Russia Ukraine conflict live updates: Vladimir Putin orders nuclear forces on high alert amid fears Belarus will join invasion
Australians in Russia have been told to leave immediately as European countries send fighter jets into Ukraine and Vladimir Putin threatens nuclear war.
World
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australians in Russia have been told to leave immediately amid fears authorities will target foreigners in reaction to the West’s support for Ukraine and sanctions against President Vladimir Putin.
Russia has been upgraded to “do not travel” in new Smartraveller advice issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday, with Australians in the country already warned to leave if possible, and “remain vigilant”.
“If you’re in Russia, consider leaving by commercial or private means if it’s safe to do so,” DFAT said.
“The security situation could deteriorate further with little warning.
“If you decide to stay in Russia, review your personal security plans. You’re responsible for your own safety and that of your family.”
Australians in Russia have been told to “avoid protests or demonstrations and commenting publicly on political developments”.
“Russian authorities may adopt a more negative attitude towards foreigners in Russia in reaction to perceived support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia,” DFAT said.
The department has also warned there were reports of non-Russian credit and debit cards being declined in Russia.
“Be prepared with alternate means of payment should your cards be declined.”
It is “unclear” if Australian law would permit citizens to answer Ukraine’s call for foreign volunteers to fight against Russian invasion, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison urging people not to travel to the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Sunday a new foreign legion for international volunteers to fight Russia was being assembled, but Mr Morrison said the legalities of whether Australians could join this force were uncertain.
“This is a complicated situation, and at present it is still somewhat unclear what the president of Ukraine has proposed,” Mr Morrison said.
“Our law sets out arrangements where people can be involved in official activity by a sovereign state, which Ukraine obviously qualifies for, but the nature of these arrangements are very uncertain.”
Mr Morrison said the federal government’s advice for all Australians remained “do not travel to Ukraine”.
“I would counsel against making assumptions about the legality of such activity at this point given the uncertainties that are associated with the arrangements and the force that President Zelensky is putting in place,” he said.
“I can understand absolutely the strong feelings and the motivations for people to go and do that, but I would say at this time the legality of such actions are uncertain under Australian law.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that under Australian law, citizens could not go and fight in a conflict zone, “unless they’re fighting with a foreign government and a foreign army”.
“Do not go into the conflict zone,” he told ABC radio.
“Under Australian law, Australian citizens cannot go and fight in conflict zones, but we have very clear travel advice ... please do not travel into a conflict zone.”
Mr Zelesnky said his new foreign legion would be made up of “friends of peace and democracy”.
“This is the beginning of a war against Europe, against European structures, against democracy, against basic human rights, against a global order of law, rules and peaceful coexistence,” Mr Zelensky said.
“Anyone who wants to join the defence of Ukraine, Europe and the world can come and fight side by side with the Ukrainians against the Russian war criminals.”
Stream the latest news on the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine live & on demand on Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >
EU TO PROVIDE FIGHTER JETS TO UKRAINE
The European Union will provide “fighter jets” to Ukraine as Vladimir Putin puts his nuclear forces on high alert.
Alexandre Krauss, an EU Parliament senior political adviser, confirmed the air force would be “flying in Ukraine skies within the hour” of sending his tweet.
And the United Nations Security Council called for an emergency special session of the general assembly for the first time in four decades.
Flying in #Ukraine skies within the hour. https://t.co/8NKJiP8upG
— Alexandre Krauss (@AlexandreKrausz) February 27, 2022
It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his defence chiefs to put the country’s nuclear “deterrence forces” on high alert on Sunday and accused the West of taking “unfriendly” steps against his country.
International tensions are already soaring over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Putin’s order will cause further alarm.
Moscow has the world’s second-largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and a huge cache of ballistic missiles which form the backbone of the country’s deterrence forces.
“I order the defence minister and the chief of the general staff of the Russian armed forces to put the deterrence forces of the Russian army into a special mode of combat service,” Putin said.
“You see that Western countries are not only unfriendly to our country in the economic sphere – I mean illegitimate sanctions,” he added, in a televised address.
“Senior officials of leading NATO countries also allow aggressive statements against our country.”
