US Drones Were Likely in the Air During Ukrainian Attack on Russian Ships

 "The probability is high that US drones were in the air directing the Ukrainian gunboats
which attempted to attack ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet during an operation Friday night, Russian Ministry of Defence spokesman Igor Konashenkov said."I would like to point special attention to the fact that during the attack by Ukrainian vessels, strategic US RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles were loitering over the area," Konashenkov said....16 Ukrainian Navy gunboats using 'swarm tactics' attempted to attack Russian warships near Zmiinyi Island (Snake Island) off Odessa,.... In the course of the fighting, six of the Ukrainian boats were destroyed. None of the 82 Ukrainian servicemen retrieved from Zmiinyi Island were injured, Konashenkov said." Sputnik

Actions by the 'Ukraine Tank Man' Echo 1989 Tiananmen Square

 “Ukrainian rushes under enemy equipment so that the occupiers do not pass,” HB tweeted.

The video sparked comparisons to the photo of a man standing down a line of four Chinese tanks in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The image, taken after the Chinese government had brutally cracked down on pro-democracy protests, has become a symbol of defiance in the face of authoritarianism, and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential of all time.

It is unclear where the video was filmed. More than 10 vehicles are in the convoy, many of which appear to have a “Z” painted on the side. The Z symbol was spotted on Russian military trucks as troops gathered at the Ukraine border." ZH

Russian Oligarchs Holding Assets for Putin ‘Probably Have Very Embarrassing Material on Hunter Biden’

"Peter Schweizer, author of Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win,
speculated that Russian oligarchs may have “embarrassing material” on Hunter Biden. “The problem is that we know that Hunter Biden has received millions of dollars from Russian oligarchs, some of whom are connected to Vladimir Putin,” Schweizer said.... “The most effective way you can hamstring Putin would be to put sanctions on Russian oligarchs, those that have massive holdings in the West.”

“The problem is, I don’t think we’re going to slap sanctions on those people, because some of those people have done business deals with Hunter Biden, and they no doubt probably have very embarrassing material on Joe Biden’s one and only living son,” he stated. 

Schweizer also remarked on globalization’s impacts on Europe, given much of the continent’s dependence on Russian energy exports, in contrast to how the phenomenon was marketed to the public by architects of and advocates for globalist institutions." Breitbart

North Korea Fires Unidentified Projectile, South Korean Media Report

"North Korea launched early on Sunday an “unidentified projectile eastward” after a month of silence, Yonhap reported, citing the South Korean military." Sputnik

Biden Administration Sending $350M in Military Assistance to Ukraine

"The Biden administration announced it is providing an additional $350 million in military assistance to Ukraine as it battles a Russian military offensive." Breitbart

Kremlin’s official website down amid reports of cyber attacks

"The official website of the Kremlin, the office of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is down
following reports of denial of service (DDoS) attacks on various other Russian government and state media websites.

The outages on kremlin.ru came as Ukraine’s vice prime minister said it had launched an ‘IT army’ to combat Russia in cyberspace." SydneyHerald

Ukrainian forces capture ‘hundreds of Russian POWs’ near Kyiv as Putin’s troops fail to take capital in overnight blitz

"UKRAINIAN forces have captured "hundreds" of Russian troops near the capital Kyiv, one
of the country's MPs has claimed.

Sviatoslav Yurash was speaking after an overnight attempt by Vladimir Putin's forces to storm the city failed in the face of fierce resistance." Sun

 

In major shift, Germany sends heavy weaponry to Ukraine

"Germany approved sending heavy weapons to Ukraine to assist in the fight against the
Russian invasion of that country, a move that comes as support grows in the West to impose a painful sanction on Moscow’s banking system." JN

EU, US Agree To Expel "Selected Russian Banks" From SWIFT, Sanction Russian Central Bank

 "In the latest major escalation, European nations together with the US have issued a joint statement in which they announce the following restrictive economic measuresthings:

1. Commit to ensuring that "selected Russian banks" are removed from the SWIFT messaging system: "This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally."
2. Commit to imposing "restrictive measures that will prevent the Russian Central Bank from deploying its international reserves in ways that undermine the impact of our sanctions."
3. Commit to "acting against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine" by taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship, so called golden passports, that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens
4. Commit to launching "a transatlantic task force that will ensure the effective implementation of our financial sanctions by identifying and freezing the assets of sanctioned individuals and companies that exist within our jurisdictions."
5. Stepping up or coordination against disinformation and other forms of hybrid warfare.

