

Japan has also imposed sanctions against Russia. The sanctions include the issuance of visas and freezing of assets of people involved in the Donetsk and Luhansk declaration of independence. Import and exports to the regions are also banned.

Chinese Embassy has issued a warning to Chinese nationals in Ukraine

“The situation in Ukraine has deteriorated dramatically. There have been bombings in multiple cities, and the military operations are underway.” The statement also asked citizens to stay at home and away from windows or glass. They also added that for those Chinese nationals traveling on the roads, “the Chinese flag can be affixed to the visible part of the body.”

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20:49 (BKK): Russia spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says that the goal of the “special mission” regarding Ukraine is the “demilitarization and denazification” of the country.

“Ideally, Ukraine should be liberated, cleansed of Nazis, of pro-Nazi people and ideology,” he said. “The operation has its goals, they should be reached. The president has said that all the decisions have been made and all the goals will be reached,” Peskov said. “It all depends on the decision of supreme commander-in-chief.”

20:14 (BKK): Ukraine Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak says “Russia is attacking not just Ukraine, but all the rules of normal life in the modern world. What will be left of the security system on the continent? Zero.”

“The main thing now is to focus as much as possible on defending the country and preserving people’s normal lives,” Podolyak said.

19:17 (BKK): Indian Government and the Indian Air Force are in talks with the Ukrainian government regarding the evacuation of Indians in Ukraine. They are working on the best plans for a safe evacuation.

18:50 (BKK): Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov – “I cannot give you information on the military, technological and other components of this operation,” Peskov said. “The only primary source here should be our military and defense departments.”

“No one is talking about occupation, in this scenario that word is not applicable,” Peskov said. “This is a special operation. I do not think it’s necessary for me to explain anything here, because the president himself gave exhaustive explanations.”

18:31 (BKK): Ukraine reports casualties including 40 soldiers and 10 civilians since the attacks began.

18:22 (BKK): Chinese Embassy has issued a warning to Chinese nationals in Ukraine

“The situation in Ukraine has deteriorated dramatically. There have been bombings in multiple cities, and the military operations are underway.” The statement also asked citizens to stay at home and away from windows or glass. They also added that for those Chinese nationals traveling on the roads, “the Chinese flag can be affixed to the visible part of the body.”

17:25 (BKK): Multiple attacks are now being reported as many users take to social media to share photos of what is happening in Ukraine.

17:16 (BKK): Reports of Russian tanks presence in Kharkiv. Ukraine President Zelensky offers weapons to everyone who wants them. Many civilians have undergone basic military training in the past few weeks in preparation for an invasion.

16:42 (BKK): President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine officially cuts all diplomatic ties with Russia in a briefing.

16:50 (BKK): People begin to take shelter while some are trying to leave the capital. Many are stuck in traffic and some are queueing to access the ATM or groceries. The underground train stations has become a temporary bomb shelter.

16:33 (BKK): European stock markets plunge as Russia invades. FTSE 100 down by 2.5%, FrencH CAC down 4%, Germany’s Dax down by 4%.

Dow is 1.4% lower, S&P 500 is 1.8% lower and Nasdaq closed 2.6%

Asian Markets has shown the same pattern.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index – decrease by 3%

Korea’s Kospi – down by 2.6 %

Japan’s Nikkei 225 – down 2%

China’s Shanghai Composite – down 1.7%

16:14 (BKK): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison – “We denounce what are unilateral hostile actions in Ukraine. Russia is flagrantly breaching international law and the UN Charter. Russia has chosen war, together with the international community, we are banding together in strong terms to condemn these outrageous acts in the strongest possible terms.” 

15:52 (BKK): Indian Embassy in Ukraine has released a statement.

For Indians living in Ukraine, the present situation is highly uncertain. Please maintain calm and remain safe wherever you are, be it in your homes, hotels, accommodations, or in transit.

All those who are traveling to Kyiv, including those traveling from western parts of Kyiv, are advised to return to their respective cities temporarily, especially towards safer places along the western bordering countries.

