World News

[NostradamusTheSeer]

Oh, so that's why he's ripping off a gag from an old Bugs Bunny cartoon.



It's frightening that two of the most powerful men in the world right now, albeit for different reasons, conceivably qualify as being clinically insane. 

[MasterXtreme]

So much news...

* Ukrainian defence officials claim that their forces have re-taken the eastern city of Chuhuiv. Ukraine's General Staff said that Kyiv's forces had seized the city from Russian troops and had inflicted heavy losses on Moscow's forces during the battle. Ukrainian officials also claimed that two high-ranking Russian commanders were killed during the battle for the city, which boasts a population of around 31,000 people.  These claims cannot be independently verified.

* There have been reports of renewed Russian shelling in the southern port city of Mykolaiv. The renewed assault comes a day after Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian attack on the city of 476,100 people and recaptured the local airport.

* Ukrainian forces have reported that upwards of 4,500 Russian soldiers have died already in the conflict.  The number cannot be verified, but similar numbers are also being estimated by Western intelligence.  This would mean it has been very costly for Russia so far.  Number estimates for Ukraine are far less.

* Nearly 20,000 foreign citizens have applied to go and fight for Ukraine, according to Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

*An update on activities at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, which was seized by Russian forces on Friday. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Ukraine has informed it that regular staff are still operating the plant, but they are now under orders from the commander of the Russian forces there. Ukraine has also told the IAEA that Russian military at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet, making communications highly challenging. The country's nuclear regulator says it has encountered major problems reaching staff at the plant.

* The US is actively looking at a deal with Poland to supply Russian-made military jets to Ukraine, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken says. Ukrainian pilots already know how to fly them and Blinken said the US might provide replacement planes to Poland. It follows a plea for planes from Pres. Zelensky. Russia's defense ministry has warned Ukraine's neighbours not to harbour Ukrainian combat aircraft, saying they could find themselves involved in the conflict.

* US intelligence does not believe that a Russian amphibious operation aimed at taking the Black Sea city of Odesa is imminent in the short term. Earlier President Zelensky warned that Russian forces were preparing to bombard Odesa, which is close to the Moldovan border and the Russia-backed breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.  The US had observed only ‘limited’ changes on the ground in Ukraine over the past day, with Russian efforts to seize Kyiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv being hotly contested by Ukraine.  It is likely Russian plans have been altered somewhat due to the heavy resistance from Ukrainian forces.

* A 40-mile Russian convoy near Kyiv remains stalled according to US and UK intelligence.  Reports continue that Russian morale is low and supplies low. UK defence officials have said they believe Russian forces made minimal gains over the past 48 hours, with its troops remaining bogged down by stiff Ukrainian resistance and poor logistical support.  They noted that Russian forces in the last 24hrs have focused on shelling residential and civilian sites in Ukrainian cities as opposed to military targets.

* The US estimates that 600 Russian missile launches of various kinds have taken place since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on 24 February.

* US intelligence believes that approximately 95% of the Russian forces it had amassed near Ukraine’s border have now been committed to the offensive and deployed into Ukraine.  This is according to the latest satellite data used by the Pentagon.

* White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the US was sharing intelligence with Ukraine "in real time". No further details were given.  It has also been reported that the US has reportedly given Pres. Zelensky a secure hotline to Pres. Biden.

* Russian NGO OVD, has reported that over 4,600 Russian's were arrested in anti-war protests on Sunday alone. OVD says that in total 13,028 protestors have now been arrested in Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine.

* The hacking collective Anonymous claims to have hacked Russian state TV broadcasts to show footage of the war in Ukraine. In a Twitter post, Anonymous said it hacked into channels including Russia 24, Channel One and Moscow 24, in addition to Russian streaming services Wink and Ivi.

* Russia has said it will open new humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to evacuate to either Belarus or Russia. Evacuation routes were published by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency. The corridor from Kyiv will lead to Russian ally Belarus, and civilians from Kharkiv will only have a corridor leading to Russia. Corridors from the cities of Mariupol and Sumy will lead both to other Ukrainian cities and to Russia. Russian state media claims this was a personal request by the French President. French President Emmanuel Macron denies requesting for those corridors to lead into Russia. It's another way for Putin to push his narrative and say that it is the Ukrainians who are the aggressors and they are the ones who offer asylum to everyone.  Fake news by Russia. Ukraine has said Russia's proposal on humanitarian corridors taking refugees to Belarus or Russia was "completely immoral".

