bnanews24 : (4 Mar 2022) : Russia-Ukraine War Latest News Live Updates from world media update.
Russia-Ukraine news
ALJAZEERA News
Poland detains Spanish journalist suspected of spying for Russia
Pablo Gonzalez is accused of spying for Russia’s military intelligence agency, facing 10 years in prison if found guilty.
“ABW agents have detained a Spanish citizen of Russian origin … He has been identified as an agent for the GRU” Russian military intelligence agency, Poland’s ABW said on Friday.
It accused Gonzalez of “conducting his business for Russia while taking advantage of his journalist status”.
8,000 Russians arrested
The Kremlin has urged Russians to “unite” around President Vladimir Putin, more than one week after he ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine.
Anti-war protests have taken place in a number of Russian cities since the invasion began on February 24, with police detaining more than 8,000 participants, according to OVD-Info, a rights group tracking political arrests. Meanwhile, a number of prominent Russians have also joined a chorus of international condemnation of the war.
“Now is not the time to be divided,” the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, responding to a question on pleas from public figures to end the war.
“Now is the time to unite, to unite around our president,” he said.
BBC online
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says there is evidence Russia is using cluster bombs in its invasion.
At a news conference, he told reporters: “We have seen the use of cluster bombs and we have seen reports of use of other types of weapons which would be in violation of international law.
He also says the Western military alliance would not set up a no-flyzone over Ukraine nor send its troops there but promises other help to Kyiv and urged President Vladimir Putin to end the invasion immediately.
Moscow restricts access to BBC – reports
It has been reported this morning that Russia’s communications watchdog has restricted access to the BBC’s Russian Service.
Two other news outlets – Radio Liberty and Meduza – have also been blocked, according to the state-owned RIA news agency.
Yesterday, Moscow said the BBC was being used to “undermine” the internal political situation and security in Russia.
Earlier, it was reported that Russian-backed news channel RT had been removed from all broadcast platforms in the UK.
Access to the network was reportedly impacted by a ban imposed by the European Union.
Culture secretary Nadine Dorries previously referred to the channel as “Putin’s polluting propaganda machine”.
News from MT (4th Mar2022)
>Facebook, Multiple Media Sites Partially Down in Russia – AFP, NGO
AFP journalists in Moscow were not able to access Facebook, as well as the sites of media outlets Meduza, Deutsche Welle, RFE-RL and the BBC’s Russian-language service. The monitoring NGO GlobalCheck also said the sites were partially down.
On its Telegram account, independent outlet Meduza said that its site was no longer available to “some of its users” in Russia, but added that it had not received notification from the authorities about a block.
CNN News (4th Mar2022)
THE FIRE AT THE ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT HAS BEEN PUT OUT, ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE UKRAINIAN STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE ON FRIDAY.
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The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant generates about 20% of Ukraine’s electricity
>AIRBNB IS SUSPENDING OPERATIONS IN RUSSIA AND BELARUS
>ZELENSKY URGES WORLD LEADERS TO STOP RUSSIA “BEFORE THIS BECOMES A NUCLEAR DISASTER
>Kharkiv mayor: Russia is “intentionally trying to eliminate Ukrainian people
