Russia Invades Ukraine: Latest Updates as Russian Forces Meet Determined Resistance

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a transfer it termed a “particular army operation” however that US President Joe Biden known as a “brutal assault … with out justification” and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterised as a “warfare towards the entire of Europe.”

At the very least 137 individuals had been killed on the primary day of Russia’s assault, in line with Zelenskyy, who mentioned Ukraine and its residents will defend themselves. 

Different worldwide leaders joined Biden in condemning the assault, and the US, EU and UK all imposed financial sanctions on Russia, in addition to setting up sanctions aimed straight at Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Tensions had been constructing for months and had been marked by indignant speeches by Putin, in addition to the buildup of Russian forces alongside Ukraine’s borders. Leaders in Washington and throughout Europe engaged in diplomatic efforts however weren’t capable of attain a peaceable decision. 

Ukraine, which had been a part of the Russian-led Soviet Union for a lot of the twentieth century, declared its independence in 1991. Since then, the nation has been establishing nearer ties with Western European nations and the US.

Here is a take a look at breaking information on the battle and the US and worldwide response. 

Learn additionally: Ukraine Refugees: Methods to Assist These Affected by the Russian Invasion

Saturday, Feb. 26

US, allies to expel some Russian banks from SWIFT funds system

Considerably ramping up sanctions, the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the European Fee mentioned Saturday that they’ve dedicated to “making certain that chosen Russian banks are eliminated” from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Monetary Telecommunication messaging system. Tens of millions of economic messages and cash switch orders are despatched over SWIFT by banks worldwide, together with the US Federal Reserve System, the Financial institution of England and the European Central Financial institution. The allies mentioned the transfer will make sure that the affected Russian banks “are disconnected from the worldwide monetary system,” harming “their skill to function globally.”

Social media websites tamp down on advertisements

Google-owned YouTube reportedly prohibited Russian state-owned media outlet RT and different Russian channels from getting cash off of advertisements on the video web site. Fb had made an analogous transfer on Friday, banning Russian state media from operating advertisements or monetizing on its platform. It adopted up Saturday with a weblog put up concerning the invasion-related steps it is taking, together with increasing its third-party fact-checking capability in Russian and Ukrainian.

Twitter, in the meantime, had mentioned Friday that it was “temporarily pausing advertisements in Ukraine and Russia to make sure crucial public security info is elevated and advertisements do not detract from it.” On Saturday it mentioned “we conscious that Twitter is being restricted for some people in Russia and are working to maintain our service protected and accessible.”

Russian advance slows 

A Pentagon official mentioned Russian forces had been “more and more pissed off by their lack of momentum,” The New York Instances reported Saturday, as outgunned Ukrainian forces held on to the capital, Kyiv, in a single day amid what plenty of information retailers characterised as intense avenue preventing.

Britain’s ministry of protection cited “sturdy Ukrainian resistance” and logistical troubles because the causes of the slowdown, the Instances mentioned, whereas the Kremlin asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered a pause Friday to permit for doable negotiations with Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, continued his requires the nation to “stand agency,” as Russian forces push in from the north, from Crimea within the south, and from the east by way of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk and Sumy.

Friday, Feb. 25

Meta halts Russian state media advertisements 

The Fb proprietor said late Friday it was “prohibiting Russian state media from operating advertisements or monetizing on our platform anyplace on the planet.” 

The transfer adopted a partial block on entry to Fb in Russia after the nation’s communications regulator claimed the social community had censored some Russian media. 

US and EU personally sanction Putin

The European Union and america agreed to personally sanction Putin and Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.

“Following a phone name dialog President Biden held with European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and in alignment with the choice by our European allies, america will be a part of them in sanctioning President Putin and International Minister Lavrov and members of the Russian nationwide safety crew,” White Home Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned throughout a press briefing Friday afternoon.

Psaki added that the secretary of the Treasury will even impose “full blocking sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund — a state owned monetary entity that features as a sovereign wealth fund, which is meant to draw capital into the Russian financial system in high-growth sectors.”

Russian forces attain Kyiv

Russian troops reportedly reached Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, early Friday morning. CBS Information reported explosions and gunfire within the metropolis. 

Zelenskyy posted a video of himself and different authorities officers. He mentioned they have not fled the town and are defending Ukraine.

Zelenskyy talks with Biden

Ukraine’s president mentioned he spoke with Biden on Friday, tweeting that they mentioned “strengthening sanctions, concrete protection help and an anti-war coalition.”

Earlier Friday, a Kremlin spokesperson reportedly mentioned Putin was keen to barter with Ukraine, however later feedback by the Russian chief forged doubt on peace talks, in line with The New York Instances.

Thursday, Feb. 24

Ukraine demise toll reaches 137

At the very least 137 individuals had been killed on the primary day of Russia’s assault, Zelenskyy mentioned. 

“Peaceable Ukrainian cities are underneath strikes,” International Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter, calling the Russian army actions “a full-scale invasion.” 

