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CONTENTS:
Russian invasion 'not on schedule' and 'in some significant areas of disarray' - defence sec says
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "not on schedule" and Vladimir Putin's forces "are in some significant areas of disarray", the defence secretary has told Sky News.
Ben Wallace said the Russian invasion launched last week is not having the "strategic impact" that Moscow believed it would.
'Staunch Ukrainian resistance'
His comments come after the Ministry of Defence shared an intelligence update of the latest situation on the ground in Ukraine.
In a tweet, the MoD said: "The bulk of Putin's ground forces remain more than 30km to the north of Kyiv, their advance having been slowed by Ukrainian forces defending Hostomel airfield, a key Russian objective for day one of the conflict.
"Heavy fighting continues around Chernihiv and Kharkiv; however both cities remain under Ukrainian control.
"Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance.
"Despite continued attempts to suppress details of the conflict from the Russian population, the Russian Armed Forces has for the first time been forced to acknowledge suffering casualties."
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 4,500 Russian soldiers have been killed so far.
At least 102 civilians are known to have died in the conflict so far, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said, with a further 304 injured.
More than 500,000 Ukrainians are known to have fled the country.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is "stepping up support" to Ukraine, with air-defence missiles and anti-tank weapons being provided, as well as humanitarian and financial aid.
Meanwhile, the Scottish government has announced it will be sending £4m in humanitarian aid along with medical supplies.
Next 24 hours 'crucial period'
Boris Johnson spoke with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday evening and promised to do "all he could to help ensure defensive aid from the UK and allies reached" the country.
Mr Zelenskyy told the PM the next 24 hours would be a "crucial period" for Ukraine.
A meeting of the government's emergency committee, COBRA, was held on Monday, along with a cabinet meeting in Downing Street.
Mr Johnson opened the meeting by saying Putin had made a "colossal mistake" in thinking his troops would be "garlanded with roses" by Ukrainians.
The PM's spokesman said the sanctions brought in by the UK so far are designed to "bring down the Putin regime" - but Number 10 later said he had "misspoke" when making this remark.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due to make a statement about sanctions in the Commons at 3.30pm.
In a tweet on Monday morning, Mr Johnson said he was working with allies in the G7 group of nations and elsewhere to impose the "most severe economic measures possible" against Putin for his "abhorrent campaign against Ukraine".
The government has said it will target the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, in conjunction with the US and EU, to prevent the CBR from trying to undermine the impact of sanctions already imposed and its efforts to shore up the Russian rouble.
Mr Johnson has announced that immediate family members will be able to join Ukrainians settled in the UK
as they flee the Russian invasion.
Speaking to Sky News, the defence secretary said this announcement was only a "first step" and "we're absolutely looking at all the different range of options we can apply to welcome Ukrainians in need".
It is understood there will be movement on the issue in the coming days, but government sources have told Sky News that it is "not fully cooked" yet
.
There is understood to be some frustration in government that "we are being criticised for not having a free for all".
The PM's spokesman said Home Secretary Priti Patel will "say a little more" when she faces MPs later.
It has also been confirmed that plans to tackle the flow of "dirty money" and stop the laundering of ill-gotten wealth in the UK property market will be fast-tracked by the government.
The move, first reported on Saturday by Sky News political correspondent Tamara Cohen
, comes just days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
'Better ways' to help for those without military experience
Mr Wallace was also asked about comments from Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who told LBC on Sunday that she supported anyone who wanted to travel to Ukraine to help fight Russian forces.
He said that for those without military experience, there were "better ways" to help.
The defence secretary said his cabinet colleague was right that it was a "just cause", but he said: "If you're keen to help and you're a United Kingdom citizen, come and join our armed forces."
He continued: "Look, there are people who will go... I think what I would say is unless you are properly trained, unless you are a - you know - experienced member of an armed forces, I think there are better ways for you to contribute to the security of Ukraine."
Mr Wallace said the Russian president's nuclear warning is a "big attempt to distract away from his troubles in Ukraine".
Asked if Mr Putin was "crazy enough" to start a nuclear conflict, Mr Wallace said "he has certainly done a lot of irrational things recently".
But he added: "I think I'm not going to speculate on what he would or wouldn't do, but that's why we all keep our deterrents at a state of readiness in the West."
