Brief facts:
- International Criminal Court in Hague decided to proceed with opening an investigation into the Situation in Ukraine, "as rapidly as possible"
- Switzerland deviates from its neutral policy to impose sanctions against Russia
- The European Parliament had an Extraordinary plenary session on the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and Parliament's Chairman help speeches, greeted with standing applause; Ukraine got a recommendation on being granted a candidate status for EU membership
- Russian forces fired at the civilian Kyiv TV Tower, prepare for an info&psycho operation in Ukraine
Sources:
- Verkhovna Rada: the parliament of Ukraine and its social media (Facebook, Telegram)
- Presidential Office: the Official website of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram), advisers to the Office: Oleksiy Arestovych and Mykhailo Podoliak.
- MIA: the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
- General Staff: the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
- Air Force: the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of Ukraine
- Ukraine NOW: ukraine.ua – the official website of Ukraine, administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Ukrainian Institute
- President Zelenskyy: the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his social media (Twitter, Facebook, Telegram)
- Ukrainian MFA: the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and social media (MFA website, MFA Twitter, Kuleba Twitter, Kuleba Facebook)
- Special Communications Service: State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine official website and social media (Twitter, Telegram)
- State Emergency Service: the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Facebook
Side note: news are marked in accordance with the Kyiv time zone: Eastern European Time (EET), GMT/UTC+2
Read more: Chronicle of the Russian Federation Crimes in Ukraine (February-April)
Latest news:
23:30 The Air Force is resisting the occupiers in all air garrisons. During the current day, March 1, the air defense forces, namely the anti-aircraft missile unit, one helicopter, and one plane of the occupiers were destroyed. Crews of Su-25 attack aircraft and Su-24M bombers of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine jointly struck four airstrikes on columns of tanks, armored vehicles of the enemy, and other purposes.
23:00 Russian troops are bombing Rusanivka and Kurenivka in Kyiv, as well as Boyarka, Vyshneve, and Zhulyany in the capital’s suburbs. This was reported by the press office of the State Special Communications Service on Telegram."Kyiv: Rusanivka, Vyshneve, Kurenivka Boyarka and Zhulyany are bombing," the statement reads.
22:21 Ukrainian Armed Forces, territorial defense destroy enemy column in Mykolaiv region.
Ukrainian aviation, military and terrorist defense fighters have destroyed a column of equipment of the Russian invaders near the town of Bashtanka in Mykolaiv region.
Head of Kirovohrad Regional Military Administration Maria Chorna said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
"We spent the whole day watching the movement of the occupiers from Mykolaiv. Now I can share the good news. A column of Russian soldiers reached Bashtanka, where they met fierce resistance. Here it was bombed by our aircraft, and the local defense chased them in the fields," Chorna said.
According to her, the invaders fled towards Novyi Buh, but it did not help them. The Ukrainian Armed Forces fired on and burned the rest of the column - several dozen armored vehicles.
"As of now, the offensive has been stopped. But we are not losing vigilance. The enemy is very insidious," she stressed.
22:00 Apple stopped work in RF
21:03 War criminals who invaded Ukraine should be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and face the strictest punishment for the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people, said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny.
"Having unleashed a bloody war in Ukraine, Russia is committing actions that have no justification either from a military or moral point of view. Killing civilians, shelling kindergartens, hospitals and residential buildings, provoking environmental disasters, shooting school buses and blocking ambulances, the use of cruise missiles in residential areas - this is an incomplete list of war crimes committed by the top military-political leadership of the Russian Federation. Crimes that have no statute of limitations and for which there is no amnesty," Zaluzhny wrote on his Facebook on Tuesday.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stressed that he wants to draw the attention of the international community to the cynical and systemic violation of the norms of international humanitarian law and morality by the Russian Federation.
"War criminals must be brought before the International Criminal Court and face the strictest punishment for the suffering inflicted on the Ukrainian people," Zaluzhny said.
19:55 The world continues to close the airspace for RussiaThis decision has already been made by countries.
19:17 Ministry of Culture of Ukraine: the Russians are going to destroy Sophia of Kyiv. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced its intention to bomb "objects of the Security Service of Ukraine" in the center of Kyiv. In a few dozens of meters from the declared target of the bombing, there is Saint Sophia Cathedral with mosaics and frescoes of the 11th century. Minister of Culture Oleksandr Tkachenko has already sent a letter to UNESCO and called on the world community to intervene.
18:46 Ukraine NOW: the European Parliament recommended granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership
18:13 The Center for Strategic Communication warned of a possible provocation from Russia on the Ukraine-Belarus border.
"About an hour ago a total of 300 Belarussian tanks appeared near Belarussian-Ukrainian border. The column hasn't crossed the border yet, and is waiting on the Pinsk–Ivanava–Drahicyn route (est. 30 km from border)."
The Center warned that Russia could perform a sabotage action to justify to Belarussian attack.
18:09 General Staff: Russia has lost almost 200 tanks and about 850 armored combat vehicles
17:27 Verkhovna Rada: Russian forces have just fired at the Kyiv TV Tower
State Emergency Service of Ukraine: five civilian people were found dead in adjacent territory. Five people were injured. The rescue operation is still going.
