LAST UPDATE | 15 Mar 2022
HERE ARE THE major developments on the 20th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Good morning, Gráinne Ní Aodha here. Here’s a quick update on the latest from the situation in Ukraine:
In Russia:
And in Ireland:
UK Government intelligence suggests that Russia has installed its own mayor in Melitopol after the regions actual mayor was abducted.
The mayor of Dniprorunde has also been reportedly abducted by Russian forces.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 15 March 2022
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 15, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/aNa33WPBRi
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/lrw4wxDvxL
There’s huge focus on the Russian bombing of residential areas in Kyiv last night – a reminder that targeting civilians or civilian areas is a war crime.
The Russian strikes igniting a huge fire and prompted a frantic rescue effort in a 15-storey apartment building. At least one person was killed and others remain trapped inside.
Russian artillery fire also hit a nine-storey apartment building in the northern Obolonskyi district of the city, killing two more people, authorities said.
The other big story of the day - Marina Ovsyannikova, the Russian journalist who interrupted a prime-time news broadcast on state TV last night.
Marina Ovsyannikova, detained for an anti-war protest during last night's evening state TV newscast, is facing a "pre-investigation review" from @sledcom_rf, per Russian wires.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 15, 2022
This is the major crimes unit – could indicate she won't get off with a fine. pic.twitter.com/Y9I3U5srri
A heartwarming message next, because we all need it – how gorgeous is this?
PROC's new street art in @corkcitycentre Ireland to welcome Ukrainians to Cork. The yellow text says 'Welcome to Cork' in Ukrainian.
— People's Republic of Cork (@cork) March 14, 2022
The blue text:
'Fáilte' = Welcome (in Irish)
'Páirc Uí Kiev' -> @PaircUiCha0imh #Ukraine @tomhdoig
More info https://t.co/mYuw9bpa4L pic.twitter.com/tbDLvb8OpY
On EU sanctions, Paschal Donohoe told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning that the plummeting value of the ruble, the Russian stock market no longer functioning and their Central Bank not able to access foreign exchange reserves to convert the ruble, are all signs that sanctions have “had a huge effect”, combined with what private companies have also done.
The Minister for Finance has said he expects further sanctions against Russia to be developed in the coming days, if not today.
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 15, 2022
Paschal Donohoe said the European Commission is considering what sanctions can be added to the current package | Read more: https://t.co/Xbqx5YPFtQ pic.twitter.com/ckf3tFMgz7
The European Council goes to Kyiv
The Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers will travel to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Polish government said in a statement.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Czech counterpart Petr Fiala and Slovenia’s Janez Jansa will also meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal during the visit.
The three will be visiting as “representatives of the European Council”, the statement said.
The trip was organised “in agreement with” European Council chief Charles Michel and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, it added.
The Ukrainian Ambassador Larysa Gerasko has told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that she has met some of the 6,000 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Ireland.
Gerasko said that her parents are still in the country and they “denied to come to me”. She said her mother tells her she is hopeful she will still be alive tomorrow.
At a briefing at the Ukraine Media Centre in Kyiv yesterday, captured Russian soldiers apologised to Ukrainians and said they had been deceived.
China does not want to be impacted by Western economic sanctions on Russia, state media has reported, as pressure grows on Beijing not to support Russia.
“China is not a party to the crisis, still less wants to be affected by the sanctions,” Wang Yi said, according to a readout of a phone call with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares published today.
Beijing has refused to condemn its close ally Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while blaming the US and NATO’s “eastward expansion” for the war.
Moscow and Beijing have grown closer in recent times, in what Washington sees as an increasingly hostile alliance of the authoritarian nuclear powers. What China does next is being closely watched, amid reports that Russia has asked China for military help.
What a moment.
In Kyiv's region Obolon, during an explosion, a turtle flew out of the affected building and fell to the ground. It survived, but injured a leg. A journalist discovered it and handed it over to the Red Cross.
— The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine) March 15, 2022
Photos: ДСНС України pic.twitter.com/CTacT3ugnX
The vice president of a security think tank has told CNN that the US estimates that Russia has lost around 6,000-8,000 ground troops so far. This is less than the 13,000 estimated by Ukrainian authorities.
