August 25, 2023 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“May Ukraine's Independence Day be a reminder that the darkness that drives autocracy is no match for the flame of liberty that lights the souls of free people everywhere”, US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainians of further support on the occasion of the holiday and expressed hope that next year Ukrainians will be able to celebrate their independence in peace and safety. The President added that the United States is also working with all states to bring the Russian military to justice for war crimes and other atrocities they have committed in Ukraine.

“Dear Ukrainian friends, on Your Independence Day, the EU is with you. You are a member of our European family and your future is with us. Glory to Ukraine!”, President of the European Council Charles Michel greeted Ukrainians.

“Ukraine is transforming itself with key reforms and is advancing on its path to become a member of the European Union. This is the future of Ukraine and we, at the European Union, stand with Ukraine. European Union stands with Ukraine, and we will stand for as long as it takes. Glory to Ukraine!” said Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy.

“The Netherlands is with you and will stay with you today and every day. Until every day is Independence Day in Ukraine again”, said Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte.

“We stand with you. Today you celebrate the independence and freedom of your people. These are exactly the principles that your entire country is defending in your courageous struggle against russia's brutal aggression. We admire your courage and your strength”, Chancellor of the FRG Olaf Scholz said.

“Latvia has been with Ukraine since day one of russia’s aggression, and I am convinced that with the help of Latvia and other allies, Ukraine will succeed and justice will be restored”, said President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs.

“Finland’s support to Ukraine remains unwavering as you courageously continue to defend your freedom”, said President of Finland Sauli Niinistö.

“...Your resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to freedom inspire us all. Together, in shared belief in democracy and a European future, we move forward. Glory to Ukraine!” said President of Moldova Maia Sandu.

“Albania firmly supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we applaud your extraordinary resistance in protecting fundamental values of peace and democracy”, said President of Albania Bayram Begay.

The buildings of the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament in Brussels were illuminated in blue and yellow colors on Ukraine's Independence Day.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Summit of the Crimea Platform assured Ukraine of support and called the West's reaction to russian aggression in 2014 erroneous and insufficient.

The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania has announced provision of another batch of military aid worth EUR 41 million. Ukraine will receive ammunition for Carl Gustaf grenade launchers, rifles, maritime surveillance radar systems, 5.56 mm ammunition, generators, anti-drone systems, etc.

Norway will provide Ukraine with missiles for IRIS-T air defense systems, as well as F-16 fighter jets.

Baykar Makina provided Ukrainian intelligence officers with Bayraktar TV2 strike UAV free of charge on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day.

Portugal confirmed its readiness to join the training of Ukrainian pilots for the F-16.

Japan will provide Ukraine with assistance worth up to $ 7 billion.

Residents of Estonia have fund-raised EUR 222,933 for 21 reconnaissance drones for Ukraine.

The government of Bulgaria has decided to allocate 293,376 Bulgarian levs (EUR 150,000) in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Italy will host a conference on reconstruction of Ukraine in 2025.

Swedish fashion retailer H&M plans to begin a gradual resumption of work in Ukraine from November 2023.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Annalena Baerbock acknowledged the weak impact of sanctions against russia.

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The Government of Canada has expanded the sanctions lists against russia to another 29 structures of the defense-industrial complex, the financial sector and the nuclear industry. Sanctions were imposed against pjsc bank uralsib, zenit bank, Russian regional development bank, rosbank, rusatom overseas, fsue atomflot, kurchatov institute, state scientific center – scientific and research institute of nuclear reactors (niiar) and some other design organizations. severstal, vladimir potanin's holding interros, a number of defense enterprises, including the ulan-ude aviation plant, JSC “195 repair plant of rocket and artillery weapons”, and the 70th anniversary of victory machine-building plant(artillery factory) in nizhniy Novgorod.

Austrian Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) and Uniqa Insurance Group are selling their russian subsidiary raiffeisen life.

Insurance companies have raised prices for charterers of ships operating in russian Black Sea ports. The increase affects tankers carrying russian oil and petroleum products.