Further advisories will be issued for any update.

15:42 (BKK): French President Emmanuel Macron – “France strongly condemns Russia’s decision to wage war on Ukraine. Russia must end its military operations immediately, France stands in solidarity with Ukraine. It stands with Ukrainians and is working with its partners and allies to end the war.”

15:15 (BKK): EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen – “We will freeze Russian assets in the European Union and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets,” she said.

“We condemn this barbaric attack and the cynical arguments that are being used to justify it.”

“These sanctions are designed to take a heavy toll on the Kremlin’s interests and their ability to finance war. And we know that millions of Russians do not want war,” she added.
“We will not allow President Putin to replace the rule of law, by the rule of force, and ruthlessness, Ukraine will prevail.”

15:00 (BKK): Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida – “We strongly criticize Russia’s actions and will cooperate with the United States and the international community to respond swiftly.”

Japan has also imposed sanctions against Russia. The sanctions include the issueance of visa and freezing of assessts of people invovled in the Donetsk and Luhansk declaration of independece. Import and exports to the regions are also banned.

14:05 (BKK): The world has shown its support for Ukraine as leaders pledged their support. Leaders include US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Council President Charles Michel, Emir of Qatar, and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

14:00 (BKK): General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces reports five Russian aircrafts and a helicopter was shot down earlier today. Russian military claims Ukraine “did not provide any resistance.”

13:45 (BKK): Ukraine Foreign Ministry Dmytro Keleba urged Ukrainians to stay strong and share the truth.

“Putin attacked, but no one is running away,” he wrote. “Army, diplomats, everyone is working. Ukraine fights. Ukraine will defend itself. Ukraine will win. Share the truth about Putin’s invasion in your countries and call on governments to act immediately,” he said.

13:44 (BKK): Tanks begin to move in via Belarus border.

13:39 (BKK): Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Oleg Nikolenko “This is an act of war, an attack on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a gross violation of the UN Statute and the fundamental norms and principles of international law,” the Russian attack is seen as move to “destroy the state of Ukraine, seize Ukrainian territory by force, and establish occupation control.”

13:03 (BKK): Kharkhiv Mayor  Igor Terekhov warns everyone to stay at home. “Please do not leave your homes today. Due to the complicated situation, schools, kindergartens and other institutions do not work today — until the situation becomes clearer.”

12:59 AM (BKK): Stocks plunge as Moscow Echange closes until further notice.

12:52 AM (BKK): South Korean embassy in Ukraine advises citizens to prepare for an evacuation. “Considering the urgent change in the current situation, we strongly recommend that the South Koreans who are still in Ukraine be fully prepared so that they can move to a safe area or location promptly in case of an emergency.” 

12:48 AM (BKK): Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced “The situation is tense. We will continue to work in collaboration with the international community, including the G7 nations. We will do our best to collect information and get a grasp of the situation.”

12:46 AM (BKK): Russian Military releases a statement “The Russian Armed Forces are not launching any missile or artillery strikes on the cities of Ukraine. High-precision weapons destroy military infrastructure: military airfields, aviation, air defense facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the statement read. “The civilian population is not at risk.” 

12:44 AM (BKK): Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says “The world must act immediately. Future of Europe & the world is at stake. ” Shares a few suggestions

1. Devastating sanctions on Russia NOW, including SWIFT
2. Fully isolate Russia by all means, in all formats 
3. Weapons, equipment for Ukraine 
4. Financial assistance 
5. Humanitarian assistance

12:18 AM (BKK): President Zelensky announced martial law – “No panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything. We will win over everybody because we are Ukraine.”

12:01 AM (BKK): “All parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid the further escalation of tensions,” – Zhang Jun China UN Ambassador. China seeks to promote peace talks and diplomatic solutions.

11:52 AM (BKK): Attacks have begun as troops begin to cross the border. UN-Secretary General warns of war worse than any in this century. Meanwhile, flights announce that Ukraine is a no-fly zone.

