Research, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on Myanmar, Taiwan, Ukraine, Russia, U.S., CCP, Belarus, Israel
News (1)
Sanction Myanmar Junta for supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Image : Aerial view of Thapyayaye Village, Sagaing Region, which was reduced to ashes in a junta arson attack on 28 February / Myauk Yamar PDF
The world should sanction Myanmar Junta for supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine under Putin's command and for terrorizing the Myanmar civilians, that are suffering from the civil war in Upper and Lower Myanmar.
For a start, other member countries of ASEAN should set examples to check and freeze assets of the Myanmar Junta and their supporters in the offshore banks of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia if any, and freeze exports of military technology and issuance of scholarships to the children of Myanmar Junta .
The world are watching whether ASEAN will be able to bring an end to the Myanmar civil war and get Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD members released in order to bring peace to Myanmar civilians.
News (2) to (5) / Source : The Irrawaddy
News (2)
Sanctions on Russia good for NUG as they send chill through Myanmar Junta
The current international sanctions on Russia are advantageous for the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar as these sanctions have sent chill through Myanmar Junta whose generals have accounts in Russian banks.
Myanmar junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told the BBC that the regime might have some difficulties purchasing arms from Russia after the U.S., European Union and Canada announced on 26 February 2022 that key Russian banks would be excluded from the SWIFT interbank messaging system in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The move is harming the banks’ ability to operate globally.
Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun did his best to downplay the development, saying it did not worry the regime because its contacts with Russia date back to the days when Myanmar was under the previous military regime and sanctioned by Western governments, adding that the junta maintains communication channels with Russia to procure arms and spare parts from it.
Despite the spokesman’s apparent lack of concern, however, sources tell The Irrawaddy that Myanmar generals who have bank accounts in Russia—as well as the military cronies who act as intermediaries between Russian arms manufacturers and the regime—are extremely concerned about the latest developments in relation to Russia.
On 26 February, the regime held an emergency meeting to discuss the implications of the Russia-Ukraine crisis on Myanmar, according to a source. The junta has voiced support for Russia since the invasion began on 24 February although the Myanmar UN envoy of the NLD opposes the invasion.
News (3)
Myanmar Junta accuse Ukrainians for Russia's aggression
The Myanmar junta has reiterated its support for Russian President Vladimir Putin less than a week after his invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, blaming the invasion on Ukraine’s people.
In a commentary published in its Burmese-language mouthpieces Myanma Alin and Kyemon on 27 and 28 February, the junta accused the U.S. of being primarily responsible for modern-day aggression.
The commentary put the blame on the Ukrainian people, saying they are responsible for what is happening now because they chose the wrong leader for themselves.
Calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a puppet of the West, the commentary argues that he is incompetent and irrational—failings it says have cost the lives of many Ukrainians.
The regime also accused the U.S. and its NATO allies of plotting to pit Russia and Ukraine against each other.
The commentary at the same time praises Putin as a leader of vision who had the foresight to quietly build up his country’s military and economic strength.
While Min Aung Hlaing is persecuting them with military hardware it obtained from Russia, the Myanmar people are showing their support for the efforts of their Ukrainian counterparts to repulse Russian forces.
News (4)
Min Aung Hlaing destroys farmers' lives in Myanmar
In his message to mark Peasants’ Day on Wednesday, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said he attached great importance to improving the socioeconomic conditions of the country’s farmers—an astonishing claim given that his forces, acting on his orders, have torched villages, farms, fields and silos, and conducted deadly air raids in Sagaing and Magwe regions, the country’s agricultural heartland.
Thanks to Min Aung Hlaing, tens of thousands of farmers from those regions have had to flee and many have been left homeless after their houses were burned down in junta raids. Many dare not return to their villages to harvest their crops for fear of junta soldiers and pro-junta Pyu Saw Htee militias.
News (5)
Myanmar Junta set to axe police units because of shortage of officers
Myanmar’s military regime is planning to axe six units from the Myanmar Police Force and transfer the personnel from the axed units to other police departments, according to striking police officers.
Among the units set to be cut are the Maritime Police Force, Aviation Police Force, Tourist Security Police Force, Oil Field Security Police Force, Forestry Security Police Force, and Highway Police Force, a striking police captain from the Maritime Police told The Irrawaddy.
The decision to axe the units was reached at a recent police meeting in Naypyitaw, and the cuts are expected to begin once they are approved by the junta’s Minister of Home Affairs.
The Myanmar Police Force has at least two dozen departments besides the six units set to be axed. Before last year’s coup, the police was reported to have 100,000 personnel. The current number of police is unknown, as thousands of officers have joined the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), while others have retired or been killed by anti-regime resistance groups.
News (6) to (9) / Source : Sasa, NUG
News (6)
National Unity Government of Myanmar: Junta have done nothing to improve farmers' lives
On 4 March 2022, Myanmar citizens celebrate Farmers' Day or more appropriately, celebrate the many contributions of farmers and agricultural workers to Myanmar. Dr Sasa, the former Myanmar UN envoy and the current spokesperson of the National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar, reveal the importance of farmers to governments' economies and national defence. He pointed out the Myanmar Junta regime have done nothing to improve Burmese farmers' lives.
Far too often, Farmers' Day is an opportunity for those in power to give speeches about the importance of farmers, while doing nothing to improve their lives, or genuinely compensate them for the wide-ranging contributions they bring to Myanmar.
News (7)
Consider the roles and contributions of farmers to governments
Image courtesy : istockphoto
In the new Myanmar which NUG and other civilian forces are all fighting now to build, this two-faced approach to the agricultural sector must end. Consider seriously the role that farmers play in Myanmar and other countries.
Thirty years ago, agriculture was the backbone of Myanmar’s industry, employing 70% of Myanmar's workforce. Today that number is much lower but the significance of the agricultural industry has not dwindled.
Burmese firms import very little in the way of food. In fact, Burmese firms export much of what they produce. Even with a decreased share of Myanmar’s workers, farmers do not only feed all Burmese, they bring foreign money into Myanmar's economy. It is this foreign money which has allowed the industrialization and development of Myanmar which has resulted in millions of workers transitioning from farm labour to other industries. Industries which allow us to provide for Burmese themselves, and stand on their own two feet as a country.
We often forget when marveling at the industrial boom nations have experienced that this was possible only on the backs of the farmers whose economic contributions paid for the needed infrastructure.
Despite this, farmers have routinely been ignored and set aside by governments.
