NATO not sending troops to Ukraine to avoid all out war in Europe

Mar 4 2022

NATO has revealed that it will not be sending troops onto the ground in Ukraine or imposing a no-fly zone above the country either. The alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ruled out putting NATO airplanes into the airspace above Ukraine or sending out troops because of how the move could end up in all-out war in Europe.

NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) previously announced the strengthening of its land, sea and air forces across Eastern Europe. However, Secretary General Stoltenberg clarified that NATO is ‘not part of this conflict.’

The foreign ministers met today in Brussels, deciding that while NATO is not part of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the alliance does have a responsibility to ensure it does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine. He warned that if NATO were to deploy troops on the ground in support of Ukraine or fly planes in the country’s airspace, it could lead to a fully-fledged war in Europe. Despite this, Putin was called upon to stop and withdraw his forces from Ukraine and engage in genuine diplomacy.

This decision follows the seizure of Europe’s biggest power plant in Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia, by Russian forces earlier this morning. This was deemed as nuclear terrorism by Ukrainian president Zelenskyy. NATO will also be strengthening its forces in other areas of Eastern Europe, with Bosnia, Herzegovina and Georgia receiving such support. Around 130 jets and 200 ships will be on high alert after NATO’s response force were deployed for the first time.

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Man who set car on fire to be sentenced after admitting guilt

Mar 4 2022

A man has admitted to having intentionally started a fire which destroyed a car last Saturday in Msida.

The 35-year-old Luqa resident and of Turkish nationality was arraigned before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech this morning accused of arson. The man was charged with having set the car alight in Clarence street at around 5:30am on Saturday.

The man, who manages a kebab shop, was taken into police custody on Thursday. The court was told that the man had cooperated with the police during interrogation and pleaded guilty to the charges.

In their submissions on punishment, the prosecution and defence suggested a two-year prison sentence, suspended for four years. The court adjourned the case to 21st of March for sentencing, pointing out that the value of the car destroyed had yet to be quantified.

The man was released on bail pending sentencing against a deposit of €600 and a personal guarantee of €4,400. He was also ordered to sign a bail book twice a week.

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Calls for social peace as Malta’s foreign minister meets Russian cultural director

Mar 4 2022

Posting to Facebook, Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo revealed that a meeting was held between the director of the Russian Centre for Culture and Science and himself in Valletta yesterday.

The statement appealed for peace between different communities to prevail as the two authority figures spoke about the importance of social peace between the Maltese, Russians and Ukrainians who live in the country.

Bartolo said that we shouldn’t allow any kind of hatred or violence to enter between us and that ‘we should treat everyone as human beings and live together for everyone’s sake.

The meeting with director Dr Irina Pereverzeva comes amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The invasion prompted many countries, including Malta, to introduce sanctions against the invading country. Malta also joined 37 other countries in referring reports of Russian atrocities in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court which is the larges referral in the history of the ICC.

Malta’s government has however urged people not to demonise all Russians. This was echoed by Prime Minister Robert Abela before the passport scheme which allowed Russians to buy Maltese citizenship was halted as the conflict ensues.

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Zelenskyy issues ’nuclear terrorism’ warning as Russia seizes power plant

Mar 4 2022

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been seized by the Russian military following a fire sparked by overnight shelling which burned for several hours at the largest facility of its kind in Europe. This was announced by regional authorities, with Ukrainian state inspectorate for nuclear regulation saying that despite the seizure by Russian forces, employees were continuing to work on the premises.

‘Changes in the radiation state for the current time have not been recorded’ the statement said. Two power units had been disconnected from the network and nuclear installations were being cooled down. However, a warning was issued that any loss of the possibility to cool down nuclear fuel will lead to significant radioactive releases into the environment which could ‘exceed all previous accidents at nuclear power plants, including the Chernobyl accident and the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe to ‘wake up now’, stating that the largest nuclear station in Europe is on fire. ‘If there will be an explosion, it will be the end to all of us: the end of Europe, the evacuation of Europe.’ He went on to accuse Russia of nuclear terror as ‘no country other than Russia has ever fired on nuclear power units. This is the first time in our history, in the history of mankind, the terrorist state has now resorted to nuclear terror.’

The fire was extinguished shortly after and no injuries were reported among staff. However, Russian authorities have claimed they are not responsible for the fire, saying their forces came under attack while patrolling the plant from Ukrainian saboteurs. Foreign ministers from NATO nations are meeting in Brussels today March 4th to discuss the invasion and possible actions to be taken as Ukraine requests the joining of the EU as well as a no-fly zone to be enforced over their airspace.

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