Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- President Biden has landed in Europe for urgent talks starting Thursday with NATO, the Group of Seven and the European Council. Biden and his European counterparts are expected to project a unified front, announcing new sanctions against Moscow and plans to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
- As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reached the one-month mark, President Zelensky called for a global protest, urging people everywhere to take to the streets and denounce Russian aggression.
- So far, the Kremlin’s advance has stalled around Kyiv because of the Ukrainians’ successful guerrilla-style tactics. But Russian troops appear to be pouring new energy into an offensive against Ukrainian forces from the eastern provinces under separatist control.
More live updates here.
- President Biden has landed in Europe for urgent talks starting Thursday with NATO, the Group of Seven and the European Council. Biden and his European counterparts are expected to project a unified front, announcing new sanctions against Moscow and plans to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
- As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reached the one-month mark, President Zelensky called for a global protest, urging people everywhere to take to the streets and denounce Russian aggression.
- So far, the Kremlin’s advance has stalled around Kyiv because of the Ukrainians’ successful guerrilla-style tactics. But Russian troops appear to be pouring new energy into an offensive against Ukrainian forces from the eastern provinces under separatist control.
More live updates here.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Devastation of Mariupol captured in drone video of burned buildings, blown-out windows
Russian shelling and siege tactics have devastated Mariupol’s residential neighborhoods, drone video published Wednesday by Ukraine’s far-right Azov Battalion revealed. The video was verified by The Washington Post.
The majority of the structures visible sustained some amount of damage, from blown-out windows to entire multistory buildings burned ashen gray. Smoke rose from at least four areas in the minute-long clip.
Amid a communication blackout, the Azov Battalion has been one of the few sources of videos and information coming out of the city that has served as its primary base for years.
The paramilitary group with ties to extremists across Europe has been fighting for Ukraine since 2014, when it was absorbed into Ukraine’s national guard. Its presence has been used by Russian President Vladimir Putin to falsely claim that the Ukrainian government is run by neo-Nazis.
Read the full story here.
Russian shelling and siege tactics have devastated Mariupol’s residential neighborhoods, drone video published Wednesday by Ukraine’s far-right Azov Battalion revealed. The video was verified by The Washington Post.
The majority of the structures visible sustained some amount of damage, from blown-out windows to entire multistory buildings burned ashen gray. Smoke rose from at least four areas in the minute-long clip.
Amid a communication blackout, the Azov Battalion has been one of the few sources of videos and information coming out of the city that has served as its primary base for years.
The paramilitary group with ties to extremists across Europe has been fighting for Ukraine since 2014, when it was absorbed into Ukraine’s national guard. Its presence has been used by Russian President Vladimir Putin to falsely claim that the Ukrainian government is run by neo-Nazis.
Read the full story here.
Some never held a gun, but they’re joining the fight against Russia
In western Ukraine, cities are not yet under attack, or being shelled, by Russian forces. But all of Ukraine is on a war footing, and the militarization of the general population is most visible in the thousands of civilians who are enlisting and training as part of ad hoc security forces.
At the main registration center for volunteers in Lviv, the line to sign up was hundreds deep on a recent day. Thousands have joined, and others are on reserve lists. Those joining range from former lawyers to metallurgy teachers, and they are performing a wide array of surveillance and policing duties.
Read the full story here.
In western Ukraine, cities are not yet under attack, or being shelled, by Russian forces. But all of Ukraine is on a war footing, and the militarization of the general population is most visible in the thousands of civilians who are enlisting and training as part of ad hoc security forces.
At the main registration center for volunteers in Lviv, the line to sign up was hundreds deep on a recent day. Thousands have joined, and others are on reserve lists. Those joining range from former lawyers to metallurgy teachers, and they are performing a wide array of surveillance and policing duties.
Read the full story here.
U.S. to accept 100,000 refugees fleeing Russian invasion of Ukraine, two U.S. officials say as Biden holds talks in Europe
President Biden, who is holding talks with NATO leaders in Brussels as the war enters its second month, is expected to announce the plan, but officials said exact numbers could change.
