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Monday, February 21, 2022 10:31:37 PM
‘We won’t cede anything’: Ukraine’s President defiant after Putin orders troops into country
By Andrew Osborn and Dmitry Antonov
Updated February 22, 2022 — 2.27pm first published at 5.09am
Better here for the damn images i can't reproduce
Talking points
* President Vladimir Putin ordered his defence ministry to despatch Russian troops to ‘maintain peace’ in eastern Ukraine’s two breakaway regions.
* Earlier, Putin signed a decree recognising two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of wrecking peace talks and ruled out making any territorial concessions.
* Putin gave far-reaching speech blaming NATO for the current crisis and calling the US-led alliance an existential threat to Russia.
* The US, UK, and EU promised fresh sanctions aimed at the separatist areas.
Moscow: An urgent late-night UN Security Council meeting convened at the request of Ukraine has been told that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to send peacekeeping forces to eastern Ukraine is nonsense.
“Russia’s clear attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unprovoked,” US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the session.
She said the deployment of Russian troops into the two rebel-held regions under the pretext of peace was: “Nonsense. We know what they really are.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier accused Russia of wrecking peace efforts and ruled out making any territorial concessions in an address to the nation on Tuesday.
IMAGE -‘We are not afraid. We won’t cede anything.’ Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Zelensky spoke after Russia’s decision to formally recognise the two Moscow-backed regions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, the breakaway “republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent and send troops to the region, accelerating a crisis that the West fears could unleash a major war.
Ukraine crisis
‘Russia should step back’: Scott Morrison rubbishes Putin’s claim
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/russia-should-step-back-scott-morrison-rubbishes-putin-s-claim-20220222-p59ykf.html
After chairing a security council meeting, Zelensky accused Russia of violating Ukraine sovereign territory and said it could mean Moscow pulling the plug on the peace talks aimed at ending the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky said he wanted to solve the crisis through diplomacy but that his country was ready to dig in for the long haul.
“We are committed to the peaceful and diplomatic path, we will follow it and only it,” Zelensky said. “But we are on our own land, we are not afraid of anything and anybody, we owe nothing to no one, and we will give nothing to no one.”
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“We won’t cede anything,” said a defiant Zelensky.
“It’s not Feb 2014, but Feb 2022,” he said, in a likely reference to Ukraine’s loss of Crimea to the Russians.
“It’s important right now to see who our true friends are,” Zelensky said. He added that Ukraine was expecting “clear and effective” steps from its allies to act against Russia and called for an emergency summit with the leaders of Russia, Germany and France.
Tanks roll
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his Defence Ministry to dispatch troops to “maintain peace” in Ukraine east, in a significant escalation of the Kremlin-driven crisis.
A Reuters witness saw columns of military vehicles including tanks on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of two breakaway regions. There were about five tanks in a column on the edge of the city and two more in another part of town.
IMAGE - Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing plans to sign a decree on eastern Ukraine regions.
No insignia were visible, but the appearance of the tanks came hours after Putin signed friendship treaties with the two separatist regions and ordered Russian troops to deploy on what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation.
World reacts
Leaders lined up to denounce Putin’s words and actions. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Russia should “unconditionally withdraw .. https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p59ykf ” from Ukrainian territory and cease to threaten its neighbours.
“It is important that like-minded countries who denounce this sort of behaviour...stick together,” he said.
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to prohibit trade and investment between US individuals and the two Ukrainian breakaway regions recognised as independent by Russia on Monday, the White House said.
Included is the prohibition of “new investment” by an American, wherever located, and the “importation into the United States, directly or indirectly, of any goods, services, or technology from the covered regions”.
One administration official told reporters that additional measures would be announced on Wednesday, but those were separate from a wider set of sanctions that Washington has promised to implement with its allies if Russia invades Ukraine.
“This isn’t a further invasion since it’s territory that they’ve already occupied,” that official said.
Bloomberg has reported the US is moving its Ukraine embassy staff out of the country and into Poland for security reasons - they were moved out of Kyiv to Lviv last week .. https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p59wgv . They are expected to return tomorrow if the Russian invasion doesn’t occur.
