Ukraine

Reuters reports: President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree ordering 134,500 new conscripts into the army as part of Russia’s annual spring draft, but the defence ministry said the call-up had nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. The issue of conscripts’ involvement in the war is highly sensitive. On March 9, the defence ministry acknowledged that some …

The Associated Press reports: Russia’s military said Tuesday it would “fundamentally” cut back operations near Ukraine’s capital and a northern city, potentially a significant concession by Moscow since it invaded its neighbor more than a month ago. Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said the move was meant “to increase trust” in talks aimed at ending fighting, as negotiators met face-to-face …

The New York Times reports: Novaya Gazeta, the Russian newspaper that helped define fearless journalism in the post-Soviet era and whose editor shared the Nobel Peace Prize last year, suspended publication on Monday, leaving Russia without any major media outlets critical of the Kremlin as it wages war in Ukraine. The newspaper, led by Dmitri A. Muratov, the Nobel-winning editor, …

The Independent reports: Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian peace negotiators suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning after a meeting in Kyiv at the start of March, according a report in the Wall Street Journal. The Russian oligarch and at least two senior members of the Ukrainian delegation developed symptoms that included red eyes, constant and painful tearing, and peeling skin on their …

Reuters reports: Ukraine and Russia were preparing on Monday for the first face-to-face peace talks in more than two weeks, with Kyiv insisting it would make no concessions on Ukraine’s territorial integrity as battlefield momentum has shifted in its favour. Ukrainian officials played down the chances of a major breakthrough at the talks, due to be held in Istanbul after …

Reuters reports: Russia wants to split Ukraine into two, as happened with North and South Korea, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief said on Sunday, vowing “total” guerrilla warfare to prevent a carve-up of the country. A local leader in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic said on Sunday the region could soon hold a referendum on joining Russia, just as happened in …

The Associated Press reports: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of lacking courage as his country fights to stave off Russia’s invading troops, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense in a conflict that has ground into a war of attrition. “I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I’m in constant contact …

The Washington Post reports: The war in Ukraine is proving extraordinarily lethal for Russian generals, the gray men bedecked in service medals, who are being aggressively targeted by Ukrainian forces and killed at a rate not seen since World War II. Ukrainian officials say their forces have killed seven generals on the battlefield, felled by snipers, close combat and bombings. …

The Hill reports: President Biden on Saturday met with Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Poland in recent weeks, getting a firsthand look at the humanitarian crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden toured PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, which is accommodating scores of refugees who have crossed over the border as Russia destroys cities and targets civilian spaces …

Mediaite reports: Laura Ingraham is not fan of President Joe Biden’s pledge to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees who have fled as Russia continues to wage a war of aggression on the country. “The Biden administration announced yesterday that we would welcome a hundred thousand Ukrainian refugees,” she said. “Obviously, a heartbreak for the people in Ukraine, and it …

USA Today reports: President Joe Biden will travel to Poland on Friday for a briefing on the humanitarian crisis sparked by the month-old war in Ukraine and to possibly meet with Ukrainian refugees displaced by the conflict. More than 2 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland since the start of Russia’s invasion of their country. In Brussels on Thursday, Biden …

The Associated Press reports: Ukrainian authorities in the besieged ruins of Mariupol said Friday that about 300 people died when a Russian airstrike blew up a theater where hundreds of civilians were sheltering — a catastrophic loss of civilian life that, if confirmed, is likely to further crank up pressure on Western nations to step up military aid. In a …

Reuters reports: Almost three-quarters of the U.N. General Assembly demanded aid access and civilian protection in Ukraine on Thursday, and criticized Russia for creating a “dire” humanitarian situation after Moscow invaded its neighbor one month ago. The resolution adopted on Thursday, which was drafted by Ukraine and allies, received 140 votes in favor and five votes against – Russia, Syria, …

Media Matters has the transcript: SEAN HANNITY (HOST): Listen to Zelensky, he’s not asking for boots. He’s asking for weapons. And if you want to charge him later, there’s enough mineral, natural resources — make him pay us back. I’m fine with that. That was Rand Paul’s suggestion, not mine. Think it’s a good idea. Let’s do that. Sean Hannity …

Reuters reports: Western leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday agreed to strengthen their forces in Eastern Europe, increase military aid to Ukraine and tighten their sanctions on Russia as Moscow’s assault on its neighbour entered its second month. In a display of unity at an unprecedented triple summit of NATO, the G7 and the European Union, the military alliance announced …

The Washington Post reports: President Biden, who is holding emergency talks with NATO leaders in Brussels, is expected to announce plans for the United States to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and others fleeing Russia’s invasion, according to two senior administrations official briefed on the plan, who said exact numbers could change. The conflict has now displaced half of Ukraine’s children, …

The Wall Street Journal reports: NATO says that up to 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, wounded, taken prisoner or are missing in Ukraine, said a senior military official from the alliance. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization calculates the figure based on information provided by Ukrainian authorities and information obtained from Russia–both officially and unintentionally, the official said. NATO estimates …

Reuters reports: A veteran envoy of President Vladimir Putin has resigned over the Ukraine war and left Russia with no intention to return, two sources said on Wednesday, the first senior official to break with the Kremlin since Putin launched his invasion a month ago. The Kremlin confirmed that Anatoly Chubais had resigned of his own accord. Chubais was one …

Politico Europe reports: The head of the world’s biggest food aid agency has a stark warning for European leaders: Pay more now to stave off global hunger or suffer a migration crisis later. Russia’s war in Ukraine has sent a shockwave through international food markets, worsening the already dire problem of global hunger by disrupting supply and inflating prices. That …

NBC News reports: President Joe Biden heads to Europe on Wednesday under increasing pressure at home and abroad to do more to aid Ukraine, as he tries to walk a fine line between providing support and deterring Russia while avoiding further escalation. Biden is scheduled to attend a last-minute emergency meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels to discuss the response …