TheNewsGuru

Tag: Ukraine

  • BREAKING: House of Reps offers to evacuate Nigerians, students from Ukraine

    BREAKING: House of Reps offers to evacuate Nigerians, students from Ukraine

    The House of Representatives has offered to immediately evacuate Nigerians, especially students from Ukraine.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the House of Representatives vowed to fully shoulder the responsibility of the evacuation.

    The House leader, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs will jet out to Ukraine on Friday for the evacuation.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Government has arranged for a special flight operation to evacuate citizens.

    This is in view of the escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said the Nigerian embassy in Kiev has been contacted to arrange those wishing to return home from other areas including Donestk and Luhensk.

    The minister assured Nigerians that the ministry is following the event since beginning and promised to do everything for the safety of Nigerians in Ukraine, particularly students.

    The Russians have started attacking military installation in Ukraine amidst worries and accusations by the western world of imminent invasion which Vladimir Putin repeatedly denied

  • BREAKING: Ukraine officially severs diplomatic ties with Russia

    BREAKING: Ukraine officially severs diplomatic ties with Russia

    Ukraine has officially severed diplomatic ties with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in an address to the nation on Thursday.

    Ukraine has also recalled its Chargé d’Affaires in the Russian Federation for consultations and has begun the evacuation of the embassy in Moscow.

    President Zelenskyy said Russia has attacked Ukraine in a “cunning way,” acting much the same as Hitler did in the Second World War, adding that “Russia is on the path of evil”.

    Zelenskyy had said he is ready to hand over weapons to individuals who are willing to defend themselves.

     

     

    Details shortly…

  • Red Cross urges all sides in Ukraine war to protect civilians

    Red Cross urges all sides in Ukraine war to protect civilians

    Red Cross on Thursday, urged all sides in the Ukraine conflict to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and essential services such as water and power supplies.

    The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC President Peter Maurer said in a tweet: “@ICRC teams are responding to urgent humanitarian needs and they must be able to continue their life-saving work.”

    The Geneva-based agency, which had some 600 aid workers across Ukraine, including 400 in the east, had been helping provide water in the Donetsk region.

    This was after two water pumping stations were damaged by weekend shelling, disrupting water supplies to 1 million people.

  • Kyiv residents try to flee, others stock after Russia attacks

    Kyiv residents try to flee, others stock after Russia attacks

    Residents in Kyiv on Thursday tried to flee the capital after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, while others stood in long lines hoping to draw money and stock up on supplies.

    Signs of nervousness were growing as planes flew overhead, explosions were heard and an emergency siren sounded early in the morning.

    Even after weeks of warnings by Ukrainian and Western politicians that a Russian attack was imminent, some people were caught off guard in the city of around three million people.

    “I didn’t expect this. Until this morning I believed nothing would happen,” said Nikita, a 34-year-old marketing specialist, as he waited in a long line at a supermarket with bottles of water piled high in his shopping cart.

    “I was woken up. I’m an adult healthy man. I packed, bought food and will stay at home with my family.”

    Other supermarkets and grocery stores were also packed with shoppers preparing to stay in Kyiv. Credit and debt cards ware still working and long lines formed in front of ATMs.

    Other residents were determined to leave for what they believed to be the relative safety of western Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation in the east.

    Some people carried bags and suitcases as they looked for a way out of the city by bus, car or plane.

    Traffic was at a standstill on the four-lane main road to the western city of Lviv, far from the areas most likely to be attacked.

    “I’m going away because a war has started, Putin attacked us,” said Oxana, the driver of one of the cars who was stuck in the traffic jam with her three-year-old daughter on the back seat. “We’re afraid of bombardments.”

    She said her immediate aim was just to get out of Kyiv, the centre of power in Ukraine and home to the government, presidency and parliament. Once out, she would decide where to go, she said.

    “Tell them (Russia) ‘You cannot do that. This is so scary’,” she said.

    Others headed to the airport and a bus station, but were unsure whether they would be able to leave.

