Kiev Is Burning

[futon]

MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to hold talks at any moment once the Ukrainian Armed Forces lay down their arms, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with Deputy Foreign Minister of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Sergey Peresada and Foreign Minister of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) Vladislav Deinego on Friday.

"We are ready to hold talks at any moment, once the Ukrainian Armed Forces respond to our president’s call, end their resistance and lay down their arms. No one plans to attack and oppress them, let them return to their families, and let us give the Ukrainian people a chance to decide their future," Lavrov pointed out.

At the same time, he emphasized that Russia had always called for negotiations. "There is no shortage of talks but when talks are replaced with blatant sabotage, while Russia is accused of allegedly failing to implement the Minsk accords, it’s effrontery, which is what some of our Western colleagues are famous for, but this time, it just went beyond all limits because it was accompanied by a continuous deterioration of the Russian-speaking population’s situation in Ukraine," Lavrov stressed.

"I have already mentioned what they did to the Russian language, the Russian-language education and the Russian Orthodox Church. Try to apply it all to your own traditions, this is what I say to our Western colleagues. If they did, they would understand that it is impossible to tolerate such things," the Russian top diplomat concluded.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. On Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics. Russia’s Defense Ministry reported later that the Russian Armed Forces were not delivering strikes against Ukrainian cities. The ministry emphasized that the Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed by precision weapons and there was no threat to civilians.

https://tass.com/politics/1411041

[bojan]

Just now, jaro said:

so if they breathe it... let say, they might not need light when they go for night pee..

 

Scaremongering. Read this whole post.

 

[jaro]

Just now, bojan said:

Scaremongering. Read this whole post.

 

still, its not what they bargained for..

[futon]

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan will impose additional sanctions targeting Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday, joining the United States and Europe in piling pressure on Moscow.

The new package of sanctions include export controls on high-tech products such as semiconductors, a freeze on assets held by Russian banks, and a suspension of visa issuance for certain Russian individuals and entities.

The announcement came hours after leaders from the Group of Seven nations condemned Russia and pledged to take "severe and coordinated" economic and financial sanctions in response to its "completely unjustified" attack.

"It is an extremely serious situation with ramifications for the international order, not just in Europe but Asia and beyond," Kishida told a press conference.

"Japan needs to show its resolve not to allow any change to the status quo by force," Kishida said, condemning the Russian military attack as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The sanctions are the results of close coordination with the United States and European nations, and symbolize "the strength of unity" in efforts to prevent a further escalation, Kishida said.

The latest asset freeze will target three financial entities -- Promsvyazbank, Bank Rossiya and Russia's economic development bank VEB. The country's largest financial institution Sberbank, which is on the U.S. sanctions list, is not included.

On Wednesday, Tokyo unveiled the first set of sanctions against Russia, banning the issuance and trading of new Russian sovereign bonds in Japan.

...

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220225/p2g/00m/0in/028000c

[futon]

15 minutes ago, Laser Shark said:

It doesn’t necessarily take much time to do some basic source criticism, but I would settle for people letting us know if they haven’t or aren’t able to do that.

Well I'll just say that I'm not a pro on Russian/Ukraine military hardware identification so I'm not able to call something legitimate or fishy. So the patience of those that are able to do so is something to consider surely.

[bojan]

Herson, abandoned 152mm 2A65 Msta-B, apparently used in direct fire.

[futon]

MANILA, Philippines —  Repatriation of Filipinos from Ukraine is ongoing, with Poland offering to take in some of them temporarily as Russian forces began their offensive on its former satellite state, according to Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“The safety of Filipinos in Ukraine remains foremost in the mind of President Duterte,” acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said in a statement issued yesterday.

“The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, is now conducting repatriation efforts of Filipinos living in Ukraine,” he added.

Last Wednesday, the DFA said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs Sarah Arriola is leading the repatriation effort for Filipinos who want to come home. Six Filipinos from Ukraine have returned to the Philippines as of Feb. 18.

Poland has agreed to take in Filipinos from Ukraine even without a visa, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said.

In a post on Twitter after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a televised address that he had approved a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Locsin said the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw, which has jurisdiction over Ukraine, was put on high alert.

“Warsaw PE’s (Philippine Embassy) been on high alert; repatriated a few; Poland finally agreed to let ours in sans EU (European Union) visas; not heard anything from Russia on our request re: its closest border,” Locsin tweeted.

