President Vladimir Putin dramatically escalated East-West
tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert Sunday, while
Ukraine's embattled leader agreed to talks with Moscow as Putin's troops and
tanks drove deeper into the country, closing in around the capital.
Citing “aggressive statements” by NATO and tough financial
sanctions, Putin issued a directive to increase the readiness of Russia's
nuclear weapons, raising fears that the invasion of Ukraine could lead to
nuclear war, whether by design or mistake.
The Russian leader is “potentially putting in play forces
that, if there’s a miscalculation, could make things much, much more
dangerous,” said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of
anonymity to discuss rapidly unfolding military operations.
Putin's directive came as Russian forces encountered strong
resistance from Ukraine defenders. Despite Russian advances across the country,
U.S. officials say they believe the invasion has been more difficult, and
slower, than the Kremlin envisioned, though that could change as Moscow adapts.
Amid the mounting tensions, Western nations said they would
tighten sanctions and buy and deliver weapons for Ukraine, including Stinger
missiles for shooting down helicopters and other aircraft.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, meanwhile,
announced plans for a meeting with a Russian delegation at an unspecified
location on the Belarusian border.
It wasn’t immediately clear when the meeting would take
place, nor what the Kremlin was ultimately seeking, either in those potential
talks on the border or, more broadly, from its war in Ukraine. Western
officials believe Putin wants to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it
with a regime of his own, reviving Moscow’s Cold War-era influence.
The fast-moving developments came as scattered fighting was
reported in Kyiv. Battles also broke out in Ukraine's second-largest city,
Kharkiv, and strategic ports in the country's south came under assault from
Russian forces.
By late Sunday, Russian forces had taken Berdyansk, a
Ukrainian city of 100,000 on the Azov Sea coast, according to Oleksiy
Arestovich, an adviser to Zelenskyy’s office. Russian troops also made advances
toward Kherson, another city in the south of Ukraine, while Mariupol, a port
city on the Sea of Azov that is considered a prime Russian target, is “hanging
on," Arestovich said.
With Russian troops closing in around Kyiv, a city of almost
3 million, the mayor of the capital expressed doubt that civilians could be
evacuated. Authorities have been handing out weapons to anyone willing to
defend the city. Ukraine is also releasing prisoners with military experience
who want to fight, and training people to make firebombs.
In Mariupol, where Ukrainians were trying to fend off
attack, a medical team at a city hospital desperately tried to revive a
6-year-old girl in unicorn pajamas who was mortally wounded in Russian
shelling.
During the rescue attempt, a doctor in blue medical scrubs,
pumping oxygen into the girl, looked directly into the Associated Press video
camera capturing the scene.
“Show this to Putin," he said angrily. “The eyes of
this child, and crying doctors."
Their resuscitation efforts failed, and the girl lay dead on
a gurney, her jacket spattered with blood.
Nearly 900 kilometers (560 miles) away, Faina Bystritska was
under threat in the city of Chernihiv.
“I wish I had never lived to see this,” said Bystritska, an
87-year-old Jewish survivor of World War II. She said sirens blare almost
constantly in the city, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Kyiv.
Chernihiv residents have been told not to switch on any
lights “so we don’t draw their attention,” said Bystritska, who has been living
in a hallway, away from any windows, so she could better protect herself.
“The window glass constantly shakes, and there is this
constant thundering noise,” she said.
Meanwhile, the top official in the European Union outlined
plans by the 27-nation bloc to close its airspace to Russian airlines and buy
weapons for Ukraine. The EU will also ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets, said
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The U.S. also stepped up the flow of weapons to Ukraine,
announcing it will send Stinger missiles as part of a package approved by the
White House on Friday. Germany likewise plans to send 500 Stingers and other
military supplies.
Also, the 193-member U.N. General Assembly scheduled an
emergency session Monday on Russia's invasion.
Putin, in ordering the nuclear alert, cited not only
statements by NATO members but the hard-hitting financial sanctions imposed by
the West against Russia, including Putin himself.
“Western countries aren’t only taking unfriendly actions
against our country in the economic sphere, but top officials from leading NATO
members made aggressive statements regarding our country,” Putin said in
televised comments.
U.S. defense officials would not disclose their current
nuclear alert level except to say that the military is prepared all times to
defend its homeland and allies.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told ABC that Putin is
resorting to the pattern he used in the weeks before the invasion, “which is to
manufacture threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression.”
