Ukraine crisis: NATO agrees to beef up eastern flank over Russian attack

Brussels: NATO has agreed to beef up its land, sea and air forces on its eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military offensive in Ukraine. NATO ambassadors said in a statement after emergency talks Thursday that they had increased the readiness of their forces to respond to all contingencies. While some of NATO’s 30 member countries are supplying arms, ammunition and other equipment to Ukraine, NATO as an organisation is not. It will not launch any military action in support of Ukraine. Countries closest to the conflict Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland are among those to have triggered rare consultations under Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which can be launched when the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the (NATO) parties is threatened. We have decided, in line with our defensive planning to protect all allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defense across the Alliance, the envoys said in a statement. Our measures are and remain preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory. KYIV, Ukraine – An adviser to Ukraine’s president says that Russian forces forged 10-20 kilometers (6-12 miles) deep into the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine and are regrouping to continue the offensive. But Oleksiy Arestovich said Thursday that Kyiv is under reliable protection and they will face tough battles. Arestovich said that fighting is going on 4-5 kilometers (2 -3 miles) north of Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, in the country’s northeast. He said Ukrainian troops destroyed four Russian tanks there. The adviser said that Russian troops that moved into Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea are trying to advance toward Melitopol and Kherson. JERUSALEM Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine as a grave violation of the international order. Lapid told reporters on Thursday that Israel is prepared to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine and urged Israeli citizens to leave the country. Israel is a country well-versed in war. War is not the way to resolve conflicts, he said, adding that there was still a chance for a negotiated solution. BUCHAREST Romania Moldova’s president says the country’s Supreme Security Council has decided to ask parliament to introduce a state of emergency following Russia’s attack on neighbouring Ukraine. President Maia Sandu said Thursday that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international norms. Sandu urged Moldovan citizens in Ukraine to return home. Moldova, a former Soviet republic and one of Europe’s poorest nations, has a population of around 3.5 million and is not a NATO member. There are now concerns in Moldova that the neighboring conflict could trigger an influx of refugees. Sandu said that at the border crossing points with Ukraine there is an increase in traffic flow. She added that we will help people who need our support. At this moment, we are ready to accommodate tens of thousands of people. KYIV Ukraine An adviser to Ukraine’s president says about 40 people have been killed so far in the Russian attack on the country. Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that several dozen people have been wounded. He didn’t specify whether the casualties included civilians. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian authorities will hand weapons to all those willing to defend the country. The future of the Ukrainian people depends on every Ukrainian, he said, urging all those who can defend the country to come to the Interior Ministry’s assembly facilities. ANKARA Turkey Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey has called on the NATO member country to close its airspace and to shut down the straits at the entrance of the Black Sea to Russian ships. We are calling for the airspace, Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to be closed, Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar told reporters on Thursday. We have conveyed our relevant demand to the Turkish side. At the same time, we want sanctions imposed on the Russian side. A 1936 convention gives Turkey control over the straits connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, and allows it to limit the passage of warships during wartime or if Turkey is threatened. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened an emergency security meeting to discuss the Russian attack on Ukraine. Turkey, which enjoys close relations with both Ukraine and Russia, had been pressing for a diplomatic solution to the tensions. KYIV Ukraine Ukraine’s president says his country has cut diplomatic ties with Russia after it was attacked. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the decision to rupture ties with Moscow on Thursday after it launched a massive air and missile attack on its neighbor and Russian forces were seen rolling into Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say the country’s military is fighting back and asked for Western defense assistance. KYIV Ukraine A Ukrainian presidential adviser says that Russian forces have launched an attack on Ukraine from the north, east and south. The adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, said the Ukrainian military is fighting hard. Podolyak said Thursday that “our army is fighting back inflicting significant losses to the enemy. He said that there have been civilian casualties, but didn’t give details. He said that Ukraine now needs a greater and very specific support from the world military-technical, financial as well as tough sanctions against Russia, he said. Another adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has targeted air bases and various other military infrastructure. BEIJING China’s customs agency on Thursday approved imports of wheat from all regions of Russia, a move that could help to reduce the impact of possible Western sanctions imposed over Moscow’s attack on Ukraine. The two governments announced an agreement Feb. 8 for China to import Russian wheat and barley after Russian President Vladimir became the highest-profile foreign guest to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics. China’s populous market is a growth area for other farm goods suppliers, but Beijing had barred imports until now from Russia’s main wheat-growing areas due to concern about possible fungus and other contamination. Russia is one of the biggest wheat producers but its exports would be vulnerable if its foreign markets block shipments in response to its attack on Ukraine. Thursday’s announcement said Russia would take all measures to prevent contamination by wheat smut fungus and would suspend exports to China if it was found. BERLIN Germany’s foreign minister says that we woke up in a different world today. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a televised statement that after months of preparing lies and propaganda, President Putin decided today to let his threats be followed with terrible deeds. Baerbock said that the Russian government is breaking the most elementary rules of the international order in front of the eyes of the world. Baerbock said German diplomats remaining in Kyiv would leave the capital. A decision would be made whether the embassy could resume its work from Lviv. MOSCOW Security camera footage shows a line of Russian military vehicles crossing into Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea. Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday. President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences you have never seen. KYIV Ukraine Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is urging global leaders to provide defense assistance to Ukraine and help protect its airspace from the aggressor. Zelenskyy said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has unleased a war with Ukraine and the entire democratic world. He added that the Russian leader wants to destroy our state, everything that we have built. He praised the nation’s soldiers, hailing their courage and urged civilians not to panic. We are starting the creation of an anti-Putin coalition, he said. I have already urged global leaders to slam Putin with all possible sanctions, offer large-scale defense support and close the airspace over Ukraine for the aggressor. Together we must save Ukraine, save the democratic world, and we will do it, Zelenskyy said. BEIJING World stock markets have plunged and oil prices surged by nearly $6 per barrel after President Vladimir Putin launched Russian military action in Ukraine. Market benchmarks tumbled in Europe and Asia and U.S. futures were sharply lower. Brent crude oil jumped to over $100 per barrel Thursday on unease about possible disruption of Russian supplies. The ruble sank 7.5% to more than $87 to the U.S. dollar. Earlier, Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index fell 1.8% to an eight-month low after the Kremlin said rebels in eastern Ukraine asked for military assistance. Investors already were uneasy about the possible impact of the Federal Reserve’s plans to try to cool inflation. PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron, who had labored until the last minute for a diplomatic solution, says that France firmly condemns Russia’s decision to wage war and is promising support for Ukraine. Macron said Thursday that Russia must end its military operations immediately. He spoke by phone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who demanded united European support for Ukraine, according to a statement from the French presidency. Macron said France is working with its partners and allies to end the war. BUCHAREST Romania Romania’s defense ministry says that two F-16 aircraft from the Romanian military on a NATO air policing mission intercepted a Ukrainian Air Force plane that had entered Romanian airspace, and escorted it to an airbase in Bacau. The ministry wrote that the Romanian planes strictly applied national procedures and international rules applicable in such situations, through the interception and visual identification of the aircraft entering the Romanian airspace. The ministry said that the Ukrainian military pilot made himself available to Romanian authorities on Thursday morning. BRUSSELS The European Union says it is planning the strongest, the harshest package of sanctions it has ever considered at an emergency summit Thursday, as the Russian military attacked Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the target is the stability in Europe and the whole of the international peace order, and we will hold President (Vladimir) Putin accountable for that. We will present a package of massive and targeted sanctions to European leaders for approval, she said. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called it the strongest, the harshest package ever considered. COPENHAGEN Denmark The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are condeming the Russian operation in Ukraine as a crime against Ukrainian people.” In a joint statement, the three countries’ foreign ministers condemned strongly “the open large scale Russian aggression against the independent, peaceful and democratic Ukraine. They called it a blatant violation of the international law, of all international norms and a crime against Ukrainian people that we condemn. Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto said the Russian move is an attack on the security order throughout Europe. MOSCOW The Russian military says it has knocked out Ukraine’s air defense assets and airbases. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian strikes have suppressed air defense means of the Ukrainian military, adding that the infrastructure of Ukraine’s military bases has been incapacitated. It denied the claims that a Russian warplane was shot down over Ukraine. The Ukrainian military, meanwhile, reported that it has shot down five Russian aircraft while fending off the Russian attack on the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he unleashed an attack on Ukraine in a televised address early Thursday, drawing international condemnation. BERLIN German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sharply condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine calling it a terrible day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe. The chancellor said Thursday morning that the Russian attack on Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law. It cannot be justified by anything. He added that Germany condemns this reckless act by President Putin in the strongest possible terms. Scholz said in a written statement that our solidarity is with Ukraine and its people. Russia must stop this military action immediately.” He added Germany would coordinate closely with others within the framework of the Group of Seven, NATO and the European Union. BERLIN The European Union Aviation Safety Agency is telling air operators of a high risk to civilian aircraft over Ukraine, reminding air operators that this is now an active conflict zone. In the bulletin issued early Thursday, EASA said that airspace and critical infrastructure, including airports, are exposed to military activities which result in safety risks for civil aircraft. In particular, there is a risk of both intentional targeting and misidentification of civil aircraft. It added: The presence and possible use of a wide range of ground and airborne warfare systems poses a HIGH risk for civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels. It recommended that, additionally, as a precautionary measure, operators should exercise extreme caution and avoid using the airspace within 100 nautical miles of the Belarusian- and Russia-Ukraine border.