11:49 AM (BKK): To those who threaten Russia “know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences as you have never experienced in your history”- Vladimir Putin

10:47 AM (BKK): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Moscow to give peace a chance and to stop attacking Ukraine. Emergency meetings are ongoing to address the Russian advance.

10:32 AM (BKK): President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the “special military operation” in the Donbas region. Explosions in Kyiv and Kharkiv. Russian invasion has began.

February 23, 2022: USA and UK sanction Russia to deter any attack.

February 22, 2022: Russia moves in for “peacekeeping” missions in eastern Ukraine.

February 21, 2022: Biden and Putin agree for talks

February 20, 2022: The US warns everyone of imminent attacks

February 19: 2022: US President Joe Biden says Russia will invade.

February 18, 2022: US says Russia has already selected targets in Ukraine.

February 17, 2022: Despite claims of pulling back, Russia has added more troops at the border.

February 16, 2022: Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and two other banks were hacked.

February 15, 2022: Russian military advances closer to Ukraine

February 14, 2022: US warns that Russian Invasion will be any day now.

February 13, 2022: Experts begin to realize that Ukraine is surrounded.

February 12, 2022: Russia says that the west has a “large-scale disinformation” campaign.

February 11, 2022: Joe Biden urges americans living in Ukraine to “leave now”

Febraury 10, 2022: Russia advances further towards the Ukrainian border

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Russia announces military operation in Eastern Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the “special military operation” in the Donbas region. This has come after US, UK, and other European nations have announced their sanctions to deter the Russian invasion.

A few signs have pointed to the beginning of the attacks. The first one was President Putin allegedly not answering the calls of President Zelensky. The second sign was Russia announcing the Ukraine region as a no-fly zone. Finally, the Russian President has responded.

A few days ago, President Putin declared the eastern separatist-held regions of Ukraine independent. While Ukraine’s president did not acknowledge any of it, Putin is beginning his operations in the region.

United Nations

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns Moscow to give peace a chance and to stop attacking Ukraine. “The day was full of rumors and indications of an offensive against Ukraine was imminent. In the recent past, there were several situations with similar indications, similar rumors. And I never believed in them, convinced that nothing serious would happen,” Guterres told the council. “I was wrong. And I would like not to be wrong again today.”

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield has also expressed her thoughts.

“We are here tonight because we believe, along with Ukraine, that a full-scale, further invasion into Ukraine by Russia is imminent,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

“Tonight, we’re seeing the Russians close airspace, move troops into Donbas, and move forces into combat-ready positions,” she added, calling this “a perilous moment.”

“And we are here for one reason and one reason only: to ask Russia to stop. Return to your border. Send your troops, and your tanks, and your planes back to their barracks and hangars. And send your diplomats to the negotiating table,” she said.

Reports are coming in of explosions in Kyiv and the second largest city of the country Kharkiv.

President Putin addressed Ukrainian soldiers and advised them to lay down their arms and go home. He also warned that any military aggression will be on the conscience of the Ukrainian government.

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Just a few days ago, President Vladimir Putin has made his speech regarding the independence of east Ukraine. He also deployed Russian troops to these “independent” states for “peacekeeping” missions. However, the Ukrainian President did not acknowledge any of it saying their borders stay the same.

President Joe Biden announced its “first tranche” of sanctions. This includes two large financial institutions, Russian sovereign debt, and Russian elites and family members. They will be “cut off Russia’s government from Western finance.”

Additional US troops will also be deployed to strengthen the US allies on the Baltic nations. He did clarify that the troops will not be there to fight Russia.

“The United States and our allies and partners remain open to diplomacy if it is serious,” he said. “When all is said and done, we’re going to judge Russia by its actions, not its words.”
President Biden would still like to proceed with diplomatic solutions to the ongoing issues. He was also open to sharing his perspective regarding the acknowledgment of independence. He believes that Moscow was planning to redraw borders which violates international laws.

“Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries on territory that belonged to his neighbors? This is a flagrant violation of international law and demands a firm response from the international community,” Biden said.