Farmers' Day is a time for politicians to make speeches, but a day farmer themselves cannot afford to take off from the back breaking labour which has elevated an entire country, but which barely pays for their needs. For Myanmar to truly know peace and prosperity, take care of those who hold up the nation, not only those who sit at the top.
News (8)
Junta stole crop harvests, have been bombing agricultural land, persecuting farmers
2021 has been particularly horrendous for Burmese farmers. Crop harvests have been stolen and agricultural land has been bombed or burned by a cruel military in an attempt to starve out a civilian population unwilling to accept 60 more years of military dictatorship.
As the military have left the cities, spreading their campaign of terror to rural areas where their crimes are less likely to be recorded, it is often farming villages which have felt the brunt of the military’s savagery. Rapes, murders, torture, and the burning of entire villages are commonplace.
News (9)
Farmers protect Myanmar
It is therefore just that NUG and all civilians recognize the contribution that farmers have made to the defense and protection of Myanmar.
Just as the national hero Saya San rose up against the unjust and cruel exploitations of colonial powers in 1930, triggering a revolution that would last for three years, so too have farmers been pivotal in every uprising of Myanmar's history.
Many of the PDF and LDF groups today risking their lives in the jungles, plains, forests, mountains, hills, and valleys of Myanmar left their homes and lives as farmers to take up arms against yet an other unjust regime. Myanmar owes more to her farmers than can be expressed, and in the wake of the disaster the military has triggered, all Burmese will have greater need of their farmers than ever before.
In the new Myanmar, stop paying lip service on Farmers' Day. Let's resolve to address the suffering of Burmese farmers, and improve their lives as they have improved ours. Hail the farmers for the heroes they are.
News (10)
Taichung man volunteers to participate in Ukraine war! Self-declared "sergeant discharged": May I be safe
Editor : Chen Yiling / news.tvbs.com.tw/life/1732474 / Image : The Taichung man indicated that he had applied to Ukraine to join the war . (Picture / Retrieved from Twitter)
Russia has attacked Ukraine for the tenth day. It has been sanctioned by all walks of life in the West, and Russia has also shot back. On 5 March 2022, it announced that it would impose sanctions on the United Kingdom.
More than 2,000 people were killed or injured in the war between the two countries. A man in Taichung stated that he was discharged from the army as a sergeant. He has applied to participate in the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out on 5 March that because the British government chose to openly confront Russia, it will have no choice to take countermeasures and formally impose sanctions on the United Kingdom. In addition, the Russian authorities concluded the second round of negotiations with Ukraine on the 3rd, and began a temporary ceasefire on 5 March. As a result, less than a day later, Russia sent armed forces to attack Ukraine again.
In the face of countless casualties in the war between the two countries, a man in Taichung could not stand it anymore, and threatened to apply to Ukraine to join the war; he tweeted that he was a corporal in the communications battalion and retired from the army. He has been praised by the Ministry of National Defense as outstanding sergeant and soldier, and he has uploaded information to register and will go to Ukraine to participate in the war.
The man even showed his passport and identity card to prove it. In the picture, it can be seen that the man was born in 1961 and is 50 years old this year. He also boldly showed his only horse eyes, the entire face of the document is almost exposed in high-definition, proving that he is going to Ukraine.
The man also added in the text, "Someone suspected that I was not Taiwanese just now," so he uploaded an ID photo to prove it; he even said in the message area that he would have God's mercy and hope for peace, "I an only (only) do what I can do," which shows his determination.
After the post was exposed, more than 3,000 netizens liked it and discussed frantically. They left messages and cheered, "Promise me to come back safely. Guard Taiwan", "You are really good, and I also hope that I can be a justice. It's a pity that I don't have the ability to go to the front line. May God be with you." "Don't worry about what others suspect, come on."
News (11)
Putin: Any country that sets up a no-fly zone in Ukraine is deemed to have participated in the war
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 5 March 2022 that any country seeking a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be seen by Moscow as intervening in an armed conflict.
"Any action in this regard will be seen by us as that country intervening in an armed conflict," Putin said during a meeting with Aeroflot employees, according to Agence France-Presse.
Putin added that setting up a no-fly zone would not only for Europe and the world, with "hugely catastrophic consequences". Putin also dismissed rumours that Russia intends to declare martial law at home.
"Martial law should only be declared in the face of foreign aggression... We are not currently in that situation, and we hope not," he said.
According to the Reuters report, Putin said on 5 March 2022 that Western sanctions against Russia amounted to a declaration of war. He warned that setting a no-fly zone in Ukraine would have catastrophic consequences for the world.
Putin reiterated that his purpose in sending troops is to defend the Russian-speaking community in Ukraine by "demilitarizing and denazifying" Ukraine, so that Russia's former Soviet neighbors will become neutral and no longer threaten Russia.
Ukraine and the West have dismissed this as a baseless excuse used by Russia to launch an invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, and have imposed a series of broad sanctions on Russia in an attempt to isolate Moscow's authorities.
"These sanctions that are being imposed are like a declaration of war, but thank God, it's not there yet," Putin told a group of Aeroflot cabin attendants at the Russian aviation training centre near Moscow.
He said any other power would try to impose a ban on Ukraine. The flying zone will be seen by Russia as intervening in a military conflict. Such interventions are bound to have disastrous consequences for Europe and the world.
Authorities in Kyiv have called for a no-fly zone over Ukraine but the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has rejected the move, arguing that the move would escalate the Ukrainian war into a wider conflict that could lead to a war between the United States and Russia. (Central News Agency)
News (12)
Aeroflot: From 8 March, all international flights except to Belarus will be suspended
On 5 March 2022, Aeroflot announced that it will suspend all international flights from 8 March 2022, except for flights to Belarus.
Previously, the Russian Air Transport Agency recommended that airlines stop flying flights destined for overseas from 12 am on 6 March, and stop flights departing from abroad from 12 am on 8 March 2022.
Russian airlines are not subject to restrictive measures as long as there is no risk of aircraft being seized or detained. In addition, foreign airlines that have not disrupted air traffic with Russia are not affected by the restrictions. At the same time, domestic flights operated by Russian airlines will not be affected.
News (13)
Biden spoke to Zelenskyy about the U.S. and allies' efforts to sanction Russia
Source : The New York Post
President Joe Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone to discuss the “ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its Allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine,” the White House said Saturday.
In the roughly 30-minute phone conversation, the White House said Zelenskyy welcomed Visa and Mastercard’s announcement that they would suspend its services in Russia.
Biden “noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding,” the White House said.
The two also discussed Russian forces’ frightening attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant earlier in the week, which had raised panic of a potential nuclear disaster after the plant caught fire. Biden praised the plant operators who kept the reactors safe, the White House said.
