Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 02-28-2024

The widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that to defeat Putin you have to stop pretending that he's a politician and recognize that he's a crime boss.

Speaking to the European Parliament on Wednesday, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who recently died in prison, said that the tried methods of dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t work.

“Putin is capable of anything and you cannot negotiate with him,” Navalnaya said according to a report by Radio Svoboda, describing the death of her husband as a “public murder.”

Addressing a summit in the capital of Albania, which gathered leaders from the countries of southeast Europe, the Ukrainian president spoke about further cooperation.

President Volodymyr Zelensky held an opening speech at the Ukraine–South-East Europe Summit, which he is co-chairing along with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, Wednesday, in Tirana.

The Ukrainian leader spoke about cooperation with the countries of southeast Europe in the spheres of politics, defense, trade, energy, and logistics, as well as in countering the Kremlin regime.

Poland's ties with Ukraine have become increasingly strained over border blockades, with at least four incidents of Polish farmers spilling Ukrainian grain from lorries and freight trains.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday the government was mulling a "temporary" closure of the border with Ukraine for goods, amid tensions over low-priced Ukrainian grain. 

"We are talking with the Ukrainian side about a temporary closure of the border, the cessation in general of trade," Tusk told reporters.

EuroTopics reviews comments from Ukrainian, Italian, Polish, Romanian and other media sites.

France's President Macron has made waves again with a statement about the war in Ukraine: talking to the press after the Paris conference in support of Ukraine, he said that while there was no consensus about sending troops to Ukraine, given the dynamic unfolding, nothing could be ruled out. EU leaders promptly rejected the idea. Commentators discuss the possibility of such military engagement and analyze Macron's motives.

See the comments here.

Eurobond are supported by new commitments from partners, the NBU is allowing a larger range for hryvnias fluctuations

Last week, the Ministry of Finance was able to refinance a significant portion of redemptions in euro. This week, a redemption of USD-denominated bills for US$453m is scheduled, and the MoF plans to raise about two-thirds of that volume in tomorrow's auction.

Last week, the Ministry attracted an equivalent of UAH16.6bn (US$434m) to the budget, including EUR278.7m, while keeping interest rates unchanged (see auction review). This allowed the MoF to refinance almost the entire volume of redemptions made last week. The rollover in euros YTD declined marginally, but stayed at a relatively high 93%.

Speaking of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky said it was “important for our free states that the Putin regime loses. Our vision for Europe is based on the principle of dignity.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked Western Balkan countries on Wednesday (Feb. 28 Feb) to start producing military equipment to help his country fight Russia, as the EU and US continue to grapple with providing military and financial aid.

Zelensky was present at the Ukraine-Southeastern Europe Summit in Tirana, hosted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, together with 10 other leaders or high-level representatives, including Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani and Serbian President Aleksander Vučić.

Macron doesn't rule out sending European troops to Ukraine, von der Leyen calls for profits on frozen Russian assets to be sent to Ukraine, Ukrainian troops withdraw from two more villages, and more.

French President Emmanuel Macron has openly discussed the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine to help Kyiv win the war against Russia, a potential major escalation to the largest ground war Europe has seen since World War II. Though the possibility of Western democracies putting boots on the ground in Ukraine remains remote, Macron’s comments following a summit in support of Ukraine prompted a hawkish response from the Kremlin and sent European leaders scrambling to backtrack. A NATO official told CNN the alliance had “no plans” to deploy combat troops in Ukraine. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who attended the meeting in Paris on Monday, said that while there was a good debate and detailed discussion on the topic, summit participants were “unanimous” in their opinion against deploying troops. Macron had told reporters at a news conference that while he and the other 21 European leaders present did not agree on deploying military personnel, the prospect was discussed openly. “Nothing should be ruled out,” he said. “We will do anything we can to prevent Russia from winning this war.” However, a raft of European officials came out Tuesday against such a plan. Among them were some of Ukraine’s more ardent supporters, including the United Kingdom, Poland, Spain and Italy, as well as officials from Hungary and Slovakia, two countries whose leaders have been criticized as pro-Russian - CNN