Downing Street also contradicted the foreign secretary's comments, with Mr Johnson's spokesman saying: "We think the best way we can help Ukraine right now is by ensuring Putin fails.
"There are a number of ways Brits can show their support for that, and the Ukrainian embassy in London is putting out information about how British can support.
"We fully recognise the strength of feeling about British people wanting to support the Ukrainians following the Russian invasion.
"There's advice up on travelling to Ukraine, we currently advise against travel to Ukraine."
https://archive.is/2vnhB
PLEASE NOTE: I had this news article open in a tab from earlier today. Upon saving this article on archive.is, it has changed.
Russia hikes key interest rate to 20% after rouble slumps to record low
Russia's central bank has raised its key interest rate from 9.5% to 20% in an attempt to shore up the rouble after it plunged to a record low.
The currency plummeted after Western nations imposed new sanctions on the country for its invasion of Ukraine.
The rouble was down nearly 30% against the US dollar at one point, dropping as low as 119 per dollar in early Asian trading, passing its previous low of 90 roubles per dollar, before later recovering slightly to 109 roubles.
The Moscow Exchange said the start of foreign exchange and money market trading on Monday would be delayed. The stock market remained closed.
"External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed," the central bank said in a statement.
"The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks.
"This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect citizens' savings from depreciation."
It comes after tough financial sanctions announced by Western nations, including the UK, European countries, the US, and joined by Japan overnight.
These include blocking some Russian banks from SWIFT
- a system which allows around 11,000 of the world's financial institutions to communicate and authorise payments.
Other restrictions are aimed at the more than $600bn in reserves held by Russia's central bank, with the intention of preventing any support for the struggling rouble.
Britain's Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Monday that the measures "demonstrate our determination to apply severe economic sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine".
The UK government said it would "immediately take all necessary steps to bring into effect restrictions to prohibit any UK natural or legal persons from undertaking financial transactions involving the CBR [Russia's central bank], the Russian National Wealth Fund, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation".
In a note to clients, JP Morgan said it expected Russia's economy to shrink by 20% in the second quarter following the intensified sanctions.
"If these new sanctions are indeed imposed, the impact on the Russian economy would be severe," analyst Jahangir Aziz said.
"The two pillars of the economy even in the midst of slowing growth, rising inflation, and high interest rates were the 'fortress' FX reserves of CBR and Russia's current account surplus. Not anymore."
Photos showed Russians queueing to withdraw money in some cities, worried about cash shortages, despite the Russian Central Bank calling for calm.
Some analysts said lenders in the country have only limited time before they face very serious problems.
Jeffrey Halley, Asia-based senior market analyst at OANDA, told Reuters: "A bank run has already started in Russia over the weekend... and inflation will immediately spike massively, and the Russian banking system is likely to be in trouble."
Analysts at Rabobank said the sanctions on currency reserves took away what little support the rouble had, predicting a "complete collapse" in the currency today.
Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank, also said the rouble's collapse "appears imminent", but others were more cautious, with Peter Kinsella, London-based global head of FX strategy at UBP only going as far as saying he expected the currency to "weaken quite severely".
https://archive.is/RPduE
Putin has raised the abhorrent spectre of a nuclear option - could it be a sign of desperation?
Russia's decision to raise the spectre of a nuclear option in the Ukraine war is a significant escalation, but also perhaps a sign of desperation.
Nuclear weapons are designed to pose the ultimate deterrence to a nuclear-armed enemy.
The thinking goes that by possessing nuclear arms - and only a few countries do, including the UK, US and China, though not Ukraine - a state would never use them against another nuclear power or its allies because it would mean mutually assured destruction as they would fire back.
The balance of that calculation though is impacted if one country - in this case Russia - suddenly puts its nuclear-armed forces on high alert.
As well as aggressive signalling to the West, it is also a menace for Ukraine.
Unlike for example UK nuclear weapons policy, Russia's nuclear doctrine allows for smaller, tactical nuclear warheads to be threatened in a conventional conflict - including against a non-nuclear-armed country such as Ukraine - in the hope that the other side capitulates in fear.
It is referred to as "escalate to de-escalate".
If the enemy does not back down, then Russia could in theory launch a limited - in relative terms - nuclear strike to inflict such punishing damage as to force a victory.
