"We are aiming at demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.”
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin - Moscow
Morning of 24. February 2022
“It began in darkness soon after 4:30 am local time. There were distant explosions in the Ukrainian capital and the whine of car alarms. A nation shook itself awake.”
- The Guardian
“Kiiev ärkas täna plahvatuste peale … Kõlasid õhusireenid. Paljud sõidavad Kiievist välja Lvivi poole. Pangaautomaatide juures on järjekorrad, aga paanikat ei ole.”
“The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was captured by Russian special forces - Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that it has lost control over the facilities in the area of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.”
https://meduza.io/en/news/2022/02/24/russian-forces-in-ukraine-seize-chernobyl-nuclear-power-plant
“Prominent Russians shocked by the invasion of Ukraine have gone public with their opposition to the war, despite the professional and personal risks that come with dissent on such a sensitive issue in Russia.”
—
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/24/russia-ukraine-protests-putin/
“Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, called on the Ukrainian army to overthrow the government, describing its leaders as “terrorists” and “a gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”.”
“Be very, very careful over the next few days with military information. The Russians want to persuade Ukraine to surrender and they will use disinformation, fake video, fake photos.” - Journalist and author Anne Applebaum via Twitter
Friday 25. February
Russia-Ukraine War Day 2
Eesti suursaadik lahkus Kiievist
(ERR)
“Suursaadik Ukrainas Kaimo Kuusk on Kiievist lahkunud, et panna püsti saatkond turvalisemas kohas. … Suursaadik on hetkel liikumas lääne suunas. Otsus, kuhu jääb Eesti saatkond, võetakse vastu jooksvalt.”
https://www.err.ee/1608512303/eesti-suursaadik-lahkus-kiievist
“Teine sõjapäev: Sõjaväelased valmistuvad Kiievis linnalahinguteks.” - Postimees
“Statement by NATO Heads of State and Government on Russia’s attack on Ukraine.” - NATO
“Jens Stoltenberg: Ukraina ründamine oli kohutav viga.” - Delfi
“NATO leaders call on Russia to stop senseless war.” - NATO
“Eesti ei osale Eurovisioonil, kui Venemaa peaks osalema.” - Postimees
“Kadri Liik: sõda on Venemaal paljudele šokk.” - ERR
“Russia Issues Ominous Warning to Finland, Sweden Should They Join NATO.” - Estonian World Review
Tšornobõli tuumajaama ümber kasvas järsult kiirgustase
Ülle Harju, Postimees
“Pärast seda, kui Vene väed tungisid 24. veebruari õhtul Ukraina põhjaosas asuva Tšornobõli tuumajaama territooriumile, kasvas sealt leviv kiirgustase 20kordseks.”
https://www.postimees.ee/7462902/tsornoboli-tuumajaama-umber-kasvas-jarsult-kiirgustase
Radiation levels rose sharply around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
[According to the Ukrainian radiation map www.saveecobot.com, the level of gamma radiation from the territory of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant increased 20 times between 9 pm and 10 pm on the evening of 24 February. The observation station measured the gamma radiation dose rate at 65,500 nSv / h (nanosieverts per hour). In earlier days, the average radiation level in Chernobyl has been around 3000 nSv / h.] - Translation from Ülle Harju's article above
 |
| Chernobyl, April 3, 2021. Reuters/Gleb Garanich/File Photo |
Demonstration in support of Ukraine to be held in Estonia on Saturday
(The Baltic Times)
“… on Freedom Square in Tallinn at 3 p.m.”
https://www.baltictimes.com/demonstration_in_support_of_ukraine_to_be_held_in_estonia_on_saturday/
TTJA keelas nelja Vene telekanali edastamise Eesti territooriumil
(ERR)
“Tarbijakaitse ja Tehnilise Järelevalve Amet (TTJA) tegi sideettevõtetele ettekirjutuse lõpetada nelja Venemaa ja ühe Valgevene telekanali taasedastamine Eesti territooriumil: RTR Planeta, NTV Mir (ka NTV Mir Baltic), Belarus 24, Rossia 24 ja TV Centre International (TVCI). TTJA tuvastas, et nimetatud telekanalite eetris oli 24. veebruaril Vene Föderatsiooni presidendi kõne, mida saab pidada tervikuna sõjalise rünnaku õigustamiseks, sellele üleskutsumiseks ja rahvusvahelise õiguse üldpõhimõtete eiramise õigustamiseks, millega rikutakse meediateenuste seaduse nõudeid, teatas amet.”
https://www.err.ee/1608511946/ttja-keelas-nelja-vene-telekanali-edastamise-eesti-territooriumil
“Four Russian TV channels banned from Estonian airwaves.” - ERR
Esimesed NATO lahingugruppi tugevdava Briti üksuse kolonnid jõudsid Eestisse
(Postimees)
“Täna jõudis Tapa sõjaväelinnakusse Saksamaalt Sennelageri harjutusalalt teed alustanud esimene sõidukite kolonn kuue Challenger tanki ja teiste soomusmasinatega, tähistades sellega kuningliku Walesi rügemendi üksuste Eestisse saabumise algust.”