Defence Minister Shoigu replied: “Affirmative.”
The United States condemned Putin’s nuclear forces alert, and said his conventional ground forces were experiencing logistical problems in their invasion of Ukraine.
“This is a pattern that we’ve seen from President Putin through the course of this conflict, which is manufacturing threats that don’t exist in order to justify further aggression,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on ABC.
A senior US defence official, speaking on grounds of anonymity, said Putin’s step came as Ukraine’s forces, helped by arms from the West, continued to stymie the advance of Russian troops, who this official said had run into fuel supply and other logistical problems.
“We believe that this is not only an unnecessary step for him to take, but an escalatory one,” the official said of Putin’s nuclear announcement.
“Unnecessary because Russia has never been under threat by the West, by NATO and certainly wasn’t under any threat by Ukraine,” the official said.
“And escalatory because it is clearly potentially putting in play forces that, if there’s a miscalculation, could make things much, much more dangerous.”
The US defence official declined to say whether US nuclear forces, the world’s second largest, had been placed on higher alert.
At least 352 civilians — including 14 children — have been confirmed killed since Russia launched its invasion, Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs said on Sunday. An additional 1684 civilians have been wounded, 116 of which were children, the state agency said.
BELARUS THREATENS TO JOIN RUSSIAN INVASION
There are fears Russian ally Belarus will join the invasion of Ukraine.
It comes as EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced it was taking the unprecedented step of financing arms to Ukraine, and was hitting Belarus with sanctions for having facilitated the invasion.
The measures come on top of sanctions von der Leyen announced a day earlier that are about to be implemented: cutting some Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank messaging network, banning all transactions with Russia’s central bank, and added restrictions on Russian oligarchs.
Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko warned: “In a situation like this we should be aware that there are such sanctions. A great deal is being said about the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. It’s worse than war. Russia is being pushed towards a third world war,” he said, according to Russian news outlet Tass.
“We should be very reserved and steer clear of it. Because nuclear war is the end of everything.”
Meanwhile, a vote in Belarus to change the constitution and revoke the nation’s non-nuclear status has passed. It is feared the change could pave the way for Russian nuclear weapons to be deployed from Belarus against Ukraine.
UKRAINIAN CITIES FALL TO RUSSIA
Berdyansk acting mayor Oleksandr Svidlo has confirmed Russian troops have taken over control of the city.
In a post on Facebook, he said: “A few hours ago, you and I witnessed how heavy military equipment and armed soldiers entered the city and began advancing throughout our hometown.
“As soon as I learned about that, I tried to inform all the residents of the city so that you have the opportunity to hide in shelters.
“Some time ago, armed soldiers entered the executive committee building and introduced themselves as soldiers of the Russian army, they informed us that all administrative buildings were under their control and that they were taking control of the executive committee building.”
Berdyansk is located on Ukraine’s southern coast, and has a naval base and a population of around 100,000.
Kakhovka mayor Volodymyr Kovalenko also confirmed the small city was in Russian control.
“Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson Oblast is completely under the control of Russian troops, they seized the city executive committee, removed all Ukrainian flags from buildings,” Mr Kovalenko said on Telegram.
RUSSIAN TROOPS ADVANCE INTO KYIV
Russian ground forces have pressed into Ukraine from the north, east and south but have encountered fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, the intensity of which has surprised Moscow, according to Western sources.
Ukrainian authorities describe some Russian troops as demoralised and exhausted, claiming that dozens have surrendered.
As of Sunday, local time, Ukraine had take control of its second city, Kharkiv, after resistance fighters pushed back against Putin’s troops in another failed siege.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Kyiv is “fully encircled” by Russian troops leaving no way out for 2.8 million people now facing “a humanitarian catastrophe”. But hours later he backtracked saying he was the victim if Russian “lies”.
“Don’t believe the lies! Trust information only from official sources,” he claimed.
The Associated Press quoted the former heavyweight bixer as saying it was now impossible to evacuate the city “because all ways are blocked.”
“Right now we are encircled,” he admitted.
The AP stood by the interview, which a source told The Post had been recorded. The agency said it had not been able to verify just how far advanced Russian forces were.
