That’s a reasonable point, but put yourself in their shoes. You’re a lifelong Kyiv resident, the Russian army is about to roll into your city, and you have guns and molotov cocktails but no uniform. Is your decision really going to factor in international law about combatant status?
And to be clear I’m not saying that staying and fighting is right and staying and sheltering or fleeing is wrong. They are all totally justifiable choices. I’m just saying if I were in that spot, my decision would be based on what was best for my loved ones, not whether or not I was easily identified by Russian forces based on international law, as Russian forces shell residential areas no less.
Man you know Putin just wants that photo moment of tanks rolling through Maiden Square. I wonder if the Ukrainians have thought about secretly wiring the whole street with C4? Obviously that would need to be planned a long time ago, so probably not.
I have no idea how they could possibly know that. I think we should be very careful with any numbers that are put out right now. Not only are mistakes and miscommunication very likely there is a vested interested to put out misinformation.
Czech Republic’s is opening up to Ukrainian refugees.
Basically, Ukrainians currently in CR can apply for a long-term visa for asylum when their residency permit expires instead of being forced to go back to Ukraine. Those who aren’t enter visa-free for 90 days and sort themselves out once they arrive in the country.
There’s even a website for people to volunteer to host displaced Ukrainians as a result of the war
The EU is preparing to freeze the assets of Russian president Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister Sergei Lavrov under a new sanctions package as member states seek to toughen their response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to four people familiar with the matter. Foreign ministers hope to approve the sanctions package in a meeting on Friday, along with measures against Russian banks and industry, the people said.
He’s obviously anticipated this and can doubtless rely on the oligarchs stationed in the US and UK who’ve been allowed to hold money and assets for him.
of course needs to be vetted. however items that have been compiled by ukrainian side over last two days are holding up. day 1 saw almost 1000 confirmed russian casualties. day 2 had more fighting. the diversion groups who entered kyiv are apparently all dead. locals social media report that noone surrendered and was spared.
But they also know they can chastise Biden for not doing some particular, and then reverse their stance if he actually does it and it doesn’t work out, with zero accountability.
They pretty much have an open playbook at all times.
My relatively uninformed guess is that Ukraine is doing relatively well militarily because Russia prefers to capture Ukraine intact and hasn’t gone into fuck it, burn it all down mode yet. And that is the justification Germany, etc. have been giving for only turning sanctions up to 5 or whatever.
Think it is inevitable that they get to 10 out of 10 in short order. Triggers will be a) Zelensky gets killed or b) Ukranians continue to frustrate Russia and Putin goes into fuck it, burn it all down mode.