Ukrainian Neo-Nazi Regiment-themed Merch Appears on US Online Retail Giant’s Site

"Accused by the UN of war crimes ranging from extrajudicial killings to torture and mass
looting, Azov has nevertheless enjoyed substantial support from Washington and military assistance from the Pentagon, notwithstanding a 2019 push by dozens of US lawmakers to have the group designated a foreign terrorist organization.

At least five ‘Azov Battalion’-themed t-shirts and a coffee mug have appeared on Amazon.com in recent weeks, each featuring the group’s infamous neo-Nazi fighting force’s 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich-style rune logo and the light blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.

The shirts go for the low-low price of $18.99, while the Azov “Unisex” “Support Mugs” are on offer for between $15.95-$19.95, depending on the size. All of the merch appeared on the site over the past two weeks, with the first item spotted on 3 March.

Azov has since grown into a full-size regiment of over 2,500 troopers and been integrated into the Ukrainian National Guard, giving it access to weaponry ranging from howitzers, mortars and anti-aircraft guns to tanks. The regiment is based in Mariupol, the southeastern Ukrainian coastal city presently surrounded by Russian and Donetsk People’s Republic forces. There, Azov has been accused of indiscriminately targeting civilian areas during its retreat, and of using local residents as “human shields” against Russian and Donetsk People’s Militia forces." SP

Russian GRU intelligence officer is killed in Ukraine – the latest of 12 senior figures to have now lost their lives during Russian invasion

"Russia is continuing to suffer high-profile military losses, with a GRU military intelligence
spy the latest killed in Putin's stalling invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin has so far seen the loss of 12 commanders including three key generals, and military experts have slammed their bizarre tactics.  

Captain Alexey Glushchak, 31, from Tyumen in Siberia, is the latest major casualty after he was killed in the carnage in Mariupol, but the Russians have given no details of how he was killed." DM

 

Fox News journalist Benjamin Hall wounded in Ukraine

"Fox News journalist Benjamin Hall was wounded in Kyiv on Monday, the network said.

Hall was reporting outside Ukraine’s capital when he was hurt, said Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott in a statement, adding that the network had “a minimal level of detail” about what happened.

Scott said Hall is hospitalized but she had no details on his condition." NYP

The bravest woman in Russia: TV editor runs onto state channel's news broadcast with sign saying: 'Stop the war! Don't believe propaganda! They're lying to you here!'

"Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor on the Russian TV channel Pervyi Kanal (Channel One),
held up a sign on the broadcaster's main evening news show, Vremya, that said: 'Stop the war! Don't believe propaganda! They're lying to you here! Russians against war.'

Channel One was the first station to broadcast in the Russian Federation after the fall of the Soviet Union and has more than 250 million viewers across the world." DM

Russian McDonald’s fan chains himself to eatery in attempt to prevent closing

"A Russian man was not lovin’ it that McDonald’s was about to shutter it stores in the country amid the invasion of Ukraine – so he chained himself to one of its eateries in Moscow in a last-ditch attempt to keep it open." NYP

Deadly Air Strike Hits Kyiv Ahead of New Russia-Ukraine Talks

"An air strike on a residential building in Ukraine's capital killed at least one person Monday,
the country's emergency service said, as Moscow maintained its devastating assault ahead of a fresh round of talks.

The strike, which injured at least a dozen people, came as Russian troops edged closer to the city and kept up their siege of the southern port city of Mariupol, where officials said nearly 2,200 people have been killed." MT

Moscow Threatens Western Companies With Arrests, Seizures

"Russian authorities, facing potential economic calamity as Western sanctions take hold, have
threatened foreign companies hoping to withdraw from the country with arrests and asset seizures, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

Russian prosecutors have issued warnings to several foreign entities — via calls, letters and in-person visits — including to Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Procter & Gamble, IBM and Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC and Pizza Hut, according to the business daily, citing sources familiar with the matter." MoscowTimes

Bus carrying Ukrainian refugees overturns in Italy, killing mom

"A bus carrying Ukrainian refugees overturned on a road in northern Italy Sunday, killing a
32-year-old mother.