Defense Express memo: the Babyn Yar is the place in Kyiv where Nazi Germany's forces carried out massacres during the World War II
16:17 The first captives' exchange between Ukraine and Russia happened in Sumy (Northeastern Ukraine), Suspilne media informs citing Sumy Region Military Administration. Ukraine took back five Territorial Defense troops in exchange for a Russian military police officer.
15:55 The Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communication published the amount of help, provided to Ukraine by its Western partners in the past 24 hours.
Update: the information regarding foreign support of Ukraine was outdated. The relevant info will appear later.
15:38 Russia will pay $80 to the families of occupiers, killed in Ukraine. The information was confirmed by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Russia will pay to the dead person's family around ₽11 thousand. It is equal to about $80 according to the current exchange rates.
"For comparison, a German Shepherd pup costs $250. Consider, whether it is worth to die for the country that evaluates three soldiers' lives less than s single dog's life," the Center wrote on Facebook.
15:30 National Guard of Ukraine: Russian forces cannot land in Odesa (Southern Ukraine) due to the storm on the sea, and snow has covered the saboteurs' marks on the ground.
"The nature is on our side," the National Guard wrote on Twitter.
15:26 Ukraine NOW: at the Polish border NPR correspondent showed hundreds of Ukrainians who are returning home to fight the Russian invasion.
15:09 Locals rebel against Russian occupiers in Kupyansk, they raised Ukrainian flag and are singing Ukraine's national anthem:
14:37 Russia is preparing a massive informational-psychological operation, Oleksii Reznikov, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine said. Allegedly, the occupiers plan to halt networks and then spread a fake about Ukraine's "capitulation". They would try to spread fake documents and edited videos. Reznikov added:
"They won’t have it! There will be no surrender! Only victory! Warn everyone you can. Many of those who expected to take Kyiv in 2-3 days are already in hell."
14:14 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Chairman of Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk held speeches at the European Parliament.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine has chosen Europe, and now it is waiting for Europe to choose Ukraine.
Main messages from the speech of the President of Ukraine in front of the European Parliament, provided by Ukraine NOW:
- Nobody will enter our freedom. Each square will be an area of freedom. Nobody will break us.
- We want our children to live. It seems to me to be fair, 16 children died yesterday. Once again, Putin will say that this is an operation. Where do our children work, in which tanks do they ride?!
- We have very motivated people. We are fighting for our rights, freedom, for life, and now for survival. We are fighting to be equal members of Europe.
- The EU will be stronger with us. Without you Ukraine will be lonely. We have proved our strength. Prove that you are with us, prove that you are Europeans, then life will overcome death and light will defeat darkness.
14:08 Russia has launched 113 missiles in Ukraine since February 24, Ukraine NOW informs.
"Exactly so many Iskander and Kalibr operational-tactical missiles fell on peaceful towns and villages of Ukraine," said Valery Zaluzhny, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"This bloody crime of Putin's regime is a blatant violation of the international humanitarian law violation that needs International Criminal Court investigation," he wrote on Facebook.
13:30 As a result of a cruise missile strike on the central square in Kharkiv, at least ten people were killed, more than 20 were injured and ten people were rescued from the rubble, the State Emergency Service has said
"At least 10 people died, more than 20 injured, about 10 people were rescued from the rubble by rescuers and volunteers. Work is underway to clear the rubble. The staircase has been completely destroyed and partially the corridors on all floors," the service said in a statement posted on Tuesday in the telegram channel.
12:30 Belarusian troops entered the Chernihiv region. The information was confirmed to the Public by Vitaliy Kyrylov, spokesman for the Territorial Defense Forces "North".
11:30 Presedent of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi call all world states to response to missile attack of Kharkiv to declare Russia as terrorist state
12:30 From beginning of invasion, Russian army lost 5,710 killed, wounded, including 198 tanks, 29 helicopters – General Staff
10:40 Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin said on Monday that Helsinki would send arms and military ammunition to Ukraine, Western media said. In turn, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen said the deliveries will include 1,500 anti-tank weapons, some 2,500 assault rifles, some 150,000 rounds of ammunition and 70,000 field rations.
10:10 At least two people died after an airstrike in the center of Kharkiv and to the building of the regional state administration.
09:30 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine spread information on the total estimated losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 01.03 as of 06:00 were: :
In personnel - 5710
Prisoners - 200.
Destroyed and damaged:
- aircraft – 29 од,
- helicopters – 29 од,
- tanks‒ 198,
- APV ‒ 846,
- artillery systems– 77,
- Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 7,
- MLRS - 24,
- fuel tanks - 60,
- UAV operational and tactical level - 3,
- Boats– 2,
- Vehicles - 305.
Data are being updated. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
08:40 Russian occupation forces shelled by MLRS the center of Kharkiv, including Freedom Square and the state administration building.
08:01 Since the beginning of an uncovered invasion, Russia launched 113 cursed missiles of Iskander and Kalibr types on peaceful cities, towns and villages of Ukraine.
This bloody crime of Putin's regime is a blatant violation of the international humanitarian law violation that needs International Criminal Court investigation.
