(NEW YORK) — As war in Ukraine rages on, several peace talks and increasing economic sanctions against Russia have failed thus far to stop the aggression.
Ukrainians have withstood days of airstrikes and shelling across multiple cities since the invasion began on Feb. 24. The better-equipped Russian military has shown no signs of de-escalation and has claimed to have taken control of several areas of Ukraine, though it has also been slowed by Ukrainian resistance.
How far Russian President Vladimir Putin will go, how much longer Ukrainian forces can hold out and what exactly it would take to end the conflict are key questions in the war.
“No one has a crystal ball, and it is very difficult to predict outcomes of conflict,” said retired Gen. Robert Abrams, an ABC News contributor and the former commander of U.S. forces in Korea.
Amid “unprecedented” sanctions against Russia and the stronger-than-expected Ukrainian resistance, “what appears to be happening is Putin is becoming even more resolved,” Abrams said. He pointed to threatening comments Putin made Saturday about Ukraine’s statehood, which “in plain speak means Russia is intent to invade, occupy and make Ukraine part of Russia, and erase the name Ukraine and replace it with Russia. That’s new. And that is an indication that it will be difficult to judge how far Putin will go.”
Role of international aid
When asked at a Thursday news conference by ABC News senior foreign correspondent Ian Pannell how long Ukraine can hold out against the Russian advance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “I don’t know.”
One key factor in Ukraine’s fight is the level of support from the international community, including NATO, the European Union and the United Nations, Abrams said.
The United States has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, and millions more in lethal aid has been sent by NATO and several EU countries.
“I think there are many other things that we can do to support the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian people,” like arms, ammunition, enhanced communications and food, Abrams said. “It’s going to require continuous and predictable resupply into Ukraine to be able to give them the means necessary to defend themselves.”
During a Zoom call Saturday with more than 300 U.S. lawmakers, Zelenskyy pleaded for more air support, including drones and planes, Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., a co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, told ABC News Live. Quigley said the president also repeated his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine — something experts have argued could very quickly escalate into a “World War III”-type scenario.
“To those who are advocating for a no-fly zone, we just need to all ask the question, are we prepared for the consequence — basically starting World War III?” Abrams said. “I don’t think we are, I don’t think it’s worth the risk of that sort of level of conflict, because that’s what is coming. President Putin has made it clear that anybody that intervenes militarily will be treated as an enemy. That’s not a bluff.”
“And he is prepared to escalate this conflict as high as anybody wants to go,” he continued.
Morale on both sides
Another key factor in the outcome of the conflict is how long Ukrainians can “maintain their will,” Abrams said.
“How much are they willing to sacrifice for their country?” he said. “It is crystal clear that they have been galvanized, that the country has been galvanized, the Ukrainian people are fighting for their country and for their way of life. … What will that look like on day 60? Day 120? That is difficult to predict.”
President Joe Biden remarked during his State of the Union last week that the Ukrainians’ “fearlessness, their courage, their determination, literally inspires the world.”
Zelenskyy has been a key part of maintaining morale, Abrams said.
“He has been masterful in leading his country in this conflict,” Abrams said. “He is sharing the same hardships, he is communicating with his people. He’s constantly communicating with the international community.”
That connection can help Ukraine prevail, he said, though “we’re in for some very, very difficult, tough days and tough images, for those of us outside looking in.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s military, though superior, has been dogged by logistical challenges, including food and fuel shortages, and a “lack of cohesion and discipline,” which could work in Ukraine’s favor, Abrams said.
“I think that’s the bigger picture that people really need to understand about the dynamics and what makes soldiers fight with the ferocity and intensity that we would expect to see,” he said. “It boils down to, do you believe in what you’re fighting for? And in this case, I think what we’re seeing is not necessarily extensive effects of lack of food or fuel — that certainly does have a role to play — but I don’t think the Russian military believes in what they’re fighting for.”
A possible off-ramp
The “Russian playbook” indicates that its military will continue to bomb and shell Ukrainian cities and “choke them out,” according to Abrams — pointing to Aleppo, Syria, and Grozny, Chechnya, as examples — in order to take over and instate its own puppet government.
The international community, in particular NATO members, has been closely watching the conflict in hopes of preventing it from escalating beyond Ukraine’s borders as well.
A senior White House official told ABC News the administration has been discussing efforts to make sure Putin is not completely boxed in with no way out but to fight.
Abrams said he thinks there is a chance for a potential “off-ramp” for Russia, “but it will require compromise.”
That could look like Putin getting at least one of his demands met, such as Ukraine recognizing the two breakaway regions in the Donbas region as separate states, a guarantee of neutrality in Ukraine or a commitment that Ukraine never joins NATO.
“History tells us to end these wars, there’s always going to have to be compromise, because I don’t think we’re going to find either side giving unconditional surrender. That’s the other alternative, and I think that’s highly, highly unlikely,” Abrams said.
Though much remains unclear at this time, two things are certain, Abrams said.
“I think we can be certain that the vast majority of the cities in Ukraine are likely to be decimated and destroyed,” he said. “I say that because the Ukrainian resistance, their armed forces and their people, has been so strong, so capable, and it has come as a complete surprise to the Russian military … and as a result, the Russian military has already basically taken the gloves off and they’re using what we call dumb bombs — non-precision-guided munitions, rockets and artillery — in suburban areas and housing areas, destroying civilian infrastructure.”
Additionally, the conflict is going to displace millions of people, he said. So far, over 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine, and the United Nations has predicted that 10 million Ukrainians ultimately could be displaced by the war.
“There’s nothing good coming out of this war,” Abrams said. “The stories of the courage and heroism and just the grit, the real grit of the Ukrainian people — it’s inspiring. But their country is slowly being destroyed, one village at a time.”
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 07, 7:42 am
Ukrainian foreign minister again calls for NATO no-fly zone
Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba on Monday called for NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying Russian planes were targeting civilians.
“The Russian Air Force dominates in the skies and continues bombing our cities and killing many civilians,” Kuleba told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America.
U.S. and NATO officials have rejected calls from Ukrainian officials to impose a no-fly zone, saying doing so could provoke Russia, perhaps pulling other European countries and NATO members into the conflict. The U.S. and NATO have offered other military aid, including a possible deal to send aircraft to Ukraine.
“We believe that the rejection of the idea of the no-fly zone is based in the lack of confidence in the strength of NATO as an alliance,” Kuleba said. “Because the military might of NATO is incomparably bigger compared to Russia. So why would Russia dare to shoot down a NATO plane, knowing it is doomed, eventually doomed, if a war with NATO begins.”
Kuleba over the weekend had urged the international community to help in the struggle against “Russian barbarians.” He posted a photo on Twitter on Sunday of an unexploded bomb, which he said landed on a residential building in Chernihiv.
Mar 07, 5:50 am
Ukraine casts doubt on Russian pledge for civilian pathways
Ukrainian officials said Russia’s proposal on Monday to open “humanitarian corridors” for cities in Ukraine is not a genuine offer because it offers to evacuate civilians only to Belarus and Russia.
Iryna Vereshchuk, a Ukrainian vice prime minister, in a televised briefing called that “unacceptable” and said Ukraine had demanded instead that civilians be allowed to evacuate to other parts of Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry had said it would open a corridor from towns and villages north of Kyiv, where heavy fighting is taking place, but that would allow people to travel to the Belarusian city of Gomel and then be flown to Russia. Russia also offered corridors near the besieged northeastern and eastern cities of Kharkiv, Sumy and Mariupol, but that would also only allow people to leave over the border to Russia.
