Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 02-22-2024

Tusk also said the authorities in Warsaw would designate the crossings with Ukraine “critical infrastructure” to secure a steady flow of aid to Ukraine.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday pledged to safeguard aid deliveries to Ukraine as the two countries are set to hold talks on their shared border where farmers' protests have soured ties.

Disgruntled Polish truckers and farmers have been blocking the border checkpoints in recent months over Ukrainian competition and farming imports, igniting tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv.

The border protest, though extreme in scale, could have legitimate grounds, but it is also exploited and infiltrated by Russian agents who stoke unhealthy emotions to divide Poles and Ukrainians.

It hurts to see thugs who, under the veil of Polish farmers, spilled Ukrainian grain on the ground. Many Poles felt ashamed and many expressed outrage and sadness on social media.

It hurts much more to see Ukrainians taking Poles for an enemy. And this happens – understandably – when Poles are closing the border against Ukrainians.

ATESH partisans carried out surveillance of the Military Enlistment Office and the base of the Russian Guard military unit in Simferopol.

Members of the ATESH partisan movement posted a report on Telegram that detailed their recently conducted surveillance of Russian troop fortifications and a Military Unit in occupied Crimea.

“Our agents reached the enemy construction site in the village of Okunivka in the Black Sea region,” the message stated.

Russian had tried to "take control" of French air force and navy patrols, he told the RTL broadcaster, adding that Russia was "pushing the limits" with such behaviour.

France's air force pilots have been threatened with attack by Russian forces during patrol missions in international air space, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday.

Russian had tried to "take control" of French air force and navy patrols, he told the RTL broadcaster, adding that Russia was "pushing the limits" with such behaviour.

Rome expects that the security agreement will have “political and symbolic” value as Ukraine expects to be fighting against Russian aggression well into the future.

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, announced that Rome is about to sign a bilateral security cooperation agreement with Ukraine, ANSA reported.

“I consider it my duty to give advance notice to parliament of the contents and key aspects of the ongoing discussions, which we hope to be able to bring to a successful conclusion in the coming days,” he said at Thursday’s combined session of the Lower House and Senate defense and foreign affairs committees.

Ukraine has been keen to shore up its security with bilateral agreements while it waits in hope of someday joining the NATO defence alliance.

Denmark, one of Ukraine's staunchest allies, said Thursday it had reached a 10-year security agreement with Kyiv, following similar deals signed recently by Berlin, London and Paris.

Ukraine has been keen to shore up its security with bilateral agreements while it waits in hope of someday joining the NATO defence alliance.

From Wednesday foreigners who are residents of Ukraine, have no previous convictions and meet the requirements for military service can serve in the National Guard of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, Feb 21, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree allowing foreigners and stateless persons to serve in the National Guard of Ukraine.

Foreigners who are legally residing in Ukraine, have no previous convictions and meet the requirements for military service set out in the Law of Ukraine “On Military Duty and Military Service,” may volunteer to serve in Ukraine’s National Guard.

Two locals who were poisoned were supposed to work in Mariupol conducting the Russian presidential elections, and the guests from Moscow came to give them final instructions and conduct an inspection.

Ukrainian partisans said that they poisoned to death “important guests from Moscow” sent by the Kremlin to organize Russian elections in the temporarily occupied Mariupol, reported by Russian Telegram and confirmed by underground representatives.

According to the Russian Telegram channel Kremlin Snuffbox, the victims were not military personnel but organizers of the pseudo-presidential elections in Russia scheduled for March 17, 2024.

The “United for Ukraine” event in London was a powerful blend of cultural celebration and international solidarity. Yet beneath the surface of unity, complex geopolitical tensions reveal divisions.

On the evening of Feb. 20, the historic Palace Theatre in London became the focal point of a remarkable gathering titled “United for Ukraine.” This event, conceived and organized by the US embassy and meticulously managed by the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK, stood as a vibrant testament to the enduring spirit of Ukrainian culture and the international solidarity that supports it. In these trying times, when Ukraine faces unprecedented challenges, such events are not just cultural showcases but powerful symbols of unity and resilience.

The choice of the Palace Theatre, nestled in the heart of London, was no mere coincidence. It provided not just a central location but a cultural canvas that perfectly echoed the event’s core message: a focus on culture over politics during a period that demands remembrance and a united front in support of Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression. The event was a celebration of Ukrainian heritage, an affirmation of its rich cultural landscape, and a reminder of the unwavering support from the international community.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

A new U.S. intelligence assessment found it is likely that some employees of a United Nations agency that distributes aid to Palestinians took part in Hamas’s Oct. 7 assault on Israel, but says the U.S. can’t verify Israeli allegations that a larger number of U.N. workers have links to militant groups, people familiar with the report said. Washington and other Western capitals last month suspended funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which supplies aid to Palestinians, after Israel shared findings that at least 12 UNRWA employees were connected to a series of Hamas raids last October - WSJ

Viktor Orban, the populist prime minister who has repeatedly clashed with the EU, hailed the ‘longstanding friendship’ between Budapest and Beijing as he signed a security pact with China. It includes an agreement for joint police patrols, in a new sign of his determination to allow Beijing a stronger foothold in the European Union - The Times

Russian commanders simply don’t seem to learn from their mistakes as massing troops in occupied Ukraine are hit by HIMARS missile attacks two days running.

Natalya Humenyuk, spokesperson for the Southern operational command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces (AFU) announced on the Kiev24 television channel on Thursday that a training ground on the left bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson had been attacked by the AFU.

Reflecting on the Feb. 24 second anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that some 3.7 million people remain displaced within Ukraine.