Ursula von der Leyen said windfall profits from Russian frozen assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine as discussions intensified between European allies about how to continue supporting the war-torn country. The proposal is the latest idea about how to use the roughly €300bn in Russian sovereign assets frozen by G7 allies in response to Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, amid a lack of consensus over the legality of using the funds and the most appropriate way to do so. “It is time to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine,” the European Commission president said in a speech to EU lawmakers on Wednesday. “There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” she added. Her statement is the first time the EU has linked the use of frozen Russian sovereign assets to potential weapons procurement and comes amid growing friction between western allies about how to support Ukraine - FT

: A report published by the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine illustrates Ukraine’s wartime economy as Russia’s full-scale invasion reached its three-year mark.

A report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine (AmCham) paints a picture of the country’s wartime economy and business challenges as Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its third year – an economy where some businesses continue to thrive despite setbacks.

“Ukraine remains open for business, with 86 percent of AmCham members being fully operational after two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The security of staff and judicial reform are the highest priorities for business,” said AmCham Ukraine President Andy Hunder.

Macron appeared to make a point at Germany's expense on Monday when he criticized partners who had said "we are going to offer sleeping bags and helmets" on the eve of Russia's invasion.

Emmanuel Macron's refusal to rule out sending Western troops to Ukraine has exposed deep divisions with France's traditional partner, Germany, which could play into the hands of Russia, analysts warned Wednesday.

Following a meeting of Kyiv's backers in Paris on Monday, Macron made his suggestion, prompting a slapdown from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who insisted there "will be no soldiers on Ukrainian soil sent there by European states or NATO states."

The speakers of parliaments across Europe urge their US counterpart to adopt the historic decision to provide Ukraine with the necessary funds to continue its fight against Russian aggression.

Ruslan Stefanchuk, the head of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, wrote on his Facebook page that the speakers of 23 parliaments, along with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, have written an open letter to the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.

They are urging him to submit the draft law that will provide Ukraine with $60.06 billion in military aid to continue its fight against Russian aggression. 

Russian military reconnaissance aircraft violated NATO’s Baltic airspace on Feb. 26 and 27 near Finland and off the coast of Estonia, triggering scramble of French and German jets on alert.

France scrambled its Mirage fighters to intercept a Russian warplane off the coast of Estonia on the evening of Feb. 27, after the German Air Force scrambled a Eurofighter Typhoon to intercept another Russian aircraft on Feb. 26, with both events ending with only visual contact, according to official reports on social media.

The French Armed Forces General Staff shared on the X network: “A takeoff following an alarm and the interception of a reconnaissance aircraft... Purpose: to protect the airspace of our Baltic allies.”

Calls have been mounting to find ways to support Kyiv's war effort by tapping the bank accounts, investments and other assets frozen after Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen called on Wednesday for profits from Russian assets frozen in the West to be used to fund military equipment for Ukraine.

Calls have been mounting to find ways to support Kyiv's war effort by tapping the bank accounts, investments and other assets frozen after Russia invaded its neighbour in 2022.

The Ukrainian journalists said that some of what they filmed was removed by the Polish police and that they were only released from police custody after the intervention of Ukraine's ambassador.

Polish police officers detained Ukrainian journalist Mykhailo Tkach along with his cameraman near the Polish-Belarusian border and reportedly partially removed some of his filmed materials when he was in the process of filming an expose about ongoing agricultural trade between Poland – Belarus, and Russia.

“Near the border of Poland and Belarus, Polish police came to us and showed us a badge. We showed our documents and press cards. They started grabbing our cameras and searching... Then, we were brought to the commandant's office,” the Ukrainska Pravda journalist is quoted saying in a story published by the newspaper.

Britain was the first country to provide longer-range weapons to the Ukrainian military following Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion.

Britain said Wednesday that how Kyiv uses donated cruise missiles is "the business of the armed forces of Ukraine," following comments by Germany's Olaf Scholz about possible UK and French involvement in targeting.

Britain was the first country to provide the longer-range weapons to the Ukrainian military following Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion, announcing last May that it would send the country air-launched Storm Shadow missiles.