Zelenskyy, who spoke with US senators in a Zoom call Saturday, has
repeatedly pleaded with NATO and Western officials to impose a no-fly zone over
Ukraine to counter Russian air attacks. Western leaders have been hesitant to
establish the zone fearing an escalation in the conflict. Russian President
Vladimir Putin said a no-fly zone would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
News (14) to (20) / https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/3848844
News (14)
China's economic mud bodhisattva crossing the river, it is difficult to save Russia
The West has imposed a lot of sanctions on Russia, and the "economic war" against Russia has caused millions of Russians to suffer first.
Image : People lined up outside the bank waiting to receive their money. (Associated Press)
News (15)
The West is isolating Russia economically
The West has imposed a lot of sanctions on Russia, and the "economic war" against Russia has caused millions of Russians to suffer first. As the economic shock becomes increasingly apparent, Russia is likely to see more business closures and job losses in the future. However, even under sanctions, Russia still has CCP China, a powerful economic ally, behind it. CCP and Russia have recently announced that there is "no upper limit" to their strategic cooperation.
Western sanctions against Russia have been described as an "economic war" aimed at isolating Russia and hampering the country's economy. But at present, it seems that ordinary people are the hardest hit. The ruble has fallen sharply and interest rates have risen sharply. Banks are full of people who want to withdraw cash or foreign currency, but it is difficult to withdraw them under the restrictions of the central bank. Due to the sanctions imposed on Russian banks, Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and Google Pay cannot be used. Under the soaring interest rates, people are facing the disappearance of their savings and the inability to pay their mortgages, which greatly affects their lives.
News (16)
2 hours after the Russian invasion, the market currency began to be in short supply
Many people worry that Russia is becoming more and more like Iran or North Korea. Within 2 hours of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, dollars and euros were out of stock, and caps were imposed on the amount of rubles that could be received. There were long queues at ATMs and currency exchange offices as people worried about not getting their money. In addition, people are also worried about rising prices and trade restrictions, and have begun to queue at supermarkets to snap up and stock up on goods or food that are prone to out-of-stock.
However, even if it is sanctioned, Moscow has China, a powerful economic ally, which can help Russia resist Western sanctions. After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and the Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia, CCP took the opportunity to buy billions of dollars of natural gas from Russia to meet its energy needs, helping Russia avoid the consequences of sanctions. Now, it is once again moving closer to Russia.
News (17)
CCP, Russia reach huge energy deal ahead of military action
In recent years, CCP China has become Russia's largest source of imports and the largest export destination. China is the world's largest producer of electronics, machinery and other industrial products, and it continues to provide these products to Russia in exchange for energy and food. CCP China would serve as an alternative market for Russia's exports and a conduit to circumvent Western sanctions.
What means does CCP have to help the Russian economy? The easiest is to expand energy and food imports. In December 2021, China imported more oil from Russia than Saudi Arabia. In February, at a summit in Beijing, China and Russia announced an oil and gas deal worth about $117.5 billion. Six days before the Russian military operation, Russia announced that it would sell 100 million tons of coal worth more than $20 billion to China. Even after Russia was sanctioned, China ignored the previous quarantine issues and directly allowed the import of wheat from all over Russia.
News (18)
Chinese banks face risks if they continue to provide Russian loans
Food and energy deals are just one of the latest signs of a Sino-Russian alliance. Xi and Putin reached an agreement ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, issuing a statement saying the friendship between the two sides "has no end." On 4 February, CCP China and Russia signed a non-aggression agreement in Beijing, marking a new milestone in CCP-Russia relations. The agreement enables Putin to strengthen economic cooperation with CCP China while also transferring troops and military equipment from the Russian-Chinese border to the Russian-Ukrainian border.
China and Russia have also strengthened the use of RMB and rubles for trade settlement. China has always wanted digital currencies to become popular as an alternative to the US dollar but Chinese banks are still heavily reliant on the dollar at this stage, and Chinese state-owned banks may also be at risk if they continue to lend to Russia. Major Chinese banks appear to have started withdrawing their investments in Russia, so China may choose to have smaller state-owned banks back Russia.
News (19)
China expects to rely more on Russia for key materials
For CCP, what are the benefits of a Sino-Russian alliance that is worth the risk? Beijing believes that, as the European Union and the United States become increasingly wary of China, the most favourable geopolitical outlook for CCP is to combine China's vast industrial scale with Russia's powerful natural resources.
In addition, most of China's energy and food imports pass through waters patrolled by the United States or India. With China's recent focus on the possibility of conflict, military spending in 2021 will grow four times as fast as other governments, and CCP China hopes to rely more on Russia for key supplies.
However, at this juncture, if CCP wants to help Russia, it is bound to pay a price. Once CCP China is believed to have financed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Western countries may impose heavy taxes or other technological restrictions on China, which will eventually lead to Western companies and consumers no longer relying on Chinese factories. In addition, Chinese companies that ignore Western sanctions could also be cut off from U.S. technology and finance. For example, ZTE and Huawei were previously banned in part to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Complicated geopolitics will make it difficult for companies doing business in mainland China, worrying that they will run into trouble in the United States if they do not comply with U.S. regulations but if they do not comply with Chinese regulations, they will be punished in China. If CCP chooses to cooperate with Russia, whether in food, energy or finance, it will need to take huge risks.
News (20)
Before the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, try not to turn against the West
Therefore, the Wall Street Journal believes that China's economic assistance to Russia is limited. Although China has recently purchased more Russian energy and agricultural products, the Sino-Russian energy-related agreement still needs to wait for several years before it can be activated or allow Russia to obtain income.
For example, Russia's natural gas exports to China are less than 10% of what Gazprom exports to Europe. Therefore, even if it helps, it is difficult to make up for the huge losses caused by European sanctions.
Some economists also believe that CCP China wants to maintain stability as much as possible before the 20th National Congress, and is unlikely to risk turning against the West to help Russia, which is not in China's interests. China wants to enter the global market and establish its authority, and will not undermine years of efforts for Russia's sake. At this stage, if CCP wants to strengthen cooperation with Russia, it is feared it will only use Russia to obtain raw materials at low cost. As Russia's access to Western markets is limited, CCP can use Sino-Russian relations or commercial terms as a bargaining chip in negotiating with Russia in the future.
