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Kharkiv offensive: Russian forces retreat as Ukraine takes key towns

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In response to a quick Ukrainian counterattack, Russian forces have left strategic eastern towns. According to Ukrainian sources, on Saturday, troops entered Kupiansk, a crucial supply base for Russian forces in the east.

The Russian defence ministry then declared that its troops had left nearby Izyum so they could “regroup.” The ministry has acknowledged the removal of troops from Balaklyia, a third significant town, in order to “bolster efforts” on the Donetsk front.

If maintained, the Ukrainian advances would be the biggest since Russia retreated from regions near Kiev in April.

Fighting was fierce in the early phases of the invasion at Izyum, a significant military centre for the Russians.

The Russian statement stated that a three-day operation was conducted to draw down and organise the transfer of the Izyum-Balakliya group of troops to the Donetsk People’s Republic’s territory.

“A powerful fire defeat was inflicted on the enemy to avert damage to the Russian soldiers.”

Shortly after, according to the Russian state-run TASS news agency, the head administrator of the Kharkiv region’s areas under Russian authority advised its citizens to flee to Russia “to save lives”.

Additionally, the governor of the nearby Russian region of Belgorod declared that those waiting in line to cross the border would have access to mobile food, heating, and medical care.

While Ukraine continues to request military assistance from the West, the successes will be seen as proof that its army can retake Russian-occupied territory. The victory for Ukraine would be a humiliating blow for Russia because Russian soldiers entered and conquered the region in the first week of the war.

Earlier, UK defence authorities said that Ukraine had entered previously Russian-held territory 50 kilometres (31 miles) in advance. The Russian military was probably caught off guard, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. “Ukrainian soldiers have captured or encircled many towns, and the area was only tenuously held.”

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Ukraine war: Four-year-old Liza killed by Russian attack on Vinnytsia

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A pink pram covered in blood is laying on its side in a patch of grass in front of the torched, burned remnants of the Jubilee department store. It belonged to Liza, a young Liza. The centre of Vinnytsia was struck by Russian missiles on Thursday, killing three young children, including the four-year-old.

Iryna Dmytriyeva, her mother, was severely hurt during the assault. Eight more persons are still missing, bringing the total number of fatalities to 23. Hospitals are housing dozens more.

Iryna had uploaded a video online just before the missiles hit. Little Liza was beaming and pushing her pink chair in front of her as they talked about going to meet her speech therapist on this lovely sunny day. She oversees the LogoClub facility for people with disabilities, where Liza had gone to a session that morning as she typically did.

The four-year-old daughter has Down syndrome, and her mother started posting images of the girl’s life on Instagram not long after giving birth to her single child.

The LogoClub Liza attended is only a block from Victory Square, the site of the missile strikes, and when the air raid siren sounded, the staff had already escorted all the kids to the shelter.

Liza and her mother were still in the street, though, like many other individuals. Since Kyiv was far from the battle lines when the war started, they had fled there for safety before returning to Vinnytsia. However, no longer is Ukraine secure anywhere. According to local officials, since Russia started its conflict, 352 children have perished and hundreds more have been injured. The most recent killings were described as a terrorist incident by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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Russia-Ukraine war: European Union likely to sanction Vladimir Putin’s alleged girlfriend Alina Kabaeva

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Alina Kabaeva, the alleged girlfriend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is named in the sixth proposed package of European Union sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Kabaeva, who has been romantically linked to Putin, was included in a proposed EU sanctions list, according to two European diplomatic sources.

At this point, names can be removed or added at the discretion of member states, and it is expected to be a point of negotiation when a new sanctions package is proposed, according to an EU Commission source. The EU has not yet given its approval to the draught proposal. “There are ongoing discussions. It won’t be easy, but we’ll have to wait and see “On Friday morning, one of the diplomatic sources said.

Kabaeva, who was born in 1983, was first linked to Putin when she was a medal-winning gymnast more than a decade ago. Putin, who is divorced, has denied ever dating her. Kabaeva and Putin are said to have met when she was a young gymnast competing in European competitions and at the Olympic Games. At the 2004 Athens Games, she won the gold medal in rhythmic gymnastics.

She was selected as one of the torch bearers when Russia hosted the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 2014, an event that occurred shortly before Russia illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.Since the start of the Ukrainian conflict, the EU has increased its economic sanctions against Russia. Recently, the EU proposed a ban on Russian oil imports, which would have a significant impact on Russia’s economy, though Hungary, an EU member with close ties to Putin, is likely to sabotage any such plans.

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Orban faces toughest election challenge in Hungary as a result of Russia’s war

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The headline in the tabloid Metropol, distributed to morning commuters flocking through Budapest’s Western Station, screams, “Peace or War.” In the box next to the “peace” option, there’s a nice blue cross.

That is Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party’s campaign slogan as it seeks a record fourth consecutive term in office in Sunday’s elections. After 12 years in power, they are facing their first serious challenge from a coalition of six opposition parties led by Peter Marki-Zay. The race has been accelerated by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Hungary shares a border with Ukraine and has so far taken in more than 500,000 refugees. Mr. Orban insists that the only way to keep Hungary out of the war is for him to help the people while refusing to supply weapons to Ukraine. Although his party’s slogan of “peace or war” is simplistic, it is effective. And it’s broadcast, printed, and illuminated in large letters everywhere in Hungary.

