Russian Troops Meet with Stiff Resistance, Ukrainian Forces Re-take Kharkiv | DW News

Feb 27, 2022 • Scholz pledges €100 billion for German military, end to Russian energy expors.

A turning point in the history of our continent. That's how Chancellor Olaf Scholz described Russia's war against Ukraine. Speaking to a special session of parliament, the German leader announced a raft of policy changes that would have been unthinkable just days ago. Germany will drastically strengthen its military and move quickly to eliminate its reliance on Russian energy exports. He put the blame squarely on Russian President Vladimir Putin - who he said had brought decades of peaceful coexistence to an end. Here's some of what he said

. Holding out in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia's military assault verges on genocide - and he's called for Russia to be stripped of its seat on the UN Security Council.

Moscow's forces targeted civilian infrastructure overnight, including gas pipelines - as they stepped up efforts to push further into Ukraine. Moscow's forces have met stiff resistance as they attempt to push further into Ukraine. The mayor of Kyiv says the capital is holding its defense lines and there are no Russian troops in the city. And after reports of heavy fighting in eastern Kharkiv, the regional governor says Ukrainian forces have retaken full control of the city. Russia's latest attacks have targeted civilian infrastructure and the military.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes since Thursday. Huge crowds have been waiting at train stations to travel to the border and cross into neighboring countries. Scenes from Lviv in western Ukraine show the fear and frustration: There's not enough space on the trains to carry everyone to safety. Men are forced to say goodbye to their families, as they are not allowed to leave because they've been called up to fight. Many of the refugees are headed to Poland.

Ukraine is doing its best to repel the Russian attack by training civilians to fight. Support from the US and other NATO members has also bolstered national defenses. But few believe Ukraine is a match for its much larger neighbor.

Taking active and reserve troops together, Kyiv can draw on more than 1 million men and women. Russia has more than three million. Ukraine has less than 2,500 tanks, compared to Russia's 13,000.

And in the air, Ukraine has just 67 attack aircraft in contrast to Russia's 1,500. In Berlin a demonstration calling for restoring peace in Ukraine is underway, with estimates of 20,000 or more people taking part in the protest.

The demonstration is organized by a variety of groups including workers' unions, religious groups and environmental organizations. Protesters are calling on Russia to immediately withdraw from Ukraine and to respect democracy and human rights. In the past days there have been numerous demonstrations across the world in support of Ukraine and demanding an immediate end to all violence.

Vladimir Putin Puts Russia’s Nuclear Deterrence Forces on High Alert

THE GUARDIAN: Russian president says order taken in response to ‘aggressive statements’ by Nato over Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has warned foreign countries not to interfere in the invasion of Ukraine, saying it could lead to ‘consequences they have never seen’. Photograph: Alexei Nikolsky/AP
Vladimir Putin has ordered his military to put Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces on high alert in response to “aggressive statements” by Nato countries.

The order came at a meeting between the president, the defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, and the chief of the general staff of the armed forces of Russia, Valery Gerasimov.

“Senior officials of the leading Nato countries also allow aggressive statements against our country, therefore I order the minister of Defense and the chief of the general staff [of the Russian armed forces] to transfer the deterrence forces of the Russian army to a special mode of combat duty,” Putin said in televised comments.

“Western countries aren’t only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading Nato members made aggressive statements regarding our country. » | Andrew Roth in Moscow | Sunday, February 27, 2022

Putin Shunned by World as His Hopes of Quick Victory Evaporate

THE OBSERVER: Russian troops facing fierce resistance as Germany abandons its postwar military stance to supply arms to Ukraine

A woman holds a Vladimir Putin placard as she takes part in a protest for peace in Lisbon, Portugal, on Saturday. Photograph: Rodrigo Antunes/EPA
Vladimir Putin was facing growing international isolation and the prospect of pariah status on Saturday night as long-term allies dramatically turned against him following the invasion of Ukraine, and western nations planned further decisive military and financial action against Moscow.

