Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has come up with a surprising announcement about the club’s ownership.
“During the almost twenty years that I have owned Chelsea, I believe that I have always been the guardian of the club, whose job was to ensure that we are a successful club like today, and to build on the future, while time we play a positive role in our community. I have always made decisions in the best interest of the club. I remain committed to these values, “said part of Abramovich’s statement, published on the official website of the” blues “.
“It is for this reason that I entrust the management and care of the club to the Chelsea Charitable Foundation. I believe that they are currently in the best position to take care of the interests of the club, players, staff and fans,” Abramovich added. .
It seems that Abramovich’s decision is dictated by Russia’s sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The United States and the European Union have imposed severe bans on prominent Russian businessmen, with some parties in Britain saying they, including Abramovich, should be barred from residing in Britain.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is now in full forces, so there is not much church leaders can do in the intervention to stop the act and all pleas now are to halt the war or make calls to help the flood of refugees that is springing up and prevent civilian casualties.
The religious leader who is thought to have the ear of President Vladmir Putin, is Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kiril and who could help talk him out of his folly.
Kirll expressed “heartfelt pain” at “events taking place” after Russia launhed the invasion and called “on all parties to the conflict to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties,” but stopped short of calling for peace.
But later on Feb. 27 AFP reported that Kiril had at a Sunday serivce called Moscow’s opponents in Ukraine “evil forces”, speaking on the fourth day of the Kremlin’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.
“God forbid that the current political situation in brotherly Ukraine should be aimed at ensuring that the evil forces that have always fought against the unity of Russia and the Russian Church prevail,” said Patriarch Kirill in an address to parishioners.
FEW PRECEDENTS
Pope Francis visited the Russian Embassy to the Holy See in Rome to speak with Russian Ambassador Alexander Avdeyev on February 25, “to express his concern about the war. The visit took place as Russian tanks and troops arrived on the outskirts of Kiev
Formal diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Soviet Union were only established in 1990, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
The Pope appealed “to those with political responsibility to examine their consciences seriously before God, who is the God of peace and not of war,” Vatican News reported.
And Francis called on believers and non-believers alike to unite in a joint supplication for peace on March 2, Ash Wednesday.
“Jesus taught us that the diabolical senselessness of violence is answered with God’s weapons, with prayer and fasting,” the Pontiff said.
Numerous world leaders have called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine the greatest threat to peace in Europe since the Second World War.
Religious Dispatches commented on Feb. 25, “Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus is not calling for peace in Ukraine — In fact, he’s Putin’s accomplice
“Kirill’s remarks also stand in contrast to the words of other Orthodox hierarchs,” said the publication.
“The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, for example, called the invasion an unprovoked attack and a violation of human rights. Patriarch Daniel of Romania called the violence, ” a war launched by Russia against a sovereign and independent state.”
“Even Metropolitan Onufry, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church that’s still tied to the Moscow Patriarchate—literally, Kirill’s Man in Kyiv—compared the Russian invasion to Cain killing his brother Abel and addressed Putin directly.
Information about the Russian invasion, details and testimonies of Ukrainian civilians.
The main source for this article prefers to maintain its anonymity.
Until now Kyiv is holding against all Russian attacks. Urban war unfolds, with civilian militias acting as reserves (patrol the streets for diversants and inform the army). The “call to arms” by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky didn’t have any significant traction, all the main fighting against the Russian Army is being made by the Ukrainian army.
Ukrainians interpret the “call to arms” as a way to make the population “feel safe”. “Even if the people don’t know how to use a Kalashnikov [AK-47], they feel more safe with a gun at home.”
About the mass mobilization promoted by Ukraine’s president the source said: “(…) mass mobilization means that all men regardless if they have military experience or not have to enroll. But it’s extremely hard to actually make it possible as many people in large portions of the country can’t and don’t want to leave their homes.”
The civilian militias that are more active are the ones composed by civilians with war experience and veterans from the war in Donbass.
