People in a bomb shelter in Kyiv. Photo source: https://war.ukraine.ua/
Washington/New York/Kyiv/New Delhi/Beijing: The UN General Assembly today voted in favour of the resolution demanding Russia stop its aggression in Ukraine. 141 countries voted in favour while 35 including India and China abstained. 5 countries voted against the resolution (Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria).
Following the General Assembly vote on Ukraine, in New York today, UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarked to the press that the message of the General Assembly was loud and clear: end hostilities in Ukraine — now; silence the guns — now; open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now.
Guterres said the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine must be respected in line with the United Nations Charter. Today’s resolution reflects a central truth. The world wants an end to the tremendous human suffering in Ukraine.
In the meantime, China today said it will continue to play a “constructive role in promoting the deescalation of the situation in Ukraine”. Yesterday, in the phone conversation between Chinese and Ukrainian foreign ministers, the latter had said that he looked forward to China’s mediation efforts for the ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin today told reporters in Beijing that China always “supports and encourages” all diplomatic efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis. “We hope both sides till continue to maintain the process of dialogue and negotiation, seek a political solution that accommodates the legitimate security concerns of both sides,” Wenbin said.
Ukraine foreign ministry today claimed that in the last 7 days, Russian aggression killed 2000 Ukrainian civilians. “Russia has destroyed dozens of infrastructure objects, buildings, schools, hospitals, kindergartens. Our emergency servicemen saved 150 people, doused 400 fires. This has cost 10 of them their lives,” it stated today.
General Staff of Ukranian Armed Forces said today that two MiG-29 fighters of Ukraine’s Air Force tactical aviation brigade shot down 2 Russian SU-35C fighters in Kyiv region. One Ukranian pilot was missing, and the search for him was ongoing.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine further claimed that as at March 2, 2022, Russia had lost 5840 troops; 862 armored vehicles; 30 aircraft; 31 helicopters; 211 tanks; 85 cannons; 60 fuel trucks; 355 military auto-vehicles; 2 ships; 9 anti-air cannons/guns; and 1 BUK missile system. Russia, however, today for the first time stated that at least 498 Russian troops were so far killed in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces today isolated and cut off the retreat of Russian troops advancing in Kyiv region by blowing up the bridge in Bashirevka.
While Ukraine claimed to have freed the town of Makariv in Kyiv region from Russian invaders, it reported Russian armored vehicles had entered the town of Balakliya (Kharkiv region). The mayor announced that city authorities will not cooperate with the occupying forces.
The shelling of Kharkiv by Russian invaders continued and citizens reported explosions in the city center, residential areas and near infrastructure objects (airport, etc.). The shell aimed at the City Council building hit one of the neighbouring buildings instead in Kharkiv. Rescue services were assessing the situation.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin tweeted he had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. A Government of India press release said the leaders reviewed the situation in Ukraine, especially in the city of Kharkiv where many Indian students are stuck. They discussed the safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from the conflict areas.
In the new battle near Kruty (Chernihiv region), Ukraine’s foreign ministry stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed about 200 invaders. Before the battle, the invaders tried to deface the Memorial to the Heroes of Kruty, it claimed. Moreover, Mariupol city in the Donetsk region was under fire by Russian invaders for more than 14 hours, where 42 people were injured.
In Trostyanets city (Sumy region) a Ukranian-operated Bayraktar system destroyed a Russian cannon that was firing on Ukrainian cities.
The shelling of the city of Severdonetsk led to damage of a local kindergarten, trapping 10 people (8 children) in the basement. Evacuation efforts were ongoing.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Melitopol, Zaporizhya region(southeast Ukraine) , to stop the Russian occupation of the city, where Russian forces opened fire on a peaceful demonstration reportedly injuring 2 people.
Local journalists in Voznesensk (Mykolaiv region), where the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant is located nearby, reported shelling by heavy artillery in the city.
In Enerhodar (near Europe’s largest Nuclear Power Plant), several people were reportedly injured as Russian troops opened fire and started throwing grenades at civilian protesters there. Russian invaders also reportedly opened fire on a Ukrainian control point in Korosten city (Zhytomyr region) that killed 4 people and injured 5. The Korosten TV tower was also hit, stopping TV communications.
A Russian missile hit a ship under the Bangladesh flag in the port of Olvia. The ship caught fire, reports the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority. Tug boats have been sent to the rescue. No injuries were reported yet.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that over 1000 volunteers from 16 countries were on their way to Ukraine to defend the country from Russian aggression. “More volunteer applications keep coming,” he stated.
In Washington, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to reiterate the United States’ commitment to providing security, financial, and humanitarian support.
As Ukraine faces increasingly brutal bombardment by Russian forces, including missile strikes on apartment buildings, hospitals, and a Holocaust memorial site, Blinken provided an update on U.S. and global efforts to hold Russia accountable for its war of choice and Belarus accountable for the facilitation of Russia’s combat operations.
Meanwhile, South Korea (Republic of Korea -ROK) announced economic actions against Russia that the United States lauded today. “The ROK’s support for denying selected Russian banks access to the global SWIFT financial messaging system, along with its commitment to block financial transactions with major Russian banks and impose other financial and export controls, will support international efforts to isolate Russia from the international financial system and technology trade. At the same time, the ROK’s commitment to release additional petroleum from its strategic reserves will help our shared efforts to stabilize the global energy market,” Blinken stated. The United States also welcomed South Korea’s commitment to help the people of Ukraine by committing an additional $10 million in emergency humanitarian aid.
In Moscow, Vladimir Putin and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP) President Alexander Shokhin today discussed how to minimise the impact of sanctions on the largest Russian companies
Earlier on February 26, 2022, Ukraine filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to initiate proceedings against the Russian Federation under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
Ukraine sought to address, what it claimed, Russia’s groundless claims that genocide had occurred in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine and establish that Russia had no lawful basis to take military action on the basis of those false claims.
Ukraine also requested the ICJ exercise its authority to indicate provisional measures to preserve Ukraine’s rights and limit the ongoing and irreparable harm to the Ukrainian people as well as Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the ICJ has a vital role to play in the peaceful settlement of disputes. Ukraine also requested the Court call upon Russia to halt immediately all military actions in Ukraine pending the Court’s review.
On March 1, 2022, in response to that request, the Court called on the Russian Federation to act in a manner that would allow any provisional measures ordered by the Court to have an actual impact. This is another clear indication that Russia must cease its military activities in Ukraine.
Washington meanwhile stated that considering the gravity of the crisis in Ukraine “that has resulted from Russia’s unprovoked invasion, we trust the Court is taking into consideration the dire circumstances and rapidly unfolding events and hope that it will act with utmost urgency on Ukraine’s request for provisional measures”.
– global bihari bureau
