Inside Politics: Putin troops attack two new areas
Russia hits Lutsk and Dnipro as forces said to be regrouping near capital Kyiv, writes Matt Mathers
Putin’s war with Ukraine is now in its third week and reports this morning say his forces have targeted two areas for the first time. Leaders in Washington and London are warning that the Kremlin could be about to use chemical weapons after Moscow claimed, without evidence, that Ukraine is developing its own chemical weapons near the border, with help from the US. Boris Johnson has promised more sanctions on oligarchs after Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was slapped with a number of financial penalties.
Inside the bubble
- There is no business scheduled in the Commons. In the Lords, there are three debates on democracy, technology and Brexit.
Coming up:
– Shadow international trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds on talkRADIO at 8.20am
– Digital minister Chris Philp on ITV GMB at 8.30am
Daily Briefing
NEW TARGETS: Putin’s troops are targeting Lutsk in the northwest and Dnipro in central Ukraine for the first time since Russia invaded its neighbour more than two weeks ago. The Kremlin says it carried out long-range attacks on military fields in Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, taking both out. Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, claimed that his forces have destroyed 3,213 Ukrainian military installations since the war broke out, according to Russian news agencies. Meanwhile, there are conflicting reports on Russia’s advance on the capital, Kyiv, with Sky News quoting a US source saying Putin’s troops had gained around 5km in the past 24 hours. The Study of War thinktank said troops near the capital were at a standstill. In its latest intelligence briefing, the UK Ministry of Defence said it is “highly unlikely” Russia has successfully achieved the main objectives in its pre-invasion plan but will likely “re-posture” for a renewed offensive. “Russian ground forces continue to make limited progress. Logistical issues that have hampered the Russian advance persist, as does strong Ukrainian resistance,” the MoD said in a statement. “Russia is likely seeking to reset and re-posture its forces for renewed offensive activity in the coming days. This will probably include operations against the capital Kyiv.” We have all the latest updates on our liveblog.
- ‘THE WORLD KNOWS’: In his latest overnight video message, Volodymr Zelensky, the Ukraine president, rubbished claims by the Kremlin that chemical weapons are being manufactured in his country with help from the US. He warned that if Russia attempted “something like that” against Ukraine, it should be slapped with the most severe of sanctions. “I am the president of an adequate country, an adequate nation,” he said. “And the father of two children. And no chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction were developed on my land. The whole world knows that. You know that.” Over the past few days, the Kremlin has – without evidence – been pushing claims that Washington is working with Kyiv to develop biological weapons near the Ukraine-Russia border. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, on Wednesday claimed the Russian claim “preposterous” in a series of posts on Twitter and said it was Moscow “that has a long and well-documented track record of using chemical weapons”.Baseless claims by Russia that the US is developing chemical weapons in Ukraine are sparking concern among western leaders who say that the Kremlin is concocting another false flag operation as it prepares to use its own chemical weapons. In an interview with Sky News last night, prime minister Boris Johnson said the Kremlin claims are “straight out of the Russian playbook” pointing out that Putin has previous form for using chemical weapons in Syria. The UN Security Council later today holds an emergency meeting – at Russia’s request – to discuss the claims, dismissed again by Washington as “laughable”.
- PUTIN PLAYBOOK: Baseless claims by Russia that the US is developing chemical weapons in Ukraine are sparking concern among western leaders who say that the Kremlin is concocting another false flag operation as it prepares to use its own chemical weapons. In an interview with Sky News last night, prime minister Boris Johnson said the Kremlin claims are “straight out of the Russian playbook” pointing out that Putin has previous form for using chemical weapons in Syria. The UN Security Council later today holds an emergency meeting – at Russia’s request – to discuss the claims, dismissed again by Washington as “laughable”. Meanwhile, Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair’s former chief of staff, says the west must be ready to join the war if Russia does indeed carry out a chemical or biological attack in Ukraine. “I think that would be catastrophic in terms of appeasement to Putin and ending up in a situation where he’ll keep taking further action. So, I think we need to be clear about what our red lines are.” The Biden administration has also suggested such an attack would be a red line.
- OLIGARCHS HIT: Chelsea Football Club is used to featuring on the back pages, but the west London side is splashed across the front pages this morning too – and for all the wrong reasons, after owner Roman Abramovich, was among seven Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the UK government for their alleged links to the Kremlin. Abramovic and the six other super-rich Russians have had their assets frozen and been hit with travel and transport bans. Johnson promised more sanctions on oligarchs who he said had “blood on their hands”, adding there could be “no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine”. The UK will be “ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies”, he said. The back pages carry warnings about how Chelsea could go bust after the club was hit with a raft of financial penalties.
- REFUGEES LATEST: The government is preparing to invite the British public to open their homes to refugees fleeing the fighting in Ukraine amid continuing criticism of its response to the crisis. Levelling up secretary, Michael Gove, will set out on Monday details of a new “sponsored” humanitarian route to allow Ukrainians without family links to the UK to come to the country. The Daily Telegraph reported that ministers will unveil a hotline and webpage where individuals, charities, businesses and community groups will be able to offer rooms to those escaping the conflict. Boris Johnson said: “On Monday, you’ll get from the levelling up secretary, you’ll get the programme that will allow people to come in, so (if) people want to welcome (refugees) into their own homes, they can do so.”
The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.
On the record
“The stuff which you are hearing about chemical weapons is straight out of the Russian playbook. They start saying that there are chemical weapons that are being stored by their opponents or by the Americans so that when they themselves deploy chemical weapons, as I fear they may, they have a fake story ready to go. You have seen it in Syria, you saw it even in the UK. I just note that is what they are already doing. It is a cynical, barbaric government, I’m afraid.”
PM repeats western warnings that Putin could resort to using chemical weapons.
From the Twitterati
“It always feels odd reporting on these things, then getting in the warm car and later back to hotel room with a bed warmer still. It feels especially weird and uncomfortable tonight.”
BBC Newsnight policy editor Lewis Goodall at the Ukraine border.
Essential reading
- Mary Dejevsky, The Independent: Is Russia doing as badly in the war as we are being led to believe?
- Sean O’Grady, The Independent: Priti Patel’s declining power within government leaves her exposed
- Polly Toynbee, The Guardian: As we do everything we can to support Ukraine, Britain has the chance to be a better country
- Tom McTague, The Atlantic: For the west, the worst is yet to come
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