The full statement can be found here. It wasn't immediately clear which are the "selected Russian banks" or what "restrictive measures" will be taken against the central bank. It also does not detail whether oil and gas payments will stop (according to Bloomberg's in house energy expect Javier Blas, the answer is no)." ZH

Russian conscripts reportedly forced to sign military contracts, losing contact with family

"Parents of Russian conscripts who say they've lost communications with their loved ones are
pleading with Kremlin officials for answers as to where family members have been sent amid concerns they have been forced to sign contracts to fight as part of President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, according to the report. 

Olga Larkina, the director of Russia’s Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers, spoke to Russian investigative news outlet Meduza, describing how Russian conscripts – those fulfilling military enlistment requirements – had been pressured, or at times even forced to sign contracts to become soldiers for the Russian military. 

"Mothers are telling us that their sons have been calling them and saying they’re being forced to sign contracts. We believe it’s wrong to force a conscript to become a contract soldier," Larkina said, according to the translated article. "The parents who have gotten in touch have told us their sons were just taken by military officers, stamped, and that’s it — now they’re contract soldiers." FOX

Jordan: It Would Be Nice if Equipment We Left in Afghanistan Was in Ukraine

"Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) stated that poor decisions in the past by the Biden administration
have put us in a bad spot in the crisis in Ukraine and remarked that it would be helpful if some of the weapons and equipment the U.S. left behind in Afghanistan “was in Ukraine right now” to better arm the Ukrainian people to repel the invasion by Russia." FOX

France seizes cargo vessel targeted by US sanctions on Russia

"France seized a car cargo ship in the English Channel that Washington says was linked to the
son of a former Russian spy chief, in one of the first visible displays of the West enforcing sanctions on Moscow over its Ukraine invasion." France24

 

Islamist Kadyrov Ready to Unleash Thousands of Chechen Fighters on Ukraine for Putin

"Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the Russian Federation’s Muslim-majority Chechen Republic, is prepared to unleash up to 70,000 fighters on Ukraine to support his “commander-in-chief”, Vladimir Putin.

State-backed Russian news outlet RT published video footage on Friday showing an enormous rally of, it reported, 12,000 “local volunteers” in the Chechen capital of Grozny, with Kadyrov telling the assembly that his advice to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky was to “[call] our President, Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and [apologise] for not doing so sooner. Do it in order to save Ukraine. Ask for forgiveness and agree to all the conditions that Russia puts forward....the assembled masses responded with chants of “Allahu Akbar!”” Breitbart

Russia’s Northern Neighbour Spooked: Finns Buy Up Anti-Radiation Iodine Tablets, Prepare Beds for Refugees

"Concern over a broader conflict has led Finns to buy large quantities of anti-radiation iodine
tablets and to prepare a thousand beds for fleeing Ukrainians as Russia threatens consequences if the country joins NATO.

Pharmacies across Finland have claimed that stocks of iodine tablets, which are used to combat the effects of radiation and nuclear fallout, have run low and, in some cases, have sold out completely, as Finns fear the war in Ukraine could spread." Breitbart

European countries make pledges.

"The report continues,

"The Netherlands will send 200 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles as soon as
possible, in addition to other military aid approved earlier this month. The Czech Republic will send machine guns, sniper rifles, handguns and ammunition on top of 4,000 artillery shells already agreed. Belgium is dispatching fuel and 2,000 small arms, while Slovakia -- which shares a border with Ukraine -- is sending shells and fuel." Bloomberg

Putin Shows Signs of Panic, as He Calls on Ukraine Military to Mutiny

 "Looking dead-eyed into the camera on Friday, Vladimir Putin gave one of the most bizarre
speeches of his 22 years as Russia’s leader, a directive that managed to sound alarming even in a week when he has ordered tanks into Ukraine and missile strikes on Kyiv.

“Once again I speak to the Ukrainian soldiers,” he said, addressing his enemy. “Do not allow neo-Nazis and Banderites to use your children, your wives and the elderly as a human shield. Take power into your own hands. It seems that it will be easier for us to come to an agreement than with this gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis.” RedState

China’s Xi Jinping stresses cooperation with North Korea’s Kim under ‘new situation’

"Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
emphasizing cooperation between the two countries, according to state media in North Korea.

Xi said that China was ready to work with North Korea to realize the two sides’ "common understanding" and promote friendly and supportive relations under "a new situation,".....The messages of support between the two countries also come a day after Xi offered his "support" for Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian forces bombarded Ukraine in a full-scale invasion." FOX

Russian Troops Show Off Dead Ukranians Like Trophies

 "Pro-Russian separatists from the Donbas region show a news crew a group of Ukrainian
soldiers they recently killed using a tank. 

