he Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with fits and starts.
In violation of international treaties and laws, there is significant evidence that Russian artillery and aircraft are targeting civilian areas, including outlawed cluster munitions. Cluster bombs cause dozens or hundreds of explosions in a small area to give people nowhere to hide. Video of alleged cluster bombs has been shown on international television.
Bombing in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Borodianka has targeted apartment blocks and residential neighborhoods. In addition, the city of Mariupol is reported to be surrounded by Russian forces.
According to reports, 136 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, but the United Nations believes those t numbers will rise. In addition, the Ukrainian government has said that up to 3,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, but those numbers are currently unconfirmed.
Analysts fear Russia will continue to target civilians more than they are struggling to significantly impact the Ukrainian resistance.
The situation in Ukraine, as well as the world’s response, is moving quickly. The world is moving to isolate Russia from the global economy swiftly, creating massive economic hardship in the aggressor country. Ukrainian forces have provided much more resistance than the larger Russian army expected.
40-Mile-Long Convoy
A 40-mile-long convoy of Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other military vehicles that was making its way out of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv has been stalled. The Pentagon and Ukrainian sources report that the convoy has run out of fuel and food. In addition, supply lines for Russian troops have apparently collapsed, although the Belarusian border, where the Russian troops were staged, is only 250 miles away.
Russian aircraft ban
President Joe Biden is expected to announce at the State of the Union address tonight that Russian aircraft will be banned from flying over any of U.S. airspace. This action will cause many Russian flights to fly longer distances to their destinations, as it includes Alaska and U.S. territories.
"Intelligence Operative" expelled.
The administration is working to express a thirteenth Russian intelligence operative working at the United Nations. The UN is looking at the U.S. request and has signaled they will likely remove this Russian official soon.
RT being removed around the world
State-owned RT television network is being removed from carriers around the world. Most recently, Netflix in Russia and the Sky Network in the U.K. moved to take the channel down.
RT is accused of being a propaganda outlet for the Putin regime, pushing multiple false narratives about the Russian invasion and allied Western aggression toward Russia.
While YouTube is still carrying the network, they have removed all Russian state-owned networks from being able to make money from advertising. A warning has been added to the network’s page on YouTube: “RT is funded in whole or in part by the Russian government.”
Sports around the world are reacting.
Following football/soccer, many other international sports have removed or censored teams and individuals.
Teams from Russia and Belarus are now no longer playing in the World Cup, the world’s largest sporting event.
The International Skating Union has indefinitely banned all Russian and Belarusian skaters from international competition.
Anonymous has been attacking Russia.
The hacktivist group, Anonymous, has been shutting down websites throughout Russia and Belarus, including the Kremlin’s own website. Using tools that Anonymous has been famous for using for years, they’ve been stopping access to some of Russia’s sites to stymie the Russian government's ability to get propaganda out.
U.S. companies are pulling out of Russia
Apple, Nike, Ford Motor Company, and Boeing join a growing list of American companies that have ceased sales in Russia. Most times, these companies are canceling contracts, closing stores, and stopping all shipments to the Russian Federation.
Europe delivering weapons and aid to Ukraine
Multiple European countries have sent weapons to the military and citizens of Ukraine. Weapons range from anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, medical supplies, food, and more.
Switzerland, Finland, and Sweden, all of which have traditionally been neutral between Europe and Russia, have clarified that they are against Russia in this action. They are taking in refugees, sharing weapons, and shutting down Russian businesses in their countries.
Biden expected to release millions of barrels of oil
The Biden administration and its allies around the world have signaled that they will release oil onto the world market to ease gas and oil prices. Biden announced the release of fuel from the Strategic Oil Reserve to soften the impact of the loss of Russian oil on the world market.
https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-01-22/index.html
Bob Peryea
National Correspondent
The Kentucky Daily