“This is an unacceptable option of humanitarian corridors. Our people from outskirts of Kyiv won’t go to Belarus and then to Russia,” Vereshchuk said.
She said that Ukraine wants civilians north of Kyiv to be permitted to leave to the capital and for those from Kharkiv to be allowed to western cities by train, and from Mariupol north to the central city of Zaporizhzhia.
“We delivered our proposal on how the corridors should be organized,” Vereshchuk said, later adding, “Humanitarian aid is prepared for a number of towns in the east and south. We ask Russia to confirm these corridors and provide ceasefire.”
Russia has repeatedly violated its own ceasefire since offering humanitarian corridors for Mariupol and another eastern town Volnovakha, including shelling evacuation points in Mariupol according to officials there. The Red Cross, which is trying to organize the evacuations, has said the agreements currently are too vague and without clear understandings for routes out.
Russia said Monday’s offer for the corridors was made following a lengthy phone conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
Vereshchuk said Russia was trying to exploit Macron’s name for a disingenuous offer of corridors.
“I hope president Macron understands that his name and good intentions are manipulated by Russia,” she said.
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 07, 3:43 am
Refugee arrivals to Poland top 1 million, guard says
More than 1 million people fleeing Ukraine have arrived in Poland since the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24, the Polish Border Guard said on Monday.
A record 142,000 people arrived on Sunday, the guard said on Twitter. On Monday, about 42,000 people had crossed the border before 7 a.m. local time.
As of Sunday, more than 1.5 million people had fled the war in Ukraine, marking the “fastest growing refugee crises in Europe since World War II,” according to Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees.
Mar 07, 2:43 am
With attacks on TV towers, Russia seeks to isolate Ukrainians, UK says
Russian forces have attacked Ukrainian communications infrastructure to “reduce Ukrainian citizens’ access to reliable news and information,” the U.K. Ministry of Defence said on Monday.
“Russia reportedly struck a TV tower in Kharkiv yesterday, suspending broadcasting output,” the Ministry’s update said.
Russian forces on March 1 struck a TV tower in Kyiv, the capital.
Mar 07, 2:18 am
Russia says cease-fire will allow evacuations from 4 cities
Russia declared a cease-fire starting Monday morning, opening humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, the Russian interagency humanitarian response staff in Ukraine said.
“Taking into account the disastrous humanitarian situation and its severe deterioration in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Mariupol, and also at French President Emmanuel Macron’s personal request to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Armed Forces are declaring a ceasefire and opening humanitarian corridors for reasons of humanity starting 10:00 a.m. on March 7, 2022,” the staff said.
Ukrainian officials in Mariupol said Russia broke planned cease-fires on Saturday and Sunday.
(NEW YORK) — Though threatened by the Kremlin for decades, for former Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko, the Russian invasion of his country, he says, is a tragedy that Ukrainians didn’t envision becoming reality.
The 68-year-old told ABC’s “Nightline” the situation has united his people in a way that caught Russian forces off guard.
“Russia has never in its history encountered such determination, such a high democratic spirit and spirit for freedom,” Yushchenko told ABC News in a video interview from an undisclosed location in Ukraine. “In terms of spirit, [of] understand[ing], a totalitarian Russia cannot defeat Ukraine.”
Yushchenko, who served as the country’s president from 2005 to 2010, said Ukraine has developed a democracy for the last 20 years despite internal bickering.
“Putin is in an absolute, extreme isolation and that is why, every day, his reputation as the Russian president declines and his political beliefs, including nuclear inclinations, are devaluing fast,” he said.
By comparison, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has worked hard to consolidate the Ukrainian nation, Yushchenko said.
“He’s doing very important work. It’s possible,” he added, “that we’ve not been this united in 30 years. Tragedy and pain can unite.”
Zelenskyy has continually released televised updates as Russian forces continue to launch missile attacks and advance on the ground into the country. Zelenskyy has said he is Russia’s number one target in this war, his family, the second.
Yushchenko is no stranger to threats against his own life. He survived a dioxin poisoning in 2004 when he ran against a Kremlin-favored candidate for the presidency.
Yushchenko’s face was memorably heavily disfigured for years and some Ukrainian officials alleged that the Russian government was involved. The Kremlin has never officially responded to those allegations.
Yushchenko said his country is appreciative of the steps taken by the U.S. and Western allies to help the Ukrainian people, including sanctions and aid, but he reiterated calls for a no-fly zone.
The former president said “the Achilles’ heel of the Ukrainian defense” is strategic Russian airstrikes.
“When we’re talking about what Ukrainian soldiers want to have on the war field, any soldier’s first sentence would be ‘close airspace over Ukraine,'” he said.
ABC News’ Mary Marsh and Karin Weinberg contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Anastasiia Novitska was supposed to be wearing a lace wedding dress last week, surrounded by family and friends, while she exchanged vows with her future husband. She was instead forced to cancel the wedding and leave her fiancé behind as Russia invaded Ukraine.
“Basically, my life was destroyed just in one single night,” Novitska told ABC News Live in an interview on Friday. “We were getting everything ready for the wedding, we already started decorating the hall, all of the guests were booked, some of them were already in the city waiting for the wedding day and when I woke up early in the morning, I realized unfortunately, it’s no longer going to happen.”
The Russian invasion was a shock to Novitska, just like most of Ukrainians. She described the second day of the invasion, when her neighborhood was beginning to come under attack.
“I thought that everything would be safe in my city. But then on the second day of the war, on the 25th of February, while I was asleep I heard that bombs were attacking the airport next to me,” she recalled. “The attack was so hard that all of us were awake just in two seconds, we went into the underground, but thank God everyone was safe.”
She then made the tough but necessary decision to leave her home and entire life behind to find safety in Poland. Her fiancé stayed behind to fight in the war.
The United Nations says over one million people have fled from Ukraine since the fighting began. More than half of those refugees have fled to Poland, the U.N. says.
“I had to leave everything I had in my country, I had to leave my fiancé, I had to leave my relatives, my friends,” Novitska said. “When I walked into my room to say bye to my dress, which was hanging next to the wardrobe, I started crying because God knows when I will wear it again and if I will see those people who I left in my house.”
Novitska said she’s still in contact with her fiancé, and that he has called and texted her every day since they’ve been separated.
“At the moment he’s helping the volunteers to gather the clothes, food, water, and all needed stuff for our soldiers,” she said.
“He’s going to build the barracks to save the city in case tanks and soldiers come in. Hopefully, he will be safe, and I will see him again and he will stay alive,” Novitska added, while holding back tears.
While speaking with ABC News Live, a loud alarm that sounded like a siren began to go off on her phone. It was an alert from her hometown.
“They are having air bombs attacking,” she explained. “This was an alarm to go to the underground. There is a possibility bombs will come into our city. To be safe, it rings on my phone and radio to force all the people currently outside on in the house or in the flats to go immediately underground.”
Although she’s safe in Poland now, that’s one way she’s able to keep track of what’s happening back home.
Novitska said she hopes one day soon she will be reunited with her loved ones and be able to have the wedding she was forced to say goodbye to last week.
“I’m still hoping the next day that I will hear the magic words that the war has finished and that I can return back and start planning my completely new life,” said Novitska. “I know that everyone is praying for this, but we’re just hoping for better.”