He viewed it as a beginning of an invasion so de does believe it is also the right time to give a response. There has been no additional response from Russia after President Putin’s speech.

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Russia orders troops to move in for peacekeeping missions in eastern Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin signed decrees for Russia-backed regions’ declaration of independence. Separatist-held eastern Ukraine is known to be backed by Moscow and could mark the beginning of the invasion.

The decrees that were signed recognize Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic (DPR and LPR). Both are independent states in the Donbas region of Ukraine. The decree also guarantees that Russian Troops will defend them.

Many US government officials stated that this could be the beginning of a huge military attack.

Vladimir Putin has made a speech on Monday regarding the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic. He called the eastern part of Ukraine, “ancient Russian lands.”

“Russia has always tried to resolve all conflicts by peaceful means. Nevertheless, the Kyiv authorities conducted two punitive operations in these territories [Donetsk and Luhansk], and it seems that we are now witnessing an escalation for the third time,” Putin said.

Zelensky Remains Steadfast

President Zelensky of Ukraine does not recognize these declarations of independence. He added that Russia has violated Ukraine’s “national integrity and sovereignty” and their borders will “remain as such”. “We are on our land, we are not afraid of anything and anyone. We don’t owe anything to anyone, and we will not give away anything to anyone. And we are confident of this,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine has begun the meeting for the Normandy Four which includes Germany, Russia, and France.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken backed the Ukrainian government recognizing this move as an attack on sovereignty. US President Joe Biden signed an executive decree prohibiting any investment, trade, and financing on the ‘Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.’

Both President Putin and President Biden have agreed to meet “in principle” to talk about deescalating the issue. Among the points, Russia is demanding is not to allow Ukraine to join NATO. The reason was to avoid NATO spreading its foothold at the Russian borders.

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Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agree to meet if Russia does not attack Ukraine. The White House announced that the US president will attend the French-brokered summit. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will meet on February 24. They will be discussing the details in advance.

“We are always ready for diplomacy. We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon,” Press Secretary John Psaki said.

The summit was proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron. He talked to both President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin back-to-back. His efforts are towards exploring every available pathway to avoid conflict.

“President Biden is prepared to engage President Putin at any time, in any format, if that can help prevent a war,” according to Blinken.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed his opinion. He said that Russia is planning “the biggest war in Europe since 1945.”

“I’m afraid to say, that the plan that we’re seeing, is for something that could be really the biggest war in Europe since 1945,” he said. He added that “people need to understand that the sheer cost in human life that could entail not just for Ukrainians, but also for, for Russians and for young Russians.”

Satellite Images

Maxar has also released additional satellite photos showing that Russian troops are mounting and moving into position. “Multiple new field deployments of armored equipment and troops have been observed northwest of Belgorod and near Soloti and Valuyki, Russia “. These are places 35 kilometers away from the border.

“This new activity represents a change in the pattern of the previously observed deployments of battle groups (tanks, armored personnel carriers, artillery, and support equipment). Until recently, most of the deployments had been seen primarily positioned at or near existing military garrisons and training areas. Today (Sunday) most of the combat units and support equipment at Soloti have departed and extensive vehicle tracks and some convoys of armored equipment are seen throughout the area. Some equipment has also been deployed east of nearby Valuyki, Russia in a field approximately 15 kilometers north of the Ukraine border,” Maxar noted.

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Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy reported several mortar fires on Sunday. He was on tour on the front lines and was giving interviews shortly prior to the bombing.

“We have information about the advance of the Russian army along with our territory,” he said. “There is also information that certain units of the Wagner PMC have entered our territory. The purpose of the stay is to organize sabotage in our territory.”

Munich Security Conference

Munich Security Conference

President Zelensky asked for the sanctions against Russia to be made public. The Munich Security Conference initially decided not to publicize the sanctions until Russia has invaded.

“The question of just making it public … just the list of sanctions, for them, for us, to know what will happen if they start the war — even that question does not have the support,” he said.