The thin sliver of land has been de facto controlled by pro-Russian forces since the collapse of the Soviet Union but is internationally recognized as part of Moldova.

Rumors have it that Transnistria, a Russian-controlled enclave in Moldova, might be voting to join Russia on Wednesday – the first referendum of its kind since 2006.

At present, Russia’s limited troops deployment in Transnistria would not pose immediate risks to Ukraine during Moscow’s ongoing invasion, but it could instigate further instability in Europe and hamper Moldova’s chance of joining the EU.

In the run-up to the Russian presidential elections in March, campaign season is in full swing, and Putin is using local cinemas across Russia as one of the means of getting his message across.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled speech to the Federal Assembly on Thursday will be shown for free at 23 theaters of the Cinema 5 chain starting at noon Moscow time.

Putin’s message, according to posters is “Our Goals Will Be Achieved.”

A European defense official has told the Financial Times that special forces from Western countries are currently in Ukraine and suggested everyone knows. HUR skirts the issue.

Following French President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial statement that “he couldn’t rule out sending troops to Ukraine,” the British daily Financial Times (FT), citing a senior European defense official, reported that special forces from Western countries are already on the ground in Ukraine.

“Everyone knows there are Western special forces in Ukraine – they’ve just not acknowledged it officially,” the anonymous source told FT.

Forbes suggests Ukraine’s success in downing jets stems from their use of American-made Patriot and NASAMS missile systems. They say the risk lies in the lack of US ammunition supply since December.

Forbes has reported that Ukraine may soon exhaust its top-tier air-defense missiles due to their role in shooting down Russian fighter jets.

The Ukrainian Air Force claims to have downed 10 Russian warplanes in just ten days, including nine of the Russian Air Force’s top Sukhoi Su-34 and Sukhoi Su-35 fighter bombers, along with a rare Beriev A-50 radar plane.

The trip will represent "the second round of shuttle diplomacy on seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis", China's foreign ministry said in a statement.

China's Eurasia envoy Li Hui will visit Russia, Ukraine and the headquarters of the European Union this week for talks on the two-year-old war between Moscow and Kyiv, Beijing announced Wednesday.

The trip will represent "the second round of shuttle diplomacy on seeking a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis", China's foreign ministry said in a statement, adding Li would also go to France, Germany and Poland.

The visa extension came into force after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and allowed the nationals of the two nations to extend the visa for free and stay locally until Feb. 22, 2024.

Sri Lankan tourism authorities have urged all Russian and Ukrainian nationals residing locally to extend their visas through official channels or face deportation amidst growing reports of unauthorized Russian-run businesses in the country, but the president said the visa policy changes were not approved officially.

As reported by Daily Mirror Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said the “complementary visa extension” for Russian and Ukrainian nationals expired on Feb. 23, and they were given a 14-day “grace period” until March 7 to extend their visas through formal processes. 

"We are united in pursuing the strategic goal of moving Ukraine towards energy independence, and we are making big strides despite wartime conditions."

2023 was a landmark year for the Ukrainian energy sector that saw major developments despite the ongoing war. These included achieving gas independence, advancing renewable energy initiatives, and enhancing Ukraine’s role in the European energy sector. Naftogaz Chairman of the Supervisory Board Anthony Marino and Naftogaz CEO Oleksiy Chernyshov reflect on a successful year and assess the role of corporate governance as they look ahead to what’s next for Naftogaz and Ukraine.

Following a one-and-a-half-year hiatus, Naftogaz reinstated an independent supervisory board in January 2023. A year later, we can report progress on several fronts.

The underground continues to sabotage Russia's presidential elections in occupied Ukraine by blowing up the offices of the occupier’s political party United Russia in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region.

On Tuesday morning, Feb 27, Ukrainian partisans blew up the office of the Russian occupation political party United Russia in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region. According to the Center for National Resistance (CNR), the explosions were heard in a nearby election polling station.

“The forces of the resistance movement sent a ‘greeting’ to the occupiers and stopped the fake ‘election’ process in the captured city,” CNR reports.