As his hopes of a quick victory evaporated in the face of fierce resistance by Ukrainian soldiers and armies of citizen volunteers, Russia’s president was deserted by his key ally, China, and had his ultimatum demanding Kyiv’s surrender defiantly brushed aside by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

In perhaps the most striking development Germany announced on Saturday night that it would supply Ukrainian troops with 1,000 anti-tank weapons as well as 500 Stinger missiles from its own military reserves.

“The Russian assault on Ukraine marks a turning point,” Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said, signalling a major shift in his country’s postwar military stance. “It threatens our entire postwar order. In this situation it is our duty to support Ukraine to the best of our ability in its defence against the invasive army of Vladimir Putin. Germany stands closely on the side of Ukraine.”

Significantly, the German government was also said to be bowing to intense pressure from Britain, the US and Canada to ban Russia from the crucial Swift banking payments system after repeated appeals from Kyiv for the west to do so. Sources in Berlin said German ministers’ views were shifting on the issue and they were actively discussing measures that “would hit the right people”, having previously resisted, partly because of fears that a ban would affect the flow of funds to aid agencies in Russia. » | Emma Graham-Harrison in Kyiv, Peter Beaumont in Lviv, Andrew Roth in Moscow, Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Saturday, February 26, 2022

Guerre en Ukraine : le ciel européen se ferme progressivement aux avions russes

LE FIGARO : En représailles à l'invasion de l'Ukraine, de plus en plus de pays interdisent aux compagnies russes de les survoler. Tour d'horizon de la situation.

«La France ferme son espace aérien aux avions et compagnies aériennes russes à compter de ce soir» a tweeté le ministre des Transports, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari. Paris rejoint notamment l'Allemagne, la Belgique, le Luxembourg puis l'Italie, qui ont d'ores et déjà annoncé fermer leur ciel aux compagnies russes, comme de nombreux autres pays en représailles à l'invasion de l'Ukraine.

«Le ministère allemand des Transports a décrété une interdiction de vol pour les avions et les exploitants d'avions russes dans l'espace aérien allemand» à partir de dimanche 15 heures, a annoncé le ministère des Transports. Berlin a précisé que cette interdiction était valable pour trois mois mais ne concernait pas d'éventuels vols humanitaires. «La Belgique a décidé de fermer son espace aérien à toutes les compagnies russes. En Europe, le ciel est ouvert (...) à ceux qui connectent les peuples, pas à ceux qui commettent des agressions brutales», a indiqué de son côté sur Twitter le Premier ministre belge Alexander De Croo. » | Par Thomas Engrand et AFP agence | Dimanche 27 février 2022

EN DIRECT :

Les Européens ont commencé à livrer des quantités «significatives» d'armements à l'Ukraine »

Guerre en Ukraine : assumer le coût des sanctions contre la Russie

LE MONDE – ÉDITORIAL : Si l’on considère que l’enjeu de la sécurité en Europe est existentiel pour nos démocraties, il y a, au minimum, un prix économique à payer. Penser peser sur la Russie sans sacrifices est une illusion.

Editorial du « Monde ». Brandies depuis plusieurs semaines alors que la menace russe se faisait de plus en plus précise, les fameuses sanctions « massives et sans précédent » promises par les démocraties occidentales sont tombées, vendredi 25 février, en réaction à l’invasion de l’Ukraine par la Russie. Elles sont de deux ordres : d’une part des mesures personnelles à l’égard du président Vladimir Poutine, de son ministre des affaires étrangères, Sergueï Lavrov, et de nombreux responsables dont les avoirs à l’étranger sont gelés, et d’autre part une série de sanctions destinées à frapper l’économie russe.

