Month: February 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine could force as many as 4 million Ukrainians to flee their country, the United Nations said this week, spawning one of the worst refugee crises in Europe in more than 70 years. According to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, as of Saturday morning, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have crossed into neighboring countries, with an estimated 75,000 crossing into Poland. Grandi tweeted Saturday morning the number of internally displaced refugees within Ukraine “is also growing but the military situation makes it difficult to estimate numbers and provide aid.” Poland – along with Moldova, Romania, …

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French sea police seized a ship on Saturday that authorities suspect belongs to a Russian company targeted by European Union sanctions over the war in Ukraine, a government official told Reuters. The cargo vessel transporting cars, which was headed for St. Petersburg, is “strongly suspected of being linked to Russian interests targeted by the sanctions,” said Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture. The ship was diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. (0200-0300 GMT), Magnin said, adding ongoing checks were being carried out by customs officials and the ship’s crew …

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For full coverage of the crisis in Ukraine, visit Flashpoint Ukraine. The latest developments of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, all times EST: 3:32 a.m.: Ukraine’s president tweets about joining the EU.   3:05 a.m.: Ukraine’s president says France is sending weapons to his country. 2:33 a.m.: Kazakhstan denies Russia’s request for troops, NBC News reports. 1:57 a.m.: “Kyiv requires special attention,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday. “We cannot lose the capital.” 1:33 a.m.: Syrian president praises Russian actions, Al Jazeera reports. 1 a.m.: Protests against Russia continue in Australia. 12:39 a.m.: The BBC reports that missiles are …

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Explosions and gunfire could be heard Saturday in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, as Russian and Ukrainian forces battled for control of the city. Ukrainian officials are urging the country’s citizens to help defend Kyiv against the Russian forces.  An army base in the capital was attacked, but Ukraine’s military said that attack was repelled. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had predicted the attacks on Kyiv would become more intense Saturday. “Kyiv requires special attention,” he said Saturday. “We cannot lose the capital.” Russian forces advancing on Kyiv and other key cities as part of a plan to “decapitate” Ukraine’s government appear to …

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China’s failure to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is undermining its own long-standing defense of sovereignty and territorial integrity on the world stage, according to U.S. officials and experts. “It’s not in China’s interest to endorse a devastating conflict in Europe and defy the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity it claims to hold dear,” a senior U.S. administration official told reporters Thursday. “We’re obviously clear-eyed about how China operates,” the official said, “but the fact is that Russia’s aggressive actions here carry risks for China along with everyone else.” The U.S. State Department also dismissed a new Russian offer …

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