    “We planned to fly from Kyiv to Baku today. But we were told that the flight had been cancelled because of the escalation of war in Ukraine,” said a traveller at the airport who gave her name only as Gulnara.

    “No one is telling us what happened, what will happen to our flight, what should we do, where to go. We have no place to go to. No one is responding to us,” she said.

  • Russia blames Ukraine for military action in Donbas

    Russia blames Ukraine for military action in Donbas

    Russia has blamed Ukraine for the escalation in the conflict between the two neighbours as President Vladimir Putin officially ordered the deployment of Russia’s military in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

    “The root of today’s crisis around Ukraine is the actions of Ukraine itself, who for many years were sabotaging its obligations under the Minsk package of measures,” Vassily Nebenzia, Russian UN Ambassador, said.

    He said this at an emergency Security Council meeting in New York, as he informed the council of Kremlin’s decision to deploy troops in the area.

    Nebenzya went on to justify Moscow’s military operation under article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows for “self-defence.”

    Ukrainian UN Ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, who spoke after Nebenzya, told the meeting that Putin had declared war on his country.

    “When I was coming here an hour ago or so, I was intending to ask the Russian ambassador to confirm on the record that the Russian troops will not start firing at Ukrainians today and go ahead with the offensive.

    “It became useless 48 minutes ago because about 48 minutes ago your president declared war on Ukraine,” Kyslytsya said.

  • Ukraine invasion: Biden pledges new sanctions to punish Russia

    Ukraine invasion: Biden pledges new sanctions to punish Russia

    U.S. President, Joe Biden, has pledged to announce new sanctions to punish Russia for the aggression against Ukraine that international community has expected for weeks but could not prevent through diplomacy.

    Biden had on Tuesday announced first tranche of sanctions on Russia, following its decision to recognise the independence of certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

    Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions.

    Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to “consequences you have never seen.”

    Biden, in a written statement, condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified attack,” and he promised that the U.S. and its allies would “hold Russia accountable.”

    “I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia.

    “We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” he assured President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on phone.

    The president said he planned to speak to Americans on Thursday after a meeting of the Group of Seven leaders. More sanctions against Russia were expected to be announced Thursday.

    “Tomorrow (Thursday), I will meet with my G7 counterparts in the morning and then speak to the American people to announce the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security.

    “We will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance,” he said.

    The U.S. leader expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine, saying, “the prayers of the entire world are with you as you suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces.

    “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.

    “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way.

    “The world will hold Russia accountable,” he said.

  • Ukraine praises ‘painful’ U.S. sanctions on Russia

    Ukraine praises ‘painful’ U.S. sanctions on Russia

    Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has praised “painful” U.S. sanctions on Russia in response to its military escalation against its neighbour.

    “They’re very specific, they are painful,” Kuleba said at a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

    He said Ukrainian government was “puzzled” by Washington’s Monday sanctions in relation to economic activities in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

    “We were puzzled, because we saw how the side that sought recognition from Russia is being punished but we didn’t see how Russia, who granted its recognition is punished.

    “But we saw it today,” Kuleba said.

    The minister also said there was no such thing as minor, middle, or major invasion, “invasion is an invasion.”

    Meanwhile, Blinken said Putin’s plan had been to invade Ukraine “all along.”

    “Putin’s plan has been to control Ukraine and its people.

    “He plans to destroy Ukraine’s democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads, to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia,” Blinken said.

  • Invasion of Ukraine: US President Biden announces sanctions on Russia

    Invasion of Ukraine: US President Biden announces sanctions on Russia

    U.S. President Joe Biden, on Tuesday announced first tranche of sanctions on Russia, following its decision to recognise the independence of certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

    Biden, in a speech from the White House, said the Russian leader had committed “a flagrant violation of international law.”

    According to him, Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine by declaring these independent states.

    “So, today, I’m announcing the first tranche of sanctions to impose costs on Russia in response to their actions yesterday (Monday).

