Live Blog
RUSSIANS who plan on returning to the Kremlin state to fight for the Butcher of Mariupol have been warned not to come back to the EU.
"There is no return for those who go," vowed Eerik-Niiles Kross, an Estonian politician, and former chief of intelligence as he told of how "crimes against peace is a criminal offence under Estonian law."
He said Estonian residents who chose to fight for the Kremlin will be immediately "banned" but if Russians living in Estonia decide to resist Putin's draft they will have "all legal protection and will not let Russia to force anyone."
Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland, have also decided to ban Russian tourists while the EU halted all flights from Russia to member nations.
Huge queues were reported near the south Russian border, with some even ditching their cars as they flee Putin's draft of 300,000 soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war.
Read our Ukraine-Russia live blog below for the latest udpates...
'My family were forced to vote at gunpoint'
The Russians have been accused of entering Ukrainians homes in the annexed regions and forcing them to vote.
"Armed gunmen watch you," said a Ukrainian journalist @maksymeristavi.
my family was just forced to vote at gunpoint in russian cosplay of a “referendum” in southern ukraine:
- they come to your house
- you have to openly tick the box for being annexed by russia (or for staying with ukraine if you feel suicidal)
- all while armed gunmen watch you— максим.еріставі 🇺🇦🏳️🌈 (@maksymeristavi) September 23, 2022Bodies of mutilated victims discovered in Ukraine
Ukraine has confirmed that victims of Russian torturers have been mutilated so badly that it is difficult to tell what gender they were.
They are among 430 bodies that have now been exhumed after Putin’s troops retreated from the city of Izyum following a Ukrainian advance.
Shocking evidence has emerged of torture chambers alongside the graves.
Click here to read more.
Russia replaces it’s highest ranking military general
Dmitry Bulgakov was “relieved” of his post.
It was revealed via Telegram today that the Army General will no longer be the deputy minister of defence.
Russian troops 'torturing' new recruits
It is estimated that 300,000 Russians could be conscripted into Russia's army as the Kremlin continues it's invasion of Ukraine.
Horror reports have been made of new troops being "raped and tortured".
"Dedovshchina" involves barbaric initiation rituals, said Former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Sir Richard Shirreff.
He told The Sun: "It is a brutal army with no sense of honour or values and your chances of surviving any war in the Russian army are pretty low," reported The Sun.
Iran claims it regrets Kyiv’s downgrading of ties following drone strike
An Iranian ministry foreign spokesperson has said his country was regretful over Ukraine’s decision to downgrade diplomatic ties following a Russian drone strike.
Al-Jazeera reports that ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani “advised” Ukraine to “refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries”.
China calls on Russia and Ukraine to stop 'crisis spilling over'
The Chinese foreign minister made the UN address asking the two nations to avoid letting the invasion from affecting developing nations.
Wang Yi said: “China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis.
"The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace,” Wang said.
“The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture,” he added.
Russia vows 'full protection' over invaded territory
Foreign Minister Lavrov said the areas which have now been annexed and are currently having referendums will have "full protection."
Referendums are being held, and remaining Ukrainians in the war torn regions are being forced to vote, some having armed Russian soldiers turning up to their doorsteps.
He said: “Following those referendums, Russia of course will respect the expression of the will of those people who for many long years have been suffering from the abuses of the neo-Nazi regime,” Lavrov told reporters after addressing the United Nations General Assembly.
When asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions of Ukraine, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory “further enshrined” in Russia’s constitution in the future, “is under the full protection of the state”.
UN investigators claim war crimes have been committed
UN investigators have said that war crimes have been committed in the Ukraine conflict.
They claim that this is due to Russian bombings of civilians areas, numerous executions, torture and horrific sexual violence.
The head of a high-level Commission of Inquiry told the UN Human Rights Council: “Based on the evidence gathered by the Commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.”
Dmytro Kuleba meets with China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with China’s counterpart Wang Yi.
They discussed relations between the countries and China reaffirmed their “respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Dmytro Kuleba also said how China spoke of its “rejection of the use of force as a means of resolving differences”.
Putin eases citizenship laws for foreigners in the military
The Russian dictator has eased the laws for those joining the Russian military.
Foreigners can now apply for citizenship without presenting a residence permit.
700 protestors DETAINED in Russia over forced mobilisation
It has been reported that locals are angry that those who do not meet the conscription criteria are being sent to war.
One man wrote: “Mobilise yourself, you lice-infested rat,” in Khabarovsk, and was detained.
Bodies of mutilated victims discovered in Ukraine
Ukraine has confirmed that victims of Russian torturers have been mutilated so badly that it is difficult to tell what gender they were.
They are among 430 bodies that have now been exhumed after Putin’s troops retreated from the city of Izyum following a Ukrainian advance.
Shocking evidence has emerged of torture chambers alongside the graves.