Sanctions
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Zelensky a Russian invasion was possible within hours or days and Britain would explore sending further defensive support to Ukraine and announce sanctions on Russia.
“Outlining his grave concern at recent developments in the region, the Prime Minister told President Zelensky that he believed an invasion was a real possibility in the coming hours and days,” Johnson’s office said.
He denounced Putin’s move to recognise the regions as independent as a “breach of international law”.
Ukraine crisis
‘New Iron Curtain’: Abbott warns Baltic states, Poland will be next if Russia invades Ukraine
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-iron-curtain-abbott-warns-baltic-states-poland-will-be-next-if-russia-invades-ukraine-20220221-p59y7j.html
“It’s a ... flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,” Johnson said.
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss said she had agreed with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that Britain and the EU would coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Russia.
“We agreed [Britain] and [the EU] will coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Putin’s regime and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine,” Truss said on Twitter following a call with Borrell.
Putin speech
Earlier on Tuesday AEDT, Putin signed a decree recognising the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities, upping the ante in a crisis the West fears could unleash a war.
Explainer
Ukraine crisis
What we know so far about Putin’s push into eastern Ukraine
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/what-we-know-so-far-about-putin-s-push-into-eastern-ukraine-20220218-p59xtz.html
In a lengthy televised address, Putin, looking visibly angry, described Ukraine as an integral part of Russia.
Sweeping through more than a century of history, he painted today’s Ukraine as a modern construct that is inextricably linked to Russia. He charged that Ukraine had inherited Russia’s historic lands and after the Soviet collapse was used by the West to contain Russia.
He brushed off Western warnings that such a step would be illegal and would kill off peace negotiations and that he was confident the Russian people would support his decision.
Putin sought to justify his decision in the pre-recorded speech by blaming NATO for the crisis and calling the US-led alliance an existential threat to his country.
United Nations
The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Monday night (Tuesday afternoon AEDT) at Ukraine’s request over the Russian move and its order to deploy Russian troops to the two regions — moves that could presage war.
American ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement that “every UN member state has a stake in what comes next.”
IMAGE - People from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the territory controlled by pro-Russia separatist governments in eastern Ukraine, get on a train to be taken to temporary residences in other regions of Russia.Credit:AP
Pretext to invade
Separately, Moscow said Ukrainian military saboteurs had tried to enter Russian territory in armed vehicles leading to five deaths, an accusation dismissed as “fake news” by Kyiv.
Both developments fit a pattern repeatedly predicted by Western governments, who accuse Russia of preparing to use a false flag, or fabricate a pretext to invade Ukraine, by blaming Kyiv for attacks and relying on pleas for help from separatist proxies.
Washington says Russia has now massed a force numbering 169,000-190,000 troops in the region, including pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, and could invade other parts of the country within days.
IMAGE - Ukrainian border guards stand at a checkpoint from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists.
Ukrainian border guards stand at a checkpoint from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists.Credit:AP
Recognition by Moscow of the rebel regions’ independence further narrows the diplomatic options to avoid war, since it is an explicit rejection of a seven-year-old ceasefire mediated by France and Germany, still touted as the framework for any future negotiations on the wider crisis.
Who's who in Ukraine crisis
Vladimir Putin
Russian President
In his nearly two decades as ruler, aspires to restore Russia’s lost greatness after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President
A comedian-turned-politician, pledges internal reforms, even as his country faces external threats from its neighbour.
Joe Biden
US President
Pushing a domestic agenda to rebuild the US, saw his hopes of a more cordial relationship with Moscow fade.
Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State
The US's top diplomat, is trying to hold the line on Russian aggression, while keeping dialogue open.
Sergei Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister
Sometimes known as “Mr Nyet” for his obstinance in negotiations.
European financial markets tumbled at the signs of increased confrontation, after having briefly edged higher on the glimmer of hope that a summit might offer a path out of Europe’s biggest military crisis in decades. The price of oil - Russia’s main export - rose, while Russian shares and the rouble plunged.
