Cyprus-Forum.com

[miltiades]

A veteran Kremlin diplomat has resigned and sent a letter to foreign colleagues condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as heavy fighting raged in the Donbas region, where Moscow’s forces have stepped up their bombardment.

In a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, Boris Bondarev said of the invasion: “Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24.”

Mr Bondarev, a veteran diplomat at the UN office at Geneva, quit and sent a letter denouncing the “aggressive war unleashed” by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Warmongering, lies and hatred

Boris Bondarev on the Russian leadership

He told the Associated Press: “It is intolerable what my government is doing now.”

Mr Bondarev said those who conceived the war “want only one thing — to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity”.

He also said Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is all about “warmongering, lies and hatred”.

On the battlefield, Russian forces increased their bombardment of the Donbas, the eastern industrial heartland of coal mines and factories that the Kremlin is bent on capturing.

They are killing us. They are killing the locals during evacuation

Pavlo Kyrylenko

Cities not under Russian control were constantly shelled, and one Ukrainian official said Moscow’s forces were targeting civilians trying to flee.

Donetsk’s regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said three civilians died in Russian attacks there on Monday and heavy fighting continued near the Luhansk region.

He said the Russians were devastating cities in their attempt to take over. Only about 320,000 people out of the region’s pre-war population of 1.6 million remain, and Russian forces are targeting evacuation efforts, he added.

“They are killing us. They are killing the locals during evacuation,” Mr Kyrylenko said.

Damage in Donetsk (Alexei Alexandrov/AP)

In the Luhansk region, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said local authorities reported that a bridge leading to the administrative centre of Sievierodonetsk had been destroyed, leaving the partially encircled city reachable by just one road.

Some who fled the Donetsk region shared their suffering.

“We haven’t been able to see the sun for three months. We are almost blind because we were in darkness for three months,” said Rayisa Rybalko, who hid with her family first in their basement and then in a bomb shelter at a school before fleeing their village of Novomykhailivka.

“The world should have seen that.”



Her son-in-law Dmytro Khaliapin said heavy artillery pounded the village. “Houses are being ruined,” he said. “It’s a horror.”

[Kikapu]

Moscow to focus on developing ties with China - but would consider 'offer' from West

Moscow will focus on developing ties with China and will stop being dependent on supplies from the West, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Mr Lavrov said the Kremlin's goal was to further develop ties with China now that the West had taken a "dictator's position" amid the war in Ukraine.

"If they (the West) want to offer something in terms of resuming relations, then we will seriously consider whether we will need it or not," Mr Lavrov said in a speech, according to a transcript on the foreign ministry's website.

The foreign minister went on to say China had information and communications technologies "that are in no way inferior to the West".

"We must cease being dependent in any way on supplies of absolutely everything from the West for ensuring the development of critically important sectors for security, the economy or our homeland's social sphere," he added.

Mr Lavrov also said Russia would count on "only ourselves and on countries which have proved themselves reliable and do not dance to some other piper's music"

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-news ... r-12541713

[Lordo]

I have a feeling Russia will not stop till they take south of Ukraine and east of Moldova where the Russian speakers have already declared themselves independent.

As well as Ukrainians accept not to join Nato.

[Kikapu]

I have a feeling Russia will not stop till they take south of Ukraine and east of Moldova where the Russian speakers have already declared themselves independent.

As well as Ukrainians accept not to join Nato.

It sounds like Russia is willing to go about it’s merry way without the west from now on and be more involved in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, mainly India and China. That would account to 2/3rd of the world’s population even if it means the west would be wealthier still. The question then needs to be asked is, whether the west can do without Russia?

[Londonrake]

I have a feeling Russia will not stop till they take south of Ukraine and east of Moldova where the Russian speakers have already declared themselves independent.

As well as Ukrainians accept not to join Nato.

Do you think they’ll move on to liberate the Russian speaking minorities in the Baltic states and Finland? Saving them from the tyrannical oppression and “torture”of their Fascist governments? In the process, perhaps eliminating a few hundred thousand people who pose a “threat” to Russia. Do you get the perverse, familiar rationale yet?