Ce train de mesures restrictives porte sur les secteurs de la finance, des transports, de la technologie, de l’énergie et sur la politique des visas. Dans le secteur financier, elles visent à bloquer l’accès de grandes banques russes aux marchés des capitaux occidentaux. Aucun consensus n’a cependant été atteint à ce stade pour décider de la sanction financière la plus dure et sans conteste la plus efficace contre Moscou : l’éviction de la Russie du système de messagerie Swift, utilisé pour les transactions financières par plus de 11 000 banques et institutions dans 200 pays. Une telle décision pénaliserait considérablement la Russie car, en frappant le système de paiement de ses exportations énergétiques, elle priverait le budget russe de sa principale ressource et compliquerait donc le financement de l’effort de guerre. » | Éditorial | samedi 26 février 2022

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Ukraine | DW News

The German Bundestag meets for an extraordinary plenary session. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issues a government statement on the situation in Ukraine.

Auf Deutsch hier.

Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz ist sehr beeindruckend. Eine tolle Rede. Herr Scholz hat die richtige Entscheidung gefasst. – © Mark

Russian Forces Press Toward Cities, as Ukraine Stiffens Resistance

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Ukrainian troops and civilian volunteers battled to keep control of Kharkiv, the second-largest city. The Russian priority remained the capture of Kyiv, the capital, which observed a daylong curfew as explosions were heard from the outskirts.

Smoke rose after shelling on the outskirts of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on Sunday, the fourth day of Russia’s invasion. | Irakli Gedenidze/Reuters
As Russian forces pressed into Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Ukraine’s defense forces and civilian volunteers battled to hold off Russia’s invasion for a fourth day on Sunday, as international pressure mounted on Moscow and support for Kyiv’s besieged government grew.

The pace of Russia’s advance appeared to slow, with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine saying that his country’s fighters had “withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks.” But the offensive seemed likely to intensify, as U.S. officials said that most of the more than 150,000 Russian troops who had massed around Ukraine were now engaged in the fighting. Here are the latest developments: Ukrainian forces take aim at Russian supply lines as battles rage in multiple cities. » | The New York Times | Sunday, February 27, 2022

EU to Cut Off Some Russian Banks from SWIFT

Germany Decides to Send Weapons from Its Military to Ukraine | DW News

Feb 26, 2022 • The German military will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 "Stinger" class surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion, the government announced. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said the weapons would be delivered as soon as possible to support the Ukrainian military. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was Germany's "duty to support Ukraine to the best of its ability in defending itself against the invading army of Vladimir Putin."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Germany's decision to send weapons, in a major reversal of policy for Berlin. "Keep it up, Chancellor Olaf Scholz! Anti-war coalition in action!" Zelenskyy tweeted.

Earlier Saturday Berlin authorized NATO partners the Netherlands and Estonia arms deliveries to Ukraine. For the Netherlands, 400 German-made anti-tank weapons are involved, while Estonia was granted approval to sent artillery from old GDR (East German) stocks.

The move marks a major change of course for Germany, which had until now refused the delivery of lethal weapons to Ukraine due to its policy of not sending weapons to a conflict zone.

The Netherlands also said it would sent anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, according to the Dutch defense ministry.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 : Rosalía Gómez Lasheras | Live HD Classical Music

Nov 25, 2013 • Pianist Rosalía Gómez Lasheras performs in de Young Pianst Festival finale in Amsterdam, november 24 2013.

ROSALÍA GÓMEZ LASHERAS.

French Cooking Academy with Stephane: Pork Chops Normandy-style, Served with an Apple-flavored Cream Sauce

Côtes de porc à la normande
Sep 30, 2021 • Get a taste of regional France with these pork chops cooked in a Normandy-style, which is easy-to-make and perfect if you are short on time.

Get the recipe here.

À Kiev, l'armée ukrainienne résiste aux assauts russes

Des membres des services ukrainiens recherchent des obus non explosés après un combat contre des soldats russes à Kiev, dans la matinée du 26 février 2022. SERGEI SUPINSKY / AFP

LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - Au troisième jour de l'offensive lancée par Vladimir Poutine, au moins 198 civils ukrainiens, dont trois enfants, ont été tués et 1115 personnes blessées en Ukraine.