An abhorrent thought - making for a deliberately escalatory threat by the Kremlin, but President Vladimir Putin's invasion is not going to plan. Four days in, his forces, despite their superior firepower, have failed to capture and hold any major cities. Instead, they appear to be incurring significant losses.
As the invading force, they will know they only have finite supplies, from weapons to rations, so they will need to meet their objectives or face the prospect of retreat. At the same time, the Western response to the invasion has been far more powerful than even the optimists had imagined.
Russian banks are being cut off from the main international payment system
and much of Europe's airspace is closed to Russian flights
. Allies of Ukraine, including previously opposed Germany, have pledged to supply thousands of much-needed weapons.
In the biggest gamble of his extended time in power, Mr Putin chose to send his troops and missiles into Ukraine last Thursday in defiance of Western warnings to hold back. It means he cannot afford to fail or else he knows his time in power will almost certainly be over, leaving a legacy of humiliation and defeat.
https://archive.is/HWwAe
Anonymous 'hacks Russian TV to show footage from Ukraine front lines'
©Provided by Metro Anonymous claimed hackers were able to access Russian TV and broadcast images fom Ukraine
Hacking group Anonymous has claimed it was able to hack into Russian TV stations and show footage from Ukraine.
The group said it was trying to ‘broadcast the truth’ about what is happening in the conflict.
Pro-Kremlin Russian television stations have been criticised for repeating Vladimir Putin’s ‘propaganda’ that the invasion is a ‘special operation’ and Russia is not the aggressor.
Social media networks have also been restricted in the country during the conflict, preventing images of the suffering in Ukraine reaching people in Moscow and St Petersburg.
The clip claiming TV stations had been hacked by Anonymous was viewed nearly 10 million times in less than 24 hours.
It showed stations apparently broadcasting footage that went viral earlier in the week of a young father saying goodbye to his wife and daughter as they fled the country due to the fighting.
Images of bombs detonating and damaged residential buildings then flashed up on the screen.
It was not clear which television stations were affected or for how long. It came after hackers were apparently able to broadcast Ukrainian songs instead of the planned output in Russia
.
© Provided by Metro This image was one of those to feature on the clip
Kremlin websites have also been affected by long outages after pro-Ukraine hackers announced a ‘cyber-war’
to counter what is happening in the country.
Ukraine’s leaders have called for the hacker underground to form an ‘IT army’ to fight against Russia and protect critical infrastructure.
As an information war raged, Moscow on Friday said it was partially limiting access to Facebook, accusing it of ‘censoring’ Russian media.
This was in response to the social network banning certain pro-Russian TV channels from running ads and monetising through its platform.
© Provided by Metro Damage to buildings was also apparently broadcast
Google is also limiting access to Russian media’s YouTube channels in Ukrainian territory, at the request of the government in Kyiv.
Twitter is being restricted for some users in Russia, with people struggling to load newsfeeds and send tweets.
The social media company said on Saturday that it was working to keep its service safe and accessible.
https://archive.is/Krh0v
Ukrainian sailor arrested for partially sinking luxury yacht of his Russian boss in Spain
A Ukrainian sailor in Spain’s Mallorca has been arrested for partially sinking a yacht worth €7m (£5.8m) owned by a Russian tycoon, days after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The yacht, named the Lady Anastasia, is a 156-foot-long boat with five cabins and is owned by Alexander Mijeev, a former head of the Russian Helicopter Corporation.
In 2016, he took over Rostec, a Russian state-owned weapons supplier.
The sailor, who has not been named, allegedly opened the ship’s valves causing it to partially sink, reported Spain’s Balearic Island newspaper Ultima Hora on Sunday.
He opened one valve in the engine room and a second where the crew lives and allegedly asked three other crew members, also Ukrainians, to abandon the ship.
He also turned off the fuel valves and switched off the electricity on the ship.
Later when the civil guards came to arrest him, he said: “The owner of this ship is a criminal who makes his living selling weapons and now they kill Ukrainians.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday in a full-scale military operation
, the country has been bombarded with explosions and missiles
as thousands have been forced to flee their homes
to escape the war.
In court, the sailor, who has been working for the ship for a decade said he blamed Mr Mijeev for producing weapons used to attack Ukraine.