Additional British troops and equipment arrive in Estonia
(ERR)
“The UK is sending an additional rotation - approximately 850 troops - to Estonia, doubling the size of its battlegroup contingent in the country.”
https://news.err.ee/1608512441/more-british-troops-equipment-arrive-in-estonia
Estonians rally in solidarity but with no jubilation in being right
By Terry McDonald, CBC
“Estonians knew who Putin was — but who would listen? Who would believe? People here are eager to move on from a past defined by an imperial neighbour. Any Western news article that refers to Estonia as a "post-Soviet state" can expect scorn, ridicule, and comments like, "Would you refer to 1970s Germany by their 1940s identity?"
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/esontonia-solidarity-ukraine-1.6363062
Opinion: Russia should be embargoed and kicked out of everything
By Sten Hankewitz, Estonian World
“… like Cuba was by the United States in 1962.”
The Real Reasons Putin Feels Threatened by NATO
By Tomáš Klvaňa, The Bulwark
“NATO and EU enlargement have been the most successful European policies in the last three decades. The lives of the hundred million people in the former Communist states now in NATO and EU have been—despite the current difficulties—immensely improved.”
—
“If we heeded the “realists” and decided “not to poke the sleeping Russian bear,” as they like to say, and had not enlarged NATO, which provides for security, stability, and therefore also prosperity, the lives of the 100 million would have been much worse.”
https://www.thebulwark.com/the-real-reasons-putin-feels-threatened-by-nato/
“Fact check: Do Vladimir Putin's justifications for going to war against Ukraine add up?” - Deutsche Welle
Putin kui ajaloo nurka aetud rott
Vladimir Juškin, Postimees - Arvamus
“Venemaa rünnaku valguses omandab VF julgeolekunõukogu istungi spektaakel täiestu uue tähenduse … Nüüd saab täiesti selgeks etenduse «Vene Föderatsiooni Julgeolekunõukogu koosolek» tähendus. Kõik osalejad olid mures, mõned ei vastanud küsimusele, mille kohta president neilt küsis. Kuid kõik teadsid hästi, et nüüd on nad kõik kaamerate ees Ukraina verega määritud ja sõjakuriteo eest vastust ei saa enam vältida.”
https://arvamus.postimees.ee/7461808/vladimir-juskin-putin-kui-ajaloo-nurka-aetud-rott
“Unless Putin Reduces His Geopolitical Ambitions, Russia has a Very Problematic Future at Home.” - Paul Goble
Thursday 24. February
Russia-Ukraine War Day 1
Ameerika Ühendriikide hävituslennukid F-35 jõudsid Ämarisse
(Postimees | ERR)
“Kaitseväe juhataja kindralleitnant Martin Herem ütles, et täna hommikul alanud laiaulatuslik Venemaa Föderatsiooni relvajõudude rünnak Ukraina vastu on toonud aktiivse ja mastaapse sõjategevuse Euroopasse. “Selline agressioon kinnitab taas, et Ameerika Ühendriikide poolt avaldatud luureinfo oli tipptasemel ja NATO plaan tugevdada Läänemere regiooni lisajõududega on äärmiselt vajalik ja tänuväärne,” lausus Herem. Herem lisas, et kuna NATO näeb Baltikumi ja Poolat ühtse operatsiooniruumina, siis omab Ameerika Ühendriikide otsus mõju Baltikumi ja Poola piirkonnale tervikuna.”
https://www.postimees.ee/7462277/ameerika-uhendriikide-havituslennukid-f-35-joudsid-amarisse
—
https://www.err.ee/1608511442/amarisse-joudsid-usa-f-35-havitajad
“Denmark to deploy soldiers to Estonia in wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.” - Reuters
“20 US Army AH-64 Apache helicopters arrive in Latvia.” - NATO
“U.S. F-35s Forward Deployed To Romania, Estonia And Lithuania.” - Aviationist
Protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Tallinn
By Silver Tambur, Estonian World
“Hundreds of people gathered spontaneously in front of the Russian embassy in Tallinn, Thursday, to protest against the Russian war against Ukraine.”
