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Live blog: China releases position paper as Russia-Ukraine war grinds on
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War between Russia and Ukraine drags into its second year, with no end in sight to a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, flattened cities and towns, forced millions to flee and brought a Cold War chill to global ties.
Russia began a full-scale offensive on February 24 last year aiming to seize Ukraine’s capital Kiev quickly and topple the pro-European government.
Russia began a full-scale offensive on February 24 last year aiming to seize Ukraine’s capital Kiev quickly and topple the pro-European government. (AP Archive)
Friday, February 24, 2023
0130 GMT — Beijing urges warring sides to reach ‘peaceful settlement’
China has said it wants to prevent the Ukraine crisis from getting out of control in a position paper released on the one year anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Dialogue, negotiation are the only viable way to resolve the Ukraine crisis,” China said according to a paper on its position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis as released by the Foreign Ministry.
“All parties should support Russia and Ukraine in working in the same direction and resuming direct dialogue as quickly as possible,” the ministry said, stressing that “nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must not be fought”.
“Parties to the conflict should strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacking civilians or civilian facilities.”
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2330 GMT — Australia imposes more sanctions on Russia
The Australian government has said it would send more drones to Ukraine to aid its fight against Russia on the anniversary of the invasion, and imposed new targeted financial sanctions against 90 Russian individuals and 40 entities.
The latest targets include Russian ministers overseeing energy, resources and industry sectors, and key players in defence including arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Concern, aviation firm Tupolev and submarine developer Admiralty Shipyards.
“We continue to stand with Ukraine,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.
“(The uncrewed aerial systems) provide a battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.” He did not specify how many drones would be shipped, the models involved, and whether they would be armed.
2234 GMT — Chinese company discusses ‘sending Russia drones’
Russia is in talks with a Chinese manufacturer about buying 100 drones, with a delivery date of April, German magazine Der Spiegel has reported.
Der Spiegel said Chinese drone manufacturer Xian Bingo Intelligent Aviation Technology had said it was prepared to make 100 prototypes of its ZT-180 drone, which the magazine said could carry a 35-50kg warhead.
It said the drone was similar to Iran’s Shaheed-136, with which Russia has launched countless attacks on Ukraine.
The magazine also said Bingo had plans to help establish a production site for the drone in Russia, where up to 100 aircraft could be made a month. Bingo could not immediately be reached for comment outside of normal business hours.
It added that there had been earlier plans for a company controlled by the Chinese army to send Russia spare parts for its SU-27 warplane.
2233 GMT — British PM to urge G7 to speed up military aid to Kiev
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will tell G7 allies they must increase aid to Kiev faster to give Ukraine a “decisive” battlefield advantage, a statement issued by his office said.
“For Ukraine to win this war — and to accelerate that day — they must gain a decisive advantage on the battlefield… Instead of an incremental approach, we need to move faster on artillery, armour, and air defence,” he is expected to say in a virtual meeting on the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
READ MORE: Ukraine conflict: Analysing Türkiye’s mediation that yielded positives
2200 GMT — Landmarks lit, vigils held to mark first anniversary of Ukraine war
Paris lit up the Eiffel Tower in blue and yellow and people draped in Ukrainian flags gathered at a vigil in London, as the world marks one year of war between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia invaded Ukraine by land, air and sea on February 24, 2022, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two.
Russia has called its actions “a special military operation,” while Ukraine and the West call the attack an unprovoked land grab.
In Brussels, European Union buildings including those of the European Parliament and Commission were similarly lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
In London, people draped in Ukrainian flags and holding banners gathered at Trafalgar Square at a vigil to mark the anniversary.
Ukraine had success with counter-offensives in late 2022 to seize much of the territory it lost early on, and the war has settled into one of attritional trench warfare and rising losses on both sides.
Russia controls around a fifth of Ukraine a year on.
2000 GMT — UN approves resolution calling for Russia to leave Ukraine
The United Nations has voted overwhelmingly to demand Russia “immediately” and “unconditionally” withdraw its troops from Ukraine, marking the one-year anniversary of the war with a call for a “just and lasting” peace.
In the UN General Assembly, 141 members voted in favour of the resolution, which reaffirms support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seven opposed it, and 32 abstained, including China, Pakistan and India.
The 141-7 vote with 32 abstentions was slightly below the highest vote for the five previous resolutions approved by the 193-member world body since Russia sent troops and tanks across the border into its smaller neighbour on February 24, 2022.
The General Assembly has become the most important UN body dealing with Ukraine because the Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, is paralysed by Russia’s veto power. Its resolutions are not legally binding, unlike Security Council resolutions, but serve as a barometer of world opinion.
For our live updates from Thursday (February 23), click here
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
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