If true, he said it means that Russia has suffered more causalities in two weeks than the US did in both Iraq and Afghanistan over the course of 20 years.
The Kremlin has passed a law giving it the power to re-register foreign-owned aircrafts being leased by Russia as Russian registered, in response to sanctions imposed over the Russian invasion of Ukraine – resulting in the possible threat of “billions of euro” being written off, the Irish Times is reporting.
“An aircraft has the nationality of the state where it is registered,” Donal Hanley told Morning Ireland, explaining what the move meant.
“To put it in simple terms, this would be the equivalent for an aircraft of taking an Irish citizen in Russia, and forcibly making them a Russian citizen so the government could tell the Irish embassy that they could no longer help the Irish citizen.
“This person is now a Russian citizen against its will. This is what’s happening with aircrafts if these stories are true.
“The effect on the companies in Ireland frankly, is going to be that if the aircraft are not released soon and there’s no sign that they will be.”
Hanley said that as it stands now, “we don’t see a way out” of this issue.
Boris Johnson is writing in The Telegraph today that when Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine “the first time around, in 2014, the West made a terrible mistake”.
“The Russian leader had committed an act of violent aggression and taken a huge chunk out of a sovereign country – and we let him get away with it.”
“We decided we could somehow go back to normality. Economic relations did not just resume – they intensified, with the West taking more Russian gas than ever before, becoming more dependent on the goodwill of Putin and more exposed to the vagaries of the global gas and oil price.
“Putin’s Russia makes little that the rest of the world wants to buy. If the world can end its dependence on Russian oil and gas, we can starve him of cash, destroy his strategy and cut him down to size,” the British Prime Minister argued.
Also worth adding this here: the Telegraph have been reportedly paid to produce a pro-Russia supplement called ‘Russia Beyond the Headlines’, and continued to print it after the Crimea invasion.
Kyiv is to impose 36-hour curfew from late today, its mayor has said.
There is ‘massive destruction’ at Dnipro airport after shelling, according to Ukrainian authorities.
An important clarification on Russian-speaking Ukrainians.
Can we finally stop talking about "ethnic Russians" in Ukraine?
— Euan MacDonald (@Euan_MacDonald) March 14, 2022
They're Russian-speaking Ukrainians.
You don't call English-speaking Irish people "ethnic English people in Ireland."
"Ethnic-Russians" in Ukraine are Kremlin inventions that have been used to justify aggression.
A curfew has been announced by Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko that will take effect from 8pm today (or 6pm Irish time) until 7am on 17 March.
This means people will need a special pass to go around the Ukrainian capital during these 35 hours.
“Today is a difficult and dangerous moment,” former boxing champion Klitschko said in a statement, after several Russian strikes hit residential areas in the city.
The UK Government’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has been called “pathetic”, and much more, in the House of Commons in recent days.
Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi raised the case of a 15-year-old Ukrainian girl who is currently in Poland and has left her parents and brother who remain in Ukraine.
Her only family outside of Ukraine are in the UK, in Dhesi’s constituency of Slough. They have tried to bring her to the UK, but the UK Government have said that she is “ineligible” for the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Michael Gove said in response that he has “had it up to here with people trying to suggest that this country is not generous, and all this stuff about a hostile environment”.
Michael Gove might not like me pointing out some home truths and that’s why he got all worked up!
— Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (@TanDhesi) March 14, 2022
But the harsh reality is that Tory Government’s callous response to the #Ukraine crisis (as with other refugee crises) has quite frankly been pathetic.
We’re much better than this! pic.twitter.com/guK8rXtkSb
More on that UK response to the refugee crisis here.
Rob Rinder: When people come off the trains from Ukraine.. there are national desks with flags, France,Italy, Germany & even Japan.. we couldn't find a British desk.. & the nearest office is 2hours away or you go to Krakow & fill out a form.. the red tape needs to be cut#GMB pic.twitter.com/GMwbO7R3OG
— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) March 15, 2022
Some 1.4 million children have now fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, meaning nearly one child a second has become a refugee, according to the UN.