Envoyé spécial à Kiev
Face à une caserne militaire, située à une dizaine de kilomètres de la place Maïdan, l'avenue de la Victoire est jonchée de débris des combats de la nuit. Près d'un pont où gisent trois carcasses calcinées encore fumantes de camions de transport de troupes, des soldats ukrainiens ramassent des restes humains mêlés aux éclats d'obus et de grenades et aux douilles de kalachnikov, qu'ils placent dans des sacs en plastique. Au loin, des tirs d'obus sourds ponctuent ce début de matinée sous un soleil froid. Aux abords d'un abribus aux vitres fracassés par les éclats et les rafales, trois soldats ukrainiens gardent le corps d'un camarade tué au combat, enveloppé dans un morceau de moquette. Des soldats creusent des abris et des tranchées en prévision des nouveaux combats à venir. » | Par Patrick Saint-Paul | samedi 26 février 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

Pour la manière criminelle dont Poutine se comporte envers l'Ukraine et les Ukrainiens, il appartient à La Haye ! L'homme mérite d'être jugé sévèrement et rapidement. Il ne devrait pas être autorisé à vivre dans le luxe et le confort extrême dans son palais, où qu'il se trouve. C'est un homme mauvais. Qu'il périsse ! – © Mark

Guerre en Ukraine, en direct : sous couvre-feu, Kiev se prépare à la résistance ; Moscou veut « élargir l’offensive dans toutes les directions »

Photo du site Le Monde.
LE MONDE – LIVE EN COURS : Dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi, la capitale ukrainienne a été visée par des raids aériens des forces russes. Le président ukrainien, Volodymyr Zelensky, a appelé les habitants à continuer le combat, alors que l’Allemagne a annoncé la livraison à l’Ukraine d’un millier de lance-roquettes et de 500 missiles sol-air.

« Au moins 3 052 personnes ont été arrêtées », après avoir participé en Russie à des manifestations contre l’invasion de l’Ukraine, depuis jeudi, dont 467 samedi, a fait savoir l’ONG spécialisée OVD-Info. Ces manifestations se sont multipliées à travers la Russie en dépit de leur interdiction par les autorités. » | Le Monde | samedi 26 février 2022

The Insanity of Vladimir Putin's Invasion of Ukraine and Why It Could Be the End of Him

Feb 26, 2022 • Vladimir Putin's reckless, wicked and totally unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is a massive miscalculation which could be fatal for him.

After 22 years as supreme ruler of Russia he appears to be losing his mind. The invasion is being condemned throughout the world and he appears to have little or no support at home.

Russian soldiers who have waited for weeks on the Ukrainian border are now fighting innocent civilians of a sovereign nation in a battle which they must know is unjust and unfair.

Like Brexit, the invasion of Ukraine is an exercise with no perceivable upside and one which will result in endless problems which will take years to resolve.

Putin's dictatorship in which he is absolutely supreme shows the danger for any political system when any individual becomes too powerful.

Putin's example should serve as a warning to the UK where Boris Johnson' is more powerful than any prime minister for a very long time and where his government is taking away many rights, imposing restrictions, enriching its friends with generous contracts and doing everything possible to gain electoral advantage.

Ukraine under Attack: Is Europe Powerless against Putin? | To the Point

Feb 24, 2022 • The world looks on as Russian President Vladimir Putin launches a full-scale attack on Ukraine. And now it’s becoming clear that he intends to use his country’s military might in a bid to re-write European history.

The West, meanwhile, has been imposing what have been described as the toughest sanctions ever. But Putin is clearly not impressed.

So, is it time for Europe’s democracies to face up to some new and uncomfortable truths and, perhaps, fight for their future?

On ‘To the Point’, we ask: Ukraine under attack: Is Europe powerless against Putin?

