Boris Johnson left briefly to look for companionship, before being taken to the NATO family photo at the summit this morning to discuss NATO’s response against Putin’s invasion Ukraine.
The Prime Minister who earlier called for NATO’s ‘harder” action against Russia when he arrived in Brussels before the meeting appeared alone and with only his wallet.
This clip was shared widely on social media Show leaders such as Emmanuel Macron to greet each other with enthusiasm, while ignoring Johnson.
Critics quickly claimed that Mr Macron had rubbed the PM and called the situation ’embarrassing.
A fuller version shows Mr Macron embracing the PM before his short moment.
The US President Joe Biden greets Joe warmly before the photo. Before the three leaders leave the stage, they share an embrace in which the three of them are joined by the third.
World leaders heard Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s passionate pleas for military assistance to help Ukraine. The United States also announced humanitarian and new sanctions as they met officials for three summits on next steps to counter Russia’s invasion of neighboring countries.
This summit is alarming because the conflict does not seem to be ending quickly and may even continue beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Europe’s greatest crisis is now, and Western leaders seek ways to put more pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, they must avoid any steps that would lead to another war.
Boris Johnson, today’s speaker at NATO’s meeting in Brussels, urged NATO members to take a stronger stand against Russia and end the war “faster” as he revealed new sanctions.
The Wagner Group, better known as Putin’s private army, is among those targeted in the most recent set of measures. This was announced by the PM as she arrived at Brussels to meet with the military alliance.
According to some reports, the notorious mercenaries were given the task of assassinating Volodymyr Zelesky and other top Ukrainian politicians.
New sanctions are being applied to Eugene Shvidler, a billionaire oil tycoon and founder of Tinkoff bank Oleg Tinkov. Herman Gref is also included as well as Polina Kovaleva who is alleged to be Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s stepdaughter.
Galina Danilchenko has been appointed the Russian’mayor of Melitopol’ and is now the first to be sanctioned by Russia for “collaboration” with Russian forces in Ukraine.
According to the Foreign Office, six more banks were also sanctioned.
Johnson said, as he arrived at Brussels: “We have to get more involved.” It is time to boost our support.
Boris Johnson, looking for company before today’s Nato photograph was snapped briefly
Critics quickly claimed that the PM was snubbed and that the situation was ’embarrassing’. The video is extended to show the PM hugged by Macron prior to his short moment.
Before the meeting begins, Mr Johnson He said, “We need to do more.” It is time to boost our support.
We have to make Putin look bad by sanctioning even more people as well as sanctioning Wagner Group. Also, we need to do more to assist the Ukrainians in their defense.
“We are moving from a program of supporting resistance towards supporting the Ukrainian defense of their country.”
Mr Johnson is calling on countries such as Germany and France to ramp up their response, warning that the military alliance must not be ‘diverted’ by mounting nuclear threats from Moscow.
He said that Russia shouldn’t use its gold reserves as an economic support. Also, he dismissed the idea of hosting 2028 Euro soccer tournament as “beyond humor”.
Ahead of the NATO meeting – being attended by Joe Biden – the premier announced the UK is giving Ukraine 6,000 more missiles and £25million to support its desperate struggle against the Russian invasion.
Downing Street stated that the Prime Minister was “among the most active anti–Putin leaderships” as he rallied his allies at the Brussels summit of Nato to offer more military support for Ukraine.
Johnson used Thursday’s meeting about the invasion to agree to a new missile package and announce sanctions against 65 more individuals and entities.
Joe Biden was seen shaking hands with Boris Johnson at the family photo – in spite of a video showing him being “snubbed”
President Joe Biden (left), Emmanuel Macron (center) and Boris Johnson (right) speak at the start of the NATO summit Thursday
During a NATO family photo, Kaja Kallas (Estonia’s Prime Minister), Joe Biden (the United States President), Emmanuel Macron Macron (the French President) and Boris Johnson (the British Prime Minister) stand beside each other.