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 04, 1:41 pm
Russia blocks Facebook in the country
Russia’s state censor on Friday announced it is blocking Facebook in the country.
The state censor, Roskomnadzor, claimed it was taking the step because of alleged freedom of speech violations by Facebook, citing the blocking of several Russian state media channels from the platform.
This is part of a broader push by Russian authorities to shut down independent media and social media platforms that might spread dissent against the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, the BBC announced it is temporarily pausing reporting from Russia because of a new law that imposes 15 years in jail for anyone spreading information the authorities claim is “fake” about the war in Ukraine.
Mar 04, 1:34 pm
100,000 Ukrainian children live in institutions, UNICEF says
Approximately 100,000 children in Ukraine were raised in institutions prior to the war, according to government statistics, a United Nations Children’s Fund spokesperson told ABC News.
The spokesperson said many of these institutions are located in hot spots.
These institutions are being evacuated without proper monitoring of the children’s situation, according to UNICEF.
The spokesperson said many of the children in institutions like boarding schools and orphanages have disabilities.
Mar 04, 1:24 pm
Still ‘no appreciable movement’ of convoy approaching Kyiv: US defense official
A senior U.S. defense official told reporters Friday that there is still “no appreciable movement” by a convoy of Russian forces approaching Kyiv, with the closest forces still about 25 kilometers from the city.
The official said a sabotaged bridge and Ukrainian attacks have contributed to the stalling of the convoy.
As for Kharkiv and Cherniv, the official said the U.S. estimates that Russian forces are about 10 kilometers from both city centers.
The official confirmed Russia took control of the Zaparozhye nuclear power plant.
The official said the U.S. is not in a position to independently verify that Russia has taken control of Kherson, saying fighting between the Russians and Ukrainians around the city has been seen as recently as today.
Mariupol is still under Ukrainian control, but Russians are bombarding the city and approaching from the north and up from the Azov coast, the official said.
Ukraine is still assessed to have “a strong majority” of its combat air power in tact, according to the official. Both Ukraine and Russia are also both believed to be using drones.
Russia has sent in approximately 92% of the forces it had arrayed at the border, up from about 90% yesterday, the official said.
Russians have now fired more than 500 missiles against Ukraine, according to the official.
Mar 04, 12:46 pm
UN Security Council meets over Russian attacks on nuclear power plant
The United Nations Security Council met Friday in an emergency session over Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The British representative said this is the first time a state has attacked a functioning nuclear power plant.
Senior U.N. diplomat and Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo condemned active military activity near a nuclear site as “not only unacceptable, but highly irresponsible.”
“Every action should be taken to avoid a catastrophic nuclear incident,” she added, saying an attack on a functioning nuclear power plant is contrary to international humanitarian law.
Mar 04, 12:13 pm
‘Fake news’ law passes in Russia carrying stiff jail sentences
A new Russian law could send people to prison for up to 15 years for posting “fake news” about the war.
Journalists and media in Russia will now only be able to report what is happening as the Kremlin reports it.
Duma, Russia’s legislative body, passed the rule Friday. It will be sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desk for it to be signed into law.
Mar 04, 11:34 am
US targets Russian oil refining sector with export controls
The U.S. Commerce Department announced restrictions on certain goods used to refine oil preventing them from going into Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The restrictions build upon a 2014 rule put in place on the Russian deepwater oil and gas exploration and extraction industries, by denying such items and placing restrictions on a wide variety of items necessary for refining oil.
“These actions will further restrict access to U.S. commodities, software, and technology as part of our ongoing efforts to degrade Russia’s ability to acquire the items it needs to sustain its military aggression,” the Commerce Department said in a statement.
The U.S. also added 91 entities to its “Entity List,” banning them from use in the U.S. for their involvement in, contributions to or support of Russian security services, military and defense sectors and military and/or defense research and development efforts, the Commerce Department said.
“With each passing day, as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, it finds itself with fewer places to turn for economic and material support,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
She added, “The United States and our allies and partners will continue to stand strong with the people of Ukraine and today’s actions will further restrict Russia’s access to revenue to support its aggression.”
Mar 04, 11:12 am
More than 700,000 refugees arrived in Poland, president says
More than 700,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border into Poland, President Andrzej Duda told reporters Friday.
When asked whether he was concerned the conflict in Ukraine will spill into Poland, Duda said, “We are a NATO member, I believe in NATO. NATO is the strongest alliance in the world. Much stronger than Russia and any other aggressor in the world.”
“We cooperate with our allies. Americans are not far from here on our land,” Duda said.
Duda told reporters that Poland will welcome refugees with open hearts. He said they’re doing everything in their power to expedite the entry process into Poland, no matter what passport they have.
He said some without documents have been allowed into the country. Duda had just finished touring a border crossing facility in Korczowa where he met with refugees who walked across the border in groups of at least 50 people at a time.
Mar 04, 10:22 am
Putin says Russia will ‘cope’ with sanctions
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday addressed the sanctions imposed by the West, saying his country will “benefit” in the end.
“Of course it will cause damage to us as well,” Putin said during an appearance on a Russian news channel. “We will simply have to postpone some projects a little, acquire additional expertise, just as we did it in a whole range of other projects, including in aviation.”
“But in any case we will cope with these tasks before us and will even benefit from this situation in the end, because we will acquire additional expertise,” Putin said.
Putin also spoke about Ukraine: “We have absolutely no ill intentions with regard to our neighbors.”
He added, “I would advise them against escalating tensions and imposing any restrictions. We are honoring all our obligations, and we will continue to do so.”
Mar 04, 9:08 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
UNHCR spokesperson Chris Melzer said the refugee flow from Ukraine into Poland appears to be slowing down, for now.
“The flow of people is lessening,” Melzer told ABC News on Friday. “The lines are much shorter.”
Melzer, who is currently at Budomierz on the Polish border, has been hearing reports of similar scenes at other crossings. But he cautioned that this doesn’t mean the situation is over.
“The process has been streamlined and less people seem to be coming,” he said. “Here, there are about two-hour waits for cars and pedestrians are passing through freely.”
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 8:33 am
Zelenskyy alleges Russia is planning to stage ‘fake rally’ in Kherson
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian forces of planning to stage “a fake rally in support of Russia” in the strategic port city of Kherson.
In a televised address Friday morning, Zelenskyy claimed that Russian troops were busing in “outsiders” from Moscow-annexed Crimea and “trying to recruit traitors from among the locals” to demand that Kherson be a Russian city.
“I appeal to the residents of Kherson: You can stop that, show them that Kherson is your city,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not let go of what is ours.”
“Show them our flags, sing our anthem, show your spirit, let them know that they can only stay in Kherson temporarily and would never be able to claim ownership of Kherson or any other city of our country,” he added.
Russian forces took control of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Wednesday night. The Ukrainian government said earlier Friday that Russian troops have taken over Kherson’s television tower and are broadcasting Russian channels, suggesting that Moscow may be planning to permanently occupy the city.
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 8:17 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 7:46 am
Russia has prepared puppet government for Kyiv: US official
Russia has selected and prepared a puppet government to install in Kyiv once its forces seize the Ukrainian capital, a senior U.S. administration official told ABC News.
U.S. intelligence believes Russian troops will ultimately crush Kyiv and decapitate its government, amid mounting evidence of indiscriminate shelling and a barrage against civilian targets across Ukraine, according to the official.