News (21)
Understand the cost of war, Ukraine: Russian negotiation begins "constructively"
Editor : Lu Yongxin / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/03/06/a103365827.html / Image : Smoke rises from a Russian tank destroyed by Ukrainian troops on the side of a road in the Luhansk region on 26 February 2022. (Anatoli Sepanov/AFP via Getty Images)
The third round of negotiations between the two sides seeking to end the fighting will resume on 7 March 2022 (Monday). Ukrainian negotiator Podoljako said on 5 March that negotiations with Russia began "constructively", describing that he had noticed a clear change in Moscow's attitude towards Ukraine's resistance and harsh international sanctions.
Central News Agency reported that Congressman Alahamia, who is also the congressional party leader and negotiator of the party of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on his Facebook page that "the third round of negotiations will take place in Held on Monday". No further details were provided.
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators have held two rounds of negotiations.
During the second round of negotiations on 3 March, the two sides agreed to open a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to evacuate some of the fighting areas but the implementation was subsequently delayed.
However, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said he noticed a shift in Russia's approach as Russia understood the "real cost of war."
"When the war started, they (Russia) insisted on total control, they did not expect Ukraine to be such a fierce resistance force."
"It was only now that they began to understand the actual cost of the war, and we have only now begun constructive negotiations." Podoljako participated in the first two rounds of Ukrainian-Russian talks in Belarus.
Podoljako said the Russians "lost a lot of equipment and manpower, the unprecedented sanctions have destroyed their economy, the whole country has become an outlaw of the international community, and their propaganda war has been completely ineffective".
Podoljako reiterated President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's NATO request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine. The Western Alliance has rejected the request on 5 March 2022.
Zelenskyy criticized NATO's decision, saying it amounted to "allowing (Russia) to further bomb Ukrainian towns".
Podoljako reiterated that the Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agreed not to discuss the details of the negotiation, but he said that Ukraine's goal is still to immediately cease fire and obtain two major guarantees. Considerable compensation is provided for the losses of various cities in Ukraine.
News (22)
Putin ousted? British media predict five endings of the Russian-Ukrainian war
Editor : Wen Hui / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/03/06/a103365802.html
Russia launched a war against Ukraine on February 24, and the situation between the two sides is still stalemate. At present, the Russian army has not shown super combat effectiveness, and the resistance of Ukraine has made the outside world look at it with admiration. For the future direction of this war, the British media BBC predicted five possible endings.
1. Quick decision
Russia escalated its military operations. There will be more indiscriminate and unbridled shelling and rocket attacks across Ukraine.
On the other hand, the Russian Air Force launched destructive air strikes. A massive cyber attack has swept across Ukraine, targeting critical national infrastructure, cutting off Ukraine's energy supply and communications networks and killing thousands of civilians.
Despite the brave Ukrainian resistance, the capital, Kyiv, fell within days. The Ukrainian government was replaced by a pro-Moscow puppet regime. Ukraine, like Belarus, became a vassal of Moscow.
But that outcome will depend on changes in several factors: Russia's military is doing better, deploying more troops, and Ukraine's extraordinary spirit of resistance has evaporated.
2. The protracted war
Perhaps more likely, this will develop into a protracted war.
The Russian military would be bogged down by low morale, poor logistics, and poor leadership. Perhaps the Russian army will take longer to secure cities such as Kyiv, where Ukrainian defenders will wage street battles.
A long siege ensued. The battle would be similar to Russia's long and brutal offensive and defensive battle for the Chechen capital of Grozny in the 1990s: Grozny was largely destroyed.
Even with Russian troops stationed in Ukrainian cities, maintaining control is difficult. Perhaps Russia cannot provide enough troops to cover such a large country. The Ukrainian army was transformed into an effective resistance force, both motivated to fight the Russian army and supported by the local population.
The West continues to provide weapons and ammunition. Then, perhaps many years later, when Moscow has a new leadership, the Russian military will eventually leave Ukraine, admitting defeat and making countless sacrifices, just as it did in 1989 when it pulled out of Afghanistan after a decade of fighting against Islamist militias.
3. The war in Europe
Is it possible that the war could spread beyond Ukraine's borders? President Vladimir Putin may seek to reclaim more of Russia's former empire by sending troops to former Soviet republics that are not part of NATO such as Moldova and Georgia.
This could lead to miscalculation and escalation of the situation. It would be very dangerous, with the possibility of war with NATO. According to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, an attack on one member is an attack on all members. If Putin sees this as the only way to save his leadership, he may take the risk.
4. The diplomatic solution
At present, the dialogue between the parties is still continuing. French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken by phone with President Putin. Diplomats are reaching out to Moscow. Russian and Ukrainian officials have held talks. They may not have made much progress but by agreeing to talks, Putin appears to have at least embraced the possibility of a negotiated ceasefire.
Opposition grew louder as the bodies of the fallen soldiers were returned to Russia. Putin would judge that continuing the war could pose a greater threat to his leadership than the humiliation of ending it.
5. Putin was ousted from power
So what about Putin himself? Sir Lawrence Friedman, emeritus professor of war studies at King's College London, wrote this week: "Regime change is now as likely in Moscow as in Kyiv."
The war killed thousands of Russian soldiers. International sanctions against Russia have played a role. Putin has lost popular support.
So there could be a bloody palace coup in Russia that could lead to Putin's ouster.
News (23)
CCTV censors Paralympic president's anti-war remarks, was asked to explain
Reporter : Xia Yu / Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/5/n13624498.htm / Image : The chairman of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games on Friday (4 March). (Photo by Bob Martin / OIS/IOC / AFP)
At Friday (4 March) night, at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President’s anti-war remarks were censored by the CCP, and the Paralympic Committee demanded a response from the CCP’s state media, CCTV.
"We are aware of the reports and have requested an explanation from CCTV," an IPC spokesman said Saturday, according to Bloomberg.
Paralympic president Andrew Parsons told an audience that included Chinese President Xi Jinping was "shocked" by what was happening in the world, apparently referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Beijing has avoided condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while emphasizing national sovereignty.
"The 21st century is an age of dialogue and diplomacy, not war and hatred," Parsons said. He added that the Olympic Truce during the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a UN resolution. It must be respected and followed, not violated. "
The portion of the CCTV livestream where Parsons condemned the war was not translated into Chinese. Instead, a Chinese announcer spoke to Parsons and read the translated second half of Parsons' statement. Speaking of the truce, CCTV seemed to have lowered the volume so much that Parsons' remarks became inaudible.
Before Russia launched its military strike on Ukraine, China's foreign ministry repeatedly touted the Olympic truce for peace and condemned the United States and some other countries for not supporting the resolution as "opposing the Olympic family."