Separately, a U.S. official said G-7 leaders, after meeting Thursday, are expected to warn Russian President Vladimir Putin against using chemical or nuclear weapons. In a flurry of meetings, Biden and major allies are also set to announce plans to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, new sanctions and more military deployments to Eastern Europe, even as divisions emerge about how to pressure Moscow.
The conflict has now displaced half of Ukraine’s children, a United Nations agency says.
More live updates here.
President Biden, who is holding talks with NATO leaders in Brussels as the war enters its second month, is expected to announce the plan, but officials said exact numbers could change.
Separately, a U.S. official said G-7 leaders, after meeting Thursday, are expected to warn Russian President Vladimir Putin against using chemical or nuclear weapons. In a flurry of meetings, Biden and major allies are also set to announce plans to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, new sanctions and more military deployments to Eastern Europe, even as divisions emerge about how to pressure Moscow.
The conflict has now displaced half of Ukraine’s children, a United Nations agency says.
More live updates here.
One month into the Ukraine war, a defiant nation is forever changed but adapting
A month has passed since blasts woke Ukrainians at 5:07 a.m. on Feb. 24. The sounds of explosions still scare but don’t surprise. Each day since has brought the sound of air-raid sirens, of breaking glass and numbingly frequent moments of silence for the dead.
A month of war with Russia has forced 1 in every 4 Ukrainians out of their homes. It has shown that Moscow’s forces fire indiscriminately on civilians in their apartments, businesses, hospitals and schools. It has exposed weaknesses in Vladimir Putin’s military, which seems stunned and disoriented by the month-long fight.
And it has focused the world’s attention on the unexpected ferocity and power of ordinary people uniting to defend their homes and nation.
Read the full story here.
A month has passed since blasts woke Ukrainians at 5:07 a.m. on Feb. 24. The sounds of explosions still scare but don’t surprise. Each day since has brought the sound of air-raid sirens, of breaking glass and numbingly frequent moments of silence for the dead.
A month of war with Russia has forced 1 in every 4 Ukrainians out of their homes. It has shown that Moscow’s forces fire indiscriminately on civilians in their apartments, businesses, hospitals and schools. It has exposed weaknesses in Vladimir Putin’s military, which seems stunned and disoriented by the month-long fight.
And it has focused the world’s attention on the unexpected ferocity and power of ordinary people uniting to defend their homes and nation.
Read the full story here.
Biden expresses support for expelling Russia from G-20; U.S. to accept 100,000 refugees
President Biden voiced support for expelling Russia from the Group of 20, remarks he made in Brussels as he announced that the United States will take in 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and will commit more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance.
The United States, along with the Group of Seven nations and the European Union, also announced Thursday a new round of sanctions targeting more than 400 Russian individuals and entities, including lawmakers and defense companies.
Separately, G-7 leaders warned Putin against using chemical or nuclear weapons.
Read the full story here.
President Biden voiced support for expelling Russia from the Group of 20, remarks he made in Brussels as he announced that the United States will take in 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and will commit more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance.
The United States, along with the Group of Seven nations and the European Union, also announced Thursday a new round of sanctions targeting more than 400 Russian individuals and entities, including lawmakers and defense companies.
Separately, G-7 leaders warned Putin against using chemical or nuclear weapons.
Read the full story here.
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to NATO leaders via videoconference Thursday, urging the alliance to provide Ukraine with unrestricted military help. He did not explicitly call for a no-fly zone, a request he has made on numerous other occasions.
- Repeated attempts by top U.S. defense and military leaders to speak with their Russian counterparts have been rejected by Moscow for the last month, leaving the world’s two largest nuclear powers in the dark about explanations for military movements and raising fears of a major miscalculation or battlefield accident.
- The U.S. government has accused Russia’s military of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Here’s what you should know about war crimes and how perpetrators are prosecuted.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to NATO leaders via videoconference Thursday, urging the alliance to provide Ukraine with unrestricted military help. He did not explicitly call for a no-fly zone, a request he has made on numerous other occasions.
- Repeated attempts by top U.S. defense and military leaders to speak with their Russian counterparts have been rejected by Moscow for the last month, leaving the world’s two largest nuclear powers in the dark about explanations for military movements and raising fears of a major miscalculation or battlefield accident.
