Category: Russia-Ukraine conflict

United States President Joe Biden has vowed that American forces would protect every single inch of NATO nations.

Biden said while the U.S would not send forces into Ukraine to confront the Russian military, the US would join NATO allies to defend the alliance.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has entered its seventh day, with sanctions on Moscow increasing every minute.

Biden said this at his first State of the Union speech on Tuesday night where he also announced closing U.S airspace to Russian aircraft.

“Let me be clear, our forces are not engaged and will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine.

“Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our NATO Allies – in the event that Putin decides to keep moving west. Every single inch,” he said.

THE number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine has surged to nearly 836,000, United Nations figures showed, as fighting intensified on day seven of Russia’s invasion.

In all, 835,928 people have fled across the country’s borders, according to the website of UNHCR, the UN refugee agency.

That marks a huge jump from the 677,000 announced Tuesday afternoon by the organisation’s chief Filippo Grandi.

More than half have headed west into Poland, according to tallies completed up to Tuesday.

UNHCR figures show that 454,000 people had fled to Poland; 116,000 to Hungary; 67,000 to Slovakia; 65,000 to Moldova, 43,000 to Russia, 38,000 to Romania and 350 to Belarus.

Meanwhile, 52,000 have moved on to other European countries.

Refugees from Ukraine do not need to go through the asylum procedure and will receive immediate protection for up to three years in European Union (EU), German Minister of Interior, Building and Community, Nancy Faeser, tweeted on Wednesday.

She said “we will provide help quickly and without bureaucracy.

“Refugees from Ukraine do not need to go through the asylum procedure. They will receive immediate protection in the EU for up to three years.”

The minister went on to say that the refugees were provided with immediate access to health insurance and the labour market.

 

The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to reprimand Russia for invading Ukraine and demanded that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces, an action that aims to diplomatically isolate Russia at the world body.The resolution, supported by 141 of the assembly’s 193 members, passed in a rare emergency session called by the UN Security Council while Ukrainian forces battled to defend the port of Kherson in the face of air strikes and a devastating bombardment that forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.

The text of the resolution deplores Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine.” The last time the Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982, according to the U.N. website.

Russia was joined by Belarus, which has served as a launch pad for Russian invasion forces, Eritrea, North Korea and Syria in voting against the resolution. Thirty-five members, including China, abstained.

While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight, with the yesterday vote representing a symbolic victory for Ukraine and increasing Moscow’s international isolation. Even Russia’s traditional ally Serbia voted against it.

“As 141 member states of the United Nations know, more is at stake even than the conflict in Ukraine itself. This is a threat to the security of Europe and the entire rules-based order,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters after the vote.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the assembly that Russia was poised to intensify the brutality of its offensive and urged members to hold Moscow accountable for its violations of international law.

She cited videos of Russian troops moving heavy weapons into Ukraine, including cluster munitions and vacuum bombs, banned under international law.

“This is an extraordinary moment,” she said. “Now, at more than any other point in recent history, the United Nations is being challenged.”

 

NO fewer than 2,000 civilians have died since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, the Ukrainian state emergency service said yesterday.

Ten emergency responders were among the dead, it said in a Facebook post.

The UN had previously spoken of 142 civilian deaths.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a long-feared invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Since then, more than 400 fires caused by enemy fire have been extinguished, according to the statement.

The emergency service also said that 500 people have been brought to safety.

Referring to ongoing attacks, it warned that “every hour costs the lives of our children, women and defenders.’’

 

About 115 Nigerian youths yesterday stormed Ukraine Embassy, in an effort to join the country in its fight against Russia.

Their move followed the call for volunteer fighters by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.

The youths in their large numbers visited the Ukraine Embassy in Abuja, and were directed by the embassy to put down their names in a register provided.

Ironically, the youths visited the embassy on a day the Federal Government commenced the evacuation of stranded Nigerians, who fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, following the conflict between the country and Russia.

Effort to take pictures at the scene in the embassy proved aborted as reporters were barred from taking their photographs.

The second secretary, Ukraine Embassy, Bohdan Soltys, confirmed the development, adding that no step had yet been taken to that effect.

The volunteers are believed to be responding to a recent call by Ukrainian President, urging people around the world to join the fight.

In a statement released on Sunday, the President accused the Russian army of killing civilians and praised Ukrainians for having the courage to defend themselves.

He said the assault by Russia was not just “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine” but also the beginning of a war against democracy and basic human rights.

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved $8.5 million for the evacuation of Nigerians currently trapped in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, stated this to State House Correspondents yesterday after the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Dada said the memo raised for the purpose was jointly raised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Also speaking on the approval, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, said the amount is to evacuate at least 5000 nationals stranded as a result of the crisis.

Dada explained that Air Peace and Max Air airlines have been contracted to provide three aircrafts and run as many shifts as possible to facilitate the evacuation.

He also said those to be evacuated include 940 from Romania, 150 from Slovakia and 350 from Poland, who have registered for evacuation.

“The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs wrote a memo to the president seeking for funding to enable us conduct this exercise. The memo was in the tune of $8.5 million, which Mr. President has graciously approved. That provision entails arrangement to evacuate not less than 5,000 Nigerians.

“Whatever happens, you can be rest assured we are going to run many number of shifts that it will involve. Don’t forget it will also involve taking care of those Nigerians that may decide not to come back.

“It also includes some assistance for the feeding that may have been done by the missions under whatever arrangements. Even the missions themselves are also in dire situations. So, it’s a whole gambit of activities that are involved,” he said.

Asked if the amount will be released immediately for the exercise, the minister said: “That is why the evacuation flights will begin today (Wednesday).”

On students trapped in Ukrainian cities now in the hands of Russians, Dada said: “We want to believe the Russian armed forces will obey the rules of engagement. They know the rules about civilians that are caught up in situations such as this. We want to assume they will respect international laws and ensure that no harm comes to them.

“Don’t forget that even our mission in Ukraine has had to be evacuated. So, if for any reason any Nigerian is left behind, we are very prayerful and we are very hopeful that no harm shall come to them once of course they are in some shelters or whatever place they are hiding.

“Don’t forget we had also summoned both the Russian and Ukrainian ambassadors to our ministry, and we did emphasis the need for their troops to ensure that they do not do anything that will harm the lives of innocent citizens.”

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Gabriel Aduda, ‘also in a statement in Abuja, confirmed that the Federal Government yesterday commenced the evacuation of stranded Nigerians.

Aduda stated that the stranded Nigerians would be evacuated from Romania, Poland and Hungary, via Max Air and Air Peace flights.

“Furtherance to our efforts to evacuate Nigerians from neighbouring countries surrounding Ukraine, we can confirm that chattered flights will depart on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, to pick up Nigerian evacuees home.

“So far, we have the following records of evacuees received by the Nigerian embassies at Hungary: 650 persons, Poland: 350 persons, Romania: 940 persons and Slovakia: 150 persons.

“The capacity and routes of the airlines are as follow: Max Air to Romania 560 persons, Air Peace to Poland 365 persons and Air Peace to Hungary 360 persons.

“The first batch of evacuees are expected to arrive Nigeria on Thursday, March 3, 2022.

“Once again, we assure Nigerians that we are working round the clock to see that our citizens are brought back home safely.