He argued that what use is the sanctions to them after their economy has collapsed due to invasion. He urged the members to make it public before applying pressure to Russia not to invade. He was asking for sanctions that can provide or he also suggested that Ukraine can provide a list.

“If you can’t even disclose what will happen to whom if the war starts … I doubt it will be triggered after it happens,” he added.

Russia has been amassing troops at the Ukrainian border. There were satellite images of about 150,000 soldiers. There were also additional reports of troops gathering in Crimea and other points of the border.

“Ukraine needs security guarantees,” Zelensky said. “We are smart people, we are not narrow-minded. We understand there are lots of different risks because of NATO, there is no consensus around other allies, everyone is saying there is some distance that we need to go between Ukraine and NATO that we need to walk. All we are saying is tell us how much time does it take to complete this distance?”

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Joe Biden says Russia will invade. “As of this moment, I am convinced he’s made the decision,” Biden said during his speech at the White House. He also added that they believe they will attack “in the coming week” or sooner. The target will be the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. He did emphasize that there is still room for diplomacy.

Biden will gather the national security team over the weekend and monitor any progress during the weekend. He will also remain in close contact with world leaders. His administration has disclosed several intelligence details on Russian troop movements. The reason he chose to do it is to say it “loudly and repeatedly, to remove any reason that Russia may give to justify invading Ukraine and prevent them from moving.”

Russia Refutes the Claims

“Make no mistake. If Russia pursues its plans, it will be responsible for a catastrophic and needless war of choice,” he added.

Mara Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson denied the claims Biden made. “The American president also repeated the unsubstantiated thesis about Russia’s alleged attempts to ‘attack’ Ukraine, threatening Moscow with sanctions in the event of an escalation. The Russian Federation categorically denies such statements and escalation plans attributed to it,” the Russian news agency said.

It is up to Ukraine

Biden stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky must decide whether or not to attend the security summit in Germany this weekend. On Saturday, Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to meet with Zelensky at the conference.

The US also released a statement regarding the recent cyber attacks on the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and two banks. “We believe that the Russian government is responsible for widescale cyberattacks on Ukrainian banks this week. We have technical information that links the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, as known GRU infrastructure was seen transmitting high volumes of communication to Ukraine based IP addresses and domains,” said Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology.

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The US claims that evidence shows that Russia is “moving towards an imminent invasion” despite Russia’s claim to withdraw. US officials including President Joe Biden believe that the attack will happen “in the next few days”.

“Every indication that we have is that they are prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine,” Biden said.

Russia however answer and said that these were “baseless accusations”.

Blinken suspects that Russia will generate a pretext of war. This could include fabricated terrorist bombing, the discovery of mass graves, or staged drone strikes. “Russia may describe this event as ethnic cleansing or a genocide, making a mockery of a concept that we in this chamber do not take lightly,” Blinken said.

“The information I presented here is validated by what we’ve seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months,” Blinken said. “Remember that while Russia has repeatedly regarded our warnings as melodrama and nonsense. They’ve been steadily amassing more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders.”

Russian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Sergey Vershinin, warned others about making the UN meeting a “circus,”. He said they should not present “baseless accusations saying that Russia allegedly was going to attack Ukraine.”

“We have long ago clarified everything and explained everything. And the announced date of this so-called invasion is behind us, so, therefore … my advice to you is [to] not present yourself in an awkward situation,” Vershinin said.

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A senior US administration official said that Russia’s claims of withdrawal were “false” and warned that these diplomatic claims were a farce.

“Every indication we have now is they mean only to publicly offer to talk. They make claims about de-escalation, while privately mobilizing for war,” the official said.

President Joe Biden mentioned during a televised speech that the estimate of Russian troops on the border is at 150,000. “Our analysts indicate that they remain very much in a threatening position,” Biden said. “And the fact remains right now Russia has more than 150,000 troops encircling Ukraine and Belarus and along Ukraine’s border.”

