Monday, May 08, 2023

Information on the war in Ukraine.

 


A lot of time has passed since the time when the unjust Russian invasion of Ukraine happened. As early as November 10, 2021, the United States reported an unusual movement of Russian troops near Ukraine's border. By November 28, 2021, the Ukrainian border has a reported buildup of 92,000 Russian troops. Putin lied and said that Russia has no intention of invading Ukraine. American President Joe Biden warned President of Russia Vladimir Putin of "strong economic and other measures" if Russia attacks Ukraine on December 7, 2021. Putin proposed a prohibition on Ukraine joining NATO which Ukraine rejected by December 17, 2021. By January 17, 2022, Russian troops start to go to Belarus (its ally) for "military exercises." America gives Ukraine $200 million in security aid on January 19, 2022. President Biden on January 19, 2022, stated in a press conference that, "Russia will be held accountable if it invades. And it depends on what it does." NATO puts troops on standby on January 24, 2022. On January 25, 2022, Russian exercises involving 6,000 troops and 60 jets take place in Russia near Ukraine and Crimea. Russia and Belarus started the 10 days of military maneuvers on February 10, 2022. There is the fighting escalating in separatist regions of eastern Ukraine on February 17, 2022. By February 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces to enter the separatist republics in eastern Ukraine. He also announced Russian recognition of the two pro-Russian breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine (the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic). This announcement led to the first round of economic sanctions from NATO countries the following day. February 24, 2022, was when the Russian invasion of Ukraine took place. Putin lied and said that there were no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory and he supported the right of the people of Ukraine to have self-determination. Putin wanted Russia to demilitarize and denazification of Ukraine when the Ukrainian President is a Jewish human being. The Russian Ministry of Defense asked air traffic control units of Ukraine to stop flights, and the airspace over Ukraine was restricted to non-civilian air traffic, and the whole area was deemed an active conflict zone by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Minutes after Putin's announcement, explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, and the Donas. 


By February 25, 20223, Kyiv was rocked by 2 explosions from cruise and ballistic missiles. The Ukrainian government said that it shot down an enemy aircraft over the city, which crashed into a residential building, setting it on fire. Russian units attempted to encircle Kyiv and advance into Kharkiv. They were bogged down in heavy fighting. Some social media images suggested that some Russian armored columns were ambushed. At first, Russian operations in the east and south were more effective. Russian units advanced from Crimea and tried to attack Donbas. Zelenskyy accused Russia of targeting civilian sites. He is right. Dozens of civilian sites were hit in the previous 24 hours. The mayor of Horlivka in the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic said that the Ukrainian military had hit a local school building, killing two teachers.


As Russian troops approached Kyiv, Zelenskyy asked residents to prepare Molotov cocktails to "neutralize" the enemy. Putin meanwhile called on the Ukrainian military to overthrow the government. Ukraine distributed 18,000 guns to Kyiv residents who expressed a willingness to fight and deployed the Territorial Defense Forces, the reserves of the Ukrainian military, to defend Kyiv. The Defense Ministry also announced that all Ukrainian civilians were eligible to volunteer for military service regardless of their age. Ukraine uses its air defense capabilities to stop Russian threats.  On the same day, President Putin indicated to Xi Jinping, the Chinese paramount leader and general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, that "Russia is willing to conduct high-level negotiations with Ukraine." Bombs blow up in Ukraine on February 26, 2022. More than 48 explosions in 30 minutes were reported around Kyiv, as the Ukrainian military was reported to be fighting near the CHP-6 power station in the northern neighborhood of Troieshchyna. BBC News reported that the attack might have been an attempt to cut off electricity to the city. Heavy fighting was reported near the Kyiv Zoo and the Shuliavka neighborhood. The Ukrainian military said it repelled a Russian attack on an army base on Peremohy Avenue, a main road in Kyiv; it also said it repelled a Russian assault on Mykolaiv on the Black Sea. American officials said a Russian Il-76 transport plane was shot down by Ukrainian forces near Bila Tserkva, about 80 kilometers (50 mi) south of Kyiv. US officials stated that American intelligence data, shared with Ukrainian forces in real-time, helped to down the Il-76. Zelenskyy, remaining in Kyiv, refused US offers of evacuation, instead requesting more ammunition for Ukrainian troops. A Russian attack caused a gas pipeline to explode outside of Kharkiv by February 27, 2022. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv rescued 80 people from a nine-story residential building hit by Russian artillery, extensively damaging it and killing a woman. Russian forces destroy cities and settlements. 