Click here to read more.
Russia replaces it’s highest ranking military general
Dmitry Bulgakov was “relieved” of his post.
It was revealed via Telegram today that the Army General will no longer be the deputy minister of defence.
Nigerian president says the UN prioritises certain global issues
He was referencing the ongoing conflicts in Europe that were sparked firstly in 1915, and are still continuing in Ukraine today.
Muhammadu Buhari said: Were we equally resolute during the tragedies of Syria, Libya, Yemen?
“And didn’t the West return to ‘business as usual’ after wars in Congo and the Horn of Africa?
“While condemning the invasion of Ukraine, do we give equal weight to fighting mercenaries who seek to destabilise the Sahel and threaten many other states in Africa?”
Iran claims it regrets Kyiv’s downgrading of ties following drone strike
An Iranian ministry foreign spokesperson has said his country was regretful over Ukraine’s decision to downgrade diplomatic ties following a Russian drone strike.
Al-Jazeera reports that ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani “advised” Ukraine to “refrain from being influenced by third parties who seek to destroy relations between the two countries”.
Al-Jazeera correspondent: Hard to know what’s happening with referendums
Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo said: “There are no independent international election monitors. Their media is very tightly controlled … also it’s happening in a war zone.
“So it’s very hard for people on the Russian side, or the Ukrainian side of the front lines to go back and forth to get a better sense of what is happening behind the Russian front lines where this voting is taking place.
“With that said, Russia is claiming that voting is going ahead as planned. And there are some videos that Russia is putting out, showing what appears to be orderly voting taking place – but you’re also seeing videos from Telegram and other sources on social media that purport to show Russian-appointed officials going door to door with Russian military personnel knocking on people’s doors, forcing them to vote.”
Referendum voting proceeds in occupied regions
Moscow-backed referendums are continuing in occupied Ukrainian areas.
Election officials flanked by police officers lifted ballots to homes and established mobile polling stations in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south.
Voting ends on Tuesday.
Iran’s embassy presence in Ukraine reduced due to Russian drone attacks
Iran’s ambassador will have his credentials stripped because Russia has been using Iranian drones to initiate attacks, claims Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Al-Jazeera reports that eight Iranian drones were shot down by Ukrainian forces.
”Today the Russian army used Iranian drones for its attacks on Dnipropetrovsk region and Odesa. I instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strongly react to this fact,” Zelenskyy said in his address.
“Six of these Iranian drones were downed by our air defences of the East and South commands. One more was brought to ground by air defences of the navy … And just now I am being told about the downing by air defences of the South command of another strike Iranian drone,” he said.
Ukrainian special forces fully disguised for combat
The specialist soldiers were covered in foliage, leaves and branches to hide their silhouetes.
Zelensky hits out at Russia, declaring it ‘hates freedom’
Ukraine’s President Zelensky has said that “the world sees” that Russia attacks “freedom, respect and life” as Putin continues to launch attacks on Ukrainians.
President Zelensky said: “Russia caused a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine as it hates freedom.
“But the world sees what Russia attacks & what Ukraine defends. Freedom, respect & life.”
What happens to the Russians refusing to serve in the military
A new law has been passed in Russia telling people what will happen if they don’t come when called.
Russian soldiers who refuse to fight, desert, disobey or surrender to the enemy could now face up to 10 years behind bars, Russian media outlets reported.
Bodies of mutilated victims discovered in Ukraine
Ukraine has confirmed that victims of Russian torturers have been mutilated so badly that it is difficult to tell what gender they were.
They are among 430 bodies that have now been exhumed after Putin’s troops retreated from the city of Izyum following a Ukrainian advance.
Shocking evidence has emerged of torture chambers alongside the graves.
Click here to read more.
Russia uses mobile incinerators to hide number of casualties
Data from the Kremlin of how many Russian soldiers have been killed in the invasion has not been totally accurate, one expert explains why.
It is claimed that the Russian military incinerate the bodies of fallen soldiers, and then report them as "missing" instead of counting them as dead.
Dr Patrick Bury, a senior lecturer in security at the University of Bath told the Express: "The Russian army have mobile incinerators. Only a percentage of the casualties that are killed come back.”
He added: “I have also read first hand accounts that said when a Russian soldier is reported killed, the unit still posts them as missing.
“One, they don’t have to count it as a casualty and, two, the family don’t get paid the bounty which would be due for a dead relative.”
Dmytro Kuleba meets with China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has met with China’s counterpart Wang Yi.
They discussed relations between the countries and China reaffirmed their “respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Dmytro Kuleba also said how China spoke of its “rejection of the use of force as a means of resolving differences”.
700 protestors DETAINED in Russia over forced mobilisation
It has been reported that locals are angry that those who do not meet the conscription criteria are being sent to war.
One man wrote: “Mobilise yourself, you lice-infested rat," in Khabarovsk, and was detained.