NATO. NATO urged Russia to stop the war immediately, withdraw all their forces from Ukraine without conditions and engage in genuine diplomacy, now. However, the most anticipated issue at the NATO meeting – closing the airspace above Ukraine – has been rejected. It was a unanimous decision for NATO not to get involved. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg did not give much hope about the near future stating “the days are likely to get worse. With more death, more suffering, and more destruction“. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kuleba commented in his Twitter: โAct now before itโs too late. Donโt let Putin turn Ukraine into Syria. We are ready to fight. We will continue fighting. But we need partners to help us with concrete, resolute and swift actions, nowโ. President Zelenskyi called NATO’s decision weak in his night speech.
Energy security. The head of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, denied Russiaโs accusations against Ukraine about alleged development of nuclear weapons. Ukraine is following its non-proliferation commitments. In the light of the recent events, IAEA plans urgent inspections of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants in connection with Russia’s attack on Zaporizhzhia NPP. The plant is under Ukrainian control however encircled by Russian troops. Meanwhile, Chornobyl power plant personnel have been virtually trapped for almost 10 days now. ะกheck out our new fact sheet about nuclear security.
Humanitarian situation. Ukraine asks the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently assist in the creation of humanitarian corridors. The request concerns settlements in areas of hostilities in Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk region. In Kherson, occupants didnโt allow Ukrainian trucks with humanitarian aid to get to the citizens. Mariupol has been disconnected for four days completely – without electricity, gas, water, internet, etc. People cannot leave their apartments and/or shelters due to constant shelling. Finally, the evacuation of people in Mariupol and Volnovakha will start at 11:00 am local time through the humanitarian corridor.
Shootings continue across Ukraine, especially in cities and villages in the Kyiv region encircled by the Russian troops. 8 houses burned down due to the shelling. In the Marhalivka village, 5 people died including 3 children. In Bucha district near Kyiv, Russian forces opened fire on a civilian car, killing 2 people (including a 17-year old girl) and injuring 4 more (including 2 kids). Assumingly, 40 people were taken as hostages in Hostomel, Kyiv region after one of the apartment blocks was surrounded by Russian troops. Trostyanets, Sumy region is temporarily oััupied. The ambulance station there is under enemy control, its doctors are forbidden to go on calls, except for children’s emergencies.
Disconnected. Russian troops seized Kherson and Melitopol TV and radio stations and have been streaming Russian channels and propaganda instead. In the Kherson region, people are cut off from mobile service providers Vodafone and Kyivstar. They can only stay connected to the world through Wi-Fi.
Rallies in times of war. While Russian troops try to occupy Ukrainian cities, Ukrainians go out to the streets to protest. Citizens of Melitopol and Prymorsk, Zaporizhzhia region and Novopskovsk, Luhansk region took to the streets to rally against Russian invaders. Similar actions take place in other parts of Ukraine, among recent ones was the citizens’ resistance in Energodar that blocked the road to the Zaporizhia Nuclear power plant. On March 5, the rally is taking place in Kherson.
The silencing. Russia has passed a law on disinformation (โfake news lawโ) imposing severe regulations on freedom of speech, including imprisonment for up to 15 years. Namely, it is applied to any mentions of Russian war on Ukraine. Therefore, the BBC, Bloomberg, ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN temporarily suspended their work in Russia. Independent media Znak.com were forced to shut down. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are banned in the country due to alleged โdiscrimination policies against Russiaโ.
Disinformation. Russia keeps falsely accusing Ukraine of preparing provocations and does not admit that it is attacking civilian houses and peaceful citizens. Official representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry claim that Ukrainian nationalists are planning a provocation in Kharkiv with the support of Western media. The alleged purpose of this provocation is to force the Russian side to open artillery fire on the residential sector in Kharkiv, and then to film it and share it throughout the Western media. Moreover, Russia is claiming that โnationalistsโ restrict movement of local residents, including children, forbidding them from leaving their homes.
Russia claims that the fire at the nuclear power plant in Energodar was caused by Ukrainian saboteurs, and that they provoked Russians to open artillery fire on the plant.
The speaker of the Russian State Duma said that Volodymyr Zelensky left Ukraine, and is hiding in Poland. In response to this, President Zelenskyi recorded a video from his office.
International solidarity. On March 4, President Zelenskyi addressed the international community, while thousands of people took to the streets in several European cities (Prague, Czech Republic; Tbilisi, Georgia; Paris and Lyon, France; Bratislava, Slovakia; Frankfurt and Munich, Germany; Vilnius, Lithuania, etc) to support Ukraine. On Friday night, thousands of Georgians rallied on the streets in support of Ukraine and listened to President Zelenskyiโs address. Meanwhile in Latvia, the street in Riga, where the Russian Embassy is located, will be renamed to Independent Ukraine street. Ottawa, Canada is planning to take similar actions.
Business. The Head of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine called the leaders of Visa and Mastercard companies with a request to block all payments made with Visa and Mastercard cards, both within the Russian Federation and abroad, by all credit and debit cards issued in Russia. Meanwhile, businesses in Russia keep suspending or limiting their operations there – Intel, Microsoft, Grammarly, EPAM, CISCO among others. Here is the overview of the business that stepped away from Russia. However, Coca-Cola, P&G, Unilever, Nestle, Danone remain present in Russia.
Digital security. Ukraine is to be accepted as a Contributing Participant to NATO CCDCOE. โUkraine’s presence in the Centre will enhance the exchange of cyber expertise, between Ukraine and CCDCOE member nations.โ.
History repeats. Over the last 30 years, Russia promoted its image as a โsaviorโ and โprotectorโ of those in need. Take a look at a very brief overview of the โpeacekeepingโ missions and their outcomes prepared by the Ukrainer team (in different languages).
Statistics:
- 28 children have been killed, 840 children injured since the beginning of the war.
- more than 1 mln have been evacuated by Ukrazaliznytsia (national railways) in 8 days from the hotspots across Ukraine.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 6 a.m., March 5, 2022: troops – more than 10 000, tanks โ 269, APV โ 945, artillery systems โ 105, MLRS โ 50, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 19, aircraft โ 39 (TBC), helicopters โ 40 (TBC), vehicles โ 409, light speed boats โ 2, fuel tanks โ 60, UAV operational-tactical level โ 3. (Data is being updated constantly. It is difficult to calculate because of the high intensity of hostilities).
What Ukraine needs now:
- to strengthen Ukraineโs air defense system, in particular, providing military aircrafts;
- to cut Russia off from the SWIFT, Visa and Mastercard services completely (not just the banks under sanctions);
- deputinizing the world: ending Putinโs influence in politics, diplomacy, business, sports, culture, research & other spheres.
Every action matters, no matter how small!
- We have prepared some factsheets about the Russian war in Ukraine and nuclear security. Grab a few of them when you decide to go to the rally or distribute it among your neighbors.
- Spread information about the war in Ukraine on your social media; contact your local press and decision-makers.
- You can support Ukraine via a list of reliable organizations – Stand For Ukraine.
- Share information about joining and supporting the International Legion of Ukraine.
Thank you for supporting Ukraine! Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!
Update prepared by representatives of Ukrainian NGOs and experts in human security and democracy, who are in cities all over Ukraine right now. NGOs: Institute for political and information research NGO, World of Communities, Kyiv educational center Tolerspace, U-Cycle NGO (Kyiv Cyclists Association), OpenSpace.Works Cooperative. Experts: Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska, Sofia Bela (culture heritage block), Taras Tymchuk, Uliana Movchan (Disinformation block).