Ukrainian forces struck the Russian-occupied airport at Chornobaivka, inflicting losses on the Russian army. By early afternoon, Kharkiv Oblast governor Oleh Synyehubov stated that Ukrainian forces had regained full control of Kharkiv, and Ukrainian authorities said that dozens of Russian troops had surrendered. Hennadiy Matsegora, the mayor of Kupiansk, agreed to hand over control of the city to Russian forces. Battles continued. There was the Russian occupation of Kerson by March 2, 2022. During a second round of talks, Russia and Ukraine agreed to open humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians on March 3, 2022.  The United States said that about 90% of the Russian forces that had amassed around Ukraine before the invasion had entered the country. Zelenskyy also announced that the first international volunteers had arrived in Ukraine to fight against Russian forces. He added that Ukraine was regularly receiving weapons from Western countries. Russian forces attacked a Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg rejected Ukraine's request for a no-fly zone over the country, stating that this would lead to a full-fledged war with Russia. The United States said that Russia had fired more than 500 missiles at Ukraine and the Russian Kyiv convoy north of Kyiv was 15 miles (24 km) away from the capital. By March 11, Putin approved the deployment of up to 16,000 volunteers from the Middle East to Ukraine during the day, with the Wagner Group already reported to have recruited more than 4,000 Syrians. In 2022, Russian military forces expand their offensive to Western Ukraine. A residential building in Kyiv was shelled by a Russian attack on March 15, 2022. Around 11 p.m., the Kyiv shopping center Retroville, in Podilskyi district, was hit by a Russian Kalibr missile. The shopping center was storing equipment for Ukrainian forces. The attack resulted in at least 8 deaths on March 20. By April 4, 2022, Zelenskyy accused Russia of genocide and said that sanctions from the west were not "enough" to respond to Russia's actions. The United States began pushing to suspend Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council. Putin signed a decree restricting visas for nationals of countries deemed "unfriendly" to Russia. By 7 April, Russian troops deployed to the northern front by the Russian Eastern Military District pulled back from the Kyiv offensive, apparently to resupply and then redeploy to the Donbas region to reinforce the renewed invasion of southeastern Ukraine.



From April to August of 2022, there was more war in Ukraine. Russian President Putin appointed Russian Army General Aleksandr Dvornikov, commander of Russia's Southern Military District, and commander of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Dvornikov was known for his command of the Russian forces during the Russian military intervention in Syria. That was on April 9, 2022. Some Ukrainian forces surrender at Mariupol (a port city) by April 13, 2022. Russian and Ukrainian military forces battle at oil plants and other strategic locations. Kherson was occupied by this time. By May, Russia bombing Western supplies, and a school is bombed in Bilohorivka. A shopping mall near Odesa was bombed by Russia too. The United States agreed to send the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (M142 HIMARS) to Ukraine on the assurance from the leaders of Ukraine that it would not be used against targets in Russia on June 1, 2022. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that this move was "pouring fuel on the fire." The United States Cyber Command confirmed that it was conducting cyber operations on behalf of Ukraine. General Paul Nakasone, the commander of USCYBERCOM, said, "We've conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum: offensive, defensive, [and] information operations." Tjos was om Kime 2. 2022. The Chief Rabbi of Moscow, Pinchas Goldschmidt, fled Russia after declining to publicly support the war in Ukraine. Apartments complexes and shopping centers continued to be attacked in Ukraine. Russia launched missiles at a shopping center in Kremenchuk with more than 1,000 people inside, killing at least 20 people. Russia reportedly denied hitting the shopping mall. President Zelenskyy said: "A peaceful city, an ordinary shopping mall with women inside, children, ordinary civilians inside. Only totally insane terrorists, who should have no place on Earth, can strike missiles at such an object. And this is not an off-target missile strike, this is a calculated Russian strike – exactly at this shopping mall."



