August 8, 2024 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“The EU has been supporting Ukraine since the first day of russia's war of aggression. Together with our member states, we have provided support worth almost EUR 108 billion”, said President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Deputy Secretary of State for Management & Resources Richard Verma will be the next US Special Representative for Ukraine's economic recovery.

Germany will receive Patriot missiles worth $478 million to replace the ones transferred to Ukraine.

Danielle Bell, the Head of the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, has said that more than 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war were tortured in the rf, and this is a war crime.

59 Ukrainian startups have received EUR 2 million in grants from the EU under the Seeds of Bravery program.

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The United States, South Korea and Japan intend within a year to establish a trilateral mechanism to oversee compliance with UN Security Council’s sanctions against north korea.

The United States has warned Turkey of the risk of sanctions for supplying the rf with American chips and other components that can be used for weapons production, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matthew Axelrod.

“...We reiterate our condemnation of russia's military presence in the occupied breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which is a violation of international law and russia's obligations under the six-point agreement of August 12, 2008”, said EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell in a statement on the 16th anniversary of the start of the russian-Georgian war in 2008.

Minister of Defence of Finland Antti Häkkänen rejected an application for a permit to purchase real estate in the country by a Swedish and russian citizen whose company is on Ukraine's sanctions list.

On August 6, the Estonian Prosecutor General's Office charged Estonian citizen svetlana burtseva with treason, violation of international sanctions and cooperation with russian propaganda media.

The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania has purchased EUR 4 million worth of anti-tank barriers (“dragon's teeth” and other defense equipment) which will be delivered to special storage facilities near the border with the rf and the rb.

A Lithuanian company has been fined EUR 13.6 million for non-compliance with international sanctions, imposed in Lithuania, when concluding agreements with companies from Kazakhstan, the rb and Turkey.

In July, trade between China and the rf decreased by 2.7%. russia imported $9.7 billion worth of goods to China, which is by 6.3% less than in June.

During 2022-2023, the volume of investments in machine tools and equipment in the russian industry decreased by 8.1%, according to the center for macroeconomic analysis and short-term forecasting. Due to international isolation, China has become the main channel for supplying equipment to the rf.

Sales of trucks in the rf in January-July decreased by 5.2% to almost 71.9 thousand units. The rate of market decline is accelerating: in the first half of the year, sales decreased by 3.6%, while in July, truck sales fell by 13.3%.

In the first half of the year, dental services in the rf went up by 11%, the average cost of visiting cafes and restaurants in moscow – by 11%, and the cost of fast food – by 10%.

The average cost of hotel accommodation in russian tourist cities has increased by 15-20%, in moscow – by 28%, and in st. petersburg and kazan – by 21%.

After the abolition of massive preferential mortgages in the rf, 10.9 thousand transactions with apartments and flats were concluded in moscow and moscow region in July, which is by 40% fewer than in June (down by 18% compared to July 2023). With the drop in sales, developers' revenues decreased significantly – by 30%. In July, the cost of housing under construction in moscow region increased by 8% to RUB 335.1 thousand per square meter (up by 15% since the beginning of the year).

In January – June, the number of russian construction companies declared bankrupt, increased by 12% year-on-year to 779 organizations. The total number of construction companies in bankruptcy increased by 14% to 8.5 thousand. The number of organizations subject to insolvency proceedings also increased by 12% to 1.8 thousand.

rosselkhoznadzor has banned the supply of products from “polotsk rynok” from the rb. Significantly higher levels of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms (molds and various bacteria) were found in the beef produced by this producer.

During the latest increase in fuel prices in the rb, they went up by an average of 3.5%. “belneftekhim” believes that one of the reasons for the increase in the cost of petrol is the shortage of workers. The company is also facing higher costs for imported components used in production.

The leninsky court of brest has sentenced eight belarusian citizens to a general regime colony for terms ranging from one year and five months to two years and six months for participating in the 2020’s protests. Five people, including the mother of a child with a disability, were detained on the same charges in the town of kobryn, brest region.

The prosecutor's office of vitebsk region has checked the “quality” of patriotic education of students in local schools, and five officials have been brought to disciplinary responsibility.