Reuters, Bloomberg, AP
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/putin-brandishes-threat-to-recognise-ukraine-rebel-claims-to-independence-20220222-p59ygl.html
By Andrew Osborn and Dmitry Antonov
Updated February 22, 2022 — 2.27pm first published at 5.09am
Better here for the damn images i can't reproduce
Talking points
* President Vladimir Putin ordered his defence ministry to despatch Russian troops to ‘maintain peace’ in eastern Ukraine’s two breakaway regions.
* Earlier, Putin signed a decree recognising two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities.
* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of wrecking peace talks and ruled out making any territorial concessions.
* Putin gave far-reaching speech blaming NATO for the current crisis and calling the US-led alliance an existential threat to Russia.
* The US, UK, and EU promised fresh sanctions aimed at the separatist areas.
Moscow: An urgent late-night UN Security Council meeting convened at the request of Ukraine has been told that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to send peacekeeping forces to eastern Ukraine is nonsense.
“Russia’s clear attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unprovoked,” US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the session.
She said the deployment of Russian troops into the two rebel-held regions under the pretext of peace was: “Nonsense. We know what they really are.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier accused Russia of wrecking peace efforts and ruled out making any territorial concessions in an address to the nation on Tuesday.
IMAGE -‘We are not afraid. We won’t cede anything.’ Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Zelensky spoke after Russia’s decision to formally recognise the two Moscow-backed regions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, the breakaway “republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent and send troops to the region, accelerating a crisis that the West fears could unleash a major war.
Ukraine crisis
‘Russia should step back’: Scott Morrison rubbishes Putin’s claim
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/russia-should-step-back-scott-morrison-rubbishes-putin-s-claim-20220222-p59ykf.html
After chairing a security council meeting, Zelensky accused Russia of violating Ukraine sovereign territory and said it could mean Moscow pulling the plug on the peace talks aimed at ending the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Zelensky said he wanted to solve the crisis through diplomacy but that his country was ready to dig in for the long haul.
“We are committed to the peaceful and diplomatic path, we will follow it and only it,” Zelensky said. “But we are on our own land, we are not afraid of anything and anybody, we owe nothing to no one, and we will give nothing to no one.”
Advertisement
“We won’t cede anything,” said a defiant Zelensky.
“It’s not Feb 2014, but Feb 2022,” he said, in a likely reference to Ukraine’s loss of Crimea to the Russians.
“It’s important right now to see who our true friends are,” Zelensky said. He added that Ukraine was expecting “clear and effective” steps from its allies to act against Russia and called for an emergency summit with the leaders of Russia, Germany and France.
Tanks roll
Earlier on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his Defence Ministry to dispatch troops to “maintain peace” in Ukraine east, in a significant escalation of the Kremlin-driven crisis.
A Reuters witness saw columns of military vehicles including tanks on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of two breakaway regions. There were about five tanks in a column on the edge of the city and two more in another part of town.
IMAGE - Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing plans to sign a decree on eastern Ukraine regions.
No insignia were visible, but the appearance of the tanks came hours after Putin signed friendship treaties with the two separatist regions and ordered Russian troops to deploy on what Moscow called a peacekeeping operation.
World reacts
Leaders lined up to denounce Putin’s words and actions. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Russia should “unconditionally withdraw .. https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p59ykf ” from Ukrainian territory and cease to threaten its neighbours.
“It is important that like-minded countries who denounce this sort of behaviour...stick together,” he said.
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to prohibit trade and investment between US individuals and the two Ukrainian breakaway regions recognised as independent by Russia on Monday, the White House said.
Included is the prohibition of “new investment” by an American, wherever located, and the “importation into the United States, directly or indirectly, of any goods, services, or technology from the covered regions”.
One administration official told reporters that additional measures would be announced on Wednesday, but those were separate from a wider set of sanctions that Washington has promised to implement with its allies if Russia invades Ukraine.
“This isn’t a further invasion since it’s territory that they’ve already occupied,” that official said.
Bloomberg has reported the US is moving its Ukraine embassy staff out of the country and into Poland for security reasons - they were moved out of Kyiv to Lviv last week .. https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p59wgv . They are expected to return tomorrow if the Russian invasion doesn’t occur.