“On average, every day over the last 20 days in Ukraine, more than 70,000 children have become refugees,” James Elder, spokesman for the UN children’s agency UNICEF, told reporters in Geneva.
That amounts to around 55 every minute, “so almost one per second,” he said.
Russian prosecutors have requested that President Vladimir Putin’s main political opponent, Alexei Navalny, who is already jailed, serve 13 years in prison on fraud charges.
“I request that Navalny be sentenced to a term of 13 years and a subsequent two years of probation,” prosecutor Nadezhda Tikhonova was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.
Further update from the UN: More than three million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded
“We have now reached the three-million mark in terms of movement of people out of Ukraine,” Paul Dillon, spokesman for the UN’s International Organiaation for Migration, told reporters in Geneva.
Kremlin says too early for conclusions on Ukraine talks
“The work is complex, but the very fact that the work is continuing is in itself positive,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“We don’t want to give any forecasts. Let’s wait for tangible results,” he said.
Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv have met for four rounds of talks to find a diplomatic resolution to the nearly three weeks of fighting between Russia’s army and Ukraine.
Both sides earlier raised hopes that a document might be signed at meetings held by video conference yesterday before the sides announced a break for a “technical pause”.
Peskov said it was “too early” to discuss the format of any document that could be adopted as a result of negotiations, saying this was part of discussions between negotiators.
Both sides indicated over the weekend that they were making headway. Russia’s negotiators hailed “significant progress” while a lead Ukrainian negotiator said Moscow’s delegation had stopped issuing “ultimatums” and instead “carefully listens to our positions”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his frustration with Nato over the refusal to implement a no-fly zone as he addressed European leaders in London.
In a video call to Boris Johnson and representatives from the Joint Expedition Force countries gathered in Lancaster House, Zelenskyy said Nato had been “hypnotised” by Russia.
He said Vladimir Putin’s invasion had undermined the European security infrastructure.
Nato was “the strongest alliance in the world” but “some of the members of this alliance are hypnotised by Russian aggression”.
“We hear a lot of conversations about the third world war, that allegedly it could start if Nato will close the Ukrainian sky for Russian missiles and planes and therefore the humanitarian no-fly zone was not yet established,” he said.
“That allows the Russian army to bombard peaceful cities and blow up housing blocks and hospitals and schools.
“Four multi-storey buildings in Kyiv in the early morning were bombarded, dozens of dead.”
Western sanctions welcome but they “are not enough”: Zelenskyy
Speaking with European leaders gathered in London, Zelenskyy said his people were relying on the support of international partners rather than the Nato alliance.
“Of course, Ukraine is not a Nato member, we understand that,” he said.
“We have heard for many years about the open doors, but we also heard that we can’t enter those doors.
“This is the truth and we have simply to accept it as it is.”
He said other countries bordering Russia should think about their “independent defence capabilities” outside Nato.
“We are doing the best to get the jet fighters and missile defence systems. We need some new format, if we cannot enter the open doors (of Nato) then we have to co-operate with platforms and unions that allow us to do so.”
Zelenskyy said he welcomed Western sanctions but they “are not enough” to end the Russian aggression, calling for a full trade embargo.
The Ukrainian President criticised firms that continued doing business with Russia and said “the world is silent” as nuclear power plants are captured and shelled.
“Many international companies have not yet withdrawn from the Russian market although severe sanctions were introduced,” he said.
Such firms “don’t care about the 97 kids who were killed so far”.
He called for Russian navy vessels to be barred from ports around the world and for all Russian banks to be excluded from the Swift financial messaging system.
“We have to acknowledge Russia as a rogue state and there has to be a trade embargo with Russia. This is something that we need and you need as well, just like the rest of the world, to make sure there is peace in Europe and Ukraine.”
He told representatives from European countries gathered in London to “help yourself by helping us”.
Speaking by video link he told the Joint Expeditionary Force meeting: “You know the kind of weapons we need, everyone knows.” He said the shipments of supplies from the UK and other nations were being rapidly used up.