The accident happened around dawn on the highway to Rimini, a town on the Adriatic coast, as the bus headed south to Pescara.

The woman’s two children — ages 5 and 10 — suffered bruise​s in the crash, the Associated Press reported, citing Italian media reports, and were taken to the hospital where they received medical and psychological care." NYP

Ukraine army wipes out Russian armored vehicles and command center

"Newly released footage filmed on defender drones shows the Ukrainian army wiping out
multiple Russian armoured vehicles and a command centre as the war enters its 18th day.

The first video was shared online on Sunday morning and appears to show rockets being fired at three armoured vehicles in the Ukrainian south-eastern city of Mariupol.

The aerial footage, which was circulated by several unverified accounts, shows a BTR-82 APC and KamAZ-63968 'Typhoon' vehicle being targeted successfully." DailyMail

Tesla to Provide Three Months Pay for Ukrainians Called Home to Fight in War

"On Monday, Tesla sent an email to its employees in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region saying their salaries would be paid if they were asked to go back to Ukraine and defend their country." SaraCarter

Russians 'shoot dead disabled Ukrainian volunteer who had one arm and one leg in his wheelchair'

"Russian soldiers shot dead a disabled Ukrainian volunteer who had one arm and one left
whilst he sat in his wheelchair, a local governor has claimed.

Alexander Kononov was shot and killed at his home in the village of Borivskyi in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, said the Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai.

Kononov, who for years delivered water, food and medicine to Ukrainian soldiers fighting pro-Moscow militants in Luhansk, was murdered in his wheelchair by invading Russian soldiers, the governor told Ukrainian broadcaster Hromadske." DM

Russia Seeking China's Military Help In Ukraine, US "Sources" Say In Afternoon Of Media Leaks; China Responds: "Never Heard Of That"

"According to Reuters, when asked about claims that Russia is requesting military help from
China, the spokesperson for China's embassy in Washington responded "I've never heard of that."

The spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, said China's priority was to prevent the tense situation in Ukraine from getting out of control.

Biden administration officials who say that Russia has issued a formal request from China for military support in its invasion of Ukraine. This was followed minutes later with similar Washington Post and New York Times stories in what looks like a US "coordinated leak" effort to send a message and warning to China." ZH

American Filmmaker Brent Renaud Killed in Ukraine

"A series of reports Sunday state award-winning American photojournalist and filmmaker Brent Renaud has been killed in Ukraine.

The New York Times said Renaud was shot dead in Irpin, near Kyiv, by Russian forces. The outlet quoted Kyiv’s police chief Andriy Nebytov.

It is the first reported death of a foreign journalist covering the war in Ukraine." Breitbart

Putin's forces strike close to Nato border: Explosions are heard in Ukraine's western city of Lviv that is haven for refugees fleeing war-torn nation as 30 Russian missiles hit military base and kill 35 just 12 MILES from Poland

"Explosions have been heard on the outskirts of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv after  Russian forces launched an attack on a military base just 12 miles from the Polish border, killing at least nine people and injuring dozens more.

According to Ukrainian sources, Vladimir Putin's forces had launched a missile strike on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, also known as Yavoriv military complex, just before 6am this morning. 

Initial reports suggested the base had been targeted by eight missiles, but Maksym Kozytskyi, Governor of the region later confirmed 30 cruise missiles had been fired, killing 35 people and injuring 134." DailyMail

Poland’s two largest cities warn they can no longer absorb Ukrainian refugees

"Officials in Poland’s two largest cities have warned that they can no longer cope with the
waves of refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The mayors of both Warsaw, the capital, and Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city, said that they are struggling to accommodate the sheer number of people who are arriving – and urged the United Nations and European Union to intervene.

More than 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries since the war started on Feb. 24, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The vast majority – 1.5 million people – have sought refuge in Poland, with smaller numbers fleeing to other countries such as Hungary, Moldova and Slovakia." MS