Kaja Kallas: raskel ajal tuleb hoida kokku, sest rasked ajad mööduvad alati
(ERR)
“Vabadus annab õigused, aga vabadusega kaasneb ka vastutus. Meie julgeoleku üks olulisemaid küsimusi on vältida Pronksiööde kordumist, provotseeritud vägivaldseid kokkupõrkeid, kus meie oma Eesti politseist tehakse vaenlane. Mõtleme parem sellele, et raskused on meid alati rahvana ühendanud …”
Estonian prime minister: Everything we were afraid of has come true
(ERR)
"We had the intelligence information before so we were expecting it," she said adding ministers and cabinet members were alerted to make decisions early this morning.
"So everything we were afraid of, that we knew from the intelligence reports, actually has come true. This is so frightening that this can happen in 2022.”
—
“Estonia and NATO allies have already triggered Article 4, which will lead to discussions in the alliance.”
—
"So far we don't see any military effect at our borders. We are part of NATO, we are part of the EU, in NATO we have Article 5 which says an attack on one is an attack on all.
"I think it is a bit too big of a bite for Putin to take, even if he threatens. Of course, we have to prepare and to prepare for the aggression going on in Ukraine and for it going even further."
https://news.err.ee/1608511031/estonian-prime-minister-everything-we-were-afraid-of-has-come-true
Estonia's ambassador to the U.S. weighs in on Russian invasion of Ukraine
(NPR)
“As far as we can tell, the Ukrainians are putting up resistance. They are fighting. The Ukrainian desire for freedom and democracy will not go away. And Ukrainians should know that the - not just Europe and NATO, but actually the wider world is with them. I refer to, for instance, the statements of the secretary-general of the United Nations. We were - Estonia was occupied for 50 years, and yet we managed to keep the flame of freedom alive. This flame will prevail in Ukraine as well.”
Lithuania declares state of emergency
(LRT)
“The state of emergency will be in place from 13:00 on Thursday through March 10. The decree allows a more flexible use of the state reserve and steps up state border protection (with Belarus).”
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö: Putin's mask comes off
(Yle)
“Prime Minister Sanna Marin told a Thursday morning press conference that Finland is not currently facing an immediate military threat.”
https://yle.fi/news/3-12332089
Soome: Kui meie julgeolek satub ohtu, oleme valmis taotlema NATO liikmesust
(ERR)
“Soome peaminister Sanna Marin teatas kolmapäeval parlamendis julgeolekuolukorra arutelul, et kui Soome julgeolek satub ohtu, on riik valmis taotlema NATO liikmesust.
Marin märkis, et suure sõja oht on praegu reaalsem kui paljude aastate jooksul ning Venemaa tegevusel on pikaajaline mõju Venemaa ja Soome kahepoolsetele suhetele.”
Finland and Sweden taking part in Nato's virtual summit
(Yle)
“Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said, "It is important for Finland and Sweden to be involved in the Nato meeting, due to the situation in the Baltic Sea region, for example.” Haavisto also said it is important that the opportunity to apply for Nato membership remains available.”
—
"We consider it important that Nato continues its open-door policy and that we can apply for membership if we wish.”
https://yle.fi/news/3-12333031
Kaitseväe juhataja Martin Heremi Eesti Vabariigi 104. aastapäevale kõne
(Postimees)
“… Andke mulle andeks võrdluse eest, kuid meie kaitseväe õppustest on kujunenud justkui väikesed tantsu- ja laulupeod, kus elukutselised, reservväelased ja ajateenijad pealtvaatajate toetusel näitavad ikka ja jälle paljudele arusaamatut ja ehk veidi müstilistki üksmeelt.”
—
“Nähes neid tuhandeid kodanikke oma kohustust iseenesestmõistetavalt täitmas, teisi neid hea meelega toetamas ning liites sinna juurde paljud teised Eesti riigi kodanikest ametnikud, julgeksin ma oma riigi 104. aastapäeval kapral Hermanni, reamees Saalise, leitnant Sabolotnõi ja teiste vabadussõjas osalenute käest küsida: «Mida arvate neist riigi sümbolitest paljude teiste suurepäraste asjade kõrval?» Mida arvate oma riigist täna? Ma arvan teadvat, mis oleks nende vastus: “Päris hea! …”
Estonia's Independence Day Parade 2022
(ERR Photos)
“More than 700 people and 18 units of equipment participated in the parade, including foreign troops, such as British and Belgian, from NATO's eFP battlegroup stationed in Tapa and the Air Policing Unit at Ämari. Participants wore blue and yellow ribbons, the colors of Ukraine's flag, in solidarity with the country.”
https://news.err.ee/1608511166/gallery-estonia-s-independence-day-parade-2022
Aastapäevaintervjuu: President Karis
(Postimees)
“Tark inimene ei karda, tark inimene oskab ohte hinnata.”