A senior diplomat cautioned that Russia may attack under a false pretext. This includes claiming NATO activities or an incursion into Russian territory. Or claiming atrocities were taking place in the eastern Donbas area, which has been under Russian-backed rebel rule since 2014.

“We should expect more false reports from Russian state media over the coming days,” an official said. “We don’t know what form the false pretext will take. But we hope the world is ready.”

“We will continue to pursue diplomacy over the coming days while being prepared to respond swiftly and decisively,” the official said. “Russia keeps saying it wants to pursue a diplomatic solution; their actions indicate otherwise. We hope they will change course before starting a war that will bring catastrophic death and destruction.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance had not yet seen “any sign of de-escalation on the ground,” but added that “signs from Moscow that diplomacy should continue” were grounds for cautious optimism.

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According to US President Joe Biden, Russia has massed an estimated 150,000 troops along Ukraine’s border. US authorities have warned that a new Russian invasion may happen at any time. Russia has rejected any intention of invading Ukraine.

The incident was characterized by SSSCIP as a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. It involves flooding a website with bogus traffic in order to prevent access to it. DDoS assaults are inexpensive and simple to carry out. They can be disruptive, but they don’t always have to be sophisticated.

Access to the banks’ websites — PrivatBank and Oschadbank — had been restored by 7:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. ET), according to Ukrainian officials. Tuesday night there were troubles accessing military agency websites.

According to Zhora, Ukrainian government authorities are “continuing to monitor and shut off” the IP addresses from which the hackers are flooding Ukrainian websites with traffic.

DDoS assaults are tough to track down because hackers can fake their geolocation to appear to be in a place they aren’t.

The DDoS assault looks to be “part of a wider campaign of harassment and demoralization against the public promoted by the Russian government,” according to Matt Tait, a cybersecurity expert and former information security specialist with the UK government’s signals intelligence agency.

Russia consistently denies carrying out cyberattacks.

Last month, a separate hack targeted Ukrainian government websites. Officials in Ukraine have indicated Russian and Belarusian participation, although the hack has yet to be officially pinned on those nations.

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The Russian military advances are closer to Ukraine. Social Media posts show submarines and amphibious landing ships in the Black Sea. They also reveal short-range ballistic missiles, tanks, and howitzers around Ukraine’s northeastern edges. Some of the videos come from official sources; most are from TikTok or YouTube. They are being analyzed by online observers and often complement satellite imagery.

There’s plenty of other evidence of the military build-up in the Belgorod region. Russian forces are also moving at night in the area showing tanks off-loaded from trains. The area around Voronezh also appears to be getting pretty crowded. A large collection of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles was filmed in the last couple of days from a passing train. Social media videos also featured the arrival of helicopters near the Ukrainian border.

Michael Kofman, the Russia analyst at CNA, notes that troops in Kursk “appear to be moving up to Belgorod with district-level artillery support. He says the 1st Guards Tank Army has started to move too — “presumably to a final staging area.” Of particular concern is the movement of convoys of Iskander-M short-range ballistic missiles. They have a range of up to 250 miles (402 km) and have been spotted in recent satellite imagery.

Belarus

Russian and Belarusian troops began sizeable joint exercises last week near the Polish border, but some Russian forces are on the move many miles from where the exercises are taking place and have taken up positions close to where the borders of Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus meet. Russian weaponry — and ships — continue to close in on the Ukrainian border. Sites, where equipment had been pre-positioned more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the border, have been progressively emptied as units have moved forward.

The Russian military movement is concerning and it is even more frightening not knowing what the next move is.

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“We cannot perfectly predict the day, but we have now been saying for some time that we are in the window, and an invasion could begin, a major military action could begin by Russia in Ukraine any day now — that includes this coming week, before the end of the Olympics,” Sullivan said on an interview with CNN.

“The way they have built up their forces, the way they have maneuvered things in place, makes it a distinct possibility there will be major military action very soon. And we are prepared to continue to work on diplomacy, but we are also prepared to respond in a united and decisive way with our allies and partners should Russia proceed.”

In a call between the US and Ukraine, Biden vowed that the US will respond “swiftly and decisively” should Russia attack.

