A Russian governor blamed Ukrainian forces for a fire at an oil depot in the Russian city of Belgorod. Vyacheslav Gladkov said two Ukrainian helicopters set the fire.
Another German journalist claims that the Ukrainian General Staff has denied knowledge of the attack and suggests that the attack may have been a Russian false flag operation to justify attacks on Ukraine.
Fox News has not yet confirmed the report.
Ukraine claims Russian forces abandoned Chernobyl and surrendered control
Ukrainian state-owned energy company Energoatom announced on Friday that Russian forces have returned control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Energoatom claimed the withdrawal came after soldiers received “significant doses of radiation” while digging trenches in the forest in the exclusion zone around the closed facility.
Yevhen Kramarenko, the head of the agency responsible for the area, confirmed the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Chernobyl plant, but added that “Russians were seen in the exclusion zone this morning,” according to Reuters.
Energoatom said Thursday that the Russian soldiers were heading towards Ukraine’s border with Belarus and that their forces were also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby town where power plant workers live.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Republican governor is sending military equipment to Ukraine
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Thursday that his state is sending £9,000 in equipment and supplies to Ukraine for its defensive war against Russia.
“Arizona stands with Ukraine. Every day, citizens risk their lives, fight for their freedom and deserve all the support we can give them,” Ducey said in a statement. “These surplus bulletproof vests and armor will help them defend their country against Vladimir Putin.”
Eleven local, regional, state and tribal law enforcement agencies donated the equipment, which includes 874 bulletproof vests, 77 helmets, various tactical clothing, shoes, pads and shields. The Ukrainian relief group will transport the 17 pallets of equipment to the besieged European country over the next two weeks, according to the governor’s office.
Georgia joins western sanctions effort against Russia
Georgia, the country south of Russia’s border near the Caucasus Mountains – a country Russia invaded in 2008 – has joined Western efforts to impose sanctions on Russia after invading Ukraine, just over a month after Tbilisi refused had do this.
“We participate in all international financial sanctions [on Russia]and that really means something for our financial sector,” said Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on Thursday. “From now on we will also participate in all international resolutions that are drawn up in support of Ukraine.”
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on February 25 that the country had no plans to impose sanctions on Russia. Later, the country’s National Bank limited the ability of VTB Bank’s Georgia branch to serve individuals and borrowers due to Western sanctions against Russia.
The leader of Georgia’s Moscow-backed separatist region of South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, announced on Thursday that the region is seeking a referendum on joining Russia. Tbilisi called this step “unacceptable”.
“I believe that unification with Russia is our strategic goal,” Bibilov told Russian state television. “This is our way. And South Ossetia will go this way.”
Cracks in the Kremlin
It has been said more than once in recent days that Russian President Putin was likely misinformed by his security and military services about the war in Ukraine – from initial prospects of victory to progress on the ground. To this day, no one claims this is part of a conspiracy, but rather the result of advisers afraid to tell Putin things he doesn’t want to hear.
It may be that Putin has finally cleared his head now that a month later Russia has failed to meet what should have come at lightning speed. It did not take Ukraine in a few days. Without regrouping or changing course, the road ahead looks long and uncertain.
And now Putin’s inner circle, which once seemed in lockstep over the war and the officially stated reasons for it, is quite dramatically split between those who want to cut Russia’s losses and run away, and those who want to fight Ukraine to the bitter end handed over in its entirety to the Russian people. “Some think that Russia should be realistic about its goals and resources,” Oleg Ignatov of the International Crisis Group told Fox News.
Read more: Cracks in the Kremlin
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