Presiden Zelenskyy had a busy day at the Munich Security Conference. He met with Vance’s delegation, with a “bipartisan” congressional delegation (CODEL) from the House of Representatives, and sat for a press conference.
🇺🇦 Zelensky and the U.S. Vice President made statements after their meeting in Munich. J.D. Vance emphasized that Ukraine and the U.S. aim for lasting peace, not a new conflict in Europe in the coming years. Zelensky thanked the U.S. for its support and noted that a clear plan is needed to stop Putin
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Someone on the CODEL tried to get President Zelenskyy to sign over 50% of all Ukraine’s future mineral rights to the US.
there are so many things wrong with this
— Adam Keiper (@adamkeiper.com) February 14, 2025 at 12:49 PM
He declined to acquiesce to their wishes.
President Zelenskyy also had this to say about Trump’s “peace” efforts:
Zelensky says “I don’t want to be person who helped Putin occupy my country.” Says he needs the U.S. to support Ukraine, not to mediate between Ukraine and Russia.
Grandpa Winston would have been chasing them all in the streets of Munich right now, a broken chair leg in one hand, a cigar clenched between his teeth, cursing furiously under his breath.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM
JD Vance is actually right — Russia is not the biggest threat to Europe.
What’s even bigger as a threat is irresponsible and infantile demagogues running for quick and easy-peasy solutions to matters of war and peace.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Here’s the video of his press conference:
General views from Munich
– No indication that Trump team has a plan
– Broad concern over US posture in Europe becoming part of a Ukraine deal
– Fear that Trump might visit Moscow on Victory Day
– Scepticism about feasibility of European troops in Ukr, esp impact on NATO defences— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The other point is that there is scepticism among many well informed officials that Putin is willing to compromise on his maximalist demands from last June. Implication is either Trump gives him everything – which Ukr & Eur couldn’t accept – or talks fail. Trump could then abandon Ukr or up pressure
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:02 PM
JD Vance, vice president of a regime currently overthrowing its own democracy, lectures Europe on the “retreat” from “some of its most fundamental values”.
He cites the Romanian Constitutional Court annulling its recent presidential election.
He doesn’t mention this was because Russia interfered.
— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 8:52 AM
JD Vance had dedicated his entire Munich speech to lecturing Europeans on “the threat from within” and maintaining “values”. He criticised Europe for defending the integrity of elections.
Let’s be clear. The Trump Administration is attempting to spread its populist authoritarianism across the West.
— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
JD Vance’s Munich statement was the most horrifying foreign policy speech of the Trump Administration to date.
He ignored the topic of Ukraine and instead spouted MAGA imperialist propaganda, telling Europeans to stop protecting their elections & welcome unregulated tech interference in democracy.
— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Boris Pistorius, German Defence Minister, responds to Vance:
“This is not acceptable… Democracy doesn’t mean that a vociferous minority will automatically be right. They cannot decide what truth is…. I am happy to live in Europe, where democracy is defended against internal & external enemies.”
— Adam Schwarz (@adamjschwarz.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 11:39 AM
I struggle to express just how *weird* Vance’s #MSC2025 speech was. This is a transatlantic security conference, happening while there is a war in Europe, and the US is announcing a partial withdrawal from European security. And the US VP speaks about (alleged) threats to free speech in Europe??
— Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Like, really?!
“The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor”
“What I worry about is the threat from within – the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the USA.”— Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
He could have spoken on Ukraine. Or on the need for Europe to do more on defence (he was actually quite eloquent on this last year). Or on China. But he went for internal domestic European politics. It’s genuinely odd.
— Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Spiegel: “Security policy, the topic of the conference, was virtually absent.”
www.spiegel.de/ausland/j-d-…
— Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reaction by German defence minister
bsky.app/profile/rike…
— Ulrike Franke (@rikefranke.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 11:31 AM
⚡️’It doesn’t advance American interests’ — JD Vance walks back WSJ comments on US troops in Ukraine.
Even though Vance refused to say that deploying U.S. troops in Ukraine was off the table, he later accused the outlet of “twisting (his) words.”
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 14, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Whether they sound like doves or sound like hawks, the first thing to keep in mind about the Trump administration is that it is led by incoherent fools that are incapable of formulating anything close to a strategy
— Alexander Clarkson (@aphclarkson.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Is it January 2029 yet?
NPT’s fate was sealed with the Budapest Memorandum followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 10 years later in 2014.
Everyone learned a lesson: you cannot count on the West’s promises. If you give up nukes, (and all the rockets and planes Ukraine gave up), don’t be surprised if you’re invaded.
