Vladimir Putin
'Russia has failed to gain a foothold in Ukraine's key cities'
As of February 27, all the biggest cities – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipro, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Mariupol, Kherson – are still under full Ukrainian control, despite Russia's massive and costly effort to seize or isolate them, Kyiv Independent reported. If Russia aimed to take the Ukrainian capital in a shock and awe operation, it failed, the report said.
Russian forces destroy world's biggest cargo plane Mriya in Ukraine
The aircraft was destroyed in an attack by Russian troops on the Hostomel airport outside Kiev, Ukroboronprom added on Sunday. The restoration of the plane will cost more than $3 billion and will take a long time, it said. The An-225 Mriya, designed in the 1980s, is the longest and the heaviest airplane ever built. It was capable of carrying up to 640 tons of cargo, Xinhua news agency reported.
Kiev still controlled by Ukrainian Army: official
"The situation in Kiev is calm, the capital is completely controlled by the Ukrainian Army and Defense. There were several clashes with sabotage groups during Saturday evening," said Mykola Povoroznyk, first Deputy Head of the administration. According to Ukraine's government-run Ukrinform news agency, a curfew is implemented here until 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Monday, and the movement of private vehicles without special passes is prohibited during the period.
Putin puts Russian deterrence forces on combat duty
Senior officials of leading NATO members issued "aggressive statements" against Russia, Putin on Sunday said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov. Putin said Western countries are imposing "illegitimate sanctions" against Russia's economy, Xinhua news agency reported.
Belarus Prez says sanctions by West pushing Russia into World War III
"Now there is a lot of talk against the banking sector. Gas, oil, SWIFT. It's worse than war. This is pushing Russia into a third world war," Lukashenko said on Sunday, as quoted by local media. He added that a nuclear conflict could be the final outcome, the report said. Russia's military attack against Ukraine, ordered by Putin on February 24, has been condemned by Western nations and prompted a new wave of tough sanctions against Moscow.
Ukraine to send delegation for talks with Russia at Belarus border
The agreement to hold the talks was reached during a phone call on Sunday between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Xinhua news agency reported.
Putin places Russian nuclear deterrent forces on highest alert
The move was announced during Putin's meeting with Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. "Western countries are not only taking unfriendly actions against our country in the economic area. I'm speaking about the illegitimate sanctions that everyone is well aware of. However, the top officials of the leading NATO countries also make aggressive statements against our country as well," Putin stated.
Putin praises his special forces for 'heroically carrying out their military duties'
Putin gave his "special gratitude" for troops involved in the "special operation to provide assistance to the people's republics of Donbas" - a reference to the Kremlin's propaganda line that it intervened in Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists who were at risk of 'genocide' at the hands of the legitimate government, the report said.
China uneasy to defend Putin's methods
But there are tentative signs that China is uneasy at being seen to defend Putin's methods, and the potential disruption to the world economy, The Guardian reported. Putin may have shown his respect for China by delaying the invasion until after the Winter Olympics, but China was not consulted about the invasion. Chinese diplomats ridiculed forecasts of an invasion, and left many citizens in situ, the report said.
Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine is not quite going as per plan
It is too early to describe the Kremlin's operation to seize and subjugate Ukraine as a failure. The war has only just started. Putin may yet prevail. The Russian military enjoys overwhelming superiority over Ukraine's armed forces. It has numerous combat aircraft, a vast navy and 1,50,000 deployed troops. And yet by Saturday, it was clear Putin's blitzkrieg operation to remove Ukraine's pro-western government had run into unexpected difficulties.
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