Our guests: Ulrike von Hirschhausen (historian); Vendeline von Bredow (Economist); Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico)

‘We Will Give You Arms’: Zelensky Asks People to Defend Ukraine during Speech

Feb 26, 2022 • Kyiv is still under Ukraine’s control following a night of Russian assaults on the capital, president Volodymyr Zelensky has said, declaring he will arm anyone who wants to help resist Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

“We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on,” the Ukrainian president said in an emotional speech on Saturday after small Russian raiding groups’ attempts to infiltrate the capital led to street skirmishes, with heavy gunfire and explosions heard through the night.

Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine Crisis

Premiered Feb 20, 2022 • The story of the Ukraine-Russia crisis does not begin in 2021, or 2014, It begins in the 9th century. There was a time when the two countries were one. There was a time when Ukraine gave its nuclear arsenal to Russia. Palki Sharma Upadhyay will tell you why Putin wants Ukraine.

Ukraine Crisis: 'Putin Will Meet Hell' Says Former President Petro Poroshenko

Feb 26, 2022 • Ukraine's former president Petro Poroshenko has told Sky News that this war 'is not about Ukraine' but about the "free world". He added: "Putin will meet hell. Russian people and soldiers will pay a big price."


WIKIPEDIA: Petro Poroshenko.

Wolodymyr Selenskyj : Sein schwerster Kampf

ZEIT ONLINE: Die Ukrainer wehren sich gegen die russische Invasion und der Präsident ist mittendrin. Wolodymyr Selenskyj hat im Krieg erstaunlich an Statur gewonnen.

Wolodymyr Selenskyj am 12. Februar 2022 in der Region Cherson | © Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP/dpa
Wolodymyr Selenskyj, der ukrainische Präsident und ehemaliger Schauspieler, fürchtet um sein Leben – und bleibt in Kiew. US-Präsident Joe Biden hatte ihm schon vor einer Woche geraten, er solle die ukrainische Hauptstadt aus Sicherheitsgründen verlassen. Aber Selenskyj weigerte sich, blieb, machte weiter. Auch in der Nacht zum Samstag boten ihm die US-Amerikaner an, ihn in Sicherheit zu bringen. Aber Selenskyj schlug aus und meldete sich mit einer zweiten Videobotschaft. Die erste hatte er zuvor gepostet, nachdem russische Medien Gerüchte gestreut hatten, er habe Kiew verlassen. Auf dem Video ist es dunkel, hinter Selenskyj lassen die beleuchteten Säulen der Präsidialadministration keine Zweifel daran, wo er sich befindet. Neben ihm der Premierminister, seine Berater, der Fraktionschef. "Wir sind alle hier", sagt Selenskyj in die Kamera. "Unsere Soldaten sind hier. Wir verteidigen unsere Unabhängigkeit. Das werden wir auch weiter tun. Ruhm der Ukraine. Ruhm den Helden."

Im Angesicht des Krieges hat Selenskyj erstaunlich an Statur gewonnen. Während er zu Beginn dieser Eskalation noch ungeschickt kommunizierte, ist er mit der großen und schweren Aufgabe des Krieges gewachsen. Vor einer Woche wurde er bei der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz von den internationalen Gästen noch beklatscht wie eine exotische Mitternachtseinlage. Er hielt er dort eine pathetische, emotionale, fast wütende Rede gegen die westliche Gleichgültigkeit angesichts des gefährlichen Aggressors Russland. Aber die Ereignisse sollten ihm recht geben: Wenige Tage später marschierte die russische Armee in der Ukraine ein.

Das hat Eindruck gemacht, auch bei seinen zahlreichen Kritikern. "Er ist mit dem Volk in dieser schweren Zeit", sagte der ukrainische Politologe Wolodymyr Fesenko ZEIT ONLINE. Der Präsident habe sich als "sehr würdig" erwiesen. Und selbst ukrainische Bürgerinnen und Bürger, die ihn 2019 nicht zum Präsidenten gewählt haben, sagen inzwischen: Das ist unser Präsident, wir sind stolz auf ihn. » | Von Simone Brunner | Samstag, 26. Februar 2022

'I’m Ready’: Ukraine’s Civilians Take Up Arms