— Toomas Hendrik Ilves (@ilvestoomas.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:03 PM
The message of the Budapest Memorandum: “If you’re a small state, obtain nuclear weapons as quickly as you can, and under no circumstances relinquish them.”
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Georgia:
Day 79. New elections for 4 reasons: the electoral fraud, U-turn in foreign policy that runs counter to many regime supports, systemic torture, and the impossibility of solving this crisis otherwise. They have no economic or repressive resources to stabilize a dictatorship.
Someone showed up with 🇩🇪.— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
“We will not stop. Call elections!”
“Listen to the voice of the people. The people demand their voice be heard!”
“Georgia, rise up! Rebel!”
“We do not tolerate oligarchy, we crave democracy”
#GeorgiaProtests
Day 78— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 13, 2025 at 1:09 PM
New and new and new Chinese surveillance cameras all around Tbilisi, and in particular on Rustaveli. Soon the dictatorship will have live footage of our x-rays too. #terrorinGeorgia
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:27 AM
I spotted some Valentine’s spirit at the Rustaveli protest. #GeorgiaProtests
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
“False witness, executioner” – Protesters brought mirrors to the rally on Rustaveli Avenue for police officers to look at themselves.
#GeorgiaProtests
Day 79
📷Basti Mgaloblishvili, Makuna Gochiashvili
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
⭕️ The court denied the motion to annul Mzia Amaglobeli’s pre-trial detention. She remains in custody, hospitalized since February 4 due to deteriorating health.
⭕️ Today is the 34th day of her hunger strike.
#TerrorInGeorgia
#ProtestsInGeorgia
#MediaUnderAttack— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) February 14, 2025 at 7:59 AM
1/ The Batumi City Court judge Levan Kolbaia did not accept for consideration the lawsuit in which lawyers requested the cancellation of Mzia Amaglobeli’s pretrial detention as a preventive measure.
#TerrorinGeorgia
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
2/ Mzia Amaglobeli’s lawyers filed a motion to cancel the detention yesterday, February 13, citing several pieces of evidence.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
3/ Mzia Amaglobeli is accused of assaulting police officer Irakli Dgebuadze. Mzia slapped the Batumi police chief. She faces 4 to 7 years in prison for this.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
4/ In their identical testimonies, four police witnesses describe how the incident unfolded and how Irakli Dgebuadze’s ear and cheek turned red.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
5/ Mzia Amaglobeli has been on a hunger strike for 34 days, protesting injustice.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Gldani (Tbilisi) prison guards beat Davit Gujejiani, a man in a wheelchair, to his death, family reports. #terrorinGeorgia
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:02 AM
President Salome Zurabishvili having a conversation with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at #MSC2025 🇬🇪🇺🇦
— Katie Shoshiashvili (@kshoshiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:53 AM
106 years ago, on February 14, 1919, the first democratic, universal (including women), proportional Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. 106 years, Soviet occupation, and continuous Russian takeover later, we are being tortured as we want free and fair elections.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Back to Ukraine.
The cost:
“Today marks two years since my daughter Alisa was abducted and taken to the occupied territories. Two years without any news about her or direct contact. It seems like this is something you can never learn to live with or come to terms with. 👇
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
The only thing that saves me is the fight. And justice will prevail. If not now, then years later.”- Oleh writes on Twitter. I just wanted you to read it
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
⚡️Ukraine secures return of 8 children from Russian-occupied territories.
“All the children were separated from their families due to the war and occupation, and some lost their parents,” Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Feb. 14.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 14, 2025 at 6:58 PM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Ukraine successfully brought back eight children who had been forcibly taken to Russian-occupied territory, Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights, reported on Feb. 14.
“Among the returned children are siblings,” Lubinets wrote. “All the children were separated from their families due to the war and occupation, and some lost their parents. In general, we managed to return children from Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblast.”
Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and sent to other Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine or to Russia itself, according to a Ukrainian national database, “Children of War.”
Lubinets estimated that Russia has unlawfully deported up to 150,000 Ukrainian children, while the Children’s Ombudswoman, Daria Herasymchuk, puts the figure at 200,000–300,000.
Ukraine considers these abductions a war crime and argues that they meet the U.N.’s legal definition of genocide. Russia often claims it is relocating children to protect them from conflict zones. According to the Ministry of Reintegration, the government has managed to return 388 children so far.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, citing their involvement in the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children. Russia dismissed the ICC’s decision as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
More at the link including pictures.
