The Daily Express says RUSSIA’s offensive into the East of Ukraine has been picked apart by retired US four-star General Jack Keane who believes the push will “play into the hands of the Ukrainians.”
Browsing: Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, marking a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014 following the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity.
The invasion triggered Europe’s largest refugee crisis since WW2, with millions leaving the country and millions more displaced.
Russia invades Ukraine 2022
In 2014, at the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia annexed Crimea and Russian-backed separatists seized part of the south-eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, sparking a regional war there.
In 2022, Russia began a large military build-up along its Ukrainian border – over 190,000 armed troops. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had continued to deny Russia was planning an invasion until shortly before the invasion.
In a broadcast shortly before the invasion, Putin espoused irredentist views, questioned Ukraine’s right to statehood and falsely claimed the country was being governed by neo-Nazis. Putin also claimed NATO constitutes a threat to Russia’s national security by expanding eastward since the early 2000s, which NATO disputed. Russia demanded NATO cease expansion and bar Ukraine from ever joining. The UK, USA and allies all accused Russia of planning to attack or invade Ukraine, Russian officials and state media continued to deny it up until 23 February 2022.
The invasion began on 24 February – Putin announced it was a “special military operation” to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. Russia then started missiles and airstrikes across Ukraine as well as a large ground invasion from multiple directions.
The invasion has been widely condemned by the international community.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine hasn’t gone entirely to plan as the Russians underestimated the Ukrainian people’s will to fight for their country.
The Daily Express says VLADIMIR PUTIN has given Ukrainian forces hours to surrender in a significant Mariupol ultimatum.
The Sun says VLADIMIR Putin has suffered another blow as the commander of a Russian Black Sea vessel has been killed days after the humiliating sinking of the Moskva flagship.
The Guardian says for days after the Moskva cruiser sank in the Black Sea, Yulia Tsyvova had been desperately searching for information about her son Andrei.
Euronews says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the start of a Russian offensive against eastern Ukraine, part of which is in the hands of pro-Russian separatists.
Russia has confirmed that the Russian warship Moskva – the ship damaged by an explosion on Wednesday has sunk in the Black Sea.
The Sun says UKRAINE has reportedly sunk Russia’s most important ship in the Black Sea after an alleged missile strike engulfed it in flames.
The Metro says a Russian warship has been seriously damaged in what Ukrainian military say was a successful missile strike.
Euronews says Ukrainian forces in the Odesa region have struck the Russian guided-missile cruiser Moskva with two missiles and caused “serious damage.”
The Sun says RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has vowed to continue the war in the Ukraine during a rare public appearance.
Euronews says Germany’s president says his Polish counterpart suggested that they travel to Ukraine together with other leaders to show solidarity, but “that apparently wasn’t wanted in Kyiv.”
Daily Express says the Russian president was speaking at the Vostochny cosmodrome in east Russia after meeting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
The Sun says FEARS for a hero Brit fighting on Ukraine’s front line have been mounting after his unit was forced to surrender to Russians in the besieged city of Mariupol.
The Metro says Ukrainian officials are claiming that Russia has dropped a chemical weapon on Mariupol.
The Guardian says Sweden’s ruling party has begun debating whether the country should join Nato, and neighbouring Finland expects to reach a decision within weeks.
The Guardian says Zelenskiy has voiced concerns that Russian forces are preparing “a new stage of terror” that could involve the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Sky News says the UK is “working urgently” to verify details following unconfirmed reports of a Russian chemical attack in a besieged city in Ukraine.
Euronews says Sweden’s ruling Social Democrats have begun an internal debate about joining NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Metro says a Russian soldier allegedly filmed himself raping a one-year-old baby in Ukraine and shared the horrific video on social media.
The Metro says Ukraine’s prosecutor has announced 1,222 bodies have now been found in mass graves in the Kyiv region as Ukraine braces for a huge new offensive.
The Guardian says Ukraine’s economy is on course to contract by almost half this year as the Russian invasion and the impact of a “deep humanitarian crisis” takes its toll, the World Bank has said.
The Metro says intercepted radio messages show a Russian commander ordering his men to shoot at civilians in a village near Mariupol, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
The Independent says Police in Northern Ireland are to send safety equipment to Ukraine.
Sky News says a security guard at the British embassy in Berlin suspected of spying for Russia will appear in court later today.
Euronews says Ukrainian authorities urged people living in the Donbas to evacuate now, ahead of an impending Russian offensive, while there is still time.
