The Russian men fleeing mobilization, and leaving everything behind
To escape fighting in Ukraine, the 42-year-old Russian construction worker flew through two countries in four days, spending so much on tickets, so quickly, he lost track of it all. Finally, he ended up in Turkey, where it was safe. As he stopped to breathe Tuesday, on plastic seats in the airport arrival hall, he conceded he had no idea where to go next.
But maybe it didn’t matter.
“The main task is to save your life,” he said.
The Post interviewed some of the men who have fled Russia since Putin's announcement of a military mobilization of reservists for his war in Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
To escape fighting in Ukraine, the 42-year-old Russian construction worker flew through two countries in four days, spending so much on tickets, so quickly, he lost track of it all. Finally, he ended up in Turkey, where it was safe. As he stopped to breathe Tuesday, on plastic seats in the airport arrival hall, he conceded he had no idea where to go next.
But maybe it didn’t matter.
“The main task is to save your life,” he said.
The Post interviewed some of the men who have fled Russia since Putin's announcement of a military mobilization of reservists for his war in Ukraine.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine, worth $1.1 billion, will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future,” a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
- European countries and companies said they were increasing security around oil and gas infrastructure after apparent explosions targeted pipelines that once carried Russian natural gas to Germany.
- As Moscow is set to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday that it was working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia” and others that supported the staged referendums in those areas.
More live updates here.
- A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine, worth $1.1 billion, will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, a “core component of Ukraine’s fighting force in the future,” a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
- European countries and companies said they were increasing security around oil and gas infrastructure after apparent explosions targeted pipelines that once carried Russian natural gas to Germany.
- As Moscow is set to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine, the White House said Wednesday that it was working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia” and others that supported the staged referendums in those areas.
More live updates here.
Pentagon will double powerful HIMARS artillery for Ukraine
The United States will more than double its commitment of long-range rocket artillery systems for Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday, part of a long-term strategy by the United States and its partners to ramp up weapons production in response to Russia’s invasion.
The $1.1 billion package will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, the weapons that have wreaked havoc on command posts and logistical hubs behind Russian lines. The United States already has delivered 16 of the systems, capable of delivering precision munitions from up to 50 miles away, from existing stocks.
This new tranche will take a “few years” to build and deliver, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters, underscoring efforts to provide for Ukraine’s long-term defense infrastructure while allies and partners speed tailored packages of equipment and ammunition for the most urgent needs.
Read the full story here.
The United States will more than double its commitment of long-range rocket artillery systems for Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday, part of a long-term strategy by the United States and its partners to ramp up weapons production in response to Russia’s invasion.
The $1.1 billion package will include 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, the weapons that have wreaked havoc on command posts and logistical hubs behind Russian lines. The United States already has delivered 16 of the systems, capable of delivering precision munitions from up to 50 miles away, from existing stocks.
This new tranche will take a “few years” to build and deliver, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters, underscoring efforts to provide for Ukraine’s long-term defense infrastructure while allies and partners speed tailored packages of equipment and ammunition for the most urgent needs.
Read the full story here.
Violating international law, Putin to sign annexation of Ukrainian regions
Russian President Vladimir Putin will formally move Friday to seize four Ukrainian regions by signing documents that the Kremlin is calling “accession treaties.”
The signing ceremony, to take place in the Grand Kremlin Palace, marks Putin’s attempt to annex the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, even though Russia does not fully control them militarily or politically.
The move, in defiance of stern international warnings including from President Biden, potentially slams the door on diplomacy for years to come and almost certainly assures further escalation of the war in Ukraine. Kyiv insists it will fight to reclaim all of its lands, and Western allies are promising to send more weapons and economic assistance.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will formally move Friday to seize four Ukrainian regions by signing documents that the Kremlin is calling “accession treaties.”
The signing ceremony, to take place in the Grand Kremlin Palace, marks Putin’s attempt to annex the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, even though Russia does not fully control them militarily or politically.
The move, in defiance of stern international warnings including from President Biden, potentially slams the door on diplomacy for years to come and almost certainly assures further escalation of the war in Ukraine. Kyiv insists it will fight to reclaim all of its lands, and Western allies are promising to send more weapons and economic assistance.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign treaties claiming to annex four areas of Ukraine on Friday.
- Separatist leaders from Russian-occupied portions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are in Moscow to complete the procedure of Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official from Kherson, said in a Telegram post.
- The White House has said it is working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia,” should annexation go ahead.
- United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said Russia’s annexation plans “cannot be reconciled with the international legal framework.”
- A total of four leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines have been reported, after the Swedish coast guard confirmed Thursday that there were two leaks in Sweden’s economic zone and two in Denmark’s.
More live updates here.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign treaties claiming to annex four areas of Ukraine on Friday.
- Separatist leaders from Russian-occupied portions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are in Moscow to complete the procedure of Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory, Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official from Kherson, said in a Telegram post.