The oil subsidiary of gas monopoly Gazprom has reported that its second-quarter revenues decreased by 43% – from 835.8 billion to 821.6 billion rubles compared to the same period in 2022 – and due to falling sales volumes, net profit amounted to 140.1 billion rubles.

Interest rates on soft loans for housing in russia will grow after the central bank’s decision to raise the key rate to 12 percent per annum. Market mortgages in russia have risen in price by an average of 1.5–3 percentage points, up to 14 percent per annum. This increase was the second in a month. In early August, interest on housing loans increased by 0.5–1 percentage points, to 10–12 percent per annum.

The cost of chicken meat in the rf has reached a historical maximum – almost 197 rubles per kilogram, - as shown by rosstat data. This summer, broiler prices have soared so much that sausage makers have begun replacing chicken with pork. First of all, this was influenced by the rise in the cost of eggs, medicines for birds, as well as rising prices for feed for birds, the high cost of equipment, the rise in the cost of fuel and an increase in demand for chicken.

Recently, imports of wines in russia have increased almost one and a half times, due to an increase in import duties on wines from “unfriendly countries”: earlier the tax was 12.5%, and now it has jumped to 20%. The rise in price of foreign wines guaranteed.

In large russian cities, there may soon be a shortage of car services, tyre service points and car washes. dmitry danshov, a member of the board of the union of car services of russia, has said that the reason for this is the projects for the reorganization of industrial zones. In their place, residential complexes, shopping and business centers are being built in large cities, most of them do not have technical centers.

verkh-iset district court of ekaterinburg fined the ural “memorial” 350 thousand rubles under the protocol on failure to provide a report on the activities of a “foreign agent”. Earlier, lenin district court of ekaterinburg fined “memorial” 300,000 rubles in an administrative case on “discrediting” of the russian army for publishing an article on the website dedicated to the International Day of Conscientious Objectors to Military Service. In June, “memorial” was fined this amount for publishing texts on the website about the results of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At the Zvartnots airport in Yerevan, head of the russian society of friendship and cooperation with Armenia, viktor krivopustov, was not allowed to cross the border.

The cost of “patriotic education” in russia in 2022 amounted to 11.4 billion rubles, while initially 5 billion were planned for these purposes. The funds were directed, in particular, to the salaries of educational advisers who appeared in schools, equipping educational institutions with state symbols and involving children and adolescents in youth movements.

In astrakhan, saratov, samara, ryazan, rostov, novosibirsk and volgograd regions, the khabarovsk territory, and kalmykia in recent days, interruptions in the supply of petrol and diesel fuel have begun. Local authorities fully acknowledged the existence of problems with the supply of fuel.

The regime of belarusian ruler aleksandr lukashenko is responsible for the lives of opposition politicians and other people imprisoned in belarus “just because they called for law, freedom and democracy”, President of the FRG Frank-Walter Steinmeier said.

The National Security Commission of Lithuania may impose a ban on travel to belarus and russia for some of its citizens. It is about protecting state secrets and citizens themselves.

The State Security Service of Latvia (SDB) will not disregard the inhabitants of the country who decided to go to russia to study at higher educational institutions. Given that about 110 people from Latvia will study for free in moscow, the SDB urged citizens not to travel to russia and belarus because of high intelligence and recruitment risks.

On August 28, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia will discuss technical issues of joint closure of borders with belarus in case the threat grows.

The belarusian government acknowledged difficulties in replacing agricultural products imported from “unfriendly” countries. According to deputy prime minister of belarus anatoly svakov, the government is interested in Kyrgyz agricultural products, especially those that, due to climatic conditions, cannot be grown in belarus.

In belarus, from September 1 of this year, fixed tariffs for sending written correspondence and parcels in the country are increased.

According to the ministry of antimonopoly regulation and trade, there are problems with poultry in belarus: in stores – interruptions in the product supply, and in agricultural organizations – a sharp reduction in livestock. In June, poultry in agriculture sharply decreased by 7%. Prices for chicken meat in minsk region increased by 4.7%, in gomel and Vitebsk regions – by 2-2.5%.

The largest belarusian animal protection organization SaveUs, registered back in 2000, is in the process of liquidation at the request of the ministry of justice, its accounts are frozen.