Notikumi

Russia has also put forward a large new helicopter deployment of at least 50 rotorcraft at Lida airfield, in northwestern Belarus, according to satellite images from Feb. 16. camera: @Maxar

Russia has added a new helicopter unit and battle group deployment of tanks and other vehicles to Millerovo airfield, less than 10 miles from the Ukrainian border. Another new helo unit is also in Valuyki, less than 20 miles from Ukraine, per satellite photos. camera:@Maxar

In light of the significant deterioration of the security situation in eastern Ukraine, @OSCE Chairman-in-Office, FM @RauZbigniew and OSCE Secretary General @HelgaSchmid_SG made the following statement

"Ukrainian forces have shown great judgment and I might add, restraint" per @POTUS "They refuse to allow Russian forces to bate them into war" "But the fact remains, Russian troops currently have Ukraine surrounded"

"As of this moment I'm convinced he's made the decision," Biden says when asked whether he thinks Putin has decided to invade Ukraine

"We believe they will target Kyiv," Biden says outright about Russia's plans - says US believes it could happen "in the coming days"

Biden: In the past few days we have seen violations of the ceasefire in the Donbass region by Russian forces

It "defies basic logic" to think that Ukraine would choose this moment to escalate the conflict, given so many Russian troops are on their border, President Biden says

"More and more disinformation" being pushed out to the Russian public, says @POTUS

Biden said he called European leaders and members of Congress to discuss Ukraine. "Despite Russia's efforts to divide us at home and abroad, I can affirm that has not happened"

Psaki says President Joe Biden will remain in D.C. throughout the weekend while "closely monitoring developments in Ukraine." "Throughout next week, the President will continue close coordination with our allies and partners on Russia's potential further invasion of Ukraine"

Sky News understands that the UK ambassador to Ukraine is relocating from Kyiv to the western city of Lviv because of concern about the threat of a Russian invasion

Russian media reports 22kms long traffic jam of vehicle attempting to enter Russia from occupied parts of Donetsk region

France, Germany urge Russia to 'use influence' on Ukraine rebels for de-escalation: statement

High alert regime declared in the Rostov region "to receive refugees"

Putin signed a decree on calling of Russian military reserve for 2022 military training

White House press briefing begins. National Security Council member says the U.S. government has been preparing for possible Russian cyber attacks since before Thanksgiving

First buses of residents of the Russian-occupied Donetsk left in direction of the Russian border

Amid warnings of looming Russian air strike, Ukraine requested as recently as yesterday air defense capabilities from the US, including Anti-aircraft missile batteries, counter-fire radar systems, electronic jamming devices, and the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system

President Biden called in to a meeting Vice President Harris held with members of Congress today in Munich, according to a person in the room, and reiterated the work the US &allies have been doing to try to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine & update them on the situation

Eastern Ukraine evacuations are "cynical use" of people by Moscow, says US State Department

Head of occupation authorities in parts of Donetsk region of Ukraine says that situation is heading towards the war

Some big updates to the White House schedule today: President Biden will address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine at 4 p.m. following his call with allies at 2:30 p.m. and two top National Security Council officials will join Jen Psaki at the press briefing

Russian state media reports explosion in central Donetsk near building of administration

Putin ordered the acting head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to go to the Rostov region to organize the reception of refugees from the Donbass

The 11 MHz HF Aero-OR subband in Europe is a mess right now. Looks like a possible Over the Horizon Radar

Lukashenka and Putin to continue informal meeting after official part

NATO has reduced the mobilization time (notice to move/NTM) for parts of the NATO Response Force (NRF) from 45 to 30 days due to the crisis with Russia. The Initial Follow-on-Forces Group (IFFG) must be ready in 7 days instead of 30

Kremlin’s spokesperson is not aware about evacuation to Rostov region

Lukashenka: Belarus (which is land-locked) has asked Russia for the opportunity to build a port near St. Petersburg. Permission has been granted, he said

"This is not a Ukraine crisis. This is a Russia crisis." — @ABaerbock at MSC2022

Lukashenka about escalation in Donbass: people are already ready to flee from there and may already be fleeing, this is not normal

Today, @SecDef spoke with Russia Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu and "called for deescalation, the return of Russian forces surrounding Ukraine to their home bases, and a diplomatic resolution," according to @PentagonPresSec

Putin: all Kyiv needs to do is sit down at the negotiating table with representatives of Donbass and agree on political, military, economic and humanitarian measures to end the conflict