Mark Dreyer, author of "Sporting Superpowers: An Insider's View of China's Quest for the Best," described the series of events as "a blatant, pre-planned attempt to control information."
“CCP China’s insistence on a wait-and-see approach, coupled with its seeming inability to distinguish between anti-war and anti-Russia, runs counter to its desire to be a global leader, both in sports and the world at large,” he told Bloomberg.
The IPC was also embroiled in controversy ahead of the Paralympic Games. "Multiple" athletes have warned against boycotts of Russian and Belarusian athletes or risk of strikes. The IPC has since reversed its decision to let Russian and Belarusian athletes compete.
Ahead of Friday's opening ceremony, Ukrainian athletes unveiled banners that read "Stop the war" and chanted "Peace in Ukraine," with some in tears as they received hugs from athletes from other countries.
As the Premier League and Bundesliga are expected to show their support for Ukraine through collective action in this weekend's games, the Chinese broadcast rights holders have told the two leagues that they will not be broadcasting the match this weekend, the BBC reported.
News (24)
The White House confirmed that it is discussing with Poland to provide fighter jets to Ukraine
A White House spokesman confirmed that the United States is working with Poland to discuss the possibility of providing fighter jets to Ukraine and to consult with other allies. The White House said the U.S. was determining "what capabilities we can provide to compensate Poland if Poland decides to move the planes to Ukraine," though he did not elaborate on which compensation options were being considered.
News (25) to (26) / Editor : Tang Ying / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/03/06/a103365792.html
News (25)
CPPCC member's proposal to "allow single women to have one child each" was bombarded
At the "two sessions" over the years, CCP representatives and committee members will put forward some highly controversial proposals, and this year is no exception. A male CPPCC member of the CCP recently proposed that unmarried women over 30 years old be allowed to have one child, causing huge controversy.
According to a report by Minsheng Weekly on 5 March 2022, Hua Yawei, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), plans to put forward a proposal on improving the supportive birth policy at this year's National Two Sessions. He called for allowing unmarried women over the age of 30 to have one child.
The CCP member also said that healthy women over the age of 30 are allowed to voluntarily retrieve and freeze their eggs regardless of whether they are married or not, and unmarried women over the age of 30 are allowed to perform artificial insemination, IVF and other assisted reproductive operations.
According to public information, Hua Yawei, male, is currently the vice president of the business of Henan Cancer Hospital, the vice chairman of the Henan Provincial Committee of the Agricultural Workers Party, and the director of the Supervision Committee.
The suggestion of the above-mentioned CPPCC members caused controversy in public opinion. Some netizens said, "From family planning to triple births to "allowing" single women to have children, the wombs of ordinary people have always been planned."
There are also many netizens who said, "Women need to be allowed to have children or not. This is not to give women more rights to choose, but to take away the power of choice that women should have in the subtext, and then pretend to be enlightened. 'Give rights.'
"As reproductive rights, it is a basic right to be a human being. Family planning is a violation of the basic rights of citizens and should be abolished long ago. The current situation is a violation of human rights. As a so-called 'people's representative', the proposal put forward is human rights violations."
"Having a child is not a problem, but raising a child. Originally, the economy is sluggish, and it is difficult for two people to raise a child, and they have to pay the mortgage. Now that the family's source of income has been cut in half, will the state take care of the children? Apart from this, there are more questions."
News (26)
China's population plummets, Beijing targets unmarried teens
China's new population in 2021 is the lowest since 1962, according to the Chinese Communist Party's Bureau of Statistics.
In the face of a sharp drop in China's birth rate, the CCP authorities have introduced a number of policies that simply encourage childbearing, but none of them have been effective, and the willingness to bear children of the right-age population has continued to decline. However, the CCP has not corrected its mistakes from its ever-changing anti-humanity national policy, the one-child policy, but it is still issuing some bizarre new regulations that the outside world cannot understand.
At the end of January 2022, the Family Planning Association of the State Council of the Communist Party of China (hereinafter referred to as the China Family Planning Association) released the "Key Points of Work of the China Family Planning Association in 2022" (referred to as "Key Points of Work").
It mentioned that in 2022, "focus on solving the outstanding reproductive health problems of adolescents, people of childbearing age and other specific groups, carry out special actions for abortion intervention for unmarried people, and reduce unintended pregnancy and abortion among adolescents."
This kind of formulation has especially attracted the attention of the outside world, and "intervention in abortion of unmarried people" has also become a hot search.
But this is not the first time the CCP Health Association has deployed work on the grounds of reproductive health. In January 2021, the 2021 "Work Points" issued by the Family Planning Association had proposed to implement reproductive health promotion actions, and pointed out that "focusing on solving outstanding reproductive health problems of adolescents, people of childbearing age and other specific groups".
In August 2021, Wang Pei'an, deputy director of the Population, Resources and Environment Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and secretary of the Party Group of the Chinese Family Life Association, said that the increasingly serious problem of adolescent reproductive health has posed a "major threat" to national population security.
The Epoch Times reporter compared the two-year "Work Points" of the CCP Health Office and found that the main points in 2021 are only to "solve outstanding problems in the reproductive health of adolescents, people of childbearing age and other specific groups"; while this year's main points further put forward the requirements. Intervention in "Abortion for Unmarried People" and "Reduction of Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion in Adolescents".
This is not just policy propaganda but the implementation of special work for delineated groups of people. Although the current "intervention" is still at the level of administrative instructions issued by Zhongnanhai to family planning departments at all levels, and has not yet been upgraded to a new national policy, this change has already made the outside world see the CCP's barbaric return to the old road of forcing family planning.
Zheng Jie, a Japanese political commentator, told The Epoch Times that "Key Points of Work" uses the pretext of reducing unintended pregnancies and abortions among teenagers and improving the reproductive health of the public. It is a signal that the CCP will take coercive measures to change the status quo.
News (27)
The CCP proposes a strategy for Taiwan, the Mainland Affairs Council: Oppose imposing a political framework
Editor : He Yating / Image : On the side of the Great Hall in Beijing, China, security guards wearing masks lined up outside the Great Hall. (Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images)
The CCP's annual National People's Congress is here again. The CCP's government work report mentions the "overall strategy" for resolving the Taiwan issue. In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (i.e., the Mainland Affairs Council) responded publicly, emphasizing that the Republic of China is a sovereign state, and Taiwanese public opinion opposes the "political framework imposed by China (CCP)."
In the morning of 5 March 2022, local time, the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress of the CCP opened. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivered a government work report at the meeting. When talking about issues related to Taiwan, the report reiterated adherence to the "one China" principle and the "1992 Consensus", claimed to implement the so-called "New Era Party's overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue", and stressed that it resolutely opposed the so-called "Taiwan independence and separatist behaviour." and "interference by external forces".