Most people just want to stay at home and are even afraid to do volunteer work at emergency services. Even in the already occupied zones people don’t leave their houses either because they are scared of the Russian Army, or because of the air and missile attacks taken by Ukraine (like in the Luhansk People’s Republic for example). In Kyiv, the Ukrainian Government ordered the people to stay at home.
All the stores are closed, and there are already reports of robberies. “This will be more frequent, as the warehouses with products and medicines will not have the logistics to supply the people with the products they need, (…) if the Russian government doesn’t manage the logistics of supplying medicine and other essential products to Ukranians there is a risk of a humanitarian crisis.”
About the imminent refugee crisis: the car circulation on the Ukrainian roads still exists, although only in the west. “In the eastern and central and southern part of the country people are mostly using cars to go to shelters/hospitals.” – “There are large plums of transit on the western borders as many people are trying to leave”.
Approximately 150 thousand people until now have left, men from 18 to 55 cannot leave the country.
The situation is getting worse and worse, the Russian Army, allied with the People’s Republic of Lugansk and the People’s Republic of Donetsk are having success “and pushing the frontline 20 kilometers further into Ukrainian territory”. Just now the Russian government announced a new offensive on all fronts.
The town of Stanytsia Luhanska has been taken by the PRL. Kharkiv, Summi and Chernihiv are surrounded by the Russian Army. And despite the bombardments by the Russian military, Kiev is also holding the attacks from the North. The President and major government officials decided to stay in the capital. The Russian Army also tried to take Nikolaev and Kherson in the south, but the assault on both cities failed.
More information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine to follow…
Secretary-General António Guterres has announced that the UN will launch an appeal to fund its humanitarian operations in Ukraine, amid reports on Saturday of casualties and people fleeing their homes to seek safety as Russian military operations in the country intensify.
A readout issued by a UN spokesperson said that Mr. Guterres had spoken on the phone earlier in the afternoon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“The Secretary-General conveyed to the President the determination of the United Nations to enhance humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, according to the readout.
It added that the UN chief had informed the President that the United Nations would launch on Tuesday an appeal to fund our humanitarian operations in Ukraine.
The Secretary-General’s phone call and the announcement of a humanitarian appeal follow his decision this past Thursday to release $20 million from the UN emergency relief fund, known as CERF, to meet urgent needs in Ukraine.
Thousands of people have fled their homes in Ukraine and many are arriving in Moldova to seek safety. Local communities have come to help ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/PcKpO5mBEW
“We and our humanitarian partners are committed to staying and delivering, to support people in Ukraine in their time of need,” he told reporters at the time.
The UN chief struck a similar tone of determination speaking to reporters Friday evening after the Russian Federation vetoed a resolution tabled in the Security Council that would have denounced its attacks in Ukraine and called for the withdrawal of all Russian troops.
“Especially in a moment like this, it is important to remember that the UN is not just the chamber behind me. It is tens of thousands of women and men around the world… standing, delivering, extending a lifeline of hope,” the Secretary-General said, and stressed that “despite the growing operational challenges, the UN is scaling up the delivery of life-saving support.”
The Secretary-General also announced the appointment of Amin Awad as UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine to lead the coordination of all UN efforts, including its humanitarian response, on both sides of the contact line.
Also on Friday, Martin Griffiths, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) echoed the Secretary-General in stressing that UN humanitarians are committed to continue and expand its presence.
“We have not left. We are not leaving Ukraine,” he told reporters at UN Headquarters.
As people there are “bunkered down,” Mr. Griffiths said that the UN is scaling up its efforts to help meet the needs of those effected, “and we have been doing this for some weeks.”
Fast-deteriorating situation
Meanwhile, also on Saturday, Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, expressed grave concern about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military action in Ukraine.
“We have already seen reports of casualties and people starting to flee their homes to seek safety. Civilian lives and civilian infrastructure must be protected and safeguarded at all times, in line with international humanitarian law,” Mr. Grandi said in a statement, warning that the humanitarian consequences on civilian populations will be devastating.