Peaminister Kallas aastapäevakõnes
(Postimees)
“Peaminister Kaja Kallas (Reformierakond) pöördus täna vabariigi 104. aastapäeva eelõhtul Eesti Rahvusringhäälingu kaudu rahva poole öeldes, et tänavust vabariigi aastapäeva tähistame erakordselt keerulises julgeolekuolukorras, mis paneb meid taas mõtestama vabadust, mõistma selle väärtust ja olema tänulik, et Pika Hermanni tornis lehvib sinimustvalge lipp.”
“104th anniversary of the establishment of Estonian independence.” - ERR
Ajalugu: miks on Eesti vapil lõvid?
(ERR)
“Eesti riigi vapp on küll vaid alla saja-aastane, kuid lõvisid kasutati riigi sümboolikas juba palju varem. Tallinna Ülikooli vanemteadur ja Eesti ajaloomuuseumi teadur-kuraator Ivar Leimus kirjutab, miks on Eesti vapil lõvid.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1608507053/minutiloeng-miks-on-eesti-vapil-lovid
__________
Russia Invades Ukraine
Day 1: 24. February 2022
__________
An Initial Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment (Day 1)
(Understanding War Org.)
“Russian military operations began with a short and incomplete air campaign on February 24 around 4:00 am local time targeting Ukrainian air defenses, supply depots, and airfields across unoccupied Ukraine. However, portions of the Ukrainian Air Force remain operational and Ukrainian command and control appears intact. US defense officials estimate initial strikes comprised over 100 missiles including a mix of short and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and sea-launched missiles. An estimated 75 Russian bombers participated in the attack.”
“Putin teatas sõjategevuse alustamisest Ukrainas.” - ERR
“Blasts rock Ukrainian cities as Putin declares war.” - Politico Europe
“Путин объявил о начале военной операции на Украине.” - TASS
“At least 705 people have been arrested today at anti-war protests that have taken place in 40 Russian cities.” - The Guardian
“Russia captures Chernobyl nuclear power plant after fierce battle.” - The Guardian
“Thousands of Lithuanians gather in solidarity with Ukraine.” - LRT
“EU to sanction Belarus for supporting Putin's invasion.” - The Guardian
“Shock, Anger and Defiance on Moscow’s Streets.” - Moscow Times
“Russia Attacks Ukraine: As It's Happening.” - Moscow Times
“Reactions to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.” - Moscow Times
“Inimesed põgenevad Kiievist ja otsivad varju.” - ERR
“Ukraine declares state of emergency.” - Reuters
“Updates: Russia-Ukraine war.” - Estonian World
“Troops moving in from Belarus.” - BBC
“Ukraine crisis live.” - The Guardian
“Ukraine crisis live.” - BBC
Putin lies to ex-Soviet republics: ‘Ukraine was an exception’
(Reuters)
“President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia respected the sovereignty of other ex-Soviet republics and that Moscow had made an exception with Ukraine because he said it was under foreign control, the TASS news agency reported.”
“Putin sought to reassure neighboring leaders he isn’t plotting to restore the Russian empire.” - Bloomberg video
“Putin denies planning to revive the Russian empire.” - Business Insider
Wednesday 23. February
Day Before the Attack on Ukraine
USA saadab Balti riikidesse sõdureid, F-35 hävitajaid ja Apache ründekoptereid
(Postimees)
“USA kaitseministeerium teatas hiljem, et Balti riikidesse on kavas saata juurde 800-liikmeline jalaväepataljon, F-35 hävitajaid ja Apache AH-64 ründekoptereid.
800-liikmeline jalaväepataljon paigutatakse Balti riikidesse ümber Itaaliast. 20 Apache AH-64 ründkopterit saadetakse Balti riikidesse samuti Saksamaalt. Lisaks saadab USA Kreekast Poolasse 12 Apache AH-64 ründkopterit.”