“The amount that we are getting per week is used, usually by us within 20 hours,” he said.
As a result, captured Russian equipment and old Soviet-era kit were being pushed into service, he said.
In response to Zelenskyy’s address, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said : “You challenge us, quite rightly, to do more and we all know that we can and we must do more.
“I hear your point very loud and clear about the economic sanctions that we need to tighten, where we need to go harder on the banks, on Swift.”
He acknowledged it is a “desperate moment” and “we must try to do more, particularly to support you in protecting the Ukrainian people from bombardment from artillery and by aviation”.
The UK has already said it is planning to send Starstreak anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.
UK slaps heavy tariffs on Russian imports, including vodka
High-end luxury goods exports to Russia have been banned and import tariffs have been hiked on hundreds of goods, including vodka, under a raft of new UK economic sanctions on the country.
The UK Government said Russian vodka will be among goods worth about £900 million to be hit with an extra 35% tariff as it continues to inflict punitive measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
And the export ban is set to impact Russia’s access to luxury British vehicles, high-end fashion and works of art as part of coordinated action by the UK and its allies in the G7 group of countries.
The Department for International Trade said the export ban will “make sure oligarchs and other members of the elite, who have grown rich under President Putin’s reign and support his illegal invasion, are deprived of access to luxury
goods”.
The latest sanctions also include a move to deny Russia and Belarus access to the so-called Most Favoured Nation tariff for hundreds of their exports, depriving both nations key benefits of World Trade Organisation membership. Britain further announced it would cut off all Government-backed export finance to Russia and Belarus, meaning it will no longer issue any new guarantees, loans and insurance for exports to the countries.
China says it is ‘impartial’ on Ukraine, denies aiding Russia
Chinese officials have said the government’s stance on the Ukraine conflict is “completely objective, impartial and constructive”, and repeated accusations that the US is spreading misinformation over reports Beijing has responded positively to a Russian request for military supplies.
Beijing has refused to criticise Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, or even to refer to the conflict as a “war”.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian’s told reporters that the “US has created and spread disinformation … This is not only unprofessional, but also immoral and irresponsible”.
He added: “What the US should do is to deeply reflect on the role it has played in the development and evolving of the Ukraine crisis, and do something practical to ease the tension in Ukraine.”
This remark was a nod towards China’s contention that Russia was provoked by Nato’s expansion and threats to its security.
The situation for those trapped in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol is getting more desperate by the day.
Reuters reports that Ewan Watson, spokesperson of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told a UN briefing in Geneva that people are “essentially being suffocated in this city now with no aid”.
Ukrainian authorities have said residents have been without heating, electricity and running water for almost two weeks.
Some more detail is emerging about the “massive” damage to the airport of the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Regional authorities have said the runway is destroyed and the terminal is damaged.
⚡️Russian missiles damage airport in Dnipro.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 15, 2022
Two missiles hit the Dnipro airport on the night of March 15, destroying a runway and damaging a terminal, according to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Valentyn Reznichenko.
Here’s a look at Ukrainian territory believed to be controlled by Russia as of last night:
Some 2,000 civilian cars have been able to drive out of the besieged southeastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol along a humanitarian evacuation route, the city authorities have said.
“As of 2pm (12pm Irish time) it is known that 2,000 cars left Mariupol,” the city council said on Telegram, adding that a further 2,000 vehicles are waiting to leave the city.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said British consumers were feeling the impact of Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
“There is no question at all that the spike in oil and gas, that is being felt by British consumers, by everybody who has a central heating system, everybody in this country is seeing the effect of that spike in prices,” he said.
“We have to deal with that in any way that we can, and what we need to do is build long-term security of energy supply in this country.”
Johnson told reporters at Lancaster House, London that part of the solution was “making sure that we are not as dependent in the West as we currently are on Russian oil and gas”.
While only 3% of the UK’s gas comes from Russia “a lot more of our diesel” does.
“We have to make sure that other producers are doing what they can and we are going to have to help the whole world move forward with greener solutions,” he said.