The official expressed concern that Ukraine lacks air power and what air force they had has been attacked, allowing Russia to mass its forces en route to Kyiv.
-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz
Mar 04, 7:32 am
Russian forces advancing on major Ukrainian city, local official warns
Russian forces are advancing on Mykolaiv, another key city in southern Ukraine, the regional governor warned Friday.
In a video message posted on social media, Mykolaiv Oblast Gov. Vitaliy Kim said Russian troops are moving on Mykolaiv city from two directions and that some have already entered the city limits but are not yet inside in significant numbers.
The city is preparing to defend itself, according to Kim.
“Don’t panic,” Kim said. “At the moment, the enemy is approaching from two directions but they’re not on our streets yet. We’re preparing the defenses, so women and children should get home now and the men join the defense lines.”
Kim said the Ukrainian military has a large amount of armour in Mykolaiv and urged residents “not to shoot at every vehicle,” since some could be Ukrainian.
“No need to shoot at everything that’s moving in the city. There’s a lot of our armor in the city,” he said. “{lease do not shoot inside the city, there’s no enemy here yet, but they are approaching.”
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 6:45 am
US embassy calls nuclear power plant shelling ‘a war crime’
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv took to Twitter on Friday to condemn Russia’s shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
“It is a war crime to attack a nuclear power plant,” the embassy tweeted. “Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.”
Mar 04, 6:25 am
Blinken: ‘If conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday morning to discuss the response to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During a press conference prior to the meeting at NATO headquarters, Blinken and Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s attacks on civilians in Ukraine and expressed concern over the reports of Russian shelling at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant.
“This just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it, and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops and engage in good faith in diplomatic efforts,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We provide support to Ukraine. At the same time, NATO is not part of the conflict. NATO is a defensive alliance, we don’t seek war conflict with Russia.”
Blinken emphasized that NATO and the United States “seek no conflict.”
“But if conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it,” he added. “And we will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Mar 04, 5:41 am
No radioactive material released at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: IAEA
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Friday that no radioactive material was released at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant amid shelling from Russian forces overnight.
The shelling sparked a fire in a training building at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar. The blaze has since been extinguished, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Two security employees at the plant were injured during the incident, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
“The safety systems at the six reactors were not effected,” Grossi said at a press conference in Vienna on Friday morning. “No radioactive material was released.”
“We are following the situation very, very closely,” he added.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Mar 04, 2:57 am
Fire at Ukraine’s largest nuclear facility extinguished as Russian forces take control
A fire at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar was extinguished Friday, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
The fire occurred in a training building at the site after shelling from Russian forces. There were no victims, the emergency service said.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe.
Meanwhile, Energodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov told reporters Friday morning that the city is now under the control of Russian forces and fighting near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has stopped.
Ukraine’s national nuclear regulator has said that the plant’s employees are being permitted to work as normal, safety systems are currently functioning and there was no reported change in radiation levels at the site.
-ABC News’ Brian Hartman and Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 2:12 am
UN nuclear watchdog warns of ‘severe danger if any reactors were hit’ at plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has appealed for a halt of the use of force at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant and warned of “severe danger if any reactors were hit.”
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said in a statement early Friday that it was informed by Ukraine that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, had been shelled overnight in the eastern city of Enerhodar. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi “immediately” spoke with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as well as the country’s national nuclear regulator and operator about the “serious situation.” Grossi is expected to hold a press conference later Friday.
According to IAEA, the Ukrainian regulatory authority said a fire at the site had not affected “essential” equipment and plant personnel were taking mitigatory actions, and that there was no reported change in radiation levels at the plant.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the blaze, which occurred in a training building after shelling from Russian forces, was extinguished Friday morning.
The IAEA said it is putting its Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) in “full response mode” due to the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The agency continues to closely monitor developments at the facility and remains in constant contact with Ukraine.
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 04, 4:00 pm
Russia blocks Twitter
The state censor on Friday added Twitter to the list of banned sites in the country, based on a request from Russia’s Prosecutor General.
Earlier Friday, Russia banned Facebook as the government moves to limit dissent over the war in Ukraine.
Mar 04, 3:44 pm
Russia claims Ukraine forces were responsible for the attack on Zaporizhzhia
Russia’s representative to the United Nations on Friday reiterated the Kremlin’s claim that Ukrainian forces were responsible for the attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The representative said Russian forces came under small arms fire by a “Ukrainian sabotage group” that was stationed in a training complex building on site.
The representative claimed that Russian troops returned fire, but that as they departed, Ukrainians set the building on fire.
The Russian representative claimed Ukrainian “radicals” are under the West’s “close guardianship and protection,” giving them “carte blanche,” and allowing them to act like “ISIS terrorists” by “hiding behind civilians and placing heavy weaponry and multiple rocket launchers in residential areas.”
Ukraine, the U.S. and its allies have denied these claims.
The UN relief chief also fact-checked the Russian delegate on Monday, saying Russia’s claim about Ukraine placing weapons in civilian areas was false.
Mar 04, 3:26 pm
US to deliver bulk of weapons to Ukraine within the next week
The majority of military capability the U.S. promised to send Ukraine, part of a $350 million package, will be delivered within the next week, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Friday.
In addition to the U.S., 14 countries are also providing military assistance to Ukraine.
The new aid package was expedited so quickly because it has been categorized as “a presidential drawdown,” which bypasses the traditional process of congressional notification, according to the official.
According to another official, this is the largest-ever military support that falls under “a presidential drawdown.”
A second official told reporters that weapons were getting into Ukraine through “multiple venues.”
Instead of providing new weapons, the U.S. will provide weapons that are in the existing U.S. military arsenal and are eligible to be replaced. The official said the Ukrainians are being provided with weapons they have already received training for in the past.
“I think all of us have been tremendously impressed by how effectively the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been using the equipment that we’ve provided them,” said the official.
Adding, “I think that Kremlin watchers have also been surprised by this, and how they have slowed the Russian advance and performed extremely well on the battlefield.”
Mar 04, 2:35 pm
US says nuclear catastrophe ‘narrowly averted,’ thousands of Ukrainians, Russians killed in war
U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield addressed the Security Council Friday, warning that, “the world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe last night. We all waited to exhale as we watched the horrific situation unfold in real time.”
She called Russia’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant “incredibly reckless and dangerous” and said it “threatened the safety of civilians across Russia, Ukraine and Europe.”
Thomas-Greenfield urged Russia to withdraw troops from the facility, give operators full access to ensure continued safe operation and assess any damage and to halt any further use of force near Ukraine’s nuclear facilities.
She said Russia has killed “thousands of Ukrainians” and “thousands” of Russian soldiers have been killed as well, adding, “President Putin must stop this humanitarian catastrophe by ending this war.”
She called on Russia’s envoy in the chamber to “say this won’t happen again.”
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi attended the meeting remotely, saying the agency was ready to deploy to Ukraine and establish “basic principles of safety and security starting with the physical integrity” of its nuclear power plants.
Ukraine has requested direct assistance, he said, calling it his agency’s “duty” to assist.
The IAEA remains in contact with Ukrainian authorities, including Ukraine’s nuclear regulatory agency and the company operating the facility, he said.
Mar 04, 1:41 pm
Russia blocks Facebook in the country
Russia’s state censor on Friday announced it is blocking Facebook in the country.
The state censor, Roskomnadzor, claimed it was taking the step because of alleged freedom of speech violations by Facebook, citing the blocking of several Russian state media channels from the platform.