    “These have been closely coordinated with our Allies and partners, and we’ll continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

    “We’re implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: V.E.B. and their military bank.

    “We’re implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western financing.

    “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.’’

    Biden said the announcement made by Russia meant that it was carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.

    “He’s setting up a rationale to take more territory by force, in my view. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

    That served as the trigger for the U.S. to impose sanctions. Biden said, Russia “will pay an even steeper price” if aggressions continue.

    In addition, Biden said that U.S. would also impose sanctions on Russia’s elites and their family members, noting that they shared in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well.

    He said because of Russia’s actions, U.S. would work with Germany to ensure owned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not — as I promised — will not move forward.

    “As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well. Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions.

    “The United States will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine in the meantime. And we’ll continue to reinforce and reassure our NATO Allies.’’

    The U.S. leader said President Vladimir Putin’s has sought authorisation from the Russian parliament to use military force outside of Russian territory.

    “And this set the stage for further pretexts and further provocations by Russia to try to justify further military action.

    “None of us — none of us should be fooled. None of us will be fooled. There is no justification.

    “Further Russian assault into Ukraine remains a severe threat in the days ahead. And if Russia proceeds, it is Russia, and Russia alone, that bears the responsibility.’’

    Russian lawmakers have approved Putin’s request for permission to use Russian troops outside of the country.

    The UN Security Council met late on Monday in an emergency session, with many members condemning the Kremlin’s actions.

  • Ukraine deploys air defence near kiev, kharkiv, cherkasy airports

    Ukraine deploys air defence near kiev, kharkiv, cherkasy airports

    The Ukrainian Armed Forces has deployed air defence units near the Kiev, Kharkiv, and Cherkasy, Eduard Basurin, International Airports, the spokesman for the forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said on Tuesday.

    “Our intelligence has recorded the movement of columns of units of Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile regiments armed with S-300 and BUK-M1 complexes, which took up starting positions near the international airports of the cities of Kiev, Kharkiv and Cherkasy.

    “We do not rule out a planned provocation against passenger planes,’’ Basurin told reporters.

    The DPR forces also recorded the movement of tanks and BM-21 Grad rocket launchers by the Ukrainian militants near Mariupol city in the south of the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk region, he added.

    “The movement of eight tanks and five BM-21 Grad is recorded from the ground in the Hurzuf area to the Mariupol area, from where rocket artillery can perform firing tasks on the territory of the DPR,’’ the spokesman explained.

  • Russian forces likely to invade Ukraine in the coming week- Biden

    Russian forces likely to invade Ukraine in the coming week- Biden

    “The US had reason to believe that Russian forces were planning to and intend to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days. As of this moment I am convinced that he has made the decision.”

    These were the words of US President, Joe Biden, when he spoke Friday about the ongoing situation between Ukraine and Russia.

    Citing US intelligence reports, Biden said the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, would carry out an invasion on Ukraine in the coming days.

    He explained that the assessment was based on US intelligence, which suggested the capital Kyiv would be targeted but Russia denies it is planning to invade.

    Western nations accuse Russia of trying to stage a fake crisis in breakaway eastern regions of Ukraine to give it a reason to launch an offensive.

    The US estimates there are 169,000-190,000 Russian personnel massed in and near Ukraine, a figure that includes Russian-backed fighters in the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

    In a televised address from the White House, Biden said Russia could still choose diplomacy and that it was not too late to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table.

    Earlier on Friday, in another sign of rising tensions, leaders of the two separatist areas announced an evacuation of residents, saying Ukraine had intensified shelling and was planning an attack.

    Ukraine has repeatedly said it is not planning any attack, and Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, dismissed what he called “Russian disinformation reports”.

    On Friday night, Ukraine’s military intelligence service said it had received information that explosives had been planted at infrastructure facilities in Donetsk in preparation for a so-called false flag attack – an operation carried out with the intention of blaming an opponent for it.

    Russia has been backing an armed rebellion in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region since 2014. About 14,000 people – including many civilians – have died in fighting.