With no near end in sight, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has now entered its fifth day.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin launched a special military invasion in Ukraine last week Thursday.
Here’s what has happened thus far.
UNSC refers invasion to Special Emergency
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has formally referred the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to a Special Emergency Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
In a Sunday vote at UN headquarters in New York, 11 council members voted in favour of a draft resolution referring the matter to the GA with three abstentions and a single ‘no vote’ from Russia.
Over 90 deaths reported
A UN human rights monitoring team has confirmed 376 civilians injured in Ukraine, including 94 deaths, after three days of clashes, a UN report showed on Monday.
It said the fighting had triggered “severe humanitarian consequences” and that casualties could be considerably higher.
Tech developments
In tech developments, Google confirmed on Sunday it temporarily disabled for Ukraine some Google Maps tools which provide live information about traffic conditions and how busy different places ar.
The company said it had taken the action of globally disabling the Google Maps traffic layer and live information on how busy places like stores and restaurants are in Ukraine for the safety of local communities in the country, after consulting with sources including regional authorities.
On social media, Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc has set up a special operations center to monitor the conflict in Ukraine, and it launched a feature so users in the country can lock their social media profiles for security, a company official said in Twitter posts on Thursday.
Both social media platforms are often used by political activists and researchers to disseminate information during times of crisis.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine also raised concerns about the spread of disinformation about the conflict on social media.
Reports of racism against Africans
Reports of alleged racism against black Americans did their rounds during the weekend.
Some posts on social media showed Africans being blocked by Ukranians from crossing the border to Poland.
Racism against Africans in Ukraine.
Africans being blocked by Ukrainians from crossing the border to Poland.
Yet we have Black Activists standing with #Ukraine.
Until we learn how to focus on our interests we will always be used for serve European or American interests.#racism pic.twitter.com/mZLZoai2PJ— United States of Africa (@Alkebulan_) February 27, 2022
Some also took to their social media platforms to express their contempt at the situation.
DISTURBING VIDEO. It’s an African nightmare to be black in Ukraine, right now. With this kind of racism against Africans in Ukraine, it is hard to dismiss Vladimir Putin’s charge that the pro-US and pro-NATO Ukrainian regime is run and supported by racists neo-Nazis! pic.twitter.com/KyjIg30UZQ
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) February 27, 2022
I stand in solidarity with the Africans being stranded in poland bonders & not Ukraine.Not allowing black people flee death is uncalled for.#racism
— Voice of Meru?? (@MutumaoNkanata) February 27, 2022
Russians in SA pledge support to Ukranians
Meanwhile, some Russians living in South Africa say they are ashamed about the war that’s currently taking place in Ukraine.
They picketed at the Nelson Mandela Square, in Sandton, at the weekend. Demonstrators were joined by some citizens from the Baltic states like Lithuania and others.
More details in the video below:
-Additional reporting by Sherwin Bryce-Pease & SABC News