NATO held an extraordinary summit in response to Russia’s invasion Ukraine
The Wagner Group was one of those affected by asset and travel freezes. This Russian paramilitary organization is accused of planning to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
While the Kremlin denies any connection to Wagner, an 600-strong mercenary unit deployed all over the globe to execute Moscow’s evil deeds, it has maintained that they are not connected to them.
Although reports have claimed for years that the Russian President’s assassination squad is the Force, they are too far removed from the truth to be plausible.
Denys Khmyhal, Ukrainian Prime Minister, and Andriy Ermak the Presidential Chief of Staff have been named as possible assassination targets.
Since the Russian forces launched an invasion of Ukraine on February 24, more than 12 attempts were made to murder Mr Zelensky.
After landing in Brussels, Johnson spoke to reporters and said that Vladimir Putin was determined to continue his aggressive path.
According to the Prime Minister, Moscow’s treatment towards Ukrainians was ‘absolutely horrific’. He added, ‘We have got to get stronger. We must increase our support.
“We need to make Putin look more sane, by sanctioning more people as well, like the Wagner Group. We also have to consider what we can do in order to keep Putin from accessing his gold reserves. And we must help the Ukrainians to defend themselves.
The Foreign Office reported that a total 1,000 new sanctions had been issued since the invasion started. This round also included Eugene Shvidler (Russian billionaire) and Galina Danilchenko (installed by Moscow as mayor of Melitopol in South-east Ukraine.
According to some reports, Mr Zelensky survived several assassination attempts by the Wagner Group and Chechen Special Forces.
Anti-war Russian elements in Russia’s Federal Security Service, (FSB), a successor to Russia’s KGB, allegedly stopped the assassins. This alerted officials from Ukraine.
The Ukraine Secretary of National Security and Defense stated to local media this month that double agents had provided him with information.
After the Russian landing ship was revealed by state media, Ukraine destroyed it. Propaganda footage shows a huge fireball rising over the port taken by Putin’s troops.
The destruction of a Russian-sized ship by Ukraine comes just days after the state media captured it loading reinforcements at a pirate port. Putin’s army has continued to sustain severe losses due to Kyiv.
On Thursday morning, the Ukrainian navy announced it had struck the Orsk. This 370ft Russian Alligator tank carrier was being held at anchor in Berdyansk. It is located in the southern part of Ukraine.
Multiple videos and photos showed thick smoke rising out of the port. One ship was seen sitting in the harbor, surrounded by flames. Two other ships sailed away. The damaged vessel also appears to have been photographed.
Three days prior to the strike, Russian media had captured the Orsk loading armoured vehicles at the port. It claimed that the Orsk would strengthen troops in Mariupol. This prompted speculation about the possibility that Ukraine might use the footage to attack the vessel.
H I Sutton was a well-respected naval analyst who later stated that it was ‘beyond reasonable suspicion’ that an Alligator class ship had crashed at the port. The Ukrainian army’s humiliated military has suffered another devastating loss as a result of the massive ship they have struck so far.
After NATO reported that Russia lost over 40,000 troops in fighting, or 25% of 150,000 soldiers assembled prior to the invasion, it is now that this news comes as a surprise. This means that the remaining force is in danger of being combat ineffective and making it more vulnerable to Ukrainian counterattacks.
Ukrainian Navy destroyed an Alligator class Russian landing ship, and also damaged two other vessels that were loading reinforcements at Berdyansk in the south.
Two boats flew (left), one vessel being consumed by flames (right). At least one boat appeared also to be on fire but managed to escape.
Fireworks and smoke rise from what looks like a Russian Alligator Class landing ship. It docked at Berdyansk in the southern Ukraine after Kyiv’s navy declared that they had destroyed Orsk.
The port of Berdyansk is located in south Ukraine. It was occupied by Russian troops.
The port of Berdyansk in Ukraine, captured by Russian forces. It was used for ferrying reinforcements back to the shore.
On Wednesday, counter-attacks seemed to be underway with Ukraine declaring that it had retaken territory west of Kyiv. This left the Russian forces at Bucha and Irpin at high risk of being overthrown.