The practical meaning of Putin’s order was not immediately
clear. Russia and the United States typically have land- and submarine-based
nuclear forces that are on alert and prepared for combat at all times, but
nuclear-capable bombers and other aircraft are not.
If Putin is arming or otherwise raising the nuclear combat
readiness of his bombers, or if he is ordering more ballistic missile
submarines to sea, then the U.S. might feel compelled to respond in kind, said
Hans Kristensen, a nuclear analyst at the Federation of American Scientists.
Earlier Sunday, Kyiv was eerily quiet after explosions lit
up the morning sky and authorities reported blasts at one airport. A main
boulevard was practically deserted as a strict curfew kept people off the
streets. Authorities warned that anyone venturing out without a pass would be
considered a Russian saboteur.
Terrified residents hunkered down in homes, underground garages
and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault. Food and
medicine were running low, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“Right now, the most important question is to defend our
country,” Klitschko said.
In downtown Kharkiv, 86-year-old Olena Dudnik said she and
her husband were nearly thrown from their bed by the pressure blast of a nearby
explosion.
“Every day there are street fights, even downtown,” with
Ukrainian fighters trying to stop Russian tanks, armored vehicles and missile
launchers, Dudnik said by phone. She said the lines at drugstores were hours
long.
“We are suffering immensely,” she said. “We don’t have much
food in the pantry, and I worry the stores aren’t going to have anything
either, if they reopen." She added: “I just want the shooting to stop,
people to stop being killed."
Pentagon officials said that Russian troops are being slowed
by Ukrainian resistance, fuel shortages and other logistical problems, and that
Ukraine's air defense systems, while weakened, are still operating.
But a senior U.S. defense official said that will probably
change: “We are in day four. The Russians will learn and adapt.”
The number of casualties from Europe's largest land conflict
since World War II remained unclear amid the confusion.
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that 352 Ukrainian
civilians have been killed, including 14 children. It said an additional 1,684
people, including 116 children, have been wounded.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor
Konashenkov gave no figures on Russia's dead and wounded but said Sunday his
country's losses were “many times” lower than Ukraine's.
About 368,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighboring
countries since the invasion started Thursday, according to the U.N. refugee
agency.
Along with military assistance, the U.S., European Union and
Britain also agreed to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT system,
which moves money around thousands of banks and other financial institutions
worldwide. They also moved to slap restrictions on Russia’s central bank.
Russia's economy has taken a pounding since the invasion,
with the ruble plunging and the central bank calling for calm to avoid bank
runs.
Russia, which massed almost 200,000 troops along Ukraine's
borders, claims its assault is aimed only at military targets, but bridges,
schools and residential neighborhoods have also been hit.
Russia Putin Nuclear war Ukraine
Comment
American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes Saturday against 18 Huthi targets in Yemen, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed rebels.
The strikes "specifically targeted 18 Huthi targets across eight locations in Yemen" including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter, a joint statement said.
It was co-signed by Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand, who gave unspecified "support" to the new round of strikes, the second this month and fourth since the rebels began their attacks on ships in the region.
"The Huthis' now more than 45 attacks on commercial and naval vessels since mid-November constitute a threat to the global economy, as well as regional security and stability, and demand an international response," the statement said.
Huthi-run Al-Masirah television reported "a series of raids on the capital Sanaa," while AFP correspondents in the rebel-controlled city in western Yemen said they heard several loud bangs.
"The United States will not hesitate to take action, as needed, to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways," Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said in a separate statement after the strikes.
"We will continue to make clear to the Huthis that they will bear the consequences if they do not stop their illegal attacks, which harm Middle Eastern economies, cause environmental damage, and disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid to Yemen and other countries."
Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree was defiant, vowing in a social media statement that the rebels would "confront the American-British escalation with more qualitative military operations against all hostile targets in the Red and Arab Seas."
The UK Ministry of Defence said four Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4s targeted "several very long-range drones, used by the Houthis for both reconnaissance and attack missions," on Saturday, at a site north-east of Sanaa.
Saturday's operation comes after several merchant vessels were struck this week in the region, including the fertilizer-filled Rubymar, whose crew had to abandon ship after it was hit Sunday and began taking on water.
Apart from the joint operations with Britain, the United States has also carried out unilateral strikes against Huthi positions and weaponry in Yemen, and downed dozens of missiles and drones in the Red Sea.
