Pro-government circles echo Putin's line, as criticism of the military's action grows among public figures and Russians.
I think this war is designed to divert attention from Russia’s problems, and it will only lead to greater impoverishment,” he said, before being interrupted by the judge. “This is an unparalleled atrocity for which there is and cannot be justification.” A most important day, a day which decides the course of our history,” he said on his YouTube channel, Solovyov LIVE. “I am against this war. “We draw the attention of the media that the Security Service of Ukraine is preparing and is already implementing provocations according to the well-known templates of the White Helmets,” he said, referring to the volunteer search-and-rescue group in Syria, which the Russian and Syrian governments have accused of staging war crimes for propaganda. The official line of the Kremlin and state-friendly media is in line with Putin’s assessment – that Russia had no choice but to respond to Ukrainian “aggression”, and the military is crippling Ukraine’s defence capability while avoiding civilian casualties.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases ...
The White House has been reluctant to immediately cut Russia from SWIFT, worried it could cause enormous economic problems in Europe and elsewhere in the West. The autocratic leader made clear earlier this week that he sees no reason for Ukraine to exist, raising fears of possible broader conflict in the vast space that the Soviet Union once ruled. The invasion began early Thursday with a series of missile strikes, many on key government and military installations, quickly followed by a three-pronged ground assault. It confirmed the loss of one of its Su-25 attack jets, blaming “pilot error,” and said an An-26 transport plane had crashed because of technical failure, killing the entire crew. While some nervous Europeans speculated about a possible new world war, the U.S. and its NATO partners have shown no indication they would send troops into Ukraine, fearing a larger conflict. Russia and Ukraine made competing claims about damage they had inflicted. “Until the very last moment, I didn’t believe it would happen. Zelenskyy said in a video address that 137 “heroes,” including 10 military officers, had been killed and 316 people wounded. Civilians piled into trains and cars to flee and patrons of a hotel were directed into a shelter as explosions sounded in Kyiv. The conflict shook global financial markets: Stocks plunged and oil prices soared amid concerns that heating bills and food prices would skyrocket. None of it feels real.” Explosions sounded before dawn in Kyiv as Western leaders scheduled an emergency meeting and Ukraine’s president pleaded for international help.
The Russian invasion stirs international condemnation, roils global markets and a promise by Ukraine's president to defend the country.
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The urgent U.N. Security Council meeting was meant as an eleventh hour effort to dissuade Russia from sending troops into Ukraine. But the message became ...
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Moscow launches a deadly attack targeting cities and military targets, as civilians attempt to flee.
Since then more than 14,000 people have died in the east in a conflict between the rebels and Ukrainian forces. You can also get in touch in the following ways: Addressing Russians, he said: "I cannot believe this is being done in your name, or that you really want the pariah status it will bring to the Putin regime." Russian tanks were later seen on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million people. The breakaway regions were seized by Russian-backed rebels after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014. Then Ukrainian forces said Russian military vehicles had crossed the border near Kharkiv in the north, Luhansk in the east, Russian-annexed Crimea in the south and from Belarus too. Ukraine said it had killed 50 Russian troops and shot down six Russian aircraft, but this has not been verified. Under the defensive alliance's treaty, Nato can be brought together if any member fears their independence or territory is under threat. In the capital Kyiv, home to almost three million people, warning sirens blared out as traffic queued to leave the city and crowds sought shelter in metro stations. Mark, a 27-year-old sales executive, said he was ready to be called up to fight. Moscow first struck Ukraine's military infrastructure and border guard units. Dozens of people have been killed, including about 10 civilians.
Russia's long-looming invasion of Ukraine has officially begun. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday morning local time that he is launching a “special military operation” in Ukraine, a move that was followed up by ...
The United States has said it will not involve troops in any Ukrainian conflict, though more US military aid to Ukraine is on its way and the US has shored up its presence on NATO’s eastern flank. The US and Russia worked with Ukraine to denuclearize the country, and in a series of diplomatic agreements, Kyiv gave its hundreds of nuclear warheads back to Russia in exchange for security assurances that protected it from a potential Russian attack. For example, even the SWIFT action is expected to leave some carve-outs so Russia can still export gas to Europe. The tougher the sanctions on Russia, the harder it will hit the US and especially European economies, so leaders are still trying to soften the impact. Yet, days earlier, Putin used these sorts of claims as part of his explanation for recognizing as independent the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic, the two territories in eastern Ukraine where he has backed separatists since 2014. “Since time immemorial, the people living in the south-west of what has historically been Russian land have called themselves Russians.” Ukrainian officials have said about 11,000 Russian troops have been killed in the fighting, as of March 6, but American and European estimates of Russian casualties have been substantially lower. Putin himself has called on the Ukrainian army to “take power into their own hands and overthrow” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a sign that Putin remains focused on regime change. On February 28, high-level officials from Russia and Ukraine met at the Ukraine-Belarus border, and again on March 3. Russian troops were advancing toward Kyiv, and thousands and thousands are fleeing in advance of a possible siege on the city. He recognized the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine where Moscow has backed a separatist rebellion since 2014 and sent so-called peacekeeping forces into the region. The battle for Ukraine began in the early morning hours, local time, on February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a “special military operation” into the country of about 40 million. On February 26, the United States and European countries agreed to block some Russian banks from SWIFT, a global messaging system, which will essentially prevent those institutions from doing any global transactions, a punishment that allies had previously hesitated to pursue.
Central Kyiv was rocked by explosions after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an offensive that he said was aimed at toppling the government.
Brent crude — the global benchmark for oil prices — went as high as $105.79 for the front-month contract. Natural gas prices also climbed; in Europe, natural ...
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Explosions thundered in Ukrainian cities shortly after President Vladimir V. Putin declared the start of a “special military operation.”
In a lengthy speech, Mr. Putin presented his case for aggression against Ukraine, calling it an artificial creation of the Soviet Union that was manipulated into declaring independence. Ukraine, the United States and others have condemned Russia’s aggression and dismissed Mr. Putin’s justifications. Some member nations, which must vote unanimously, remain concerned about extending military commitments and have doubts about the strength of the rule of law in Ukraine, a young democracy with extensive corruption. The United States and European Union allies have announced a range of limited sanctions already, targeting much of Mr. Putin’s inner circle. NATO, the military alliance that includes the United States and European powers, has added members in Central and Eastern Europe that had once been Soviet states or part of its sphere of influence, including Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. “They go straight to hell, ambassador.” “There is no purgatory for war criminals,” Mr. Kyslytsya said. Russia said its forces had disabled all of Ukraine’s air defenses and air bases, while Ukraine’s military said it had shot down six Russian planes and one helicopter. Starting last fall, Russia began to mass troops along its border with Ukraine and in Belarus, an aligned former Soviet state. His announcement came as the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting, stunning ambassadors who had to deliver impromptu reactions to the rapidly changing events. Long lines of cars moved out of Kyiv, many heading west in hopes of finding sanctuary in one of the few parts of the country not ringed with Russian forces. Ukrainians lined up at bank machines and stocked up on groceries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday. Follow here for live news updates from the ground in Ukraine.
Following the call, Blinken tweeted a similar statement, highlighting the “importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression,” adding “Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order.” “Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today to discuss Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine. Secretary Blinken stressed the importance of a strong collective response to condemn Russia’s invasion and call for an immediate withdrawal and ceasefire,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a readout of the call on Thursday. Also on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone conversation with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stressing the importance of a “strong collective response” toward Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an official spokesperson said.