Sanctions
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Zelensky a Russian invasion was possible within hours or days and Britain would explore sending further defensive support to Ukraine and announce sanctions on Russia.
“Outlining his grave concern at recent developments in the region, the Prime Minister told President Zelensky that he believed an invasion was a real possibility in the coming hours and days,” Johnson’s office said.
He denounced Putin’s move to recognise the regions as independent as a “breach of international law”.
Ukraine crisis
‘New Iron Curtain’: Abbott warns Baltic states, Poland will be next if Russia invades Ukraine
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/new-iron-curtain-abbott-warns-baltic-states-poland-will-be-next-if-russia-invades-ukraine-20220221-p59y7j.html
“It’s a ... flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,” Johnson said.
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss said she had agreed with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that Britain and the EU would coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Russia.
“We agreed [Britain] and [the EU] will coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Putin’s regime and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine,” Truss said on Twitter following a call with Borrell.
Putin speech
Earlier on Tuesday AEDT, Putin signed a decree recognising the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities, upping the ante in a crisis the West fears could unleash a war.
Explainer
Ukraine crisis
What we know so far about Putin’s push into eastern Ukraine
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/what-we-know-so-far-about-putin-s-push-into-eastern-ukraine-20220218-p59xtz.html
In a lengthy televised address, Putin, looking visibly angry, described Ukraine as an integral part of Russia.
Sweeping through more than a century of history, he painted today’s Ukraine as a modern construct that is inextricably linked to Russia. He charged that Ukraine had inherited Russia’s historic lands and after the Soviet collapse was used by the West to contain Russia.
He brushed off Western warnings that such a step would be illegal and would kill off peace negotiations and that he was confident the Russian people would support his decision.
Putin sought to justify his decision in the pre-recorded speech by blaming NATO for the crisis and calling the US-led alliance an existential threat to his country.
United Nations
The United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting Monday night (Tuesday afternoon AEDT) at Ukraine’s request over the Russian move and its order to deploy Russian troops to the two regions — moves that could presage war.
American ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement that “every UN member state has a stake in what comes next.”
IMAGE - People from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the territory controlled by pro-Russia separatist governments in eastern Ukraine, get on a train to be taken to temporary residences in other regions of Russia.Credit:AP
Pretext to invade
Separately, Moscow said Ukrainian military saboteurs had tried to enter Russian territory in armed vehicles leading to five deaths, an accusation dismissed as “fake news” by Kyiv.
Both developments fit a pattern repeatedly predicted by Western governments, who accuse Russia of preparing to use a false flag, or fabricate a pretext to invade Ukraine, by blaming Kyiv for attacks and relying on pleas for help from separatist proxies.
Washington says Russia has now massed a force numbering 169,000-190,000 troops in the region, including pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, and could invade other parts of the country within days.
IMAGE - Ukrainian border guards stand at a checkpoint from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists.
Ukrainian border guards stand at a checkpoint from territory controlled by Russia-backed separatists.Credit:AP
Recognition by Moscow of the rebel regions’ independence further narrows the diplomatic options to avoid war, since it is an explicit rejection of a seven-year-old ceasefire mediated by France and Germany, still touted as the framework for any future negotiations on the wider crisis.
Who's who in Ukraine crisis
Vladimir Putin
Russian President
In his nearly two decades as ruler, aspires to restore Russia’s lost greatness after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President
A comedian-turned-politician, pledges internal reforms, even as his country faces external threats from its neighbour.
Joe Biden
US President
Pushing a domestic agenda to rebuild the US, saw his hopes of a more cordial relationship with Moscow fade.
Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State
The US's top diplomat, is trying to hold the line on Russian aggression, while keeping dialogue open.
Sergei Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister
Sometimes known as “Mr Nyet” for his obstinance in negotiations.
European financial markets tumbled at the signs of increased confrontation, after having briefly edged higher on the glimmer of hope that a summit might offer a path out of Europe’s biggest military crisis in decades. The price of oil - Russia’s main export - rose, while Russian shares and the rouble plunged.
Reuters, Bloomberg, AP
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/putin-brandishes-threat-to-recognise-ukraine-rebel-claims-to-independence-20220222-p59ygl.html
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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