It disrupts any music you’re listening to on YouTube, as well as videos featuring international coverage of the Ukraine conflict. According to a group of critical monitoring organisations, the government has spent eight times more on its campaign than all of the opposition parties combined.

The fact that the ruling party enjoys the support of a largely compliant media also helps. On the other hand, the opposition’s catchphrase is “Orban or Europe.”
Their candidate, Peter Marki-Zay, proposes that Hungary join Poland, the United Kingdom, and others in providing arms to Ukraine. Should consider sending troops if called upon, but only within a Nato framework.

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Russia Ukraine War: European leaders risk train ride to meet Zelensky

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Ukraine has praised the bravery of three European leaders who travelled by rail from Poland to Kyiv in a show of support as the city was subjected to more Russian attacks.

On Tuesday evening, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as a curfew was imposed in Kyiv. Following that, the Czech president assured Ukrainians that they are “not alone.” The delegation is the first group of Western leaders to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded the country.

In a tweet, Petr Fiala said, “We admire your brave fight.” “We know you’re fighting for our lives as well. You are not alone; our countries are with you.” Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland has stated that if Ukraine is lost, Europe will never be the same. It would be a “defeated, humiliated, and pathetic version of its former self,” he wrote.

Denys Shmyhal, Ukraine’s prime minister, wrote on Twitter that “devastating” sanctions against Russia had been discussed, including “recognition of Russia as a terrorist sponsor.” During the talks, loud explosions could be heard across Kyiv from fighting on the capital’s western outskirts. The European Union stated that the politicians did not have any specific mandate, but that leaders in Brussels were aware of the trip because it was mentioned during an informal EU summit last week in Versailles, France.

Marcin Przydacz, Poland’s deputy foreign minister, admitted that the trip was risky, but that it was “worth taking for the sake of values.” He claimed that the Russians had been informed of the visit. The leaders chose to travel by train because flying by Polish military jet could have been seen as dangerously provocative by Russia. It was unclear when their train would arrive in Warsaw for the return journey.

Ukraine’s president has asked Nato to impose a no-fly zone over his country’s airspace on numerous occasions, but Nato has refused. Mr. Zelensky stated that Ukrainians now understand that they will not be able to join NATO. “We’d heard for years that the doors were open, but that we wouldn’t be able to enter. It’s a fact that must be acknowledged. I’m glad our people are starting to realise this and relying on themselves and our partners for assistance.” In recent weeks, all three leaders have been vocal supporters of Ukraine. Last week, Slovenia’s prime minister stated that the EU should send a strong message to Ukraine that it will be granted membership in the future.

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Brent Renaud, a journalist and filmmaker from the United States, killed in Ukraine

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According to police, a US journalist working in Ukraine was shot and killed in the town of Irpin, just outside of Kyiv.

Brent Renaud, 50, had previously worked for the New York Times as a journalist and filmmaker. Andriy Nebytov, the police chief of Kyiv, said he had been targeted by Russian soldiers. Two more journalists were hurt and had to go to the hospital. It’s the first time a foreign journalist covering the conflict in Ukraine has been killed.

Juan Arredondo, one of the injured journalists, told an Italian reporter that he was with Brent Renaud when they were shot at. Renaud’s press ID was issued by the New York Times, according to photos circulating online. The newspaper said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened” to learn of Renaud’s death, but that he had not been working for it in Ukraine.

According to the Times, Renaud last worked for the publication in 2015, and the press ID he was wearing in Ukraine was issued years ago. NBC News expressed its condolences to Renaud’s family and praised his “significant contributions” to NBC News reports, despite the fact that he was not working for them in Ukraine.

Renaud had reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Haiti for a number of US news organisations. He won a Peabody Award for his work on the Last Chance High series about Chicago schools, which aired in 2014.

He was based in New York and Little Rock, Arkansas, and frequently collaborated with his brother, Craig, who was also a filmmaker. It’s unclear whether Craig had also visited Ukraine.

“Tell America, tell the world, what they did to a journalist,” a Ukrainian police officer told PBS news journalist Jane Ferguson.

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Ukraine War: Kyiv and Moscow meet for high-level talks

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As Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbour enters its third week, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Turkey.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, stated ahead of his face-to-face meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that his expectations were “limited.” It comes after Ukraine accused Russia of committing a “war crime” by bombing a children’s hospital. The attack in Mariupol killed three people, including a child, according to officials.

According to the local mayor’s office, seventeen people were injured, including staff and patients. A building that once housed a maternity ward has been reduced to a shell, with a massive crater nearby. The Kremlin announced on Thursday that it would seek information from the Russian military about what had occurred.

Overnight, Russian strikes in north-eastern Ukraine claimed the lives of seven more people: four people, including two children, were killed near Kharkiv, and three people, including a 13-year-old boy, were killed on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister announced that seven evacuation routes would open on Thursday, including routes out of Mariupol and Sumy.