Klitschko, 50, confirmed that at least nine civilians had been killed in Kyiv so far, including one child.
Australia will supply Ukraine with more than $4 million in medical supplies and “non-lethal” aid, as talks to send weapons to help defend against Russia’s “brutal invasion” continue.
In a statement on Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was holding Russian President Vladimir Putin to account for his “egregious unjustified war against Ukraine”.
“Australia will work with NATO and our other partners to provide lethal as well as non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies, and financial assistance to support the people of Ukraine,” he said.
“As an immediate measure, Australia will contribute $US3 million (about $AU4.2m) to NATO’s Trust Fund for Ukraine to support non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies.
“Details of Australia’s contribution of lethal military equipment are being worked through with our partners and will be announced soon.”
From midnight Sunday, Australia’s targeted financial sanctions and travel bans came into effect on the Russian President and remaining permanent members of Russia’s Security Council including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Internal Affairs Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev.
Mr Morrison said Mr Putin, Mr Lavrov and Mr Shoigu were “directly responsible” for Russia’s “unprovoked and unlawful further invasion” of Ukraine.
“It is exceedingly rare to designate a head of state, and reflects the depth of our concerns,” he said in the statement.
“President Putin joins a very small group that includes Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Bashar al-Assad of Syria.”
Mr Morrison said Australia would continue to work with allies to impose further economic sanctions on Russia, building on the raft of travel bans and asset freezes implemented in recent days against Russia’s most influential political and military actors.
So far Australia has sanctioned more than 350 Russian individuals, including corrupt oligarchs, MPs, and military commanders who have facilitated Putin’s illegal and violent ambitions.
Mr Morrison said the combined sanctions and measures implemented by the West would “impose severe costs on the Russian economy” by disconnecting its key banks from the international financial system and disrupting Russian trade and investment flows.
“The Australian Government reiterates our staunch support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and for the people of Ukraine,” he said.
UKRAINE HITS BACK AT GENOCIDE CLAIMS
President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed Ukraine is taking Russia to the International Court of Justice over claims Ukraine had committed acts of “genocide”.
In the ICJ application, Ukraine states that Russia has “falsely claimed that acts of genocide have occurred” against ethnic Russians in the breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, known as the Donbas region.
Ukraine has submitted its application against Russia to the ICJ. Russia must be held accountable for manipulating the notion of genocide to justify aggression. We request an urgent decision ordering Russia to cease military activity now and expect trials to start next week.
— Володимир ЗеленÑький (@ZelenskyyUa) February 27, 2022
UKRAINE AGREES TO PEACE TALKS WITH RUSSIA
It was reported that officials from Kyiv would meet with Russian counterparts at the Belarus border Monday morning European time, even as fighting continues inside Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed doubt that the talks would produce results but said he was willing to try.
It’s a sentiment shared by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“If he (Putin) wants to stop, if he wants to withdraw, if he wants to negotiate that’s very good news. I have my doubts … There is nothing I’ve seen so far in his behaviour that leads me to think that he could possibly be sincere,” Mr Johnson told reporters on Sunday. “But if he is, then we should pursue every avenue.”
It comes as missile attacks turned the sky above Kyiv orange on Saturday as locals woke to air raid sirens, while the “brave” Ukrainian military continued to punch above its weight against Russia’s invading soldiers.
Thousands spent the night in the city’s underground train network, which was designed to withstand a nuclear attack, amid a 39-hour curfew.
Russia had entered Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv as Putin’s troops continued their advance.
But Ukrainian forces have been holding out in Kyiv, with blockades being built across the city in preparation for a bloody street battle. Kyiv and Kharkiv have not fallen to the Russians.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky rejected Russia’s offer for peace talks in Belarus – a Russian dependency – demanding they be held in Poland, Turkey or Hungary instead.
Britain warned last night that the war could last “years” as the United States, Germany, and The Netherlands rushed weapons to the country to aid the fight against Putin’s forces.
Australia has also pledged to buy weapons for the war effort.
RUSSIANS TURN ON PUTIN
Russia on Sunday detained more than 2000 anti-war protesters across the country, an independent monitor said, on the fourth day of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine that took many Russians by surprise.