These men could be cut off from all Russian forces, which would leave them starving and without ammunition or fuel. This could lead to mass surrender and one of the worst defeats in the history of World War II.
After conflicting information about the situation around Kyiv for days, Britain’s Ministry of Defence stated late Tuesday: “Ukrainian forces have been conducting successful counterattacks against Russian posts in the outskirts of capital and may have retaken Makariv & Moschun.” [to the west and north-west].
“There’s a real possibility that Ukrainian forces could encircle Russian units at Bucha or Irpin.”
An additional update was posted on Thursday morning that stated “Russian forces almost certainly have suffered thousands of casualties” and that Vladimir Putin wants to increase his use of private military companies, such as Wagner Group, and foreign militia men likely from Syria.
However, the statement added that it was not clear how these troops would be integrated into Russia’s regular army, nor how they would perform in combat.
As Putin’s invasion continues to falter, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy called on people worldwide to gather in public Thursday to show support for his embattled country as he prepared to address U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders gathered in Brussels on the one-month anniversary of the Russian invasion.
Come to your streets and squares. Zelenskyy spoke in English in an emotional video address that he gave late Wednesday in Kyiv. It was recorded near the Presidential Offices in Kyiv. You matter. It is vital that freedom be protected. It is important to have peace. Ukraine matters.
It seemed probable that Ukraine would be overthrown by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, in Europe’s most significant offensive since World War II. After meeting fierce resistance from the Ukrainians, Moscow finds itself in an attrition-driven military campaign.
The Orsk would become the largest ship Ukraine has struck and be a shameful loss to Vladimir Putin’s army.
The Ukrainian navy announced Thursday that the Russian vessel Orsk had been sink in the Sea of Asov, near Berdyansk. The navy released video and photos showing thick smoke and fire coming from the port. Russia didn’t immediately respond to the claim.
Russia is in control of the port from Feb. 27th, and on Monday the Orsk debarked the armored vehicles to be used in Moscow’s offensive. This was according to the Zvezda TV channel. According to this report, the Orsk is the Russian warship that entered Berdyansk. Berdyansk lies about 80km (50miles) west of Mariupol.
Zelenskyy indicated that he would continue to press Russia by asking NATO members in videoconference if they provide Ukraine with unrestricted and effective support, including weapons, so as not to put pressure on Russia.
Biden would discuss the possibility of new sanctions, how they could be coordinated, as well as more military assistance for Ukraine with NATO members. On Thursday, Biden will also meet leaders from the G7 industrialized states and the European Council.
European Union nations approved another 500m euros ($550 millions) for military aid to Ukraine, just days before Biden’s meeting.
Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General, told reporters that the alliance has already increased its military support and needed more investment to fulfill pledged promises.
He stated that the meeting would demonstrate how important it is for Europe and North America to stand together in this moment of crisis.
Russia reported March 2, that close to 500 of its soldiers had died and nearly 1,600 were wounded in the last update. NATO believes that as many as 7,000- 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, which is roughly what Russia has lost over a decade in fighting in Afghanistan.
NATO’s top military officer stated that NATO’s estimates were based on the information provided by Ukrainian authorities. This includes intelligence from open sources and what Russia released, whether intentionally or not. NATO rules allow for anonymity.
Ukraine claims that it has killed six Russian generals. Russia only acknowledges one general as dead.
The West and Ukraine have not provided any estimates or information on their military losses. However, Zelenskyy stated that 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed two weeks ago.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces are being thwarted by Ukrainian hit-and-run units equipped with Western weapons. The troops of the Russian president are now attacking targets from faraway, using tactics similar to those used in degrading Syrian and Chechnya cities.
According to a senior U.S. defense officer, Russian ground forces are digging in to set up defensive positions about 15-20 kilometers (9-12 miles) from Kyiv. They make very little progress towards the center of the city.
An official spoke only on condition that he not be identified in order to talk about military assessments. He said it appeared the forces were no longer trying advance into Kyiv and that some areas east to Kyiv have seen Ukrainian troops push back Russian soldiers.