In response to the CCP's official remarks, the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council responded in writing. The MAC pointed out that the Republic of China is a sovereign state, and Taiwanese public opinion firmly opposes "the political framework, military intimidation and diplomatic suppression imposed by China". If the Beijing authorities cannot face up to this basic fact, any theoretical design of its policy discussion, unilateral legal system and united front operation will be "futile".
The MAC also shouted to Beijing, "We believe that the Beijing authorities should focus more on improving the people’s livelihood and well-being rights that the Chinese people are truly concerned about, promote democratic reforms and checks and balances oversight, and prevent governance risks caused by the arbitrary decision-making of a few; respect rather than monitor and oppress public opinion; assume responsibility rather than damage the international rules and order."
The MAC also emphasized that democratic Taiwan is a force for regional peace and stability, and the Taiwan government will "firmly defend national sovereignty, security, freedom and democracy, continue to deepen cooperation with countries with similar ideals, and strive to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait."
News (28)
The CCP hyped up the "repatriation flight" and the Chinese were extorted huge sums of money when they boarded the plane
Reporter : Zheng Gusheng / Editor : Fan Ming / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2022/03/05/a103365589.html / Image : On 25 February 2022, a video of Ukraine's "evacuation of overseas Chinese" went viral on the Chinese Internet but according to party media reports, these videos are fictional. (Video screenshot)
A few days ago, the party media reported that the so-called Ukrainian "repatriation flight" from Malaysia was returning. It is reported on the Internet that the Chinese who fled from Ukraine to Romania with difficulty were charged a huge air ticket when they boarded the plane and returned to China. The news was confirmed by the CCP embassy.
On 5 March 2022, Beijing time, CCP Xinhuanet and other party media reported that the first "temporary flight to pick up and return Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine" arrived in Hangzhou at 5.41 am that day. It was reported later that the second plane arrived in Zhengzhou at 9.46 am on the same day.
However, the party media report did not mention where the two flights departed, only that the passengers were "Chinese citizens evacuated from Ukraine". This insinuation has caused some Taiwan media to misunderstand and report that the flight was "departing from Ukraine".
However, mainland Chinese Media Observer.com quoted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party's "Consular Express". The temporary flight that arrived in Hangzhou on the same day took off from Beijing at 5.16 am on 4 March, and arrived in Bucharest, Romania, 10 hours and 26 minutes after the flight before returning to Hangzhou.
The report also stated that the second temporary flight will also depart from Beijing to Bucharest at 10.18 am on the same day and return to Zhengzhou at 10.15 am on the 6th.
The news about the second temporary flight differs from Xinhuanet. The exact reason is unknown.
The party media report did not mention whether passengers on these flights purchased tickets. When other countries evacuate their citizens, they try to arrange evacuation routes for their citizens, and the whole journey is free.
However, according to online news, these Chinese citizens who had just escaped the dangers of Ukraine were extorted huge sums of money several times more than the normal fare when they boarded the plane and returned to China. Many of them did not evacuate Ukraine in the CCP's official car, but escaped on their own after going through untold hardships.
Image : Web Screenshot
Screenshots from social media show that after some Chinese students fled to neighboring countries of Ukraine, they were placed under house arrest by the local CCP embassies. The embassy personnel threatened them not to go anywhere, and the return air ticket started at 30,000 RMB, and they had to pay at their own expense after returning to China. Isolation fee is 10,000 RMB. The message did not specify the CCP embassy in which country it took place.
Another Chinese revealed in the WeChat group that they had escaped from Ukraine to Romania after all the hardships, but were told that they would need to buy air tickets at their own expense when they returned to China. The original air ticket cost about 7,000 RMB but now it has risen to 17,999 RMB. They have a family of four, and the airfare alone costs nearly 100,000 RMB. After the war broke out, their bank cards were no longer available, they had no money to buy air tickets, and even now they can only rely on refugee camps for basic survival needs.
A reporter from Radio Free Asia confirmed the above news by calling the CCP Embassy in Romania on 4 March. An official from the embassy said that these people did have to pay for the flight at their own expense, and the ticket price was around 16,000 or 17,000 RMB but she claimed that this was the decision of the airline, and the embassy did not know.
The embassy staff said that there will be two flights on the 4th, but the follow-up arrangements are not very smooth because there are too many people waiting to be evacuated, and the embassy has limited staff.
The embassy staff revealed that there were two flights on the 4th, which coincided with the news of the Xinhua News Agency's report that two "temporary flights" returned to China on the 5th.
After the Ukrainian crisis broke out for several days, the CCP has delayed arranging the evacuation of overseas Chinese, and has been questioned for cooperating with Russia and covering up its invasion attempt. After the Chinese media reported on the difficult situation of Chinese students in Ukraine, the CCP announced on the second day of the full-scale war that it would "evacuate overseas Chinese" from Ukraine by chartered flights, but the plan quickly became an empty promise. The authorities also demanded that the Chinese in Ukraine "flee to other countries on their own."
After the news of Taiwan's chartered car evacuation was reported, the CCP arranged a chartered car on 1 March to evacuate some Chinese from Kyiv to other European countries but because of the war in Ukraine, many Chinese have been unable to escape.
At present, the CCP denies the news that Chinese people in Ukraine have been injured or killed by Russian troops, and has blocked their distress messages on mainland social platforms. At the same time, the CCP manipulates public opinion and continues to sing about the "strong motherland" behind the Chinese people in Ukraine.
News (29)
Russia-Ukraine war Xi Jinping misjudged Putin, Beijing could be at risk
Editor : Li Yuan / https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/22/3/2/n13616600.htm / Image : File photo of Xi Jinping's meeting with Putin. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)
Ten days after Russia invaded Ukraine, China and the world have reacted very differently, and what role does the CCP play in it? Experts analyzed that Xi Jinping's misjudgment caused an embarrassing situation, the CCP blocked anti-war voices, and now he is worried that he will be dragged into the "Putin Theater" and be at risk.
Why does China react so differently from the world in the Russia-Ukraine war?
The situation of the Russian army's invasion of Ukraine is still stalemate, and international condemnation and comprehensive sanctions continue. Anti-war sentiment spread around the world, including protests in Russia, and boycotts of Russian goods.
However, China’s reaction was quite different. Voice of America reported that the media and social platforms supported Putin, scolded the United States, belittled Ukraine, and clamoured to attack Taiwan; a statement by the Russian embassy in China on the situation in Ukraine received more than 200,000 likes.