07:03 Ukrainian Air Forces will get 70 aircraft from the partners!
"Our partners give us the MiG-29 and Su-25 aircrafts ! If necessary, they will be able to be based on Polish airfields from which Ukrainian pilots will perform combat missions" - Armed Forces of Ukraine said on it Facebook.
Bulgaria (MiG-29) - 16
Bulgaria (Su-25) - 14
Poland (Mig-29) - 28
Slovakia (Mig-29) - 12
06:26 During the air raid on Vasylkiv and Brovary, Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters intercepted and shot down two Russian planes, and three Russian planes were shot down by S-300 complexes. In total, 5 occupier fighters SU-30 and SU-35 were shot down on February 28.
04:26 Reuters: Switzerland decided to adopt all the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on Russian people and companies and freeze their assets to punish the invasion of Ukraine. This marks an unprecedented sharp deviation from the country's traditional neutrality.
"We are in an extraordinary situation where extraordinary measures could be decided," President and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a news conference in Bern on Monday, February 28, flanked by the finance, defense, and justice ministers.
Switzerland also adopted financial sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, effective immediately, and closed its airspace to most Russian aircraft. In addition to that Switzerland banned five oligarchs close to Putin from entering the country, without naming them.
03:23 Verkhovna Rada: the International Criminal Court prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan QC, has personally launched an investigation of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and other war crimes.
“Ukraine is not a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, so cannot itself refer the situation to my Office. But it has twice exercised its prerogatives to legally accept the Court's jurisdiction,” the prosecutor says.
Background:
February, 24 – Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a "special military operation" against Ukraine, Reuters report. A number of cities of Ukraine suffered a missile attack. Missiles hit several military facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro cities. "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression," wrote Ukrainian MoF Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter.
"Today, on 24 of February, at 5.00 AM the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched an intensive shelling of our units on east, delivered missile/bomb strikes on airfields in Boryspil, Ozerne, Kulbakino, Chuhuiv, Kramatorsk, Chornobaivka, as well as on military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on Facebook: "At the same time the aggressor started artillery shelling of the areas and settlements along the state border and administrative boundary with the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea."
National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, headed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, imposed martial law across the country, the decision was approved by the Ukrainian government during an emergency session.
Earlier Putin recognized the Russia-backed regions of Eastern Ukraine as "independent" entities, the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The executive order on the recognition of those illegal formations included a point on military cooperation and "peacekeeping" functions of the Russian Army in those regions. The next day Putin ordered his military to enter Donbas and asked the government for permission to use Russian Forces outside the country – and received it shortly after.
Since the very first day of the invasion, Russia has been struggling to achieve any significant success. Ukrainian Army effectively repels attacks on the land, but Russia has an advantage in the sky. Because of that one of the acute issues is to make NATO shelter the Ukrainian sky from Russian missiles and aircraft.
Nevertheless, Russian forces haven't managed to capture a single major city. When they do get into smaller ones, witness rejection and rebellion from civilians, they are not welcome. Common people gather and face the tanks. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces Command, the Russian servicemen are demoralized, they are in shortage of fuel and food. The Presidential Office of Ukraine said, that Vladimir Putin's plan to quickly take control over the key objectives and take down the Ukrainian government is ruined. Ukrainian officials suggest that Kyiv, the capital, is the primary aim of the Russian invasion. It is being shelled daily.
Ukraine united and swiftly established defense. Thousands of people voluntarily joined Territorial Defense, servicemen were mobilized across the country. Curfew was imposed. National Police along with Territorial Defense hunt for Russian saboteur-reconnaissance groups.
Russia uses terroristic methods, targeting civilians and shelling non-military facilities of ecological significance. The aggressor has already caused an ecological disaster – a major oil processing and storage facility was hit by a Russian missile. The radioactive background is heightened due to Russian activities in Chornobyl.
Fightings in Hostomel, where a strategically significant Antonov Airport is situated, were one of the toughest of the first days. Over 30 Russian helicopters and other aircraft were engaged in the attack, but Ukrainian Army managed to regain control of the area.
The fourth day showcased the terror of Russian attacks on civilians. Kharkiv and Chernihiv were shelled by BM-21 "Grad" multiple rocket launchers.
Many Russian occupiers surrender, unwilling to fight. They claim to have been deceived by Russian authorities – they were had been deployed under the pretext of military drills but then forced to participate in war. The whole reconnaissance platoon of the Russian 34th Motorized Rifle Brigade surrendered to Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The whole world condemns Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions. More than 32 countries closed their skies to Russian aircraft.
The European Commission of the European Union has approved cutting off Russian banks from SWIFT – the global provider of secure financial messaging services. Private companies also show their support: SpaceX, Google, Meta, and many other giants have expressed their support and offered their help.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a proposal of negotiations. The first round of them resulted in no decisions yet. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President has signed the Ukrainian Government's application for the membership of Ukraine in the European Union and urges for the special procedure of accepting Ukraine to the EU.
Numerous protests have happened across the world, and even more to happen.
Read more: Day Five of Russian Invasion: the 24 "Crucial" Hours to Ukraine