The UN said Thursday more than 14 million people had fled their homes in Ukraine during the two years since the Russian invasion, with nearly 6.5 million now living outside the country as refugees.

Reflecting on the February 24 second anniversary of the full-scale invasion, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that in addition to the refugees abroad, some 3.7 million people remain displaced within Ukraine.

Stoltenberg mentioned Ukraine's allies' desire for early F-16 deployment, stressing the jets' effectiveness hinges on pilot training and crew readiness.

In an interview with Radio Liberty, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that each ally retains the autonomy to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, affirming Ukraine's right to self-defense, including striking legitimate Russian military targets beyond its borders.

Ukraine has actively pursued U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to counter Russian air superiority. The United States approved the transfer of F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine in August, pending completion of pilot training.

Amidst the harsh realities of war, faith, hope and acts of remembrance can manifest in different, sometimes controversial, ways.

Journalists from all over the world, who are currently swarming over Ukraine to report on the “two years of war”, will soon return to their countries with a sense of accomplishment. But the war will continue, and the state of the front line will show whether military aid is getting through and making a difference.

Without it, the front line will gradually be pushed towards the rear, which will set in motion mechanisms for the mandatory evacuation of the civilian population from towns and villages which Russian artillery will be able to reach.

Biden's burst of strong language follows other occasions in which he has called the Russian president, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a "butcher" and a "war criminal."

President Joe Biden called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "crazy SOB" at a public fundraising event Wednesday in California.

"We have a crazy SOB like that guy Putin, and others, and we always have to worry about nuclear conflict, but the existential threat to humanity is climate," Biden said in a brief speech at the event in San Francisco that was attended by a small group of reporters.

A video circulated on social media showing angry farmers opening Ukrainian goods wagons and spilling grain onto a train track. An indefensible action, commentators write.

Polish farmers have blocked several border crossings with Ukraine in protest against EU agricultural policy and imports of cheap agricultural products from Ukraine. A video circulated on social media showing angry farmers opening Ukrainian goods wagons and spilling grain onto a train track. An indefensible action, commentators write.

A windfall for Kremlin propaganda

The 27-nation bloc dropped tariffs on Ukrainian imports in 2022 in a bid to help keep Kyiv's economy afloat after Russia invaded.

EU member states on Wednesday backed a push from Brussels for "safeguards" to stop cheap Ukrainian farm imports from flooding the market amid angry demonstrations in Poland.

Polish farmers have been blockading routes out of Ukraine to protest what they call "uncontrolled" imports and demand a change to EU agricultural policy.

The debates over the political, financial and even legal barriers to using frozen Russian assets to fund the immense reconstruction costs caused by the full-scale invasion of Ukraine rumble on.

It is estimated that the assets of Russia’s Central Bank frozen by Western countries, as part of the sanctions regime, are alone worth €260 billion euros with the financial returns on a portion of those assets held in one central securities depository in 2023 was about €4.4 billion.

There are three possible ways to exploit both the assets and the interest they are accruing:

Opening the two-day meeting, Brazil's top diplomat, Mauro Vieira, said the explosion of global conflicts shows international institutions like the United Nations are not working.

Brazil criticized the "paralysis" of the UN Security Council on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine as it opened a G20 meeting Wednesday where the international community's deep divisions were on display.

The outlook is bleak for progress on the thorny agenda of conflicts and crises gripping the planet as foreign ministers from the world's biggest economies gather in Rio de Janeiro for the Group of 20's first high-level meeting of the year.

An anti-thermal imaging poncho enhances camouflage against night vision devices and makes a soldier virtually invisible to infrared detection.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is developing an anti-thermal imaging poncho (cape) for the Ukrainian troops to help them blend into the background when viewed through night vision devices and infrared (IR) targeting systems, as reported on the ministry’s official website.

The project is under the purview of the Ministry’s Central Department of Development and Material Support.

Former President Petro Poroshenko was allegedly tipped off by Budanov to a Russian assassination attempt and therefore canceled a trip abroad.

Ukraine's intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia’s new disinformation plan includes attempts to assassinate prominent Ukrainians, then blame Kyiv for the assassinations in an attempt to divide society, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Budanov said that in tandem with its external military offensive, the Kremlin also aims to sow discord in Ukrainian society and within its armed forces.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Prominent independent Russian milblogger Andrei Morozov reportedly committed suicide on February 21 after refusing the Russian military command’s orders to delete his reports about high Russian casualty rates around Avdiivka.
• A Ukrainian official denied a recent New York Times (NYT) report that Russian forces may have captured “hundreds” of Ukrainian soldiers during Ukraine’s withdrawal from Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast.
• Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces seized Avdiivka within a “fairly short time.”
• A Ukrainian HIMARS strike against an undefended Russian training ground near occupied Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast likely inflicted significant casualties, triggering a point of neuralgia for the Russian ultranationalist milblogger community.
• Zaporizhia Oblast occupation governor Yevgeny Balitsky openly admitted that Russian authorities are forcibly deporting Ukrainian citizens who oppose Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or “insult” Russia and possibly alluded to Russian occupation forces’ summarily executing Ukrainian citizens.
• Iranian sources told Reuters on February 21 that Iran provided hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) to Russia in early January.
• Russian authorities detained a dual US-Russian citizen in Yekaterinburg on suspicion of raising money for the Ukrainian war effort.
• Russian forces made confirmed advances near Avdiivka, Donetsk City, Robotyne, and Krynky.
• Belarusian and Kazakh companies are reportedly helping Russia circumvent international sanctions intended to deprive the Russian defense industrial base (DIB) of Western components and machines.
• Russian occupation administrations continue to foster patronage networks with Russian federal subjects.