He said he had seen news on television about how a Russian cruise missile hit a block of flats and assumed that the missile had been made by his boss.
“The warhead did not explode, but more than five floors were still destroyed,” he said in his statement in court.
The sailor recalled living in a similar apartment in Kyiv and sought to take revenge on his boss.
He said he only meant to cause material harm to Mr Mijeev and it was not personal.
The sailor has been charged but released by the judge.
https://archive.is/D9ytf
Developments in the Ukraine crisis:
- Russian invasion 'not on schedule' and 'in some significant areas of disarray' - defence sec says
- Russia hikes key interest rate to 20% after rouble slumps to record low
- Putin has raised the abhorrent spectre of a nuclear option - could it be a sign of desperation?
- Anonymous 'hacks Russian TV to show footage from Ukraine front lines'
- Ukrainian sailor arrested for partially sinking luxury yacht of his Russian boss in Spain
Russian invasion 'not on schedule' and 'in some significant areas of disarray' - defence sec says
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "not on schedule" and Vladimir Putin's forces "are in some significant areas of disarray", the defence secretary has told Sky News.
Ben Wallace said the Russian invasion launched last week is not having the "strategic impact" that Moscow believed it would.
'Staunch Ukrainian resistance'
His comments come after the Ministry of Defence shared an intelligence update of the latest situation on the ground in Ukraine.
In a tweet, the MoD said: "The bulk of Putin's ground forces remain more than 30km to the north of Kyiv, their advance having been slowed by Ukrainian forces defending Hostomel airfield, a key Russian objective for day one of the conflict.
"Heavy fighting continues around Chernihiv and Kharkiv; however both cities remain under Ukrainian control.
"Logistical failures and staunch Ukrainian resistance continue to frustrate the Russian advance.
"Despite continued attempts to suppress details of the conflict from the Russian population, the Russian Armed Forces has for the first time been forced to acknowledge suffering casualties."
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 4,500 Russian soldiers have been killed so far.
At least 102 civilians are known to have died in the conflict so far, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said, with a further 304 injured.
More than 500,000 Ukrainians are known to have fled the country.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance is "stepping up support" to Ukraine, with air-defence missiles and anti-tank weapons being provided, as well as humanitarian and financial aid.
Meanwhile, the Scottish government has announced it will be sending £4m in humanitarian aid along with medical supplies.
Next 24 hours 'crucial period'
Boris Johnson spoke with Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Sunday evening and promised to do "all he could to help ensure defensive aid from the UK and allies reached" the country.
Mr Zelenskyy told the PM the next 24 hours would be a "crucial period" for Ukraine.
A meeting of the government's emergency committee, COBRA, was held on Monday, along with a cabinet meeting in Downing Street.
Mr Johnson opened the meeting by saying Putin had made a "colossal mistake" in thinking his troops would be "garlanded with roses" by Ukrainians.
The PM's spokesman said the sanctions brought in by the UK so far are designed to "bring down the Putin regime" - but Number 10 later said he had "misspoke" when making this remark.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due to make a statement about sanctions in the Commons at 3.30pm.
In a tweet on Monday morning, Mr Johnson said he was working with allies in the G7 group of nations and elsewhere to impose the "most severe economic measures possible" against Putin for his "abhorrent campaign against Ukraine".
The government has said it will target the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, in conjunction with the US and EU, to prevent the CBR from trying to undermine the impact of sanctions already imposed and its efforts to shore up the Russian rouble.
Mr Johnson has announced that immediate family members will be able to join Ukrainians settled in the UK
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukrainian-refugees-will-be-able-to-join-immediate-family-members-in-uk-says-johnson-12553796Speaking to Sky News, the defence secretary said this announcement was only a "first step" and "we're absolutely looking at all the different range of options we can apply to welcome Ukrainians in need".
It is understood there will be movement on the issue in the coming days, but government sources have told Sky News that it is "not fully cooked" yet
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-uk-visa-rules-for-ukrainians-fleeing-russian-invasion-expected-to-be-eased-further-12553972There is understood to be some frustration in government that "we are being criticised for not having a free for all".
The PM's spokesman said Home Secretary Priti Patel will "say a little more" when she faces MPs later.