* Australia's Prime Minister tells China to demonstrate commitment to global peace. Relations between China and Australia have dived in recent years as Canberra has vocalised concerns about Beijing’s alleged interference in domestic politics and affairs – something China denies. The Morrison government has become more explicit in stating concerns about China’s power in the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasised that Australia was working with other like-minded countries to punish Russia, noting: “This is important because we know that there are powerful actors in our region who are watching closely, looking for signs of weakness and division within the West.” He thanked allies Japan, South Korea and Singapore for their sanctions on Russia – calling it a “welcome testimony to international solidarity in our region”.  China has remained mostly silent on the whole invasion and reports say China knew of the invasion prior to the Beijing Olympics but told no one, instead asking Putin to invade after the Olympics took place.

* Russia is recruiting Syrians skilled in urban combat to fight in Ukraine as Moscow prepares for intense street-to-street fighting in its push to seize major Ukrainian cities according to US intelligence.  According to a publication in Deir Ezzor, Syria, Russia has offered volunteers from the country salaries of between $200 and $300 "to go to Ukraine and operate as guards" for six months at a time. Israeli military veterans have been reportedly showing up to fight for Ukraine.

* Russian ally, Kazakhstan saw mass anti-war protest in it's capital city, Almaty, today.  Authorities allowed the protest and no arrests or force was used.  The Kazakh foreign ministry has stressed its neutrality in the conflict.

* In Russia, activist groups are reporting that a priest who gave an anti-war sermon on Sunday has been arrested and is due to face a court later today. Father Ioann Burdin was detained shortly after he made a sermon to a small congregation in the village of Karabanovo.

* Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak is being investigated after wearing what looked like a war symbol on his leotard as he stood next to a Ukrainian rival on the podium in Qatar on Saturday. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Kuliak for his "shocking behaviour" at the Apparatus World Cup in Doha. The letter Z has been seen painted on the side of Russian tanks and military vehicles in Ukraine, as well as being worn by pro-war politicians in Russia. This weekend was the final opportunity for Russian and Belarusian gymnasts to compete after their countries were sanctioned by the FIG as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

* Denmark has announced it will increase its defence spending in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said all parties had agreed to increase the Nordic nation's annual defence spend to 2% of its GDP by 2033 - equivalent to $2.65bn (£2bn) each year. The PM said it would also wean itself off its dependence on Russian natural gas. "Historic times call for historic decisions," Frederiksen said in Copenhagen.

[Silverwing]

* In the past 24 hours, Russia has slowed the pace of its offensive operation, resorting primarily to missile and bomb strikes on civilian infrastructure, taccording to Ukraine's armed forces. It said Russia was continuing to focus on encircling and seizing the cities of Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Mariupol, Mykolayiv and Chernihiv, and also on creating a land corridor between Russia and the annexed Crimea Peninsula. It said the Russian army continued to suffer significant losses and was also trying to boost fuel supplies by setting up a "network of field pipelines".

* Ukrainian president addressed in the UK House of Commons about the invasion by Russia on Tuesday.  Starting and ending with a standing ovation from British MPs, President Zelensky spoke about the war so far on a day-by-day basis, and said Ukraine would continue to fight and would not give up.

* After enormous pressure from the Republican Party, US President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the United States will ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. hit a record $4.17 Tuesday, shortly before Biden officially announced the ban on Russian oil imports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked US President Joe Biden for his decision to suspend Russian oil and gas imports.

* Venezuela may boost oil production to support North American needs. Head of the Venezuelan Oil Chamber, Reinaldo Quintero, told the BBC that the South American country has the infrastructure to raise its production levels from the current 800,000 barrels per day to 1.2 million.

* The World Health Organization has described the invasion of Ukraine as "a major humanitarian catastrophe". There has been 16 confirmed attacks on healthcare services in Ukraine, including damage to facilities and hospitals and leading to nine deaths and 16 injuries.

*  The UK announced it would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022

* People have been leaving the Ukrainian cities of Irpin, near Kyiv, and Sumy via evacuation routes. The UN says two million refugees have now fled the country since Russia invaded.

