Invasion Day to Today's Events Incl.Restriction of Facebook and Censorship By Putin
Russia moves to "partially restrict" Facebook's access over allegations of censorship
From CNN’s Brian Fung
The Russian government moved to restrict Facebook's access to the country on Friday after Russia's ministry of communications accused the social network of unlawful censorship.
In a statement, ministry officials said Facebook had committed human rights violations and "violated the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens" when the social network on Thursday allegedly clamped down on several Russian media outlets on its platform.
The list allegedly includes the official Facebook accounts of RIA Novosti, Zvezda TV, Lenta.ru, and Gazeta.ru, according to the statement.
CNN could not immediately verify the allegations. Facebook didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Russian statement said Facebook had violated Federal Law No. 272-FZ, a law that it said governs human rights and the rights of Russian citizens.
"In accordance with the decision of the Prosecutor General's Office regarding the social network Facebook, starting from February 25, 2022, Roskomnadzor, in accordance with the law, takes measures to partially restrict access," the statement read.
The extent of the restrictions was not immediately clear, nor their impact on Facebook's operations in Russia or that of Facebook's parent, Meta.
Kremlin adds more details on proposal to send delegation to Minsk to meet with Ukraine
From CNN's Anna Chernova and Nathan Hodge in Moscow
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov gave more details Friday about a proposal floated earlier in the day for sending representatives to the Belarusian capital of Minsk to talk with Kyiv, claiming the Ukrainian side had countered with a proposal to meet in Warsaw and then dropped contact.
"Putin immediately phoned President (Alexander) Lukashenko and agreed that the Belarusian side and the president would do everything to best organize the arrival of delegations and ensure their safety — this element is also important now — and the conditions for conducting these negotiations directly," Peskov said in a phone call with reporters.
"The Russian side immediately, on behalf of the president, formed a delegation of representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Administration. All this information was brought to the attention of the Ukrainians," he said.
Peskov added: "After a short pause, the Ukrainians said that the Ukrainians wanted to go to Warsaw. And after that they took a pause and left the connection."
Prior to Peskov's comments, Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych told CNN Friday that the Ukrainian government is “considering the proposal.”
The Kremlin spokesperson claimed that the pause was accompanied by the deployment of multiple launch rocket systems in residential areas, including in Kyiv by "nationalist elements," something Peskov said the Kremlin considered "extremely dangerous."
More context: Peskov's statement echoed a claim made earlier in the day by the Russian military, which said — without evidence — US military and intelligence advisers have instructed Ukrainian military leaders to place rocket artillery systems in residential areas to provoke return fire on local residents.
The US has observed at least 200 total missile launches since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a senior US defense official told reporters Friday, adding that “some of these missiles we have assessed have impacted civilian residential areas.”
"I am ready to die for my land": Ukrainian man who lives in Poland pledges to return to fight if war worsens
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A Ukrainian man who lives in Poland said he will go back to fight for his country if the situation deteriorates.
"I will go and fight, and I am ready to die for my land. ... I will fight for democratic and freedom country for the law, and it's my duty," he told CNN's Scott McLean at a train station in Przemyśl, where Ukrainian refugees have been crossing into Poland.
Ukraine has banned all-male citizens ages 18 to 60 from leaving the country, according to the State Border Guard Service.
Trains from Kyiv are delayed because there are delays with the IT systems, according to Polish authorities, McLean reported.
Cases of water and food are at the train station in anticipation of the refugees.
This Ukrainian couple spent their first day of marriage collecting rifles to defend their country
From CNN's Ivana KottasovĂ¡ in Kyiv
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Ukrainian citizens Yaryna Arieva and Sviatoslav Fursin got married just hours after Russia launched its invasion of their country. They spent their first day as a married couple collecting their rifles and getting ready to defend Ukraine.
It was supposed to be a May wedding, but the couple were no longer sure of what their future holds.
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Arieva and Fursin have both signed up with the Territorial Defense Forces, a branch of Ukraine’s armed forces that is comprised mostly of volunteers. Once armed, the couple headed to the office of their political party, the European Solidarity.
“Right now, we are here and we are doing everything we can. So there is a lot of work to do, but still, I hope everything will be OK," Arieva said, adding that some civilians who are not part of the defense force were also given rifles.
“There are some places you can get them, and you just sign the papers, and you can go and protect your country,” she said. “That's the situation right now.
More than 50,000 Ukrainians have fled, UN refugee agency says
From CNN's Priscilla Alvarez
More than 50,000 Ukrainian refugees have left the country in less than 48 hours, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who said the majority have gone to Poland and Moldova.
“More than 50,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled their country in less than 48 hours – a majority to Poland and Moldova – and many more are moving towards its borders,” Grandi said in a tweet. “Heartfelt thanks to the governments and people of countries keeping their borders open and welcoming refugees.”
The United Nations refugee agency estimated Thursday that tens of thousands will be displaced as Russia invades Ukraine. The agency is stepping up operations and capacity in Ukraine and neighboring countries as people start to flee.
Delta ends partnership with Russian airline Aeroflot
From CNN's Pete Muntean
Delta Air Lines is ending its partnership with Russian airline Aeroflot in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Delta did book passengers on some flights operated by the Russian national airline, but says it is ending its codeshare agreement effective immediately. The agreement allowed Delta to ticket its passengers on Aeroflot flights from Moscow and enabled Aeroflot to ticket its passengers on some Delta flights operated from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Los Angeles International Airport.
“We have removed our code from Aeroflot-operated services beyond Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and removed Aeroflot’s code from Delta-operated services from Los Angeles and New York-JFK,” said a statement from the airline. “Accommodations will be made for customers affected by these changes.”
Delta’s decision was first reported by Politico.
Aeroflot joined the SkyTeam Alliance in 2004, a partnership of 19 international airlines of which Delta is also a member. Delta said it does not operate flights to Ukraine or Russia
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