By June 29, 2022, Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island overnight, allowing the Ukrainian army to recapture it in the morning. Syria recognized the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic. The lower house of the State Duma passed new laws allowing the Russian prosecutor-general to shut down foreign media from countries that have banned Russian media, due to bans on Russian media over the war in Ukraine (on June 30, 2022). July 1st was when the American government gave Ukraine the 14th aid package for Ukraine, worth $820 million. The first vessel with grain has left Odesa under the U.N.- and Turkey-brokered deal between Ukraine and Russia for the export of food from Ukraine. According to Turkey, the ship will be headed for Lebanon on August 1, 2022. By August, more weapons come to Ukraine from 1,000 Javelines to 50 armored medical vehicles. A residential building in Kharkiv was hit by the missile strike. The head of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Igor Osipov, was replaced by Viktor Sokolov following heavy losses in personnel and shipping for the Black Sea Fleet over the last six months on August 17, 2022. Ukraine's Kherson counteroffensive started on August 29, 2022. This plan occurs in the south. The battle was fierce. Russia stopped gas supplies to Germany via Nord Stream 1 for three days to perform repairs. As part of a major counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces recaptured Kupiansk and Izium; according to the UK Ministry of Defense, Russian defenses in the Kharkiv region were "likely taken by surprise." By late afternoon, Ukrainian troops were reported to have reached Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast (on September 10, 2022). The Russian State Duma introduced laws prohibiting voluntary surrender and looting, with aggravating circumstances including committing the crime "during mobilization or martial law". Under those circumstances, refusing to obey a superior's order or participate in military action was also made illegal. Penalties for not reporting for military duty, or leaving it without permission, were increased.


The Russian-appointed officials of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics announced referendums to approve their annexation by Russia on 23–27 September. Similar referendums were announced by the occupying Russian officials in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. By September 21, Putin promoted for drafts of Russian soldiers. Russian propaganda accounts were taken down by Facebook. Also, there were Nord Stream pipeline leaks suspected of being done by Russian sabotage. The Ukrainian police have recorded at least 582 war crimes committed by Russia in the formerly occupied territories of the Kharkiv Oblast. America sent 1.1 billion dollars in an aid package to Ukraine by September 28, 2022. Russian people leave Russia because of the war. Some fled to Finland until Finland close its borders to Russian citizens at midnight, on September 29. Ukraine liberated Lyman by October 1, 2022. The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution ES-11/4 by a large majority, calling on countries not to recognize the four regions of Ukraine which Russia has claimed, following so-called referendums held late last month, and demanding that Moscow reverse course on its "attempted illegal annexation". 143 member states voted in favor and 35 abstained, notably China and India. Only Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria voted against the resolution. This was on October 12, 2022. Vitali Klitschko defends his city in Ukraine. The city of Kherson is finally liberated by November 9, 2022. After the liberation of Kherson, Russia strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure and the war continues. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that held Russia responsible for all damage caused to Ukraine by the invasion and demanded reparations on November 14, 2022. 


