Ukraine Invasion: Part 22

[MagicFox]

Here we are again

"Putin restated at length his justification for invading Ukraine.
But he told Antonio Guterres: "We still expect and hope we will be able to achieve agreements through a diplomatic channel."
Putin said recent talks in Istanbul had reached a "breakthrough" but he suggested they had been derailed after the reports of atrocities against civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha.
He claimed these were a "provocation" and added "the Russian army had nothing to do with it".
But he said talks continue and he hopes they reach a positive result."

"Putin restated at length his justification for invading Ukraine.
But he told Antonio Guterres: "We still expect and hope we will be able to achieve agreements through a diplomatic channel."
Putin said recent talks in Istanbul had reached a "breakthrough" but he suggested they had been derailed after the reports of atrocities against civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha.
He claimed these were a "provocation" and added "the Russian army had nothing to do with it".
But he said talks continue and he hopes they reach a positive result."

Sorry for the x2 post.

Just the same old bullshit then!

Hell.

Long thread on the press conference, I have copied the ones summarising it

twitter.com/RolandOliphant/status/1518995710825349123?t=qWLVM0uhZyfZmbfFoyAdkA&s=19

So, Putin says 1) his invasion is legal. 2) he is not doing mil ops at Azovstal [Ukrainian sources say artillery and airstrikes continue] 3) says Ukrainians there must surrender [they are scarred they'll be massacred]
4) Denies issues with the humanitarian corridors out of Mariupol [contradicts every single bit of eye-witness testimony and reporting]
5) oh and says Bucha massacre was a "provocation" that the Russian army had nothing to do with.
[as fat a lie as MH17].

Max Seddon

Putin meets UN secretary general António Guterres in the Kremlin. The long table is back!
Putin says Russia won't sign a peace deal with Ukraine unless it first agrees to "solve the issues of Crimea and Donbas" at least on the working level, meaning accepting losing those parts of its territory for good.

twitter.com/maxseddon/status/1518998514243719169?t=xOjfb8pCPN10-W92nfT-pQ&s=19

Waste of time then. Not surprising.

Well, Putin looks reasonably well, as in better, in that long table video ... he's just been given longer to live, I guess.

So sorry about earlier mix up. I presume it’s about bombing Kyiv that Lavrov was talking about.

There was live war update on one of Polish newspapers, it’s gone now and can’t find it.

Difficult to switch between 2 websites with crap MN refreshing or freezing now and again with everything going on here 🤦‍♀️

Isn't the UN pointless with Russia part of it?

UN really should get rid of the veto system, stops those counties that hold vetoes from being held accountable.

Croatian President might find his country out on their arses if they make NATO choose between Sweden and Finland and themselves.

Not sure if NATO can kick a country out for that? But I really didn't expect Croatia to be the country potentially blocking things, would have expected Hungary or Turkey (of course they still might).

They can't kick them out but they can set up NATO#2 with Sweden and Finland and then all leave Croatia as Billy No Mates in the old NATO by itself.

Hah Well no need for that, just saw on twitter that someone from Croatian government, foreign minister I think, has said that Croatia supports Finland and Sweden joining so I guess it was just the President having his own views.

First, the head, then the rest of the statue that symbolised friendship between #Ukraine and #Russia. The Kyiv authorities decided to take it down after two months of full-scale war. The monument’s architect told us he wants the monument to Ukraine there instead.
twitter.com/4nnchor/status/1519021518944194560?t=svB8kj5gm93v37JjzJUeXg&s=19

Putin agrees in principle to UN and Red Cross assistance in Mariupol

Dear God I hope something materialises for these poor people. I wonder if, perversely, Putin will eventually agree to letting them go under the guise of being the ‘saviour’

Croatia? Ffs pipe down 🤐

No idea what the fuck happened to that link. Mumsnet being shit again!

Russia also stopping gas supplies to Bulgaria from tomorrow.

Breaking on BBC live feed- Gasprom now suspending gas to Bulgaria

Sorry cross post!

So will Russia stop the gas to Germany? Or is Putin just picking on the little kids

I think the question is will Germany agree to pay in Rubles….

Why Bulgaria? They've always been quite sympathetic to Russia.

Odd.