Just in: Kyiv says Ukraine-Russia conflict talks have resumed.
Our reporter Niall O’Connor has arrived back in Dublin following his trip to the Ukraine/Polish border.
Just landed in Dublin on Rzeszow flight. A good few Ukrainians on board the flight. All cheered when it landed in Dublin.
— Niall O’Connor (@NiallJournal_ie) March 15, 2022
Spotted a large military and Garda escort, including 2 helicopters passed with multiple articulated trucks. Presume they’re the MREs and vests. Good to see.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said he would discuss with Putin offering protection for a Russian journalist facing a long prison sentence after she brandished on live TV a slogan protesting the invasion of Ukraine.
“We will launch diplomatic efforts aiming to offer (her) protection – either at the embassy but also protection through asylum. I will have the chance at my next talks with President Putin to propose this solution in a very direct and concrete manner,” said Macron.
More than 100,000 households in the UK have registered an interest in opening up their homes to a Ukrainian refugee.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities tweeted: “Thanks to the generosity of the British public we’ve received over 100K expressions of interest from individuals and organisations so far in our Homes for Ukraine scheme.”
👏 100,000 offers of support! Thanks to the generosity of the British public we've received over 100K expressions of interest from individuals and organisations so far in our Homes for Ukraine scheme. Register your interest here➡ https://t.co/Tl9eBCM7wW#StandWithUkraine 🇬🇧🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/SAqEpqcdVN — Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (@luhc) March 15, 2022
Marina Ovsyannikova – the Russian state TV employee who staged an anti-war protest on live news last night – has appeared in court in Moscow.
Ovsyannikova is reportedly being charged with “organising an unauthorised public event.”
The charge could result in a fine of up to 30,000 roubles (€248), community service or up to 10 days in jail.
This suggests she is not being charged under the Kremlin’s controversial new law on “spreading false information about Russia’s armed forces”.
Earlier reports suggested Ovsyannikova’s legal team were unable to locate her, but she has now been photographed in court alongside her lawyer.
Марина Овсянникова в Останкинском районом суде. С ней адвокат Антон Гашинский. pic.twitter.com/b1wPyy4BJ1
— Соболь Любовь (@SobolLubov) March 15, 2022
A member of Ukraine’s parliament has offered a sad analysis of the situation facing her country 20 days after Russia began its invasion.
Lesia Vasylenko says the 20 days have shown that there is no magic and the courage of world leaders has limits.
These 20 days of war proved that there is no magic. They proved also that we must first and foremost rely on our own resources. Third thing they proved is that partnerships have limits, as does the courage of the leaders of the free world.
— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) March 15, 2022
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that Ireland will receive 500 Ukrainian refugees from Moldova.
Speaking to reporters during the St Patrick’s Day trip to Washington, DC, the Taoiseach said over 6,000 Ukrainians have now arrived in Ireland since Russia launched its invasion.
Taoiseach confirms Ireland will receive 500 Ukrainian refugees from Moldova. Over 6,000 have now arrived in Ireland. pic.twitter.com/GhCWbqsxVR
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) March 15, 2022
The government says preparations are being ramped-up to provide accommodation in:
The Journal’s political correspondent Christina Finn will be reporting from the US for the duration of the Taoiseach’s visit stateside.
Fox News cameraman, Pierre Zakrzewski, has been killed in Ukraine.
Zakrzewski was killed and his colleague Benjamin Hall was wounded when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire in Horenka, outside of Kyiv, on Monday, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement.
A Fox cameraman, Pierre Zakrzewski, who was working with Benjamin Hall, was killed yesterday in Ukraine. Suzanne Scott’s memo here: pic.twitter.com/rnWBI6DYRF
— Sarah Ellison (@sarahellison) March 15, 2022
Russia’s foreign ministry has announced that US President Joe Biden and a dozen other top officials have been banned from entering the country in a reciprocal response to US sanctions.
The measure, which also applies to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, “is the consequence of the extremely Russophobic policy pursued by the current US administration”, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Canada’s parliament that 97 children have been killed since Russia began its invasion.
