Biden addresses Ukraine invasion
“Putin chose this war,” Biden says about Ukraine attack
US President Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin bears full responsibility for attacking Ukraine and said Russia will face the consequences because of it.
“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Biden said in remarks at the White House.
Biden is now announcing additional sanctions on Russia.
NOW: Biden speaks on Russia’s attack on Ukraine
US President Joe Biden is addressing the nation from the White House as his administration assesses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden “will deliver remarks on Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine,” the White House said in its daily guidance.
In a Twitter message published earlier today, Biden said he agreed with fellow G7 leaders “to move forward on devastating packages of sanctions and other economic measures to hold Russia to account.”
The US and the world have not seen a “conventional move like this, nation state to nation state, since World War II” a senior defense official had told reporters earlier on Thursday. “Certainly nothing on this size and scope and scale.”
German chancellor: Europe “will not accept violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty” by Russia
From CNN’s Nadine Schmidt in Berlin
In a pre-recorded televised address to the nation on Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, stating that Europe “will not accept this violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty by Russia.”
“With the attack on Ukraine, President Putin wants to turn back time – but there is no going back to the time of the 19th century when great powers decided over the heads of smaller states,” Scholz said.
“There is no going back to the days of the Cold War, when superpowers divided the world among themselves into zones of influence,” he continued.
In his address, Scholz said that the European Union “had hope” that diplomatic efforts would prove fruitful, but “were not naïve.”
He also noted that the EU is ready to launch further sanctions against Russia, adding that Russia “will pay a high price” for its actions in Ukraine.
UK bans Russian aircraft from its airspace
From CNN’s Pete Muntean
The United Kingdom is banning civilian Russian aircraft from its airspace.
“No aircraft on a scheduled service which is owned, chartered or operated by a person connected with Russia, or which is registered in Russia shall fly in United Kingdom airspace,” reads a bulletin to pilots just published by the UK Department For Transport.
Russian airline Aeroflot currently operates direct flights between Moscow and London-Heathrow and Gatwick, according to its website.
The bulletin also bans Russian aircraft from the airspace above the United Kingdom’s territorial sea. The restriction goes into effect at 7 p.m. EST and is set to expire on May 23.
UK government announces visa concessions for Ukrainian citizens in country
From CNN’s Lauren Kent
British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced visa concessions for Ukrainian citizens in the UK on Thursday.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine amid this unprovoked and antidemocratic act of Russian aggression,” Patel said in a statement released by her ministry.
“I have immediately ordered changes to our visa policy to provide certainty to our Ukrainian friends and colleagues living, working and studying in the UK,” she added.
According to the statement, changes announced for Ukrainian nationals in the UK include:
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing points-based system route can extend their leave in the UK.
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing visitor visa can exceptionally switch into a points-based system immigration route without having to leave the UK.
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing visitor visa can apply under the family route for further leave without meeting the immigration status requirement, provided they meet the requirements for leave based on exceptional circumstances.
- Ukrainian nationals on an existing seasonal worker visa will have their leave in the UK extended to Dec. 31.
- Ukrainian nationals in temporary HGV/pork butcher jobs will have their leave in the UK extended to Dec. 31 and will also be allowed to apply to the skilled worker route.
These concessions are available for people with valid visas in the UK.
All visa routes remain under constant review and any changes to the visa policy will not compromise border security.
OSCE will temporarily evacuate all its staff from Ukraine
From CNN’s Martin Goillandeau in London
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it would “temporarily evacuate” all its international mission members from Ukraine as soon as possible, according to statement from Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid published Thursday.
Schmid said the decision to withdraw OSCE staff from Ukraine was “due to the ongoing fighting and deteriorated security situation” in the country and “will be conducted as early as possible and feasible dependent on the relevant factors on the ground.”
A spokesperson for the secretariat confirmed to CNN that members of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) would be among the evacuees.
“The commitment and bravery of the OSCE staff is commendable. The OSCE promptly established the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in 2014 and the dedicated men and women of this mission have been our impartial eyes and ears on the ground throughout the country,” Schmid’s statement read.
“We have a legacy to be proud of in the country. We look forward to resuming our missions when circumstances permit,” it added.
The secretary general said the decision “was not taken lightly and the relocation is meant to be temporary.”
“The safety of the dedicated women and men who serve as impartial eyes and ears of the international community on the ground throughout the country is imperative,” her statement concluded.
Hundreds of people detained in anti-war protests around Russia, according to independent monitors
From CNN’s Nathan Hodge in Moscow
As of Thursday evening Moscow time, at least 850 people have already been detained in at least 44 cities across Russia, independent monitoring group OVD-Info reported.
Russia bars demonstrations without a permit, but Russians may stage individual, single-person protests.
Authorities on Thursday warned citizens that participating in anti-war protests could lead to prosecution and criminal charges.
Watch Nic Robertson’s report from the scene of some arrests:
Russian troops seize Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian official says
From Olga Voitovich in Kyiv
Russian troops have seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management spokesperson, Yevgeniya Kuznetsovа, tells CNN.
“When I came to the office today in the morning [in Kyiv], it turned out, that the [Chernobyl nuclear power plant] management had left. So there was no one to give instructions or defend,” she said.
Earlier today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had tweeted that Russian forces were attempting to seize control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The Ukrainian National Guard was working to protect the nuclear plant from attack, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said.
CNN’s Anastasia Graham-Yooll in London and Gul Tuysuz contributed reporting to this post.
UK PM announces further sanctions in an effort to “squeeze Russia from the global economy, piece by piece”
From CNN’s Niamh Kennedy in London
The United Kingdom is set to sanction 100 people and entities as part of further sanctions against Russia, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Thursday afternoon.
In a speech to the UK parliament, the prime minister said the UK is announcing the “largest and most severe package of sanctions that Russia has ever seen.”
An asset freeze will be imposed on Russian state bank VTB, Johnson said, following the sanctioning of five Russian banks on Tuesday.
“These powers will enable us totally to exclude Russian banks from the UK financial system,” Johnson remarked.
Russian state and private companies will also be prevented from “raising funds in the UK, banning dealing with their securities and making loans to them.”
A hundred people and entities will have their assets frozen, Johnson said, adding that this includes “all the major manufacturers that support Putin’s war machine.”
“Sanctions will also be applied to Belarus for its role in the assault on Ukraine,” Johnson added.
As far as international finance is concerned, Johnson said “nothing is off the table” when it comes to shutting off Russia’s access to SWIFT, the high-security payment network.
The UK is also hoping to bring in legislation “early next week” to ban the export of all dual use items to Russia, Johnson said, including a “range of high end and critical technological equipment and components in sectors including electronics, telecommunications, and aerospace.”
Johnson stressed that these sanctions will “constrain Russia’s military, industrial and technological capabilities for years to come.”
The UK will also ban Russia’s national carrier, Aeroflot, and bring forward measures on unexplained wealth orders from the Common Crime Bill, Johnson said.
A new dedicated kleptocracy cell in the UK’s National Crime Agency will be established “to target sanctions, evasion and corrupt Russian assets hidden in the UK,” Johnson continued.
“We will continue on a remorseless mission to squeeze Russia from the global economy, piece by piece, day by day and week by week,” Johnson told lawmakers.
The UK will carry out a “steadfast mission” to ensure that Putin’s “squalid adventure” fails, Johnson stressed.
Johnson said it is now clear that the Russian president was “always determined to attack his neighbor no matter what we did.”
“Now we see him for what he is, a blood-stained aggressor,” Johnson remarked.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/index.html