It has also been confirmed that plans to tackle the flow of "dirty money" and stop the laundering of ill-gotten wealth in the UK property market will be fast-tracked by the government.
The move, first reported on Saturday by Sky News political correspondent Tamara Cohen
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/measures-to-expose-dirty-money-stashed-in-uk-property-fast-tracked-to-target-russian-oligarchs-12552059'Better ways' to help for those without military experience
Mr Wallace was also asked about comments from Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who told LBC on Sunday that she supported anyone who wanted to travel to Ukraine to help fight Russian forces.
He said that for those without military experience, there were "better ways" to help.
The defence secretary said his cabinet colleague was right that it was a "just cause", but he said: "If you're keen to help and you're a United Kingdom citizen, come and join our armed forces."
He continued: "Look, there are people who will go... I think what I would say is unless you are properly trained, unless you are a - you know - experienced member of an armed forces, I think there are better ways for you to contribute to the security of Ukraine."
Mr Wallace said the Russian president's nuclear warning is a "big attempt to distract away from his troubles in Ukraine".
Asked if Mr Putin was "crazy enough" to start a nuclear conflict, Mr Wallace said "he has certainly done a lot of irrational things recently".
But he added: "I think I'm not going to speculate on what he would or wouldn't do, but that's why we all keep our deterrents at a state of readiness in the West."
Downing Street also contradicted the foreign secretary's comments, with Mr Johnson's spokesman saying: "We think the best way we can help Ukraine right now is by ensuring Putin fails.
"There are a number of ways Brits can show their support for that, and the Ukrainian embassy in London is putting out information about how British can support.
"We fully recognise the strength of feeling about British people wanting to support the Ukrainians following the Russian invasion.
"There's advice up on travelling to Ukraine, we currently advise against travel to Ukraine."
https://archive.is/2vnhB
PLEASE NOTE: I had this news article open in a tab from earlier today. Upon saving this article on archive.is, it has changed.
Russia hikes key interest rate to 20% after rouble slumps to record low
Russia's central bank has raised its key interest rate from 9.5% to 20% in an attempt to shore up the rouble after it plunged to a record low.
The currency plummeted after Western nations imposed new sanctions on the country for its invasion of Ukraine.
The rouble was down nearly 30% against the US dollar at one point, dropping as low as 119 per dollar in early Asian trading, passing its previous low of 90 roubles per dollar, before later recovering slightly to 109 roubles.
The Moscow Exchange said the start of foreign exchange and money market trading on Monday would be delayed. The stock market remained closed.
"External conditions for the Russian economy have drastically changed," the central bank said in a statement.
"The increase of the key rate will ensure a rise in deposit rates to levels needed to compensate for the increased depreciation and inflation risks.
"This is needed to support financial and price stability and protect citizens' savings from depreciation."
It comes after tough financial sanctions announced by Western nations, including the UK, European countries, the US, and joined by Japan overnight.
These include blocking some Russian banks from SWIFT
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-western-allies-agree-to-kick-select-russian-banks-out-of-swift-cutting-them-off-from-global-financial-network-12552905Other restrictions are aimed at the more than $600bn in reserves held by Russia's central bank, with the intention of preventing any support for the struggling rouble.
Britain's Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Monday that the measures "demonstrate our determination to apply severe economic sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine".
The UK government said it would "immediately take all necessary steps to bring into effect restrictions to prohibit any UK natural or legal persons from undertaking financial transactions involving the CBR [Russia's central bank], the Russian National Wealth Fund, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation".
In a note to clients, JP Morgan said it expected Russia's economy to shrink by 20% in the second quarter following the intensified sanctions.
"If these new sanctions are indeed imposed, the impact on the Russian economy would be severe," analyst Jahangir Aziz said.
"The two pillars of the economy even in the midst of slowing growth, rising inflation, and high interest rates were the 'fortress' FX reserves of CBR and Russia's current account surplus. Not anymore."
Photos showed Russians queueing to withdraw money in some cities, worried about cash shortages, despite the Russian Central Bank calling for calm.
Some analysts said lenders in the country have only limited time before they face very serious problems.
Jeffrey Halley, Asia-based senior market analyst at OANDA, told Reuters: "A bank run has already started in Russia over the weekend... and inflation will immediately spike massively, and the Russian banking system is likely to be in trouble."
