BY ELLA BURROWS
Tuesday marked the sixth day of conflict between the countries of Russia and Ukraine. Since Feb. 24, when Russia commenced its formal invasion of Ukraine, the world has seemingly come to a standstill — anxiously awaiting the latest news and updates from within Ukraine. This is Tiger Media Network’s update and analysis of the latest news as of Tuesday.
On the political front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s targeting of civilians and accused Russia of war crimes following the deaths of 136 Ukrainian civilians, 13 of which were children, according to the New York Times.
Reuters has reported Zelensky desperately pleaded with European Parliament, a legislative branch of the European Union made up of 705 directly elected members, to fast-track their admittance to the organization, which would bolster financial and moral support as well as provide weapons for the Ukrainian government, military and civilians.
In his emotional speech, Zelensky said, “Do prove that you are indeed Europeans, and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness.”
Zelensky’s emotional plea was enough for European Parliament to pass a non-binding resolution which will implore leaders within the EU to impose stiffer sanctions on Russia and provide additional weapons to Ukraine in a 637-13 vote. This, in addition to wearing Ukrainian ribbons, flags and other items, was an immense show of support for the Ukrainian people from the EU and the European Parliament.
It is important to note that as Zelensky spoke to the European Parliament, Russian troops continued to march through the nation and towards Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city, where Zelensky is located. The Russian troops, in a 40-mile long caravan, have continued to make advances towards Kyiv where it is feared they will attempt to circle the city.
The New York Times reported that Tuesday morning seven people were killed in an explosion at an administrative building in Kherson, the same city where a hospital was destroyed by a Russian rocket causing additional fatalities.
The Ukrainians have continued to put up an impressive resistance to the invasion, which has been assisted by Russia’s sudden lack of food and gasoline for troops. The resistance is likely the result of the Ukrainian people’s strong desire to remain an independent nation, free from Russian influence.
But, as a result of the intense violence and turmoil, 660,000 Ukrainians have now fled the nation, according to reports from UN Refugee Agency, with 377,000 finding shelter and rest in Poland.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States was in attendance at President Biden’s State of the Union Address, where he addressed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine among other domestic issues. The ambassador, however, did not attend the event as a guest of the president, but of First Lady Jill Biden, according to CBS News.
President Biden’s State of the Union included a harsh indictment of Russia’s actions and a pledge to “inflict pain” on Putin and strong sentiments of support for Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. It is speculated Biden made this addition to his speech as a direct reflection of Russian inflicted chaos in Ukraine.
As Russian aggression continues and the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, Tiger Media Network will keep you updated on the latest news in the fight between Russia and Ukraine.