- The White House has said it is working with “allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia,” should annexation go ahead.
- United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said Russia’s annexation plans “cannot be reconciled with the international legal framework.”
- A total of four leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines have been reported, after the Swedish coast guard confirmed Thursday that there were two leaks in Sweden’s economic zone and two in Denmark’s.
More live updates here.
Here’s the latest from Ukraine.
- President Putin will formally move Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine. In a grand ceremony at the Kremlin, he is expected to sign so-called “accession treaties” to absorb parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- The U.S. and others have denounced the staged votes as a “sham” and warned of further diplomatic, economic and military consequences. “The United States will never, never, never recognize Russia’s claims on Ukraine sovereign territory,” President Biden said Thursday.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country to avoid conscription after Putin declared a partial military mobilization.
More live updates here.
- President Putin will formally move Friday to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine. In a grand ceremony at the Kremlin, he is expected to sign so-called “accession treaties” to absorb parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
- The U.S. and others have denounced the staged votes as a “sham” and warned of further diplomatic, economic and military consequences. “The United States will never, never, never recognize Russia’s claims on Ukraine sovereign territory,” President Biden said Thursday.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country to avoid conscription after Putin declared a partial military mobilization.
More live updates here.
U.S., allies to increase pressure on Russia following annexation
On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to formally annex four Ukrainian regions, the United States and its allies put the finishing touches on their plans to respond with measures designed to significantly increase the military, diplomatic and economic pressure they believe will eventually box Putin into an intolerable position.
New sanctions are to be announced on entities inside Russia, and those on the outside that contribute to its war effort, according to U.S. and European Union officials. Long-term commitments are being made to ensure the continued flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. Fence-sitting nations are being cajoled and pressured to take a stand against Moscow.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday repeated that “the United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referendums or Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory.”
Read the full story here.
On the eve of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intention to formally annex four Ukrainian regions, the United States and its allies put the finishing touches on their plans to respond with measures designed to significantly increase the military, diplomatic and economic pressure they believe will eventually box Putin into an intolerable position.
New sanctions are to be announced on entities inside Russia, and those on the outside that contribute to its war effort, according to U.S. and European Union officials. Long-term commitments are being made to ensure the continued flow of Western weapons to Ukraine. Fence-sitting nations are being cajoled and pressured to take a stand against Moscow.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday repeated that “the United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referendums or Russia’s purported annexation of Ukrainian territory.”
Read the full story here.
Putin illegally proclaims annexation of four Ukrainian regions
Russian President Vladimir Putin is moving toward illegally annexing four regions in Ukraine, after staging referendums that were widely denounced.
In a grand ceremony that began in the Kremlin on Friday, he will sign so-called “accession treaties” for parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is moving toward illegally annexing four regions in Ukraine, after staging referendums that were widely denounced.
In a grand ceremony that began in the Kremlin on Friday, he will sign so-called “accession treaties” for parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Read the full story here.
Missile strike on civilian convoy kills 25 in Zaporizhzhia
A wave of suspected Russian missile strikes killed at least 25 Ukrainians on Thursday as they waited to deliver aid and to collect relatives from an area that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to annex in violation of international law.
In Avtorynok, an old car market on the southern fringe of Zaporizhzhia, the regional capital, a group of civilians had waited all night to cross into the Russian-controlled territory. The broader Zaporizhzhia region is one of four where Russia orchestrated referendums in an attempt to legitimize annexation, but only part of the region is under Russian military control.
Read the full story here.
A wave of suspected Russian missile strikes killed at least 25 Ukrainians on Thursday as they waited to deliver aid and to collect relatives from an area that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing to annex in violation of international law.
In Avtorynok, an old car market on the southern fringe of Zaporizhzhia, the regional capital, a group of civilians had waited all night to cross into the Russian-controlled territory. The broader Zaporizhzhia region is one of four where Russia orchestrated referendums in an attempt to legitimize annexation, but only part of the region is under Russian military control.
Read the full story here.
Zelensky pushes ‘accelerated’ application for Ukraine NATO membership
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, in an apparent answer to Russia’s move to illegally annex four of the country’s partially occupied regions.
The remarks were more symbolic than practical: The speedy admittance of Ukraine to the alliance would require members to immediately send troops to fight Russia, under collective defense obligations.
Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, but Zelensky conceded in March that Ukraine had to accept that it was not going to be accepted into the Western military alliance, despite receiving security assistance from countries in it.
“De facto, we have already made our way to NATO,” Zelensky said in a Telegram statement.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is applying for “accelerated ascension” into NATO, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, in an apparent answer to Russia’s move to illegally annex four of the country’s partially occupied regions.
The remarks were more symbolic than practical: The speedy admittance of Ukraine to the alliance would require members to immediately send troops to fight Russia, under collective defense obligations.
Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, but Zelensky conceded in March that Ukraine had to accept that it was not going to be accepted into the Western military alliance, despite receiving security assistance from countries in it.
“De facto, we have already made our way to NATO,” Zelensky said in a Telegram statement.
Read the full story here.
Opinion|Alexei Navalny: This is what a post-Putin Russia should look like
What does a desirable and realistic end to the criminal war unleashed by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine look like?
If we examine the primary things said by Western leaders on this score, the bottom line remains: Russia (Putin) must not win this war. Ukraine must remain an independent democratic state capable of defending itself.
This is correct, but it is a tactic. The strategy should be to ensure that Russia and its government naturally, without coercion, do not want to start wars and do not find them attractive. This is undoubtedly possible. Right now the urge for aggression is coming from a minority in Russian society.
Read Alexei Navalny’s opinion here.
What does a desirable and realistic end to the criminal war unleashed by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine look like?
If we examine the primary things said by Western leaders on this score, the bottom line remains: Russia (Putin) must not win this war. Ukraine must remain an independent democratic state capable of defending itself.
This is correct, but it is a tactic. The strategy should be to ensure that Russia and its government naturally, without coercion, do not want to start wars and do not find them attractive. This is undoubtedly possible. Right now the urge for aggression is coming from a minority in Russian society.
Read Alexei Navalny’s opinion here.
Kомментарий | Алексей Навальный: Вот как должна выглядеть постпутинская Россия.
Kак выглядит желательный и реалистичный конец преступной войны, развязанной Путиным против Украины?
Если вычленить главное, сказанное об этом лидерами Запада, то в итоге остается: Россия (Путин) не должны выиграть эту войну. Украина должна остаться независимым демократическим государством, способным защитить себя.
Это правильно, но это тактика. А стратегия должна быть направлена на то, чтобы Россия и ее власть натурально, без принуждения, не хотели начинать войны и не находили в них привлекательности. Это возможно, без сомнений. Сейчас импульс агрессии идет от меньшинства в обществе.
Прочтите этот комментарий на русском языке.
Kак выглядит желательный и реалистичный конец преступной войны, развязанной Путиным против Украины?
Если вычленить главное, сказанное об этом лидерами Запада, то в итоге остается: Россия (Путин) не должны выиграть эту войну. Украина должна остаться независимым демократическим государством, способным защитить себя.
Это правильно, но это тактика. А стратегия должна быть направлена на то, чтобы Россия и ее власть натурально, без принуждения, не хотели начинать войны и не находили в них привлекательности. Это возможно, без сомнений. Сейчас импульс агрессии идет от меньшинства в обществе.
Прочтите этот комментарий на русском языке.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed two decrees late Thursday recognizing occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as “independent” territories, a step he has already taken for the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
- The United States and its allies, which condemned the referendums as a “sham,” plan to increase diplomatic, economic and military pressure.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country after Putin declared a partial military mobilization last week.
More live updates here.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed two decrees late Thursday recognizing occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as “independent” territories, a step he has already taken for the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
- The United States and its allies, which condemned the referendums as a “sham,” plan to increase diplomatic, economic and military pressure.
- Tens of thousands of Russians have fled the country after Putin declared a partial military mobilization last week.
More live updates here.
Ukrainian troops say they’ve surrounded Russian forces in Lyman, a key city in eastern territory that Moscow now claims as its own
Ukrainian troops recaptured villages near Lyman and encircled the city, Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Ukrainian armed forces, told The Washington Post on Saturday. A pro-Kremlin separatist leader in eastern Ukraine said Friday that the city was “semi-encircled,” describing Kyiv’s advances as “very unpleasant news.” The city sits on the edge of the eastern Donetsk region, one of the four territories now claimed by Russia and where separatists have held territory since 2014. Taking the city could help Ukrainian troops break into the Luhansk region nearby.
Read more here.
Ukrainian troops recaptured villages near Lyman and encircled the city, Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Ukrainian armed forces, told The Washington Post on Saturday. A pro-Kremlin separatist leader in eastern Ukraine said Friday that the city was “semi-encircled,” describing Kyiv’s advances as “very unpleasant news.” The city sits on the edge of the eastern Donetsk region, one of the four territories now claimed by Russia and where separatists have held territory since 2014. Taking the city could help Ukrainian troops break into the Luhansk region nearby.
Read more here.
Analysis: As war fails, Russia’s authoritarian grandmaster backs himself into a corner
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech Friday, declaring his annexation of four Ukrainian regions, was likely the most consequential of his nearly 23 years in power. But rather than a clarion call to restore Russian greatness as he clearly intended, the address seemed the bluster and filibuster of a leader struggling to recover his grip — on his war, and his country.
