Why would Russia want to invade Ukraine? The conflict in Eastern Europe explained

British ballet dancer Xander Parish has made the decision to leave Russia and the country's prestigious Mariinsky Ballet amid the Russia-Ukraine war. Xander shared the news Sunday on Instagram.

Iron Maiden have announced that their upcoming summer shows in Ukraine and Russia have been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict between the neighbouring countries.The band were set to perform at VDNG in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 29 before visiting VTB Arena in Moscow Russia on June 1 as part of their 2022 ‘Legacy Of The Beast’ world tour.Sharing a statement on social media, Iron Maiden said “the promoters have cancelled the two Iron Maiden shows” due to the “ongoing situation in Ukraine”.“We are very sorry to announce that due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the promoters have cancelled the two Iron Maiden shows scheduled for May 29th in Kyiv and June 1st in Moscow on the 2022 Legacy Of The Beast World Tour,” the band tweeted.The band added that ticket-holders would we informed by the respective promoters on refunds, and concluded by stating: “Our priority is, and will always be, the safety of our fans.”Ticket-holders for both shows will be informed by the respective promoters on refunds at the appropriate time. Our priority is, and will always be, the safety of our fans.— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) March 3, 2022Since the conflict started, the likes of Iggy Pop, Yungblud, Green Day, Franz Ferdinand and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are among the acts who have scrapped dates due to the ongoing crisis.It comes after Ukraine severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation last Thursday (February 24).Ukraine, which has a population of 44million people, borders both Russia and the European Union.

The matter of Russian nuclear warfare is top-of-mind after Vladimir Putin announced he has put his nuclear deterrents on "high alert".

New Order.In a new message to the writer, broadcaster and Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam, Erasmus explained that he is travelling to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv to help those affected by the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia.“I’ve fought bullies of one kind or another all my life, Putin is no different,” he wrote. “This is a very, very, very important moment in history Dave, it cannot be lost.”He continued: “Once there (with Durutti in mind) I will set about convening the Factory Nentsov Column made up of fellow helpers and volunteers.” The Durutti Column was an Anarchist column in the Spanish Civil War made up of volunteers who wanted to fight for an egalitarian society.Message received this morning from Alan Erasmus co-founder of Factory Records.

Franz Ferdinand have cancelled their upcoming shows in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine last week.The Scottish band have become the latest act to axe their planned Russian gigs in the wake of the widely condemned Vladimir Putin-ordered military assault, with Yungblud, Green Day and the Russian rapper Oxxxymiron also scrapping shows in recent days.After speaking out in support of the “open and welcoming” people of Kyiv last week, Franz Ferdinand have confirmed this morning (March 1) that their scheduled gigs in St Petersburg and Moscow on June 29 and July 1 will no longer take place.The band said in a statement that “the only reason for this is the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian state”.“We love Russia. This great country has inspired our band through its art and literature and since we first played there 17 years ago, we have built a rich and deep relationship with our Russian fans,” the band said.“Since Thursday morning [February 24], we have spoken to many of our friends in Russia via social media and have encountered unanimous opposition to this violence and solidarity with our Ukrainian friends.

cancer for seven years. Addressing the crowd gathered at the ceremony, Benedict said: ‘I want to mention my sister who we lost last year. She would have loved this.

< 1 min read LGBTQ+ activists across social media are calling for followers to share an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin in drag to showcase support for Ukraine and their rainbow community amid the invasion of their nation.

New sanctions have been announced targeting Russia's central bank.

 Saturday Night Live in a move away from the show’s traditional opening sketch.The Chorus, who were founded in 1949 as a way for Ukrainian immigrants to “preserve and cultivate the rich musical heritage of Ukraine”, were introduced by SNL regulars Cecily Strong and Kate McKinnon at the show’s opening.Ukraine has officially severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation on February 24.The Chorus went on to perform an emotive rendition of ‘Prayer For Ukraine’, which you can watch below.After that, the show went on to reveal a set of candles in the shape of the word ‘Kiev’, Ukraine’s capital, which is still currently under siege.“Prayer for Ukraine” performed by Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York pic.twitter.com/5pi2l1Olpx— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) February 27, 2022198 Ukrainians – including three children – have been killed at the time of writing, according to Health Minister Viktor Liashko. A further 1,115 people have reportedly been wounded, including 33 children (via Al Jazeera).

Maksim Chmerkovskiy has shared new updates from his native Ukraine amidst the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Dancing with the Stars pro, 42, posted two videos to Instagram on Friday, February 25 from a bomb shelter in the capitol city of Kyivand, which has come under attack by Russian troops. Maks said that while he’s currently “safe” in the Eastern Europe country, he’s learning from fellow Ukrainians that “the situation is pretty dire.”