“Ukraine – Russia”

On April 15, 2022, Russian defense authorities announced that the Moskva, a guided-missile cruiser, had sunk while under tow following an onboard blaze caused by an ammunition fire. Before the first official announcements from Moscow, Ukraine claimed to have hit the ship with a pair of locally-developed, shore-based Neptune anti-ship missiles, a claim that was corroborated by U.S. officials. The Russian Navy armada off Ukraine’s coast was observed pulling back farther south, a potential sign of concerns about the threat posed by Ukraine’s missiles.

Be careful drawing conclusions from the Ukraine combat videos

A group of 61 Canadians will be “indefinitely prohibited” from entering the Russian Federation, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

These banned individuals include senior government officials, active and retired military personnel, academics and leading media figures.

Among the Canadians banned are foreign and defence policy adviser to the prime minister of Canada Dan Costello, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney, chairman of the Bank of Canada Tiff Maclem, and president and CEO of CBC/Radio Canada Catherine Tait.

The latest battle zone in the Russia-Ukraine war was in the quiet, mostly mannerly halls of the United Nations. There, in the UN’s iconic New York headquarters, the world voted on Russia’s largest invasion since World War II — revealing fractures and fissures in global support for democracy.

Suspending Russia from the UN Human Rights Council was technically the issue put before the delegates. But every diplomat knew it was really a vote on Russia’s assault on Ukraine. The consensus for democracy and self-determination was fragile: only 93 states (out of 193) voted for removing Russia from the UNHRC, and therefore condemning its actions against its smaller, weaker neighbor. Another 24 nations (including China) voted with Russia. Most worrisome, 58 countries abstained, refusing to take sides in what many see as a duel between the great powers. Others feared that energy, food, and fertilizer prices might continue to climb if the conflict escalates. (Both Russia and Ukraine are major producers of oil, gas, wheat, and fertilizing petrochemicals — all of which are a matter of life and death for developing nations.) Fear and food are more important to many developing nations than democratic ideals.

Last month, Russian army tanks entered Mariupol, a peaceful city of 431,000 inhabitants, which has since been bombarded for weeks. Tens of thousands of people left the city; those still there have taken refuge in cellars, often with no food, water or electricity. No one knows how many civilians are still alive in the city.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called in Chechen militias, accused of crimes against humanity, and sent by Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Russian Federation’s Chechen Republic. Putin seems to be about to deliver an even more brutal assault. Schools, hospitals, supermarkets, retirement homes — Russia has spared nothing. A theater where children were gathered — and the Ukrainians had written the word “children”, hoping that the Russian soldiers would at least spare them — was reduced to ashes. Ukrainian officials estimated that 300 people were killed there. People trying to rescue them also were shelled. A small contingent of Ukrainian soldiers is still heroically resisting Russian forces in what remains of the destroyed city. Is anyone coming to their rescue?

(Link fixed)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to claim victory in the strategic port of Mariupol on Thursday, even as he ordered his troops not to storm the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the war’s iconic battleground.

Russian troops have besieged the southeastern city since the early days of the conflict and largely pulverized it — and top officials have repeatedly indicated it was about to fall, but Ukrainian forces stubbornly held on. In recent weeks, they holed up in a sprawling steel plant, and Russian forces pounded the industrial site and repeatedly issued ultimatums ordering the defenders to surrender.

“The completion of combat work to liberate Mariupol is a success,” Putin said. “Putting such an important center in the south as Mariupol under control is a success.”

#Ukraine: A Russian T-80BV was destroyed by Azov fighters in #Mariupol. It is worth mentioning that this tank has "V" tactical sign which means it was recently redeployed from #Kyiv Oblast. pic.twitter.com/6XvyoI2eV2

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 21, 2022

#Ukraine: A Stugna-P anti-tank guided missile operator from the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade hit a Russian T-72 tank 4.5 kilometers away. pic.twitter.com/xz38MexTsu

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 21, 2022

Stung by criticism, Germany says it is open to sending Ukraine heavy weapons

TALLINN, April 21 (Reuters) – Germany is examining what extra maintenance and ammunition its stock of ageing Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicles will need for Ukraine to use them, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.

On the second day of a tour of Baltic states, Baerbock addressed criticism by allies and commentators of Germany’s apparent foot-dragging on delivering the weaponry Kyiv says it needs to fend off Russian attacks.

A Russian defeat could reshape the security landscape to U.S. advantage in Europe and beyond.

On April 8, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen declared during a visit to Kiev that “Ukraine belongs in the European family,” offering to fast-track Ukraine for EU membership. This dramatic U-turn was comparable in scope with German chancellor Olaf Scholz’s repudiation of the last three decades of Germany’s Russia policy in his February 27 speech to the Bundestag. Meantime, others in Europe, especially Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States, have been relentless in their effort to supply Ukraine with weapons, both from their own stocks and those of other NATO allies. Most importantly, U.S. assistance to Ukraine has been expanding. For the first time in three decades, NATO is speaking with one voice in response to the Russian threat.

War critics grow increasingly vocal while state media fuels hatred for the west

Even Vladimir Soloviev, a state TV host, was having trouble swallowing the loss of Russia’s flagship cruiser Moskva last week as he took aim at a rare target: the Russian military.

“You just tell me how you were able to lose it,” he said in an extended temper tantrum on his talkshow, one of Russia’s most popular. “Tell me, what the hell were you doing in that particular area of the Black Sea at that moment?”

Russia has deployed up to 20,000 mercenaries from Syria, Libya and elsewhere in its new offensive in Ukraine’s Donbas region, sent into battle with no heavy equipment or armoured vehicles, according to a European official.

The official said the estimates of mercenary involvement on the ground in eastern Ukraine range from 10,000 to 20,000 and that it was hard to break down that figure between Syrians, Libyans and other fighters recruited by the Russian mercenary company, the Wagner Group.

#Ukraine: Ukrainian Indirect fire struck Russian positions in #Kharkiv Oblast. As a result, a tank (Claimed to be T-72B3) was destroyed, and others were likely damaged. pic.twitter.com/hNFyASyoud

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 19, 2022

#Ukraine: Drone footage showing a precise hit by the Ukrainian artillery on Russian armor somewhere in the East – a tank and one more vehicle appear to be destroyed. pic.twitter.com/CQUmy3OvMV

— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) April 18, 2022

Is the goal to ensure the survival of a Ukrainian state? Or is it to defeat Russia?

The inevitable fall of Mariupol — Ukraine’s long-suffering eastern port on the Sea of Azov, now besieged, pounded to dust and soaked in the blood of its residents — will carry with it a heavy symbolism, the kind observers say western allies need to reflect upon urgently.

Already, it has the potential to change the trajectory of war. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky warned this week that peace talks will end if Moscow “eliminates” the city’s defenders.

We accuse Russia of genocide while our Euro allies suck up huge quantities of Russian gas. If this is “RealPolitik” then get ready Ukraine because Yalta Redux here we come.

The goal for Trudeau is to use the conflict to advance his inhuman green-scam agenda. Freeland wants to be national heroine of Ukraine while Europe just wants Russian gas.

In 2019, the commander in chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, was invited to Japan by Admiral Hiroshi Yamamura. The caption in the photo-op, posted on social media by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, was relatively benign, simply stating that “ADM YAMAMURA Hiroshi, Chief of Maritime staff, invited officially ADM Nikolay Yevmenov, commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy. They discussed about the current situation and the Japan-Russia defense exchange, promoted mutual understanding.”