The situation is holding, but barely, and fingers are being pointed. Kyiv will be encircled in March and the siege will be bloody for both sides. Here are perspectives and developments as of Sunday afternoon.
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“We would like to point out that the use of the network of airfields of those countries for the stationing of Ukrainian combat aviation for the further use against the Russian Armed Forces could be viewed as the involvement of those countries in the armed conflict,” Russian spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Interfax news agency. He means Poland.
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“I believe Ukraine is not the last item on Mr. Putin’s menu,” said Polish Ambassador to the US Marek Magierowski.
“We have to be ready and determined to uphold the sanctions. Perhaps even for a decade or for 15 years or for 20 years, in order to see to the real effects,” Magierowski said.
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Retired US General Keith Kellogg: “It’s pretty simple. We are heading into act II of a multi-act play. It’s probably a Greek tragedy when you look at it. And what I mean by that is, we’re going to reach a point where [Putin’s] got to go into the city of Kyiv, into the built-up areas. He’s probably going to have to go back to the old Soviet-style use of artillery, which will be massive, and start to take down that city. And he’s going to use every weapon he has … which will include cluster-bombs to take down that city. It’s a city of about 3 million.”
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FNC: “The United States is considering a deal with Poland to send U.S. warplanes to Warsaw to replace any Soviet-era fighter jets the NATO country sends to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – during a Saturday Zoom call with more than 280 U.S. lawmakers – said the country needs fighter jets more than the anti-aircraft missiles the U.S. had agreed to, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Under the proposal, the Ukrainians would receive Russian-made MiGs that Poland inherited after the Cold War ended.”
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From The Economist: “Germany’s renewed commitment will be welcomed by the rest of NATO. If Ukraine were to fall and Russian forces to remain in Belarus indefinitely, NATO’s eastern flank would become much more exposed. Of particular concern would be the ‘Suwalki Gap’, a narrow passage which is the only land route between the three Baltic states once occupied by the Soviet Union, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, and the rest of NATO. To the west of the gap lies Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic coast; to the east lies Belarus. Were Russia to take on NATO by occupying the land between the two territories, defending the Baltic states would become a lot harder.”
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Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates: “He has nowhere near enough troops to put down a rebellion among millions of people in Ukraine, so he’s going to have to keep a significant military force in Ukraine. He’s probably going to have to increase it if he wants to hold on to that country, even if he imposes a puppet government, he’s going to have to keep forces there to keep that government in power. So I think between having his hands full in Ukraine and the risk of a true war with NATO, I think he’ll be very cautious about doing anything that crosses borders of NATO countries.
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From the Ukrainians: “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this evening with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. President Biden highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its Allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine. In particular, he welcomed the decision this evening by Visa and Mastercard to suspend service in Russia. President Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding. President Biden reiterated his concern about the recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and he commended the skill and bravery of the Ukrainian operators who have kept the reactors in safe condition. The leaders also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine.”
As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS. The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 6, 2022
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Ammunition firm aids the Ukrainians: “Ammo Inc., and we as Americans stand firmly in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, as we stand for freedom and democracy everywhere,” said AMMO Inc. CEO Fred Wagenhals. “While we fervently hope for a quick and peaceful resolution to the crisis and that diplomacy will win the day, we condemn the Russian aggression and its threat to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and freedom.
“We recognize that events are unfolding rapidly on the ground in Ukraine, and we are prepared to move quickly as possible to support Ukraine as it continues to defend itself and its freedom,” Wagenhals added.
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“Talked to @elonmusk. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects . But I’ll talk about this after the war,” said President Zelenskyy.
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Visa and Mastercard out of Russia: Al Kelly, chairman and chief executive officer of Visa Inc., “We are compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed,” Kelly said. “We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia. This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.”
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International Red Cross condemns Russia: “In the cities and streets of Ukraine today, innocent civilians are bearing witness to our Age of Impunity. The fact that 1 million refugees have already been forced to flee is a grim testament to barbaric military tactics taking aim at homes and hospitals,” David Miliband, president and CEO at IRC, said in a Wednesday statement. “The IRC is calling on the Russian government to immediately cease all violations of the laws of war to spare additional harm to civilians and avoid further displacement.”
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The British Defence Ministry has said, “Russia and Ukraine agreed to a temporary ceasefire for Ukraine to evacuate civilians through humanitarian corridors, but the deputy mayor of Mariupol reported that Russian soldiers started firing anyway. Russian state media claimed that Ukrainian nationalists had instigated the action. By accusing Ukraine of breaking the agreement, Russia is likely seeking to shift responsibility for current and future civilian casualties in the city,” the ministry said.
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It is getting increasingly difficult to discern what is truth and what is biased reporting. What is needed is to hear Russian “fake” news sources because I sense that what we are hearing are “Big Media” sources that work to mouthpiece the Russian State. Same as here, in the United States where Major Media has turned itself into the mouthpiece of the Biden Administration and Democrat Party, thereby becoming the true “fake” news. More and more Americans now realize this and it can be said that Big Media has permanently maimed itself in the process, flushing whatever little credibility it had left. Alternative outlets not owned or affiliated by Big Media are now the closest thing we have to real, genuine news. It is this “new” kind of media from Russia from which I believe we will get the true story, balancing the news we are hearing from Ukrainian sources.