Western officials, including the White House, have warned that Russia could use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine or stage a “false flag” operation, in which the other side is falsely blamed and a counter-attack is staged.

Moscow previously claimed that Ukrainian forces had transported 80 tonnes of ammonia to the country’s north-east, but provided no proof.

The US House of Representatives approved nearly $14 billion (£10.6 billion) in aid for Ukraine, as well as a ban on Russian oil and other energy imports. The bills must still pass the Senate, which is expected to vote on them later this week. Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris is in Poland, a day after the US rejected Poland’s plan to transfer its jet fleet to the US rather than to Ukraine directly.

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Ukraine: Russian troops seize control of Kherson, a key city

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According to the mayor, Russian forces have taken control of a key port city in southern Ukraine. Kherson is Russia’s first major city to be taken after heavy fighting since its invasion a week ago.

Igor Kolykhaev, the city’s mayor, said Russian troops had stormed the city council building and imposed a curfew on residents. Several cities have been heavily shelled, with Wednesday being one of the most destructive days of the fighting. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has opened an investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine.

According to Ukraine, over 2,000 civilians have died since the invasion began last Thursday. According to the UN, the conflict has also forced over a million people to flee Ukraine.

Mr. Kolykhaev said on Facebook that Russian forces had taken control of Kherson, a port on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast with a population of more than 280,000 people. He urged Russian soldiers not to shoot at civilians, claiming that no Ukrainian forces were present in the city.

Mariupol, a key Ukrainian port city, is “nearing a humanitarian catastrophe” after more than 15 hours of continuous bombardment by Russian forces, according to the city’s deputy mayor.

“The Russian army is testing all of its weapons here, including artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, aeroplanes, and tactical rockets. They are attempting to demolish the city “Serhiy Orlov stated

According to Mr. Orlov, Russian forces were several kilometres away from the city on all sides and had launched strikes on key infrastructure, cutting water and power supplies to parts of the city. He claimed that one densely populated residential district on the city’s left bank had been “nearly completely destroyed.”

Ukraine’s army has so far held off Russian forces in key areas of the country, but increased aerial bombardment of cities has raised fears that Russia is changing tactics.

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Netflix has put future projects in Russia on hold

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Streaming behemoth Netflix has announced a halt to all future Russian projects and acquisitions.

The company stated that it was assessing the impact of Ukraine’s current invasion. The production of the Russian language series Zato will be halted. Oracle, a cloud computing company, has also announced the suspension of its operations in Russia. The two companies are the most recent US technology firms to take action against Russia as the number of attacks on Ukrainian cities has increased.

Apple also announced on Tuesday that it would suspend sales in Russia. Oracle’s Twitter announcement came three hours after Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation tweeted the company, requesting assistance. In recent days, global brands such as Shell, Nike, H&M, and Boeing have severed ties with Russia or temporarily suspended sales.

Moscow has responded to foreign companies withdrawing from Russia by temporarily restricting foreign asset sales in Russia.

On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin met with the president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs to discuss how the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs would attempt to mitigate the impact of the sanctions announced thus far.

Netflix declined to comment on the number of people who use its streaming service in Russia.

However, it confirmed earlier this week in a Hollywood Reporter report that it would not carry Russian state channels.

“Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service,” said a Netflix spokesperson in a statement to the magazine.

According to a law that took effect on March 1, “audiovisual services” in the country with more than 100,000 users will be required to carry 20 major state television channels.

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Ukraine Crisis: Biden Declares That “Freedom Will Triumph Over Tyranny”

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US Vice President Joe Biden told Congress that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, miscalculated how the West would respond when he invaded Ukraine.

Mr. Biden promised in a primetime speech that “freedom will always triumph over tyranny.” His State of the Union address comes at a time when pandemic-weary Americans are grappling with skyrocketing inflation. At this point in his presidency, Mr. Biden is almost as unpopular as Donald Trump.

Mr. Biden announced that the United States would prohibit Russian aircraft from flying in American airspace, following similar bans imposed by Canadian and European authorities.

The US president threatened Russia with more economic retaliation, saying, “He has no idea what’s coming.”

Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, who was sitting in US First Lady Jill Biden’s VIP box for the event, was also welcomed by the US president.

Mr. Biden’s State of the Union address, an annual event that pushes a president’s agenda, comes at a time when his personal popularity is at an all-time low.

According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, only 40.6 percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing. Despite the fact that the unemployment rate in the United States has fallen to 4%, inflation has reached a 40-year high.

The homicide rate in the United States has reached a 25-year high.

According to polls, Americans are dissatisfied with Mr. Biden’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.

On Tuesday night, the president attempted to empathise with hard-pressed working families, saying: “Inflation is robbing them [Americans] of gains they thought they would be able to feel otherwise. I understand.”

However, the invasion of Ukraine, his most serious foreign policy crisis, dominated the opening of his speech.

Mr. Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hours before his speech to discuss what US assistance he could provide his country after six days of a Russian assault.

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