Ukraine T-Shirts online shopping and newest war prospects? It is dubbed a “special military operation” by the Kremlin, but Russians’ opposition to the war in Ukraine is showing through, according to an intelligence update from Britain’s Defense Ministry on Friday. Speaking out against Russia’s invasion is being criminalized, the ministry noted, adding that the war “has accelerated the state’s long-term trajectory towards authoritarianism” and that Russia’s parliament has moved to introduce 20-year jail terms for Russians who fight or take up arms against the nation. But among everyday Russians, the mood is changing, the ministry said. “Despite the majority of Russians telling pollsters they support the ‘special military operation’, elements of the population both actively and passively demonstrate their opposition,” it said. “Some high profile Russian officials have highly likely been side-lined after criticizing the war.” It said skepticism was “particularly strong” among Russia’s business elite, with migration applications indicating that some 15,000 Russian millionaires “are likely already attempting to leave the country.” Motivations for such an exodus include “personal opposition to the invasion and an intent to escape the financial impact of the sanctions imposed on Russia,” the ministry added. Find extra Ukraine solidarity details on Ukraine Sticker.
Leaders and diplomats from the U.S., Russia and European countries meet repeatedly to avert a crisis. In early January, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov tells U.S. officials that Russia has no plans to invade Ukraine. The State Department orders the families of embassy staff to leave Ukraine on Jan. 23. NATO places forces on standby the next day, including the U.S. ordering 8,500 troops in the United States to be ready to deploy. Representatives from the U.S. and NATO deliver their written responses to Putin’s demands on Jan. 26. In the responses, officials say they cannot bar Ukraine from joining NATO, but they signal a willingness to negotiate over smaller issues like arms control.
May 9: French President Emmanuel Macron supports creating a strengthened form of association with the EU that would enable Ukraine and other EU hopefuls such as Moldova and Georgia to enjoy many aspects of membership quickly. May 11: Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk says Russia has deported some 460,000 Ukrainians to 6,500 camps across Russia. Ukraine for the first time limits Russian gas transiting its territory to Europe, cutting by one-quarter the flow of gas through one of two major pipelines. May 12: Finland announces it will seek NATO membership. May 15: Sweden announces it will apply for NATO membership, ending two centuries of neutrality.
July 16, 1990: The Rada, the new Ukrainian parliament formed out of the previous Soviet legislature, votes to declare independence from the Soviet Union. Authorities recall Ukrainian soldiers from other parts of the USSR and vote to shut down the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine. Following a failed coup in Moscow, the Ukrainian parliament declares independence a second time on Aug. 24, a date that is still celebrated as Ukraine’s official Independence Day. In December, Ukrainians vote to make their independence official when they approve the declaration by a landslide 92% of votes in favor. The Soviet Union officially dissolves on Dec. 26.
March 1: In a new offensive, a Russian convoy 65km long heads for Kyiv. March 2: Russian tanks enter Kherson, making the southern Ukrainian town the first major population centre (250,000 people) to fall. Russian forces surround Mariupol. March 8: The European Commission unveils REPowerEU, a plan to reduce dependence on Russian natural gas by two-thirds by the end of the year, surpassing in ambition the plan unveiled on March 3 by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The US imposes a ban on Russian crude oil imports. Read additional Ukraine solidarity information at Ukraine Buttons.