This is part of a broader push by Russian authorities to shut down independent media and social media platforms that might spread dissent against the war in Ukraine.
On Friday, the BBC announced it is temporarily pausing reporting from Russia because of a new law that imposes 15 years in jail for anyone spreading information the authorities claim is “fake” about the war in Ukraine.
Mar 04, 1:34 pm
100,000 Ukrainian children live in institutions, UNICEF says
Approximately 100,000 children in Ukraine were raised in institutions prior to the war, according to government statistics, a United Nations Children’s Fund spokesperson told ABC News.
The spokesperson said many of these institutions are located in hot spots.
These institutions are being evacuated without proper monitoring of the children’s situation, according to UNICEF.
The spokesperson said many of the children in institutions like boarding schools and orphanages have disabilities.
Mar 04, 1:24 pm
Still ‘no appreciable movement’ of convoy approaching Kyiv: US defense official
A senior U.S. defense official told reporters Friday that there is still “no appreciable movement” by a convoy of Russian forces approaching Kyiv, with the closest forces still about 25 kilometers from the city.
The official said a sabotaged bridge and Ukrainian attacks have contributed to the stalling of the convoy.
As for Kharkiv and Cherniv, the official said the U.S. estimates that Russian forces are about 10 kilometers from both city centers.
The official confirmed Russia took control of the Zaparozhye nuclear power plant.
The official said the U.S. is not in a position to independently verify that Russia has taken control of Kherson, saying fighting between the Russians and Ukrainians around the city has been seen as recently as today.
Mariupol is still under Ukrainian control, but Russians are bombarding the city and approaching from the north and up from the Azov coast, the official said.
Ukraine is still assessed to have “a strong majority” of its combat air power in tact, according to the official. Both Ukraine and Russia are also both believed to be using drones.
Russia has sent in approximately 92% of the forces it had arrayed at the border, up from about 90% yesterday, the official said.
Russians have now fired more than 500 missiles against Ukraine, according to the official.
Mar 04, 12:46 pm
UN Security Council meets over Russian attacks on nuclear power plant
The United Nations Security Council met Friday in an emergency session over Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
The British representative said this is the first time a state has attacked a functioning nuclear power plant.
Senior U.N. diplomat and Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo condemned active military activity near a nuclear site as “not only unacceptable, but highly irresponsible.”
“Every action should be taken to avoid a catastrophic nuclear incident,” she added, saying an attack on a functioning nuclear power plant is contrary to international humanitarian law.
Mar 04, 12:13 pm
‘Fake news’ law passes in Russia carrying stiff jail sentences
A new Russian law could send people to prison for up to 15 years for posting “fake news” about the war.
Journalists and media in Russia will now only be able to report what is happening as the Kremlin reports it.
Duma, Russia’s legislative body, passed the rule Friday. It will be sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desk for it to be signed into law.
Mar 04, 11:34 am
US targets Russian oil refining sector with export controls
The U.S. Commerce Department announced restrictions on certain goods used to refine oil preventing them from going into Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The restrictions build upon a 2014 rule put in place on the Russian deepwater oil and gas exploration and extraction industries, by denying such items and placing restrictions on a wide variety of items necessary for refining oil.
“These actions will further restrict access to U.S. commodities, software, and technology as part of our ongoing efforts to degrade Russia’s ability to acquire the items it needs to sustain its military aggression,” the Commerce Department said in a statement.
The U.S. also added 91 entities to its “Entity List,” banning them from use in the U.S. for their involvement in, contributions to or support of Russian security services, military and defense sectors and military and/or defense research and development efforts, the Commerce Department said.
“With each passing day, as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, it finds itself with fewer places to turn for economic and material support,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.
She added, “The United States and our allies and partners will continue to stand strong with the people of Ukraine and today’s actions will further restrict Russia’s access to revenue to support its aggression.”
Mar 04, 11:12 am
More than 700,000 refugees arrived in Poland, president says
More than 700,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border into Poland, President Andrzej Duda told reporters Friday.
When asked whether he was concerned the conflict in Ukraine will spill into Poland, Duda said, “We are a NATO member, I believe in NATO. NATO is the strongest alliance in the world. Much stronger than Russia and any other aggressor in the world.”
“We cooperate with our allies. Americans are not far from here on our land,” Duda said.
Duda told reporters that Poland will welcome refugees with open hearts. He said they’re doing everything in their power to expedite the entry process into Poland, no matter what passport they have.
He said some without documents have been allowed into the country. Duda had just finished touring a border crossing facility in Korczowa where he met with refugees who walked across the border in groups of at least 50 people at a time.
Mar 04, 10:22 am
Putin says Russia will ‘cope’ with sanctions
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday addressed the sanctions imposed by the West, saying his country will “benefit” in the end.
“Of course it will cause damage to us as well,” Putin said during an appearance on a Russian news channel. “We will simply have to postpone some projects a little, acquire additional expertise, just as we did it in a whole range of other projects, including in aviation.”
“But in any case we will cope with these tasks before us and will even benefit from this situation in the end, because we will acquire additional expertise,” Putin said.
Putin also spoke about Ukraine: “We have absolutely no ill intentions with regard to our neighbors.”
He added, “I would advise them against escalating tensions and imposing any restrictions. We are honoring all our obligations, and we will continue to do so.”
Mar 04, 9:08 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
UNHCR spokesperson Chris Melzer said the refugee flow from Ukraine into Poland appears to be slowing down, for now.
“The flow of people is lessening,” Melzer told ABC News on Friday. “The lines are much shorter.”
Melzer, who is currently at Budomierz on the Polish border, has been hearing reports of similar scenes at other crossings. But he cautioned that this doesn’t mean the situation is over.
“The process has been streamlined and less people seem to be coming,” he said. “Here, there are about two-hour waits for cars and pedestrians are passing through freely.”
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 8:33 am
Zelenskyy alleges Russia is planning to stage ‘fake rally’ in Kherson
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian forces of planning to stage “a fake rally in support of Russia” in the strategic port city of Kherson.
In a televised address Friday morning, Zelenskyy claimed that Russian troops were busing in “outsiders” from Moscow-annexed Crimea and “trying to recruit traitors from among the locals” to demand that Kherson be a Russian city.
“I appeal to the residents of Kherson: You can stop that, show them that Kherson is your city,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not let go of what is ours.”
“Show them our flags, sing our anthem, show your spirit, let them know that they can only stay in Kherson temporarily and would never be able to claim ownership of Kherson or any other city of our country,” he added.
Russian forces took control of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Wednesday night. The Ukrainian government said earlier Friday that Russian troops have taken over Kherson’s television tower and are broadcasting Russian channels, suggesting that Moscow may be planning to permanently occupy the city.
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 8:17 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 7:46 am
Russia has prepared puppet government for Kyiv: US official
Russia has selected and prepared a puppet government to install in Kyiv once its forces seize the Ukrainian capital, a senior U.S. administration official told ABC News.
U.S. intelligence believes Russian troops will ultimately crush Kyiv and decapitate its government, amid mounting evidence of indiscriminate shelling and a barrage against civilian targets across Ukraine, according to the official.
The official expressed concern that Ukraine lacks air power and what air force they had has been attacked, allowing Russia to mass its forces en route to Kyiv.
-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz
Mar 04, 7:32 am
Russian forces advancing on major Ukrainian city, local official warns
Russian forces are advancing on Mykolaiv, another key city in southern Ukraine, the regional governor warned Friday.