Accordingly, he said that UNHCR had stepped up its operations and capacity in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. “We remain firmly committed to support all affected populations in Ukraine and countries in the region,” he added.
Even before the recent events that “convulsed the world” last week, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator reminded that an eight-year-long conflict in Eastern Ukraine had already level three million people in need of humanitarian assistance “on both sides of the contact line”.
Martin Griffiths, who also serves as the humanitarian affairs chief, told journalists on Friday that the UN and its partners had been responding to that need for these many years.
“This year alone, for example, UN coordinated humanitarian convoys delivered over 150 tons of assistance to the most vulnerable people in the non-Government controlled areas in the Donbas,” he said.
Women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, those living close to the contact line and those living in the non-Government areas are currently the most in need.
“They continue to require food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation and protection,” the senior UN official said.
He painted a grim picture of shelling on urban centres across Ukraine and unconfirmed reports of human casualties and damage to residential infrastructure, expressing extreme concern over the impact of the ongoing escalation.
“We are concerned about reports of population movement…fleeing in search of safety and protection,” continued Mr. Griffiths, saying that hundreds of thousands of people are “on the move in Ukraine and out of Ukraine, as we speak.”
UN remains in Ukraine
The UN emergency coordinator echoed the Secretary-General in stressing that UN humanitarians are committed to continue and expand its presence.
“We have not left. We are not leaving Ukraine,” he spelled out.
As people there are “bunkered down,” Mr. Griffiths said that the UN is scaling up its efforts to help meet the needs of those effected, “and we have been doing this for some weeks.”
And at this alarming phase of escalation, he flagged that the safety and security of all UN staff and their dependents is a top priority.
“We are currently facilitating the temporary relocation of non-essential UN staff and eligible family member within Ukraine,” said the Emergency Coordinator.
In the coming days, we will launch two coordinated emergency appeals in response to Ukraine’s escalating humanitarian needs – including rising internal displacement – and the needs of people seeking refuge in countries neighbouring Ukraine. 1/2https://t.co/TrfUBw2rPx
In the meantime, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCHA) has set up an interagency operation centre in Geneva and will be launching an appeal.
It will bring together the needs for the region outside Ukraine, under the leadership of High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, as well as for those within the country.
$20 million allocation
Turning to the UN chief’s announcement on Thursday that $20 million would be released from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to increase an immediate response, Mr. Griffiths attested that it was imperative for the scale of need in these “very, very extraordinary circumstances.”
“In the coming days, we will launch two coordinated emergency appeals in response to Ukraine’s escalating humanitarian needs – including rising internal displacement – and the needs of people seeking refuge in countries neighbouring Ukraine.”
He explained that donors were needed to mobilize the financial resources, which will be outlined in a few days.
Humanitarian safety first
The most important point, Mr. Griffiths continued, is the safety of UN humanitarian workers and that humanitarian partners have “safe, unimpeded access to conflict-affected areas.”
“As always, our humanitarian response is guided by humanity, neutrality, operational independence and impartiality,” he emphasized.
In conclusion, the senior UN official reminded that 50 per cent of the wheat used by the World Food Programme’s (WFP) comes from Ukraine, which illustrates that the effects of the crisis are “spooling out before us, and we have yet to see where it will lead”.
Statement by President von der Leyen on further measures to react to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Only a few dozen kilometres from the EU’s eastern border, the Russian army is committing barbaric actions during its invasion of Ukraine. It is bombing and launching missile strikes, killing innocent people.
At the same time, the entire world is witnessing the determined and brave resistance by the Ukrainian army and population.
As Russian forces unleash their assault on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities, we are resolved to continue imposing costs on Russia that will further isolate Russia from the international financial system and our economies.
In coordination with President Biden, President Macron, Bundeskanzler Scholz, Prime Minister Draghi, Prime Minister Trudeau, and Prime Minister Johnson, we considered a significant tightening of our international response.