* US defence department spokesman John Kirby has rejected Poland's surprise offer to hand over its military jet fleet to the US - rather than Ukraine. "As we have said, the decision about whether to transfer Polish-owned planes to Ukraine is ultimately one for the Polish government," Kirby said in a statement on Tuesday, adding that "Poland's proposal shows just some of the complexities this issue presents". "The prospect of fighter jets 'at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America' departing from a US/Nato base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire Nato alliance," he said.
"It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it. We will continue to consult with Poland and our other Nato allies about this issue and the difficult logistical challenges it presents, but we do not believe Poland's proposal is a tenable one."  This is following Poland saying it is ready to deploy all its MiG-29 fighter jets to a US Air Force base in Germany, following discussions about providing Ukraine with the aircraft. The Polish government is wary of Russia’s response should it supply the aircraft directly to Ukraine, which would be seen as a direct provocation by Moscow. Earlier, Polish officials said any military decision should be taken by Nato, not by Poland alone. US and UK officials have said they would support any decision by Warsaw to supply the jets to Kyiv. But there were always significant logistical difficulties to overcome, including how exactly to transfer the planes to Ukraine. Poland's goal to supply the MiG-29s - which Ukrainian pilots are trained and ready to fly - is to get the planes in the Ukrainian's hands, but through the United States.

* Fitch Ratings has downgraded Russia's credit rating further into 'junk' territory, from "B" to "C". "The 'C' rating reflects Fitch's view that a sovereign default is imminent," according to a statement from the American credit rating agency today. The change comes less than a week after Fitch's last downgrade, when it revoked Russia's investment-grade status.

* Ukraine's ruling Servant of the People party is proposing new security guarantees to protect its sovereignty. "Nato is not ready to accept Ukraine for at least the next 15 years, and it has made this clear," a statement reads. The party calls therefore for "a concrete agreement that can guarantee Ukraine's full security until Nato is ready to accept us". The US and Turkey, as well as Ukraine's neighbours, are named as possible "guarantor states" that could take specific political, economic and military steps to protect Ukraine. But the party says Russia too would need to sign on to the guarantees and "legally state that it recognises Ukrainian statehood". "We will not even theoretically consider the possibility of reviewing or abandoning any pieces of our territory. It is unacceptable. Our Ukraine [includes] Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea."

* McDonald's, Starbucks and Coca-Cola have become the latest Western companies to close all operations in Russia. McDonald's announced every single location will be shut down. Automakers Ferrari and Lamborghini said they will not produce vehicles for the Russian market until further notice. In a statement, Ferrari said it plans to donate $1 million to support relief efforts for Ukrainian citizens. The biggest Swiss watch brand, Rolex, also said on Tuesday it is halting exports to Russia. They are among a host of high-end retailers - including Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Gucci - to pull back from the country in recent days. PepsiCo says they will halt sale of products in Russia as well as The Coca-Cola Company. Unilever and L'Oreal also have pulled out of Russia.

* It will now be a "criminal offence" for any Russian aircraft to enter UK airspace, says UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. In a letter to "all UK airports and airfields", Shapps instructs air traffic controllers "not to provide access to any aircraft which they have reason to believe is a Russian aircraft".

[Silverwing]

There are reports that Russia has bombed/shelled at least 14 different hospitals throughout Ukraine.   

[Anyponedrawn]

BREAKING: Iran Missile Strike Hits US Consulate

* Multiple missiles minutes after midnight on Saturday targeted the US Consulate General’s new complex in Erbil, capital city of the Kurdistan Region, according to initial reports. Social media pages affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said at least 14 missiles were fired at Erbil. One of the missiles has hit the main headquarters of the leading Kurdish news channel Kurdistan 24, causing significant damage with no casualties. There has been no immediate claims of responsibility. Kurdistan 24 said multiple missiles had hit the surroundings of the US Consulate General’s under-construction complex, shattering windows at nearby homes. There are unconfirmed reports of one injury. Source

[FoxTail]

^ When will the curse of 2020 end?  It just keeps getting worse.

[Grapefoot]

It is still a fresh story and it keeps changing.  Now they are saying the missiles (12 of them) were near the consulate under construction.  It did hit a TV station though. 

[Anyponedrawn]

Yes, it does keep changing.  One thing that has been said by everyone is that there have been no loses of life.