Analysts at Rabobank said the sanctions on currency reserves took away what little support the rouble had, predicting a "complete collapse" in the currency today.
Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank, also said the rouble's collapse "appears imminent", but others were more cautious, with Peter Kinsella, London-based global head of FX strategy at UBP only going as far as saying he expected the currency to "weaken quite severely".
https://archive.is/RPduE
Putin has raised the abhorrent spectre of a nuclear option - could it be a sign of desperation?
Russia's decision to raise the spectre of a nuclear option in the Ukraine war is a significant escalation, but also perhaps a sign of desperation.
Nuclear weapons are designed to pose the ultimate deterrence to a nuclear-armed enemy.
The thinking goes that by possessing nuclear arms - and only a few countries do, including the UK, US and China, though not Ukraine - a state would never use them against another nuclear power or its allies because it would mean mutually assured destruction as they would fire back.
The balance of that calculation though is impacted if one country - in this case Russia - suddenly puts its nuclear-armed forces on high alert.
As well as aggressive signalling to the West, it is also a menace for Ukraine.
Unlike for example UK nuclear weapons policy, Russia's nuclear doctrine allows for smaller, tactical nuclear warheads to be threatened in a conventional conflict - including against a non-nuclear-armed country such as Ukraine - in the hope that the other side capitulates in fear.
It is referred to as "escalate to de-escalate".
If the enemy does not back down, then Russia could in theory launch a limited - in relative terms - nuclear strike to inflict such punishing damage as to force a victory.
An abhorrent thought - making for a deliberately escalatory threat by the Kremlin, but President Vladimir Putin's invasion is not going to plan. Four days in, his forces, despite their superior firepower, have failed to capture and hold any major cities. Instead, they appear to be incurring significant losses.
As the invading force, they will know they only have finite supplies, from weapons to rations, so they will need to meet their objectives or face the prospect of retreat. At the same time, the Western response to the invasion has been far more powerful than even the optimists had imagined.
Russian banks are being cut off from the main international payment system
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-west-must-ensure-sanctions-dont-inadvertently-entrench-putin-deeper-into-power-12553565
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-eu-to-close-airspace-to-all-russian-planes-and-ban-kremlin-backed-media-12553502In the biggest gamble of his extended time in power, Mr Putin chose to send his troops and missiles into Ukraine last Thursday in defiance of Western warnings to hold back. It means he cannot afford to fail or else he knows his time in power will almost certainly be over, leaving a legacy of humiliation and defeat.
https://archive.is/HWwAe
Anonymous 'hacks Russian TV to show footage from Ukraine front lines'
©Provided by Metro Anonymous claimed hackers were able to access Russian TV and broadcast images fom Ukraine
Hacking group Anonymous has claimed it was able to hack into Russian TV stations and show footage from Ukraine.
The group said it was trying to ‘broadcast the truth’ about what is happening in the conflict.
Pro-Kremlin Russian television stations have been criticised for repeating Vladimir Putin’s ‘propaganda’ that the invasion is a ‘special operation’ and Russia is not the aggressor.
Social media networks have also been restricted in the country during the conflict, preventing images of the suffering in Ukraine reaching people in Moscow and St Petersburg.
The clip claiming TV stations had been hacked by Anonymous was viewed nearly 10 million times in less than 24 hours.
It showed stations apparently broadcasting footage that went viral earlier in the week of a young father saying goodbye to his wife and daughter as they fled the country due to the fighting.
Images of bombs detonating and damaged residential buildings then flashed up on the screen.
It was not clear which television stations were affected or for how long. It came after hackers were apparently able to broadcast Ukrainian songs instead of the planned output in Russia
Code:
https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/26/kremlin-website-down-hacked-russian-tv-broadcasts-ukrainian-songs-16181086/© Provided by Metro This image was one of those to feature on the clip
Kremlin websites have also been affected by long outages after pro-Ukraine hackers announced a ‘cyber-war’
Code:
https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/25/anonymous-declares-cyber-war-on-putin-and-says-it-took-down-rt-website-16173346/Ukraine’s leaders have called for the hacker underground to form an ‘IT army’ to fight against Russia and protect critical infrastructure.
