WAR IN EUROPE

                                                         WAR IN EUROPE

 

Ukraine declares a nationwide state of emergency and Russia evacuates diplomatic staff.

 

Russia’s state-run news agency Tass reported that Russia is starting to evacuate personnel from its diplomatic facilities in the Ukrainian embassy in the capital Kyiv and consulates in Khaki,  Odesa, and Lyiv.  The TASS report stated the embassy in  Kyiv confirmed the evacuations have begun.

 

The Ukrainian Parliament voted to approve the first reading or draft which gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defense, Reuters reported. 

"The adoption of this law is fully in the interest of state and society,” the authors of the law said in a note and added that the law was needed due to the “existing threats and danger for the citizens of Ukraine.   Satellite images show a new deployment of more than 100 military vehicles and dozens of troop tents in southern Belarus, near the Ukraine border.  The images released by Maxar Technologies were also shared and a new field hospital has been added to a military garrison close to the border with Ukraine.

 

Earlier in the day, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin said that his country was always open to diplomacy.  However it puts its own national security interest first and would continue strengthening its military in the wake of a “difficult international situation,” Putin added.  

 “Our country is always open to direct and honest dialogue and ready to search for diplomatic solutions to the most complicated issues”, Reuters quoted Putin as saying.  “But I want to repeat  that Russia’s interests and the security of our people are unconditional.”

 

According to Boris Johnson, Russia plans the biggest war in Europe since 1945.  He told BBC’s Sophie Raworth,  in an interview.  “All signs are that the plan has already begun. Intelligence suggests Russia intends to launch an invasion that will encircle the Ukrainian capital Kyiv”, Johnson said  “People have to know the cost in human lives that could entail,” he added.

 

The prime minister was speaking from Munich, where world leaders were meeting for the annual security conference.  The latest estimates by the US  government suggest that between 169.000 and 190.000 Russian troops are stationed along the Ukraine border’s Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.  Blasts have also been heard from the southern port of Odesa.

 

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr  Zelensky said that Russia has carried out missile strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure, air defense, and air force with ”high precision weapons”.   Tanks and troops have poured into Ukraine’s eastern, southern and northern borders Ukrainian authorities said.

 

Russian military convoys have crossed from Belarus into Ukraine’s northern borders.  

 

 

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