“This can be a warfare of aggression,” Kuleba mentioned.

Russia seizes Chernobyl

Russian forces took management of the Chernobyl nuclear energy web site by Thursday afternoon, in line with the Related Press. 

“This can be a declaration of warfare towards the entire of Europe,” Zelenskyy said on Twitter. 

Extra sanctions hit Russia

Biden gave an deal with later Thursday, saying the US would reduce off Russian banks and cease Russia’s skill to finance and construct its army. 

“Putin’s aggression towards Ukraine will find yourself costing Russia dearly economically and strategically,” Biden mentioned.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson additionally mentioned Thursday that Russian banks would face a full asset freeze, and he banned Russia’s nationwide airline, Aeroflot, from touchdown within the UK. Britain prolonged sanctions to Belarus for aiding within the Russian invasion.

Biden, G7 condemn Russia

Following a gathering Thursday, the leaders of the Group of Seven nations — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US — issued a joint assertion condemning Russia.

“President Putin has chosen a premeditated warfare that may deliver a catastrophic lack of life and human struggling,” Biden mentioned in an announcement. “Russia alone is answerable for the demise and destruction this assault will deliver.”

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg mentioned Russia’s actions are “an act of aggression towards a sovereign, impartial and peaceable nation.” He added, “it is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion.”

Russia invades Ukraine

Russia invaded Ukraine at round 4:30 a.m. native time Thursday, with Russian forces launching assaults from the nation’s japanese border with Ukraine, from the north in Belarus and from the south in Crimea. 

Zelenskyy declared martial legislation in Ukraine.

Putin repeated discredited claims of violence towards ethnic Russians in Ukraine to justify the invasion.

Nations in Central Europe, together with Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, ready to obtain an inflow of refugees.

Wednesday, Feb. 23

Zelenskyy appeals for peace

Zelenskyy made a plea for peace Wednesday in a last-minute effort to keep away from warfare.

“The individuals of Ukraine and the federal government of Ukraine need peace,” Zelenskyy mentioned. “But when we come underneath assault, if we face an try to remove our nation, our freedom, our lives and lives of our youngsters, we’ll defend ourselves. If you assault us, you will notice our faces, not our backs.”

Ukrainian banks and authorities hit by suspected cyberattack

A number of Ukrainian authorities web sites went offline Feb. 23 as the results of a mass distributed denial of service assault, in line with the top of the Japanese European nation’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. Some banking web sites had been down as effectively, Mykhailo Fedorov mentioned on Telegram.

DDoS assaults cripple websites by overwhelming them with a flood of requests to serve up net pages.

Tuesday, Feb. 22

First sanctions

The European Union on Tuesday agreed to a bundle of sanctions towards Russia, concentrating on banks that fund the nation’s army operations and banning commerce between the EU and the 2 breakaway areas in japanese Ukraine, whereas Germany halted approval of the Nord Stream 2, a pure gasoline pipeline operating from Russia to Germany. 

Biden on Tuesday mentioned the US will present defensive help to Ukraine and reinforce NATO allies. The Pentagon put 8,500 US troops on excessive alert to bolster NATO’s response power.

Monday, Feb. 21

Putin acknowledges breakaway areas as impartial

Putin on Feb. 21 acknowledged two Moscow-backed areas in japanese Ukraine — Donetsk and Luhansk — as impartial entities and ordered the deployment of Russian forces to “preserve the peace.” In a prolonged televised deal with about his resolution, Putin additionally aired historic grievances and made baseless claims of Ukrainian aggression, as reported by The New York Instances. 

Friday, Feb. 18

US blames Russia for cyberattacks

On Feb. 18, US officers mentioned they imagine Russia was answerable for cyberattacks towards Ukraine’s banks and army earlier this month. They had been the newest in a string of digital incursions that’ve been blamed on Russia, together with assaults that defaced authorities web sites and planted harmful malware on Ukrainian pc networks.

“This latest spate of cyberattacks in Ukraine are in keeping with what a Russian effort would appear to be, and laying the groundwork for extra disruptive cyberattacks accompanying a possible additional invasion of Ukraine sovereign territory,” mentioned Anne Neuberger, deputy nationwide safety adviser, throughout a briefing on the White Home. 

Monday, Jan. 10

US pushes again on Russia’s safety calls for

On Jan. 10, US and Russian officers met for strategic stability talks in Geneva. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman mentioned each international locations shared considerations, however the US was agency that it might “not permit anybody to slam closed NATO’s open door coverage.”

The assembly got here after the US and NATO in December rejected a Russian proposal that known as for “a Chilly Warfare-like safety association,” in line with The New York Instances, together with calls for for “ironclad” ensures that Ukraine and Georgia by no means turn into members of NATO. 

NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Group, is a army alliance amongst two international locations in North America and 28 in Europe. The admission of both Ukraine or Georgia would improve NATO’s presence alongside Russia’s border. 

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