Russia launched about 85 to 100 missiles at a number of Ukrainian cities. The strategic bombing campaign caused severe shortages of electricity and water in multiple cities. According to the Ukrainian Air Force some 77 of 96 Russian missiles were shot down. A Pentagon official claimed the Russian plan was to exhaust the Ukrainian air defenses. At one stage some 50 missiles were in combat "within minutes" near the Polish border. This was on November 15, 2022. Explosions were reported at two Russian airbases: the one at Engels-2 reportedly damaged two Tu-95s; the other at the Dyagilevo military airbase near Ryazan, destroyed a fuel truck and killed three, injuring five. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated Ukraine attempted to strike Russia's long-range aviation bombers with Soviet-made jet drones, and that the drones were subsequently shot down at low altitudes when approaching the air bases. The attack involved the use of Tu-141 drones that were taken out of storage and appeared to have been fitted with improvised explosives. This was on December 5, 2022. By this time, Russia and Iran work together in attacking Ukraine. Robert Magowan, a British lieutenant general and former commander of the Royal Marines, revealed that the Royal Marines were involved several times in "secret operations" in Ukraine, in an "extremely sensitive context", involving "a high level of political and military risk." In December of 2022, Russian forces constantly attack infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, etc. Many people lack water and power in locations. President Zelenskyy met United States President Joe Biden during his visit and addressed a joint session of the US Congress after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi invited Zelensky (on December 21, 2022).


The Wagner Group had thousands of convicts and mercenaries attacking Ukraine. The head of Ukraine's armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, claimed that air defenses had shot down 12 of 20 Russian cruise missiles. Vitali Klitschko, the Mayor of Kyiv, stated that a series of explosions directed at infrastructure killed at least one person and wounded twenty, including a Japanese journalist. A drone strike on Khmelnytskyi injured two people on December 31, 2022. By January 1, 2023, Ukraine continues to be the victim of kamikaze drone strikes. Russian Orthodox Church Primate Patriarch Kirill called for a Christmas ceasefire so that people could attend Orthodox Christmas services on 6–7 January. Turkish President Erdogan also called for a "unilateral cease-fire"; afterward, President Putin ordered Russian armed forces to hold a 36-hour cease-fire for the Russian Orthodox Christmas. Ukraine rejected Russia's cease-fire proposal. The UK MoD said that fighting had "continued at a routine level into the Orthodox Christmas period." On February 4, 2023, Ukrainian officials claim to have done another prisoner swap with Russia. They claim 116 Ukrainian POWs have been returned, including Ukrainian soldiers and guerrillas from occupied territories. It also includes the bodies of the two deceased British aid workers killed near Soledar. Chris Parry, aged 28, and Andrew Bagshaw, aged 47. Russian officials claim some 63 soldiers were returned. The deal was in part organized by the United Arab Emirates. Russian forces start their next major offensive on the west of eastern Lukhansk (which is mostly Russian-occupied areas). 



Dmitry Medvedev, the member of Russia's security council, visited the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant (a tank factory) and made a statement, promising to "modernize thousands of tanks" and "increase production of modern tanks" in response to Ukraine receiving western tanks. Medvedev is more hawkish than in previous years. China wants a peace plan involving a peace plan which involves a ceasefire and multiple other steps that would result in direct negotiations. China holds the stance about "countries' sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity be effectively guaranteed" and that the "cold war mentality" should end. U.S. officials such as Biden and Blinken have expressed doubts about the plan because China does not seem to be neutral because they have yet to condemn the invasion. Zelenskyy stated that it was good that China is talking about Ukraine, but that he would cautiously await details on the plan. It was also speculated by some experts that depending on how this turns out, China could also turn around and start supplying Russia with military equipment. Ukrainian forced withdrawal from Bakhmut. NATO nations send Ukraine more weapons. Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev threatened hypersonic missiles on the International Criminal Court if officials try to arrest Putin on the ICC warrant, during a future state visit. On April 2, 2023, Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky was killed by an explosion in a cafe in St Petersburg. The explosion injured around 24 people of which 6 were in critical condition. The cafe where the explosion occurred belongs to Yevgeny Prigozhin. Classified documents of US–NATO counter-offensive plan details were leaked from the Pentagon via social media sites. According to experts, the plans have been edited prior to publication to decrease estimates of Russian losses and increase estimates of Ukrainian losses. Some experts have questioned the authenticity of the documents and suggested that the leak could be part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Ukraine for the first time intercepted a Russian Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile, following reports from Kyiv of a powerful explosion overnight. The Ukrainian Air Force said they shot it down using the Patriot missile system protecting the capital on May 4, 2023. The war continues.



By Timothy


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