Ukraine - Russia border crisis | News summary 17/02
Ukraine crisis: latest updates
Ukraine - Russia crisis: headlines
- Russia expels second highest US diplomat from the American Embassy in Moscow
- Dow takes a plunge as news about a Russian invasion intensify
- Kiev accuses the Russia-backed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) rebels of shelling a kindergarten in eastern Ukraine.
- US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken addresses UN Security Council, making claims over the continued threat of invasion and possible use of chemical weapons.
Outside the White House President Biden says that chance of Russian invasion is still "very high" just before departing on Marine One.
- Russianinvasion of Ukraine did not occur on Wednesday 16 February, as mistakenly claimed by the US media.
- A Russian invasion could have a major impact on the supply and price of crude oil. Already, the barrel is above $100, as global supply is threatened. How much does the US import from Russia?
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov tells President Putin: "[diplomatic] possibilities are far from being exhausted"
- "We are not afraid of Russia" says Ukrainian President Zelensky
Related stories:
VP Kamala Harris arrives in Germany
I’m in Munich, Germany to lead the U.S. delegation at the Munich Security Conference. Tomorrow I will join other world leaders to underscore our commitments to our allies and partners, and demonstrate our unity in the face of Russian aggression on Ukraine’s borders.
Leaning into diplomacy to resolve crisis in Ukraine
The UN Security Council met on Thursday to address the potential invasion of Ukraine by the 150,000-plus Russian forces amassed on the border. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was supposed to travel to Munich, Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference but changed his plans to address the 15-member council.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield talked with the other members of the council to prepare them for what Blinken would say. She told them that this is not a Cold War confrontation between Russia and the US. This is about the UN living up to its charter and upholding the values that all nations have signed onto.
Markets down as investor move money to safer assets
Investors began shifting capital into US government debt and gold late in Thursday's session driving the major indexes down. This came as tensions between the US and Russia flared at the UN Security Council and conflicting reports from both Ukraine and Russia of mortars fired in eastern Ukraine between pro-government and Russian-backed separatists.
Rally outside United Nations in support of Ukraine
Around 200 people gathered for a peaceful show of solidarity and support for the people of Ukraine outside the United Nations in New York on Thrusday. Many were from or have family in Ukraine which is surrounded by Russian forces numbering as many as 150,000. A larger rally is schedule to take place in Washington DC on Sunday.
Russia has said that it will scale back the number of troops surrounding Ukraine, but the US is reporting that they have only increased the number in recent days. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke to this threat today at the United Nations, warning that the Kremlin may use a false flag operation as pretext to invade.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has not yet released a statement on the comments made by the US at a Security Council meeting. But both Blinken and President Biden have said that they are still open to negotiating a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Putin has accused to the West of inciting hysteria while denying their motivations.
The Dow down more than 600 points
The stock market did not respond well to increased tensions between Ukraine and Russia on Thursday, closing out around 600 points lower than yesterday.
While many are focused on the possible market implications of the possible invasion, focus should be on the people of Ukraine who find themselves in a dangerous and volatile geopolitical conflict.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office urges any British nationals to leave Ukraine
After tensions increased between Russia and Ukraine, the United Kingdom continues urging its citizens to return while "commercial means" are "still available."
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson responds to news over shelling of Ukrainian kindergarten
As news broke that Russian back militias shelled a kindergarten class in Eastern Ukraine, world leaders have begun to respond. Prime Minster Boris Johnson said that the attack seemed to be tied to alleged Russian efforts to plan a false flag operation to give the country a pretext for invasion.
“Today, as I’m sure you’ve already picked up, a kindergarten was shelled in what we are taking to be – well, we know – was a false-flag operation designed to discredit the Ukrainians, designed to create a pretext, a spurious provocation for Russian action. We fear very much that that is the kind of thing we will see more of over the next few days.”
During these comments Johnson kept the door for diplomacy open and mentioned that he would be meeting with European partners to discuss the security situation.