- Anti-ship missile downed -
Earlier on Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that an American Navy ship had shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile "launched into the Gulf of Aden from Iranian-backed Huthi controlled areas of Yemen."
The missile "was likely targeting MV Torm Thor, a US-Flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker," CENTCOM said on X, formerly Twitter.
US forces on Friday also shot down three attack drones near commercial ships in the Red Sea and destroyed seven anti-ship cruise missiles on land, CENTCOM said.
The Huthis say they are targeting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Israel-Hamas war.
Following previous US and UK strikes, the Huthis declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets as well.
The Huthis will "persist in upholding their religious, moral and humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian people, and their military operations will not stop unless the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted," military spokesman Saree said.
Anger over Israel's devastating campaign in Gaza -- which began after an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 -- has grown across the Middle East, stoking violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
Comment
Israel launched air strikes Thursday on southern Gaza's Rafah after threatening to send troops into the city, where around 1.4 million Palestinians have sought shelter from around the territory.
Global powers trying to navigate a way to end the Israel-Hamas war have so far come up short, but a US envoy was expected in Israel on Thursday to try to secure a truce deal.
International concern has spiralled over the high civilian death toll and dire humanitarian crisis in the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attack against Israel.
More than four months of relentless fighting and air strikes have flattened much of the Hamas-run coastal territory, pushing its population of around 2.4 million to the brink of famine, according to the UN.
International concern has in recent weeks centred on Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, where more than 1.4 million people forced to flee their homes elsewhere in the territory are now living in crowded shelters and makeshift tents.
The last city untouched by Israeli ground troops, Rafah also serves as the main entry point via neighbouring Egypt for desperately needed relief supplies.
Israel has warned it will expand its ground operations into Rafah if Hamas does not free the remaining hostages held in Gaza by next month's start of the Muslim holy month Ramadan.
- 'My daughter' -
The war started when Hamas launched its attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Hamas militants also took about 250 hostages -- 130 of whom remain in Gaza, including 30 presumed dead, according to Israel.
Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 29,313 people, mostly women and children, according to the latest count by the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
War cabinet member Benny Gantz said Israel's operation in Rafah would begin "after the evacuation of the population", although his government has not offered any details on where civilians would be evacuated to.
In the early hours of Thursday, AFP reporters heard multiple air strikes on Rafah, particularly in the Al-Shaboura neighbourhood.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said early Thursday that 99 people had been killed around Gaza during the night, most of them women, children and elderly people.
Abdel Rahman Mohamed Jumaa said he lost his family in recent strikes on Rafah.
"I found my wife lying in the street," he told AFP. "Then I saw a man carrying a girl and I ran towards him and.... picked her up, realising she was really my daughter."
He was holding a small shrouded corpse in his arms.
- 'Possibility of progress' -
Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, was expected to arrive in Israel Thursday -- his second stop in the region after Egypt as part of US efforts to advance a hostage deal and broker a truce.
Hamas's chief Ismail Haniyeh was in Cairo for talks as well, according to the group.
Israel's Gantz said there were efforts to "promote a new plan for the return of the hostages".
"We are seeing the first signs that indicate the possibility of progress in this direction."
Matthew Miller, US State Department spokesman, said Washington was hoping for an "agreement that secures a temporary ceasefire where we can get the hostages out and get humanitarian assistance", but declined to give details on ongoing negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted the army will keep fighting until it has destroyed Hamas and freed the remaining hostages.
Israel's parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly backed a proposal by Netanyahu to oppose any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
The vote came days after the Washington Post reported that US President Joe Biden's administration and a small group of Arab nations were working out a comprehensive plan for long-term peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
It included a firm timeline for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the report said.
Separately, a report by an Israeli group that fights sexual violence said Hamas's October 7 attack also involved systematic sexual assaults on civilians, based on witness testimonies, public and classified information, and interviews.
The report came the same week UN rights experts called for an independent probe into alleged Israeli abuses against Palestinian women and girls -- which Israel rejected as "despicable and unfounded claims".
Israeli officials have repeatedly alleged the militants committed violent sexual assaults during the attack -- something Hamas has denied.
- 'Waiting for death' -
Combat and chaos have stalled sporadic aid deliveries for civilians in Gaza, while in Khan Yunis -- a city just north of Rafah -- medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said an Israeli tank had fired on a house sheltering their employees and families.