Hooray for the - ticks all the boxes - Fascist Russian dictator!

What an odd phenomena. Avowed Socialists, enthusiastically supporting him. I guess there’s no limit to the self-loathing “Liberal” thing

My apologies - for intruding in the usual back-patting, mutual admiration posts.

[Lordo]

I have a feeling Russia will not stop till they take south of Ukraine and east of Moldova where the Russian speakers have already declared themselves independent.

As well as Ukrainians accept not to join Nato.

Do you think they’ll move on to liberate the Russian speaking minorities in the Baltic states and Finland? Saving them from the tyrannical oppression and “torture”of their Fascist governments? In the process, perhaps eliminating a few hundred thousand people who pose a “threat” to Russia. Do you get the perverse, familiar rationale yet?

Hooray for the - ticks all the boxes - Fascist Russian dictator!

What an odd phenomena. Avowed Socialists, enthusiastically supporting him. I guess there’s no limit to the self-loathing “Liberal” thing

My apologies - for intruding in the usual back-patting, mutual admiration posts.

Noooooooo, if the Balticians attack their Russian speakers, I would not bet against it. Was it Latvia that just banned Russian? They obviously need a smack or two to be reminded of what they have to do to be considered to be liberal as it were. Know what I mean?

[Paphitis]

More updates from the front lines.



Good to see Australian Howitzers arriving in Ukraine as well and sporting Australian Army Kangaroos and Australian Flags.

next, some Abrams Tanks! Real tanks which will survive grenade attacks.

[Paphitis]

[Londonrake]

Noooooooo, if the Balticians attack their Russian speakers, I would not bet against it. Was it Latvia that just banned Russian? They obviously need a smack or two to be reminded of what they have to do to be considered to be liberal as it were. Know what I mean?

You don’t seem to understand L (aka, get it).

At the proverbial drop of a hat any chosen group of Russian speakers, in any country of choice, could suddenly find themselves under attack and in need of “saving”. It’s been a Warmonger’s excuse for invasion and mainstay of choice for centuries. Works every time. It even has people with a social conscience rushing to support what should, by any application of logic, be their version of a hellish nemesis. Here Vladimir Putin.

Presently, he seems, among other charming tactics, to have adopted blocking the shipment of grain from Ukraine. Not to mention the apparent widespread destruction of related infrastructure. The result of which will be that millions of the poverty-stricken people you often express angst and anger about are likely to starve. An effective tool - as ole Joe and his Holodomor demonstrated. I’m sure though that the usual morons will be falling over themselves to point out it wasn’t his fault. He had no choice. Just like the butchering of tens of thousands of Ukrainians. An unfortunate but necessary “statistic”.

[Lordo]

Noooooooo, if the Balticians attack their Russian speakers, I would not bet against it. Was it Latvia that just banned Russian? They obviously need a smack or two to be reminded of what they have to do to be considered to be liberal as it were. Know what I mean?

You don’t seem to understand L (aka, get it).

At the proverbial drop of a hat any chosen group of Russian speakers, in any country of choice, could suddenly find themselves under attack and in need of “saving”. It’s been a Warmonger’s excuse for invasion and mainstay of choice for centuries. Works every time. It even has people with a social conscience rushing to support what should, by any application of logic, be their version of a hellish nemesis. Here Vladimir Putin.

Presently, he seems, among other charming tactics, to have adopted blocking the shipment of grain from Ukraine. Not to mention the apparent widespread destruction of related infrastructure. The result of which will be that millions of the poverty-stricken people you often express angst and anger about are likely to starve. An effective tool - as ole Joe and his Holodomor demonstrated. I’m sure though that the usual morons will be falling over themselves to point out it wasn’t his fault. He had no choice. Just like the butchering of tens of thousands of Ukrainians. An unfortunate but necessary “statistic”.

You are not grasping the situation. If a group of people are told they are no longer allowed to speak their language or that their language is not taught at schools you can guarantee it will lead to violence. And that's where Russia comes in. Language and culture may not be a big thing to you but it is to a lot of other people.