Lightning punitive action of Russia in Ukraine failed miserably,
said Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov on March 1. “This is the only way to explain the barbaric shelling of the city of Kharkiv by one and a half million people. This list of crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine and its people will be presented to international courts, and no one will be able to escape punishment. We promise them,“ he stated. He noted that realizing that all the Russian military-political leadership of the Russian Federation is waiting for only the prospects of the Hague tribunal, they are “going all-in.
Statement of army’s Supreme Commander: Russia became a terrorist state
The President of Ukraine, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia turned into a terrorist state after the rocket attack on the Freedom Square in Kharkiv. “Dozens of victims... This is what the morning of the people of Ukraine is. The rocket to the central square is outright, undisguised terror. After that, Russia became a terrorist state. No one will forgive. Nobody will forget. This strike on Kharkiv is a war crime,” said the Ukrainian leader.
Ukrainians gathering evidence against Russian aggression
The Ukrainian are urged to send photos and videos showing the crimes committed by the Russian army for a tribunal for those responsible for war. An international team of volunteers launched the “Nürnberg 2022” project to record Russia’s crimes against civilian population in Ukraine.
“This website was created to collect facts about the crimes of Putin’s army against civilian population in Ukraine. You can help punish Putin. This is your contribution to the verdict against Putin,” it is said on the project’s website.
Lavrov challenges territorial integrity of Ukraine
About 100 diplomats, many from Western countries, walked out of a speech by Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday in protest over his country’s invasion of Ukraine. At a conference on disarmament, Lavrov delivered his speech by video link, because he said that European countries’ bans on flights from Russia had blocked his travel to Geneva.
German ambassador Katarina Stasch and other terns of delegates prepared the walkout, said Spiegel. Lavrov cynically named the human rights “a universal constant”, saying the principle of observance of territorial integrity is applicable only to the states whose governments represent all the people who live on their territory, but this is not the case of the government of Ukraine.
EP supports Ukraine’s application for EU membership
In a resolution adopted on Tuesday, European Parliament condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and demands that the Kremlin end all military activities in the country. It also denounces the role of Belarusian dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka in the assault.
The MEPs called on the European Commission and EU countries to provide further emergency humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, in cooperation with UN humanitarian agencies and other international partner organizations.
The text was approved by 637 votes in favor, 13 against with 26 abstentions.
The European Union will continue to help Ukraine financially, said the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.
“Of course, supporting Ukraine is the mobilization of financial resources, this is what we are already doing, and we will continue to do it. There will be an international donor conference ... We will help refugees and people fleeing the war of conflict, and we will demonstrate our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and those who are mobilizing,” Michel said at an urgent European Parliament debate on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
Dmitri Kuleba says Ukrainian delegation will not participate in negotiations if Russia issues ultimatums
Ukraine will not comply with ultimatums or Russian whims in negotiations to end the war, declared on Tuesday, March 1, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba. He noted that the Ukrainian delegation will decide on its position and, if necessary, will prepare for a new meeting with the Russian delegation. “We believe that such a meeting should take place, because Ukraine believes in diplomacy and we are ready for a diplomatic solution to this conflict,” Kuleba said at an online briefing.
In a televised address on Tuesday, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asked that Russia should stop shelling first and negotiations can be held later.
A new round of discussions between Russia and Ukraine is expected to be held today.
Massacred the second time
The head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office Andriy Yermak said on Facebook that a “powerful missile attack on the territory where the Babi Yar memorial complex is located” is underway. “These monsters kill the victims of the Holocaust the second time!”
Babi Yar, a ravine in Kyiv, is where nearly 34,000 Jews were killed within 48 hours in 1941 when the city was under Nazi occupation. The killing was carried out by SS troops along with local collaborators.
“In over 80 years, the Russian Nazis hit the same land to kill the Ukrainians. Hatred and barbarism,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba posted on Twitter.
According to the Ukrainian Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko, the Russian barbarians threaten to destroy a number of infrastructure facilities close to the UNESCO Monument Saint Sophia Cathedral.
US$3bn for Ukraine
The World Bank announced on Tuesday that it is preparing a US$3 billion aid package for war-torn Ukraine, which will include at least US$350 million in immediate funds.
“The first tranche of the aid will be submitted to the Board for approval this week, followed by US$200 million in fast-disbursing support for health and education,” said a joint statement of the two institutions.
Biden wages war on Russian oligarchs
President Joe Biden vowed on Tuesday to make President Vladimir Putin of Russia “pay a price” for invading Ukraine. He called for a united resistance to defend the international order endangered by Russian aggression and warned the oligarchs who bolster Putin’s regime that he would seize their luxury yachts and private jets.
“Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world, thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated,” Biden said. “He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people.”
“We spent months building a coalition of other freedom-loving nations from Europe and the Americas to Asia and Africa to confront Putin. I spent countless hours unifying our European allies. We shared with the world in advance what we knew Putin was planning and precisely how he would try to falsely justify his aggression. We countered Russia’s lies with truth. And now that he has acted the free world is holding him accountable.”
The President celebrated the impact actions will have on “Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime no more.”
Danger of humanitarian catastrophe in Donets and Luhansk
The Ukrainian authorities admit that they expected more real support and assistance from international humanitarian structures, such as Red Cross, the UN and the OSCE. In connection with the hostilities in the Donbass, a catastrophic humanitarian situation has emerged. This was stated by the Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Irina Vereshchuk at a briefing on Tuesday, March 1.
“The enemy has chosen the path of terror against the civilian population. Here I mean, first of all, the Donetsk and Luhansk regions: the cities of Volnovakha, Severodonetsk, others – under the total, annihilating fire of the enemy. A real humanitarian catastrophe is taking place there,” she said.
Romania brings humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
The Tulcea County Council and the local Prefect’s Office sent aid to Izmail, “primarily for our army and our hospitals”, said Rodion Abashev, the head of the Izmail District State Administration. He noted the lot consists of essential goods, such as personal hygiene products, medicines, food and many others.