“President Biden made clear that the United States would respond swiftly and decisively, together with its allies and partners, to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine. The two leaders agreed on the importance of continuing to pursue diplomacy and deterrence in response to Russia’s military build-up on Ukraine’s borders,” according to the White House.

Ukraine also called for an urgent meeting with Russia for the next 48 hours. They are hoping to understand the reason for the buildup of troops. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia did not respond to the request. This has prompted the west to speculate that there is an invasion. Russia continuously denied any plans of invasion.

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The Ukraine crisis has gained international coverage since it began. All eyes are now focused on Russia’s next move. The most recent reports show that Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops on the Ukrainian border. All the while, Russia claims that the US is on a disinformation campaign.

Experts have continued to track this growth and realized Russia has surrounded Ukraine on three points. The three points are in Crimea to the south, on the Russian side of the two countries’ border, and in Belarus to the north.

Most of the world knows about the troop build-up in Eastern Ukraine. The initial base is found in Yelnya which originally held Russian troops and artillery. Now, satellite images show that this base is empty. The troops have moved to a position even closer to Ukraine in the Bryansk region.

Belarus

The second pressure point is in Belarus. Russia and Belarus began 10 days of joint military drills on Thursday. The size and timing of which have sparked fears in the West. Belarus could provide Russia with an opening into Ukraine. The buildup in Belarus includes an expected 30,000 combat troops and Spetsnaz special operation forces. It also has fighter jets including SU-35, Iskander dual-capable missiles, and S-400 air defense systems. This is the largest buildup since the cold war. Experts from the west find it coincidental with the invasion threats.

Crimea

The third point is at Crimea. The peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 would provide a natural staging ground for any new operation. A large deployment of troops and equipment has been observed by Maxar. They estimate that there are about 550 troop tents and hundreds of vehicles have arrived north of the Crimean capital, Simferopol. Then a new deployment was identified by Maxar for the first time Thursday near the town of Slavne. On the northwest coast of Crimea, they have begun to see armored vehicles. Those new deployments were observed on the same day that several Russian warships arrived in Sevastopol, Crimea’s main port.

With these movements, the west is interpreting the massive troop build-up as the beginning of the invasion plans. However, what if they are increasing a troop presence for defense purposes?

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The previous base was located in Yelnya about 160 miles from Ukraine. Senior director at satellite imagery company Maxar, Stephen Wood commented that it has moved. “It looks to me like a considerable amount of the vehicles [tanks, self-propelled artillery, and other support vehicles] have departed from the northeastern vehicle park. Additional armored vehicles departed from the more central vehicle park.”

Social media posts shot in the previous days show that equipment was carried towards the Bryansk region. This is much closer to Ukraine. Russian journalist Rusland Leviev of the Conflict Investigation Team (CIT) reported the movement. “We also saw videos of several trains that were posted by social media users from the Bryansk region. On the carriages we could read 8-digit identification codes, which, when checked against openly accessible databases, trace the train’s origins to Yelnya.”

“This is important because those vehicles previously were several hundred kilometers away from the border, and now [they] are stopping in mere dozens [of kilometers away].”

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told ABC News: “We believe that there is a very distinct possibility that Vladimir Putin will order an attack on Ukraine. It could take a number of different forms. It could happen as soon as tomorrow or it could take some weeks yet.”

Russia has denied any plans of invasion. They have not commented on the troop movements but are in open discussions with NATO and the US.

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The US alleges that Russia is preparing to release a propaganda video to “fabricate a pretext for an invasion”. This contains a “very graphic propaganda video” showing Ukraine attacking Russia.

Russia continues to build up forces along the Ukraine border. This allegation is the latest of “intelligence” data suggesting Russia’s plan to invade. Pentagon suggests that Russia “is planning to stage a fake attack by Ukrainian military or intelligence forces against Russian sovereign territory or against Russian-speaking people”. This is to create a rationale for Russia’s invasion.