OVD-Info, which monitors arrests at protests, said 2114 protesters had been detained on Sunday.
This brought the total tally of protesters detained since Putin launched the invasion in the early hours of Thursday to 5250, the monitor said.
Thousands have defied Russia’s strict protest laws to stage demonstrations in cities across Russia.
Many held posters that read “No to war”, “Russians go home” and “Peace to Ukraine”.
“It is a shame that there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of us and not millions,” 35-year-old engineer Vladimir Vilokhonov, who took part in the protest, told AFP.
Another protester, 25-year-old Alyona Stepanova, had come to the protest with a packed bag in case “we get taken away”.
“We believe it is our duty to come here,” she said.
Riot police tried to deafen their anti-war shouts by blasting out patriotic music.
“I am against war. I was born in 1941 and I know what it means,” said Valeria Andreyeva, born in the year Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union.
RUSSIAN FORCES ATTACK OIL DEPOT IN KYIV
Ukraine has now launched a foreign legion, encouraging men from around the world to fight for freedom.
“Together we defeated Hitler and we will defeat Putin, too,” foreign affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
At least 390,000 people have fled Ukraine, many into Poland, with the United Nations predicting up to five million refugees could be forced into Europe if the fighting continues.
Russian forces attacked an oil depot near Kyiv, but Ukrainian forces have been able to maintain their supplies and keep their command structure.
Ukrainian forces destroyed a column of Russian troops, including 56 tanks, near Hostomel, north east of Kyiv.
The Ukrainians last night claimed they have killed 4300 Russian soldiers, downed 27 planes and 26 helicopters, and knocked out 146 tanks and 706 armoured vehicles, as their undermanned military stood up to Putin’s forces.
Russian forces have were engaged in battles in Kharkiv, with trucks rolling through the streets, but observers claimed they were unlikely to hold the city with only light forces.
Footage released by the Ukrainians showed Russian vehicles burning there, with locals told to stay inside.
Putin’s special forces have been looting supermarkets in Ukraine, raising questions about whether the Ukrainian resistance has blocked them getting supplies of food.
Mr Zelensky said on Sunday night Australian time that peace talks could not be held in Belarus.
He demanded any talks be held in either Warsaw, Istanbul, or Budapest.
Zelensky released a video message after Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that negotiators were being sent to the city of Homel.
“The Russian delegation is ready for talks, and we are now waiting for the Ukrainians,” Peskov said.
UKRAINE WAR COULD ‘LAST YEARS’
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said that Ukraine’s “brave” resistance would be a challenge for Russia’s forces.
“This could be a number of years because what we do know is Russia has strong forces,” she said on Britain’s Sky News.
“But we know that the Ukrainians are brave, they’re determined to stand up for their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and they’re determined to fight.”
Ms Truss said that sanctions would take time to dent the Kremlin.
“This is not going to be, I fear, over quickly,” she added. “We need to be prepared for a very long haul.”
Ukraine released footage of Russian convoys being attacked by its Bayraktar drones, which it bought from Turkey in 2019.
While the capital has shown a degree of resistance against Russian forces, Ukraine still looks likely to lose all of its ports with fighting at Mariupol and Odessa expected to increase on Sunday.
The US, UK and European Union took the so-called “nuclear option” against Russia banning it from the international money transfer system SWIFT.
Russia’s banks last night were urging locals to remain calm, amid fears that there could be a run on the bank, with panicked Russians making massive withdrawals.
The move also may push more into buying US currency if they fear the conflict will continue.
Russia has at least $600 billion of foreign currency in overseas banks, which they will now not be able to touch.
“Putin is furious, he thought that the whole war would be easy and everything would be done in 1-4 days,” tweeted Riho Terras, a former NATO defence chief.
There were fears last night that Putin would order brutal attacks to speed up his forces’ attack on Kyiv that could result in tens of thousands of deaths.
King Charles to ‘pause’ cancer treatment during Australia tour
King Charles will suspend his cancer treatment during his Australia visit as the monarch prepares for the “most important” 11-day trip.
Read more
Australia ‘failing’ Jewish community, vigil
A former ambassador to Israel is accusing Australia of a “tragic failing” on the first anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attacks.
Read more