[Grapefoot]

Russia has turned to China for military equipment and aid in the weeks since it began its invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, did not describe what kind of weaponry had been requested, or whether they know how China responded. The development comes as White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan plans to travel to Rome on Monday to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi. China buys certain weapons from Russia, especially advanced fighter aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems.  It isn't known if China sells weaponry to Russia.  China has sought to balance political support for Russia, including blaming the United States and NATO expansion for the war, with upholding principles such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, Fravel noted. So if China provides “direct material support” to Russia’s war effort, he said, “it would be a watershed moment.” Moscow’s apparent turn to Beijing comes as senior U.S. intelligence officials last week described to Congress how Russia and China were more aligned than at any point since the mid-1950s.     Article

[kiku]

A courageous Russian lady journalist, Marina Ovsyannikova, protested against Putin's war on Russian TV during the news on Channel 1, and was arrested after that.
"Don't believe the news! You are being lied at! My father was Ukrainian, my mother was Russian. They were never enemies. What's happening now in Ukraine is a crime. I've been working several years for Channel 1, and I'm ashamed of it."

Listen to her full message (with English subtitles) here:

[Kiwi]

^ Oh my goodness.  That is courageous.  Just hope she will live to tell another story someday.

[MasterXtreme]

Just hope she will live to tell another story someday.

It's awful we have to think that way.  I wish the Russian people would realize they deserve a better form of government and leadership.  They don't need to live under oppression or fear. 

I don't mean this as a joke, but I wonder if a new form of gulags are being created or being used currently?  There have been reports of upwards of 14,000 protesters having been arrested.  Well where are they all going? 

[Wolfwood]

* Russia bombs theater where hundreds sought shelter and 'children' was written on grounds as protection. A theater where hundreds of people had taken shelter in Mariupol was bombed on Wednesday, according to local authorities, as hundreds of thousands of people remain trapped in the coastal Ukrainian city that has been encircled for weeks by Russian forces. Mariupol City Council, who shared an image of the destroyed building, said Russian forces had "purposefully and cynically destroyed the Drama Theater in the heart of Mariupol." Videos of the aftermath showed a fire raging in the theater's ruins. The number of casualties is unknown, authorities said. Article

* Ukraine President Zelenskyy thanks and warns US Congress Via Video Conference. He thanked the American's for their support but continued to ask for a no fly zone.  He warned of the dangers of Russia.  Article

* The US estimates that 7,000 Russian troops have died so far; Moscow says it's fewer than 500.

* Russia's offensives in Ukraine have "largely stalled on all fronts", says the UK's Defence Ministry in its assessment this morning. The brief adds that Russian forces have "made minimal progress on land, sea or air in recent days, and they continue to suffer heavy losses." "Ukrainian resistance remains staunch and well-coordinated. The vast majority of Ukrainian territory, including all major cities, remains in Ukrainian hands." Ukraine's military says Russia's efforts have now switched to aerial attacks- bombing and shelling civilian populations - because they've been "unsuccessful" in their ground operations.

[MasterXtreme]

It would be interesting to see the state media from Russia and what they are saying about things.  Our sources are limited to Russia Today and Sputnik... Also I can't read Russian... so there's that.

[Wolfwood]

PRO-WAR, PRO- RUSSIA RALLY HELD IN MOSCOW

* Russian citizens have revealed they were forced to cram into a packed Moscow stadium for a pro-war rally on Friday to listen to President Vladimir Putin insist the Kremlin would prevail in Ukraine. In stunning scenes, tens of thousands of people could be seen cheering and waving Russian flags inside Luzhniki Stadium as Putin took to the stage in a rare public appearance amid the war. But some of those inside the stadium, including many public sector workers, told BBC News that they were pressured into going by their employers. Some of the students told the outlet that they didn’t know prior to attending the rally that it was designed to show support for Russian troops in Ukraine. Many Russians who were approached for an interview didn’t want to speak or even show their faces — and some appeared to be “embarrassed” about being there, the outlet reported. Yet footage from inside the stadium, which was broadcast to the world, showed a different story. Russians, including many with the letter “Z” emblazoned on their clothes, could be seen waving pro-war flags as they broke into chants of “Russia!” The stage was decked out with slogans like “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president.” The rally also included patriotic songs, including a performance of “Made in the U.S.S.R.” with the opening lines “Ukraine and Crimea, Belarus and Moldova, it’s all my country.” Moscow police claimed more than 200,000 people were inside and around the soccer stadium for the rally, which was officially held to mark the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea  BBC Article