- The U.S. government has accused Russia’s military of committing war crimes in Ukraine. Here’s what you should know about war crimes and how perpetrators are prosecuted.
More live updates here.
In photos: The war in Ukraine one month on
One month into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the loss and destruction is hard to put into words.
Traumatized soldiers have returned to the front lines; ordinary citizens have taken up arms for the first time. Millions of women and children have boarded trains west, bidding painful goodbyes; others have taken shelter in underground subway stations.
There are no definitive counts of the dead or wounded, no official tally of what has been destroyed, but the pain of war is on the faces of the people from this embattled nation, their resilience etched into their brows.
Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the very beginning — here’s some of their most powerful work.
Read the full story here.
One month into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the loss and destruction is hard to put into words.
Traumatized soldiers have returned to the front lines; ordinary citizens have taken up arms for the first time. Millions of women and children have boarded trains west, bidding painful goodbyes; others have taken shelter in underground subway stations.
There are no definitive counts of the dead or wounded, no official tally of what has been destroyed, but the pain of war is on the faces of the people from this embattled nation, their resilience etched into their brows.
Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the very beginning — here’s some of their most powerful work.
Read the full story here.
Here's the status of Ukrainian cities under Russian attack.
Kyiv: While Ukrainian forces didn't regain control of any territory on the northwestern outskirts of the capital, they managed to force their Russian counterparts into defensive positions.
Mariupol: Local authorities accused Russian forces that have entered Mariupol of spreading misinformation on evacuation corridors to confuse and intimidate residents. In a Telegram channel, Russian soldiers wrote that Zaporizhzhia will no longer accept refugees and that Odessa had already fallen, leaving Ukrainians with the sole option of heading to Russia for safety.
Chernihiv: Russian forces bombed and destroyed a bridge connecting this northern city with Kyiv Wednesday evening.
Berdyansk: The Ukrainian navy claimed it destroyed a Russian landing ship, the Orsk, docked at Berdyansk. According to video clips verified by The Post, fires and heavy smoke columns could be seen rising from a vessel that matched the description of the Orsk.
More live updates here.
Kyiv: While Ukrainian forces didn't regain control of any territory on the northwestern outskirts of the capital, they managed to force their Russian counterparts into defensive positions.
Mariupol: Local authorities accused Russian forces that have entered Mariupol of spreading misinformation on evacuation corridors to confuse and intimidate residents. In a Telegram channel, Russian soldiers wrote that Zaporizhzhia will no longer accept refugees and that Odessa had already fallen, leaving Ukrainians with the sole option of heading to Russia for safety.
Chernihiv: Russian forces bombed and destroyed a bridge connecting this northern city with Kyiv Wednesday evening.
Berdyansk: The Ukrainian navy claimed it destroyed a Russian landing ship, the Orsk, docked at Berdyansk. According to video clips verified by The Post, fires and heavy smoke columns could be seen rising from a vessel that matched the description of the Orsk.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- President Biden is headed for NATO’s eastern flank on Friday, where he will meet with his Polish counterpart in Rzeszow. The visit comes as the U.S. pledged to open its borders to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and said it would respond “in kind” if Russia uses chemical weapons in its invasion.
- The battle for Kyiv rages on as the war enters its second month, with counterattacks forcing Russian troops into defensive positions. Ukrainian forces are likely to continue striking logistical assets in territory held by Russia, which would stretch the Kremlin’s supply lines and dampen morale among Russian forces, Britain said in a Thursday intelligence update.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency is negotiating a deal to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. The U.N. watchdog also said Thursday that Ukraine had informed it that Russian shelling in a city near the Chernobyl plant was preventing personnel from rotating shifts.
More live updates here.
- President Biden is headed for NATO’s eastern flank on Friday, where he will meet with his Polish counterpart in Rzeszow. The visit comes as the U.S. pledged to open its borders to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and said it would respond “in kind” if Russia uses chemical weapons in its invasion.