Now, I am mindful that some have called into question our information, recalling previous instances where intelligence ultimately did not bear out. But let me be clear: I am here today, not to start a war, but to prevent one. The information I’ve presented here is validated by what we’ve seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months. And remember that while Russia has repeatedly derided our warnings and alarms as melodrama and nonsense, they have been steadily amassing more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, as well as the capabilities to conduct a massive military assault.
Conflicting evidence on the question of if Russia is withdrawing its troops
While some in the German media are reporting that Russia is showing some signs of withdraw from their positions around Ukraine, the United States has come out with a very different narrative today.
During this testimony in front the UN Security Council, Secretary Blinken said, that the US and allies "don’t know precisely how things will play out, but here’s what the world can expect to see unfold. In fact, it’s unfolding right now, today, as Russia takes steps down the path to war and reissued the threat of military action."
This is in clear opposition to news that Russia plans to move troops out of the region. Additionally, Sec. Blinken, continued the messaging that Russia may prepare a false flag operation as "a pretext for its attack." Yesterday, Russia announced that they were opening an investigation into the possibility of mass graves found in Ukraine. Some are reporting that this could form part of its pretext for invasion.
"It could be a fabricated so-called “terrorist” bombing inside Russia, the invented discovery of a mass grave, a staged drone strike against civilians, or a fake – even a real – attack using chemical weapons," the Secretary said during his remarks.
President Biden ignores question over intelligence that Russia may use chemical weapons against Ukraine
For weeks, US officials have been speaking about intelligence reporting that Russia is planing to invade Ukraine. Russia, however, has said they have no plans to do so. Complicating matters is the more than 150,000 Russian troops positioned around Ukraine, a clear sign to those in the West that an invasion could happen at any time.
However, in addition to warnings of an invasion, US officials including the President have said Russia may set up a false flag operation, giving them an excuse to invade, or begin the invasion with a brutal aerial bombing.
Now, after Secretary of State Blinken's testimony to the UN Security Council, many journalists are asking questions about his claim that Russia may plan a chemical weapons attack. When Josh Hudson asked President Biden about this intelligence, he was "waved off."
It is not to say that there is no chance that the Russian government has this sort of plan, rather that the media has a responsibility to ask questions when it comes to issues of national security and violent conflict.
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken address UN Security Council
President Biden says threat of Russian invasion remains "very high"
Q Mr. President, how high is the threat of a Russian invasion right now?
THE PRESIDENT: It’s very high.
Q Why?
THE PRESIDENT: It’s very — because they have not — they have not moved any of their troops out. They’ve moved more troops in, number one. Number two, we have reason to believe that they are engaged in a false-flag operation to have an excuse to go in. Every indication we have is they’re prepared to go into Ukraine, attack Ukraine — number one.
Number two, I’ve been waiting for a response from Putin for my letter that — my response to him. It’s come to that Moscow embassy. They’re faxing it here. Not faxing it, they’re sending it here. I have not read it yet. I cannot comment on it.
"Brutal violation" of ceasefire
Ukraine's ambassador to the US called the shelling of a village school by Russian-backed separatist forces "a brutal violation of the ceasefire" agreement. The Minsk agreement was written in 2014 and singed a year later, aiming at calming the struggle in East Ukraine between Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
UN comment on shelling reports
Speculation and accusations around a potential military conflict are rife, whatever one believes about the prospect of such a confrontation, the reality is that the current situation is extremely dangerous.
New shelling reports ratchet up tensions
Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine rose after Russian-backed separatists opened fire across the line of control with Ukrainian forces, hitting a nursery school and injuring three people.
According to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe there were multiple shelling incidents on Thursday morning across the frontline in the Donbas region.
Ukraine Foreign Minister condemns renewed fighting in Eastern Ukraine
When asked about a so-called "false flag" operation that experts fear Russia might use to justify its invasion, Ukrainian FM Kuleba says "We're very much ready for any situation".