At the same time, some Chinese netizens flocked to the e-commerce platform of the Russian embassy to buy all kinds of snacks and tea from Russia, and snapped up JD.com, Tmall and Russian food to show solidarity with Russia.
"Many times, there are too many voices from the Wolf Warrior, because the voice of the Wolf Warrior cannot be heard at all," an anonymous Chinese university alumnus, one of the co-signers who had issued an anti-war statement but was banned, told VOA. There are still sober people in China. Since the outbreak of the war, there has not been a day to stop grievances for Ukraine, but these voices have been officially blocked.
"China's status quo is that on the side of justice, all will become street rats," one netizen wrote on Twitter.
Cai Xia, who has taught at the CCP Party School for 15 years and was expelled from the party in 2020 for criticizing the CCP, believes that the belligerent mood in China is the result of deliberate official domination. China's ruling Communist Party is opposed to the mainstream civilization of the whole world, and has used this set of ideas to poison the people for a long time.
Cai Xia said, "Its nature is anti-human and anti-civilization. It believes in the rules of the jungle world. Whoever has a bigger fist and who dares to use force, it is naturally a war-mad tendency."
Cai Xia: Putin and Xi Jinping conspired?
The sudden outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, many unexpected things in the world, the weakness of the Russian army, the bravery of the Ukrainian military and civilians, Germany's breaking the taboo and expanding its army, the unprecedented unity of Europe, and what role does the CCP play? attract high attention.
International doubts about Beijing’s actions: Before the war, Putin attended the Beijing Winter Olympics in a high-profile manner and received a great gift; Russia began to act just after the Winter Olympics; Intelligence leaked to Russia; after the war, Beijing blamed the US instead of Russia…
Cai Xia believes that many facts show that Xi Jinping and Putin cooperated in plotting this war. Before the outbreak of the war, China rejected the US mediation request several times. This is an example. "They kidnapped the people of the two countries and formed an Axis of Evil, trying to use war of aggression to change the rules of the world," she told VOA.
Andrew Small, a senior transatlantic researcher at the German Marshall Fund, a Washington think tank, believes that Xi's strategy is to pursue an alliance with Russia against the United States and the Western world.
Currently U.S.-China relations are moving in a more confrontational direction, Ma Anzhou said, elevating Sino-Russian relations "like an opportunity" for Xi Jinping to "elevate it to something more like a global partnership."
Did Putin play Xi Jinping, or the other way around?
China and Russia have always been regarded as not real allies, but only using each other. Who is using whom in this war? Outsiders have different views.
Kong Jierong, a China expert and retired law professor, told VOA that Putin played Xi Jinping a game. "He's put Xi in a very awkward position, and many in the Chinese leadership are obviously unhappy with Xi making it look like China is really supporting the (Russian) invasion of Ukraine, which makes China ugly."
Kong Jierong believes that Putin must have warned Xi Jinping when he was in Beijing. “But he still issued a joint statement with Putin. This makes it seem as if China is offering silent support, (at least) no objection…”
But Nina Khrushcheva, the great-granddaughter of former Soviet leader Khrushchev and a professor of international affairs at the New School in New York, believes that Xi Jinping took advantage of Putin.
She wrote in the review magazine Project Syndicate on 18 February 2022, "In the growing hostility with the West, it is China that wants Russia to be on its side, not the other way around." "Xi Jinping did what was necessary to lock Russia down. In his vassal attachment to China. Putin chose to fall directly into his trap."
"China will do everything in its power to keep Russia at odds with the West, thereby diverting the West's attention from the strategic challenges China itself poses."
Xi's misjudgment is now being dragged into the "Putin Theatre"
Today, the Russian invasion has been fiercely resisted by the Ukrainian military and civilians. Russia is likely to fall into the quagmire of war, while Ukraine has become more and more courageous in the war, and has received strong assistance and support from the West. The war from the original "disparity of military power" has become unpredictable.
Beijing now has to pay a heavy price for its pro-Moscow stance. Katsuji Nakazawa, a senior reporter for the Nikkei Asian Review, wrote recently that the CCP’s political circle is increasingly worried that if it is further dragged into the “Putin Theatre”, its interests will be harmed.
Ma Anzhou told VOA that Xi's misjudgment will have consequences for China. He thought that Putin's military operation would be successful, and "did not expect the level of unity and the scale of the reaction on the European side."
"Anyway, I don't think the impression of China as the enabler of Russia (invasion) before this is going to go away. And I think there're going to be areas of collateral damage in China's economic, especially in its relations with the rest of Europe."
Xi is in an embarrassing situation and is at risk
Paul Heer, a researcher at the Center for the National Interest, also said that China's interests will be threatened. "China has a pretty good economic relationship with Ukraine, and Ukraine is now in serious danger."
Ukraine is the biggest supporter of China’s naval industry and a granary for Beijing. China is also Russia's largest trading partner.
Xi Jinping is now in a very embarrassing situation, Haier said, "Xi Jinping's calculation is that he can try to walk the tightrope, hoping that there will be some solution to this conflict, which can preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Otherwise, the Chinese will be completely abandoned. Ukraine will make them pay for maintaining China-Russia relations.
How to uphold the "diplomatic principles of maintaining sovereignty and territorial integrity" for Russia's invasion of Ukraine? How to say "non-interference and respect for the security interests of all parties"? Faced with questions from foreign journalists, the CCP’s responses are often self-contradictory.
"Xi Jinping is still trying to calculate, and he's in a very uncomfortable position, because you know Beijing is reaffirming a whole bunch of old principles that are inherently inconsistent," Haier said.
"They really can't do it all," Haier said. Beijing doesn't want to alienate Russia, it doesn't want to alienate the U.S. and Europe, and China's economic and other interests are now at risk. "The big question is what the Chinese are willing to do to minimize these risks.”
News (30)
Japanese media quoted American experts: "Taiwan is more important than Ukraine, and the United States will intervene if something happens"
Editor : Liu Zheqi / news.tvbs.com.tw/world/1732913
After Russia invaded Ukraine, seeing that European and American countries failed to stop it, many people also worried that mainland China was very likely to invade Taiwan by force.
According to a report by Japan's Jiji News Agency, many American experts said that in terms of national interests, Taiwan's status is more important than Ukraine's.
Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. think tank in Washington, affirmed that Ukraine cannot be used as a leading indicator for Taiwan. She emphasized that Taiwan is located in the centre of the "First Island Chain" of the mainland's defense line against the United States, and is also the production base of 92% of high-end chips, which has a very strategic position.