“Most Filipinos in Ukraine are grateful guests and want to stick it out with their warm welcoming neighbors,” he said.

“I confirm what he (Locsin) said but that’s as far as we can go. We cannot give other details and we’ll let the Secretary give the details as to the arrangements with Poland. Actually there are no people yet who have crossed to other countries,” Arriola said in an online press briefing.

Many of the 181 Filipinos in Ukraine, according to Arriola, are household service workers.

...

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/02/25/2163229/poland-accepts-pinoys-ukraine/amp/

[Stuart Galbraith]

I didn't believe this, till I went and checked it on the livestream.It's real.

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/K-DNGBOCPnI?

It's about the 9:46/47 Mark on the timestamp.

[TonyE]

13 minutes ago, bojan said:

Herson, abandoned 152mm 2A65 Msta-B, apparently used in direct fire.

Same gun with crew yesterday:

 

[bojan]

Suicidal position. Not even attempt on concealment. 

Edited February 25, 2022 by bojan

[Stefan Kotsch]

Collect everything. And if you can't assess it right away, the fragments of information may later add up to a complete mosaic.

[bojan]

+ lot

[futon]

China will make its own effort to push for political settlement of the Ukraine issue, and there is a sharp contrast between China's approach and some other countries' moves of creating and shifting the crisis, and trying to benefit from it, Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday after the White House claimed it's time for China to pick a side.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at Friday's media briefing that China has always decided its position and policy based on the facts of the issue at hand and stands on the side of peace and justice. He added that China believes that the Ukraine issue has a complicated history and that the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected and the Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned. 

The comprehensive settlement of the issue should be sought through dialogue and negotiations so as to form a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism, Wang said, noting that China's approach formed a sharp contrast with what some countries have been doing in trying to benefit from the crisis. 

He believes that the international community will come to a fair conclusion on what approach is more conducive to the security and stability of Europe. 

Wang's remarks came after White House spokeswoman Jan Psaki said at a news briefing on Thursday that "this is really a moment for China, for any country, about what side of history they want to stand on here."

Wang said that the door to a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine issue has not been completely closed. China hopes that relevant parties remain calm and rational and commit to peacefully resolving relevant issues through negotiations in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, he said, noting China will continue to promote peace talks in its own way and welcomes and encourages all efforts for a diplomatic settlement. 

Europe has imposed financial sanctions against Russia for its military operation against Ukraine. On the question of whether China is worried that not condemning Russia might undermine its relations with the EU, Wang said that he believes everyone is familiar with the results of the sanctions. 

Wang said that sanctions are never the fundamental and effective approach in solving problems and that they only result in severe difficulties to local economies and livelihoods. China urged relevant sides to have a thorough thought and try to solve the issue through dialogue and negotiation. 

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202202/1253216.shtml

[futon]

JTA — Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid have run a fairly cohesive foreign policy, despite occupying different points on the Zionist spectrum.

The day Russia invaded Ukraine was a stark exception.

Lapid, ensconcing Israel In the West, forthrightly condemned Russia. Bennett, wary of inserting Israel into a no-win conflict, effectively said the war was none of the country’s business.

The differences exposed the perils Israel faces as war once again rips through the European continent: side with the Western ethos that Israel has embraced since its inception, or mind the Russian behemoth that looms on Israel’s doorstep, in Syria.

“The Russian attack on Ukraine is a serious violation of international order,” Lapid said at a press conference and at noon Thursday on Twitter. “Israel condemns the attack.”

Bennett issued his first statement on the war late Thursday night, and spoke of planning evacuations of Israelis from the region, assisting those Jews who want to leave and offering humanitarian assistance. He did not assign blame or fault, saying only that there would be “continued regular discussions and assessments of the situation to evaluate future consequences (to the extent that there are any) for Israel.”

In a speech earlier in the day to an army officers’ graduating class, excerpts of which he posted on Twitter, Bennett articulated the philosophy that undergirded his reluctance to take sides. “These times teach us that, to our regret, wars between armies are not a thing of the past,” he said. “The world is a lot less stable, and our region changes daily.” He did not mention Russia.

The omission frustrated Natan Sharansky, a former Prisoner of Zion , or political prisoner, of the Soviet Union who has served as an Israeli Cabinet minister and headed the Jewish Agency for Israel.

