US expels 12 Russian diplomats on ‘espionage’; Ukraine invasion sparks Aussie security fears

Twelve Russian diplomats have been ordered to leave the US amid accusations of “espionage”. It comes as a Newspoll found two-thirds of Aussies fear for our national security.

The United States says it is expelling 12 members of Russia’s UN mission from America for being “intelligence operatives.”

A spokeswoman for the US mission to the UN on Monday local time said those ordered to leave had “abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.”

“We are taking this action in accordance with the UN Headquarters Agreement. This action has been in development for several months,” said the spokeswoman, Olivia Dalton.

Richard Mills, the US’s deputy ambassador to the UN, had earlier told a Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine that the dozen had engaged in non-diplomatic activities.

“Those diplomats that have been asked to leave the United States were engaged in activities that were not in accordance with their responsibilities and obligations as diplomats,” he said, without elaborating further.

Russia’s ambassador to the UN informed reporters of the decision first.

Vassily Nebenzia told a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York that the 12 have been ordered to leave the United States by March 7.

He refused to specify whether he was among those told to leave. The Russian mission to the UN has around 100 staff, according to a Russian diplomatic source.

Richard Mills, the US’s deputy ambassador to the UN. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

AUSSIES FEAR PUTIN

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked Australians, with almost two-thirds of voters believing ­Vladimir Putin’s actions pose a significant threat to our national security.

But the threat posed by China remained the most pressing international concern, with 74 per cent of voters saying the superpower presented a significant risk, an exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian has revealed.

Voters favour the Coalition the Coalition over Labor as better able to deal with both threats, the Newspoll showed.

A Russian Armoured personnel carrier burning during fighting with the Ukrainian armed forces in Kharkiv. Picture: AFP

When asked about Russia’s threat to global stability, 30 per cent of those polled said Mr Morrison and the Coalition would be better at handling the issue compared to 24 per cent backing Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Labor.

It comes as details emerge about the acts of kindness greeting the thousands of Ukraines fleeing their homeland.

Sitting on the shoulders of her husband Matheus, Olga Grzejszczyc holds a sign in a language she herself cannot read but understands well what it says.

“It says many things, but it is an offer of freedom,” she said, as below her, heads crane up to read in bewilderment at the smiling Polish woman with a sign in Ukrainian.

The sign offers anyone a free ride to anywhere in Poland that they may want to go.

Olga Grzejszczyc holds her sign up, offering help to those fleeing the Ukraine crisis. Picture: Charles Miranda

A week ago the huge empty lot where the pair now stand was a carpark for a sporting goods factory outlet on the outskirts of the Polish city of Przemysl.

But today it is a bustling impromptu free market place and bus station where hundreds of coaches have been disgorging thousands of passengers fleeing the horror and bloodshed of conflict in their home.

The buses arrive and empty, then shuttle the 30 minutes back to the border at Medyka to collect weary Ukrainians arriving. An estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have arrived this way.

It’s freezing and snowing intermittently but they are greeted by dozens of Polish volunteers that have set up the market giving free food stocks, hot meals, clothes, shoes, toys and offers of a free bed or a ride somewhere.

Arthur Krynski, a Polish volunteer helping at a distribution point for displaced Ukrainians. Picture: Charles Miranda

The Ukrainians look miserable with many having left literally with just the shirts on their backs but beam with the astonishing generosity of the Poles.

“We are so surprised by what we have seen here and this is just one place and we know there are lots of places like this around the borders of Ukraine where Polish people just want to help,” Matheus the 30-year-old used trucks salesman said.

“We are all human, we do want to help because this situation can happen to Poland, to Germany to any country in the world.”

Arthur Krynski, a 50-year-old engineer, is a volunteer at the aid distribution point.

“Last night was quite cold so we were prepared for this so we collected warm clothes to distribute as much as we could,” he said.

“Being a father, the worst moment for me is when you can see the small children crying; if you are a father you know what I mean, everyone who has kids knows that and we should be taking care of them, specially now.”

Mr Krynski said it was hard to know how many people they were helping as the coaches were running shuttles.

A distribution point for displaced Ukrainians in Poland. Picture: Charles Miranda

Ukrainian lawyer Alex Holub had recently moved to Poland for work, ahead of the crisis now engulfing his homeland.

“There are some places in Kyiv right now where some people have nothing to eat, no food in western Kyiv with Russian bombings there,” he said.

“Polish people gathering together here with food and supplies some of which is also transferring to Ukraine, it’s, I don’t know, just amazing,” he said.

“I think the only one end for this is like for Hitler, a bullet in the forehead for this b**tard in the Kremlin. I’m sorry for using this word but I cannot find any other word for this person.”

Some Ukrainians stepping off the bus burst spontaneously into tears at the scene. Last week they were living their lives, now a neighbouring country is offering them sanctuary and a bowl of warm tomato soup and a Kransky sausage.

“I don’t know what to say but thank you,” one woman said to Vikram Sandadi as he stepped forward and handed her a free Lycamobile SIM card.

“We are giving these 2GB Sims so they can contact their family and friends still there in Ukraine,” he said. “It is a surprise what we are seeing here but we are doing our part to help, we have a team of people and we have in the past three days distributed 20,000 SIM cards and the demand is very high.”

Originally published as US expels 12 Russian diplomats on ‘espionage’; Ukraine invasion sparks Aussie security fears