Russia and Belarus will continue to collectively take measures to ensure security in the light of NATO activity, -Putin said

Joint exercises of the Russian Federation and Belarus do not threaten anyone, - Putin

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba: We categorically refute Russian disinformation reports on Ukraine's alleged offensive operations or acts of sabotage in chemical production facilities. Ukraine does not conduct or plan any such actions in the Donbas. We are fully committed to diplomatic conflict resolution only

Interfax reporting the plan to evacuate several hundreds of thousands of people from occupied parts of Donetsk region of Ukraine

Russian Defense Minister Shoigu and the head of the Pentagon discussed international security issues - Russian Defense Ministry

U.S. ambassador to OSCE says we assess that Russia probably has massed 169,000-190,000 personnel in and near Ukraine as compared with about 100,000 on Jan. 30

Prime Minister of Poland @morawiecki in Brussels: I am convinced that @vonderleyen has better recognized Russia's role in gas blackmail. We also talked about support for the protection of the border with Belarus, but it is not about the dam

New camp setup near Ukraine west to Valuyky

Russian Ministry of Defense releasing multiple videos of military equipment saying the military are being returned to the bases

Russia is massing troops near Ukraine and questioning basic principles of the European peace order. At @MunSecConf we will work on how to counter the logic of threats of violence & military escalation with the logic of dialogue. - FM @ABaerbock

Putin discussed with Russian Security Council situation around Ukraine and Russian response to U.S. reply on security guarantees proposals - Kremlin's spokesperson

Moscow expelled an American diplomat as a response, this is a response to a provocation, - Kremlin's spokesperson says

Number of Russian troops around Ukraine reaches 149,000: Kyiv

Military convoy filmed in Rylsk, Kursk region

Military convoy filmed in Soldatskoe of Voronezh region

USAF B52s heading towards Kaliningrad/Baltic Sea

Russian Defense Ministry: Air Space Forces, Southern Military district, strategic missile forces, Northern and Black Sea fleet will take part in Strategic nuclear exercise

Russia to hold strategic troops drill tomorrow. Ballistic and cruise missiles will be launched during exercise

A propane tank exploded in Chechnya. The fire spread to a neighboring building. No casualties

Lukashenka has arrived in Moscow, to meet Putin later today

Military convoy filmed in Veselaya Lopan

Video of BMP-1/2 IFV's from a train loading on flatbeds in Novozybkov, uploaded 9 hours ago geolocated at the train station 36km from Ukraine

Russia has agreed to the U.S. proposal for a Blinken-Lavrov meeting in Europe and suggested dates late next week. U.S. will proceed "provided there is no further invasion of Ukraine," State says

Biden to host meeting on Ukraine on Friday with leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Britain, EU and NATO- Canadian pm's office

US State Dept issues readout of Sec State Antony Blinken's conversation today with Poland's foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, re: Russia and Ukraine

U.S. officials say there are between 3,000-5,000 Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group in Africa and about 800-1,000 in Mali currently, a number they expect to grow after France announced it was withdrawing its troops from the West African country

Nearly half of Russian forces massed near Ukraine are now within 30 miles (48 km) of the border, British sources say - Guardian

Military echelon with Iskander filmed today

Ukraine will not negotiate with pro-Russian militants, because it is nonsense, said Zelensky

Self-propelled artillery filmed today in Borki, Belgorod region

Putin issued a decree conferring the rank of general on 26 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces. 24 colonels received the rank of major general, and two captains of the 1st rank - rear admirals.

Blinken: Russia says it is drawing down those forces. We don't see that happening on the ground. Our information indicates clearly that these forces including ground troops, aircraft, ships are preparing to launch an attack against Ukraine in the coming DAYS

British Minister of State: We condemn the proposal of the Russian State Duma to recognize the independence of the regions of eastern Ukraine

British Minister of State for Europe and North America: Russia has fabricated a dispute in the Donbass and continues to fuel it

Blinken says he invited Russian foreign minister Lavrov to meet next week to "discuss the steps that we can take to resolve this crisis without conflict." Alongside meetings at NATO-Russia Council and OSCE

Sec Blinken says he is laying out in detail what the US is seeing to push Russia to abandon the path of war & US will be "relieved if Russia does not invade Ukraine and US "will gladly accept any criticism" if there is not an invasion

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says Russia's military buildup of 'more' than 150,000 troops on Ukraine's border is a 'manufactured provocation'