“US to send troops, jets and helicopters to the Baltics.” - Estonian World
“Biden sends troops to Baltics, F-35s to NATO's eastern flank.” - Reuters
“Õhuväe lennuk tegi Jõgevamaa kohal kummalisi tiire.” - Postimees
“Send fighter jets to the Baltics to defend their airspace, Estonia tells U.S.” - Reuters, 19. Feb
How The Estonian Student Resistance Built An Estonian NATO Base In 1982
By Eerik Niiles Kross, UpNorth
“The bloody forest wars of the 1940s and 50s were taken over by the Estonian dissident movement of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The second generation of Estonian resistance concentrated on fighting for the right of speech and the right of self-determination; they fought with appeals to the United Nations, and through a struggle to keep the culture, language, arts and, spirit of the Estonian nation intact.”
—
“By the early 1980s, the third generation of Estonian resistance started to take over. Young Estonians — whose fathers had spent years in Soviet gulags, but who did not have the first-hand experience of mass repression — began to organize. …”
https://upnorth.eu/how-the-estonian-student-resistance-built-an-estonian-nato-base-in-1982/
Shrinking smartly: How Estonia can manage its falling population
(Emerging Europe)
“Estonia’s population, 1.33 million in 2020, has shrunk by 15 per cent since 1991, and all available projections indicate that this trend will continue. Importantly, shrinkage has been uneven. While the larger urban areas of Tallinn and Tartu grew, the population in the majority of Estonia’s rural and remote counties shrank by more than a quarter.”
https://emerging-europe.com/news/shrinking-smartly-how-estonia-can-manage-its-falling-population/
Telia, Elisa to halt broadcast of Russian-language TV channels
(ERR)
“Telecoms firm Telia Eesti has opted to terminate its cooperation with the local franchisee of Russian-language TV channels PBK Estonia, REN TV Estonia, NTV Mir Estonia and several other channels broadcast in Estonia.”
https://news.err.ee/1608508637/telia-elisa-to-halt-broadcast-of-russian-language-tv-channels
What does Belarus have to gain, and lose with the Ukraine crisis?
(Al Jazeera)
“Lukashenko could benefit politically and financially by siding with Putin, but observers warn his friendship could backfire.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/23/what-is-the-role-of-belarus-in-the-ukraine-russia-crisis
Analysis: Putin’s angry speech rewriting Ukraine's history
By Sarah Rainsford and Paul Adams, BBC
“This speech was Putin the angry; impatient and directly threatening. It felt like Russia's president was getting 20-odd years of hurt off his chest and hitting back. "You didn't want us to be friends," was how he put it to the West, "but you didn't have to make an enemy of us.” There was a lot we've heard before, repackaged for this moment when he knows he has maximum attention.”
—
“Much of Vladimir Putin's speech about Ukraine sounded like a fever dream. A nightmarish vision of a country economically crippled, utterly corrupt, bent on developing nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and ungrateful for all the generous attention lavished on it by Russia since independence.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60458300
“Vladimir Putin address fact-checked.” - BBC
General David Petraeus: Russian threat 'has unified NATO’
(Deutsche Welle)
[Petraeus does not expect Putin to attack a NATO member.]
—
“What Putin’s really done is make NATO great again by his actions."
https://www.dw.com/en/petraeus-russian-threat-has-unified-nato/av-60889254
Historian Anne Applebaum: ’This is really not about NATO'
(Deutsche Welle)
“Putin proved himself of really being ignorant of Ukrainian history as Ukrainians understand it.”
https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-crisis-this-is-really-not-about-nato/av-60846656
There Are No Chamberlains in This Story
By Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic
“But there are no Churchills, either. And Ukraine will fight alone.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/munich-security-conference-chamberlain/622872/
What Putin has Forgotten and Why He is Setting Russia Up to Lose Far More than Moscow Did in 1991
By Paul Goble
“When the Soviet Union was created, the ethnic Russian core was overwhelmingly dominant in terms of numbers; but by 1991, the non-Russian nations within that country formed almost exactly half. And because of development, the peoples of that empire were no longer prepared to accept the dominance of one nation, especially one headed to minority status.”
—
“In discussions about Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, he, most Russians and many in the West have forgotten that and therefore do not see that whatever territorial gains Putin makes by force of arms, he is bringing within the borders of “the Russian Federation” – and that absurdly now misnamed entity must be put in quotes – ever more non-Russians.”
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-putin-has-forgotten-and-why-he-is.html
Or:
“Satellite images show Russian troops movement.” - France 24
Could Moscow Declare an Entire Nation ‘a Foreign Agent’?