By proclaiming the largest military seizure of territory since World War II, Putin left no off-ramp from his war in Ukraine, placing Russia and himself in acute danger. That raises a serious risk of escalation, and the prospect of a new, more perilous phase of the conflict, which Putin has made clear is not just with Ukraine but also with the United States and Kyiv’s other Western allies.
Read the full story here.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech Friday, declaring his annexation of four Ukrainian regions, was likely the most consequential of his nearly 23 years in power. But rather than a clarion call to restore Russian greatness as he clearly intended, the address seemed the bluster and filibuster of a leader struggling to recover his grip — on his war, and his country.
By proclaiming the largest military seizure of territory since World War II, Putin left no off-ramp from his war in Ukraine, placing Russia and himself in acute danger. That raises a serious risk of escalation, and the prospect of a new, more perilous phase of the conflict, which Putin has made clear is not just with Ukraine but also with the United States and Kyiv’s other Western allies.
Read the full story here.
Russian troops withdrawing from Lyman, a day after annexation claims
Less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proudly proclaimed the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, thousands of his troops appear to be withdrawing from a strategic town there under Ukrainian fire.
Russia’s defense ministry said Saturday that its troops were withdrawing from the town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine, as Ukrainian forces surrounded it.
The retreat marks a major embarrassment for Moscow, a day after it claimed swaths of eastern Ukraine as its own — in the face of widespread international condemnation. Ukrainian forces advanced on the city overnight even as Russia put on a grand ceremony and a pop concert in Moscow’s Red Square celebrating the annexation.
Read the full story here.
Less than 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin proudly proclaimed the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk region, thousands of his troops appear to be withdrawing from a strategic town there under Ukrainian fire.
Russia’s defense ministry said Saturday that its troops were withdrawing from the town of Lyman in eastern Ukraine, as Ukrainian forces surrounded it.
The retreat marks a major embarrassment for Moscow, a day after it claimed swaths of eastern Ukraine as its own — in the face of widespread international condemnation. Ukrainian forces advanced on the city overnight even as Russia put on a grand ceremony and a pop concert in Moscow’s Red Square celebrating the annexation.
Read the full story here.
Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska indicted for evading sanctions
NEW YORK — Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska has been indicted on a charge of sanctions evasion, part of an ongoing effort by the Justice Department to hold wealthy Russians with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for violating U.S. laws as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on.
Deripaska’s indictment, unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, names other defendants accused of participating in his efforts to skirt sanctions that were imposed on him in 2018, when he was slapped with economic penalties by the U.S. government for acting on behalf of a Russian official and for operating in Russia’s energy sector.
Federal prosecutors argue that Deripaska, 52, skirted sanctions to conduct business in the United States by using intermediaries for transactions, including those related to a set of properties he indirectly owns, including a 23,000-square-foot Embassy Row mansion.
Read the full story here.
NEW YORK — Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska has been indicted on a charge of sanctions evasion, part of an ongoing effort by the Justice Department to hold wealthy Russians with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for violating U.S. laws as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on.
Deripaska’s indictment, unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, names other defendants accused of participating in his efforts to skirt sanctions that were imposed on him in 2018, when he was slapped with economic penalties by the U.S. government for acting on behalf of a Russian official and for operating in Russia’s energy sector.
Federal prosecutors argue that Deripaska, 52, skirted sanctions to conduct business in the United States by using intermediaries for transactions, including those related to a set of properties he indirectly owns, including a 23,000-square-foot Embassy Row mansion.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said Russian authorities had detained Igor Murashov, the director of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant for questioning.
- An IAEA official told The Post that the nuclear watchdog, which has some staffers on-site, had sought clarification from Russian authorities in response to reports that Igor Murashov was missing.
- Ukraine’s Defense Ministry tweeted Saturday that “almost all” of the Russian troops in Lyman had been killed or captured, suggesting that the city was under its control. A video recorded in the city shows Ukrainian troops throwing Russian flags from atop a government building, a ceremonial end to Kremlin-backed control of the area. A spokesman with the Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had retreated from the city after it had been encircled.
- Four missiles struck the Zaporizhzhia area overnight, its regional governor wrote Sunday morning on Telegram. There were no casualties, he said.
More live updates here.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said Russian authorities had detained Igor Murashov, the director of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant for questioning.
- An IAEA official told The Post that the nuclear watchdog, which has some staffers on-site, had sought clarification from Russian authorities in response to reports that Igor Murashov was missing.
- Ukraine’s Defense Ministry tweeted Saturday that “almost all” of the Russian troops in Lyman had been killed or captured, suggesting that the city was under its control. A video recorded in the city shows Ukrainian troops throwing Russian flags from atop a government building, a ceremonial end to Kremlin-backed control of the area. A spokesman with the Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had retreated from the city after it had been encircled.
- Four missiles struck the Zaporizhzhia area overnight, its regional governor wrote Sunday morning on Telegram. There were no casualties, he said.
More live updates here.