Press secretary John Kirby added, “As part of this fake attack, we believe that Russia would produce a very graphic propaganda video which would include corpses and actors that would be depicting mourners and images of destroyed locations, as well as military equipment at the hands of Ukraine or the West, even to the point where some of this equipment would be made to look like it was Western supplied … to Ukraine equipment.”

This same week, President Vladimir Putin said that the US is “hyping” the situation. In the same speech, he claims that the US government and media are pushing them towards armed conflict. The Russian president also said the US is ignoring their primary concerns.

Artillery

The US Ambassador to the UN claims that Russia had moved nearly 5,000 troops into Belarus. This includes short-range ballistic missiles, special forces, and anti-aircraft batteries. It is also with the intention of massing more than 30,000 troops near the Ukraine border.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said this is the biggest Russian deployment they have seen since the cold war. The deployment contains  “an expected 30,000 combat troops, Spetsnaz special operation forces, fighter jets including SU-35, Iskander dual-capable missiles and S-400 air defense systems.”

According to the data and intelligence reports, Russia might not need to cross the border to attack. Their missile systems are capable of reaching Kyiv from Belarus. Russia already has about 100,000 troops stationed at the border.

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A recent statement by President Vladimir Putin claims that the west is simply hyping up the situation. He further claims that the west is pushing them to an armed conflict. This comes as the controversy of having some 100,000 Russian troops gather along the border.

There will be about 2000 US troops to be deployed in Germany and Poland. About 1000 troops currently in Germany will be deployed to Romania. Pentagon claims that they are there to protect not to fight in Ukraine. They will simply help defend US allies.

“It’s important that we send a strong signal to Mr Putin and, frankly, to the world that NATO matters to the United States and it matters to our allies,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

Pentagon also seems to back the contents of the leaked letter regarding the diplomatic talks. A story from a Spanish news media claim that they have information on the contents of the letter. In the talks between USA and Russia, they are moving to have trust-building measures. One of them is to cut back on the use of nuclear weaponry.

In a discussion between the UK, Ukraine, and the Russian leader on Wednesday, concerns were raised. Johnson stated that all European democracies have the right to join NATO. Putin answered that the west is pushing him to go on an armed conflict with Ukraine. He also stated that Ukraine violated the Minsk agreement. President Putin went further to say that this was a political move to force sanctions against Russia.

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The US called for UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting regarding the situation at the border. US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said “Today, after weeks of close consultation with Ukraine and partners on the Security Council, the United States called an open meeting of the Security Council to discuss a matter of crucial importance to international peace and security: Russia’s threatening behavior against Ukraine and the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine’s borders and in Belarus.”

She urged for the council to evaluate the facts of the tension and consider the effects to Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. She sighted that should there be an invasion, it violates the international order that the organizations stand for.

“More than 100,000 Russian troops are deployed on the Ukrainian border and Russia is engaging in other destabilizing acts aimed at Ukraine, posing a clear threat to international peace and security and the UN Charter,” she noted.

“As we continue our relentless pursuit of diplomacy to de-escalate tensions in the face of this serious threat to European and global peace and security, the UN Security Council is a crucial venue for diplomacy,” she added.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Ukraine crisis.

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As the Russian troops gather at Ukraine’s border, the USA and NATO allies are on high alert for any signs of aggression. One of the most feared options is a nuclear attack which could be very devastating. In the middle of the stand-off, both parties have agreed to communicate through letters.

“The document we’ve delivered includes concerns of the United States and our allies and partners about Russia’s actions that undermine security, a principled and pragmatic evaluation of the concerns that Russia has raised, and our proposals for areas where we may be able to find common ground,” Blinken said.

The central demand of President Vladimir Putin is not to let Ukraine join NATO. This is against NATO’s open-door policy which allows any country to join the alliance.

“We make clear that there are core principles that we are committed to uphold and defend, including Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their security arrangements and alliances,” Blinken said.

The US still hopes for a diplomatic way of resolving this issue. The stand-off has been going on for weeks and the world watches with growing concern.

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