By Paul Goble
“Yekaterina Kuznetsova, a Vod artist who organizes cultural events in the Estonian border city of Narva, says that “absurd as it may appear,” Moscow regularly accuses activists in small Finno-Ugric nations within the current borders of the Russian Federation of working for Estonia and they may thus be declared “foreign agents.”
http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2022/02/could-moscow-declare-entire-nation.html
Tuesday 22. February
President Biden: toome Baltikumi täiendavaid vägesid
(ERR)
“President Biden ütles, et on andnud loa USA vägede täiendavaks liikumiseks Ida-Euroopas. Biden ütles oma kõnes, et jõud ja varustus, mis on juba Euroopas, saadetakse Balti riikidesse Eestisse, Lätti ja Leetu. "Ütlen selgelt, need on meiepoolsed kaitsekäigud," sõnas ta. "Meil pole kavatsust Venemaaga sõdida."
https://www.err.ee/1608508982/biden-toome-baltikumi-taiendavaid-vagesid
Putin tunnustas nn Donetski ja Luganski rahvavabariike
(ERR)
“Vene riigitelevisioon näitas ka, kuidas Putin allkirjastas dekreedi nn Donetski ja Luganski rahvavabariikide tunnustamise kohta. Samuti allkirjastas Putin separatistlike rahvavabariikidega koostöö ja sõpruse kokkulepped. Nn rahvavabariikide liidrid olid Moskvas allkirjastamisel ka kohal.”
https://www.err.ee/1608507575/putin-tunnustas-nn-donetski-ja-luganski-rahvavabariike
“President Karis: Estonia standing by Ukraine in solidarity.” - Baltic Times
“Russia recognizes two Ukrainian regions as independent, a potential pretext for war.” - Washington Post
“EL vastab isehakanud rahvavabariikide tunnustamisele sanktsioonidega.” - ERR
“Putin orders troops into newly recognized separatist regions.” - Washington Post
“Karis: Venemaa tõmbas Minski kokkulepped puruks.” - ERR
“Zelenskyy and his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis hold a press conference in Kyiv.” - Al Jazeera video
Estonia calls on Europe to wean itself off Russian gas
(Reuters)
“The prospect of a disruption to energy supplies and fears of war rattled international financial markets and sent oil prices surging to their highest level since 2014. "This absolutely is the time to focus on renewable energy sources ... but also on agreements regarding LNG to substitute the Russian gas," Kallas said in a phone interview from Tallinn. "Recent years have shown there is necessity to decrease EU dependency from Russian gas."
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/estonia-calls-europe-wean-itself-off-russian-gas-2022-02-22/
Vladimir Putin took over Belarus without firing a shot
(Washington Post)
“Lukashenko has been beholden to Russian President Vladimir Putin since Belarus’s disputed 2020 election, when street protests nearly toppled him from power before Putin promised to send in Russian forces to quell unrest if required. Lukashenko launched a massive crackdown, beating and jailing hundreds of opposition figures and activists, and clung on without Putin’s help.”
—
“Putin sees Belarus and Ukraine as Russia’s junior Slavic brothers, part of what he calls the “Russian world.” He is convinced that Ukraine can only succeed if, like Belarus, it joins Russia’s sphere of influence.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/02/20/russia-ukraine-belarus-military/
Crucial Week in Putin’s Pseudo-War Starts With a Bang, a Feint and a Flop
By Pavel K. Baev, Jamestown Org. 22. Feb.
“Two deeply held convictions have shaped Putin’s management of the high-risk crisis: that the West is disunited and corrupt, and that Ukraine is an “artificial” state certain to break under pressure (Republic.ru, February 17). Both have been proven wrong.”
—
“US leadership has ensured an outwardly firm common stance by NATO and the European Union (the latter is set to play a key role in imposing new sanctions), and Zelenskyy has shown remarkable courage and refused to succumb (Moscow Echo, February 19). Putin will try to test Western resolve, seeking to ensure a new summit with Biden. Yet his brinksmanship has been repeatedly upset by Washington’s consistent early releases of sensitive intelligence data, which have denied Moscow the habitual advantage of surprise and put it on the defensive in the high-volume information war …”
“Ukraine-Russia crisis: What to know in the escalating crisis.” - AP
And Finally:
Putin’s Endgame: Unravel the Post-Cold War Agreements That Humiliated Russia
(Wall Street Journal)
“Moscow’s military forces threaten Ukraine, but the bigger prize is restoration of Russia’s sphere of influence stretching through Eastern Europe. … He wants to renegotiate the end of the Cold War.”
__________
_______
____