In a video message posted on social media, Mykolaiv Oblast Gov. Vitaliy Kim said Russian troops are moving on Mykolaiv city from two directions and that some have already entered the city limits but are not yet inside in significant numbers.
The city is preparing to defend itself, according to Kim.
“Don’t panic,” Kim said. “At the moment, the enemy is approaching from two directions but they’re not on our streets yet. We’re preparing the defenses, so women and children should get home now and the men join the defense lines.”
Kim said the Ukrainian military has a large amount of armour in Mykolaiv and urged residents “not to shoot at every vehicle,” since some could be Ukrainian.
“No need to shoot at everything that’s moving in the city. There’s a lot of our armor in the city,” he said. “{lease do not shoot inside the city, there’s no enemy here yet, but they are approaching.”
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 6:45 am
US embassy calls nuclear power plant shelling ‘a war crime’
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv took to Twitter on Friday to condemn Russia’s shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
“It is a war crime to attack a nuclear power plant,” the embassy tweeted. “Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.”
Mar 04, 6:25 am
Blinken: ‘If conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday morning to discuss the response to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During a press conference prior to the meeting at NATO headquarters, Blinken and Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s attacks on civilians in Ukraine and expressed concern over the reports of Russian shelling at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant.
“This just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it, and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops and engage in good faith in diplomatic efforts,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We provide support to Ukraine. At the same time, NATO is not part of the conflict. NATO is a defensive alliance, we don’t seek war conflict with Russia.”
Blinken emphasized that NATO and the United States “seek no conflict.”
“But if conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it,” he added. “And we will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Mar 04, 5:41 am
No radioactive material released at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: IAEA
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Friday that no radioactive material was released at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant amid shelling from Russian forces overnight.
The shelling sparked a fire in a training building at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar. The blaze has since been extinguished, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Two security employees at the plant were injured during the incident, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
“The safety systems at the six reactors were not effected,” Grossi said at a press conference in Vienna on Friday morning. “No radioactive material was released.”
“We are following the situation very, very closely,” he added.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Mar 04, 2:57 am
Fire at Ukraine’s largest nuclear facility extinguished as Russian forces take control
A fire at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar was extinguished Friday, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
The fire occurred in a training building at the site after shelling from Russian forces. There were no victims, the emergency service said.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe.
Meanwhile, Energodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov told reporters Friday morning that the city is now under the control of Russian forces and fighting near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has stopped.
Ukraine’s national nuclear regulator has said that the plant’s employees are being permitted to work as normal, safety systems are currently functioning and there was no reported change in radiation levels at the site.
-ABC News’ Brian Hartman and Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 2:12 am
UN nuclear watchdog warns of ‘severe danger if any reactors were hit’ at plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has appealed for a halt of the use of force at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant and warned of “severe danger if any reactors were hit.”
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said in a statement early Friday that it was informed by Ukraine that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, had been shelled overnight in the eastern city of Enerhodar. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi “immediately” spoke with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as well as the country’s national nuclear regulator and operator about the “serious situation.” Grossi is expected to hold a press conference later Friday.
According to IAEA, the Ukrainian regulatory authority said a fire at the site had not affected “essential” equipment and plant personnel were taking mitigatory actions, and that there was no reported change in radiation levels at the plant.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the blaze, which occurred in a training building after shelling from Russian forces, was extinguished Friday morning.
The IAEA said it is putting its Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) in “full response mode” due to the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The agency continues to closely monitor developments at the facility and remains in constant contact with Ukraine.
(NEW YORK) — The Donbas region of eastern Ukraine was once known for its coal and steel manufacturing, but thanks to a long-running conflict there fanned by Russia, it has played an important role in the Kremlin’s ongoing invasion.
The Donbas contains two provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, that touch the Russian border and since 2014 have been controlled by two puppet separatist governments that Moscow armed and helped establish.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, saying he sent Russian troops into Ukraine to keep the peace at the request of rebels in the region.
But experts on the long-running conflict said Moscow largely created the separatist movement and is now using that as grounds for the invasion.
“Those two regions have a lot of people who are not just Russian citizens, but also sympathetic to Russia still, unlike most of the country,” said ABC News contributor Steve Ganyard, a retired U.S. Marine colonel and former deputy assistant secretary of state. “So the reason that the Russians were able to sort of maintain puppet governments there is that they had people who are sympathetic to Russia and to their cause.”
During the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, which toppled the Russian-friendly regime of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Russia responded by annexing Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and throwing its support behind an insurgency in Donbas.
Russia-backed fighters, led by former Russian intelligence officer Igor Girkin and supported by Russian special forces, seized several administrative buildings in Donbas, setting off the conflict.
‘People’s republics’
In April 2014, the Russian-backed rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk proclaimed the creation of “people’s republics” and months later held a popular and unrecognized referendum to declare independence from Ukraine in an effort to become part of Russia, experts said.
“Russia sent operatives in, both military and political, to create the appearance of separatist movements, and then they sort of brought them to life. These movements would take over city halls in the region, and we’d see pictures of Russian special forces with them,” Matthew Schmidt, a national security and political science professor at the University of New Haven, told ABC News.
Ukraine used its military to try to regain control of the region, and as the Russian-backed insurgency faltered, Moscow sent its regular forces in to prop them up, covertly sending tank regiments and other units into battle.
About 14,000 people have been killed in the eight years of fighting in Donbas, and more than a million residents of the area have been displaced since the fighting broke, according to the Ukrainian government.
Amid the fighting, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing 298 people aboard, most of them from the Netherlands. An international investigation determined the jet was hit by a Russia-supplied missile fired from the rebel-controlled territory in Ukraine. Russia denied any involvement in the incident.
In early 2015, with Russian troops inflicting heavy damage on Ukraine, Kyiv agreed to a peace deal known as the “Minsk agreements.” Although the deal ended large-scale fighting, the conflict continued to smolder with both sides dug in along trenches.
“It turned into sort of like a World War I-kind of Western Front stalemate, and it’s been that way since 2015,” Ganyard said, adding that prior to the invasion, indiscriminate shelling occurred on both sides of the conflict.
Schmidt added, “The most important thing about that area is that it has caused this war, or it is the justification for this war.”
‘Minsk agreements’
The 2015 Minsk agreements called for Ukraine to reintegrate the separatist regions by giving them broad autonomy enshrined in its constitution. The Kremlin hoped that by doing so it would create a permanent pro-Russian lever of influence within Ukraine’s government that would act as a veto on the country joining the European Union or NATO.
Ukraine refused to fulfill that part of the Minsk deal while Russian troops remained on the separatists’ territory, seeing the separatist governments as puppets of the Kremlin. Any possibility of solving the conflict was made far more difficult because the Kremlin refused to even acknowledge its troops were in the separatist areas, falsely claiming the conflict was entirely an internal civil war in Ukraine, the experts said.
Meanwhile, Russia continued to falsely accuse Ukraine of waging a “genocide” against Russian speakers in the separatist areas.
The Kremlin and the separatist proxies have drawn on a conception of the region dating from the 19th century when it was part of an area known as “New Russia.”
“So, that’s where Putin is starting, and he’s saying essentially these people are majority Russian speakers and if you go back to the 19th century they are really part of Russia or should be. And he’s used that term New Russia before,” Schmidt said.