The European Union and its partners are working to cripple Putin’s ability to finance his war machine.
I will now propose to EU leaders the following measures:
First, we commit to ensuring that a certain number of Russian banks are removed from SWIFT. This will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally.
SWIFT is the world’s dominant global interbank payment system. Cutting banks off will stop them from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports.
Second, we will stop Putin from using his war chest. We will paralyse the assets of Russia’s central bank. This will freeze its transactions. And it will make it impossible for the Central Bank to liquidate its assets.
And finally, we will work to prohibit Russian oligarchs from using their financial assets on our markets.
All of these measures will significantly harm Putin’s ability to finance his war. They will have an eroding impact on the economy.
Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine, but what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country.
Statement by Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Space, following the decision by Roscosmos to withdraw from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou
As Commissioner in charge of European space policy and in particular of the European space infrastructures Galileo and Copernicus, I take note of the decision of the Russian space agency Roscosmos to withdraw from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, following the sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU and its partners in response to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. I confirm that this decision has no consequences on the continuity and quality of the Galileo and Copernicus services. Nor does this decision put the continued development of these infrastructures at risk.
We will take all relevant decisions in response to this decision in due course and continue developing resolutely the second generation of these two EU sovereign space infrastructures.
We are ready to act decisively, together with the Member States, to protect these critical infrastructures in case of aggression, and continue to develop Ariane 6 and VegaC to ensure Europe‘s strategic autonomy in the area of launchers.
President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) Rev. Christian Krieger in his special message at the first day of the European Regional Pre-Assembly called the European Union, political leaders and the international community to not spare any efforts in limiting bloodshed and ensuring peace through diplomatic dialogue in Ukraine, while maintaining the international order.
“CEC calls those with a capacity to play their crucial role in immediately ending this aggression.”
Rev. Krieger was addressing the European Regional Pre-Assembly, held by CEC from 25 to 26 February, exploring the theme “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity”. The virtual event, hosted together with the Polish Ecumenical Council, will enable European participants of the upcoming 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Karlsruhe, to highlight the work and experiences of the European churches, exploring significant issues in the region.
“The Gospel of Jesus Christ carries a message of peace for all humankind together with deep respect for the dignity of every human being,” said Rev. Krieger. “This call is rooted in God’s mercy, the forgiveness he offers to anyone who comes to him. We are required to be the artisans of peace and reconciliation.”
“We therefore strongly condemn the act of war the Russian armed forces have committed in Ukraine. This act violates the sanctity of borders, people’s right to determination and stability in the region.”
He went on to say that “CEC calls on everyone to join together in prayer for peace, for those struggling to end the conflict, and those who have been and will continue to be affected by it.”
The European Regional Pre-Assembly at its opening discussed the current situation in Ukraine, with sharing from representatives of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies at the Ukrainian Catholic University, World Communion of Reformed Churches and the Lutheran World Federation.
Konstantin Bazhenov was deprived of his citizenship due to his criminal prosecution. See a video report and his testimony in Russian.
In 2021, one of the first Jehovah’s Witnesses that was sent behind bars after the Russian Supreme Court decided to ban the organization was released from prison and deported from Russia. His story is told in this four-minute video.
As soon as Konstantin Bazhenov left the colony, he was detained and deported to Ukraine because his Russian citizenship was revoked due to criminal prosecution.
It all began on June 12, 2018, when searches took place in Konstantin Bazhenov’s apartment, as well as in 6 other dwellings of believers. After that, he was charged with extremism. As a result, Konstantin and five other believers were sent to the pre-trial detention center.
Konstantin Bazhenov: “The FSB, the investigator and the operatives promised me that if I plead guilty, I will start cooperating with them, they will guarantee me a suspended sentence, and that I will not go to prison.” Konstantin refused to cooperate with the investigator, as this would mean giving up his faith. In total, Konstantin spent almost a year in a pre-trial detention center and waited for a court decision under a ban on certain actions for several more months. The investigation accused him of organizing the activities of an extremist organization.