During his visit to Albania, Zelensky will hold bilateral talks with the Albanian leadership, and co-chair the summit of Ukraine and the Western Balkans.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet with leaders from southeast Europe in Albania on Wednesday, seeking to keep support and weapons flowing to Kyiv as Russia makes gains on the battlefield two years after invading its neighbour.

Zelensky has been crisscrossing the globe in recent weeks to rally support for his beleaguered country, as Ukraine's armed forces face a critical shortage of ammunition and struggle to hold back Russia's military advances on the ground. 

Biden called the rare Oval Office meeting to persuade Republican House speaker Mike Johnson to unblock vital aid for Kyiv, and avoid a government shutdown at home.

US President Joe Biden warned top congressional leaders Tuesday of the dire cost of failing to help Ukraine, as high-stakes talks at the White House ended without a deal.

Biden called the rare Oval Office meeting to persuade Republican House speaker Mike Johnson to unblock vital aid for Kyiv, and avoid a government shutdown at home.

Authorities said they have identified an “organized group” comprising officials and businessmen that sold tools to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway enterprise, at an inflated price.

Authorities said they had identified an “organized group” of nine, comprising officials and businessmen, in a Hr.11.4 million ($296,786) embezzlement scheme that sold pneumatic tools at an inflated price to Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine’s state-owned railway enterprise.

The leader of the group, a businessman, has been detained.

Kirby denied that US troops could be sent for demining, arms production or cyber operations, as French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne had suggested Western troops could be.

The White House said Tuesday that the United States would not send troops to fight in Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out the dispatch of Western forces.

President Joe Biden "has been clear that the US will not send troops to fight in Ukraine," National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian forces are attempting to exploit tactical opportunities offered by the Russian seizure of Avdiivka and appear to be maintaining a relatively high tempo of offensive operations aimed at pushing as far as possible in the Avdiivka area before Ukrainian forces establish more cohesive and harder-to-penetrate defensive lines in the area.
• Russian forces are likely attempting to create an operational maneuver force for the exploitation of recent Russian advances in the Avdiivka direction.
• The Russian command likely hopes that the reorganization of command structures will establish more cohesive Russian grouping of forces throughout the theater in Ukraine.
•  Recent developments in Transnistria, the pro-Russian breakaway region of Moldova, are unlikely to pose a military threat to Ukraine and will more likely impact Moldova’s European Union (EU) integration prospects. ISW is amending its warning forecast in light of continued Transnistrian officials’ statements that the upcoming Congress of Transnistrian Deputies will discuss Moldovan economic policies, likely related to changes to Moldova’s Customs Code that went into effect on January 1, 2024.
• Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu continues to highlight recent Russian tactical successes in Ukraine as substantial battlefield victories for political purposes ahead of the upcoming Russian presidential election. Shoigu additionally highlighted Russia’s Central and Eastern Military Districts (CMD and EMD) to posture against supposed anti-Russian activity in Central Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
• Ukrainian forces have reportedly shot down two Russian Su-34s on February 27, the tenth downed Russian military aircraft within roughly as many days.
• Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported on February 27 that the ongoing Russian information campaign to demoralize Ukrainian society will intensify between March and May 2024.
• Russia likely tested an element of its Sovereign Internet on February 27, likely in an effort to strengthen control over individual aspects of the Russian information space.
• Russian forces advanced west of Avdiivka amid continued positional engagements across the theater.
• A Ukrainian official warned that Russia seeks to ramp up force generation efforts in occupied Ukraine following the formal integration of occupied and claimed Ukrainian territories into the Russian Southern Military District (SMD).
• Russian authorities are reportedly systematizing the adoption of deported Ukrainian children in Russia.

June to July 2022 – the horrors of torture, murder and mass graves revealed

Please find the previous parts of the digest below:

February to March 2022

On 22 February 2024, the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Montreal, Eugene Czolij, headed a Ukrainian delegation to Quebec City on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

On 22 February 2024, the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Montreal, Eugene Czolij, headed a Ukrainian delegation to Quebec City on the occasion of the 2nd anniversary of Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine.

On that day, the National Assembly of Quebec unanimously adopted a Motion to “Express solidarity of the Assembly with the Ukrainian people”, proposed by the Premier of Quebec, François Legault, and representatives of all political parties.