According to the official, Russian troops seem to have shifted their focus to the Donetsk and eastern Luhansk areas of the Donbas. This could be in an attempt cut off Ukrainian troops, or to prevent them moving west to protect other cities. According to the official, U.S. has also seen Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov. This includes what appears to be attempts to land landing ships on the shore with vehicles and supplies.
Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson insisted that the military operation was going according to plans, despite evidence.
Video posted late Wednesday online shows what appears to have been a Russian tank explode into flames following being hit by a Ukrainian-guided missile. Putin’s forces are continuing to sustain severe losses
Ukraine claims Russia lost over 500 tanks and thousands more vehicles in its invasion. Wednesday’s video shows a tank being destroyed by a Ukrainian attack.
In Dnipro (a central Ukrainian city that has been bombarded in recent days by Russian forces), you can see freshly-digged graves for the burial of Russian invaders.
An injured woman from Russia is loaded in a small ambulance to be transported back home.
One house that was hit on Wednesday by a Russian shell is visible in the vicinity of Kyiv.
An abandoned car is parked next to an infected house that was damaged by Russian bombings on the outskirts Kyiv.
Dmitry Rogozin, a senior Russian official said that Russia’s nuclear arsenal could help to deter Western intervention in Ukraine. This is a worrying sign that Moscow may consider nuclear weapons.
Rogozin said that the Russian Federation was capable of physically eliminating any aggressor, or any aggressor groups, within minutes at any distance. He also heads Roscosmos state aerospace corporation and supervises missile-building facilities. In his remarks televised, he noted that Moscow has nuclear stocks including tactical nuclear weapons. These are intended for use on the battlefields as well as far more potent nuclear-tipped intercontinental missiles.
U.S. officials have long warned Russia that its military doctrine contemplates the use of battlefield nuclear weapons in an attempt to make their enemies back. This is when Russian forces are likely to be defeated. Moscow denies having any such plans.
Rogozin’s bluster is well-known. Although he didn’t make it clear which actions of the West could be deemed meddling, his comments are almost certain to reflect the thinking within the Kremlin. Putin warned that Russia would be drawn into conflict if it tried to establish a no fly zone over Ukraine. To protect Ukraine, the West states have stated they won’t create a zone of no-fly.
Zelenskyy made it clear in his address to the nation that Ukraine had not been granted fighter jets and modern air defense systems. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine needs anti-ship and tanks.
He said, “It’s been a month of protecting ourselves against attempts to destroy me, wipe me off the face the earth,”
Kyiv saw near-continuous shelling and gunfire as two sides battled to control multiple suburbs. On Wednesday, Mayor Vitali Klotschko reported that at least 226 civilians had been killed since the outbreak of war. According to The Insider, a Russian independent news agency reported that Oksana Baulina, a Russian journalist was killed in shelling in Kyiv’s neighborhood.
The encircled port of Mariupol in the south has suffered the most severe devastation from the war. It was subject to weeks of bombardment, and is now fighting street by street. The Ukrainian army has prevented it from falling, defeating an apparent Moscow bid to secure the land bridge linking Russia and Crimea. This was taken from Ukraine in 2014.
Officials at Mariupol stated that 2,300 people were dead in their latest update. However, the actual death toll could be much greater. In the last week, airstrikes destroyed an art school and a theatre where civilians had been sheltering.
Zelenskyy claimed that there are still 100,000 civilians in the area, which once had 430,000 inhabitants before the war. People trapped in the city have had to abandon their attempts to obtain food or other necessities.
Russian forces destroyed and bombed a bridge in Chernihiv’s northern city, Viacheslav Chaus stated.
Kateryna Mittyvich (39), who fled Chernihiv and arrived in Poland to seek refuge, wept as she described how the city was without running water or electricity, and that entire areas had been destroyed.
She said, “I don’t get why this curse exists.”
In Odesa (a Black Sea port town), a woman is being trained to use the Kalashnikov rifle.
Ukrainian troops have trained civilians of Odesa to use rifles. Odesa is under threat from Russia.