Blinken: "I am here today not to start a war, but to prevent one. The information I presented here is validated by what we've seen unfolding in plain sight before our eyes for months”

Blinken: "Russia may describe this event as ethnic cleansing or a genocide, making a mockery of a concept that we in this chamber do not take light, nor do I take lightly based on my family history”

At the UNSC, Russian deputy foreign minister urges U.S. not to put itself in an "awkward position" by continuing to make "baseless accusations" about Ukrainian invasion. Speaking immediately after, Blinken says this is "a moment of peril" as Russia prepares for war

"The most immediate threat to peace and security is Russia's looming aggression against Ukraine," @SecBlinken told @UN Security Council

"This crisis directly affects every member of this council and every country in the world," @SecBlinken says at the UN

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister at UNSC: The Ukrainian army is using prohibited methods in eastern Ukraine

Russia is trying to distort reality and accuse Ukraine of shelling - Ukrainian FM Kuleba

The White House accuses Russia of "Potemkin diplomacy, where they publicly offer to talk and make claims about deescalation while privately mobilizing for war”

State Department spokesperson says of Russia expelling the US' number 2 official at US embassy Moscow: "Russia's action against our [Deputy Chief of Mission] was unprovoked and we consider this an escalatory step and are considering our response."

Russia 'will be forced to respond, including with military-technical measures,' if no US security guarantees: Russian foreign ministry

British Ministry of Defense: Russia retains a significant military presence that can conduct an invasion without further warning. Below demonstrates President Putin's possible axis of invasion. He still can choose to prevent conflict and preserve peace

Turkish drone targeted the surrounding of the Russian military base in Hasakah northern countryside, NE_Syria

Ukraine's defence ministry says shelling from pro-Russian forces has stopped as of 13.00 local time - Reuters

Russia has "enough troops, enough capabilities to launch a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine with very little or no warning time" per @NATO's @jensstoltenberg "That is what makes the situation so dangerous"

Russian foreign Ministry comments on response: it is inappropriate to demand to withdraw troops from certain regions of Russia. Russia demands Ukraine implements Minsk agreements, the West should stop weapons delivery to Ukraine, withdraw what was delivered already, recall all instructors and advisors from Ukraine, prohibition of NATO joint exercises with Ukraine. Russia demands all U.S. troops and weapons withdrawal from Central and Eastern Europe, Baltic countries. Russia expects proposals on non-expansion of NATO. Russia highlights that questions on arms control cannot be considered separately from other points

SecDef Austin: no sign of de-escalation, "quite the contrary we see them add to the more than 150 thousand troops that they have already arrayed on that border even in the last couple of days." Added: "We even see them stocking up their blood supplies"

Deputy US Ambassador Gorman expelled from Russia

The Russians have delivered a written response to the United States on Ukraine crisis: "We can confirm that we have received a response from the Russian Federation. It was delivered to Ambassador Sullivan in Moscow today," says a senior State Department official

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the attack on a kindergarten in Ukraine was a "false flag operation designed to discredit the Ukrainians", adding: "We fear very much that that is a thing we will see more of over the next few days"

The Ukrainian MFA has summoned Israel's ambassador to Kyiv to demand an explanation, following Israeli media reports that Jerusalem requested Moscow's assistance in evacuating its citizens from Ukraine in case of war

US Defense Secretary said Russia inching troops closer to Ukraine, stocking up on blood supplies. He adds that "I was a soldier myself not that long ago. I know firsthand that you don't do these sorts of things for no reason"

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield - "The evidence on the ground is that Russia is moving toward an imminent invasion. This is a crucial moment."

Military activity recorded at Kursk railway station

Russian MoD spox insists Russian troops will return to home bases at the end of exercises in Belarus on Sunday; also says tank forces are returning to Nizhny Novgorod from the Kursk and Bryansk region (bordering Ukraine)

NATO: We are concerned about Russia's deployment of nuclear weapons in Kaliningrad and Iskander missiles in Belarus

NATO Secretary General: Russia is working to modernize its nuclear missiles, and these weapons are constantly worrying us

U.S. envoy has arrived at Russian Foreign Ministry

A new Russian military camp has been set up in northern Crimea

More reports of damage done by Russian forces attacks on Ukrainian government-controlled territory. A woman in Maryinka, Donetsk region, was injured after a shell landed next to a bus stop, close to a school, head of humanitarian mission Proliska reports