The Ukrainian President asked Canadian lawmakers to imagine what they would do if Canada was in Ukraine’s situation.
“Can you imagine calling other friendly nations, and asking them ‘please close the sky, close the air space. Stop the bombing’”.
“And in turn they express their deep concerns about the situation. We talk to our partners and they say ‘please hold on a little longer’”.
The Ukrainian president described the situation as dire, “but it’s allowed us to see who our true friends are these past 20 days”.
Zelenskyy said earlier today that his country should accept that it will not become a member of NATO.
“Ukraine is not a member of NATO. We understand that. We have heard for years that the doors were open, but we also heard that we could not join. It’s a truth and it must be recognised,” Zelensky said during a video conference with military officials.
The Taoiseach has confirmed that Pierre Zakrzewski – a Fox News cameraman who has been killed while working in Ukraine – is an Irish citizen.
Micheál Martin said he is “deeply disturbed and saddened” by the incident.
“My thoughts are with their families, friends and fellow journalists,” the Taoiseach tweeted.
Deeply disturbed and saddened by the killing of Irish citizen and journalist Pierre Zakrzewski and one of his colleagues today.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 15, 2022
My thoughts are with their families, friends and fellow journalists.
We condemn this indiscriminate and immoral war by Russia on #Ukraine.
Marina Ovsyannikova – the Russian TV editor who protested Moscow’s military action in Ukraine during a prime-time news broadcast on state TV – was fined and released today following a court hearing.
A judge with Moscow’s Ostankinsky district court ordered the Channel One employee to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles (€248) after she barged onto the set of Russia’s most-watched evening news broadcast holding a poster reading “No War”.
US President Joe Biden will travel to Europe to attend a European Union summit in Brussels next week, an EU official has told AFP.
Russia’s foreign ministry says the country is exiting the Council of Europe, as pressure grew for Moscow’s expulsion from the pan-European human rights group.
The ministry posted a statement on “launching the procedure to exit the Council of Europe” on its Telegram account, saying it had given notification of its departure.
Ukraine yesterday demanded that Russia be immediately expelled from the international organisation, saying it had no right to remain a member after its invasion.
Russia joined the Council of Europe in 1996.
“We part with such a Council of Europe without regret,” the foreign ministry said today.
The ministry said its exit would “not affect the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens” and that “the implementation of already adopted resolutions of the European Court of Human Rights will continue, if they do not contradict Russia’s Constitution”.
The EU has banned exports of champagne, high-end cars, fashion apparel, expensive electronics and sports gear to Russia as part of a new round of sanctions on Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
Speaking outside a Moscow courthouse, Russian TV protester Marina Ovsyannikova thanked people for their support.
A judge ordered the state TV employee to pay a fine of 30,000 rubles (€248) after she barged onto the set of Russia’s most-watched evening news broadcast holding a poster reading “No War”.
The mother of two could have faced a maximum punishment of 10 days in detention for calling for illegal protests.
The charge was based not specifically on her interruption of the news broadcast, but on a video statement she released explaining the reasons for her protest and urging Russians to take part in anti-war demonstrations.
"I want to thank everyone for their support"
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 15, 2022
Marina Ovsyannikova after leaving the courtroom.
The court decided to fine Marina 30,000 rubles ($280) pic.twitter.com/CAEKB0HCXO
St Conleth’s College in Ballsbridge has paid tribute to past pupil Pierre Zakrzewski.
The Fox News cameraman, who was an Irish citizen, was killed while working in Ukraine
“It is great sadness that St Conleth’s College acknolwledegs the tragic passing of Past Pupil Pierre Zakrzewski (Class of 1984) in the Ukraine.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends,” the school wrote on Twitter.
Zakrzewski died alongside one of his colleagues when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire in Horenka, outside of Kyiv, yesterday.
It is great sadness that St. Conleth's College acknolwledegs the tragic passing of Past Pupil Pierre Zakrzewski (Class of 1984) in the Ukraine. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. (Pierre stands in the back row of his graduating class, third from right.) pic.twitter.com/z1VNPzjhco
— Stconleths (@Saintconleths) March 15, 2022
The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will head to Russia and Ukraine this week as Ankara facilitates ceasefire talks between the two warring sides, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.
