Author: Steven Sahiounie

On Monday, Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova accused Russia of using a vacuum bomb in the northeastern Ukrainian town of Okhtyrka. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch further alleged that Russia has deployed banned cluster munitions, supposedly using them to target a preschool containing civilians.Reports accusing Russia of using cluster and vacuum munitions in the conflict in Ukraine are “false,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. “Russian troops do not carry out any strikes on civilian infrastructure or residential complexes. This is out of the question. We are talking only about the demilitarization of Ukraine, about military…

Moscow seeks to “demilitarize and denazify” Kiev, ambassador tells the UN General Assembly Russia seeks to save lives in the Donbass and punish those responsible for eight years of genocide and atrocities, Moscow’s envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzia told the General Assembly during a session called to denounce the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian military launched an attack on its neighbour on Thursday of last week. “Occupation of Ukraine is not part of our plans. The purpose of this special operation is to protect people, who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for the…

The US State Department has urged Americans to get out while commercial travel options still exist American citizens should “consider departing Russia immediately,” as options for commercial travel narrow, the US State Department said on Monday. Washington has previously warned Americans in Russia to prepare “evacuation plans.”“US citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available,” read a State Department advisory. “Due to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines,” the advisory continued. “In addition, air space around southern Russia is restricted and…

The Russian army and Donbass militia forces began a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday after months of escalation and weeks of artillery, mortar and sniper attacks by Ukrainian forces in the Donbass conflict zone. The US and its allies responded by slapping Russia with new sanctions and promising to send over $1 billion more in arms to Kiev. Moscow has no plans to “occupy” Ukraine, and Russian forces do not pose any threat to Ukrainian civilians or civilian infrastructure, Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, has said.”The occupation of Ukraine is not part of our plans.…

Russia says foreign minister’s working trip to Geneva will not go ahead due to airspace closures Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s working trip to Switzerland has been canceled due to an “unprecedented” airspace ban, imposed by several EU countries as a response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. Lavrov was due to attend the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on March 1, as well as to give a speech at the Conference on Disarmament. “FM Lavrov’s visit to Geneva for the session of the UN HRC and the Conference on Disarmament has been canceled due to…

Ex-convicts will be freed and deployed to the “hottest” parts of the front against Russia. Days after Vladimir Putin authorized a special military operation to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Ukraine will release war veterans from its jails and deploy them to the “hottest” regions of the front to battle Russia. In an address on Monday, Zelensky said a morally difficult position was approved to release war veterans with real combat experience to “make amends for their guilt” in the hottest spots of the conflict. He added that the focus now is on “defense,” citing…

Despite President Zelensky wanting entry fast-tracked, the bloc isn’t talking accession yet, top diplomat says The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said on Monday that membership for Ukraine is currently “not on the agenda,” with the Russian offensive a more pressing issue. Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the EU for Kiev’s “immediate accession.” Speaking before a meeting of the bloc’s defense ministers, Borrell told reporters that his immediate focus was to “provide an answer for the coming hours, not the coming years.” While he did not rule out membership, Borrell said that providing military assistance to Ukraine was a more pressing…

Non-essential embassy staff can leave Russia, Secretary of State said Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday the full suspension of operations at the US embassy in Belarus. He also said US diplomats in Russia were authorized by the department to leave the country, with only essential personnel staying behind. “We took these steps due to security and safety issues stemming from the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine,” the US official said. The department said it had “no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens,” including its employees and their families. The embassy in…

Written by Piero Messina It’s the usual Western double standard. An international legion against the Russian army will be created. The wish of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is coming true. “All foreigners who wish to join the resistance to the Russian occupiers and protect world security are invited by the Ukrainian authorities to join the defense forces”, reads a note from the Ukrainian presidency, which specifies that a special unit will be set up under the name of “International Legion” and that potential volunteers will be able to join by going to the Ukrainian embassies of their countries. The appeal to…

The Russian president ordered the nation’s nuclear deterrence forces to be placed on high alert Sunday following “aggressive statements” from NATO related to the Russian military operation in Ukraine. Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that if Russia wasn’t “stopped” “in Ukraine,” the situation could escalate into a conflict with NATO.Russia’s ground, air and submarine-based nuclear deterrent forces have begun standby alert duty with reinforced personnel, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Putin. “The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu, has reported to Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation…