February 27, 2022

Medical oxygen running out in Ukraine as war rages, WHO warns

Reuters

ZURICH, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine is running out of oxygen supplies that critically ill people need, the World Health Organization said on Sunday, calling for safe passage for emergency imports as combat rages.

"The oxygen supply situation is nearing a very dangerous point in Ukraine. Trucks are unable to transport oxygen supplies from plants to hospitals across the country, including the capital Kyiv," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement.

"The majority of hospitals could exhaust their oxygen reserves within the next 24 hours. Some have already run out. This puts thousands of lives at risk."

...

Critical hospital services were also being jeopardised by electricity and power shortages, while ambulances transporting patients were in danger of getting caught in the crossfire.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/medical-oxygen-running-out-ukraine-war-rages-who-warns-2022-02-27/

February 27, 2022

Fencing Returns Around US Capitol; State of the Union Road Closures Start Tuesday

By NBC Washington Staff and The Associated Press

Inner perimeter fencing around the U.S. Capitol is being installed Sunday morning ahead of Tuesday’s State of the Union address and concerns about potential demonstrations or trucker convoys snarling traffic.

U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger released a statement saying in part, "In light of the upcoming State of the Union Address, and the possibility of demonstrations in the next couple of weeks, we have been working closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners on a security plan to prevent any disruption to the important work of Congress."

Manger said a plan has been approved to put up the inner-perimeter fence around the Capitol building out of "an abundance of caution, and in conjunction with the United States Secret Service."

...

The Pentagon has already approved the deployment of 700 unarmed National Guard troops to be used to assist with traffic control during potential demonstrations.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/fencing-returns-around-us-capitol-state-of-the-union-road-closures-start-tuesday/2984823/

February 27, 2022

EU shuts airspace to Russian planes

@vonderleyen
First, we are shutting down the EU airspace for Russian-owned, Russian registered or Russian-controlled aircraft.

They won’t be able to land in, take off or overfly the territory of the EU.

Including the private jets of oligarchs.
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11:34 AM · Feb 27, 2022·Twitter for iPhone
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Ursula von der Leyen
@vonderleyen
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Second, we will ban the Kremlin’s media machine in the EU.

The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, and their subsidiaries,
will no longer be able to spread their lies to justify Putin’s war.

We are developing tools to ban their toxic and harmful disinformation in Europe.
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Ursula von der Leyen
@vonderleyen
·
26m
Third, we will target the other aggressor in this war, Lukashenko’s regime, with a new package of sanctions, hitting their most important sectors.

All these measures come on top of the strong package presented yesterday,
agreed by our international partners.
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https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1497973334847414278

February 27, 2022

'SNL' Pays Tribute to Ukraine in Solemn Cold Open

NBCWashington

"Saturday Night Live" opened its first show following the Beijing Winter Olympics with a stunning and solemn performance paying tribute to Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

The Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York donned traditional embroidered outfits while they sang the rousing choral version of “Prayer for Ukraine" behind a table of candles that spelled the name of Ukraine’s capital city, Kyiv.

Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong introduced the choir. The decades-old chorus was founded in the years after World War II by Ukrainian immigrants who wanted to preserve their cultural heritage in a new homeland, according to Ukrainian Weekly.

https://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/snl-opens-with-solemn-tribute-to-ukraine-host-john-mulaney-enters-five-timers-club/2984749/

February 27, 2022

Belarus Holds Constitutional Vote as Crisis in Ukraine Rages

Voice Of America News

KYIV — Belarusians cast ballots Sunday in a constitutional referendum that the country's authoritarian leader called to cement his 27-year old grip on power, even as he offers the country's territory to his ally Russia to invade Ukraine.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has edged even closer to Russia amid crippling Western sanctions over his crackdown on domestic protests, said he was confident that Belarusians will support a set of constitutional amendments that would allow him to stay in power until 2035.

The revised main law also sheds Belarus' neutral status, opening the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, which deployed forces to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of the invasion that began Thursday.

Some of those forces quickly closed in on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, located just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the border.

https://www.voanews.com/a/belarus-holds-constitutional-vote-as-crisis-in-ukraine-rages-/6461639.html

February 27, 2022

Ukraine launches 'IT army,' takes aim at Russian cyberspace

By James Pearson

LONDON (Reuters) - Ukraine will create an "IT army" to fight against Russia's digital intrusions, Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Saturday.

Ukraine has called its hacker underground to help protect critical infrastructure and conduct cyber spying missions against Russian troops, Reuters exclusively reported last week.

"We are creating an IT army," Fedorov wrote in a Tweet that linked to a channel on the Telegram messaging app which published a list of prominent Russian websites.

"There will be tasks for everyone. We continue to fight on the cyber front. The first task is on the channel for cyber specialists,"fight on the cyber front” as Russian forces continue their assault on Ukraine.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-launches-army-takes-aim-214226643.html

February 26, 2022

Invocation for Berehynia, Ukranian Protective Goddess

Statue of Berehynia in Kyiv's Independence Square

From patreon.com

Berehynia, or Bereginya, is an ancient Slavic tutelary goddess of Kiev and guardian goddess of Ukraine since the independence of this nation in 1991. She was a hearth mother who protected the home, children, and women, but since Ukraine became it's own country, She was seen as the protector of the entire nation. This monument was created and placed in Her honor in 2001 in the center of Kiev in place of former Lenin monument.

"Great Berehynia, ancient protectress of the Slavic people, please come to their need at this time of turmoil, violence, and war. They fight for their independence, their homes, and their lives at this time, and they need You to help protect them. Place a cloak of protection and safety around all of Your children, especially those in Your tutelary city of Kiev. President Zelensky and his loyal compatriots and nationalists need to be hidden and protected from any harm. All of the men, women, and children call for shielding from this violence and persecution. Thank You and so mote it be."

You can create a small altar with this picture or even flowers or altar clothes of yellow and blue. Burn any incense you may have, as well as any candles (but especially if they are yellow and blue). Do this daily until peace is throughout Ukraine.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/invocation-for-63080176

February 26, 2022

Arm the raccoons

February 26, 2022

Pressure mounts on major tech companies to take tougher line against Russia

Washington Post
By Cat Zakrzewski
Today at 9:13 a.m. EST

With Ukraine’s capital under siege, major tech companies are coming under mounting pressure to use their influence over the world’s most popular phones, apps and social media platforms to take action against Russia.

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s digital minister, on Friday sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, calling on him to stop supplying products and services, including the App Store, to Russia. Fedorov suggested that such a move would motivate young Russians to “proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression.”

“We need your support — in 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to the tanks, multiple rocket launchers … and missiles,” he wrote.

He also tweeted early Saturday that he had contacted Facebook parent company Meta, Google and Netflix, asking them to suspend services in Russia. He called on YouTube to block “propagandist” Russian channels.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/26/apple-youtube-ukraine-russia-pressure/

February 26, 2022

Russia faces heavy losses as it attacks Ukraine on all fronts

Kyiv Independent
by Alexander Query

Russia lost 14 planes, 8 helicopters, 102 tanks, 536 BBM, 15 heavy machine guns, and 1 BUK missile since Feb. 24, according to Ukraine’s military.

The Kremlin also lost over 3,500 soldiers, Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Feb. 26. Nearly 200 service members have been kept hostage.

Russia has begun redeploying reserve units in the areas bordering Ukraine and continues to carry out airstrikes on airfields, military depots, and civilians. Airstrikes target Sumy, Poltava, Mariupol, and Kyiv which saw heavy fighting overnight.

From the Black Sea, Russia launched naval-based cruise missiles across Ukraine.

https://kyivindependent.com/national/russia-faces-heavy-losses-as-it-attacks-ukraine-on-all-fronts/