“We are sending our foreign minister to Russia today. He will hold talks in Moscow tomorrow. He will travel to Ukraine on Thursday,” Erdogan told journalists.
[Cavusoglu] will continue our efforts to achieve a ceasefire and peace through talks with both sides.
Last week, the Turkish resort city of Antalya hosted the first talks between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Erdogan also said he would meet Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday.
2/2
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 15, 2022
The price for this war against 🇺🇦 must be extremely painful for Russia. This pressure is a task for all Ukrainians at home & abroad, as well as for all friends & partners of our country. Everyone in the world must take a moral stand. Not only the state, but also companies.
All trade with Russia must be stopped “so that it can’t sponsor the killing of our children”, Zelenskyy has said.
The country must pay an “extremely painful” price for its decision to invade Ukraine, the Ukrainian President added.
On Twitter he said everyone in the world must take a “moral stand” against Russia.
He urged Ukrainian people to contact their politicians, talk to journalists and pressure businesses to leave the Russian market.
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) March 15, 2022
Michael D Higgins has sympathised with the family of Pierre Zakrzewski, an Irish citizen who was killed near Kyiv while reporting for Fox News.
“The indiscriminate killing of civilians, including journalists, must be brought to an end,” a statement from the president said.
He also expressed his sympathy to the International Federation of Journalists.
Pierre was a cameraman for Fox News. He was killed and his colleague Benjamin Hall was wounded when their vehicle was struck by incoming fire in Horenka, outside Kyiv, on Monday.
The Taoiseach spoke to RTÉ’s Six One News from Washington this evening. Micheál Martin is in the US for the next few days on a St Patrick’s Day visit.
He paid further tribute to Pierre Zakrzewski, the Irish citizen killed while reporting for Fox News near Kyiv.
He offered his sympathies and said “we are fully in solidarity” with Pierre’s family in Ireland.
“It reflects more broadly a humanitarian outrage being perpetrated by the leadership of Vladimir Putin on the people of Ukraine,” Martin said.
The bombardment of cities and civilians in a pre-meditated and deliberate way is a war crime. There’s no question.
The Taoiseach said he will do “whatever is necessary” to show Ireland’s support for Ukraine.
He said the government is working with colleagues in the European Union and maintaining continued pressure on Putin and the Russian Federation.
President Putin should end the war. It’s a war that’s having an appalling toll on people, and it really is causing enormous death, destruction and distress to so many families across the Ukraine and indeed across the world.
Kerry Eye journalist David Byrne reports that a giant sunflower – Ukraine’s national flower – has been installed on the steeple of St Mary’s Church in Killarney as a gesture of solidarity.
A giant sunflower – the national flower of Ukraine – has been installed on the steeple of St Mary’s Church in Killarney as a gesture of solidarity with the people of the war-torn country #Killarney #Kerry pic.twitter.com/NgBz6Yo3cd
— David Byrne 🇺🇦 (@byrne_david) March 15, 2022
Around 20,000 people managed to leave Ukraine’s besieged port city of Mariupol today by driving along a humanitarian corridor agreed with Russian forces, a Ukrainian presidential aide said.
“Today around 20,000 people drove out of Mariupol in private cars along the humanitarian corridor,” President Volodymyr Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Telegram.
The Polish, Czech and Slovenian prime ministers have arrived in Kyiv after travelling by train.
They are the first foreign leaders to visit Ukraine’s besieged capital since Russia invaded last month.
“We have to halt this tragedy unfolding in the East as quickly as possible,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a post on Facebook announcing their arrival.
Ukraine had the “unequivocal support” of the European Union, he added.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal confirmed their arrival in a post on Twitter, saluting “the courage of true friends of Ukraine”.
The Prime Ministers of 🇵🇱 @MorawieckiM, 🇸🇮 @JJansaSDS and 🇨🇿 @P_Fiala arrived on the behalf of @EUCouncil to #Kyiv today. The courage of true friends of 🇺🇦! Discussing support of #Ukraine and strengthening sanctions against the Russian aggression.