He says Ukraine has been working with the international community to "make sure" any such attempt fails.
The US has no requirements for Americans living abroad to declare where they live, instead relying upon census data.
'Right now, we do not have what we consider to be an accurate count of Americans, private Americans, who are residing in Ukraine,' said Ned Price, State Department Spokesperson.
Top US diplomat expelled from Russia
Russia has expelled the the deputy US ambassador at the US embassy in Moscow, according to the Russian state-run news agency RIA.
It is not yet known what the reason is for Bart Gorman's expelling.
Security proposals sent by Russia
Moscow has said it would send proposals today for European security.
The details have yet to be released.
Western governments have been telling citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible, they've been sending troops and arms to Ukraine with little regard for who they are going to. Newspapers are fanning the flames of war too. However, Ukraine, and Russia despite serious sabre-rattling, have been adamant that there will be no conflict in the east.
Reporting on potentially seismic events needs to be much more careful considering the magnitude of what is being discussed and sources critiqued. War is no simple matter, but some politicians and press outlets are not treating it with the seriousness required.
NATO head discusses Russia threat
Jens Stoltenberg warns about 'false flag' attacks, where Russia will accuse Ukraine of stirring up a war.
State Department on Russian disinformation
[The stories being untrue] however has not stopped the Russians from advancing these false claims, to include reports of unmarked mass graves of civilians allegedly killed by Ukrainian armed forces, and statements that the United States or Ukraine are developing biological or chemical weapons... for use in the Russian-controlled territories.
US warns against Russian false claims being used as pretext for Ukraine invasion
The United States warned on Wednesday that Russia could use false claims about the conflict in Ukraine's Donbass region, including reports of mass graves and allegations of chemical weapons production, to justify an invasion of the former Soviet republic.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington was yet to see signs Russia was de-escalating tensions on its border with Ukraine. Concern over a potential Russian invasion has not diminished and Russian forces were in fact moving into "fighting positions," he said, despite Moscow's assertion that it was moving some troops back to their bases.
Price said Russian officials and media had planted stories in the press that were "entirely untrue."
He did not provide details, but the State Department last month published a fact sheet rebutting what it called Russian "disinformation," linking to news stories that quoted Russian officials making similar statements.
Russia uses its vast natural supplies of crude oil as a major export market and one which has grown in recent years. In spring 2021 imports of Russian oil to the United States in their highest level in a decade, become the second-largest exporter of oil to the US later that year.
Across 2021 the US imported between 12 million as 26 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum from Russia every month. In November 2021, the most recent figures on record, the Energy Information Agency reports that the US took 17.8 million barrels.
Gold and oil prices rise as a result of Ukraine crisis
Oil and gold rose on Wednesday after NATO and the United States said Russia was increasing its troop build-up near Ukraine, while a dovish reading of minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting helped stocks close mostly flat on Wall Street.
Stronger-than-expected U.S. retail sales data and higher inflation readings from Canada and Britain added to the outlook for tighter monetary policy worldwide, but geopolitical tensions kept markets for the most part focused on the Ukraine standoff.
Fed policymakers agreed it was time to raise interest rates but that any decision would depend on an analysis of inflation and other data each time they met, minutes from their two-day meeting in late January showed.
US says Russian withdrawl "false" alleging 7,000 more troops added
New US estimates now put Russian forces amassing at the border and surrounding Ukraine at over 150,000 with the inclusion of more troops in recent days. Russia had annouced that some of its troops were returning to their home bases but Western leaders were skeptical and President Biden said on Tuesday any withdrawl would be "good" but had not yet been verified.
AS USA's dedicated Russia-Ukraine live feed
The situation in Eastern Europe is thought to be very fluid with Russian forces remaining camped out along the Ukrainian border. In recent days a spokesperson from the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that troops were being withdrawn from the region, but President Biden has warned that he is yet to see any clear proof of that.