Two relatives of MSF staff were killed and six others injured, it said, condemning the strike in the "strongest possible terms".
When contacted by AFP about the incident, the Israeli army said its forces had "fired at a building that was identified as a building where terror activity is occurring", adding that it "regrets" harm to civilians.
In the same town, the Palestinian Red Crescent said another hospital was also hit by "artillery shelling".
Israel has repeatedly said Hamas militants use civilian infrastructure including hospitals as operational bases -- claims that Hamas has denied.
Comment
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the need for expanding business between Bangladesh and India using their own currencies.
"We can do our business through exchanges of Bangladeshi Taka and Indian Rupee. It has already started, but we have to expand it further so that we can increase our businesses," she said while Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid a call on the Prime Minister.
The meeting was held at Hotel Bayerischer Hof, the conference venue, here on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2024, this morning.
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud briefed newsmen about the outcome of the meeting upon its completion.
The Foreign Minister said the Bangladesh Premier and Jaishankar attached importance to doing business between the two friendly countries through their own currencies to reduce dependency on other currencies like the US dollar.
He said Bangladesh and India have excellent bilateral relations and it has elevated to another height under the leadership of the prime ministers of the two countries.
"The relations between the countries are getting stronger day by day," he said, adding that the two leaders discussed the issues during the meeting.
Quoting Jaishankar, Hasan said, "Our relations will further be closer in the days ahead."
Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and PM's Deputy Press Secretary Md. Noorelahi Mina were present during the briefing.
Bangladesh Prime Minister arrived in Munich on February 15 evening on a three-day official visit to join the Munich Security Conference 2024.
Upon completion of the tour, Sheikh Hasina will leave Munich tomorrow night and is scheduled to reach Dhaka on February 19.
(BSS)
Comment
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon all concerned to find ways to stop Russia-Ukraine war while holding a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy here.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always says we are against all kinds of war. Today, she discussed time and again about how the war can be stopped while holding talks with Zelenskyy," said Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at a news briefing after the meeting.
The meeting between the two leaders was held at Hotel Bayerischer Hof here on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2024, this morning.
Hasan also said that they also discussed how the attacks on innocent men and women in Gaza can be stopped.
The Premier reminded all that war can't bring wellbeing for any one.
"Others can be benefitted from the war. But the war cannot bring welfare for the countries involved in war and their people have to be affected by the war," said Sheikh Hasina.
In this connection, the Prime Minister recollected her memories about the sufferings of the countrymen and she herself faced during the Great War of Liberation in 1971.
She recalled her inhuman sufferings and the birth of her only son Sajeeb Wazed Joy under the captivity of the Pakistani occupation forces during the War.
"Bangladesh's foreign policy - 'Friendship to all, malice to none’ - prominently came up in the discussion between Prime Minister and Zelenskyy," the foreign minister said.
Replying to a query, Hasan said the friendly relations between Bangladesh and Russia which got foundation during the Liberation war , will not hamper at all.
"Our relationship with Russia is very wonderful. Russia stood beside us during the Liberation War and played a pivotal role in rebuilding Bangladesh after the war," he said.
He said they only discussed how to stop the war.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and PM's Deputy Press Secretary Md. Noorelahi Mina were present during the briefing.
Bangladesh Prime Minister arrived in Munich on February 15 evening on a three-day official visit to join the Munich Security Conference 2024.
Upon completion of the tour, Sheikh Hasina will leave Munich tomorrow night and is scheduled to reach Dhaka on February 19.
(BSS)
Comment
Comment
American and British forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes Saturday against 18 Huthi targets in Yemen, following weeks of unrelenting attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Iran-backed rebels. The strikes "specifically targeted 18 Huthi targets across eight locations in Yemen" including weapons storage facilities, attack drones, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter, a joint statement said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the need for expanding business between Bangladesh and India using their own currencies. "We can do our business through exchanges of Bangladeshi Taka and Indian Rupee. It has already started, but we have to expand it further so that we can increase our businesses," she said while Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar paid a call on the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon all concerned to find ways to stop Russia-Ukraine war while holding a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy here. "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always says we are against all kinds of war. Today, she discussed time and again about how the war can be stopped while holding talks with Zelenskyy," said Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at a news briefing after the meeting.