25/02/2022
Latest updates on the battlefield from 19:00 to 22:30 EET and Western reaction
– As of 10 pm EET: "The Kremlin is preparing a new wave of attacks, including air landing. But our army is ready to meet him," – Minister of Defense of Ukraine
– As of 10 pm EET: Heavy fightings continue in Sumy and Luhansk Oblasts, a difficult situation in the south, where Russia controls part of Kherson Oblast. Fightings around Kherson city continue
- Russian forces stopped near Kharkiv, pushed back in many areas in the East - Minister of Defense of Ukraine
– As of 8 pm, the Russians deployed over 60 Battalion Tactical groups out of 90. Russian aim is land corridor to Crimea & Transnistria, blocking Kyiv. For this reason, attempts to capture Hostomel airport near Kyiv. Also, destroy critical civilian infrastructure.
– Anton Herashchenko, advisor at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported that Ukraine managed to win back Hostomel airport near Kyiv after a paratrooper landing from helicopters and temporary loss of the airport. Claims Russians are all scattered and official info to come.
– Сonnection lost with border guards and the Ukrainian armed forces on Zmiyinyy island in the Black Sea. Most likely, the island was captured. Ukrainian fighters there didn't surrender after Russian threats and shelling 5 hours ago.
– Prime Minister Shmyhal confirms that Ukraine lost control of the Chornobyl Zone and Chornobyl nuclear power plant
– In Kyiv 10,000 guns were issued to the volunteers of territorial defense this evening. They are under the armed forces command.
– As of 22:40 EET, in 53 Russian cities, more than 1728 people who went to the streets against the Russian invasion of Ukraine were detained. The data is provided by the human rights project "OVD-Info" that published the list of detained people
– President Zelenskyy signed a decree on the establishment of military administrations on the basis of all regional state administrations. He stressed that due to this resistance will increase and the necessary logistical decisions will be made.
– Since the start of its war, Russia has killed 57 and wounded 169 Ukrainians - health Minister Liashko reported. Occupiers shelled hospitals in Avidyivka and Vuhledar.
Updates on sanctions and international aid
– The US sanctions target Russian banks, oligarchs, and high-tech sectors, Biden said. The United States and its allies will block assets of four large Russian banks, impose export controls and sanction oligarchs.
– The U.S. held off imposing some of the most severe sanctions, including cutting Russia out of the SWIFT payment system. Biden said that Russia is not banned from SWIFT because of the EU position. The EU is considering disconnecting Russia from SWIFT, but Germany, Italy, Hungary and Cyprus oppose it. MFA of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba urged to ban Russia from SWIFT!
– UK sanctions announcement: freezing assets of all major Russian banks, limiting cash held by Russian nationals in UK banks, sanctioning more than 100 individuals and entities & pushing to end Russia’s use of the Swift international payment systems.
– Poland's central bank, has decided to grant an FX swap to its Ukrainian counterpart of up to EUR 850,000
– Canadian sanctions will target 58 people and entities connected to Russia. Canada is also cancelling existing export permits for Russia and will not issue new ones.
💬 MFA of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba: "I will not be diplomatic on this. Everyone who now doubts whether Russia should be banned from SWIFT has to understand that the blood of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will be on their hands too. BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT"
💬 President Zelenskyy has requesting the West help establish a no-fly zone above Ukraine in a conversation with Macron. He insisted that disconnecting Russia from SWIFT and the establishment of a no-fly zone would be part of the West's sanctions package.
💬 Biden "Our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict," he said. "Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east."
💬 MFA of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba: "Informed Reinforced Permanent Council of OSCE about the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. We need more sanctions, we need more weapons to strengthen our defenses, and we need humanitarian support for those who suffer now from the Russian aggression"
💬 Office of the President of Ukraine to western partners: "If we want to stop the powerful expansion of the RF, which could lead to thousands of victims, we must close the skies over Ukraine. This is the key! We need to cut off the financial flows to Russia today. This must be done"
On photos: Soldiers of the Rapid Response Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine who recaptured Hostomel airfield near Kyiv; territorial defense volunteers at one of the many conscription points in Kyiv; people hiding in Kyiv metro from possible bombs at night
All the links and references to sources are here in the tweets twitter.com/EuromaidanPress