But the Ukrainian government counters that Donetsk and Luhansk have been legally recognized as part of Ukraine dating back to 1917. During a referendum in 1991, a majority of people in the regions voted in favor of Ukrainian independence.
A barrage of fake reports
In the run-up to the current invasion, Russia manufactured a pretext for it by claiming Ukraine was preparing to attack the separatist regions, backing it with a barrage of fake reports and staged videos showing supposed Ukrainian outrages that were quickly debunked by independent researchers.
The separatist authorities also ordered mass evacuations of civilians to create the illusion of a large-scale humanitarian crisis.
After Russia recognized the “republics,” the puppet governments appealed for help from Russia, creating a false pretext for the Kremlin to invade. Putin accused Ukraine of failing to implement the Minsk agreements to justify Russia recognizing the separatist “republics” as independent.
By recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics, Putin is saying that “Ukraine is illegitimate in claiming them,” Schmidt said.
“And when he claims them as independent republics, then they are — in his mind and in Russian legal theory at that point — capable of asking a neighboring country to assist,” Schmidt said.
When the fighting stopped in 2015, the separatist “republics” only held around a third of the territory of Donbas that they claim should belong to them. As part of Russia’s invasion, it has launched a full-scale offensive from the separatist areas that it claims is to retake that territory.
Many experts say Russia is using the separatist conflict as a pretext for forcing Ukraine to concede to Russian demands that it never join NATO and remain part of Moscow’s orbit.
The two separatist regions — likely enlarged — could be important in any eventual peace agreement to end the fighting.
Ganyard said that while Donetsk and Luhansk have been key to the start of the Russian invasion, they are also a vital “piece of the puzzle” to ending it.
“It’s one thing to invade a country; it’s another thing to hold it — and it’s particularly difficult if you don’t have the support of the indigenous people,” Ganyard said. “If Ukraine has to give up the Donbas, it’s probably not a deal killer. I think that might be part of the deal just to give Putin something to allow him to save face.”
(NEW YORK) — Typically used for fun on social media, memes out of Ukraine are serious business amid Russia’s attack.
In fact, history and media experts who spoke with ABC News said the social media posts about Ukraine’s resistance against Russian forces are war tools.
Jennifer Grygiel, an associate professor of communications at Syracuse University who specializes in social media and memes, told ABC News that social media campaigns, undertaken by big governments or grassroots groups, are critical in gaining worldwide support.
“That’s how warfare is conducted in the information space. It’s about narratives and public belief,” Grygiel said.
As social media warfare heats up, Grygiel and other experts say the world needs to be on high alert and prevent spreading false information.
U.S. and European officials also say the Russian government began using social media videos in the last couple of months to plant false flag stories that bolster Putin’s claims that his invasion is legitimate.
In one video posted in February, Russian-backed separatists claimed they were ordering an “immediate evacuation” to Russia because of unrest in Ukraine. But metadata embedded in the video files showed they had been created two days earlier, according to Western intelligence officials.
V.S. Subrahmanian, a faculty fellow at Northwestern University’s Buffett Institute for Global Affairs and cybersecurity expert, told ABC News that these tactics aren’t new.
He said during World War II, Western and Nazi forces would airdrop leaflets onto the battlefield and in towns to promote their respective country and to intimidate the enemy.
“What’s happening today is these leaflets are now tweets, or Facebook posts or posts on TikTok and they are sowing the disinformation campaign long before any invasion tactics, ” Subrahmanian said.
The biggest difference in this tactic, according to Subrahmanian, is that years of Russian government disinformation campaigns have added up and the world is not taking the bait.
And it may have spurred Ukrainians to take back that online narrative.
Since the invasion began, there have been viral posts from social media users in the country that have highlighted the Ukrainians’ resolve. In addition to publishing photos and videos of resistance forces taking down Russian troops and tanks, social media users are also promoting the acts of civilians.
“The most important mission of any warfare is success on the ground,” Daniel Johnson, a Roy H. Park Fellow at UNC Hussman’s School of Journalism and former U.S. Army journalist told ABC News. “Russia is running into the issue where they are fighting battles that they thought it would be winning. So when they put out messages saying they’re winning, people around the world know it’s false.”
Johnson said the U.S. Army and other military units are tasked with putting out the social media from the front lines, but what makes the situation interesting in Ukraine is that the posts are coming from civilians voluntarily. This is their form of nationalistic pride and duty, he said.
“In previous wars, we’d have people help with giving supplies or letters. Now you have a video post,” he said.
Johnson said that the Ukrainian social media posts are keeping the Russian disinformation campaign at bay as Ukrainian victories posted online have been livestreamed and captured by multiple users from different angles.
“It’s hard to lie when I have 150 videos showing that you’re not in Kyiv and you’re not winning,” he said.
Some of the posts are getting more attention.
In one video, a group of Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island in the Black Sea were seen responding to a Russian warship’s threats of a bombing by telling the ship’s crew to “go (expletive) yourself.” In another post, a Ukrainian woman is seen scolding a Russian soldier, telling him to “put sunflower seeds in your pocket so they grow when you die.”
The ongoing stories of the Ukrainian fighter pilot nicknamed “the Ghost of Kyiv,” have also been trending, for their reported successful airstrikes against Russian forces. Military experts haven’t been able to confirm if the “Ghost of Kyiv” is a real person.
Johnson said these figures, real or not, play an important role in boosting the resistance’s spirits and have done so in the past with examples like “Rosie the Riveter.”
“Legends have a morale power,” he said. “It’s what they represent more than anything.”
Grygiel said one of the most important effects of Ukrainian social media and memes is showing the world how devastating Russian attacks are on the populace and cities. For many people around the world, this is their first taste of the atrocities of war in real time, Grygiel said.
“There is something human about seeing who you’re about to harm,” they said.
Grygiel and the other experts said there will be a greater emphasis on media and Internet messaging campaigns during the current conflict and future international wars. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, announced this week that it had shut down accounts that spread misinformation about Ukraine.
Governments and social media companies need to go further and keep an eye on the content that they’re promoting Grygiel said.
“When it comes to propaganda and disinformation there is no limit,” Grygiel said.
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 04, 10:22 am
Putin says Russia will ‘cope’ with sanctions
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday addressed the sanctions imposed by the West, saying his country will “benefit” in the end.
“Of course it will cause damage to us as well,” Putin said during an appearance on a Russian news channel. “We will simply have to postpone some projects a little, acquire additional expertise, just as we did it in a whole range of other projects, including in aviation.”
“But in any case we will cope with these tasks before us and will even benefit from this situation in the end, because we will acquire additional expertise,” Putin said.
Putin also spoke about Ukraine: “We have absolutely no ill intentions with regard to our neighbors.”
He added, “I would advise them against escalating tensions and imposing any restrictions. We are honoring all our obligations, and we will continue to do so.”
Mar 04, 9:08 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
UNHCR spokesperson Chris Melzer said the refugee flow from Ukraine into Poland appears to be slowing down, for now.
“The flow of people is lessening,” Melzer told ABC News on Friday. “The lines are much shorter.”
Melzer, who is currently at Budomierz on the Polish border, has been hearing reports of similar scenes at other crossings. But he cautioned that this doesn’t mean the situation is over.
“The process has been streamlined and less people seem to be coming,” he said. “Here, there are about two-hour waits for cars and pedestrians are passing through freely.”
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 8:33 am
Zelenskyy alleges Russia is planning to stage ‘fake rally’ in Kherson
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russian forces of planning to stage “a fake rally in support of Russia” in the strategic port city of Kherson.
In a televised address Friday morning, Zelenskyy claimed that Russian troops were busing in “outsiders” from Moscow-annexed Crimea and “trying to recruit traitors from among the locals” to demand that Kherson be a Russian city.
“I appeal to the residents of Kherson: You can stop that, show them that Kherson is your city,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not let go of what is ours.”
“Show them our flags, sing our anthem, show your spirit, let them know that they can only stay in Kherson temporarily and would never be able to claim ownership of Kherson or any other city of our country,” he added.
Russian forces took control of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Wednesday night. The Ukrainian government said earlier Friday that Russian troops have taken over Kherson’s television tower and are broadcasting Russian channels, suggesting that Moscow may be planning to permanently occupy the city.
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 8:17 am
Over 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine: UNHCR
More than 1.2 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, according to the latest figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Over 50% of the refugees from Ukraine are in neighboring Poland, UNHCR figures show.
-ABC News’ Zoe Magee
Mar 04, 7:46 am
Russia has prepared puppet government for Kyiv: US official
Russia has selected and prepared a puppet government to install in Kyiv once its forces seize the Ukrainian capital, a senior U.S. administration official told ABC News.
U.S. intelligence believes Russian troops will ultimately crush Kyiv and decapitate its government, amid mounting evidence of indiscriminate shelling and a barrage against civilian targets across Ukraine, according to the official.
The official expressed concern that Ukraine lacks air power and what air force they had has been attacked, allowing Russia to mass its forces en route to Kyiv.
-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz
Mar 04, 7:32 am
Russian forces advancing on major Ukrainian city, local official warns
Russian forces are advancing on Mykolaiv, another key city in southern Ukraine, the regional governor warned Friday.
In a video message posted on social media, Mykolaiv Oblast Gov. Vitaliy Kim said Russian troops are moving on Mykolaiv city from two directions and that some have already entered the city limits but are not yet inside in significant numbers.
The city is preparing to defend itself, according to Kim.
“Don’t panic,” Kim said. “At the moment, the enemy is approaching from two directions but they’re not on our streets yet. We’re preparing the defenses, so women and children should get home now and the men join the defense lines.”
Kim said the Ukrainian military has a large amount of armour in Mykolaiv and urged residents “not to shoot at every vehicle,” since some could be Ukrainian.
“No need to shoot at everything that’s moving in the city. There’s a lot of our armor in the city,” he said. “{lease do not shoot inside the city, there’s no enemy here yet, but they are approaching.”
-ABC News’ Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 6:45 am
US embassy calls nuclear power plant shelling ‘a war crime’
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv took to Twitter on Friday to condemn Russia’s shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
“It is a war crime to attack a nuclear power plant,” the embassy tweeted. “Putin’s shelling of Europe’s largest nuclear plant takes his reign of terror one step further.”
Mar 04, 6:25 am
Blinken: ‘If conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other NATO foreign ministers in Brussels on Friday morning to discuss the response to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During a press conference prior to the meeting at NATO headquarters, Blinken and Stoltenberg condemned Russia’s attacks on civilians in Ukraine and expressed concern over the reports of Russian shelling at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant.
“This just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it, and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops and engage in good faith in diplomatic efforts,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We provide support to Ukraine. At the same time, NATO is not part of the conflict. NATO is a defensive alliance, we don’t seek war conflict with Russia.”
Blinken emphasized that NATO and the United States “seek no conflict.”
“But if conflict comes to us, we’re ready for it,” he added. “And we will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Mar 04, 5:41 am
No radioactive material released at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: IAEA
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Friday that no radioactive material was released at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant amid shelling from Russian forces overnight.
The shelling sparked a fire in a training building at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar. The blaze has since been extinguished, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
Two security employees at the plant were injured during the incident, according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
“The safety systems at the six reactors were not effected,” Grossi said at a press conference in Vienna on Friday morning. “No radioactive material was released.”
“We are following the situation very, very closely,” he added.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
Mar 04, 2:57 am
Fire at Ukraine’s largest nuclear facility extinguished as Russian forces take control
A fire at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in the eastern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar was extinguished Friday, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service.
The fire occurred in a training building at the site after shelling from Russian forces. There were no victims, the emergency service said.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe.
Meanwhile, Energodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov told reporters Friday morning that the city is now under the control of Russian forces and fighting near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has stopped.
Ukraine’s national nuclear regulator has said that the plant’s employees are being permitted to work as normal, safety systems are currently functioning and there was no reported change in radiation levels at the site.
-ABC News’ Brian Hartman and Patrick Reevell
Mar 04, 2:12 am
UN nuclear watchdog warns of ‘severe danger if any reactors were hit’ at plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has appealed for a halt of the use of force at Ukraine’s largest nuclear power plant and warned of “severe danger if any reactors were hit.”
The United Nations nuclear watchdog said in a statement early Friday that it was informed by Ukraine that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, had been shelled overnight in the eastern city of Enerhodar. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi “immediately” spoke with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as well as the country’s national nuclear regulator and operator about the “serious situation.” Grossi is expected to hold a press conference later Friday.
According to IAEA, the Ukrainian regulatory authority said a fire at the site had not affected “essential” equipment and plant personnel were taking mitigatory actions, and that there was no reported change in radiation levels at the plant.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the blaze, which occurred in a training building after shelling from Russian forces, was extinguished Friday morning.
The IAEA said it is putting its Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) in “full response mode” due to the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The agency continues to closely monitor developments at the facility and remains in constant contact with Ukraine.
(NEW YORK) — In the midst of an ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, public health experts are now warning that the COVID-19 pandemic could soon accelerate in the region.
While medical care for casualties of war is now the first priority, experts say the crisis could accelerate the spread of infectious disease, including COVID-19 — especially as a growing number of Ukrainians are displaced and forced in cramped, fraught situations.
Ukraine was already struggling with the pandemic before the war started, with the highly transmissible omicron variant causing a surge in cases. In the past four weeks alone, Ukraine reported more than 900,000 COVID-19 cases, more than one-fifth of total cases from the entire pandemic. Only 35% of Ukrainians are fully vaccinated.
“Migration and congregation of populations is likely to significantly contribute to disease spread, especially given the current surge of the highly transmissible omicron variant,” said John Brownstein, PhD, epidemiologist, chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hospital and ABC News contributor.
WHO Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned Wednesday there’s likely to be significant undetected transmissions.
Tarik Jasarevic, WHO spokesperson, told ABC News Live, “We will probably see less of testing, less of sequencing, less of a heavily epidemiological picture of COVID-19.”
Should the COVID-19 crisis escalate, experts also worry about the capacity to plan ahead and treat sick patients.
“Our ability to respond will be hampered by the lack of testing and surveillance, which means that we are likely to be flying blind as to the impact of the virus for weeks to come,” Brownstein said.
The WHO has warned of a critical oxygen shortage, with three major oxygen plants in the country now closed.
“We have to really understand this population is already vulnerable,” Jasarevic said, noting the health system has been overstretched through the pandemic.
The WHO has sent its first shipment of supplies to neighboring Poland, including 40 tons of supplies for trauma care and emergency surgery.
“It’s really important that we do our best to support those heroic health workers who are risking their lives just by going to work and they are under immense personal pressure as well because they are also affected their families in conflict zones,” Jasarevic said.
ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos and Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.