They show the Ukrainian soldiers have NATO issued boots. 

They do not express joy in killing these soldiers, but show their commitment to leaving Ukraine.

The captured soldiers claim they are new and their commanders sent them to clear dead bodies." NW

Ukraine hit by more cyberattacks, destructive malware

"Ukraine’s parliament and other government and banking websites have been hit with another
wave of distributed-denial-of-service attacks.

Some of the infected computers were in neighboring Latvia and Lithuania, the researchers said.

 ESET Research Labs said it detected a previously unseen piece of data-wiping malware on “hundreds of machines in the country.”...........Boutin said the malware’s timestamp indicated it was created in late December. “Russia likely has been planning this for months, so it is hard to say how many organizations or agencies have been backdoored in preparation for these attacks,” said Chester Wisniewski." Breitbart

 

"Cash Delay" Deliveries Strike Polish ATMs As People Panic Hoard Amid Ukraine Crisis

"Poland, which has a 326-mile border with Ukraine, is bracing for a wave of refugees. The
spillover of chaos is also causing Polish people to panic hoard cash on Friday as bank ATMs run out of money.

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) released a statement Friday indicating it had enough cash reserves though increased demand for cash contributed to some ATMs running out of money." ZH

Biden admin gave China intelligence on Russia in bid for help — then China handed it off to Russia

"According to an eye-opening new report from the New York Times published Friday, the
Biden administration since late last year endeavored to enlist Chinese assistance, only to have its plan turned on its head..... over the past three months, senior administration officials arranged urgent meetings with Beijing during which they shared intelligence showing Russia's troop build-up on the Ukraine border in hopes that China would step in and tell Russia not to invade. 

Each time, the officials said the Chinese rebuffed the Americans, playing coy about Russia's intentions — and at least one time, the Chinese turned around to hand over the intelligence to Moscow. The account raises concerns about the White House's naivety regarding Russia and China, the U.S.'s two strongest adversarial powers." Blaze

Conflicting reports on Chernobyl radiation after Russian capture

"Radiation levels increased at the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine authorities said on
Friday, warning that the seizure of the nuclear plant by invading Russian troops could have “terrible consequences”.

The still-radioactive site of the 1986 nuclear disaster lies some 130km (80 miles) from the capital Kyiv.

“In the terrible hands of the aggressor, this significant amount of plutonium-239 can become a nuclear bomb that will turn thousands of hectares into a dead, lifeless desert,” said Ukraine’s environmental protection ministry.

However, experts at Ukraine’s state nuclear agency said the radiation-level change was caused by the movement of heavy military equipment in the area, lifting radioactive dust into the air.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the radiation at the site did not pose any danger to the public.

“The readings reported by the regulator – of up to 9.46 microsieverts per hour – are low and remain within the operational range measured in the Exclusion Zone since it was established,” the IAEA said." AlJazeera

Italy formally approves NATO contingents

"Premier Mario Draghi’s Cabinet on Friday formally approved previously announced
participation by 250 Italian military forces and 139 land vehicles in NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, as well as air policing by some 12 aircraft currently deployed in Romania and patrols by an intelligence-gathering aircraft and a refueling aircraft as part of NATO’s shoring up of its eastern flank allies in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The government also approved deployment of 235 military forces aboard two or three naval vessels, as well as an aircraft as part of surveillance and intelligence-gathering in the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea." AP

Arabs fear for wheat supplies after Russia invades Ukraine

 "Russia's invasion of Ukraine could mean less bread on the table in Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen
and elsewhere in the Arab world where millions already struggle to survive. 

 The region is heavily dependent on wheat supplies from the two countries which are now at war, and any shortages of the staple food have potential to bring unrest." France24

U.S. stands ready to evacuate Zelensky, Russia’s ‘target No. 1’

"The U.S. government is prepared to help Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky leave
Kyiv to avoid being captured or killed by advancing Russian forces, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials. But so far, the president has refused to go." MSN

Putin prepares to use 'father of all bombs' as brave Ukrainians hold up advance

"Russia could use savage superweapons that vaporize bodies and crush internal organs if their
assault of Ukraine becomes bogged down, Western officials warned tonight.

They fear Vladimir Putin could resort to high-power thermobaric weapons - dubbed the 'father of all bombs' - as brave Ukrainians resist his attempts to take control of Kyiv.

There are also concerns that units that are running behind schedule as they encounter stiff opposition could resort to indiscriminate shelling as a terror weapon.

Thermobaric weapons - also known as vacuum bombs - are high-powered explosive that use the atmosphere itself as part of the explosion. They  are among the most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever developed." DailyMail