- The battle for Kyiv rages on as the war enters its second month, with counterattacks forcing Russian troops into defensive positions. Ukrainian forces are likely to continue striking logistical assets in territory held by Russia, which would stretch the Kremlin’s supply lines and dampen morale among Russian forces, Britain said in a Thursday intelligence update.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency is negotiating a deal to ensure the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. The U.N. watchdog also said Thursday that Ukraine had informed it that Russian shelling in a city near the Chernobyl plant was preventing personnel from rotating shifts.
More live updates here.
Biden, E.U. announce partnership to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian energy
The United States and the European Commission announced Friday a joint task force to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels, as the West looks to further punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the task force will work to ensure energy security for Ukraine and the European Union ahead of the next two winters while also assisting in reducing Europe’s dependence in the long term.
As part of the effort, the United States will increase liquefied natural gas exports to Europe by at least 15 billion cubic meters this year with the aim of providing larger shipments in the future, the White House said.
About 40 percent of E.U. gas comes from Russia, as well as more than a quarter of its oil. Europe imports over six times more oil from Russia than the United States does, according to the White House.
Read the full story here.
The United States and the European Commission announced Friday a joint task force to reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels, as the West looks to further punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the task force will work to ensure energy security for Ukraine and the European Union ahead of the next two winters while also assisting in reducing Europe’s dependence in the long term.
As part of the effort, the United States will increase liquefied natural gas exports to Europe by at least 15 billion cubic meters this year with the aim of providing larger shipments in the future, the White House said.
About 40 percent of E.U. gas comes from Russia, as well as more than a quarter of its oil. Europe imports over six times more oil from Russia than the United States does, according to the White House.
Read the full story here.
Mariupol says it appears that about 300 people died in the Drama Theater attack, based on eyewitness accounts
The Mariupol City Council has condemned the “inhuman cruelty” of a Russian airstrike on a theater in Mariupol earlier this month, adding that “there will never be forgiveness for those who brought devastation, pain and suffering to our home.”
The council’s statement, posted Friday in an update on Telegram, said that based on eyewitness accounts, it appeared that about 300 people died in the attack. It did not provide further details on how the council arrived at the figure.
However, a Mariupol news site published an interview Thursday with two eyewitnesses who survived the blast, including one who estimated that at least 300 people were killed. The Washington Post could not independently verify the figure.
Read the full story here.
The Mariupol City Council has condemned the “inhuman cruelty” of a Russian airstrike on a theater in Mariupol earlier this month, adding that “there will never be forgiveness for those who brought devastation, pain and suffering to our home.”
The council’s statement, posted Friday in an update on Telegram, said that based on eyewitness accounts, it appeared that about 300 people died in the attack. It did not provide further details on how the council arrived at the figure.
However, a Mariupol news site published an interview Thursday with two eyewitnesses who survived the blast, including one who estimated that at least 300 people were killed. The Washington Post could not independently verify the figure.
Read the full story here.
Biden arrives in Poland as refugee crisis intensifies
President Biden landed in Rzeszow, 60 miles from the Ukraine border, for his starkest confrontation yet with the intensifying refugee crisis, saying he was disappointed he could not cross the border into Ukraine to see the effects of the war being waged by Russia firsthand.
Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke before Biden and other top U.S. officials received a briefing on the humanitarian efforts to address the suffering of civilians inside Ukraine and respond to the growing flow of refugees leaving the country.
Biden lauded the Polish efforts in playing a leading role in the humanitarian response, just a day after the U.S. significantly stepped up its commitments. Biden pledged Thursday to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing $1 billion in new humanitarian aid.
Read the full story here.
President Biden landed in Rzeszow, 60 miles from the Ukraine border, for his starkest confrontation yet with the intensifying refugee crisis, saying he was disappointed he could not cross the border into Ukraine to see the effects of the war being waged by Russia firsthand.
Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke before Biden and other top U.S. officials received a briefing on the humanitarian efforts to address the suffering of civilians inside Ukraine and respond to the growing flow of refugees leaving the country.
Biden lauded the Polish efforts in playing a leading role in the humanitarian response, just a day after the U.S. significantly stepped up its commitments. Biden pledged Thursday to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing $1 billion in new humanitarian aid.
Read the full story here.