Speaking to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency after a day of appearances on Israeli media, Sharansky said he felt like Don Quixote fending off journalists and others who wondered why Israel should get involved.

“On all the panels and all the interviews I was usually in the minority of one who says that we have to take the world’s position,” he said.

Sharansky said he understood what concerned his interlocutors: He would want Israel to supply Ukraine with the anti-missile defensive systems that served Israel well during wars with Hamas and Hezbollah. His critics ask how that would play in Russia, which has been keeping Syria, Israel’s enemy, from procuring similar systems.

That didn’t make it any less important for Israel to provide a moral voice, he said. “I felt quite embarrassed in the last days that at this critical moment of the future of the world — at this moment of moral clarity, Israel is not ready to say it clearly,” he said. Hearing Lapid speak was a relief, he said. “It was really wonderful.”

Shalom Lipner, a senior fellow for Middle East programs at the Atlantic Council, said Russia’s presence in Syria since 2015 — Russia helped its client, the Assad regime, quell a civil uprising — meant Israel had to tread carefully.

“It certainly has concerns about deconfliction with Russia,” said Lipner, who served as a staffer to multiple Israeli prime ministers. “They’re active in this neighborhood.”

Israel, for instance, has to get Russian clearance to fly over Syria, said Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president at the Foundation for  Defense of Democracies.

“Russia controls the airspace in Syria,” he said. “Israel sees the need to continue to conduct operations in Syria to combat Iranian smuggling [of weapons to its Lebanese client Hezbollah] and other malign activity and it needs at a minimum tacit approval from the Kremlin. So it will find that its hands are tied, so long as it prioritizes these military operations.”

Israel’s self-perceived role as a protector of Jews comes into play as well, Lipner said. “The whole piece about having substantial Jewish communities in both countries —  nobody’s looking to burn that bridge,” he said. Additionally, there is a substantial minority of Israelis with Russian citizenship who would have a stake in preserving the robust economic relationship that has developed between the countries.

...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-israel-is-having-trouble-picking-sides-in-russias-war-on-ukraine/amp/

[Stefan Kotsch]

Well, this is pretty clear. A Russian artillery column in 'ruins'. Said to have come from Crimea. Somewhere near Kherson

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Stefan Kotsch

[Josh]

Deleted

Edited February 25, 2022 by Josh

[Der Zeitgeist]

2 minutes ago, Josh said:

Yeah, I was about to ask "how could they know it was a MiG-29 shooting down a Su-35?", but the video is pretty convincing that the MiG circled around the back of it. Fairly low altitude engagement; I wonder why a Russian fighter would be that low? Perhaps this was actually Su-30 on a ground attack mission; that would make more sense.

It's from DCS World, a videogame flight simulation.

[bojan]

And another reason why you don't post crap w/o checking it first, everyone starts taking them for the truth.

Edited February 25, 2022 by bojan

[Stuart Galbraith]

10 minutes ago, Stefan Kotsch said:

Well, this is pretty clear. A Russian artillery column in 'ruins'. Said to have come from Crimea. Somewhere near Kherson

 

Yes, the live stream I posted above is supposed to be from this area. You see the Airborne forces advancing, slowly, and a few hours later see them retreating back down the same road at some speed.... It supports the Ukrainian narrative of a counter offensive in the area.

 

 

[Josh]

9 minutes ago, Der Zeitgeist said:

It's from DCS World, a videogame flight simulation.

Post deleted, I'm not a player of DCS. Graphics really have come a long way since my video game days.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Kharkiv.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Stuart Galbraith

[Josh]

What Russian unit uses towed guns? Airborne? I don't even recognize that type of weapon.

[jaro]

 

here, video where they take out those russians who wear Ukrainian uniforms! (at least its presented as such)

Edited February 25, 2022 by jaro

[Stuart Galbraith]

5 minutes ago, Josh said:

What Russian unit uses towed guns? Airborne? I don't even recognize that type of weapon.

They look like 2A65s, Artillery Brigade weapons usually operating in support of an Army.

Wonder if it's some of those Turkish weapons that attacked them?

This is fun.

 

[Stefan Kotsch]

15 minutes ago, Josh said:

I don't even recognize that type of weapon.

152 mm D-20 should be that. @ The gun barrel is longer - yes, they are 2A65 after all

Edited February 25, 2022 by Stefan Kotsch