— Denys Shmyhal (@Denys_Shmyhal) March 15, 2022
Morawiecki, Czech premier Petr Fiala and Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa, are visiting as “representatives” of the European Union, said an early statement from the Polish government.
They are due to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak says negotiations with Russian officials “will continue tomorrow”.
In a tweet Podolyak said the negotiation process has been “very difficult… but there is certainly room for compromise.”
We'll continue tomorrow. A very difficult and viscous negotiation process. There are fundamental contradictions. But there is certainly room for compromise. During the break, work in subgroups will be continued...
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 15, 2022
Former colleagues are paying tribute to Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova who was also killed during the same attack that killed Fox News cameraman, and Irish citizen, Pierre Zakrzewsk.
The Ukrainian journalist was 24-year-old.
Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said Kuvshynova was serving as a consultant for Fox News in Ukraine.
“She was helping our crews navigate Kyiv and the surrounding area while gathering information and speaking to sources. She was incredibly talented.
“Several of our correspondents and producers spent long days with her reporting the news and got to know her personally, describing her as hard-working, funny, kind and brave. Her dream was to connect people around the world and tell their stories,” Scott said.
In yesterday's attack near Kyiv, we have lost a beautiful brave woman - Oleksandra Kuvshinova - Sasha. She loved music and she was funny and kind. she was 24 years old. She worked with our team for the past month and did a brilliant job.
— Yonat Friling (Frühling) (@Foxyonat) March 15, 2022
May her memory be a blessing pic.twitter.com/QGzqV3Fy5D
Sasha was killed alongside Pierre. She was talented, well-sourced and witty. She liked photography, poetry and music. We became fast friends over a shared love of coffee. She was 24 years old. pic.twitter.com/5iVcUwZgpu
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 15, 2022
Oleksandra Kuvshynova is our friend. She was a beautiful human being, a professional producer and journalist (she was cooperating with world-known media such as VICE, Fox News, etc), a promising photographer, and a dedicated volunteer with a big heart pic.twitter.com/iT3ihwt7cR
— Hromadske Int. (@Hromadske) March 15, 2022
Washington Post journalist Whitney Leaming reports from Odesa on life on the southern front.
Yesterday was Diana’s 5th birthday. She spent it in a bunker beneath her bombed out apartment building. The sounds of shelling were in the distance. Her cake was a mandarin orange, her present a Kinder egg. She smiled and sang and then cried. This is life on the southern front. pic.twitter.com/km9N2mK39O
— Whitney Leaming (@wleaming) March 15, 2022
Christina Finn reports from Washington, DC.
Speaking about the death of journalist Pierre Zakrzewski, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Our deepest sympathies go to the family of Pierre Zakrzewski, particularly his family back in Dublin.
“He was reared for 30 years in Dublin. It’s an appalling killing, illustrating again the indiscriminate and barbaric nature of the Russian attack on the citizens of Ukraine, and also things with a very sharp focus the enormous risks that journalists are taking, in terms of shining a light on this barbaric war.
“Without journalists and without cameramen, and without their bravery, we would not know what we now know in terms of how this war is being waged on people. It’s a very, very sad day for his family for Fox News.”
Martin added: “To me the nature of this war continues to shock, but our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our Department of Foreign Affairs or providing consular assistance to the family at this moment.”
Journalist Hanna Liubakova has shared video of Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia.
#Ukraine In Kyiv, President @ZelenskyyUa met with the prime ministers of Poland, Czechia and Slovenia. This is an important gesture of solidarity and support from foreign leaders pic.twitter.com/H9Rzuv9TM3
— Hanna Liubakova (@HannaLiubakova) March 15, 2022
This graphic shows where Ukrainian refugees have fled to following Russia’s invasion.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says the number of Ukrainians to have fled the country since the beginning of the war has now surpassed three million.
A total of 1.8 million went in Poland, with 300,000 moving on to Western Europe, the UN refugee agency said.
The Taoiseach said earlier today that more than 6,000 Ukrainians have come to Ireland so far.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say