As an information war raged, Moscow on Friday said it was partially limiting access to Facebook, accusing it of ‘censoring’ Russian media.
This was in response to the social network banning certain pro-Russian TV channels from running ads and monetising through its platform.
© Provided by Metro Damage to buildings was also apparently broadcast
Google is also limiting access to Russian media’s YouTube channels in Ukrainian territory, at the request of the government in Kyiv.
Twitter is being restricted for some users in Russia, with people struggling to load newsfeeds and send tweets.
The social media company said on Saturday that it was working to keep its service safe and accessible.
https://archive.is/Krh0v
Ukrainian sailor arrested for partially sinking luxury yacht of his Russian boss in Spain
A Ukrainian sailor in Spain’s Mallorca has been arrested for partially sinking a yacht worth €7m (£5.8m) owned by a Russian tycoon, days after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The yacht, named the Lady Anastasia, is a 156-foot-long boat with five cabins and is owned by Alexander Mijeev, a former head of the Russian Helicopter Corporation.
In 2016, he took over Rostec, a Russian state-owned weapons supplier.
The sailor, who has not been named, allegedly opened the ship’s valves causing it to partially sink, reported Spain’s Balearic Island newspaper Ultima Hora on Sunday.
He opened one valve in the engine room and a second where the crew lives and allegedly asked three other crew members, also Ukrainians, to abandon the ship.
He also turned off the fuel valves and switched off the electricity on the ship.
Later when the civil guards came to arrest him, he said: “The owner of this ship is a criminal who makes his living selling weapons and now they kill Ukrainians.”
Since Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday in a full-scale military operation
Code:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-ukraine-crisis-explained-how-b2024238.html
Code:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-peace-talks-agreement-b2024381.html
Code:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-ukrainian-refugees-border-poland-b2024425.htmlIn court, the sailor, who has been working for the ship for a decade said he blamed Mr Mijeev for producing weapons used to attack Ukraine.
He said he had seen news on television about how a Russian cruise missile hit a block of flats and assumed that the missile had been made by his boss.
“The warhead did not explode, but more than five floors were still destroyed,” he said in his statement in court.
The sailor recalled living in a similar apartment in Kyiv and sought to take revenge on his boss.
He said he only meant to cause material harm to Mr Mijeev and it was not personal.
The sailor has been charged but released by the judge.
https://archive.is/D9ytf
Developments in the Ukraine crisis:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered that Russia's nuclear deterrent forces be put on high alert
, blaming "aggressive statements" by Western countriesCode:
https://news.sky.com/story/russia-vladimir-putin-orders-military-command-to-put-nuclear-deterrence-forces-on-high-alert-12553278 - Blasts were heard in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and its second-largest city Kharkiv overnight. Kyiv's mayor said the city was surrounded and there was now no way out for civilians
- The UN's two major bodies - the 193-nation General Assembly and the 15-member Security Council - will hold separate meetings later today to discuss the invasion
- Missiles hit a radioactive waste disposal site in Kyiv but there were no reports of damage or the release of radioactive material
- Reports in a number of news outlets, including Kyiv Independent, said that paratroopers from Russia's ally Belarus could soon be deployed to fight against Ukraine
- Belarus approved a new constitution in a referendum which would ditch its non-nuclear status, possibly paving the way for nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil for the first time since the country gave them up after the fall of the Soviet Union. The West has said it does not accept the referendum result
- The European Union said it would close its airspace to Russian airlines, as well as funding weapons for Ukraine
- Zelenskyy: Ukraine and Russia to hold talks at Belarus border
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-and-russia-set-to-hold-negotiations-at-belarusian-ukrainian-border-says-office-of-president-zelenskyy-12553294 - Ukraine claims control of key city Kharkiv after fierce clashes
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-heavy-fighting-in-key-city-of-kharkiv-after-gas-pipeline-hit-by-russian-forces-12552959 - Foreign secretary warns conflict could last 'years'
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-conflict-could-last-years-and-uk-needs-to-be-prepared-for-a-very-long-haul-says-foreign-secretary-liz-truss-12553040 - BP to offload its stake in state-owned Russian oil giant Rosneft
Code:
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-invasion-bp-to-offload-its-19-75-stake-in-state-owned-russian-oil-giant-rosneft-12553546