The total trade volume between Taiwan and the United States in 2021 will be about US$114 billion (about NT$3 trillion), and the economic relationship is stronger than that of Ukraine, which is at US$4.4 billion (about NT$120 billion).
In addition, the "Taiwan Relations Act" also mentions security provisions including the provision of weapons, which lays the foundation for US military intervention.
The U.S. regime has always maintained "strategic ambiguity" about whether to protect Taiwan when the mainland uses force to attack Taiwan. However, when the Ukraine crisis occurred, President Biden denied at an early stage that he would send U.S. troops. When asked about Taiwan, he clearly stated that he had a "responsibility to defend" and made more than "strategic ambiguous" remarks.
Taking into account such differences, Harvard professor Graham T. Allison also speculated that the Sino-U.S. war will bring serious consequences to the Chinese mainland. Considering this, the mainland should not take action against Taiwan.
Ted Galen Carpenter, a researcher at the CATO Institute, a Washington think tank, maintained his dissent. He said that China and Russia are both nuclear-armed countries, and a U.S.-China war would cost the US a lot. When the mainland attacked Taiwan, even if the United States really intervened by force, it would not necessarily be willing to launch a large-scale war for Taiwan.
News (31) to (35) / Reporter : Jamie Phillips, Daily Mail / Odessa prepares for aerial attack as Putin tries to 'choke' off lifeline | Daily Mail Online
News (31)
Putin's troops prepare to attack Odessa
The Kremlin is 'preparing' to pound Odessa and 'choke' off its lifeline as a ceasefire is called for the besieged city of Mariupol - amid fears Putin could blast the escape route of refugees with airstrikes for a second time.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky today warned that Russian forces are preparing to shell Odessa - a historic port city on the Black Sea coast.
Russia has made progress in southern Ukraine since its invasion 11 days ago, overrunning the city of Kherson and shelling the port of Mariupol but Odessa has so far been largely spared.
News (32)
Zelenskyy: Attacking Odessa is war crime
In a video address, the Ukrainian leader said: 'They are preparing to bomb Odessa. Odessa"
'Russians have always come to Odessa. They have always felt only warmth in Odessa. Only sincerity. And now what? Bombs against Odessa? Artillery against Odessa? Missiles against Odessa?
'It will be a war crime. It will be a historical crime.'
Almost a million people live in Odessa, a cosmopolitan harbour on Ukraine's southern coast with both Ukrainian and Russian speakers and Bulgarian and Jewish minorities.
Analysts have previously said that taking Odessa would be a huge strategic victory and would give Russia a chokehold on Ukraine's economy.
News (33)
Evacuation from Mariupol resumes
Image : Daily Mail
Some 400,000 residents will begin to be evacuated from 12pm today, with the agreement in place until 9pm, according to the city council of Mariupol.
People will be able to use private transport to travel out the city, currently encircled by Russian troops, and will be accompanied by the Red Cross, while deviating from the set route is prohibited.
The city council has said, "We ask all drivers leaving the city to facilitate the evacuation of civilians as much as possible - take people with you, fill the transport as much as possible."
According to aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) the humanitarian situation in Mariupol, a key target for the Russian invasion forces, is currently 'catastrophic' with no power or water in civilian homes.
They have called for a "humanitarian corridor" to be imposed "very quickly".
News (34)
Evacuation from Lysychansk
Separately, on Sunday, the head of Kyiv-controlled Lugansk regional administration, said a train would be organised to evacuate women, children and the elderly from Lysychansk.
Lysychansk is near the frontline between Ukrainian forces and Moscow-backed separatists, who are fighting to link up with the Russian forces and control the entire southeast.
This would give them a landbridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea and an important supply route and port if they decide to push north in a bid to take all of eastern Ukraine.
A safe passage out the nearby city of Volnovakha has also been offered after failed efforts on Saturday.
News (35)
Evacuation from Mariupol and Volnovakha part of temporary ceasefire deal
Some 200,000 civilians were set to leave Mariupol and a further 15,000 from Volnovakha at 7 am (UK time) as part of a temporary ceasefire deal overseen by the Red Cross on Saturday.
Under the agreement, the refugees had five hours to flee the cities and evacuate westwards along humanitarian corridors.
But just 400 refugees managed to flee Volnovakha before the ceasefire was shattered. It is unclear how many – if any – families escaped Mariupol.
If Russian forces succeed in capturing Mariupol which held out against rebel forces in the previous 2014 conflict, they will control Ukraine's entire Azov Sea coast.
News (36)
Bennett tries to broker peace between Putin and Zelenskyy
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett flew in for a secret meeting with Vladimir Putin on Sabbath (Saturday, 5 March 2022) and later phoned Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the war in Ukraine as he coordinates crisis efforts with the US, France, and Germany.
News (37)
Ukrainian airport destroyed by Russian missiles
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says missiles have struck and completely destroyed Vinnytsia regional airport, and urges NATO to close the airspace and make a no-fly zone.
News (38)
200 children fled to Lviv safely
More than 200 children evacuated from an orphanage in Ukraine's conflict zone arrived in the western city of Lviv after a 24-hour train journey with their carers.
News (39)
Belarus defence minister quits as he no longer supports Putin
The deputy minister of defence for Belarus has reportedly submitted his resignation and claimed he cannot support the current Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Major General Viktor Gulevich, who is also the chief of the general staff, argued that Belarusian military unit personnel refused to take part in hostilities and that the Armed Forces of Belarus could not complete a single battalion group.
Mr Gulevich is among a number of Belarusian officials facing economic sanctions from the UK government because of their closeness with Vladimir Putin.
Ref: Belarus deputy minister QUITS over Ukraine war | Daily Mail Online
News (40)
Trump slams Putin for Ukraine death toll, blasts NATO for inaction
Reporter : Gina Martinez, Daily Mail / Trump says we 'can't let' the situation in Ukraine continue and slams 'paper tiger' NATO | Daily Mail Online / Image : Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump slammed his former comrade Vladimir Putin for the growing death toll in Ukraine - calling it a 'massive crime against humanity' - and blasted NATO for its lack of action during a GOP donor event Saturday (5 March 2022).
Trump spoke to Republican National Committee donors in Louisiana during the Spring Retreat in New Orleans, where he covered a wide variety of topics, including the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
Trump also went after NATO, calling it a "paper tiger" and said the US cannot just stand by while Ukraine is invaded, according to Washington Post reporter Josh Dawsey, who obtained a recording of Trump's remarks.
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