Konstantin Bazhenov: “The main accusation was based on the fact that in the winter, in January 2018, we held a religious meeting. We read the Bible there, sang spiritual songs, discussed how to live according to biblical principles. The investigator interpreted this religious meeting as if we were holding a meeting of a legal entity banned in Russia.”
On September 19, 2019, the judge announced the sentence: 3.5 years in a penal colony. Three months later, the Court of Appeal upheld this verdict and on February 4, 2020, Bazhenov was sent to a correctional colony.
Konstantin Bazhenov: “On February 8, 2020, I was brought to the correctional colony-3 in the city of Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Region. I worked at the prison store. I received a lot of letters. The operational officer called me and said: “Bazhenov, we receive 300 letters a year for the entire colony. You alone received more than 300 letters in a month.” He says: “What are you doing? Do you want our inspector to drown in these letters?” Well, I explained that people want to support me, somehow encourage, encourage me.
Jehovah’s Witness sentenced, enprisoned, released and deported
Konstantin spent another 1 year and 3 months in the colony and was released on parole on May 5, 2021.
Konstantin Bazhenov: “It was a happy moment – I saw Irina, my wife, hugged her. The head of the detachment says: “Konstantin, I didn’t expect so many people to be present! I knew that you have brothers and sisters, they write letters to you. But that so many people will come to meet you … “He says:” Yes, you are a happy person!
When the day of the deportation came, Konstantin’s fellow believers gathered to support him. Konstantin Bazhenov: “On May 19, we arrived at the border. They checked our documents, all issued. I was met by brothers and sisters with a poster, flowers. My dear wife, Irina, was present. And it was such a joy, such an unforgettable moment, how we saw each other, how we could hug. As Jehovah promised that he would provide a way out in trials – behold, he provided me with a way out. I left the colony, left the deportation center. Indeed, he pushed away all the barriers and made it possible for my wife and I to meet on the day of our wedding anniversary. Such a happy moment.”
After his release, Konstantin and Irina Bazhenov live in Ukraine.
Over the past 4.5 years, 322 Jehovah’s Witnesses have been imprisoned. As of February 2022, 65 believers are awaiting sentencing behind bars and another 18 are serving sentences in penal colonies. 8 Jehovah’s Witnesses completed their sentences and were released from prison.
We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the hostilities launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine. This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security. The responsibility for unleashing a new war in Europe lies entirely with Russia.
There is no rational justification for this war. Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a pretext for launching a military operation do not inspire any confidence. It is clear that Ukraine does not pose a threat to the security of our country. The war against her is unfair and frankly senseless.
Ukraine has been and remains a country close to us. Many of us have relatives, friends and scientific colleagues living in Ukraine. Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against Nazism. Unleashing a war for the sake of the geopolitical ambitions of the leadership of the Russian Federation, driven by dubious historiosophical fantasies, is a cynical betrayal of their memory.
We respect Ukrainian statehood, which rests on really working democratic institutions. We treat the European choice of our neighbors with understanding. We are convinced that all problems in relations between our countries can be resolved peacefully.
Having unleashed the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country. This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries. The isolation of Russia from the world means further cultural and technological degradation of our country in the complete absence of positive prospects. War with Ukraine is a step to nowhere.
It is bitter for us to realize that our country, which made a decisive contribution to the victory over Nazism, has now become the instigator of a new war on the European continent. We demand an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries.
Signatures continue to come, we add as much as possible.
To the attention of all scientists who signed the appeal against the war! We processed mainly yesterday’s signatures (for 24.02), there are more than 2000 of them. Today’s signatures (25.02) are being processed. If you signed yesterday, check your signature after a while. Sorting alphabetically, as set – someone’s first name, someone’s last name. If you don’t find yourself, write to sign@trv-science.ru
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2022-02-24 23:00
(The names and scientific and academic positions of the signatories follow on the webpage)