Make no mistake, if/when the Kremlin sees it can’t crush Ukraine in the foreseeable future, it will do whatever possible to inflict as much damage as possible to undermine Ukraine’s ability to live on in the long run.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Even if/when the situation comes to a ceasefire, they will go on killing and killing, and killing Ukrainians till the last bullet, as long as they can, to further undermine Ukraine’s demographics and make as many people as possible flee the country.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Russia’s war on Ukraine is full of nurtured, irrational, zoological hatred of the very idea of Ukraine as a country, so Ukraine will have to be erased in the long run, if not now, as a result of the war.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Today’s attack on the Chornobyl confinement is a grim omen of what else they might do if the free world doesn’t help stop them.
Nothing is impossible with that satanic pit clique of chauvinist KGB psychos persuaded of their messianic tsarist supremacy over nations.
— Illia Ponomarenko (@ioponomarenko.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM
A lot of improvised Russian MLRS with installed RBU-6000 are destroyed at the front recently. t.me/nebesnamara/…
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate has shared rare footage of the 155mm Ukrainian howitzer “Bohdana” in action! 💥 Ukrainian artillery continues to strike Russian invaders. UAV operators spot targets, while the “Bohdana” crew eliminates the enemy.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Chornobyl:
Putin wants peace — sure, if by “peace” he means wiping Ukraine off the map.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:09 AM
A gaping hole in the Chornobyl sarcophagus. Next to it—a scorched Shahed engine.
That’s how Putin “liberates” radiation.
— Kyiv Post (@kyivpost.com) February 14, 2025 at 4:00 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the latest information on the attack.
A Russian attack drone struck the protective shelter of the destroyed 4th reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on Feb. 14.
The strike damaged the sarcophagus, but the fire was extinguished and radiation levels remained stable, according to the president. Monitoring efforts continue to assess any potential risks.
“This is a terrorist threat to the entire world,” Zelensky said, adding that the damage to the shelter is significant.
“The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed the explosion. The organization reported that a drone struck the shelter’s roof.
Chornobyl, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, remains a highly sensitive location. The explosion of the plant’s reactor on Apr. 26, 1986, contaminated a vast area spanning Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
The sarcophagus was installed over the 4th reactor in the aftermath of the disaster to contain the uranium, plutonium, and radioactive dust at the site. The protective structure would only last 30 years, with the construction of a new sarcophagus completed in 2017.
“Ukraine is urging the international community to urgently intensify efforts in response to Russia’s unprecedented act of nuclear terrorism. The attack on the shelter of the 4th power unit at Chornobyl poses a threat to the entire continent,” said Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.
Zelensky said the attack underscores Russia’s continued disregard for global security.
“Russia continues to expand its army and shows no change in its deranged, anti-human state rhetoric. This means that Putin is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world,” he said.
Russia attacked the station’s protective shelter on the day of the Munich Security Conference. Zelensky is leading Ukraine’s delegation at the conference, where U.S. President Donald Trump’s team is expected to outline its diplomatic strategy for ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Andriy Yermak, head of Zelensky’s office, said Ukraine would provide the U.S. with detailed information on Russia’s attack on Chornobyl’s protective shelter.
More at the link.
Consiquences of the russian drone strike on Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
According to Oleksandr Titarchuk, chief engineer of the State Specialized Enterprise “Chornobyl NPP”, if the drone had deviated by just 15-20 meters, it would have hit the old sarcophagus of the power unit, and
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
the consequences would have been far worse.Titarchuk says that the drone pierced the confinement structure and exploded inside.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Odesa:
As I am forcing myself to listen to an American fascist in Munich and he’s saying that Russia is not a threat, a siren starts howling: Russian drones are approaching Ukraine.
He proceeds to push for German fascist party.
📷 Odesa celebrates Valentine’s Day amidst attacks
— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 6:56 PM
The Kursk cross border offensive:
The Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a Russian platoon stronghold in the Kursk region with a precision strike near Yelyzavetivka. Drones used to attack Ukrainian forces in Sumy were located there.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 2:08 PM
In the Kursk region, Russian troops attempted to storm Ukrainian positions by loading soldiers onto armoured vehicles. However, the 156th Separate Battalion of the Territorial Defence of Ukraine had other plans. Using drones, they stopped the vehicles and then destroyed them.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Kharkiv Oblast:
Ukrainian fighters from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion advanced on Russian fortifications in the Kharkiv region, hurling grenades into their positions. Overwhelmed by the assault, the enemy chose to surrender.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM
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